from last week
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So the churches of Antioch awkwardly resumed eating together--that is, of the ones that had eaten together before. There was at least that one house church that refused any association with the Gentiles at all. They disagreed with James' decision and grumbled when they were together. At least they knew that James preferred Gentiles to be circumcised.
Paul thought more and more about another missionary journey. He was a planter, a starter, an innovator. The churches of Antioch were on course.
Although the incident had been painful, it had made Menander and the Gentile believers stronger in their faith. Paul had shown them that the Jerusalem leaders were not always right. They also had the Holy Spirit. They could also search the Scriptures.
Barnabas could sense Paul's restlessness and finally asked him. "Shall we go back to Cyprus? We can see how the synagogues that believed there are doing in the faith."
Cyprus would not have been Paul's first pick. They had been mostly Jewish converts, and that was Barnabas' comfort zone. He believed that the churches of Galatia were in much greater need of follow-up, since those assemblies were mostly Gentile.
But he agreed. Barnabas agreed that, as they did the previous time, they would travel north to Galatia after Cyprus. Paul did not need much time to prepare. He was ready. All they really needed was an assistant to help them with their things.
"John Mark is on his way north even as we speak," Barnabas finally said, knowing that Paul would not be tickled with the idea. Barnabas had sent word to him when Peter had returned to Jerusalem.
"Not a chance," Paul said. "That boy is a quitter and a backstabber. I will not find myself having to lug our supplies myself across the mountains of Pisidia again."
Quite an argument ensued. It wasn't just about Mark being a quitter. Paul knew that Mark had just as many issues with him as he had with Mark. Mark had not liked the way he tended to dominate the mission. And Paul could see his smug face, especially now that Paul had lost the argument at Antioch over purity. Paul could see Mark being a hindrance in his mission to the Gentiles, which he now saw clearly was his primary calling.
Meanwhile Barnabas insisted that Paul needed to give Mark a second chance. How would he ever grow if he did not get a chance to try again? Did not Jesus himself teach that we needed to forgive those who wronged us seventy times seven?
"Oh I'll forgive him," Paul said. "But I still need someone to carry my things in Pisidia. And the Gentiles do not need any ambiguity on the nature of the gospel."
After two or three days of this back and forth, it was clear that neither of them was going to budge. Barnabas was unusually insistent, and Paul was his usual self. It was Barnabas who finally said, "Perhaps we should go our separate ways in peace. And who knows," he said, "we might just cover twice as much territory."
It was true. Later when Paul looked back, he would agree that their split was the best thing that could have happened.
Showing posts with label Paul Novel 3. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Paul Novel 3. Show all posts
Monday, August 14, 2017
Monday, August 07, 2017
Paul Novel 5.1: Letter from Jerusalem
Finished chapter 4 last week. I usually take previous chapters down after a few days.
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The next weeks were tense among the Christians at Antioch. The Christian Jews met and ate together with the Christian Jews, and the Gentile believers met and ate with other Gentile believers. Peter and the messengers from James did not stay long. Peter felt especially awkward. Had he done the right thing? It didn't feel right.
Paul of course met with the Gentile believers. He tried to convince Barnabas and Menaen to stop what he considered not only nonsense but a trick of Satan to divide God's people. Barnabas agreed that the situation could not continue as it was but insisted they needed to wait on word from Jerusalem. He had talked to Peter and made some suggestions. He was convinced James would agree with them.
Paul finally stopped meeting with them because he lost his temper every time. Barnabas finally told him that he was only polarizing the community against himself more and more.
Barnabas did meet with the Gentile believers outside of the evening meal. He tried to make it clear that he was only submitting to authority. Menander and the others understood, but it still hurt.
The church at Antioch would never return to the kind of innocent unity it had before the blow-up. There would be forgiveness to be sure. There would be fellowship again. But tracks of separation were set down that never completely merged together again.
And Paul pretty much determined that he would not stay in a place where the powers that be did not see what was so obvious to him about the gospel. He felt like God was using the situation to push him to his true calling. God was calling him to be an apostle to the Gentiles, just as Peter was to the Jews. He did not say anything to anyone at first. He wanted to see what word would come back from Jerusalem.
