In chapter eighteen of Acts we see that he still had a Jewish vow (v. 18), a private vow that could be performed in any place by the Jews for thanksgiving, with the shearing of the hair. Paul knew that there were Jews in all the leading cities of Asia Minor. He realized that as he traveled through these cities to work among the people, he would first carry out a work among the Jews. He may have thought that it would be a great frustration to his gospel work to have with him an uncircumcised young co-worker. Therefore, it may have been for the sake of his gospel work that Paul had Timothy circumcised. He may have done this in order to be able to carry out his work where the Jewish atmosphere and environment were still prevailing. However, when Paul went to Jerusalem to fight for the truth and against the heresy of circumcision, he purposely brought Titus with him, one who had not been circumcised.
As we study Acts 16 and Galatians 2 we may be impressed with Paul’s flexibility. When he went to Jerusalem to fight against circumcision, he brought with him a co-worker who was not circumcised. Paul may have done this in order to show that he was strongly opposed to circumcision. As we have seen, Galatians 2:1-3 was included in the events of Acts 15. Then immediately after the conference in Acts 15, Paul, when he was about to go forth to preach the gospel on his second journey of ministry, took Timothy and had him circumcised. If we had been Silas, we might have said, “Paul, what are you doing? You are not stable. First you oppose circumcision, and now you are having Timothy circumcised.” On Paul’s behalf, however, we may say that he was being flexible, not unstable. His having Timothy circumcised may not have been wrong. The word he wrote in Galatians regarding neither circumcision nor uncircumcision availing anything may be interpreted as applying to the case of Timothy in Acts 16. We may understand this word to mean that Paul covered both the side of circumcision and the side of uncircumcision.
Once a tradition gets into people, it is very difficult to remove it. Furthermore, it is hard for people to escape the influence of a strong religious atmosphere. Paul was working in the Gentile world, mainly among the Greek community. But the Jews living in the different cities in Asia Minor still maintained the Judaic atmosphere, and it was difficult even for Paul to be free from this influence.
Should Paul in Acts 16 have had Timothy circumcised? It can be said fairly that eventually the Lord will take the way of not circumcising anyone. The best we can say regarding Paul’s having Timothy circumcised is that he was being flexible in a particular kind of environment.
The book of Acts is very dispensational. If we do not have the insight that comes from knowing God’s economy, God’s dispensation, it will be difficult for us to understand this book. We praise the Lord that the book of Acts is being opened to us so that we may see all the crucial dispensational points contained in it. Seeing these matters will help us in our study of the New Testament.
Acts 16:4 and 5 say, “Now as they went through the cities, they delivered to them the decrees to keep which had been decided upon by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem. So the churches were strengthened in the faith and were increasing in number daily.” All these churches were local churches, that is, churches in various cities. A local church is a church established in a locality, within the jurisdiction of a city. Such a local church is indicated by the Lord’s word in Matthew 18:17. The record of the New Testament concerning the establishment of a church in its locality is consistent throughout (Acts 8:1; 13:1; 14:23; Rom. 16:1; 1 Cor. 1:2; 2 Cor. 8:1; Gal. 1:2; Rev. 1:4, 11).