When Paul got to Jerusalem, the church leaders asked him to show that he was not trying to tear down the Law of Moses. They asked him to take part in a Hebrew ritual (cf. Acts 21:20-24), and Paul agreed willingly. Ironically, during that ritual some of his enemies from Asia saw him in the Temple. They wrongly assumed he had taken a Gentile into the area set aside for Jews only, and urged the crowd to kill him. Only prompt action by Roman soldiers saved Paul from swift, violent death.

• As when the Ephesian silversmiths rioted (cf. Acts 19:30), Paul didn’t want to run, but asked to speak to the angry crowd. The Roman commander, with his soldiers at hand, let him do it. We read Paul’s Acts 22 speech during the first week of this series. He did not win the crowd over. Was it worth having a chance to “plant seeds” in people’s minds, even if he did not convince them on the spot? Paul fought the faith before he accepted it. Might that have played a part in his wish to speak even to angry enemies?
• It’s easy to see the overblown tone of the claims Paul’s enemies made in verse 28. Paul cherished his Hebrew heritage, and did not teach “against” the Hebrew people, their law or the Temple. When have you seen others exaggerate the position of people they disagree with, creating a straw man that is easier to discredit? Are you able to differ with someone without falsely portraying or exaggerating what that person believes?