Message: Return type of CI_Session_files_driver::open($save_path, $name) should either be compatible with SessionHandlerInterface::open(string $path, string $name): bool, or the #[\ReturnTypeWillChange] attribute should be used to temporarily suppress the notice
Message: Return type of CI_Session_files_driver::close() should either be compatible with SessionHandlerInterface::close(): bool, or the #[\ReturnTypeWillChange] attribute should be used to temporarily suppress the notice
Message: Return type of CI_Session_files_driver::read($session_id) should either be compatible with SessionHandlerInterface::read(string $id): string|false, or the #[\ReturnTypeWillChange] attribute should be used to temporarily suppress the notice
Message: Return type of CI_Session_files_driver::write($session_id, $session_data) should either be compatible with SessionHandlerInterface::write(string $id, string $data): bool, or the #[\ReturnTypeWillChange] attribute should be used to temporarily suppress the notice
Message: Return type of CI_Session_files_driver::destroy($session_id) should either be compatible with SessionHandlerInterface::destroy(string $id): bool, or the #[\ReturnTypeWillChange] attribute should be used to temporarily suppress the notice
Message: Return type of CI_Session_files_driver::gc($maxlifetime) should either be compatible with SessionHandlerInterface::gc(int $max_lifetime): int|false, or the #[\ReturnTypeWillChange] attribute should be used to temporarily suppress the notice
Thou teachest - to forsake Moses, etc. - 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.
Albert Barnes
Notes on the Whole Bible
And they are informed of thee - Reports respecting the conduct of Paul would be likely to be in circulation among all at Jerusalem. His remarkable conversion, his distinguished zeal, his success among the Gentiles, would make his conduct a subject of special interest. Evil-minded men among the Jews, who came up to Jerusalem from different places where he had been, would be likely to represent him as the decided enemy of the laws of Moses, and these reports would be likely to reach the ears of the Jewish converts. The reports, as they gained ground, would be greatly magnified, until suspicion might be excited among the Christians at Jerusalem that he was, as he was reputed to be, the settled foe of the Jewish rites and customs.
That thou teachest all the Jews … - From all the evidence which we have of his conduct, this report was incorrect and slanderous. The truth appears to have been, that he did not enjoin the observance of those laws on the Gentile converts; that the effect of his ministry on them was to lead them to suppose that their observance was not necessary - contrary to the doctrines of the Judaizing teachers (see Acts 6:14. The word “customs” denotes “the rites of the Mosaic economy the offering of sacrifices, incense, the oblations, anointings, festivals, etc., which the Law of Moses prescribed.”
Matthew Henry
Concise Bible Commentary
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 not envy him; but on the contrary, glorified the Lord. They could not do 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 believing Jews, by some compliance with the ceremonial law. They thought it was prudent in him to conform thus far. It was great weakness to be so fond of the shadows, when the substance was come. The religion Paul preached, tended not to destroy the law, but to fulfil it. He preached 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 minister that even lived. Not the excellence of his character, nor the success with which God blessed his labours, could gain their esteem and affection, seeing that he did not render the same respect as themselves to mere ceremonial observances. How watchful should we be against prejudices! The apostles were not free from blame in all they did; and it would be hard to defend Paul from the charge of giving way too much 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, and brought him into trouble. But the all-wise God overruled both their advice and Paul's compliance with it, to serve a better purpose than was intended. It was in vain to think of pleasing men who would be pleased with nothing but the rooting out of Christianity. Integrity and uprightness will be more likely to preserve us than insincere compliances. And it should warn us not to press men to doing what is contrary to their own judgment to oblige us.
SDA Bible Commentary (limited)
Volume 1-7
21. Are informed. Preferably, “were told,” or possibly, “were taught.” Paul’s Judaizing opponents had not only been “zealous of the law” (v.20), but apparently had also been zealous in spreading exaggerated and damaging reports concerning his theological teachings. No wonder Paul admonishes so earnestly against judging one another concerning performance of ceremonies in religion (Rom. 14:1-10; Col. 2:16). He himself suffered severely at the hands of zealous legalistic critics. Although professing to be Christians, these self-appointed judges had no experience in the gospel of Christ, for they lacked faith. And to do the works of religion without faith, is sin (Rom. 14:23).
Thou teachest … to forsake Moses. Literally, “you are teaching apostasy from Moses.” This was the charge circulated against Paul, and no more serious charge could be laid before Jews, earnest in their religion. It aroused resentment on the grounds of patriotism, partisanship, historical tradition, social relationships, and public law, as well as the deepest religious feelings. The very fact that these multitudes (see v.20) of Jews had accepted Jesus as the Messiah, who should restore all things, evidently made them the more eager to maintain the requirements and rites of Judaism, and to fear and repudiate Paul the more completely as an apostate from both race and religion.
Ought not to circumcise. This was a specific charge, illustrating the preceding generalization. According to this charge Paul was contravening, not a tradition, but the covenant sign of the Jews, embedded in the law itself.
