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King James Bible - Acts 21:21

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SEV Biblia, Chapter 21:21

pero fueron informados acerca de ti, que ense�as a apartarse de Mois�s a todos los judíos que est�n entre los gentiles, dici�ndoles que no han de circuncidar a los hijos, ni andar seg�n la costumbre.

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Clarke's Bible Commentary - Acts 21:21

Verse 21. Thou teachest-to forsake Moses, &c.] From any thing that appears in the course of this book to the contrary, this information was incorrect: we do not find Paul preaching thus to the Jews. It is true that, in his epistles, some of which had been written before this time, he showed that circumcision and uncircumcision were equally unavailable for the salvation, of the soul, and that by the deeds of the law no man could be justified; but he had not yet said to any Jew, forsake Moses, and do not circumcise your children. He told them that Jesus Christ had delivered them from the yoke of the law; but they had, as yet, liberty to wear that yoke, if they pleased. He had shown them that their ceremonies were useless but not destructive; that they were only dangerous when they depended on them for salvation. This is the sum of what Paul had taught on this subject.

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John Gill's Bible Commentary

Ver. 21. And they are informed of thee , etc.] By persons that came from the several parts of the Gentile world, where the apostle had been preaching; and by letters which came from the Jews in those parts, who were no friends to the apostle�s ministry: that thou teachest all the Jews which are among the Gentiles, to forsake Moses : or �apostatize from Moses�; that is, the law of Moses; that he taught the Gentiles not to regard the rituals of the law of Moses gave them no uneasiness; but that he should teach the Jews that were scattered among the Gentiles, and as many of them that believed in Christ, to disregard and drop the observance of them, who had been always brought up in them, this they could not bear; and that the apostle so taught, they had credible information: particularly, saying, that they ought not to circumcise their children ; though this does not appear; it is true the apostle taught that circumcision was abolished, and that it was nothing; yea, that to submit to it as necessary to salvation, was hurtful and pernicious; but as a thing indifferent, he allowed of it among weak brethren; and in condescension to their weakness, did administer it himself; in which he became a Jew to the Jew, that he might gain some: neither to walk after the customs ; either of the law of Moses, meaning other rites there enjoined, besides circumcision; or of their fathers, and their country, the traditions of the elders, which as yet they had not got clear of; the disuse of old customs is not easily brought about, or it is not easy to bring persons off of them.

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Matthew Henry Commentary

Verses 19-26 - Paul ascribed all his success to God, and to God they gave the praise God had honoured him more than any of the apostles, yet they did no envy him; but on the contrary, glorified the Lord. They could not d more to encourage Paul to go on cheerfully in his work. James and the elders of the church at Jerusalem, asked Paul to gratify the believin Jews, by some compliance with the ceremonial law. They thought it wa prudent in him to conform thus far. It was great weakness to be so fon of the shadows, when the substance was come. The religion Pau preached, tended not to destroy the law, but to fulfil it. He preache Christ, the end of the law for righteousness, and repentance and faith in which we are to make great use of the law. The weakness and evil of the human heart strongly appear, when we consider how many, even of the disciples of Christ, had not due regard to the most eminent ministe that even lived. Not the excellence of his character, nor the succes with which God blessed his labours, could gain their esteem an affection, seeing that he did not render the same respect as themselve to mere ceremonial observances. How watchful should we be agains prejudices! The apostles were not free from blame in all they did; an it would be hard to defend Paul from the charge of giving way too muc in this matter. It is vain to attempt to court the favour of zealots or bigots to a party. This compliance of Paul did not answer, for the very thing by which he hoped to pacify the Jews, provoked them, an brought him into trouble. But the all-wise God overruled both their advice and Paul's compliance with it, to serve a better purpose tha was intended. It was in vain to think of pleasing men who would be pleased with nothing but the rooting out of Christianity. Integrity an uprightness will be more likely to preserve us than insincer compliances. And it should warn us not to press men to doing what is contrary to their own judgment to oblige us.

