Paul's Great Compromise
Therefore do this that we tell you: We have four men who have a vow on themselves; Take these and be purified with them, and pay their expenses that they may shave their heads. And all will know that there is nothing to the things that they have been informed of concerning you, but that you yourself also walk orderly, keeping the law. (James’ advice to Paul in Acts 21:23-24)
One of the most puzzling episodes in the book of Acts occurs in chapter 21. The Apostle Paul had come to Jerusalem, even though the Spirit through others had warned him against it (Acts 21:4, 11-14). His purpose in coming remains a bit of a mystery, but it is likely that he wanted to clear up the troubles that existed between himself and the brothers there, and to show that he remained one with them in spite of all the troubles they had brought upon him. Zealots from Jerusalem seemed to follow Paul everywhere with the intent of undermining his teaching and reputation (Gal 2:4; Phil 3:2-3; 2 Cor 11:4-5, 22).
To appreciate what happened, we must realize that Paul had already written Galatians and Romans. Here he wrote such things as: “For we account that a man is justified by faith apart from the works of the law” (Rom 3:28), “you are not under the law but under grace” (Rom 6:14b), “…you also have been made dead to the law” (Rom 7:4a), “But now we have been discharged from the law” (Rom 7:6a), “For Christ is the end of the law unto righteousness to everyone who believes” (Rom 10:4), “And knowing that a man is not justified out of works of law, but through faith in Jesus Christ, we also have believed into Christ Jesus that we might be justified out of faith in Christ and not out of the works of law, because out of the works of law no flesh will be justified” (Gal 2:16), “For I through law have died to law that I might live to God” (Gal 2:19), “And that by law no one is justified before God is evident” (Gal 3:11a), “You have been brought to nought, separated from Christ, you who are being justified by law; you have fallen from grace” (Gal 5:4), “But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law” (Gal 5:18).
On his second day in Jerusalem, Paul met with James and the elders of the church. After hearing Paul’s report of his labor among the Gentiles, James gave his boast concerning the church in Jerusalem: “You observe, brother, how many thousands there are among the Jews who have believed; and all are zealous for the law” (Acts 21:20). He then encouraged Paul to restore his damaged reputation by publicly performing something of the law. Specifically, he asked Paul to carry out the Old Testament Nazarite vow with four local brothers who were about to do the same.
Paul agreed. In hindsight, we must ask why Paul, who had written so strongly about being freed from the law, would compromise his stand by participating in such a vow? What motivated this champion of grace to keep a practice of the Old Testament dispensation? Some would say that he was simply fulfilling his word in 1 Corinthians 9:20, “And to the Jews I became as a Jew in order that I might gain Jews; to those under law, as under law (though I myself am not under law), that I might gain those under law.” Others say that the religious atmosphere in the church in Jerusalem was so legal, and James’ control among them was so strong, that even the Apostle Paul could not stand against it. But no matter what the reason, as the story unfolds, it is clear that God did not want such compromise to occur.
Some of the Jews saw Paul in the Temple, and because his reputation had already been so maligned among them, they automatically assumed that Paul’s intention was an evil one. A riot ensued, and Paul was dragged from the Temple. He would have been killed by the mob had Roman soldiers not entered in to calm the situation and thereby rescue him. As Brother Lee points out in his Life Study of Acts, this entire scene was actually God’s intervention to keep Paul from fulfilling his vow. If He had not, and Paul had followed James’ direction to the end, today we might all be in confusion about our relationship with the law. The very foundation of the Christian faith might have been lost forever.
Compromise does not always serve God’s purpose. He abhors compromise when it undermines what He is doing in His church. When Anthony Norris Groves saw how John Nelson Darby’s narrow stance was starting to oppress and divide the Brethren, he warned Darby, “…the most narrow-minded and bigoted will rule, because his conscience cannot and will not give way, and therefore the more enlarged heart must yield. It is into this position, dear D—, I feel some little flocks are fast tending, if they have not already attained it, making light, not life, the measure of communion.” (Coad, F. Roy; A History of the Brethren Movement; Regent College Publishing, Vancouver, CA; 1968; p. 288.)
We must be “diligent to keep the oneness of the Spirit in the uniting bond of peace” (Eph 4:3), but that does not mean to compromise away what God has shown us. There will always be those who ask us to “walk orderly, keeping the law” (Acts 21:24), but we have no choice. We must be faithful to the vision God has entrusted to us. We must make life, not light, our measure of communion. May those who are broad remain broad for the sake of God’s economy, in spite of any narrow-mindedness found in others.