Walk after the customs. Compare on ch.6:14. Here Paul was alleged to have attacked the detailed observances growing out of the law, and the traditional practices that had come in as inevitable accretions. These were serious charges, believed earnestly by the multitude. As applied to Paul’s teaching of the Jews themselves, and as regards his personal conduct in religion, the charges were easily refuted (chs.22:3; 23:1, 6; 24:11-16; 25:10, 11; 26:4-7, 22), though refutation was unsuccessful because of violence growing out of prejudice. Paul’s attitude toward the maintenance of the ceremonial requirements by Jews was that of the Council of Jerusalem (ch.15); namely, let the Jewish Christians continue to practice whatever rites their conscience demanded of them. But Paul insisted that the Gentile converts be free. The man who was justified by faith would in no way be helped heavenward by legalistic practices (Rom. 2:24-29; Gal. 4:1-11; 5:1-6; Col. 2:16-22).
His own rule of personal adaptation (1 Cor. 9:19-23) led Paul to continue to live like a Jew, particularly among Jews. He allowed the Jew in the Christian church liberty to continue his ceremonial practices until he saw their meaninglessness in the presence of the gospel of faith (Rom. 14:1-10; 1 Cor. 7:17-24). Paul himself had taken the Nazirite vow (Acts 18:18). He had had Timothy circumcised (ch.16:3). There was no basis for the charge that Paul taught the Jewish Christians “not to circumcise their children.” The charge was a fabrication of his enemies.
However, his teaching of the gospel could not but result eventually in the Jews’ also giving up performances and ceremonies as no longer meaningful. Christ’s teaching was the foundation for that of the apostle. Our Lord instructed His followers to have a righteousness that should “exceed” that of the scribes and Pharisees (Matt. 5:20); He condemned outward practices of religion for their own sake (Matt. 6:1-7); and He insisted that God must be worshiped “in spirit and in truth” (John 4:23). Paul negated a religion of “touch not; taste not; handle not,” as developed and enforced by men (Col. 2:20-22); of rules and scruples concerning things that had no real moral and spiritual significance (Rom. 14:1-10; Gal. 4:9-11; Heb. 9:9, 10), and which in view of the life and sacrifice of Christ had ceased to have meaning (Col. 2:8-17).
Sacrifices and circumcision had been instituted by divine command. The sacrifices ceased to have meaning when He to whom they pointed died as the guilt bearer for men. The Temple as the place of offering, and the priests as the offerers (Dan. 9:24-27; Matt. 27:51; Heb. 8:13; 9:11-15), likewise lost their significance. Circumcision was an outward sign of a covenant relation between a nation, or people, and their God (Rom. 4:11). Although the rite was individually applied, the reception was not by faith on the part of the infant recipient, and circumcision was only a tribal or national sign. Hence it lost its meaning when the worship and service of God, in Christ, was shown to be no longer a matter of tribe or nation (Gal. 3:28, 29; Col. 3:11), but one of individual acceptance, by faith, of Christ Jesus the Saviour (Rom. 3:22-24; Gal 3:26, 27; Eph. 2:8). Again, with the revelation in Christ of the new covenant of salvation, the way of faith (Jer. 31:31-34; 2 Cor. 3:6-9; Heb. 8:6-13), the old covenant sign, circumcision, was no longer significant. The Jew who would “follow on to know the Lord” (Hosea 6:3) by faith must inevitably cease to regard circumcision as having any meaning in the spiritual life.
Hence “circumcision is nothing,” Paul taught, so far as a man’s relationship to God is concerned (1 Cor. 7:19; cf.Rom. 3:31; 8:4; 1 John 2:3). In the presence of the gospel of Christ, circumcision (and, for that matter, any performance for its own sake) has no reason for being (Gal. 5:6; 6:12-17). Jew and Gentile are all one in Christ (Gal. 3:16, 27-29; Col. 2:9-14), who has broken down the “middle wall of partition” between them (Eph. 2:11-17). All must be saved by Christ alone, “by grace … through faith” (Eph. 2:4-10; cf.Rom. 3:26-30). Paul did not tell the Jew not to practice circumcision, but if the Christian Jew of faith and spiritual insight should ask, “Why, being a man of faith, saved by Christ through grace, should I circumcise my child?” the answer would have to be, “For no reason, in Christ, but only for the sake of your brethren who do not yet understand.” So Paul believed and practiced. It can be said, therefore, that the accusations of the Judaizers against Paul were false, but that their fears concerning the future of all Jewish rites were justified.
When we were come to Jerusalem, the brethren received us gladly. And the day following Paul went in with us unto James; and all the elders were present.”AA 399.1
Ellen G. White
SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 6 (EGW), 1065
(Psalm 119:126, 127; 1 Timothy 4:1.) Traitors to Truth Become Her Worst Persecutors—Much so-called Christianity passes for genuine, faithful soundness, but it is because those who profess it have no persecution to endure for the truth's sake. When the day comes when the law of God is made void, and the church is sifted by the fiery trials that are to try all that live upon the earth, a great proportion of those who are supposed to be genuine will give heed to seducing spirits, and will turn traitors and betray sacred trusts. They will prove our very worst persecutors. “Of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them;” and many will give heed to seducing spirits.6BC 1065.1
Those who have lived on the flesh and blood of the Son of God—His Holy Word—will be strengthened, rooted, and grounded in the faith. They will see increased evidence why they should prize and obey the Word of God. With David, they will say, “They have made void thy law. Therefore love I thy commandments above gold; yea, above fine gold.” While others count them dross, they will arise to defend the faith. All who study their convenience, their pleasure, their enjoyment, will not stand in their trial (The Review and Herald, June 8, 1897).6BC 1065.2