And God had used the conflict to clarify to him that these sorts of works of the Jewish Law were irrelevant to the justification both of Jew and Gentile. God had already provided the atonement for sins through the faithful death of Jesus Christ. It was trust in the fact that God raised Jesus from the dead that secured believers a right standing with God. It was allegiance to Jesus as Lord that made you a part of his kingdom. This fact put Jew and Gentile on an equal footing before God.
Word arrived back two weeks later with two men named Barsabbas and Silas. They brought a letter from James with the solution that Barnabas had proposed. Certainly the Gentile believers would need to refrain from sexual immorality. That one was obvious. Shouldn't even have been brought up--although Paul was quick to point out that Jesus had eaten with prostitutes, something that had steamed James at the time when he did not yet believe.
The other instructions had to do with how meat was prepared. The blood had to be drained--the animal could not have been strangled. And they needed to make sure that any meat that was consumed had not previously been offered to a god at one of the nearby temples.
"Wonderful!" Barnabas said. They planned a great love feast in Menaen's house for all the believers in the city, Jew and Gentile. Menaen was rather wealthy and so had a very large house. But they planned for eating outside the house if necessary. There was much rejoicing and great fellowship. The food was prepared appropriately and no meat was used to spare expense. Some Jews in the city already abstained from meat as a matter of conscience, so that they would not accidentally consume meat that had been sacrificed.
"It didn't have to be this way," Paul said to Barnabas. "Damage has been done." But at least fellowship had now been restored and the church was again at peace.
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The next weeks were tense among the Christians at Antioch. The Christian Jews met and ate together with the Christian Jews, and the Gentile believers met and ate with other Gentile believers. Peter and the messengers from James did not stay long. Peter felt especially awkward. Had he done the right thing? It didn't feel right.
Paul of course met with the Gentile believers. He tried to convince Barnabas and Menaen to stop what he considered not only nonsense but a trick of Satan to divide God's people. Barnabas agreed that the situation could not continue as it was but insisted they needed to wait on word from Jerusalem. He had talked to Peter and made some suggestions. He was convinced James would agree with them.
Paul finally stopped meeting with them because he lost his temper every time. Barnabas finally told him that he was only polarizing the community against himself more and more.
Barnabas did meet with the Gentile believers outside of the evening meal. He tried to make it clear that he was only submitting to authority. Menander and the others understood, but it still hurt.
The church at Antioch would never return to the kind of innocent unity it had before the blow-up. There would be forgiveness to be sure. There would be fellowship again. But tracks of separation were set down that never completely merged together again.
And Paul pretty much determined that he would not stay in a place where the powers that be did not see what was so obvious to him about the gospel. He felt like God was using the situation to push him to his true calling. God was calling him to be an apostle to the Gentiles, just as Peter was to the Jews. He did not say anything to anyone at first. He wanted to see what word would come back from Jerusalem.
And God had used the conflict to clarify to him that these sorts of works of the Jewish Law were irrelevant to the justification both of Jew and Gentile. God had already provided the atonement for sins through the faithful death of Jesus Christ. It was trust in the fact that God raised Jesus from the dead that secured believers a right standing with God. It was allegiance to Jesus as Lord that made you a part of his kingdom. This fact put Jew and Gentile on an equal footing before God.
Word arrived back two weeks later with two men named Barsabbas and Silas. They brought a letter from James with the solution that Barnabas had proposed. Certainly the Gentile believers would need to refrain from sexual immorality. That one was obvious. Shouldn't even have been brought up--although Paul was quick to point out that Jesus had eaten with prostitutes, something that had steamed James at the time when he did not yet believe.
The other instructions had to do with how meat was prepared. The blood had to be drained--the animal could not have been strangled. And they needed to make sure that any meat that was consumed had not previously been offered to a god at one of the nearby temples.
"Wonderful!" Barnabas said. They planned a great love feast in Menaen's house for all the believers in the city, Jew and Gentile. Menaen was rather wealthy and so had a very large house. But they planned for eating outside the house if necessary. There was much rejoicing and great fellowship. The food was prepared appropriately and no meat was used to spare expense. Some Jews in the city already abstained from meat as a matter of conscience, so that they would not accidentally consume meat that had been sacrificed.
"It didn't have to be this way," Paul said to Barnabas. "Damage has been done." But at least fellowship had now been restored and the church was again at peace.
