26 Then Paul took the men , and the next day , purifying himself along with them, went into the temple giving notice of the completion of the days of purification , until the sacrifice was offered for each one of them.
27 When the seven days were almost over , the Jews from Asia , upon seeing him in the temple , began to stir up all the crowd and laid hands on him, 28 crying out, "Men of Israel , come to our aid ! This is the man who preaches to all men everywhere against our people and the Law and this place ; and besides he has even brought Greeks into the temple and has defiled this holy place ." 29 For they had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian in the city with him, and they supposed that Paul had brought him into the temple . 30 Then all the city was provoked , and the people rushed together , and taking hold of Paul they dragged him out of the temple , and immediately the doors were shut . 31 While they were seeking to kill him, a report came up to the commander of the Roman cohort that all Jerusalem was in confusion . 32 At once he took along some soldiers and centurions and ran down to them; and when they saw the commander and the soldiers , they stopped beating Paul . 33 Then the commander came up and took hold of him, and ordered him to be bound with two chains ; and he began asking who he was and what he had done . 34 But among the crowd some were shouting one thing and some another , and when he could not find out the facts because of the uproar , he ordered him to be brought into the barracks . 35 When he got to the stairs , he was carried by the soldiers because of the violence of the mob ; 36 for the multitude of the people kept following them, shouting , " Away with him!"
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Acts 21:26-36
Commentary on Acts 21:19-26
(Read Acts 21:19-26)
Paul ascribed all his success to God, and to God they gave the praise. God had honoured him more than any of the apostles, yet they did not envy him; but on the contrary, glorified the Lord. They could not do more to encourage Paul to go on cheerfully in his work. James and the elders of the church at Jerusalem, asked Paul to gratify the believing Jews, by some compliance with the ceremonial law. They thought it was prudent in him to conform thus far. It was great weakness to be so fond of the shadows, when the substance was come. The religion Paul preached, tended not to destroy the law, but to fulfil it. He preached Christ, the end of the law for righteousness, and repentance and faith, in which we are to make great use of the law. The weakness and evil of the human heart strongly appear, when we consider how many, even of the disciples of Christ, had not due regard to the most eminent minister that even lived. Not the excellence of his character, nor the success with which God blessed his labours, could gain their esteem and affection, seeing that he did not render the same respect as themselves to mere ceremonial observances. How watchful should we be against prejudices! The apostles were not free from blame in all they did; and it would be hard to defend Paul from the charge of giving way too much in this matter. It is vain to attempt to court the favour of zealots, or bigots to a party. This compliance of Paul did not answer, for the very thing by which he hoped to pacify the Jews, provoked them, and brought him into trouble. But the all-wise God overruled both their advice and Paul's compliance with it, to serve a better purpose than was intended. It was in vain to think of pleasing men who would be pleased with nothing but the rooting out of Christianity. Integrity and uprightness will be more likely to preserve us than insincere compliances. And it should warn us not to press men to doing what is contrary to their own judgment to oblige us.
Commentary on Acts 21:27-40
(Read Acts 21:27-40)
In the temple, where Paul should have been protected as in a place of safety, he was violently set upon. They falsely charged him with ill doctrine and ill practice against the Mosaic ceremonies. It is no new thing for those who mean honestly and act regularly, to have things laid to their charge which they know not and never thought of. It is common for the wise and good to have that charged against them by malicious people, with which they thought to have obliged them. God often makes those a protection to his people, who have no affection to them, but only have compassion for sufferers, and regard to the public peace. And here see what false, mistaken notions of good people and good ministers, many run away with. But God seasonably interposes for the safety of his servants, from wicked and unreasonable men; and gives them opportunities to speak for themselves, to plead for the Redeemer, and to spread abroad his glorious gospel.