Daily Lenten Post, Day 16 (40 Days is a LONG time...)

Let me just say that this seemed like a much better idea before I actually had to do it. I don't mind taking notes on my reading, but blogging every day is not nearly as fun as I thought it would be...

Oh, and by the way, the section titles I use in my notes are usually what the Common English Bible uses.

Acts 21:1-17--Paul Travels to Jerusalem
At every stop Paul makes on the way to Jerusalem, people don't want him to go on because of what he's going to face there. It tells us that the Spirit lets the people know what Paul will face in Jerusalem, and the prophet Agabus even prophesies about how it will happen, but still Paul refuses to change his plans. Maybe Paul is just ready for it, but nobody else wants it to happen to him. (By the way, when Agabus uses his belt to show how he will be bound, the belt was probably more like a rope than the belts most of us wear.)

Verse 17 tells us they were welcomed warmly in Jerusalem, but we know that will change...dunh, dunh, dunnnn...

Acts 21:18-26--Meeting the Jerusalem church leaders
I don't really "get" this scene. Maybe I need to understand more about Jewish law or ritual, but it seems like they say, "Here, Paul, just do this ritual here, and that will prove to everyone that you aren't really teaching wrong things and that you are following the law." What was the big deal? Hadn't they already resolved this issue? And didn't Paul already know about the letter they mention to him in verse 25? Duh!

Acts 21:27-40--Paul seized by the people
Several things--
1. This is basically the same thing that happened so many other places. I don't know if we should expect it to happen more or less in Jerusalem.

2. In verse 29, the people assumed Paul had brought a gentile into the temple, but we all know what happens when we assume things...

3.  The Roman official arrests first and asks questions later. Good grief!

4. This passage does have some similarities to Jesus' trial, interestingly enough.

5. Is it really that difficult to tell the difference between an Egyptian and a Syrian? Maybe it is...I don't really know. But why did the Roman official assume Paul was this trouble-making Egyptian without finding out first? Giving law enforcement a bad name...geez.

I think we'll save Paul's defense in Acts 22 for another day. This is enough to ponder for today.