the acts of the apostles-第32节

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newly　organized　churches　to　the　Lord；　the　apostles　went　to　Pamphylia；　〃and
when　they　had　preached　the　word　in　Perga；　they　went　down　into　Attalia；　and
thence　sailed　to　Antioch。〃




（188）

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Chapter　19

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Jew　and　Gentile


On　reaching　Antioch　in　Syria；　from　which　place　they　had　been　sent　forth　on
their　mission；　Paul　and　Barnabas　took　advantage　of　an　early　opportunity　to
assemble　the　believers　and　rehearse　〃all　that　God　had　done　with　them；　and
how　He　had　opened　the　door　of　faith　unto　the　Gentiles。〃　Acts　14：27。　The
church　at　Antioch　was　a　large　and　growing　one。　A　center　of　missionary
activity；　it　was　one　of　the　most　important　of　the　groups　of　Christian
believers。　Its　membership　was　made　up　of　many　classes　of　people　from　among
both　Jews　and　Gentiles。

While　the　apostles　united　with　the　ministers　and　lay　members　at　Antioch　in
an　earnest　effort　to　win　many　souls　to　Christ；　certain　Jewish　believers　from
Judea　〃of　the　sect　of　the　Pharisees〃　succeeded　in　introducing　a　question
that　soon　led　to　wide…spread　controversy　in　the　church　and　brought
consternation　to　the　believing　Gentiles。　With　great　assurance　these
Judaizing　teachers　asserted　that　in　order

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to　be　saved；　one　must　be　circumcised　and　must　keep　the　entire　ceremonial
law。

Paul　and　Barnabas　met　this　false　doctrine　with　promptness　and　opposed　the
introduction　of　the　subject　to　the　Gentiles。　On　the　other　hand；　many　of　the
believing　Jews　of　Antioch　favored　the　position　of　the　brethren　recently　come
from　Judea。

The　Jewish　converts　generally　were　not　inclined　to　move　as　rapidly　as　the
providence　of　God　opened　the　way。　From　the　result　of　the　apostles'　labors
among　the　Gentiles　it　was　evident　that　the　converts　among　the　latter　people
would　far　exceed　the　Jewish　converts　in　number。　The　Jews　feared　that　if　the
restrictions　and　ceremonies　of　their　law　were　not　made　obligatory　upon　the
Gentiles　as　a　condition　of　church　fellowship；　the　national　peculiarities　of
the　Jews；　which　had　hitherto　kept　them　distinct　from　all　other　people；　would
finally　disappear　from　among　those　who　received　the　gospel　message。

The　Jews　had　always　prided　themselves　upon　their　divinely　appointed
services；　and　many　of　those　who　had　been　converted　to　the　faith　of　Christ
still　felt　that　since　God　had　once　clearly　outlined　the　Hebrew　manner　of
worship；　it　was　improbable　that　He　would　ever　authorize　a　change　in　any　of
its　specifications。　They　insisted　that　the　Jewish　laws　and　ceremonies　should
be　incorporated　into　the　rites　of　the　Christian　religion。　They　were　slow　to
discern　that　all　the　sacrificial　offerings　had　but　prefigured　the　death　of
the　Son　of　God；　in　which　type　met　antitype；　and　after　which　the　rites　and
ceremonies　of　the　Mosaic　dispensation　were　no　longer　binding。

190


Before　his　conversion　Paul　had　regarded　himself　as　blameless　〃touching　the
righteousness　which　is　in　the　law。〃　Philippians　3：6。　But　since　his　change　of
heart　he　had　gained　a　clear　conception　of　the　mission　of　the　Saviour　as　the
Redeemer　of　the　entire　race；　Gentile　as　well　as　Jew；　and　had　learned　the
difference　between　a　living　faith　and　a　dead　formalism。　In　the　light　of　the
gospel　the　ancient　rites　and　ceremonies　committed　to　Israel　had　gained　a　new
and　deeper　significance。　That　which　they　shadowed　forth　had　come　to　pass；
and　those　who　were　living　under　the　gospel　dispensation　had　been　freed　from
their　observance。　God's　unchangeable　law　of　Ten　Commandments；　however；　Paul
still　kept　in　spirit　as　well　as　in　letter。

In　the　church　at　Antioch　the　consideration　of　the　question　of　circumcision
resulted　in　much　discussion　and　contention。　Finally；　the　members　of　the
church；　fearing　that　a　division　among　them　would　be　the　outcome　of　continued
discussion；　decided　to　send　Paul　and　Barnabas；　with　some　responsible　men
from　the　church；　to　Jerusalem　to　lay　the　matter　before　the　apostles　and
elders。　There　they　were　to　meet　delegates　from　the　different　churches　and
those　who　had　come　to　Jerusalem　to　attend　the　approaching　festivals。
Meanwhile　all　controversy　was　to　cease　until　a　final　decision　should　be
given　in　general　council。　This　decision　was　then　to　be　universally　accepted
by　the　different　churches　throughout　the　country。

On　the　way　to　Jerusalem　the　apostles　visited　the　believers　in　the　cities
through　which　they　passed；　and　encouraged　them　by　relating　their　experience
in　the　work　of　God　and　the　conversion　of　the　Gentiles。

