Word Pictures in the New Testament - David Cox

Word Pictures in the NT [Acts: Chapter 21]
the Judaizers cut no figure at all. The Jewish Christians do not
appear in Paul's behalf, but there was no opportunity for them to
do so. The explosion that came on the last day of Paul's
appearance in the temple was wholly disconnected from his
offerings for the four brethren and himself. It must be
remembered that Paul had many kinds of enemies. The attack on him
by these Jews from Asia had no connexion whatever with the
slanders of the Judaizers about Paul's alleged teachings that
Jewish Christians in the dispersion should depart from the Mosaic
law. That slander was put to rest forever by his following the
advice of James and justifies the wisdom of that advice and
Paul's conduct about it.
21:27 {The seven days} (\hai hepta h•merai\). For which Paul had
taken the vow, though there may be an allusion to the pentecostal
week for which Paul had desired to be present (20:16). There is
no necessary connexion with the vow in 18:15. In 24:17 Paul
makes a general reference to his purpose in coming to Jerusalem
to bring alms and offerings (\prosphoras\, sacrifices). Paul
spent seven days in Troas (20:6), Tyre (21:4), and had
planned for seven here if not more. It was on the last of the
seven days when Paul was completing his offerings about the vows
on all five that the incident occurred that was to make him a
prisoner for five years. {When they saw him in the temple}
(\theasamenoi auton en t•i hier•i\). First aorist middle
participle of \theaomai\ (from \thea\, a view, cf. theatre) to
behold. In the very act of honouring the temple these Jews from
Asia raise a hue and cry that he is dishonouring it. Paul was not
known by face now to many of the Jerusalem Jews, though once the
leader of the persecution after the death of Stephen and the
outstanding young Jew of the day. But the Jews in Ephesus knew
him only too well, some of whom are here at the pentecostal
feast. They had plotted against him in Ephesus to no purpose (Ac
19:23-41; 20:19), but now a new opportunity had come. It is
possible that the cry was led by Alexander put forward by the
Jews in Ephesus (19:33) who may be the same as Alexander the
coppersmith who did Paul so much harm (2Ti 4:14). Paul was not
in the inner sanctuary (\ho naos\), but only in the outer courts
(\to hieron\). {Stirred up all the multitude} (\sunecheon panta
ton ochlon\). Imperfect (kept on) active of \sunche•\ or
\sunchun•\ (\-unn•\), to pour together, to confuse as in Ac 2:6;
9:22; 19:31,32; 21:31 and here to stir up by the same sort of
confusion created by Demetrius in Ephesus where the same word is
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