the acts of the apostles-第33节

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uncircumcised　Gentiles。　This　was　God's　warning　that　Peter　was　not　to　regard
one　as　inferior　to　the　other；　for　the　blood　of　Christ　could　cleanse　from　all
uncleanness。

Once　before；　Peter　had　reasoned　with　his　brethren　concerning　the　conversion
of　Cornelius　and　his　friends；　and　his　fellowship　with　them。　As　he　on　that
occasion　related　how　the　Holy　Spirit　fell　on　the　Gentiles　he　declared；
〃Forasmuch　then　as　God　gave　them　the　like　gift　as　He　did　unto　us；　who
believed　on　the　Lord　Jesus　Christ；　what　was　I；　that　I　could　withstand　God？〃
Acts　11：17。　Now；　with　equal　fervor　and　force；　he　said：　〃God；　which　knoweth
the　hearts；

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bare　them　witness；　giving　them　the　Holy　Ghost；　even　as　He　did　unto　us；　and
put　no　difference　between　us　and　them；　purifying　their　hearts　by　faith。　Now
therefore　why　tempt　ye　God；　to　put　a　yoke　upon　the　neck　of　the　disciples；
which　neither　our　fathers　nor　we　were　able　to　bear？〃　This　yoke　was　not　the
law　of　Ten　Commandments；　as　some　who　oppose　the　binding　claims　of　the　law
assert；　Peter　here　referred　to　the　law　of　ceremonies；　which　was　made　null
and　void　by　the　crucifixion　of　Christ。

Peter's　address　brought　the　assembly　to　a　point　where　they　could　listen　with
patience　to　Paul　and　Barnabas；　who　related　their　experience　in　working　for
the　Gentiles。　〃All　the　multitude　kept　silence；　and　gave　audience　to　Barnabas
and　Paul；　declaring　what　miracles　and　wonders　God　had　wrought　among　the
Gentiles　by　them。〃

James　also　bore　his　testimony　with　decision；　declaring　that　it　was　God's
purpose　to　bestow　upon　the　Gentiles　the　same　privileges　and　blessings　that
had　been　granted　to　the　Jews。

The　Holy　Spirit　saw　good　not　to　impose　the　ceremonial　law　on　the　Gentile
converts；　and　the　mind　of　the　apostles　regarding　this　matter　was　as　the　mind
of　the　Spirit　of　God。　James　presided　at　the　council；　and　his　final　decision
was；　〃Wherefore　my　sentence　is；　that　we　trouble　not　them；　which　from　among
the　Gentiles　are　turned　to　God。〃

This　ended　the　discussion。　In　this　instance　we　have　a　refutation　of　the
doctrine　held　by　the　Roman　Catholic　Church　that　Peter　was　the　head　of　the
church。　Those　who；　as　popes；　have　claimed　to　be　his　successors；　have　no
Scriptural　foundation　for　their　pretensions。　Nothing　in　the　life　of　Peter

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gives　sanction　to　the　claim　that　he　was　elevated　above　his　brethren　as　the
vicegerent　of　the　Most　High。　If　those　who　are　declared　to　be　the　successors
of　Peter　had　followed　his　example；　they　would　always　have　been　content　to
remain　on　an　equality　with　their　brethren。

In　this　instance　James　seems　to　have　been　chosen　as　the　one　to　announce　the
decision　arrived　at　by　the　council。　It　was　his　sentence　that　the　ceremonial
law；　and　especially　the　ordinance　of　circumcision；　should　not　be　urged　upon
the　Gentiles；　or　even　recommended　to　them。　James　sought　to　impress　the　minds
of　his　brethren　with　the　fact　that；　in　turning　to　God；　the　Gentiles　had　made
a　great　change　in　their　lives　and　that　much　caution　should　be　used　not　to
trouble　them　with　perplexing　and　doubtful　questions　of　minor　importance；
lest　they　be　discouraged　in　following　Christ。

The　Gentile　converts；　however；　were　to　give　up　the　customs　that　were
inconsistent　with　the　principles　of　Christianity。　The　apostles　and　elders
therefore　agreed　to　instruct　the　Gentiles　by　letter　to　abstain　from　meats
offered　to　idols；　from　fornication；　from　things　strangled；　and　from　blood。
They　were　to　be　urged　to　keep　the　commandments　and　to　lead　holy　lives。　They
were　also　to　be　assured　that　the　men　who　had　declared　circumcision　to　be
binding　were　not　authorized　to　do　so　by　the　apostles。

Paul　and　Barnabas　were　recommended　to　them　as　men　who　had　hazarded　their
lives　for　the　Lord。　Judas　and　Silas　were　sent　with　these　apostles　to　declare
to　the　Gentiles　by　word　of　mouth　the　decision　of　the　council：　〃It　seemed
good　to　the　Holy　Ghost；　and　to　us；　to　lay　upon　you　no　greater

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burden　than　these　necessary　things；　that　ye　abstain　from　meats　offered　to
idols；　and　from　blood；　and　from　things　strangled；　and　from　fornication：　from
which　if　ye　keep　yourselves；　ye　shall　do　well。〃　The　four　servants　of　God
were　sent　to　Antioch　with　the　epistle　and　message　that　was　to　put　an　end　to
all　controversy；　for　it　was　the　voice　of　the　highest　authority　upon　the
earth。

