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practices filled the body of the people with horror, would be a serious hindrance to the
advance of the gospel. It might even mean the destroying, for the sake of `meat', of one
for whom Christ died. We shall see presently that Paul's spiritual application of the
decrees of Jerusalem went much further than James' four items. He would not eat meat,
or drink wine, or do anything that would cause his brother to stumble.
Such then, was the two-fold decision of the Church at Jerusalem, a decision which,
taking the state of affairs at that time into account, must commend itself to all who have
any sympathy with the teaching of the Apostle Paul. Such a state of affairs was not ideal
and could not last. It was, as the decrees put it, a question of imposing `no greater burden
than these necessary things'--much in the same way as the Apostle Paul in I Cor. 7:
enjoined abstinence `because of the present distress' (I Cor. 7: 26).
The assembled church, together with the apostles and elders, agree with one accord to
the appeals of Peter and James, and their decision is recorded in a letter sent by the hands
of Barnabas, Paul, Silas and Judas. This letter is of intense interest, not only on account
of its teaching, but also because it is the earliest church letter in existence. Let us take it
out of its setting for the moment and look at it as a letter, complete in itself.
"The apostles and the elders and the brethren, to the brethren which are of the Gentiles
in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia, Greeting.
Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went 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 such commandment:
It seemed good unto us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men unto
you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, men that have hazarded 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 mouth.
For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden
than these necessary things; That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood,
and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye
shall do well. Fare ye well" (Acts 15: 23-29).
Such is the letter itself. Its inter-relation with the context is best seen by expanding
the structure of this section as follows: