Days of Purification

[Acts 21:21] And they are informed of thee, that thou teachest all the Jews which are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, saying that they ought not to circumcise their children, neither to walk after the customs.
It 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 letters, some of which had been written before this time, he showed that circumcision and un-circumcision 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 Y’Shua HaMashiach 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.
Whether this refers to a regular convocation of the Church, or to a tumult that would infallibly take place when it was heard that the missionary was come, we cannot pretend to say; but it is evident that James and the elders wished some prudent steps to be taken, in order to prevent an evil that they had too much reason to fear.
[24] Them take, and purify thyself with them, and be at charges with them, that they may shave their heads: and all may know that those things, whereof they were informed concerning thee, are nothing; but that thou thyself also walkest orderly, and keepest the law.
It is evident that the four men in question were under the vow of Nazariteship; and that the days of their vow were nearly at an end, as they were about to shave their heads; for, during the time of the Nazariteship, the hair was permitted to grow, and only shaven off at the termination of the vow. Josephus observes that Agrippa, on his being advanced from a prison to a throne, by the Emperor Claudius, came to Jerusalem; and there, among other instances of his religious thankfulness shown in the Temple, he ordered very many Nazarites to be shaven, he furnishing them with money for the expenses of that, and of the sacrifices necessarily attending it.
Show them, by such means as are now in thy power, that thou art not an enemy to Moses; that thou dost still consider the law to be holy, and the commandment holy, just, and good. Paul did so, and bore the expenses of those who, from a scruple of conscience, had made a vow, and perhaps were not well able to bear the expense attending it. Had they done this in order to acquire justification through the Law, Paul did assist them, it is a proof that they had not taken this vow on them for this purpose. Indeed, vows rather referred to a sense of obligation, and the gratitude due to G-d for mercies already received, than to the procuring of future favors of any kind.
Paul, the missionary who was most instrumental in taking Israel’s Messianic light to the nations, never wavered from his identity. “I am a Pharisee.” He declared, affirming in the Holy Temple that he had been faithful to the Torah and to the traditions of his fathers. It was only through the error of subsequent centuries that Messiahianity was wrenched from its Hebraic moorings and compromise with the traditions of Hellenic philosophy and Latin systems that finally severed its Jewish connection.
Be at charges with them, that is, defraying the expense of the sacrifices legally required of them, along with his own, which was deemed a mark of Jewish generosity.
[25] As touching the Gentiles which believe, we have written and concluded that they observe no such thing, save only that they keep themselves from things offered to idols, and from blood, and from strangled, and from fornication.
As touching the Gentiles, in regard to the Gentile converts. It might be expedient for Paul to do what could not be enjoined on the Gentiles. They could not command the Gentile converts to observe those ceremonies; while yet it might be proper, for the sake of peace, that the converts to Messianic from among the Jews should regard them. The conduct of the Christians at Jerusalem in giving this advice, and of Paul in following it, may be easily vindicated. If it be objected, as it has been by infidels, that it looks like double-dealing--that it was designed to deceive the Jews in Jerusalem, and to make them believe that Paul actually conformed to the ceremonial Law.
The Gentiles were only to follow the Noahid Laws.
[26] Then Paul took the men, and the next day purifying himself with them entered into the temple, to signify the accomplishment of the days of purifcation, until that an offering should be offered for every one of them.
He publicly declared to the priests that he would observe the separation of a Nazarite, and continue it for seven days, at the end of which he would bring an offering for himself and the other four men, according to what the law prescribed in that case.
Besides their typical and religious use, sacrifices were also intended for the support of the state and civil government; inasmuch as the ministers of state were chiefly maintained by them: so that the allotments to the priests out of the sacrifices may be considered as designed, like the civil-list money in other nations, for the immediate support of the crown and the officers of state.
He reflects with comfort on his having complied with the customs of the Jews in order to remove their prejudices against him and his ministry, and against the Gospel which he preached, and to win them over to embrace it: 'Unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; and this I do for the Gospel's sake.' 1 Corinthians 9:20, 23. Paul paid the tribute due to the magistrate by Law, which the missionary enjoins upon all other Christians in all other nations, Romans 13:6.
Do we need to observer the ceremonies connected with the rite of purification, also if we are born again into the family of G-d?