Acts 21:22-26 - Four men and a vow

21:22-24

The plan was to demonstrate that it Paul was not actually against the Law of Moses. Some of the Jewish believers had made a vow and were going to fulfill purification rites. Paul was to go along and support them in this and join with them. This would show that the claims about Paul were without foundation.

21:25,26

Verse 25 is a restatement of the agreement reached in Acts 15. So there was no problem with the Gentile believers. Indeed it would seem to imply that the Jewish believers were not worried about the Gentile believers, but accepted their inclusion in the kingdom. So Paul went with the four men and made it obvious that he had nothing against the Mosaic Law as such. So what are we to make of this? Paul has argued vehemently against the Law being imposed on Gentiles, and elsewhere, especially in Hebrews, it is made clear that the Mosaic Law can do nothing to justify a person. It seems that Paul had no problems with Jews observing Jewish customs, as long as they did not see it as a means of justification, and especially not as essential for other believers. We also see a degree of pragmatism here as well.