the acts of the apostles-第26章

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Timothy。　When　Paul　was　dragged　out　of　the　city；　this　youthful　disciple　was
among　the　number　who　took　their　stand　beside　his　apparently　lifeless　body
and　who　saw　him

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arise；　bruised　and　covered　with　blood；　but　with　praises　upon　his　lips
because　he　had　been　permitted　to　suffer　for　the　sake　of　Christ。

The　day　following　the　stoning　of　Paul；　the　apostles　departed　for　Derbe；
where　their　labors　were　blessed；　and　many　souls　were　led　to　receive　Christ
as　the　Saviour。　But　〃when　they　had　preached　the　gospel　to　that　city；　and　had
taught　many；〃　neither　Paul　nor　Barnabas　was　content　to　take　up　work
elsewhere　without　confirming　the　faith　of　the　converts　whom　they　had　been
compelled　to　leave　alone　for　a　time　in　the　places　where　they　had　recently
labored。　And　so；　undaunted　by　danger；　〃they　returned　again　to　Lystra；　and　to
Iconium；　and　Antioch；　confirming　the　souls　of　the　disciples；　and　exhorting
them　to　continue　in　the　faith。〃　Many　had　accepted　the　glad　tidings　of　the
gospel　and　had　thus　exposed　themselves　to　reproach　and　opposition。　These　the
apostles　sought　to　establish　in　the　faith　in　order　that　the　work　done　might
abide。

As　an　important　factor　in　the　spiritual　growth　of　the　new　converts　the
apostles　were　careful　to　surround　them　with　the　safeguards　of　gospel　order。
Churches　were　duly　organized　in　all　places　in　Lycaonia　and　Pisidia　where
there　were　believers。　Officers　were　appointed　in　each　church；　and　proper
order　and　system　were　established　for　the　conduct　of　all　the　affairs
pertaining　to　the　spiritual　welfare　of　the　believers。

This　was　in　harmony　with　the　gospel　plan　of　uniting　in　one　body　all
believers　in　Christ；　and　this　plan　Paul　was　careful　to　follow　throughout　his
ministry。　Those　who　in

186

any　place　were　by　his　labor　led　to　accept　Christ　as　the　Saviour　were　at　the
proper　time　organized　into　a　church。　Even　when　the　believers　were　but　few　in
number；　this　was　done。　The　Christians　were　thus　taught　to　help　one　another；
remembering　the　promise；　〃Where　two　or　three　are　gathered　together　in　My
name；　there　am　I　in　the　midst　of　them。〃　Matthew　18：20。

And　Paul　did　not　forget　the　churches　thus　established。　The　care　of　these
churches　rested　on　his　mind　as　an　ever…increasing　burden。　However　small　a
company　might　be；　it　was　nevertheless　the　object　of　his　constant　solicitude。
He　watched　over　the　smaller　churches　tenderly；　realizing　that　they　were　in
need　of　special　care　in　order　that　the　members　might　be　thoroughly
established　in　the　truth　and　taught　to　put　forth　earnest；　unselfish　efforts
for　those　around　them。

In　all　their　missionary　endeavors　Paul　and　Barnabas　sought　to　follow
Christ's　example　of　willing　sacrifice　and　faithful；　earnest　labor　for　souls。
Wide…awake；　zealous；　untiring；　they　did　not　consult　inclination　or　personal
ease；　but　with　prayerful　anxiety　and　unceasing　activity　they　sowed　the　seed
of　truth。　And　with　the　sowing　of　the　seed；　the　apostles　were　careful　to　give
to　all　who　took　their　stand　for　the　gospel；　practical　instruction　that　was
of　untold　value。　This　spirit　of　earnestness　and　godly　fear　made　upon　the
minds　of　the　new　disciples　a　lasting　impression　regarding　the　importance　of
the　gospel　message。

When　men　of　promise　and　ability　were　converted；　as　in　the　case　of　Timothy；
Paul　and　Barnabas　sought　earnestly

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to　show　them　the　necessity　of　laboring　in　the　vineyard。　And　when　the
apostles　left　for　another　place；　the　faith　of　these　men　did　not　fail；　but
rather　increased。　They　had　been　faithfully　instructed　in　the　way　of　the
Lord；　and　had　been　taught　how　to　labor　unselfishly；　earnestly；
perseveringly；　for　the　salvation　of　their　fellow　men。　This　careful　training
of　new　converts　was　an　important　factor　in　the　remarkable　success　that
attended　Paul　and　Barnabas　as　they　preached　the　gospel　in　heathen　lands。

The　first　missionary　journey　was　fast　drawing　to　a　close。　Commending　the
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　since