The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1871-08-11
REMARKS.

1. The statement that Peter remained
only two years in Jerusalem, that Sin
A. d. 80, he went to the city of Anti
och, in Asia Minor, where he remained
for seven years, when he removed, A.
d. AZ, to Rome" etc., is not only with
out evidence to sustain it, but is in d.
rect conflict with all known facts.
1t is difficult to fix with precision the
dates of many of the events recorded
in the New Testament but there are
facts recorded which render 1t certain
that the foregoing statement cannot be
true. The conversion ofSaul of Tarsus
who was subsequently known as the
Apostle Paul, is supposed 10 have occur
ed in the year 35, three years after the
cruciflction of Christ. That it was not
less than that, any person can see by
glancing at the events that had occurred
in the mean time, recorded In the first
eighth chapters of the Acts of Apos-
ties. In Paul's letter to the Gallations,
chapter 1, verse Is, he says: "Then after
three gears went up to Jerusalem to
see Peter, and abode with him fifteen
days." These three years, since the con-
version of Paul, added to the three that
preceded it, make six years, and bring
us to the year So; and Peter is still at
Jerusalem, and not at Antioch. In the
second chapter of Gallations. Paul men.
toned second visit to Jerusalem.
That Peter Is still there is evident from
the 9th verse "And when James Ce-
Thas (another name for Peter and John,
who seemed to be pillars, perceived the
grace that was given unto me, they gave
me and Barnabas the right hand of fel.
lowship" etc. The date of this visit was
stated in the first verse. "Then four
teen years after went up again to Je.
rusalem with Barnabas, and took Titus
with me also." If the "fourteen years
after" means fourteen years after his
first visit, this would be seventeen years
after his conversion, and twenty years
after the crucifxion, or in the year fifty
three. If it means fourteen years after
his conversion, then 1t would be seuen-
teen years after the crucifixion, and in
the year fifty. Up to the time of this
second visit-i.e. up to the year fifty or
fifty-three it is certain that the residence
of Peter was at Jerusalem, and neither
in Antioch nor Rome
This second visit Of Paul TO Jerusa-
lem is the one mentioned in the 18th
chapter of Acts. 1t was the occasion
of the Council or Convention to settle
the question in regard to circumcision
In that Convention Peter said: "Men
and brethren, ye know how that good
While ago God made choice among us,
that the Gentiles by my mouth should
hearth word of the gospel and believe. F"
The occasion referred to by Peter is the
conversion of the household of Corn
lius, recorded in the 10th chapter of Acts
This occurred in the year forty one; and
Peter refers to it as having occurred "s
good while ago." Whether this con
vention, therefore, was in fifty or fifty
three, it is certain that it was IA goot
while" after the conversion Of Corne
lius.
In Gal. 2, II. Paul mentions the fac
that Peter came to Antioch but it wa
after his own second visit to Jerusalem
and consequently in or after the yea
fifty or fifty-three. The latter Is proba
bly, the correct date of this visit; for
seems more probable that PauPs "foul
teen years after" date from the time {
his first visit.
1t Is, therefore, certain, that instea
of Peter remaining In Jerusalem onl
two years, he remained there twent
years and that he went to Antioch il
or after the year fifty-three. If he re
mained in Antioch seven years, tha
would bring us TO the year sixty, G
twenty.seven years after the crucihxio
of Christ. And If he suffered marty
dom in the year sixty.seven, his re-
dence In Rome could not have exceede
seven years.
But even this residence of Peter
Rome, for period Of seven years is Ii
BILE to serious objections. The first lett
of Peter, according to the most reliab
data, was written in theyear sixty. .fou
and was evidently written in Babylon
for Peter says; (Chapter 8, verse la
"The church that Is at Babylon, ele
together with you saluteth you"
that In the year sixty-four, Peter W
in Babylon, not in Rome.
In the year fifty-seven Paul wrote b
letter to the Romans, in which
makes no mention of Peter being