last struggle with the remonstrances of those whom he loved. Never had he gone to Jerusalem without a heart full of emotion,- neither in those early years, when he came an enthusiastic boy from Tarsus to the school of Gamaliel, nor on his return from Damascus, after the greatest change that could have passed over an inquisitor's mind, nor when he went with Barnabas from Antioch to the Council, which was to decide an anxious controversy. Now he had much new experience of the insidious progress of error, and of the sinfulness even of the converted. Yet his trust in God did not depend on the faithfulness of man; and he went to Jerusalem calmly and resolutely, though doubtful of his reception among the Christian brethren, and not knowing what would happen on the

CHAPTER XXI

Reception at Jerusalem. — Assembling of the Presbyters. — Advice given to St. Paul. — The Four Nazarites.-St. Paul seized at the Festival.—The Temple and the Garrison.-He brew Speech on the Stairs.-The Centurion and the Chief Captain.-St. Paul before the Sanhedrin. The Pharisees and Sadducees. - Vision in the Castle.- Conspiracy. - St Paul's Nephew.-Letter of Claudius Lysias to Felix.-Night Journey to Antipatris.Cæsarea.

"W

HEN we were come to Jerusalem, the Brethren received us gladly." Such is St. Luke's description of the welcome which met the Apostle of the Gentiles on his arrival in the metropolis of Judaism. So we shall find afterwards "the brethren" hailing his approach to Rome, and "coming to meet him as far as Appii Forum." Thus wherever he went, or whatever might be the strength of hostility and persecution which dogged his footsteps, he found some Christian hearts who loved the Glad-tidings which he preached, and loved himself as the messenger of the grace of God.

The Apostle's spirit, which was much depressed, as we have seen,' by anticipations of coldness and distrust on the part of the Church at Jerusalem, must have been lightened by his kind reception. He seems to have spent the evening of his arrival with these sympathizing brethren; but on the morrow, a more formidable ordeal awaited him. He must encounter the assembled Presbyters of the Church; and he might well doubt whether even the substantial proof of loving interest in their welfare, of which he was the bearer, would overcome the antipathy with which (as he was fully aware) too many of them regarded him. The experiment, however, must be tried; for this was the very end of his coming to Jerusalem at all, at a time when his heart called him to Rome.' His purpose was to endeavor to set himself right with the Church of Jerusalem, to overcome the hostile prejudices which had already so much impeded his labors, and to endeavor, by the force of Christian love and forbearance, to win the hearts of those whom he regarded, in spite of all

1 Acts xxviii. 15. The same expression is used in both cases. This is sufficient to refute the cavils which have been made, as though this verse (xxi. 17) implied unanimous cordiality on the part of the Church at Jerusalem.

2 See the preceding chapter, pp. 588, 601– 603, 612, 615, 616, 617, 619.

8 See Acts xix. 21, Rom. i 10–15, xv. 29– 29.

their weaknesses and errors, as brethren in Christ Jesus. Accordingly, when the morning came,' the Presbyters or Elders of the Church were called together by James' (who, as we have before mentioned, presided over the Church of Jerusalem) to receive Paul and his fellow-travellers, the messengers of the Gentile Churches. We have already seen how carefully St. Paul had guarded himself from the possibility of suspicion in the administration of his trust, by causing deputies to be elected by the several churches whose alms he bore, as joint trustees with himself of the fund collected. These deputies now entered together with him' into the assembly of the Elders, and the offering was presented, -a proof of love from the Churches of the Gentiles to the mother Church, whence their spiritual blessings had been derived.

The travellers were received with that touching symbol of brotherhood, the kiss of peace, which was exchanged between the Christians of those days on every occasion of public as well as private meeting. Then the main business of the assembly was commenced by an address from St. Paul. This was not the first occasion on which he had been called to take a similar part, in the same city, and before the same audience. Our thoughts are naturally carried back to the days of the Apostolic Council, when he first declared to the Church of Jerusalem the Gospel which he preached among the Gentiles, and the great things which God had wrought thereby." The majority of the Church had then, under the influence of the Spirit of God, been brought over to his side, and had ratified his views by their decree. But the battle was not yet won; he had still to contend against the same foes with the same weapons.

6

We are told that he now gave a detailed account of all that " God had wrought among the Gentiles by his ministry" since he last parted from Jerusalem four years before. The foundation of the great and flourishing Church of Ephesus doubtless furnished the main interest of his narrative; but he would also dwell on the progress of the several Churches in Phrygia, Galatia, and other parts of Asia Minor, and likewise those in Macedonia and Achaia, from whence he was just returned. In such a discourse, he could scarcely avoid touching on subjects which would excite painful feelings, and rouse bitter prejudice in many of his audience. He could hardly speak of Galatia without mentioning the attempted perversion of his converts there. He could not enter into the state of

1 "The day following,"

2 See p. 190.

"Paul with us," ib.

▼. 18.

So we understand when he had saluted them, v. 19. See 1 Thess. v. 26, and the note 9. 347

See p. 191, &c.

