130
The Acts of the Apostles
between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith. Now therefore
why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which
neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?” This yoke was not the
law of Ten Commandments, as some who oppose the binding claims
of the law assert; Peter here referred to the law of ceremonies, which
was made null and void by the crucifixion of Christ.
Peter’s address brought the assembly to a point where they could
listen with patience to Paul and Barnabas, who related their experience
in working for the Gentiles. “All the multitude kept silence, and gave
audience to Barnabas and Paul, declaring what miracles and wonders
God had wrought among the Gentiles by them.”
James also bore his testimony with decision, declaring that it was
God’s purpose to bestow upon the Gentiles the same privileges and
blessings that had been granted to the Jews.
The Holy Spirit saw good not to impose the ceremonial law on the
Gentile converts, and the mind of the apostles regarding this matter
was as the mind of the Spirit of God. James presided at the council,
and his final decision was, “Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble
not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God.”
This ended the discussion. In this instance we have a refutation
of the doctrine held by the Roman Catholic Church that Peter was
the head of the church. Those who, as popes, have claimed to be
his successors, have no Scriptural foundation for their pretensions.
Nothing in the life of Peter gives sanction to the claim that he was
[195]
elevated above his brethren as the vicegerent of the Most High. If
those who are declared to be the successors of Peter had followed
his example, they would always have been content to remain on an
equality with their brethren.
In this instance James seems to have been chosen as the one to
announce the decision arrived at by the council. It was his sentence
that the ceremonial law, and especially the ordinance of circumcision,
should not be urged upon the Gentiles, or even recommended to them.
James sought to impress the minds of his brethren with the fact that, in
turning to God, the Gentiles had made a great change in their lives and
that much caution should be used not to trouble them with perplexing
and doubtful questions of minor importance, lest they be discouraged
in following Christ.