Meeting with the Elders
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how many thousands of Jews there are which believe, and they are all
zealous of the law. And they are informed of thee, that thou teachest
all the Jews which are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, saying
that they ought not to circumcise their children, neither to walk after
the customs. What is it therefore? the multitude must needs come to-
gether; for they will hear that thou art come. Do therefore this that we
say to thee: We have four men which have a vow on them; them take,
and purify thyself with them, and be at charges with them, that they
may shave their heads; and all may know that those things, whereof
they were informed concerning thee, are nothing; but that thou thyself
also walkest orderly, and keepest the law. As touching the Gentiles
which believe, we have written and concluded that they observe no
such thing, save only that they keep themselves from things offered to
idols, and from blood, and from strangled, and from fornication.”
The brethren hoped that by this act Paul might give a decisive
contradiction of the false reports concerning him. But while James
assured Paul that the decision of the former council (
Acts 15
) con-
cerning the Gentile converts and the ceremonial law still held good,
the advice given was not consistent with that decision which had also
been sanctioned by the Holy Spirit. The Spirit of God did not prompt
this advice. It was the fruit of cowardice. By non-conformity to the
ceremonial law, Christians would bring upon themselves the hatred
of the unbelieving Jews, and expose themselves to severe persecu-
tion. The Sanhedrim was doing its utmost to hinder the progress of
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the gospel. Men were chosen by this body to follow up the apostles,
especially Paul, and in every possible way oppose them in their work.
Should the believers in Christ be condemned before the Sanhedrim
as breakers of the law, they would bring upon themselves swift and
severe punishment as apostates from the Jewish faith.
Here is a decisive refutation of the claims so often made, that Christ
and his apostles violated the Sabbath of the fourth commandment.
Could the sin of Sabbath breaking have been fastened upon Christ or
Stephen or others who died for their faith, men would not have been
suborned to bear false witness against them to furnish some pretext
for their condemnation. One such instance of transgression of the law
would have placed the Christians in the power of their enemies. Their
carefulness to show the utmost respect for customs and ceremonies of
minor importance is an evidence that it would have been impossible