Toward the end of the seven-day purification process (Num 19:12)—probably the seventh day, when he will receive the "water of atonement"—Paul is in the temple. Jews from Asia see him there—to them this is an unusual sight (theaomai; compare Acts 1:11; 22:9). From the time of his witness in the Ephesian synagogue, Paul has faced constant opposition from Asian Jews, and now, under cover of a Pentecost pilgrimage, they have dogged his steps to Jerusalem (19:9; 20:19; compare 6:9; 20:29). They stirred up the whole crowd, so that a mob scene ensues (19:32). Paul is seized by his persecutors as they broadcast the charges against him (compare Lk 21:12; Acts 4:3; 5:18; 12:1).

Agitation, confusion and physical violence are the hallmarks of persecution. For the disciple of Christ they are neither a surprise nor beyond God's providential control and saving purposes (Lk 21:15, 18).

Whereas the Gentiles of Macedonia asked for help in hearing the message of salvation, the Jews of Jerusalem request help for destroying the messenger (Acts 16:9). The Asian Jews raise a general charge against Paul's teaching: it opposes our people [laos] and our law and this place, that is, the temple (compare 6:11, 13-14; 24:5-6; contrast Paul's understanding of his stance toward Judaism, 24:14-16). Acts does not record Paul's views on the temple (but compare 7:48-50 and 17:24). He does say the law is unable to free from sin or bring forgiveness (13:39). Paul does not teach against the people. Rather, the Jews who oppose Paul and his gospel—the good news of the fulfillment of the promises made to their forebears—reveal by their opposition that they are not part of the true people of God. So it is with any opposition to the gospel. It is a revelation of the persecutor's error, not a valid judgment against the message.

The specific charge is that Paul has brought Greeks into the temple and thus defiled it. The Asian Jews have seen the Asian Trophimus in Paul's company (Trophimus is part of the delegation bringing the collection—20:4; 2 Tim 4:20). They assumed, wrongly (compare 14:19; 17:29), that this apostle whose preaching so effectively has torn down barriers between Jews and Gentiles would not hesitate to take a Gentile beyond the court of the Gentiles into the court of women, even the court of Israel.

Though Gentiles were welcome to worship in the outermost court, they were forbidden on penalty of death to enter beyond the balustrade into the two inner courts (m. Kelim 1:8). Josephus informs us, and archaeological evidence confirms, that at intervals there were signs posted in Greek and Latin saying "No foreigner is to enter within the forecourt and the balustrade around the Sanctuary. Whoever is caught will have himself to blame for his subsequent death" (Segal 1989:79; Polhill [1992:452] has information on the present location of such an inscription; Josephus Jewish Wars 5.193). This prohibition enforced Numbers 3:38.

It is ironic indeed that Paul is arrested while doing the very opposite of what he is accused of. In the process of seeking to show his respect for Jewish ethnic identity within the church by practicing ritual purification, he is arrested for allegedly defiling the temple. All this occurs because Paul is committed at one and the same time to the unity of all through their identity in Christ, no matter racial and ethnic background, and to the respect of cultural diversity in the body of Christ. Any Christian who insists on standing in such a tension will probably be similarly misunderstood as both too free in associations and too strict in ethnic loyalties.