Monday, July 31, 2017
Paul Novel 4.7: Faith, not Works of Law
continued from last week
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The reaction to the blow-up largely fell along Jew-Gentile lines. There were two love feasts that Sunday evening, one in the home of Menaen with the Jewish believers and another in the home of Menander with the Gentiles. Very few Jews went to Menander's, but Paul was one of them.
Menander was particularly discouraged that Barnabas did not come, but Paul was furious. He at least had enough calm to assure them that it was not because Barnabas actually agreed with James and Peter. "He is just keeping the peace," Paul told them. "He is submitting to authority."
Paul continued. "Barnabas wanted me to tell you all that he does not think you are sexually immoral. He urged me to tell you to be patient because it takes some people longer than others to discern the will of the Holy Spirit. He wants to assure you that Peter is only trying to do what is right and that he loves you in the Lord."
He gave a long word of exhortation that night. "I used to think like Peter and James," he said. "In fact, I believed you Gentiles were so sinful that I would have been defiled the moment I crossed the threshold of this house. I kept the Jewish Law more carefully than any Jew you have met, certainly more than Peter or James. I used to think of Jesus as one of the vilest sinners.
"In fact, at that time Jesus was almost worse to me than a Gentile because, to me, he was encouraging Israel to sin. How would God send the Messiah to restore the kingdom of Israel if we had Jews going around encouraging sin? Jesus spent a lot of time with the sinners of Israel, people like tax collectors and prostitutes.
"But God stopped me in my path, for which I am eternally grateful. I was on my way to Damascus to arrest the disciple Simon. You all know Simon. He spends a lot of time in the more activist currents within Israel. But God appeared to me and showed me that I was actually working against his will.
"You have heard the phrase 'through the faithfulness of Jesus.' It is something they talk about a lot in the Jerusalem church. When they use the phrase, they are talking about how God has chosen to restore the kingdom of Israel through the faithful death of Jesus. The sin of Israel was too great for the temple to atone for it. It was too great for people like me or Barnabas to make up for it.
"But Jesus absorbed the wrath of God toward Israel, like the Maccabean martyrs did not so long ago. His faithfulness brought an end to the wrath of God toward his people. The righteousness of Jesus, I see now, was beyond any righteousness that any of us could provide because he was God's Son. He had no sin.
"All day I've been thinking about that phrase, 'through the faith of Jesus." There is another way to take the phrase in Greek. I've heard some of you say it by mistake. But maybe it is no mistake after all. You all have faith in Jesus, don't you? That's what has made you right with him. It's not these sorts of 'works of Jewish Law' that Peter and James seem so concerned with. We are all put in right standing with God because we have faith in what God has done through Jesus the Christ.
"And when you think of it, I kept the Jewish Law really well. But that was nothing before God. It was like a pile of poop when you put it next to the faithfulness of Jesus. You might say that those sorts of works of Law--food laws, purity laws, whether you are circumcised--are all nothing compared to Christ. You all here tonight have faith that God raised Jesus from the dead. You all have confessed Jesus as your Lord. That is more than enough."
____________________
The reaction to the blow-up largely fell along Jew-Gentile lines. There were two love feasts that Sunday evening, one in the home of Menaen with the Jewish believers and another in the home of Menander with the Gentiles. Very few Jews went to Menander's, but Paul was one of them.
Menander was particularly discouraged that Barnabas did not come, but Paul was furious. He at least had enough calm to assure them that it was not because Barnabas actually agreed with James and Peter. "He is just keeping the peace," Paul told them. "He is submitting to authority."
Paul continued. "Barnabas wanted me to tell you all that he does not think you are sexually immoral. He urged me to tell you to be patient because it takes some people longer than others to discern the will of the Holy Spirit. He wants to assure you that Peter is only trying to do what is right and that he loves you in the Lord."
He gave a long word of exhortation that night. "I used to think like Peter and James," he said. "In fact, I believed you Gentiles were so sinful that I would have been defiled the moment I crossed the threshold of this house. I kept the Jewish Law more carefully than any Jew you have met, certainly more than Peter or James. I used to think of Jesus as one of the vilest sinners.
"In fact, at that time Jesus was almost worse to me than a Gentile because, to me, he was encouraging Israel to sin. How would God send the Messiah to restore the kingdom of Israel if we had Jews going around encouraging sin? Jesus spent a lot of time with the sinners of Israel, people like tax collectors and prostitutes.
