Acts 21:27-40

Some Jews from the province of Asia. These were not Christian Jews, but probably the Jews from Ephesus mentioned in Acts 20:3. The language implies they did not see Paul until the seven days of purification were about to end. When they see him, they stir up the people and grab Paul. And defiled this holy place. Note how they try to build up charges against him. They charge him with trying to turn people against the Jews, the Law of Moses, and the Temple of God at Jerusalem. Not only this, but they also charge him with defiling the sacred temple by bringing unclean Gentiles into it. Nothing would arouse fanatical frenzy more than to think that Paul had done this!!! And dragged him out of the temple. They were willing to murder him, but not in the temple. The mob was trying to kill Paul. Probably in their frenzy they were fighting each other and getting in each other's way, as they attempted to kill Paul. Stoning would be the right way to kill a religious criminal (Acts 7:57-60 and notes.) When a report was sent up. The Roman soldiers would be in the Castle of Antonia. The men standing guard would have seen the riot, and the commander would have rushed down the stairs to the temple area. The Castle was built against the temple wall. The commander went over to Paul. He thought Paul was an Egyptian revolutionary (Acts 21:38). Note the confusion of the mob, and how wild they were! The soldiers were forced to carry Paul. Do you speak Greek? This surprised the commander. [Greek was the "Esperanto" of the Roman Empire, the universal language of communication. That's why it was chosen as the language of the New Testament.] Egyptian fellow. Josephus tells about this Egyptian. He was probably illiterate and could not speak Greek. While Felix was governor, he gathered a crowd of 30,000 people on the Mount of Olives, and said that at his word, the walls of Jerusalem would fall down (like Jericho). Felix had brought the army against this fellow, who fled into the desert, while the majority of his followers were captured or killed. Josephus says of these armed terrorists: "They mingled with the crowds at the Festivals, stabbed their political opponents unobserved, and drew suspicion from themselves by apparent indignation at such crimes." They are also known as "Assassins." I am a Jew, born in Tarsus. This fact places Paul above suspicion. Please, let me speak to the people. He has the legal right to do this. The commander knows nothing of Paul and the reason for this riot. He may think that allowing Paul to speak will clear up the mystery. Paul spoke to them in Hebrew. He stands, tied up with two chains, ready to make his defence. He speaks in their beloved Hebrew language, in the dialect spoken in Judea (see note on Acts 26:14).