the acts of the apostles-第61部分

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their　opinions。

Several　years　had　passed　since　the　brethren　in　Jerusalem；　with
representatives　from　other　leading　churches；　gave　careful　consideration　to
the　perplexing　questions　that　had　arisen　over　methods　followed　by　those　who
were　laboring　for　the　Gentiles。　As　a　result　of　this　council；　the　brethren
had　united　in　making　definite　recommendations　to　the　churches

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concerning　certain　rites　and　customs；　including　circumcision。　It　was　at　this
general　council　that　the　brethren　had　also　united　in　commending　to　the
Christian　churches　Barnabas　and　Paul　as　laborers　worthy　of　the　full
confidence　of　every　believer。

Among　those　present　at　this　meeting；　were　some　who　had　severely　criticized
the　methods　of　labor　followed　by　the　apostles　upon　whom　rested　the　chief
burden　of　carrying　the　gospel　to　the　Gentile　world。　But　during　the　council
their　views　of　God's　purpose　had　broadened；　and　they　had　united　with　their
brethren　in　making　wise　decisions　which　made　possible　the　unification　of　the
entire　body　of　believers。

Afterward；　when　it　became　apparent　that　the　converts　among　the　Gentiles　were
increasing　rapidly；　there　were　a　few　of　the　leading　brethren　at　Jerusalem
who　began　to　cherish　anew　their　former　prejudices　against　the　methods　of
Paul　and　his　associates。　These　prejudices　strengthened　with　the　passing　of
the　years；　until　some　of　the　leaders　determined　that　the　work　of　preaching
the　gospel　must　henceforth　be　conducted　in　accordance　with　their　own　ideas。
If　Paul　would　conform　his　methods　to　certain　policies　which　they　advocated
they　would　acknowledge　and　sustain　his　work；　otherwise　they　could　no　longer
look　upon　it　with　favor　or　grant　it　their　support。

These　men　had　lost　sight　of　the　fact　that　God　is　the　teacher　of　His　people；
that　every　worker　in　His　cause　is　to　obtain　an　individual　experience　in
following　the　divine　Leader；　not　looking　to　man　for　direct　guidance；　that
His　workers　are　to　be　molded　and　fashioned；　not　after　man's　ideas；　but　after
the　similitude　of　the　divine。

402


In　his　ministry　the　apostle　Paul　had　taught　the　people　〃not　with　enticing
words　of　man's　wisdom；　but　in　demonstration　of　the　Spirit　and　of　power。〃　The
truths　that　he　proclaimed　had　been　revealed　to　him　by　the　Holy　Spirit；　〃for
the　Spirit　searcheth　all　things；　yea；　the　deep　things　of　God。　For　what　man
knoweth　the　things　of　a　man；　save　the　spirit　of　man　which　is　in　him？　even　so
the　things　of　God　knoweth　no　man；　but　the　Spirit　of　God。　。　。　。　Which
things；〃　declared　Paul；　〃we　speak；　not　in　the　words　which　man's　wisdom
teacheth；　but　which　the　Holy　Ghost　teacheth；　comparing　spiritual　things　with
spiritual。〃　1　Corinthians　2：4；　10…13。

Throughout　his　ministry；　Paul　had　looked　to　God　for　direct　guidance。　At　the
same　time；　he　had　been　very　careful　to　labor　in　harmony　with　the　decisions
of　the　general　council　at　Jerusalem；　and　as　a　result　the　churches　were
〃established　in　the　faith；　and　increased　in　number　daily。〃　Acts　16：5。　And
now；　notwithstanding　the　lack　of　sympathy　shown　him　by　some；　he　found
comfort　in　the　consciousness　that　he　had　done　his　duty　in　encouraging　in　his
converts　a　spirit　of　loyalty；　generosity；　and　brotherly　love；　as　revealed　on
this　occasion　in　the　liberal　contributions　which　he　was　enabled　to　place
before　the　Jewish　elders。

After　the　presentation　of　the　gifts；　Paul　〃declared　particularly　what　things
God　had　wrought　among　the　Gentiles　by　his　ministry。〃　This　recital　of　facts
brought　to　the　hearts　of　all；　even　of　those　who　had　been　doubting；　the
conviction　that　the　blessing　of　heaven　had　accompanied　his　labors。　〃When
they　heard　it；　they　glorified　the　Lord。〃　They　felt

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that　the　methods　of　labor　pursued　by　the　apostle　bore　the　signet　of　Heaven。
The　liberal　contributions　lying　before　them　added　weight　to　the　testimony　of
the　apostle　concerning　the　faithfulness　of　the　new　churches　established
among　the　Gentiles。　The　men　who；　while　numbered　among　those　who　were　in
charge　of　the　work　at　Jerusalem；　had　urged　that　arbitrary　measures　of
control　be　adopted；　saw　Paul's　ministry　in　a　new　light　and　were　convinced
that　their　own　course　had　been　wrong；　that　they　had　been　held　in　bondage　by
Jewish　customs　and　traditions；　and　that　the　work　of　the　gospel　had　been
greatly　hindered　by　their　failure　to　recognize　that　the　wall　of　partition
between　Jew　and　Gentile　had　been　broken　down　by　the　death　of　Christ。

This　was　the　golden　opportunity　for　all　the　leading　brethren　to　confess
frankly　that　God　had　wrought　through　Paul；　and　that　at　times　they　had　erred
in　permitting　the　reports　of　his　enemies　to　arouse　their　jealousy　and
prejudice。　But　instead　of　uniting　in　an　effort　to　do　justice　to　the　one　who
had　been　injured；　they　gave　him　counsel　which　showed　that　they　still
cherished　a　feeling　that　Paul　should　be　held　largely　responsible　for　the
existing　prejudice。　They　did　not　stand　nobly　in　his　defense；　endeavoring　to
show　the　disaffected　ones　where　they　were　wrong；　but　sought　to　effect　a
compromise　by　counseling　him　to　pursue　a　course　which　in　their　opinion　would
remove　all　cause　for　misapprehension。

〃Thou　seest；　brother；〃　they　said；　in　response　to　his　testimony；　〃how　many
thousands　of　Jews　there　are　which　believe；　and　they　are　all　zealous　of　the
law：　and　they　are

404

informed　of　thee；　that　thou　teachest　all　the　Jews　which　are　among　the
Gentiles　to　forsake　Moses；　saying　that　they　ought　not　to　circumcise　their
children；　neither　to　walk　after　the　customs。　What　is　it　therefore？　the
multitude　must　needs　come　together：　for　they　will　hear　that　thou　art　come。
Do　therefore　this　that　we　say　to　thee：　We　have　four　men　which　have　a　vow　on
them；　them　take；　and　purify　thyself　with　them；　and　be　at　charges　with　them；
that　they　may　shave　their　heads：　and　all　may　know　that　those　things；　whereof
they　were　informed　concerning　thee；　are　nothing；　but　that　thou　thyself　also
walkest　orderly；　and　keepest　the　law。　As　touching　the　Gentiles　which
believe；　we　have　written　and　concluded　that　they　observe　no　such　thing；　save
only　that　they　keep　themselves　from　things　offered　to　idols；　and　from　blood；
and　from　strangled；　and　from　fornication。〃

The　brethren　hoped　that　Paul；　by　following　the　course　suggested；　might　give
a　decisive　contradiction　to　the　false　reports　concerning　him。　They　assured
him　that　the　decision　of　the　former　council　concerning　the　Gentile　converts
and　the　ceremonial　law；　still　held　good。　But　the　advice　now　given　was　not
consistent　with　that　decision。　The　Spirit　of　God　did　not　prompt　this
instruction；　it　was　the　fruit　of　cowardice。　The　leaders　of　the　church　in
Jerusalem　knew　that　by　non…conformity　to　the　ceremonial　law；　Christians
would　bring　upon　themselves　the　hatred　of　the　Jews　and　expose　themselves　to
persecution。　The　Sanhedrin　was　doing　its　utmost　to　hinder　the　progress　of
the　gospel。　Men　were　chosen　by　this　body　to　follow　up　the　apostles；
especially　Paul；　and　in