"But God stopped me in my path, for which I am eternally grateful. I was on my way to Damascus to arrest the disciple Simon. You all know Simon. He spends a lot of time in the more activist currents within Israel. But God appeared to me and showed me that I was actually working against his will.
"You have heard the phrase 'through the faithfulness of Jesus.' It is something they talk about a lot in the Jerusalem church. When they use the phrase, they are talking about how God has chosen to restore the kingdom of Israel through the faithful death of Jesus. The sin of Israel was too great for the temple to atone for it. It was too great for people like me or Barnabas to make up for it.
"But Jesus absorbed the wrath of God toward Israel, like the Maccabean martyrs did not so long ago. His faithfulness brought an end to the wrath of God toward his people. The righteousness of Jesus, I see now, was beyond any righteousness that any of us could provide because he was God's Son. He had no sin.
"All day I've been thinking about that phrase, 'through the faith of Jesus." There is another way to take the phrase in Greek. I've heard some of you say it by mistake. But maybe it is no mistake after all. You all have faith in Jesus, don't you? That's what has made you right with him. It's not these sorts of 'works of Jewish Law' that Peter and James seem so concerned with. We are all put in right standing with God because we have faith in what God has done through Jesus the Christ.
"And when you think of it, I kept the Jewish Law really well. But that was nothing before God. It was like a pile of poop when you put it next to the faithfulness of Jesus. You might say that those sorts of works of Law--food laws, purity laws, whether you are circumcised--are all nothing compared to Christ. You all here tonight have faith that God raised Jesus from the dead. You all have confessed Jesus as your Lord. That is more than enough."
Monday, July 24, 2017
Paul Novel 4.6 Blow-Up at Antioch
continued from last week
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But everything changed when more men arrived from Jerusalem, from James. When they saw that the Christian Jews were eating with Gentiles--indeed that Peter himself was--they took Peter aside.
"What are you doing, Peter?" they asked him. "You are the apostle, the first one to whom our risen Lord appeared! You have to set the tone. You have to be an example for the church because everyone is looking to you as their leader."
They explained to Peter that it was exactly this sort of situation that James had feared. Did Peter know for sure whether the Gentiles he was with were clean? Did he know how the meat had been prepared? Did he know what kind of life they were living?
It all came to a head the next Lord's Day. In the morning, they all met for worship in the morning by the river. But that evening the love feast was to take place at the home of Titus' family. As they were about to disperse for the day's work, Titus' father Menander stood up to remind everyone where the love feast was to be held that day.
At this point Peter stood up and interrupted. "We need to make some changes in the love feasts from here on. Because we who are Jews have to keep the Law, we cannot eat the meal with the God-fearers. And there are too many of you really to meet in only one house anyway. So we who are Jews will be having our love feast at the home of Menaen, while the Gentile believers will continue to meet at the home of Menander."
Paul was completely taken off guard, as were Menander and the other God-fearers. There was an audible murmur among the group. Barnabas, who was standing next to Paul, knew what was about to happen and grabbed Paul by the arm. "Paul, don't say anything publicly. We'll meet with Peter and figure this out. Just let it go for now and we'll get to the bottom of this."
Paul completely ignored him.
"This is hypocrisy!" Paul said loudly. "You do not keep the Law, Peter! You are a hypocrite," Paul said angrily. "I was a Pharisee. I know what it is to keep the Law. You don't keep the Law. Do you tithe your mint or cummin? Why you ate at the house of Mycenas this last Tuesday. You would have these Gentiles become zealous keepers of the Jewish Law when you yourself are not zealous for the Law.
There was another gasp to hear Paul confronting one of the pillars, one of the very disciples of the Lord. Paul then turned to the Gentiles in the group.
"Gentiles, God does not consider us to be in right standing before him because of these works of the Law, things like circumcision, purity laws, Sabbath observance. These works of the Law will not justify anyone before God. God has only made Israel--and now all God's people--finally right again with him again through the faithfulness of Jesus Christ, as I have heard Peter himself preach!"
____________________
But everything changed when more men arrived from Jerusalem, from James. When they saw that the Christian Jews were eating with Gentiles--indeed that Peter himself was--they took Peter aside.
"What are you doing, Peter?" they asked him. "You are the apostle, the first one to whom our risen Lord appeared! You have to set the tone. You have to be an example for the church because everyone is looking to you as their leader."
They explained to Peter that it was exactly this sort of situation that James had feared. Did Peter know for sure whether the Gentiles he was with were clean? Did he know how the meat had been prepared? Did he know what kind of life they were living?
It all came to a head the next Lord's Day. In the morning, they all met for worship in the morning by the river. But that evening the love feast was to take place at the home of Titus' family. As they were about to disperse for the day's work, Titus' father Menander stood up to remind everyone where the love feast was to be held that day.
At this point Peter stood up and interrupted. "We need to make some changes in the love feasts from here on. Because we who are Jews have to keep the Law, we cannot eat the meal with the God-fearers. And there are too many of you really to meet in only one house anyway. So we who are Jews will be having our love feast at the home of Menaen, while the Gentile believers will continue to meet at the home of Menander."
Paul was completely taken off guard, as were Menander and the other God-fearers. There was an audible murmur among the group. Barnabas, who was standing next to Paul, knew what was about to happen and grabbed Paul by the arm. "Paul, don't say anything publicly. We'll meet with Peter and figure this out. Just let it go for now and we'll get to the bottom of this."
Paul completely ignored him.
"This is hypocrisy!" Paul said loudly. "You do not keep the Law, Peter! You are a hypocrite," Paul said angrily. "I was a Pharisee. I know what it is to keep the Law. You don't keep the Law. Do you tithe your mint or cummin? Why you ate at the house of Mycenas this last Tuesday. You would have these Gentiles become zealous keepers of the Jewish Law when you yourself are not zealous for the Law.
There was another gasp to hear Paul confronting one of the pillars, one of the very disciples of the Lord. Paul then turned to the Gentiles in the group.
"Gentiles, God does not consider us to be in right standing before him because of these works of the Law, things like circumcision, purity laws, Sabbath observance. These works of the Law will not justify anyone before God. God has only made Israel--and now all God's people--finally right again with him again through the faithfulness of Jesus Christ, as I have heard Peter himself preach!"
Tuesday, July 18, 2017
Paul Novel 4.5: Peter in Antioch
continued from last week
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For Paul it was a great victory. The leaders of Jerusalem had accepted his mission to the Gentiles. They agreed that Titus would be saved even if he did not fully convert to Judaism. For Paul it was a green light to go forward full steam with the mission. He could tell anyone that opposed them that they had the approval of the pillars.
For James it was a great worry. It was one thing for the Gentiles not to keep the Law, but what if Jews began to think that they did not need to keep the Law? It was a slippery slope he greatly feared. In Paul he saw someone who had over-reacted to his past. To James, Paul was in danger of swinging from one extreme to the other, from caring too much about the Law to not caring hardly at all for it.
When Barnabas and Paul returned to Antioch with Titus, it was a time of great fellowship. Paul began to spend time in the marketplace of Antioch sharing the good news to any Gentile who would listen. Where Gentile conversions before had only happened by chance, Paul was now very intentional about sharing the good news with them, and the more Gentile believers there were, the more the gospel spread to non-Jews.
Within just a couple weeks of Paul's return to Antioch, Peter arrived from Jerusalem. At first Paul was suspicious. "He has come to spy on us," Paul remarked privately to Barnabas. And although Barnabas had announced to the churches of Antioch what James had decided in Jerusalem, there were still a number who balked at full Gentile fellowship with the Jewish believers.
There was one house church in particular that was very opposed to the increasing number of Gentiles in the community. They certainly would not admit any Gentiles into their house fellowship unless they were serious enough about God to convert fully and be circumcised.
"I bet they eat pork," they would gossip. "Even when they eat lamb or goat," they would say, "I bet they don't drain the blood first." "And you know how sexually immoral Gentiles are." "I wouldn't be surprised if Titus visits prostitutes like all the other Gentiles."
Paul was pleased to see that Peter didn't give much time to these voices. For the first week or so that Peter was in the city, he went with Paul and observed the love feast at the home of Titus and the church that met in his father's house. Paul was pleasantly surprised. He could see that these debates were really of little interest to Peter himself...
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For Paul it was a great victory. The leaders of Jerusalem had accepted his mission to the Gentiles. They agreed that Titus would be saved even if he did not fully convert to Judaism. For Paul it was a green light to go forward full steam with the mission. He could tell anyone that opposed them that they had the approval of the pillars.
