height. Here the apostles were among a simple peasant people of the old Lycaonian stock. A kindly work of healing, wrought upon a lame man whose faith was equal to the task, almost instantly won the adoration of the populace. The narrative well illustrates the common popular belief of the day that the gods in human form frequently came down and walked among men. Barnabas, the taller and more commanding figure, was identified as Zeus; Paul, the smaller and alert and more gifted speaker, with Hermes, the spokesman and messenger of the gods. Not understanding the native language, the apostles apparently did not at first understand that the people were about to worship and offer sacrifices to them; but as soon as they appreciated the situation they loudly protested and improved the opportunity to tell them of the one living God, whence came all their blessings. Lystra, however, was under the control of the Galatian Antioch and so near Iconium that the Jewish persecutors of the apostles soon overtook them and turned the zeal of the populace into mad rage, so that Paul barely escaped death at their hands. Derbe, the next place to which the apostles turned for refuge, was on a great plain about fortyfive miles south of Iconium. Here amidst the native population they met with little opposition. This point, however, marked the eastern limit of their campaign, for it was near the eastern bounds of the province of Galatia. Paul, instead of going eastward along the direct road to his boyhood home at Tarsus and to the field of his earlier activity in Cilicia, was evidently eager to return and perfect the organization of the Christian communities which they had established in the important cities of Galatia. The lapse of time and in many cases the change of rulers and the abatement of opposition made this possible. Hence they retraced their steps, in each place strengthening the disciples. Out of the ranks of each Christian community they selected certain presbyters or elders to direct and instruct the individual members. Evidently Paul was seeking not to build up a hierarchy but a democratic brotherhood akin to that which Jesus himself had established during his ministry in Galilee. Thence they returned through Pamphylia to the sea at Attalia and from there by ship to Antioch, where they reported the results of their work to the church which had sent them forth and the great fact that the Gentile world was waiting eagerly to receive the message of their risen Lord. Within less than two decades after the death of Jesus Christianity had entered upon its world conquest, so great was the potency of the personality and teachings of him who taught as never man taught before. PAUL'S INTERVIEW WITH THE APOSTLES ་་་་ 8 CLII. THE BREAKING OF JEWISH BONDS [Paul himself states that] Fourteen years after my first Paul's visit with Peter I went up again to Jerusalem accompanied view by Barnabas. I also took Titus with me. I went up in and agree inter tles 21-10) obedience to a revelation. And I laid before them the ment with gospel which I preach to the Gentiles; I did this in private the before the authorities lest by any means I should be running, aposor should already have run in vain. But even though (Gal. Titus, who was with me, was a Greek, he was not obliged to be circumcised. The opposition came through certain traitorous false brothers who had crept in to spy out the freedom we enjoy in Christ Jesus in order that they might enslave us again. But, in order that the truth of the gospel might hold good for you, we did not consent for an instant to submit to them. Indeed from the authorities-whatever they are it makes no difference to me; God payeth no respect to persons-these authorities had no additions to make to my gospel. On the contrary, when they saw that I had been intrusted with the gospel for the uncircumcised just as Peter had been for the circumcised (for he who equipped Peter to be an apostle to the circumcised equipped me as well for the Gentiles), and when they recognized the grace that had been given me, James and Cephas and John, who were considered the pillars of the church, gave to me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship that we should go to the Gentiles, they to the circumcised. One thing they urged, that we should remember the poor, which I myself was exceedingly eager to do. later Peter consis When Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, Paul's because he stood condemned. For before certain persons rebuke came from James, he ate with the Gentile Christians; but of when they came, he withdrew and held aloof for fear of the for incircumcision party. The rest of the Jewish Christians also ency played false along with him, so that even Barnabas was carried away by their false play. But when I saw that they were not acting uprightly in the true spirit of the gospel, I said to Cephas in the presence of them all: If you who are a Jew live like the Gentiles and not like the (11-16) The Christians' tions Jews, why do you oblige the Gentiles to become Jews? We may be Jews by birth and not 'Gentile sinners,' but, knowing that a man is justified by faith in Christ Jesus and not by doing the things which the law commands, we ourselves have believed in Christ Jesus so as to be justified by faith in Christ and not by doing the things that the law commands, for by doing those things which the law commands no human being shall be justified. Now certain individuals came down from Jerusalem and taught the brothers: Unless you are circumcised after the obliga- custom of Moses you cannot be saved. Inasmuch as there to the was a sharp dispute and controversy between them and Paul and Barnabas, it was arranged that Paul and Barnabas, along with some others