Mistaken Identity: 3-29-20
Overview
Mistaken Identity
In Acts 21:27-39, Paul finds himself in a chaotic and dangerous scene rooted in mistaken identity. Having just arrived in Jerusalem and warmly received by the church leaders, Paul agreed to take part in a purification ceremony at the temple to dispel rumors spread by Judaizers that he was teaching Jews to forsake Moses. His diplomatic willingness reflected his greater priority: winning people for Christ, even at personal cost.
As the seven-day ceremony drew to a close, Jews from Asia stirred up the crowd with two false charges: that Paul taught against the Jewish people, the law, and the temple (a charge strikingly similar to the one leveled against Stephen in Acts 6), and that he had defiled the sanctuary by bringing Trophimus, a Gentile, inside. Stone markers at the temple warned that any foreigner crossing into the sanctuary faced death—a sentence even Rome upheld. The mob seized Paul, beat him, and shouted, "Away with him!"—an echo of the cry against Jesus when Barabbas was freed. The Roman tribune compounded the confusion, mistaking Paul for an Egyptian rebel who had led 4,000 assassins into the wilderness. Yet Paul's arrest fulfilled the very prophecy spoken earlier by Agabus Acts 21:10-11, and Jesus' lament in Matthew 23:37 hovers over the scene as Jerusalem once again rejects the messengers of the gospel.
What stands out in the storm is Paul's composure. Beaten, bound in two chains, and slandered, he never returned force, never lashed out, and never lost his sense of who he was. His patient, respectful defense became itself a testimony to the gospel he proclaimed. Jesus had told Paul he would suffer for the sake of the Name, and Paul accepted that calling without flinching from his identity in Christ.
The pastoral question for us is the same: do we know who we are? The world will mischaracterize Christians—as those who deny science, as haters of the different, as enemies of progress—but our identity does not rest on the world's verdict. It rests on the person and sacrifice of Jesus, who was himself misjudged and silent before his accusers, as Isaiah 53:7 foretold, taking the punishment of our sin to give us a new identity in him. In baptism we have been buried and raised with Christ Romans 6:3-4, made new creations 2 Corinthians 5:17, so that we can say with Paul, "It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me" Galatians 2:20. When chaos swirls and others misjudge you, stand firm. You have already been claimed, named, and given Christ's own righteousness—use that secure calling to bring his glory and his name into the world.
Transcript
I'd like to invite you to open your Bibles to the Book of Acts the 21st chapter. 0s
The Book of Acts the 21st chapter. 7s
Have you ever looked for stories on mistaken identity? 11s
There are some really bizarre stories out there. 15s
I ran across one this week where a man had disguised himself in camouflage, went to the 19s
house and he had a turkey collar with him. 29s
He was hoping to attract turkeys so that he could hunt. 32s
But instead of attracting turkeys, he actually attracted a mountain lion. 36s
A mountain lion who had mistaken this man's identity as dinner. 41s
Thankfully, the man was not mortally harmed. 46s
He had been bowed around by the mountain lion. 50s
The mountain lion had pounced on him. 53s
But once he realized his mistake and realized that he did not have dinner, the mountain lion 55s
went on and carried about his own business looking for true dinner. 62s
There's some weird stuff that happens when we have mistaken identity or misperceptions 68s
or misjudgments. 75s
It can be very confusing. 77s
It can be very chaotic. 79s
And at times it can be very dangerous. 81s
We find Paul today in a very chaotic and confusing scene. 84s
He had just arrived in Jerusalem. 91s
He had had a warm welcome from the church leaders there. 94s
He shared the details of God's work on his mission and God's ministry that had been done 98s
through Paul. 103s
And together they all praised God for the ministry and the work that God had done through Paul. 105s
But the leaders shared a concern that they had with Paul. 112s
There were Judaizers who were claiming that Paul was teaching incorrectly that he was telling 116s
the Jews along with the Gentiles to forsake Moses. 123s
They suggested that in order to dispel any rumors that were going forth about him, 128s
that Paul should take part in a purification ceremony, observing the Hebrew law, 134s
going to the temple and taking part in this ceremony. 140s
Paul diplomatically agreed to do so because his focus was on the greater purpose. 145s
His focus was to reach people and win people for Jesus Christ. 151s
And this is exactly where we pick up in chapter 21 verse 27. 158s
When the seven days were almost completed, the Jews from Asia who had seen him in the temple 163s
stirred up the whole crowd. 169s
They seized him shouting, 172s
fellow Israelites, help. 174s
This is the man who is teaching everyone everywhere against our people, our law and this place. 176s
More than that, he has actually brought Greeks into the temple and has defiled this holy place. 185s
For they had previously seen Trophamus, the Ephesian with him in the city. 192s