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Greek Textus Receptus

κατηχηθησαν 2727 5681 V-API-3P δε 1161 CONJ περι 4012 PREP σου 4675 P-2GS οτι 3754 CONJ αποστασιαν 646 N-ASF διδασκεις 1321 5719 V-PAI-2S απο 575 PREP μωσεως 3475 N-GSM τους 3588 T-APM κατα 2596 PREP τα 3588 T-APN εθνη 1484 N-APN παντας 3956 A-APM ιουδαιους 2453 A-APM λεγων 3004 5723 V-PAP-NSM μη 3361 PRT-N περιτεμνειν 4059 5721 V-PAN αυτους 846 P-APM τα 3588 T-APN τεκνα 5043 N-APN μηδε 3366 CONJ τοις 3588 T-DPN εθεσιν 1485 N-DPN περιπατειν 4043 5721 V-PAN

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Vincent's NT Word Studies

21. They are informed (kathchqhsan). More than informed. They had been carefully instructed, probably by the Judaizing teachers. See on instructed, Luke i. 4.

To forsake Moses (ajpostasian ajpo, Mwsewv). Lit., apostasy from Moses. Compare 2 Thess. ii. 3.

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Robertson's NT Word Studies

21:21 {They have been informed concerning thee} (kateceqesan peri sou). First aorist passive indicative of katecew. A word in the ancient Greek, but a few examples survive in the papyri. It means to sound (echo, from ecw, our word) down (kata), to resound, re-echo, to teach orally. Oriental students today (Arabs learning the Koran) often study aloud. In the N.T. only in #Lu 1:4 which see; #Ac 18:25; 21:21; 1Co 14:19; Ga 6:6; Ro 2:18. this oral teaching about Paul was done diligently by the Judaizers who had raised trouble against Peter (#Ac 11:2) and Paul (#15:1,5). They had failed in their attacks on Paul's world campaigns. Now they try to undermine him at home. In Paul's long absence from Jerusalem, since #18:22, they have had a free hand, save what opposition James would give, and have had great success in prejudicing the Jerusalem Christians against Paul. So James, in the presence of the other elders and probably at their suggestion, feels called upon to tell Paul the actual situation. {That thou teachest all the Jews which are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses} (hoti apostasian didaskeis apo mwusews tous kata ta eqne pantas ioudaious). Two accusatives with didaskeis (verb of teaching) according to rule. Literally, "That thou art teaching all the Jews among (kata) the Gentiles (the Jews of the dispersion as in #2:9) apostasy from Moses." That is the point, the dreadful word apostasian (our apostasy), a late form (I Macc. 2:15) for the earlier apostasis (cf. #2Th 2:3 for apostasia). "In the eyes of the church at Jerusalem this was a far more serious matter than the previous question at the Conference about the status of Gentile converts" (Furneaux). Paul had brought that issue to the Jerusalem Conference because of the contention of the Judaizers. But here it is not the Judaizers, but the elders of the church with James as their spokesman on behalf of the church as a whole. They do not believe this false charge, but they wish Paul to set it straight. Paul had made his position clear in his Epistles (I Corinthians, Galatians, Romans) for all who cared to know. {Telling them not to circumcise their children} (legwn me peritemnein autous ta tekna). The participle legwn agrees with "thou" (Paul), the subject of didaskeis. this is not indirect assertion, but indirect command, hence the negative me instead of ou with the infinitive (Robertson, _Grammar_, p.1046). The point is not that Paul stated what the Jewish Christians in the dispersion do, but that he says that they (autous accusative of general reference) are not to go on circumcising (peritemnein, present active infinitive) their children. Paul taught the very opposite (#1Co 7:18) and had Timothy circumcised (#Ac 16:3) because he was half Jew and half Greek. His own practice is stated in #1Co 9:19 ("to the Jews as a Jew"). {Neither to walk after the customs} (mede tois eqesin peripatein). Locative case with infinitive peripatein. The charge was here enlarged to cover it all and to make Paul out an enemy of Jewish life and teachings. That same charge had been made against Stephen when young Saul (Paul) was the leader (#6:14): "Will change the customs (eqe the very word used here) which Moses delivered unto us." It actually seemed that some of the Jews cared more for Moses than for God (#Ac 6:11). So much for the charge of the Judaizers.