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every　possible　way　to　oppose　their　work。　Should　the　believers　in　Christ　be
condemned　before　the　Sanhedrin　as　breakers　of　the　law；　they　would　suffer
swift　and　severe　punishment　as　apostates　from　the　Jewish　faith。

Many　of　the　Jews　who　had　accepted　the　gospel　still　cherished　a　regard　for
the　ceremonial　law　and　were　only　too　willing　to　make　unwise　concessions；
hoping　thus　to　gain　the　confidence　of　their　countrymen；　to　remove　their
prejudice；　and　to　win　them　to　faith　in　Christ　as　the　world's　Redeemer。　Paul
realized　that　so　long　as　many　of　the　leading　members　of　the　church　at
Jerusalem　should　continue　to　cherish　prejudice　against　him；　they　would　work
constantly　to　counteract　his　influence。　He　felt　that　if　by　any　reasonable
concession　he　could　win　them　to　the　truth　he　would　remove　a　great　obstacle
to　the　success　of　the　gospel　in　other　places。　But　he　was　not　authorized　of
God　to　concede　as　much　as　they　asked。

When　we　think　of　Paul's　great　desire　to　be　in　harmony　with　his　brethren；　his
tenderness　toward　the　weak　in　the　faith；　his　reverence　for　the　apostles　who
had　been　with　Christ；　and　for　James；　the　brother　of　the　Lord；　and　his
purpose　to　become　all　things　to　all　men　so　far　as　he　could　without
sacrificing　principlewhen　we　think　of　all　this；　it　is　less　surprising　that
he　was　constrained　to　deviate　from　the　firm；　decided　course　that　he　had
hitherto　followed。　But　instead　of　accomplishing　the　desired　object；　his
efforts　for　conciliation　only　precipitated　the　crisis；　hastened　his
predicted　sufferings；　and　resulted　in　separating　him　from　his　brethren；

406

depriving　the　church　of　one　of　its　strongest　pillars；　and　bringing　sorrow　to
Christian　hearts　in　every　land。

On　the　following　day　Paul　began　to　carry　out　the　counsel　of　the　elders。　The
four　men　who　were　under　the　Nazarite　vow　（Numbers　6）；　the　term　of　which　had
nearly　expired；　were　taken　by　Paul　into　the　temple；　〃to　signify　the
accomplishment　of　the　days　of　purification；　until　that　an　offering　should　be
offered　for　every　one　of　them。〃　Certain　costly　sacrifices　for　purification
were　yet　to　be　offered。

Those　who　advised　Paul　to　take　this　step　had　not　fully　considered　the　great
peril　to　which　he　would　thus　be　exposed。　At　this　season；　Jerusalem　was
filled　with　worshipers　from　many　lands。　As；　in　fulfillment　of　the　commission
given　him　by　God；　Paul　had　borne　the　gospel　to　the　Gentiles；　he　had　visited
many　of　the　world's　largest　cities；　and　he　was　well　known　to　thousands　who
from　foreign　parts　had　come　to　Jerusalem　to　attend　the　feast。　Among　these
were　men　whose　hearts　were　filled　with　bitter　hatred　for　Paul；　and　for　him
to　enter　the　temple　on　a　public　occasion　was　to　risk　his　life。　For　several
days　he　passed　in　and　out　among　the　worshipers；　apparently　unnoticed；　but
before　the　close　of　the　specified　period；　as　he　was　talking　with　a　priest
concerning　the　sacrifices　to　be　offered；　he　was　recognized　by　some　of　the
Jews　from　Asia。

With　the　fury　of　demons　they　rushed　upon　him；　crying；　〃Men　of　Israel；　help：
This　is　the　man；　that　teacheth　all　men　everywhere　against　the　people；　and
the　law；　and　this　place。〃　And　as　the