And they opposed that Paul had brought him into the temple. 197s
The purification ceremony was seven days. 202s
It was coming to an end when the Jews from Asia saw him and true to form. 205s
They incited a crowd. 211s
They were going to stir up trouble. 213s
They cited two offenses against Paul. 216s
First, they accused Paul of teaching against the Jewish people against God's law 219s
and against the temple. 227s
The charge here is very similar to the one that was brought against Stephen in the sixth chapter of Acts. 229s
Where it says, this man never stopped saying these things against this holy place 237s
and the law. 242s
The second charge against Paul is that he had violated completely 244s
desecrated the sacred space of the temple by inviting the Greeks, the Gentiles into it. 249s
The people had previously seen Paul with Trophamus who was a convert to Christianity from Ephesis. 259s
They had seen them together in the city and they assumed that Paul had brought this man 267s
into the inner courts of the temple. 273s
But Gentiles were not allowed into the main temple area. 276s
There were actually strong stone markers that announced the prohibition of any foreigner 281s
or any Gentile entering into the sanctuary. 287s
The inscription had read, no foreigner is to enter within the ballastrod and enclosure surrounding 292s
the sanctuary. 298s
Whoever is caught will have himself to blame for his death, which follows. 299s
The Roman authorities knew how strongly the Jewish people felt regarding this law. 306s
And they ratified the death sentence that would come with crossing that line. 313s
They ratified it even for a Roman citizen who crossed that line. 320s
Paul's character had been misjudged here. 326s
He had been misidentified as one who would defile. 330s
It was based on a falsehood and a presumption that he was now facing death. 335s
We continue. 343s
Then all the city was aroused and the people rushed together. 344s
They seized Paul and dragged him out of the temple and immediately the doors were shut. 348s
While they were trying to kill him, word came to the Tribune of the cohort 353s
that all Jerusalem was in and uproar. 358s
Immediately he took soldiers and centurions and ran down to them. 361s
When they saw the Tribune and the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul. 366s
A mob was formed. 371s
All on the basis of misinformation and Paul was on his way being carried to his death to be stoned to death. 373s
The uproar caught the attention of the Roman Tribune and he would have had a significant number 382s
of soldiers with him. 388s
And so they all arrived on the scene. 390s
Very chaotic. 394s
There's already a mob and now we have this Roman Tribune and his soldiers, the centurions with him. 396s
And just the presence of them caused the crowd to cease in their beating of Paul. 402s
Verse 33, then the Tribune came, arrested him and ordered him to be bound with two chains. 409s
He inquired who he was and what he had done. 417s
Paul was arrested with the mob formed around him, him being dragged out of the court's beaten. 422s
He looked guilty. 429s
He looked as if he must have done something. 432s
So the Tribune arrested him, had him bound in chains. 435s
If you recall, this is exactly what had been prophesied earlier in the chapter. 440s
His friends did not want him to go to Jerusalem because they knew that trouble would before 446s
him there. 452s
And a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. 453s
He came to us and took Paul's belt, bound his own feet and hands with it and said, 456s
Thus says the Holy Spirit, this is the way the Jews in Jerusalem will bind to the man who owns this belt 461s
and will hand him over to the Gentiles. 469s
Everything was playing out as had been prophesied about Paul's trip to Jerusalem. 474s
Assuming that Paul was guilty of something after all, this mob was beating him, 481s
the Tribune arrested Paul and then asked for some answers. 486s
34, some in the crowd shouted one thing, some another, and as he could not learn the facts because 493s
of the uproar, he ordered him to be brought into the barracks. 499s
When Paul came to the steps, the violence of the mob was so great that he had to be carried by the soldiers. 503s
The crowd that followed kept shouting, away with him, away with him is like saying, 512s
good riddance, judge this man, condemn this man, the mood of this crowd shouting, 519s
away with him is very reminiscent of the mood of the crowd that had shouted to free Barabus 526s
and execute Jesus. We see now the Jews in Jerusalem have turned against and rejected Jesus, 535s
Peter, John, Stephen, and now Paul. Here we have the final rejection of the gospel within the book of Acts. 546s
It's very reminiscent of Jesus lament for Jerusalem in Matthew 23, where he said, 561s
Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it, 569s
how often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, 577s
and you were not willing. They mourn for the rejection that Jerusalem has made of the gospel. 584s
They mourn the rejection of salvation that Jerusalem has made in rejecting those who bring the gospel. 594s
Continuing in verse 37, just as Paul was about to be brought into the barracks, he said to the tribune, 606s
may I say something to you? The tribune replied, do you know Greek? Then you are not the Egyptian who 612s
recently stirred up a revolt and led the 4,000 assassins out into the wilderness. Paul had already 621s
been misidentified and mischaracterized by the Jews, and now this Roman tribune has assumed Paul 627s
to be an Egyptian pseudo-profit who had a few years prior raised up a rebellion with the 635s
intent to flatten Jerusalem and overpower Rome. The leader of that revolt had disappeared and 643s
now this tribune thought that Paul was the rebel returned. 39, Paul replied, I am a Jew from Tarsus 652s
in Silicia, a citizen of an important city, I beg you, let me speak to the people. 663s
Paul, after being beaten and arrested, he is finally asking for a chance to speak up and set 671s
some things straight. First, he lets the tribune know that he is a Jew from a great city. The term 679s
important city denotes pride in Tarsus. Tarsus was known for material wealth, it was known for 687s
intellectual distinction, it was a treasured city within the Roman world and the fact that Paul 695s
was from Tarsus gave him a status and a certain credibility. He had a right to speak, but he asked 703s
for permission. Paul was told by Jesus that he would suffer for the sake of the gospel and we know 711s
that he did suffer indeed. Here we have him arrested for his commitment to the gospel, 720s
arrested for his commitment to spreading the gospel and in the coming weeks we will see him again 726s
suffering further all for the sake of the gospel. I don't know that I have ever suffered 734s
in misidentification or mischaracterization. I know I have never been mistaken for a turkey, 745s
but I have never posed as a turkey before either. However, to be mischaracterized or to be misjudged 752s
or have assumptions made about one, I don't know that I would have the same patience with suffering 760s
that Paul displays here, but Paul's patience and constant defense of the gospel without a return 768s
of force. It worked as a testimony of the very gospel that he preached. Though he was under attack, 776s
Paul was never confused on who he was and he was never mistaken in his own identity. 786s
Can we say the same? Are you ever confused by your identity as a Christian people? Are you ever 796s
doubting who you are as a Christian in this world? I saw headlines in the news this week that 805s
identified Christians as ones who deny science or ones who would hate and persecute anyone who is different than them. 814s
But is that who we are as God's people? Does that speak to who you are as a Christian? 824s
No, of course not. Of course not. That is a broad assumption and a misidentification of who we are. 834s
As called people of God, make no mistake. My brothers and my sisters, you are a called and saved 844s
child of Jesus Christ. Your identity does not rest upon anything, but the person and the sacrifice 854s
of Christ Jesus. Mischaracterized, misjudged, misidentified, Jesus was brought before the world, 865s
thinking that the world was going to judge him, but taking upon himself the judgment of the father 877s
in our place. Isaiah 53 prophesied, he was oppressed and he was afflicted, yet he did not open 885s
his mouth like a lamb that has led to the slaughter and like a sheep that before it's shears is silent. 894s
So he did not open his mouth. He took the punishment of guilt. He took the punishment of sin 901s
for you in order to deliver you from that, in order to give you a new identity and identity 910s
that is in God himself. In your baptism you were given this new identity and it is sealed, 922s
you are sealed in God's very own spirit. In Romans chapter 6 it says, do you not know that all of us 931s
who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? Therefore we have been 940s
buried with him by baptism into death so that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory 946s
of the father. So we too might walk in newness of life. Your new life is one lived in the spirit of 953s
Jesus. You are a new creation as second Corinthians says, and Galatians 2 says, it's no longer 963s
I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me and the life I now live in the flesh I live 971s
by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me. You walk in the freedom of Christ 979s
because it is not you who live, but it is Christ in you who lives. It doesn't matter if we find ourselves 989s
in a scene of chaos, it doesn't matter if we find that we've been mischaracterized or misidentified, 998s
you continue to stand firm. Stand firm in your identity in Christ. Stand firm knowing that Christ 1007s
has already freely given you His own identity, His own righteousness, His own life so that you may stand 1018s
at oneness with the father. It doesn't matter if you're judged in this world because you are 1030s
Christ and you are already claimed in that stand firm in this identity as chaos circles around us. 1039s
As we try to make sense of the scenes that we find ourselves in, stand and rest in that identity 1051s
that you have been given and use that calling as His people to bring His glory and His name to this world. 1060s