'STAND FAST IN THE FAITH'

New Zealand Tablet, 13 August 1914, Page 3

' STAND FAST IN THE FAITH'

(A Weekly In' Ruction specially written for the N. 7. Tablet by ‘Ghimei,.’) $ 7 EARLY HISTORY OF THE CHURCH (X.) (Continued.)

he great success that waited upon the preaching of Paul and Barnabas, and doubtless of other missionaries, amongst the pagans brought to the front a question that had been raised when St. Peter received Cornelius into the Church. On what conditions were these converts from amongst pagans and Jewish proselytes to be admitted ? Had they to submit to the religious obligations that weighed upon the Jews, and in particular had they to undergo the rite of circumcision ? The apostolic missionaries, especially St. Paul, would not hear of imposing these obligations on the pagan converts, but many ‘ false brethren ’ sought to bring them into bondage to the Law, for they insisted that though one received justification through the I aith of Christ, yet perfection lay in observing to the full the Law of Moses. ‘ This might appear a small matter, but it really struck at the very root of Christianity. The Church was founded upon the Person of Jesus risen from the dead ; and if she was to be bound by any law of commandments whatever, besides those which Christ and His Apostles had prescribed, she was brought back to the position she would have been in had Christ never died at all ; in fact, still under the law. The Gentiles were bound by the law of charity not to offend the prejudices of their Jewish brethren; hut when it came to the question of salvation, then if any point were conceded, the whole Christian religion was imperilled.’ The controversy on the point raged chiefly at Antioch,- and it was there decided to send a deputation, consisting of Paul, Barnabas, and others, to Jerusalem in order to lay the whole’ matter before the apostles and the ‘ ancients.’ They met with considerable opposition, but the authorities, above all the great pillars of the Church, Peter, John, and James, the Bishop of Jerusalem, took their part and acknowledged Paul and Barnabas as brother Apostles of equal divine mission with themselves. In order to settle tho question, a Council —the first General Council of the Catholic Church— was held under the presidency of St. Peter. That apostle spoke first. After pointing out that he himself had been chosen to bring the Gentiles in the first instance into the Church, he went on to show how ‘ God had obliterated all differences by purifying their hearts; and further, he declares not only that the Gentile converts are not to be brought under bondage, but that he himself and all the circumcised Christians look for salvation, not in any way through circumcision or the Mosaic Law, but solely through the grace of tjje Lord Jesus Christ.’ Paul and Barnabas then told the assembly how they preached to the Gentiles, and how God had blessed their mission with success. James, Bishop of Jerusalem, and the special representative of the Jewish Christians, agreed with his fellow-apostles, at the same time remarking that the preaching of the Gospel to pagans was but a fulfilment of ancient prophecy. The Council’s solution of the difficulty was then embodied in the following letter: ‘ The Apostles, the Presbyters, and brethren send greeting unto the brethren, the Gentiles in Antioch, and Syria, and Cilicia. Forasmuch as we have heard that some going out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying. “Ye must be circumcised and keep the law ” ; to whom we gave no commandment It seemed good unto us, being assembled together, to choose out. men and send them unto you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, men that have given their lives for the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ. We have sent, therefore, Judas and Silas, who shall also tell you the same things by word of mouth. For it hath seemed good to the Holy Ghost and to

us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary thingsthat ye abstain from things sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication; from which keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well.' - Even this authoritative letter did not bring peace. Beaten on the main point, the Jewish Christians of the strict school turned to details. As they could not prevent the preaching of the Gospel to the pagans, or their reception into the Church, they sought to place them on a lower level within the Church. The Jews were especially scrupulous in the matter by sitting at the same table with the uncircumcised. And here the difficulty became all the more acute, for the principal religious act of the Christian community was precisely the repast eaten in common in connection with the celebration of the Holy Eucharist. Matters came to a head when St. Peter came to Antioch. At first he mixed freely with the pagan converts and took part'in the same repasts, but the arrival of certain Jewish brethren, sent to Antioch from Jerusalem by St. James, caused him to change this friendly attitude. He withdrew from the society of the pagan converts, and bis example led others to do the same : even Barnabas separated from the dear companion of his apostolic labors. But St. Paul stood firm, and pointed out to St. Peter, whom He recognised as Head of the Church, the inconsistency of his conduct. He did so ‘ to his face,’ that is to say, as a loyal, open friend might speak to a friend. We do not know what was the immediate and local issue of this conflict of opinions. It is certain, however, that St. Paul’s ideas on the point prevailed. And that, of course, was inevitable for Jewish converts within a short space of time became everywhere, save in Palestine, the minority.