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Guilt By Supposition – Acts 21
Guilt By Supposition – Acts 21
Paul's apostleship was said to be 'to the gentiles' (cp. Gal. 2: 8-9). Along the way of his preaching throughout Asia and Macedonia he converted many gentiles and some of them then accompanied him in his journeys. He had many friends that were not Jewish and as friends are wont to do, he 'hung out with them'. This was NOT the social norm for Jews in Judea and particularly not in Jerusalem.
As Paul was in Jerusalem he was with Trophimus the Ephesian. When the Jews saw Paul in the temple, they jumped to the conclusion that he had brought this gentile into the temple with him. "They supposed that Paul had brought him into the temple" (Acts 21:29). The fact that Trophimus was nowhere to be found didn't seem to matter. This was a judgment based upon supposition – 'they supposed'. The thing I noticed here is that Paul is accused of something he didn't do and that which they could not prove.
We often warn against evil associations because it is easy to become influenced by them to join in their evil doings. Evil companions do corrupt good morals (1Cor. 15:33). Yet, in order to influence people there must be some form of association. Jesus ate with sinners. His point was that 'the sick are in need of a physician' (Matt. 9:11-12) – and a physician must have association with the patient. Jesus however did not join in their sin.
In our association with people, we must maintain OUR good morals. We live by God's standard and teaching regardless of whom we are with. Even with the greatest of care in our actions there will be false accusations against us. They did it to Jesus; they will do it to us. He wasn't guilty; we must also maintain our righteous behavior.
Now, think about the other side of this issue. We must be careful in our reasoning about people. Things aren't always what they appear to be. We are to judge according to what they do and not what we assume they did. In particular we must be careful in such thinking about those whom we do not like. It is easy to make evil assumptions about them. It is easy for such to quickly spread and become a 'mob action' against them.
Jesus warned that we are to 'judge righteous judgment' and not according to appearance (John 7:24). Paul wrote: "whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. " (Phil. 4:8). I find it interesting here that the word "think about" is the word that Paul used in Romans that is translated 'to impute'. This was a word that was used in accounting where something was 'put down to someone's account'. Our faith is 'reckoned' (imputed, put down to our account) unto righteousness. When we then 'think on these things', we are putting things down to other's account. This is what the mob did to Paul in supposing (putting to his account, reckoning to him) that he brought a gentile into the temple. Instead of such evil supposition without proof, we will suppose that which is good.
Brethren, be careful in what you suppose.
Hugh DeLong
