Jew and Gentile
45
law of ceremonies, which was made null and void by the crucifixion
of Christ. This address of Peter brought the assembly to a point where
they could listen with reason to Paul and Barnabas, who related their
experience in working among the Gentiles. “Then 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 bore his testimony with decision—that God designed to
bring in the Gentiles to enjoy all the privileges of the Jews. The Holy
Ghost saw good not to impose the ceremonial law on the Gentile
converts; and the apostles and elders, after careful investigation of the
subject, saw the matter in the same light, and their mind 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.”
[69]
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 foundation for their pretensions. Nothing in the
life of Peter gives sanction to those pretended claims. If the professed
successors of Peter had imitated his example, they would have taken
no authoritative position, but one on an equality with that of their
brethren.
James, in this instance, seems to have been chosen to decide the
matter which was brought before the council. It was his sentence that
the ceremonial law, and especially the ordinance of circumcision, be
not in any wise urged upon the Gentiles, or even recommended to
them. James sought to impress the fact upon his brethren that the
Gentiles, in turning to God from idolatry, made a great change in their
faith; and that much caution should be used not to trouble their minds
with perplexing and doubtful questions, lest they be discouraged in
following Christ.
The Gentiles, however, were to take no course which should mate-
rially conflict with the views of their Jewish brethren, or which would
create prejudice in their minds against them. The apostles and elders
therefore agreed to instruct the Gentiles by letter to abstain from meats
offered to idols, from fornication, from things strangled, and from
blood. They were required to keep the commandments, and to lead