Acts 21:26-22:29
Read Acts 21:26-22:29
Helpful Background Information:
Just as Daniel gave a bold, courageous, direct proclamation of truth to Darius (Daniel 6:21-22). Whether under threats or promises of reward, Daniel stood firm in speaking the truth.
In Acts 21:26-22:29, we see the Apostle Paul do something similar in what could be described as a “powder-keg” situation. Paul took the four men who made the Nazarite vow into the Jerusalem temple under the direction of the church elders. When the Jews from Asia (modern-day Turkey) saw Paul and his men in the temple, they started a riot and made false accusations against Paul. They charged Paul with teaching falsehood contrary to the Old Testament and defiling the holiness of the temple. Nonetheless, it did not stop there, as the riot grew and the Jews even tried to kill the apostle. However, in God’s sovereignty, the Romans come to Paul’s rescue, and he lands under their custody.
Paul is then allowed to speak to the chaotic Jewish crowd, the same men who had earlier attempted to take his life. At first, the venture starts easily enough. He speaks to the crowd and condones their zeal for God. At this point, it would be entirely reasonable to assume that Paul would be pressured into compromising his gospel-centered views for the sake of appeasing the crowd. But surprisingly, Paul uses this opportunity to preach the truth about Jesus Christ and the inclusion of the Gentiles (non-Jews) into the community of faith. It is at this point that the Jews have heard enough and begin to riot again. Paul exhibited courage in the face of pressure, standing firm in the truth of the gospel regardless of how his message would be perceived.
Reflection Questions:
How do Paul and Daniel encourage us to preach God’s truth in potentially hostile or difficult circumstances? What does it look like to “stand firm in the truth”?
Both Daniel and Paul are speaking direct, pointed truth to their respective audiences. But notice how they begin (Daniel 6:21; Acts 22:1-3) - they both act with respect, kindness, and tact when interacting with people who are hostile to them. How can you grow in the art of being respectful and loving, yet uncompromisingly firm in speaking the truth?
Paul preached the gospel boldly, kindly, and faithfully to the Jews. Yet, this resulted in a riot. If people respond negatively to our gospel message, does that mean we’ve been unfaithful, or could it be a sign of our faithfulness, like in Paul’s case? How does this help clarify our responsibility when speaking gospel-truth? Are we always responsible for how people respond?