Acts 24:17-21 17Now after several years, I came bringing charitable gifts to my nation and offerings, 18in which they found me purified in the temple, without a crowd or without turmoil, but some Jews from Asia, 19who ought to be here before you and bring charges, if they have anything against me. 20Or let these men themselves say what crime they found when I stood before the council, 21other than this one statement that I shouted out while standing among them: ‘About the resurrection of the dead that I am judged before you this day.’ ”
Paul’s next point in his defense focused on what he was doing in the temple when the mob attacked him. He was countering the charge by Tertullus that he had desecrated the temple. Paul quickly summarized the events of 21:27–30. He specifically had gone back to Jerusalem to bring a gift of charity (eleēmosunas, an act of mercy, compassion, or the giving of alms). This gift was meant for the believers, but Paul did not differentiate between Christians and Jews because they were both descendants of Abraham, particularly the ethnic Jews of Jerusalem. They were all his nation (ethnos, often translated as “Gentiles” but here means the nation of the Jews). As a faithful Jews, Paul presented the offerings in the temple. Both actions were in the open and according to Jewish practice.
The real problem came in the temple when Paul presented his offerings. He was peacefully carrying out his pious acts without any problem. He was not the problem but the Jews from Asia were, and they should have been there to lodge their complaint and prove their case. Tertullus, the high priest, and the elders from Jerusalem had no case against him. They failed to bring witnesses, which totally negated their case against Paul. The only problem that occurred was when Paul raised the topic of the resurrection of the dead, which was controversial among the Jews. Therefore, the issue was not political but theological. It was an internal matter to be argued among theologians and scholars, not a political issue of insurrection. The Jewish delegation had no evidence against Paul. Paul had masterfully and quickly discounted everything they said simply by telling the truth. He had nothing to hide because his conscience was clear before God.