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At　Jerusalem　the　delegates　from　Antioch　met　the　brethren　of　the　various
churches；　who　had　gathered　for　a　general　meeting；　and　to　them　they　related
the　success　that　had　attended　their　ministry　among　the　Gentiles。　They　then
gave　a　clear　outline　of　the　confusion　that　had　resulted　because　certain
converted　Pharisees　had　gone　to　Antioch　declaring　that；　in　order　to　be
saved；　the　Gentile　converts　must　be　circumcised　and　keep　the　law　of　Moses。

This　question　was　warmly　discussed　in　the　assembly。　Intimately　connected
with　the　question　of　circumcision　were　several　others　demanding　careful
study。　One　was　the　problem　as　to　what　attitude　should　be　taken　toward　the
use　of　meats　offered　to　idols。　Many　of　the　Gentile　converts　were　living
among　ignorant　and　superstitious　people　who　made　frequent　sacrifices　and
offerings　to　idols。　The　priests　of　this　heathen　worship　carried　on　an
extensive　merchandise　with　the　offerings　brought　to　them；　and　the　Jews
feared　that　the　Gentile　converts　would　bring　Christianity　into　disrepute　by
purchasing　that　which　had　been　offered　to　idols；　thereby　sanctioning；　in
some　measure；　idolatrous　customs。

Again；　the　Gentiles　were　accustomed　to　eat　the　flesh　of　animals　that　has
been　strangled；　while　the　Jews　had　been　divinely　instructed　that　when　beasts
were　killed　for　food；　particular　care　was　to　be　taken　that　the　blood　should
flow　from　the　body；　otherwise　the　meat　would　not　be　regarded　as　wholesome。
God　had　given　these　injunctions　to　the　Jews　for　the　purpose　of　preserving
their　health。　The　Jews　regarded　it　as　sinful　to　use　blood　as　an　article　of
diet。　They　held　that　the　blood　was　the　life；　and　that　the　shedding　of　blood
was　in　consequence　of　sin。

192


The　Gentiles；　on　the　contrary；　practiced　catching　the　blood　that　flowed　from
the　sacrificial　victim　and　using　it　in　the　preparation　of　food。　The　Jews
could　not　believe　that　they　ought　to　change　the　customs　they　had　adopted
under　the　special　direction　of　God。　Therefore；　as　things　then　stood；　if　Jew
and　Gentile　should　attempt　to　eat　at　the　same　table；　the　former　would　be
shocked　and　outraged　by　the　latter。

The　Gentiles；　and　especially　the　Greeks；　were　extremely　licentious；　and
there　was　danger　that　some；　unconverted　in　heart；　would　make　a　profession　of
faith　without　renouncing　their　evil　practices。　The　Jewish　Christians　could
not　tolerate　the　immorality　that　was　not　even　regarded　as　criminal　by　the
heathen。　The　Jews　therefore　held　it　as　highly　proper　that　circumcision　and
the　observance　of　the　ceremonial　law　should　be　enjoined　on　the　Gentile
converts　as　a　test　of　their　sincerity　and　devotion。　This；　they　believed；
would　prevent　the　addition　to　the　church　of　those　who；　adopting　the　faith
without　true　conversion　of　heart；　might　afterward　bring　reproach　upon　the
cause　by　immorality　and　excess。

The　various　points　involved　in　the　settlement　of　the　main　question　at　issue
seemed　to　present　before　the　council　insurmountable　difficulties。　But　the
Holy　Spirit　had；　in　reality；　already　settled　this　question；　upon　the
decision　of　which　seemed　to　depend　the　prosperity；　if　not　the　very
existence；　of　the　Christian　church。

〃When　there　had　been　much　disputing；　Peter　rose　up；　and　said　unto　them；　Men
and　brethren；　ye　know　how　that　a　good　while　ago　God　made　choice　among　us；
that　the　Gentiles　by　my　mouth　should　hear　the　word　of　the　gospel；　and

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believe。〃　He　reasoned　that　the　Holy　Spirit　had　decided　the　matter　under
dispute　by　descending　with　equal　power　upon　the　uncircumcised　Gentiles　and
the　circumcised　Jews。　He　recounted　his　vision；　in　which　God　had　presented
before　him　a　sheet　filled　with　all　manner　of　four…footed　beasts　and　had
bidden　him　kill　and　eat。　When　he　refused；　affirming　that　he　had　never　eaten
that　which　was　common　or　unclean；　the　answer　had　been；　〃What　God　hath
cleansed；　that　call　not　thou　common。〃　Acts　10：15。

Peter　related　the　plain　interpretation　of　these　words；　which　was　given　him
almost　immediately　in　his　summons　to　go　to　the　centurion　and　instruct　him　in
the　faith　of　Christ。　This　message　showed　that　God　was　no　respecter　of
persons；　but　accepted　and　acknowledged　all　who　feared　Him。　Peter　told　of　his
astonishment　when；　in　speaking　the　words　of　truth　to　those　assembled　at　the
home　of　Cornelius；　he　witnessed　the　Holy　Spirit　taking　possession　of　his
hearers；　Gentiles　as　well　as　Jews。　The　same　light　and　glory　that　was
reflected　upon　the　circumcised　Jews　shone　also　upon　the　faces　of　the
uncircumcised　Gentiles。　This　was　God's　warning　that　Peter　was　not　to　reg