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should be noted that where Luke is recording the facts himself, he reverts to the old order (Acts 15:22). It seems
clear that Barnabas spoke first.
`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' (Acts 15:12).
The obvious parallel between the miracles and experiences of Peter and of Paul would not fail to make an
impression. For example:
PETER. (1)
The healing of the lame man (Acts 3 and 4).
(2)
The conflict with the sorcerer, SIMON (Acts 8:9-24).
PAUL.  (1)
The healing of the lame man (Acts 14).
(2)
The conflict with the sorcerer, BAR-JESUS (Acts 13).
To the Jew, confirmation by miracle would be a stronger argument than almost anything else, and it would seem,
judging from the interval of silence that followed `After they had held their peace' (Acts 15:13), that the multitude
as a whole were convinced.
From Galatians chapter 2 we gather that the apostle, knowing only too well how easily a multitude can be
swayed, and knowing that there were false brethren secretly at work, communicated the gospel which he preached
among the Gentiles privately to them that were of reputation. Peter, James and John, therefore, were convinced that
Paul's apostleship and gospel were of the Lord, and took their stand for the truth at the public gathering.
We must now pass on to the testimony of James, and before examining his words in detail, we give the structure of
the passage.
C 15:13-21.
f
Men and Brethren.
James ... me.
g Gentiles visited.
h1 The agreement of prophecy.
JAMES.
h1 The knowledge of the Lord.
`My sentence is that
f
James ... my.
we trouble not
g Gentiles turn to God.
the Gentiles'.
h2 Write that they abstain.
h2 Moses is preached.
James takes up the claim made by Peter - calling him by his Hebrew name Simeon - and, directing his argument
to those who revered the Old Testament writings, draws attention to a passage from one of the prophets:
`As it is written, After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I
will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up: that the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all
the Gentiles, upon whom My name is called, saith the Lord, Who doeth all these things which were known from
the age' (Acts 15:15-18 Author's translation).
It should be noted that James does not say `This fulfils what is written by the prophet'; he simply says `To this
agree the words of the prophets'. The word translated `agree' is sumphoneo, which gives us the word `symphony',
and as a noun is translated `music' in Luke 15:25.
We could therefore interpret James' meaning as follows:
`The inclusion of the Gentile upon the same terms as the Jew is in harmony with such a passage as Amos 9:11,12
(which in the Septuagint Version reads as above) and it is therefore clear that the spirit in which Peter enjoins us
to act now, is that in which the Lord has revealed He will act in the future. He has known these things, which He
has commenced to do, since the age, and to object, or to impose restrictions, is but to tempt God as our fathers
did in the wilderness, with dreadful consequences, as we all know'.