Paul 2.7

We met in the upper room, well over a hundred of us. There was quite a clamor when I entered into the cavernous place, a quite unusual room for a house to have. At times I could tell people were avoiding contact with me so that they did not become unclean. "I guess I won't be having dinner with you tonight," I chuckled to myself.

Finally, James got order in the room and the meeting began.

"A number of issues are causing great division among us these days, especially as more and more believers carry out the great commission of our Lord to go into all the world and preach the gospel. Some of the brothers here feel strongly about the message that should be given to Gentiles, and we want to give them ear."

At that point a young man named Judas was given voice. He was the son of a prominent Pharisee and had believed in Jesus as Messiah. He was just a boy when I had known him. I wondered what his father would say if he were still alive about his acceptance of Jesus.

But then again, the Pharisees had always been less concerned about the Peters and Johns than about the Stephens and Philips. My persecution primarily targeted the Greek-speaking Christians whose message was so anti-temple. Still, I was not sure if I could call Judas and his group truly brothers. They seemed more like false brothers to me, who had snuck into our midst to spy out the freedom we have in the Lord.