This morning I was reading from Acts 21, and read something I have not remembered that way. It is always good to read and reread scripture over and over to make sure that our understanding and remembering are correct. Setting the stage, Paul has returned to Jerusalem for his final time and everywhere he has stopped up to arriving the Holy Spirit has warned him about what would happen. Here are the verses - Acts 21:17-22,27-28,30-32 NIV:
[17] "When we arrived at Jerusalem, the brothers and sisters received us warmly. [18] The next day Paul and the rest of us went to see James, and all the elders were present. [19] Paul greeted them and reported in detail what God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry.
[20] "When they heard this, they praised God. Then they said to Paul: “You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews have believed, and all of them are zealous for the law. [21] They have been informed that you teach all the Jews who live among the Gentiles to turn away from Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or live according to our customs. [22] What shall we do? They will certainly hear that you have come, ..."
[27] "When the seven days were nearly over, some Jews from the province of Asia saw Paul at the temple. They stirred up the whole crowd and seized him, [28] shouting, “Fellow Israelites, help us! This is the man who teaches everyone everywhere against our people and our law and this place. And besides, he has brought Greeks into the temple and defiled this holy place.” ...
[30] "The whole city was aroused, and the people came running from all directions. Seizing Paul, they dragged him from the temple, and immediately the gates were shut. [31] While they were trying to kill him, news reached the commander of the Roman troops that the whole city of Jerusalem was in an uproar. [32] He at once took some officers and soldiers and ran down to the crowd. When the rioters saw the commander and his soldiers, they stopped beating Paul."
What I didn't remember was that the Jews who were trying to kill him were possibly other believers, if we assume that these were some of the thousands of believing Jews James mentioned in verse 20, those that were zealous for the Law. If so, it is such an interesting and frightening thing that there were a whole group of Jewish believers who were so committed to following the law, that they were willing to kill Paul! Talk about denominational warfare!
Again, if it is true that Jewish believers participated in this riot, it is both amazing and sad to me that at such an early stage in the life of the church there was such violent disagreement! We can see why Paul in a few of his letters was advocating and praying for a unified church! It is good for us to continue to pray for all of our brothers and sisters regardless of their specific beliefs, that we all might be unified. Clearly the voice of the enemy has been at work since the founding of the church to try and convince us to divide ourselves for a unified church would surely crush his plans.
I am reminded of Paul's encouragement from Philippians 2:1-5 NIV:
[1] "Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, [2] then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. [3] Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, [4] not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. [5] In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:"
Yes Lord, help us! Help us to lay down our pride and our opinions and even our particular understandings that cause division! Help us to embrace one another rather than fight against one another! Do what only You can do, bring full unity! We are clearly in a time of great division and strife! Lord help us, sustain us with Your peace and the unity that only You can bring!
Amen and Amen!
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