One of the most puzzling episodes in the book of Acts occurs in chapter 21. The Apostle Paul had come to Jerusalem, even though the Spirit through others had warned him against it (Acts 21:4, 11-14). His purpose in coming remains a bit of a mystery, but it is likely that he wanted to clear up the troubles that existed between himself and the brothers there, and to show that he remained one with them in spite of all the troubles they had brought upon him. Zealots from Jerusalem seemed to follow Paul everywhere with the intent of undermining his teaching and reputation (Gal 2:4; Phil 3:2-3; 2 Cor 11:4-5, 22).
To appreciate what happened, we must realize that Paul had already written Galatians and Romans. Here he wrote such things as: “For we account that a man is justified by faith apart from the works of the law” (Rom 3:28), “you are not under the law but under grace” (Rom 6:14b), “…you also have been made dead to the law” (Rom 7:4a), “But now we have been discharged from the law” (Rom 7:6a), “For Christ is the end of the law unto righteousness to everyone who believes” (Rom 10:4), “And knowing that a man is not justified out of works of law, but through faith in Jesus Christ, we also have believed into Christ Jesus that we might be justified out of faith in Christ and not out of the works of law, because out of the works of law no flesh will be justified” (Gal 2:16), “For I through law have died to law that I might live to God” (Gal 2:19), “And that by law no one is justified before God is evident” (Gal 3:11a), “You have been brought to nought, separated from Christ, you who are being justified by law; you have fallen from grace” (Gal 5:4), “But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law” (Gal 5:18).
On his second day in Jerusalem, Paul met with James and the elders of the church. After hearing Paul’s report of his labor among the Gentiles, James gave his boast concerning the church in Jerusalem: “You observe, brother, how many thousands there are among the Jews who have believed; and all are zealous for the law” (Acts 21:20). He then encouraged Paul to restore his damaged reputation by publicly performing something of the law. Specifically, he asked Paul to carry out the Old Testament Nazarite vow with four local brothers who were about to do the same.
Paul agreed. In hindsight, we must ask why Paul, who had written so strongly about being freed from the law, would compromise his stand by participating in such a vow? What motivated this champion of grace to keep a practice of the Old Testament dispensation? Some would say that he was simply fulfilling his word in 1 Corinthians 9:20, “And to the Jews I became as a Jew in order that I might gain Jews; to those under law, as under law (though I myself am not under law), that I might gain those under law.” Others say that the religious atmosphere in the church in Jerusalem was so legal, and James’ control among them was so strong, that even the Apostle Paul could not stand against it. But no matter what the reason, as the story unfolds, it is clear that God did not want such compromise to occur.
Some of the Jews saw Paul in the Temple, and because his reputation had already been so maligned among them, they automatically assumed that Paul’s intention was an evil one. A riot ensued, and Paul was dragged from the Temple. He would have been killed by the mob had Roman soldiers not entered in to calm the situation and thereby rescue him. As Brother Lee points out in his Life Study of Acts, this entire scene was actually God’s intervention to keep Paul from fulfilling his vow. If He had not, and Paul had followed James’ direction to the end, today we might all be in confusion about our relationship with the law. The very foundation of the Christian faith might have been lost forever.
Compromise does not always serve God’s purpose. He abhors compromise when it undermines what He is doing in His church. When Anthony Norris Groves saw how John Nelson Darby’s narrow stance was starting to oppress and divide the Brethren, he warned Darby, “…the most narrow-minded and bigoted will rule, because his conscience cannot and will not give way, and therefore the more enlarged heart must yield. It is into this position, dear D—, I feel some little flocks are fast tending, if they have not already attained it, making light, not life, the measure of communion.” (Coad, F. Roy; A History of the Brethren Movement; Regent College Publishing, Vancouver, CA; 1968; p. 288.)
We must be “diligent to keep the oneness of the Spirit in the uniting bond of peace” (Eph 4:3), but that does not mean to compromise away what God has shown us. There will always be those who ask us to “walk orderly, keeping the law” (Acts 21:24), but we have no choice. We must be faithful to the vision God has entrusted to us. We must make life, not light, our measure of communion. May those who are broad remain broad for the sake of God’s economy, in spite of any narrow-mindedness found in others.