Jewish Christians Kept The Law Of Moses
This may sound rather bold to some of our readers but we make the above statement after an intensive study of Acts 21:17-25 and other passages of Scripture; and we do so with an open mind to any of the brethren who so desire to show by the Scriptures that we are wrong. In fact, we are writing the article with the hope that if error is found therein, it may be pointed out by some brother, or brethren, in the Gospel Guardian. Now let us look at Acts 21 and see if it doesn't teach that the Jewish Christians were keepers of the Old Testament Law.
"And when we were come to Jerusalem, the brethren received us gladly. And the day following Paul went with us unto James, and all the elders were present. And when he had saluted them, he declared particularly what things God had wrought among the Gentiles by his ministry. And when they heard it, they glorified the Lord, and said unto him, Thou seest brother how many thousands of Jews there are which believe; and they are all zealous of the law: And they are informed of thee, that thou teachest all the Jews which are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, saying that they ought not to circumcise their children, neither to walk after the customs. What is it therefore? the multitude must needs come together; for they will hear that thou art come. Do therefore this that we say unto thee: we have four men which have a vow on them; Them take, and purify thyself with them, and be at charges with them, that they may shave their heads: and may know that those things, whereof they were informed concerning thee are nothing; but that thou thyself walkest orderly and keepest the law. As concerning the Gentiles which believe, we have written and concluded that they observe no such thing, save only that they keep themselves from things offered to idols, and from blood, and from strangled, and from fornication".
Many believe that Paul compromised here at the suggestion of James and the elders; that he had been teaching "the Jews which were among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, and not walk after the customs." Brethren, if this be true, it follows that James and the elders concocted a falsehood and Paul acted it out in taking the vow and shaving his head. This I cannot accept because it would make of Paul a compromiser and falsehood actor, as well as James. Let us notice verse 20 or a part of it: "Thou seest, brother how many thousands of Jews there are which believe, and they are all zealous of the law".
We take it that these Jews were Christians, but at the same time were keepers of the law of Moses. Notice: "They are all zealous of the law". What law? Well the law that Paul had been accused of teaching the "Jews which were among the Genties to forsake". Now Paul either taught the Jews that were among the Gentiles to forsake Moses (The Law) or he did not. It seems quite plain to this writer that he did not so teach, and we base our conclusion on the fact that he took this vow with the four men to prove that he did not so teach. Let us look at verse 24: "Them take and purify thyself with them, and be at charges with them, that they may shave their heads: and all may know that those things whereof they are informed concerning thee are nothing; but that thou thyself walkest orderly, and keepest the law". Not only is it true that Paul did not teach the Jews to forsake the law of Moses, but proved by his actions here that he was a keeper of the law. "Thou thyself walkest orderly and keepest the law".
We are aware of the fact that Paul and James and the elders were humans and therefore subject to wrong doing as such, but in this they did no wrong, because at that time they did not know that the law of Moses had been fully taken out of the way as far as the Jewish Christians were concerned. They knew of course that forgiveness of sins was granted in obedience to the "law of the Spirit" but evidently all of that law had not been revealed at the time Paul did what he did as accorded in Acts 21. In other words they did not know at that time that which was later revealed in such books as Romans, Galatians, Hebrews etc.; therefore, they continued to keep the law until such teaching was made known.
We also have more than the contents of Acts 21 to prove that the Jewish Christians were keepers of the law, as well as that portion of the New Testament that had been revealed. Look at Acts 18.21. "But bade them farewell, saying, I must by all means keep this feast that cometh in Jerusalem". We doubt not that availed himself of the opportunity to preach the gospel at this feast, but we doubt if that is all he had in mind, because the verse says: "I must by all means KEEP this feast". (Caps Mine.) To "keep the feast" means he desired to take part in it. If not, why not? This feast must have been Pentecost because we find in Acts 20:16 these words: "He (Paul) hasted if it were possible for him, to be at Jerusalem the day of Pentecost". These passages do not sound as if Paul compromised in the least in what he did in Acts 21.
Here is another passage that proves the Jewish Christians were keepers of the law of Moses. "And one Ananias, a devout man according to the law, having a good report of all the Jews that dwelt there, came unto me and stood, and said unto me, Brother Saul, receive thy sight, and the same hour I looked upon him". (Acts 22:12-13.) He, therefore, who told Paul what he must do to be saved, was "a devout man according to the law".
Again let us point out that the battle over the keeping of the law was not a question at that time as to whether the Jewish Christians should keep it or not, but it was over whether it should be made binding on the Gentile Christians who were never under it. Acts 21:25 implies this very plainly. "As touching the Gentiles which believe we have written and concluded that they observe no such thing". In other words, we can and do observe the law (Keep the law) but the Gentile believers don't have to observe "any such thing".
We conclude therefore that, as James said, Paul did not teach the Jews which were among the Gentiles to "forsake Moses, saying that they should not circumcise their children, neither to walk after the customs"; he only contended that such should not be made binding on the Gentile Christians. Hence, there is not one bit of wrong doing on the part of Paul and James, nor one vestage of compromise in what they did in Acts 21. The Jewish Christians were at that time keepers of the law, because they did not know at that time that the law (all the law) had been taken out of the way.