Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-08-20
SABBATH SCHOOL LESSON
For August Fl. Acts IS: 1-16:4.
BY DR.. MARION NH. HULL

Paul and BarnaDaS stayed quite
while in Antioch at the end of their
! lem arose. At first all Christians
were Jewish Christians, and no ques-
! ton arose as to The rites and cere-
monies of the Jewish religion. But
when the Gentiles were received, in
I Antioch and in other places, in large
numbers, without having adopted
! the Jewish customs. there occurred
the possibility for trouble. In the
first place, the Jews themselves be-
'lieved that salvation was of the
I Jews and that no one might have
salvation except through them; that
| is, through becoming = Jew: The
atonement of Christ was admitted
and believed in by these Jewish
Christians, but was only effective
| they thought, for Jews, by nature or
/ proselytes. They were consistent
therefore in insisting upon circum-
cism for Gentle believers. In the
second place, the fact that they
observance of the law, which had
now become in reality great bur-
den because of the excessive details
that had been developed by the rab-
bis from time to time. 1t did not
seem fair to them that they should
! be required to bear this burden and
\ the Gentle members of the assem-
| bly, to be free from it; and in this
position they were consistent too. So
certain of the more intense ones
crept into Antioch without the other
brethren at Jerusalem knowing any
thing of it and began to insist upon
these things of the Gentle converts.
Paul and Barnabas were up in
arms at once, and resisted their de-
mands. They could see their view
point, but did not admit it's truth.
Paul had once believed more strong
| ly than they in the righteousness
which was of the law. but every
since he had seen Jesus, he had real
| lied that salvation was all of grace.
Besides this his experiences in Anti
| och and in Asia Minor had proven
| it; for all around him were miracles
! of grace, twice born men and women,
who, without the law, were living
! fruits of righteousness. He con-
tended therefore that while saliva
| tion was of the Jews. IL was not
necessary to become a Jew to re-
ceive it; and that as far as the
| burden of the law was concerned
! it was manifestly unfair to expect
| the Gentle to assume burden
| which the Jews themselves had been
unable to bear.
The Conference at Jerusalem
The contention was so sharp that
! 1t was decidede TO carry the natter
! to Jerusalem. This was evidently
the demand of the JudaiZers who had
not have demanded this. God re-
vealed to him that this was His will,
so that he tells us (Gal. 20 he went
| up by revelation. On the way they
| told the churches of Phoenic!a and
Syria how God had opened the door
of faith to the Gentiles. and made
these disciples glad by hearing the
good news. When they reached Jeru-
salem, Paul showed great wisdom.
| He knew how uncertain an assembly
was. SO to be sure he had not come
| in vain, he had a private confer
ence with Peter and James and John,
who seemed to be leaders. But he
found that they added nothing, for
they recognized that to him had been
committed to gospel to the uncircum-
ciZed as to Peter had been committed
to the gospel to the circumcised BY
these private conferences he won
them to his side of the question.
At the first public gathering, at
which apostles and elders and the
church were all present, they, did not
attempt to argue the matter, but
simply declared all the things that
God had done with them. Argument
never .convinces but a simple state
ment Of what God has been doing can
not be cOntroverted.
There were certain believers among
the Pharisees. however, who were
not satisfied. They insisted on the
necessity of circumcision. The pres
ence of Titus may have had some
thing to do with this. He had come
along with Paul and Barnabas; at
their request, as an evidence of what
God would do and was doing with
an uncircumcised Gentle. A con-
lference was called to ider the
matter
Feter was the first speaker. He
spoke of how God had given the Cen
tiles the same privileges they had
enjoyed, and reminded them of his
discussions Of the subject with them
when Cornelius had been saved. His
speech shows evidences of his pri-
vate conversation with Paul; but he
took a stand boldly against the con-
tentions of the Pharisees.
Then the whole church listened at
tentively to Paul and Barnabas as
thew told them of the miracles and
wonders which God had been work
| ing in the foreign field through their
ministry. There was no gainsaying
those facts.
Then James, the brother Of Jesus,
arose, and all held their peace, while
| he spoke. 1t is said that he held
very unique place in Jerusalem. re
was deeply pious, and Nazaflte. lie
wore white linen always, ana Was
|
who was allowed to go into the. molly
| of holies. But he always went IN on
Ibis knees. He spent so much time on
his knees praying that his knees n ma:
great calous PLACES on f bie nnid m1s
perSona1itv had made him the recog-
nized head Of the mother church at at
Jerusalem Consequently When ne
rose to speak, every one waited VIII
halted breath to hear what he had
to say on so momentous quesI19;th y,
| for If was momentous; the very IRE
Of the mission work of the church
was at stake.
! James pronounced the declslon 81
| the council. He gave one OF the mos
remarkable decisions on record, anu
based on one of the most signlhcans
programs. Under the gHid Ian er0 Of fn9
Holy Spirit he set forth tne ,, pips 7ne em,
| Of the present age. as though II were
already realized. ---. !. xeyea1ed
! In a simple statement ne rG ba ne
Visitation yj9i one of the Gentles for selective
purposes-to take out OF mem menu, d
|