THE COUNCIL AT JERUSALEM.
By J. O. Corliss
[See Sunday-school Lesson and Acts 15.] AFTER the exciting experience of the apostles at Lystra, and their visit to neighboring towns, they passed on to Perga, and thence to Attalia, where they took ship for Antioch in Syria. There seems to have been something which specially endeared the brethren of Antioch to Paul. It may have been the fact that it was the place of his greatest triumph of earlier days in proclaiming the Gospel. At any rate he seems to have spent more time there than at any other place. Upon arriving there on this occasion, he settled down for a reasonably long visit. From the events which immediately followed, it would appear that this visit was directed by the Spirit of the Lord; for the apostle had not been long there before some men from Judea appeared, and began teaching the church that its members could not be saved unless they submitted to the ordinance of circumcision. Paul and Barnabas both strongly opposed this sentiment, until so much controversy was aroused that the church hardly knew what to believe. It was therefore decided that the two apostles should go to Jerusalem, and consult the officers of that church, that this question might be settled once for all. Passing through Phenicia and Samaria, they related to the brethren in those parts the signal dealing of God through them in the conversion of the heathen. On arriving at Jerusalem, they had no difficulty in bringing the question before the brethren there for discussion; for as they related before all the wonderful conversion of the Gentiles, some of those present who, from the party of the Pharisees, had become believers in Christ, stepped forward and declared that they were bound to circumcise such converts, and direct them to observe the law of Moses. Acts 15:1–5. The question at issue being now fairly sprung, the apostles and officers of the church came together to consider it. After considerable disputation, Peter rose and said: “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 believe. And God, which knoweth the hearts, bear 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? But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.” Verses 7–11. These strong words from Peter turned the tide of the discussion against circumcision and the law of ceremonies. He had made it plain that by giving the Holy Spirit to the Gentiles without requiring them to be circumcised, God accepted them thus, and so revealed that such rites were no longer necessary for them; and if not necessary for them, neither were they binding on the Jews. So when Paul and Barnabas desired to be heard, every voice in the assembly was hushed, that each might hear how wonderfully God had dealt with the Gentiles through their ministration. Verses 12, 13. Then James addressed the assembly. “Men and brethren, hearken, unto me,” he said. Then referring to Peter’s speech, he said its sentiment perfectly agreed with the words of the prophet which said, “After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle [house, or family] of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up; that the residue of men [that is, the rest of mankind] might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom My name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things.” James then expressed it as his own opinion that they should not add to the difficulties of those heathen who were turning to God, but that they should write to them to abstain from things contaminated by association with idols, from unchastity, from eating the flesh of strangled animals, and from blood. His reason for confining the Gospel within these lines was that for generations past, the writings of Moses had been preached in every town, having been read in the synagogue every Sabbath. Verses 19–21. Thus the question was forever settled, so far as the church at Jerusalem was concerned. Thereafter if any should go from that place to other parts and teach the Jewish rite, it would be known he did so without the sanction of the mother church or of God. Gal. 1:7–9. That such might be the case, it was resolved by the apostles and elders, with the assent of the whole church, to choose some men from among themselves, to accompany Paul and Barnabas to Antioch as witnesses of what the leading brethren at Jerusalem, under the direction of the Holy Spirit, had done in the matter. The men thus chosen were Judas and Silas, who bore to the church at Antioch a letter embodying the decision of the council. On arriving there, these brethren read the letter publicly, which gave much satisfaction to the church. After adding their personal testimony by public addresses, Judas returned to Jerusalem. Thus was settled for all time this once disturbing question. Ever afterward Paul could confidently affirm that outward circumcision was nothing, and the want of it was nothing, but to keep God’s commandments was everything. 1 Cor. 7:19. He did, however, recognize an inward circumcision,—a real thing, which is of the heart, a spiritual and not a literal circumcision. Rom. 2:29. This he declared was received by union with Christ, and was the getting rid of the tyranny of the earthly body. Such a work is real circumcision,—that which is performed by Christ, and not that done by human hands. Col. 2:11. J. O. CORLISS.