Evening in West Virginia.
Tuesday, 21 November 2023
“I am indeed a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, taught according to the strictness of our fathers’ law, and was zealous toward God as you all are today. Acts 22:3
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More precisely, the Greek reads, “I am indeed a man, a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia and brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, instructed according to the scrupulousness of the patriarchal law; being a zealot for God, as all you are this day” (CG).
In the previous verse, Luke prepared us for Paul’s words of defense before the people of Israel. He now begins those words, saying, “I am indeed a man, a Jew.”
These words of Paul, spoken in his defense, will answer everything that he was accused of in Acts 21:28. He begins with the fact that he is a man, a Jew. Thus, he has identified himself as one who was legally allowed to be in the temple area, and specifically the area of the temple in which he was accosted. There is the Court of the Gentiles, the Court of the Women, and then it proceeded to where only men could go. From there, he next says, “born in Tarsus of Cilicia.”
Mentioning that he was born in Tarsus might seem unnecessary, but he is speaking to them in their language. Unlike many of those who came and didn’t speak the local dialect (as is seen in Acts 2), Paul did. Secondly, noting his place of birth sets the stage for his next words, “and brought up in this city.”
He was brought up in Jerusalem. He was fully aware of the culture and customs of the city. He would have frequently been to the temple, interacted with the people, and was fully aware of what was allowed and what was not.
This is important because it was in Acts 21:29 where it was supposed that he had brought Trophimus the Ephesian into the city. Anyone raised in Jerusalem would know that this was not acceptable. He then notes that his rearing was “at the feet of Gamaliel.”
This showed that not only was he a Jew, but that even from a very young age, he was brought up to live as an observant Jew in the home country and even in the home capital where Gamaliel instructed. And more, being brought up under him – one of the greatest teachers in their history – meant that Paul probably came there at 12 after becoming a “Son of the Covenant.” To be brought up “at the feet” of a rabbi as was the custom of observant families.
Sitting at the feet of a rabbi has a literal meaning. The rabbis sat in a highchair, and their students sat on the ground at their feet. In this honorable study, he next says he was “instructed according to the scrupulousness of the patriarchal law.”
The word translated as scrupulousness is found only here in Scripture, akribeia. It is a noun that gives the sense of exactly adhering to something. There is precise attention and focus.
In other words, he perfectly attended to the law which had been passed down from the fathers, even since it was received by Moses at Sinai. The adjective form of the word is used again in Acts 26:5.
As for the word translated as patriarchal, it is an adjective meaning hereditary, but in the masculine sense. It is that which is received from one’s fathers. Some translations say, “of our fathers,” “father’s law,” “ancestral law,” “patristic law,” etc. However, for an exact match, the word “patriarchal” gives the best sense. He next says, “being a zealot for God, as all you are this day.”
As he continues, he indicates that this strict upbringing made him just as zealous towards God as they were. It is a subtle compliment to them that they at least thought they were acting on behalf of God’s honor through their actions.
As he says this in the present tense, translating it as “was” as in the KJV and NKJV is a poor rendering. It makes it sound like his zealousness was in the past and not necessarily continuing at this time. Paul’s use of the present tense indicates that he is just as zealous to what God had presented now as he was in the past.
How could he say this if he was associating with Gentiles? It is because Jesus is the fulfillment of the Law of Moses. In following Jesus, Paul was actually more observant to Moses than any Jew who thought he was pleasing to God by observing the law without Jesus.
Life application: One cannot say he is a follower of Moses while rejecting Jesus. It is impossible because Moses wrote about Jesus (John 5:46). One who accepts the words of Moses will be willing to come to Jesus (John 5:40).
Moses wrote of the Prophet to come. Jesus is that Prophet. This Prophet would be like Moses. As Moses introduced the covenant at Sinai, Jesus would introduce the New Covenant in Jerusalem. This New Covenant was prophesied during the time of Moses (Jeremiah 31). Therefore, Moses (meaning the Law of Moses) anticipated the end of the law and the introduction of something new.
If one fails to come to Jesus through His New Covenant, he has failed to be obedient to Moses, and his condemnation remains. Only in coming to Christ can one truly be observant of the Law of Moses.
Paul does not say to the people that they are being obedient to the law. Rather, he says that they are zealous toward God. One can be zealous toward God in Islam. It does not mean that he is right with God. One can be zealous toward God in Judaism and not be right with Him. Paul did not mislead the people, and his words will continue to lead them to the truth of who Jesus is.
It will then be their choice to either receive or reject his words. The same is true with each of us today. Choose wisely. Choose Jesus.
Lord God, we thank You for Jesus who has come, fulfilled the Law of Moses, and who has set it aside so that we can worship You in spirit and in truth. Without Him, we are all goners. But in Christ, we are brought near to You for all eternity. Thank You, O God, for Jesus Christ our Lord! Amen.