Page:Lives of the apostles of Jesus Christ (1836).djvu/422

 in respect to the Gentiles, Paul and Barnabas next gave a full account of their operations, and of the signs and wonders with which God had followed their labors.

After the full exposition made by Paul and Barnabas, of all their conduct, James arose to make his reply in behalf of the close adherents of Mosaic forms, and said, "Men and brethren! listen to me. Simeon has set forth in what manner God did first condescend to take from the heathen a people for his name. And with this, all the words of the prophets harmonize, as it is written, 'After these things I will turn back, and will rebuild the fallen tabernacle of David; I will both rebuild its ruins and erect it again, may seek out the Lord, together with all the heathen who are called by my name, saith the Lord who made all things.' 'Well known to God are all his works from eternity.' So I think that we ought not to make trouble for those who have turned from the heathen, to God; but that we should direct them to refrain from things that have been offered unto idols, and from fornication, and from what has been strangled, and from blood. For Moses has, from ancient generations, in these cities, those who make him known,—his law being read every sabbath day." This opinion, formed and delivered in a truly Christian spirit of compromise, seems to have had the effect of a permanent decision; and the great leader of the rigid Judaizers, having thus renounced all opposition to the adoption of the converted heathen into full and open Christian communion, though without the seals of the Mosaic covenant,—-all those who had originated this vexatious question, ceased their attempts to distract the harmony of the apostles; and the united opinions of the great apostolic chief, who had first opened the gates of Christ's kingdom to the heathen, and of the eminent defender of Mosaic forms, so silenced all discussion, that thenceforth these opinions, thus fully expressed, became the common law of the Christian churches, throughout the world, in all ages.

This address of James (Acts xv. 13-21.) may justly be pronounced the most obscure passage of all that can be found in the New Testament, of equal length,—almost every verse in it containing some point, which has been made the subject of some dispute. Schoettgen (quoted by Bloomfield,) thus analyzes this discourse:—"It consists of three parts;—the Exordium, (verse 13,) in which the speaker uses a form of expression calculated to secure the good-will of his auditors;—the Statement, (verses 16-18,) containing also a confirmation of it from the prophets, and the reason;—the Proposition, (verses 19-20,) that the Gentiles are not to be compelled to Judaism, but are only to abstain from certain things particularly offensive to the spirit of the Mosaic institutions."

Simeon. (verse 14.) This peculiar form of Peter's first name, has led some to suppose that he could not be the person meant, since he is mentioned in all other narra