The review. [volume] (High Point, N.C.) 1908-19??, 1916-05-25
LESSON FOR MAY %
THE COUNCIL AT JERUSALEM.


LESSON TExT-Acts 15:1-ss. 80.
GOLDEN TExT-For freedom did
Christ set us free.-Ga1. 81.
The events Of this lesson are out
standing in Christian history. Paul's
appeal to the Gentiles and the large
number of them who accepted the Cos
pei made most acute the question,
Must Gentle believers become Jew
ish proselytes upon accepting the
Christian faith and be governed by
Jewish law and customs?" 1t would
be exceedingly interesting to divide
a class and let them debate this con-
troversy stated as follows. Resolved,
That the Mosaic law should not have
been imposed upon Gentle Chris
tians." The date Of this council was
A. D. 80 or 81, and the scene is laid
first in Antioch of Syria and then in
Jerusalem.
]. A Division Of Opinion wv. 1-6).
Luke does not name those who agi-
tated and precipitated this contro-
versy, but clearly indicates how the
Holy Spirit dealt with the situation.
lis a man justified by faith, or by the
works OF the law" is a similar ques-
ton with modern application. The
Holy Spirit, to avoid a rupture in the
yet weak church, directs that Paul,
Barnabas, Titus (Gal. 2:1) and Ger
tain others who are not named,
should carry the question to the apos-
ties and elders in Jerusalem. Those
to whom they went were ''of raputa-
fhn SGrNS1 p5S9 Col
$3.50 and they received the delegation
from Antioch in public (15:4), also
heardSPaul in private (Gal. 2:2).
II. The Argument. wv. 6-18). It
will not do to be harsh in condemn
ing Pauls accusers. The Pharisees
felt deeply their position. AS Gods
chosen people they were marked by
circumcision. Jesus, the promised Mes
siah, vas a Jew. Social, religious,
and racial differences are hard to rec
oncile in one church today. But little
was asked Of the Gentiles in contrast
with all they received. Entrance to
church membership would not be too
easy if circumcision were imposed as
a test Of their sincerity. Peter brought
forward the plea before the council
that God had given the Holy Spirit to
the uncircumcized Christians, land put
no difference between us and them,
purifying their hearts by faith" wv.
8, 81. God bears the same witness
today to those who refuse to be bound
by Mosaic traditions as regards the
seventh day and other such details.
Paul's argument was that God had
wrought signs and wonders among
the Gentiles and thus set his seal
upon his preaching Of salvation as
apart from legalistic works ". 12).
Read in this connection Gal. 2:16, Tt
tus 800, S:3, 1914, and Phil. 3:9.
The apostle James presented the third
argument in connection with the YER
dict he pronounced. It was that it
is according to Old Testament Scrip
ture that God will take people for
his name from among the uncircum-
sized Gentiles as well as from among
the law-keeping Jews Tvs. 1910.
With Paul this was a vital question,
and we can at least imagine his feel.
ings as he puts forth life-and-death
struggle for the truth. AS Peter re-
minded the people of the occasion
when "the Holy Spirit came upon Cor
nelius and his household" he caused
them to keep silence.
III. A Wise Decision wv. 1929. II
was James the Just, brother of our
Lord, the writer of the epistle and
the bishop overseer Of the church at
Jerusalem, who rendered the decision.
In his argument Tvs. 1879 he saw
in these Gentle converts reported by
Barnabas and Saul fuldllment Of
the prophecy of Amos, and to use the
language of today he made a mo-
tion," viz, that these Gentiles be not
disturbed except in such matters as
would tend to more fully separate
them from the heather idolatry they
had just left, (a) Pollution Of idols"
i. g., flesh offered in the sacrifices (b)
from fornication," the immortality
connected with the pagan worship of
Aphrodite and Cybele which actually
consecrated vice, and (c) from things
strangled,' for the heather did not,
as the Jews did, look upon the blood
as life, the seat of the soul. The |
church readily agreed to this motion |
and took such precautions as were |
needed that no Misrepresentation of |
their decision be carried back to Anti |
och. This consisted Of a spirited |
choice Of messengers and in written
statement Of their decision Tvs. %, 23). |
w. The Result in Antioch wv. 30-35). |
Great Joy greeted the conclusion Of
this question.
1t produced pleasant harmony in
place of discord and in place Of the
bondage of the law it gave the
Joyous liberty of the Gospel.
Jewish legalism gave way to Chris
tian liberty. Judas and Silas, Spirit
filed, gave much profitable exhorta-