THE KING’S BUSINESS
457
The Council at Jerusalem MAY 28, 1916. LESSON IX. Acts 15:22-33. (Read vs. 1-35. Commit vs. 32, 33). G olden T e x t : “ Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free.” —Gal. 5:1.
DA ILY BIBLE READINGS
Mori., May 22—Acts 15:1-11. Tues., May 23—Acts 15:12-21. Wed., May 24—Acts 15:22-35. (The Lesson).
Thurs., May 25—Gal. 1 :6-14. Fri., May 26—Gal. 3:13-22. Sat., May 27—Gal. 5 .T-10. Sun., May 28—Eph. 2:11-22.
EXPOSIT ION AND PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS
vs. 22, 23. " Then pleased it (Then it seemed good to) the apostles and (add, the) elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company (to choose men out of their company and send them) to Antioch with Paul and Barna bas: namely, Judas surnamed (called) Barsabas, and Silas, chief men among the brethren, and wrote letters by them after this manner (they wrote thus by thetpi), The apostles and elders, and brethren, (The apostles and the elder brethren) send greeting (omit, send greeting) unto the brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antioch, and Syria, and Cilicia (add, greet ing).” T o understand the letter here referred to we must get the connection. A great controversy had arisen in the early church: it was indeed the great con troversy in the early church. This contro versy was over the question whether a man is saved simply upon condition o f faith entirely apart from works of the law (cf. Rom. 3:28, R. V .) ,. or whether a man is saved upon condition o f faith with works o f the law added as a second condition. This was the great battle that Paul fought and that in a later day Martin Luther fought. This old controversy has come up in our day in a new form ; now it is Sab bath keeping “after the manner o f Moses” that is now insisted upon, in Paul’s day it was circumcision “after the manner of Moses” that was insisted upon (v. 1). The
two controversies are essentially the same in principle. Paul’s opponents said to those who had been converted through his ministry, “ Except ye be circumcised after the manner o f Moses, ye cannot be saved the Seventh Day people say, “Except ye keep the seventh day o f the week as the Sabbath ye cannot be saved.” Three argu ments were brought up at the council at Jerusalem to refute the Judaizers o f that day: First, Peter’s argument, God has borne them witness by giving the Holy Ghost to the uncircumcised' as well as unto us, and has “put no difference between us and them, purifying their- hearts by faith” (vs. 8, 9). And God in a similar way today is bearing witness to those who do not keep the Jewish seventh day Sabbath. Sec ond, Paul’s argument: God has wrought signs and wonders among the Gentiles by us, and has thus set His seal upon our preaching o f salvation by faith apart from works o f the law (v. 12). Third, James’ argument: It is according to Old Testa ment Scripture that God will take a people for His name from among the uncircum cised Gentiles, as well as from the Mosaic law keeping Jews (vs. 13-17). Those argu ments convinced the council at Jerusalem and therefore, the Mosaic law was not laid upon the Gentile. The apostles and elders and the whole church took abundant pre cautions to guard against anÿ misrepresen tation o f their decision being taken back
Made with FlippingBook - Online Brochure Maker