• "Particularly," v. 19.

7 He had then endeavored to reach Jerusalem by the feast of Pentecost (Acts xviii. 21, and see Wieseler), as on the present occa sion.

622

THE LIFE AND EPISTLES OF ST. PAUL.

CHAP. X

Corinth without alluding to the emissaries from Palestine, who had introduced confusion and strife among the Christians of that city. Yet we cannot doubt that St. Paul, with that graceful courtesy which distinguished both his writings and his speeches, softened all that was dis agreeable, and avoided what was personally offensive to his audience, and dwelt, as far as he could, on topics in which all present would agree. Accordingly, we find that the majority of the assembled Elders were favorably impressed by his address, and by the tidings which he brought of the progress of the Gospel. The first act of the assembly was to glorify God for the wonders He had wrought.' They joined in solemn thanksgiving with one accord; and the Amen (1 Cor. xiv. 16) which followed the utterance of thanks and praise from apostolic lips was swelled by many voices.

Thus the hope expressed by St. Paul on a former occasion, concerning the result of this visit to Jerusalem, was in a measure fulfilled. But beneath this superficial show of harmony there lurked elements of discord, which threatened to disturb it too soon. We have already had occasion to remark upon the peculiar composition of the Church at Jerusalem, and we have seen that a Pharisaic faction was sheltered in its bosom, which continually strove to turn Christianity into a sect of Judaism. We have seen that this faction had recently sent emissaries into the Gentile Churches, and had endeavored to alienate the minds of St. Paul's converts from their converter. These men were restless agitators, animated by the bitterest sectarian spirit; and although they were numerically a small party, yet we know the power of a turbulent minority. But besides these Judaizing zealots, there was a large propor tion of the Christians at Jerusalem, whose Christianity, though more sincere than that of those just mentioned, was yet very weak and imperfect. The "many thousands of Jews which believed" had by no means all attained to the fulness of Christian faith. Many of therm still knew only a Christ after the flesh, a Saviour of Israel, a Jewish Messiah. Their minds were in a state of transition between the Iaw and the Gospel, and it was of great consequence not to shock their prejudices too rudely, lest they should be tempted to make shipwreck of their faith, and renounce their Christianity altogether. Their prejudices were most wisely consulted in things indifferent by St. James; who accommodated himself in all points to the strict requirements of the Law, and thus dis armed the hostility of the Judaizing bigots. He was, indeed, divinely ordained to be the Apostle of this transition-Church. Had its councils been less wisely guided, had the Gospel of St. Paul been really repudiated

1 V. 20

1 2 Cor. ix 12

by the Church of Jerusalem, it is difficult to estimate the evil which might have resulted. This class of Christians was naturally very much influenced by the declamation of the more violent partisans of Judaism. The feelings would be easily excited by an appeal to their Jewish patriotism. They might without diffcult be roused to fury against one whom they were taught to regard as a despiser of the Law, and a reviler of the customs of their forefathers. Against St. Paul their dislike had been long and artfully fostered; and they would from the first have Tooked on him perhaps with some suspicion, as not being, like themselves, a Hebrew of the Holy City, but only a Hellenist of the Dispersion.

Such being the composition of the great body of the Church, we cannot doubt that the same elements were to be found amongst the Elders also. And this will explain the resolution to which the assembly came, at the close of their discussion on the matters brought before them. They began by calling St. Paul's attention to the strength of the Judaical party among the Christians of Jerusalem. They told him that the majority even of the Christian Church had been taught to hate his very name, and to believe that he went about the world "teaching the Jews to forsake Moses, saying that they ought not to circumcise their children, neither to walk after the customs." They further observed that it was impossible his arrival should remain unknown; his renown was too great to allow him to be concealed: his public appearance in the streets of Jerusalem would attract a crowd' of curious spectators, most of whom would be violently hostile. It was therefore of importance that he should do something to disarm this hostility, and to refute the calumnies which had been circulated concerning him. The plan they recommended was, that he should take charge of four Jewish Christians, who were under a Nazaritic vow, accompany them to the temple, and pay for them the necessary expenses attending the termination of their vow. Agrippa I., not long before, had given the same public expression of his sympathy with the Jews, on his arrival from Rome to take possession of his throne.3 And what the King had done for popularity it was felt that the Apostle might do for the sake of truth and peace. His friends thought that he would thus, in the most public manner, exhibit himself as an observer of the Mosaic ceremonies, and refute the accusations of his enemies. They added, that, by so doing, he would not countenance the errors of those

1 "A multitude," v. 22. Not "the multitude," nor the laity of the Church, as some have imagined. Were such the meaning, the Greek would have had the definite article. There seems to be some doubt about the genuineness of the clause. See Tischendorf.

2 That these Nazarites were Christians is evident from the words "We have."

8 "On arriving at Jerusalem, he offered many sacrifices of thanksgiving: wherefore also he ordered that many of the Nazarites should have their heads shorn." Joseph. Ant.

xix. 6, 1.