The beloved physician Luke wrote when the Jews in Jerusalem told Paul and the men traveling with him to “be at charges” with the people of the Jewish nation, Paul, “the next day purifying himself with them entered into the temple, to signify the accomplishment of the days of purification, until that an offering should be offered for every one of them. And when the seven days were almost ended, the Jews which were of Asia, when they saw him in the temple, stirred up all the people, and laid hands on him, crying out, Men of Israel, help: This is the man, that teaches all men every where against the people, and the law, and this place: and further brought Greeks also into the temple, and has polluted this holy place. (For they had seen before with him in the city Trophimus an Ephesian, whom they supposed that Paul had brought into the temple.)”, and in chapter twenty-one and verse thirty of the book of Acts Luke shares how the Jews, “took Paul, and drew him out of the temple”, where we read:
And all the city was moved, and the people ran together:
and they took Paul, and drew him out of the temple: and forthwith the doors were shut.
The verse begins, “And all the city was moved, and the people ran together:” Luke began with the words, “and all the city was moved” which means “and each, every, the whole and everyone of the dwelling place, habitation and abode of Jerusalem was excited, disturbed and thrown into commotion”, “and the people” or “and the human beings both male and female” “ran together” which means “arose and appeared with one another”. Luke shared how everyone in the city of Jerusalem was thrown into commotion, and they “all” assembled together to act.
The verse continues, “... and they took Paul, and drew him out of the temple: and forthwith the doors were shut.” Luke added the words, “and they took Paul” which means “and the riotous Jewish people lay hold of, overtook, seized, succored and carried forth and led Paul whose name means small or little”, “and drew him out of the temple” or “and dragged, lead and impelled him, Paul, without or out of doors from the sacred worship place in Jerusalem”: “and forthwith the doors were shut” which means “and immediately or straightaway the entry doors, passage or vestibule were closed”. Luke shared how the “Jewish people” who captured “Paul” grabbed him and threw him out of the “temple” and closed the doorway to it.
When we consider Luke's words in this verse, we can only imagine how violent these Jewish men were with “Paul”. Not only did they accuse him falsely, but they also threw him out of the “temple” and shut the doors behind him. In other words, they cast him out of the church. These “religious” men believed themselves to be right, and they thought by accusing “Paul” and removing him from the “sacred worship” place, they were doing right before God. “Paul” was occupied with the work of the Kingdom of God, and reaching people with the gospel of Jesus Christ is the most important work in the world. Anyone who believes and trusts in Jesus as their “Savior and Lord” will be forgiven of their sins and granted everlasting life with God, and those who are wise will surrender themselves to Jesus and be about His work even if others attempt to squelch them by throwing them out of the church.
Next time Luke shares how the Jews, “went about to kill him”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until tomorrow…there is more…
See more devotionals on the website "thewordfortodaywithray.com" or look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".
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