For James it was a great worry. It was one thing for the Gentiles not to keep the Law, but what if Jews began to think that they did not need to keep the Law? It was a slippery slope he greatly feared. In Paul he saw someone who had over-reacted to his past. To James, Paul was in danger of swinging from one extreme to the other, from caring too much about the Law to not caring hardly at all for it.
When Barnabas and Paul returned to Antioch with Titus, it was a time of great fellowship. Paul began to spend time in the marketplace of Antioch sharing the good news to any Gentile who would listen. Where Gentile conversions before had only happened by chance, Paul was now very intentional about sharing the good news with them, and the more Gentile believers there were, the more the gospel spread to non-Jews.
Within just a couple weeks of Paul's return to Antioch, Peter arrived from Jerusalem. At first Paul was suspicious. "He has come to spy on us," Paul remarked privately to Barnabas. And although Barnabas had announced to the churches of Antioch what James had decided in Jerusalem, there were still a number who balked at full Gentile fellowship with the Jewish believers.
There was one house church in particular that was very opposed to the increasing number of Gentiles in the community. They certainly would not admit any Gentiles into their house fellowship unless they were serious enough about God to convert fully and be circumcised.
"I bet they eat pork," they would gossip. "Even when they eat lamb or goat," they would say, "I bet they don't drain the blood first." "And you know how sexually immoral Gentiles are." "I wouldn't be surprised if Titus visits prostitutes like all the other Gentiles."
Paul was pleased to see that Peter didn't give much time to these voices. For the first week or so that Peter was in the city, he went with Paul and observed the love feast at the home of Titus and the church that met in his father's house. Paul was pleasantly surprised. He could see that these debates were really of little interest to Peter himself...
Tuesday, July 11, 2017
Paul Novel 4.4: Interviewing Titus
continued from last week
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"You say that several of these Gentiles who believed had already been attending the synagogue?" James finally asked.
"Yes," Barnabas said. "Many had already believed in the God of Israel, but had not become circumcised and fully converted."
"And even after they believed, they did not want to convert?" John added.
There was a pause.
"No," Paul finally added. "They have converted in their heart, I believe, even though they have not converted outwardly."
"Take the young man Titus who is just outside the door," Paul continued. "He is not circumcised. But his faith is far stronger than all the Jews who have not believed in Jerusalem. I venture to say it is stronger than half of the church of God in Judea."
Barnabas cast a quick glance at Paul as if to say, "Don't get too adversarial."
"I encourage you to ask him questions about his faith," Paul continued.
"I would like to meet the young man," Peter finally said. "You know the strange experience I had at Caesarea with some Gentile soldiers. They seemed full of the Holy Spirit without fully converting to Judaism."
Barnabas then interjected. "He has been observing kosher law in his diet with us for some time and has never had sexual relations." This seemed to allay the troubled look on James' face.
"Very well," James said. "Bring in the boy."
After a brief greeting, mostly James and John began to ask him questions. "So you have come to believe in the one true God, the God of Israel?"
"Yes," Titus said in Greek. James, Peter, and John spoke enough Greek to conduct business in Galilee, but would need a little help if Titus' Greek got too advanced. "In fact, there has never been a point in my life when I did not attend the synagogue of Antioch with my family."
"And you have come to believe that Jesus is our king, our Lord, the Anointed One of Israel?" James continued.
"Yes. I believe he will come again soon to rule the whole world as my king. Every knee will bow before him and every tongue confess that he is the Lord. God has raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavens."
James was impressed. Paul was right. Oh that the Jews of Jerusalem would come to such faith!
"And you do not feel the need to become circumcised and join the people of Israel?" John finally added.
"Were there not strangers in the land of Israel who lived among them?" Titus responded. He had been carefully coached by Barnabas. "God asked Israel to treat them with kindness even though they were never circumcised?"
"I would say that his heart is circumcised," Paul interjected, "even though his flesh is not. It is like the opposite of what the prophet Jeremiah said to Israel of old. Their hearts were uncircumcised even though their flesh was circumcised. The hearts of Titus and others like him are circumcised, even though their flesh is uncircumcised."
You could see that this idea troubled James. He could see a slippery slope he had feared with his brother Jesus as well, who had focused on the lost sheep of Israel in Galilee. There were enough Jews who did not take the covenant seriously enough, James thought. Surely if these Gentiles had as much faith as Paul said they did, they would be willing to go the whole way and fully convert.
