Acts 21:22 - Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

What is it therefore Which may not be apprehended on such an occasion? Or, what is to be done? the multitude must needs come together They will certainly be gathered together in a tumultuous manner, unless they be some way pacified. For they will hear that thou art come And will immediately form their judgment of the truth or falsehood of the information they have received, by what they discover in thy present behaviour, of regard or disregard to the Mosaic ceremonies. Do therefore this, &c. To show them, how far soever thou art from imposing the Mosaic ceremonies on any Jews or Gentiles, as necessary to salvation, or teaching men to seek justification by them, yet thou dost not think there is any intrinsic evil in them, nor teach it as a matter of duty, that believers in Christ, of Jewish extraction, should disuse and reject them; do this that we say to thee As the best expedient we can think of, for immediately taking off any ill impressions which might otherwise be apprehended. We have four men Converts to the gospel; which have a vow on them Of Nazariteship; take them As thy companions and partners; and purify thyself with them According to the Jewish ritual; and be at the necessary charges with, (or, rather, for,) them, that they may shave their heads And offer the sacrifices which the law has appointed in that case. These sacrifices are specified Numbers 6:13, &c., by which it appears, that the charges of these four would be the price of eight lambs and four rams, besides oil, flour, &c., and it was not uncommon among the Jews; for the rich to assist those Nazarites that were poor in bearing these charges: and all may know Namely, all that come up to the temple, and see thee in these circumstances; that those things whereof they were informed are nothing Have no reality or truth in them; but that Instead of forbidding the observance of these ceremonies to others; thou thyself walkest orderly, and keepest the law Avoiding all unnecessary occasion of offence. “It is evident from hence, that whatever might have passed between Paul and James on this head in private, (Galatians 2:2,) James and the brethren thought it most regular and convenient, that the Jewish ritual should still be observed by those of the circumcision who believed in Christ; and considering what tribulation the church at Jerusalem must otherwise have been exposed to from the sanhedrim, who, no doubt, would have prosecuted them to the utmost as apostates, and also how soon Providence intended to render the practice of it impossible, and to break the whole power of the Jews, by the destruction of the temple, and city, and nation; it was certainly the most orderly and prudent conduct to conform to it, though it were looked upon by those that understood the matter fully, (which it was not necessary that all should,) as antiquated and ready to vanish away, Hebrews 8:13.” Locke and Doddridge.