of their number, should go up to Jerusalem to consult the apostles and elders at Jerusalem about this question. Mosaic law (Acts 151, 2) The deputation to Jerusalem (3, 4) Peter's in the (5-11) So they set out, being accompanied for a distance by members of the church. And they passed through Phonicia and Samaria, telling about the conversion of the Gentiles. And they inspired all the brothers with great joy. When they arrived at Jerusalem, they were received by the church and the apostles and elders. And they reported all that God had done through them. But some of the believers who belonged to the Pharisaic speech party got up and said, Gentiles must be circumcised and council enjoined to observe the law of Moses. Then the apostles and the presbyters met to investigate this question, and a keen controversy sprang up; but Peter rose and said to them, Brothers, you know well that from the earliest days God chose among you that by my mouth the Gentiles were to hear the word of the gospel and believe. The God who knows all hearts attested this by giving them the Holy Spirit just as he gave it to us; in cleansing their hearts by faith he made no distinction at all between us and them. Well now, why are you trying an experiment upon God by imposing a yoke on the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we ourselves could bear? No, it is by the grace of the Lord Jesus that we believe and are saved, in the same way as they. STATEMENT OF PAUL AND BARNABAS Then the whole assembly was silent and listened to StateBarnabas and Paul recounting the signs and wonders God ment had performed by them among the Gentiles. of Paul and Barna When they had finished speaking, James replied, Brothers, bas (12) listen to me. Simeon has told how God originally sought The to secure a people from among the Gentiles to bear his counsel name. This agrees with the words of the prophets; as it James is written, (13-21) After this I will return and rebuild David's fallen tent, Even all the Gentiles who are called by my name, My judgment therefore is that we ought not to put fresh difficulties in the way of those who are turning to God from among the Gentiles, but enjoin them to abstain from whatever is polluted by idols, from sexual vice, from the flesh of animals that have been strangled, and from blood; for Moses has had his preachers from earliest ages in every city, where he is read aloud in the synagogues every sabbath. of apos to the Chris Then the apostles and the elders, together with the The whole church, decided to select some of their number o and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. The letter men selected were Judas (called Barsabbas) and Silas, Gentile leading members of the brotherhood. They bore the fol- tians lowing letter: The apostles and the elder brothers send (22-29) greeting to the brothers who belong to the Gentiles throughout Antioch and Syria and Cilicia. Since we have learned that some of our number, without being authorized by us, have disturbed you with their teaching and upset your souls, we have decided unanimously to select some of our number and send them to you along with our beloved Barnabas and Paul who have risked their lives for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ. We therefore send Judas and Silas, who will also tell you these things by word of mouth. The Holy Spirit and we have decided not to impose any Its recep tion (30-35) extra burden on you, except these essential requirements: abstain from food that has been offered to idols, from tasting blood, from the flesh of animals that have been strangled, and from sexual vice. Keep clear of all this and it will be well with you. Farewell. When the messengers were despatched, they went down to Antioch and, after gathering the whole assembly, they delivered the letter. On reading it the people rejoiced at the encouragement it brought. And as Judas and Silas were themselves prophets, they encouraged and strengthened the brothers with many a discourse. Then after they had spent some time there they were dismissed with a greeting of peace from the brothers to those who had sent them. Paul and Barnabas, however, stayed on in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord along with a number of others. I. The Burning Problem in the Christian Church. The extension of Christianity far beyond the bounds of Palestine, and especially the work of Paul and Barnabas among the Gentiles, presented to the Christian church its first great and insistent problem. Fortunately, it did not become a pressing issue until the work of the Hellenistic Christians had furnished a large body of facts born of experience. The problem involved three distinct issues and it is important not to confuse them. The first and most insistent was, Were the Gentile Christians to be compelled to follow the demands of the Jewish law? Second, What were the obligations of the Jewish Christians to their inherited law? The third question, fortunately, came to the forefront a little later, What were to be the mutual obligations of each when Jewish and Gentile Christians ate and associated together? According to the testimony of Paul (Gal. 24), the problem was precipitated by certain Jewish Christians "who had crept in to spy out the freedom" that the Antioch Christians were enjoying in Christ Jesus and who aimed to enslave again the Gentile members of that great and growing church by compelling them to satisfy all the detailed demands of the Jewish law. II. The Accounts of the Way in Which the Problem Was Solved. Fortunately, in the second chapter of Paul's letter to the Galatians he has given a brief but straightforward and clear statement of the issue and its outcome. It reveals not merely Paul's position |