Paul a Prisoner

Paul ended up in chains, but it was the Jewish leaders who were truly prisoners.

This chapter details the events that led up to Paul becoming a prisoner. I found this chapter to be quite interesting because the story told here is filled with danger and intrigue, but it was disappointing to read that all these events could have been avoided.

What started these events in motion was that the leaders of the Christian church in Jerusalem were stuck in their old ways of thinking.

In the earlier years of the gospel work among the Gentiles some of the leading brethren at Jerusalem, clinging to former prejudices and habits of thought, had not co-operated heartily with Paul and his associates. In their anxiety to preserve a few meaningless forms and ceremonies, they had lost sight of the blessing that would come to them and to the cause they loved, through an effort to unite in one all parts of the Lord's work. Although desirous of safeguarding the best interests of the Christian church, they had failed to keep step with the advancing providences of God, and in their human wisdom attempted to throw about workers many unnecessary restrictions. Thus there arose a group of men who were unacquainted personally with the changing circumstances and peculiar needs met by laborers in distant fields, yet who insisted that they had the authority to direct their brethren in these fields to follow certain specified methods of labor. They felt as if the work of preaching the gospel should be carried forward in harmony with their opinions. pg. 400

I had mentioned in an earlier post about the need for God's workers to adapt there methods to their target audience. These leaders refused to change, and deceived themselves into thinking that their way was the best way to do things.

These men had lost sight of the fact that God is the teacher of His people; that every worker in His cause is to obtain an individual experience in following the divine Leader, not looking to man for direct guidance; that His workers are to be molded and fashioned, not after man's ideas, but after the similitude of the divine. pg. 401

The leaders that asked that Paul go through a process in which he should become ceremonially pure so as to not arouse negative feelings among the Jews. Paul wanted so much to reconcile these parties that he went through with this needless process, and it was while he was doing this that things really went awry.

 Those who advised Paul to take this step had not fully considered the great peril to which he would thus be exposed. At this season, Jerusalem was filled with worshipers from many lands. As, in fulfillment of the commission given him by God, Paul had borne the gospel to the Gentiles, he had visited many of the world's largest cities, and he was well known to thousands who from foreign parts had come to Jerusalem to attend the feast. Among these were men whose hearts were filled with bitter hatred for Paul, and for him to enter the temple on a public occasion was to risk his life. For several days he passed in and out among the worshipers, apparently unnoticed; but before the close of the specified period, as he was talking with a priest concerning the sacrifices to be offered, he was recognized by some of the Jews from Asia. pg. 406

This recognition brought about a flurry of events that included his binding in chains, ministering to the mob, a hearing in front of the Sanhedrin, avoiding forty Jewish assassins, and being transported out of the city by heavy Roman guard.

E.G. White writes a sobering epitaph for those Jewish leaders.

. . . Had the leaders in the church fully surrendered their feeling of bitterness toward the apostle, and accepted him as one specially called of God to bear the gospel to the Gentiles, the Lord would have spared him to them. God had not ordained that Paul's labors should so soon end, but He did not work a miracle to counteract the train of circumstances to which the course of the leaders in the church at Jerusalem had given rise. pg. 417

 Then she had this to say about us in modern times.

The same spirit is still leading to the same results. A neglect to appreciate and improve the provisions of divine grace has deprived the church of many a blessing. How often would the Lord have prolonged the work of some faithful minister, had his labors been appreciated! But if the church permits the enemy of souls to pervert the understanding, so that they misrepresent and misinterpret the words and acts of the servant of Christ; if they allow themselves to stand in his way and hinder his usefulness, the Lord sometimes removes from them the blessing which He gave. pgs. 417,418

Lord help us to appreciate those who sacrifice themselves for Your work.