The　council　which　decided　this　case　was　composed　of　apostles　and　teachers
who　had　been　prominent　in　raising　up　the　Jewish　and　Gentile　Christian
churches；　with　chosen　delegates　from　various　places。　Elders　from　Jerusalem
and　deputies　from　Antioch　were　present；　and　the　most　influential　churches
were　represented。　The　council　moved　in　accordance　with　the　dictates　of
enlightened　judgment；　and　with　the　dignity　of　a　church　established　by　the
divine　will。　As　a　result　of　their　deliberations　they　all　saw　that　God
Himself　had　answered　the　question　at　issue　by　bestowing　upon　the　Gentiles
the　Holy　Ghost；　and　they　realized　that　it　was　their　part　to　follow　the
guidance　of　the　Spirit。

The　entire　body　of　Christians　was　not　called　to　vote　upon　the　question。　The
〃apostles　and　elders；〃　men　of　influence　and　judgment；　framed　and　issued　the
decree；　which　was　thereupon　generally　accepted　by　the　Christian　churches。
Not　all；　however；　were　pleased　with　the　decision；　there　was　a　faction　of
ambitious　and　self…confident　brethren　who　disagreed　with　it。　These　men
assumed　to　engage　in　the　work　on　their　own　responsibility。　They　indulged　in
much　murmuring　and　faultfinding；　proposing　new　plans　and　seeking　to　pull
down　the　work　of　the　men　whom　God　had　ordained　to　teach　the　gospel　message。
From　the　first　the　church　has

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had　such　obstacles　to　meet　and　ever　will　have　till　the　close　of　time。

Jerusalem　was　the　metropolis　of　the　Jews；　and　it　was　there　that　the　greatest
exclusiveness　and　bigotry　were　found。　The　Jewish　Christians　living　within
sight　of　the　temple　naturally　allowed　their　minds　to　revert　to　the　peculiar
privileges　of　the　Jews　as　a　nation。　When　they　saw　the　Christian　church
departing　from　the　ceremonies　and　traditions　of　Judaism；　and　perceived　that
the　peculiar　sacredness　with　which　the　Jewish　customs　had　been　invested
would　soon　be　lost　sight　of　in　the　light　of　the　new　faith；　many　grew
indignant　with　Paul　as　the　one　who　had；　in　a　large　measure；　caused　this
change。　Even　the　disciples　were　not　all　prepared　to　accept　willingly　the
decision　of　the　council。　Some　were　zealous　for　the　ceremonial　law；　and　they
regarded　Paul　with　disfavor　because　they　thought　that　his　principles　in
regard　to　the　obligations　of　the　Jewish　law　were　lax。

The　broad　and　far…reaching　decisions　of　the　general　council　brought
confidence　into　the　ranks　of　the　Gentile　believers；　and　the　cause　of　God
prospered。　In　Antioch　the　church　was　favored　with　the　presence　of　Judas　and
Silas；　the　special　messengers　who　had　returned　with　the　apostles　from　the
meeting　in　Jerusalem。　〃Being　prophets　also　themselves；〃　Judas　and　Silas；
〃exhorted　the　brethren　with　many　words；　and　confirmed　them。〃　These　godly　men
tarried　in　Antioch　for　a　time。　〃Paul　also　and　Barnabas　continued　in　Antioch；
teaching　and　preaching　the　word　of　the　Lord；　with　many　others　also。〃

When　Peter；　at　a　later　date；　visited　Antioch；　he　won　the　confidence　of　many
by　his　prudent　conduct　toward　the

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Gentile　converts。　For　a　time　he　acted　in　accordance　with　the　light　given
from　heaven。　He　so　far　overcame　his　natural　prejudice　as　to　sit　at　table
with　the　Gentile　converts。　But　when　certain　Jews　who　were　zealous　for　the
ceremonial　law；　came　from　Jerusalem；　Peter　injudiciously　changed　his
deportment　toward　the　converts　from　paganism。　A　number　of　the　Jews
〃dissembled　likewise　with　him；　insomuch　that　Barnabas　also　was　carried　away
with　their　dissimulation。〃　This　revelation　of　weakness　on　the　part　of　those
who　had　been　respected　and　loved　as　leaders；　left　a　most　painful　impression
on　the　minds　of　the　Gentile　believers。　The　church　was　threatened　with
division。　But　Paul；　who　saw　the　subverting　influence　of　the　wrong　done　to
the　church　through　the　double　part　acted　by　Peter；　openly　rebuked　him　for
thus　disguising　his　true　sentiments。　In　the　presence　of　the　church；　Paul
inquired　of　Peter；　〃If　thou；　being　a　Jew；　livest　after　the　manner　of
Gentiles；　and　not　as　do　the　Jews；　why　compellest　thou　the　Gentiles　to　live
as　do　the　Jews？〃　Galatians　2：13；　14。

Peter　saw　the　error　into　which　he　had　fallen；　and　immediately　set　about
repairing　the　evil　that　had　been　wrought；　so　far　as　was　in　his　power。　God；
who　knows　the　end　from　the　beginning；　permitted　Peter　to　reveal　this
weakness　of　character　in　order　that　the　tried　apostle　might　see　that　there
was　nothing　in　himself　whereof　he　might　boast。　Even　the　best　of　men；　if　left
to　themselves；　will　err　in　judgment。　God　also　saw　that　in　time　to　come　some
would　be　so　deluded　as　to　claim　for　Peter　and　his　pretended　successors　the
exalted　prerogatives　that　belong　to　God　alone。　And　this　record　of

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the　apostle's　weakness　was　to　remain　as　a　proof　of　his　fallibility　and　of
the　fact　that　he