THE APOSTLE OF THE RECONCILIATION 25

name. James appears in connection with Paul, and disappears. John soon passes off the scene. We do not know

where John went, or what he did. We have no record of the doings of Barnabas after 15:39.

Saul of Tarsus enters the arena in Acts 8, and soon becomes the central figure of the book. For twenty chapters

out of the twenty-eight every incident recorded has some direct relation to the equality and independence, the

peculiar ministry and faithfulness, of the apostle to the Gentiles. May the obvious intention not be lost upon us, who

by nature were:

`Gentiles in the flesh ... without Christ ... having no hope, and without God in the world' (Eph. 2:11,12).

Just as the three geographical names, Jerusalem, Antioch, and Rome, speak volumes as to the dispensational

changes that are traced through the Acts, so three words sum up these phases of the progress of the purpose of God.

1. RESTORATION.- The kingdom to Israel (1 to 9).

2. RECONCILIATION.- Typified by the vision of the sheet, and the salvation of Cornelius (10 to 14).

3. REJECTION.- Foreshadowed in Paul's first miracle (13), and actually fulfilled in the setting aside of Israel in

Acts 28.

The first section is limited to `Jews only'; the second section gives a place to the Gentile, but not until Saul is

converted can Peter behold the vision at Joppa, nor learn that the Gentile was no longer common or unclean. The

third section turns from Israel, and the salvation of God is sent to the Gentiles. It will be our concern now to trace

the outworking of these three phases separately. We will therefore devote our attention in the present chapter to the

first section.

We are immediately brought face to face with a somewhat controversial point by heading this section of the Acts

`Restoration', for many consider that the apostles were quite wrong to have thought about the restoration of the

kingdom to Israel at all, and that they should have been occupied with the establishment of the church. It will be

seen that we take up the position of believing that the question concerning the restoration of the kingdom to Israel

was most relevant and right, and that the idea of Pentecost being the beginning of `the church' is quite foreign to

its meaning and position. Our enquiry will cover the ground of:

(1) The Lord's own teaching of the apostles.

(2) The Old Testament teaching concerning the restoration of the kingdom.

(3) The meaning and dispensational place of Pentecost.

(4) The character of the apostles' enduement and subsequent testimony.

The genealogy with which the Gospel according to Matthew opens establishes Christ as the Son of David and

heir to his throne.

The annunciation of Gabriel to Mary is occupied mainly with the kingly aspect of the incarnation:

`He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto Him the THRONE

of His father DAVID: and He shall reign over the House of Jacob for ever (the ages); and of His kingdom there

shall be no end' (Luke 1:32,33).

The prophecy of Zacharias, at the birth of John the Baptist, speaks of deliverance from the hand of enemies, and

the fulfilment of covenant and oath sworn to Abraham and the fathers (Luke 1:68-79).

The Birthplace, Bethlehem, is chiefly associated with kingship: