The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1909-05-20
THE COUNCIL AT
JERUSALEM

LESSON TEXT.-Acts 15:1-s5. Memory
verses %. 49,
GOLDEN TExT.-"we believe that
through the grace OF the Lord we shall |
be saved, even as they."-Acts l5:i1
TIME.-About 50 A. D., as is commonly |
agreed, though various scholars place 1t |
earlier.
PLACE.-Antoch in Syria. and Jerusa-
lem.
Suggestion and Practical Thought.
V. 1. Certain men," perhaps those
sent by James (Gal 2: 12) came
down from Judea" The Bezan text
says that these visitors were Phari-
sees, members Of the strictest sect of
the Jews. Perhaps they came to in
vestigate rumors of laxity in the
church, at any rate, they taught the
brethren" (the verb is I'm the imper
feet, implying continued action. they
kept teaching), and said, Except ye
be circumcised ye cannot be
saved" "A very different doctrine
from St Paul's' Believe on the Lord
Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved
(Acts 3D."-Rackham.
The Importance of the Question
The Christian church, during its first
90 years, had spread over Palestine,
Phoenicia, Damascus, Antioch, Cyprus
and South Gaatia in Asia Minor II
was rapidly growing, especially among
the Gentiles. The difference that had
arisen set off against each other the
two great centers of growth, Jerusa.
i'm and Antioch. II threatened to di.
vide the Christian churches into two
contending and irreconcilable fac.
| tions. II that happened, IL would
probably be the deathblow to the
| young religion, the destruction Of the
hopes of the world through Christ
| Could any matter be more momen
| tous?
V. Q. "They ("the brethren" v. II
determined that Paul and Barnabas.
and certain other of them including
Titus, Gal 2: 1, afterward Pauls com
| panion, a Greek, a man of much abil.
ity who would serve as a specimen
OF the Gentle converts), should go up
to Jerusalem 600 miles away about
this question" Paul went "by revela.
tion" (Gal. 2: p, which is entirely
|
church sent him.
After much debate, that everyone
might express his views, as is proper
in democratic assembly such as all
Christian gatherings should be, Peter
spoke up. His nearness to Christ and
his strong character combined to
make him a leader. Moreover, in this
case he had had personal experience
which placed him on Pauls side-the
divine revelation bidding him go to
the Gentle Cornelius, and the outpour.
ing OF the Spirit upon that convert
and his household. II was precisely
such witness to the right OF the Gen.
tiles to enter the church without cir.
cumcision as Paul himself described
from his missionary experience. Peter
insisted upon It with characteristic
vigor, closing with the pointed ques.
ton, why put yoke upon
the neck OF the (Gentile) disciples,
which neither our fathers nor we
were able to bear ?"-the yoke being
the minute oppressive rites OF Juda.
ism, with the Pharisalc additions, i'm.
, posed as condition OF salvation.
: There Is only one condition OF saliva
! tion, said Peter in conclusion,-"the
} grace (the free gift, unbought by any
deed of ours) of the Lord Jesus
! Christ" AS Peter sat down, Paul
! must have clapped his hands!
. The decision embodied in a Letter:
= O) To clarity and unity Judgment in
the preparation Of It; (2) to guard
} against slips of memory on the part
, of the ENJOYS; (3) to prevent misun'
derstandings; az to preserve for fu
ture occasions the results Of the con
l ference. Capt, Cuttles advice, when
. found, make a note on" applies to all
weighty matters.
The reasons for the restrictions
l. The "pollutions OF idols" ". 20)
explained as meats offered to idols
". 29), came to be sore trouble In
the church, aud liberty to eat such
meat (the meat commonly sold had
nearly all formed part of sacrifces)
was at later time claimed for Chris
tians very strenuously by Paul. But
until the Gentle churches were con
firmed in their new separation from
ldolatry, 1t was wise to require then
to abstain from whatever might temp
them with memories OF the licentiou'
reVels which heathenism celebrated
In the name OF religion.
2. "Fornication," however, was the
. great sin of idolatry which "glorlheC
sexual vice with the halo of sacred
sanction. ."-Schafr. Courtezans wer,
the priestesses OF the temples of We
nus, and crowds Of abandoned womeI
gathered around most OF these so
, called holy shrines. To this day, sex
l. ual immortality is the terrible sin o
idolatry, as the missionary annals o