But Titus' faith was undeniable. In the end, James did not believe God would destroy Gentiles like Titus who gave their allegiance to Jesus. They would escape the judgment. They would be saved. And that was a good thing, even if it was not as much as James thought was ideal.
In the end, James, Peter, and John agreed that Gentiles could be saved without full conversion. They gave their blessing to their mission. "Only be sure that you and Saul are faithful yourselves to keep the Law."
"And in your mission, never forget the many poor among the people of God," John added. "God has blessed many of these Gentiles with much, such as the Roman governor you mentioned. Part of coming to faith is a willingness to give back to God. There are many poor here in Jerusalem who have believed, as you know from a few years back. A test of the Gentiles' faith may be their willingness to give from their abundance to those who have need."
Of course not all Gentile converts were wealthy, but John and others had a certain stereotype of them. Indeed, he even thought of Paul and Barnabas as wealthy Greek-speaking Jews.
"This is an important truth to me as well," Paul quickly jumped in. "Perhaps in our mission we will see the fulfillment of the prophet Isaiah when he said that the wealth of the nations would flow to Jerusalem."
This idea seemed to resonate with the others as well.
_______________
"You say that several of these Gentiles who believed had already been attending the synagogue?" James finally asked.
"Yes," Barnabas said. "Many had already believed in the God of Israel, but had not become circumcised and fully converted."
"And even after they believed, they did not want to convert?" John added.
There was a pause.
"No," Paul finally added. "They have converted in their heart, I believe, even though they have not converted outwardly."
"Take the young man Titus who is just outside the door," Paul continued. "He is not circumcised. But his faith is far stronger than all the Jews who have not believed in Jerusalem. I venture to say it is stronger than half of the church of God in Judea."
Barnabas cast a quick glance at Paul as if to say, "Don't get too adversarial."
"I encourage you to ask him questions about his faith," Paul continued.
"I would like to meet the young man," Peter finally said. "You know the strange experience I had at Caesarea with some Gentile soldiers. They seemed full of the Holy Spirit without fully converting to Judaism."
Barnabas then interjected. "He has been observing kosher law in his diet with us for some time and has never had sexual relations." This seemed to allay the troubled look on James' face.
"Very well," James said. "Bring in the boy."
After a brief greeting, mostly James and John began to ask him questions. "So you have come to believe in the one true God, the God of Israel?"
"Yes," Titus said in Greek. James, Peter, and John spoke enough Greek to conduct business in Galilee, but would need a little help if Titus' Greek got too advanced. "In fact, there has never been a point in my life when I did not attend the synagogue of Antioch with my family."
"And you have come to believe that Jesus is our king, our Lord, the Anointed One of Israel?" James continued.
"Yes. I believe he will come again soon to rule the whole world as my king. Every knee will bow before him and every tongue confess that he is the Lord. God has raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavens."
James was impressed. Paul was right. Oh that the Jews of Jerusalem would come to such faith!
"And you do not feel the need to become circumcised and join the people of Israel?" John finally added.
"Were there not strangers in the land of Israel who lived among them?" Titus responded. He had been carefully coached by Barnabas. "God asked Israel to treat them with kindness even though they were never circumcised?"
"I would say that his heart is circumcised," Paul interjected, "even though his flesh is not. It is like the opposite of what the prophet Jeremiah said to Israel of old. Their hearts were uncircumcised even though their flesh was circumcised. The hearts of Titus and others like him are circumcised, even though their flesh is uncircumcised."
You could see that this idea troubled James. He could see a slippery slope he had feared with his brother Jesus as well, who had focused on the lost sheep of Israel in Galilee. There were enough Jews who did not take the covenant seriously enough, James thought. Surely if these Gentiles had as much faith as Paul said they did, they would be willing to go the whole way and fully convert.
But Titus' faith was undeniable. In the end, James did not believe God would destroy Gentiles like Titus who gave their allegiance to Jesus. They would escape the judgment. They would be saved. And that was a good thing, even if it was not as much as James thought was ideal.
In the end, James, Peter, and John agreed that Gentiles could be saved without full conversion. They gave their blessing to their mission. "Only be sure that you and Saul are faithful yourselves to keep the Law."
"And in your mission, never forget the many poor among the people of God," John added. "God has blessed many of these Gentiles with much, such as the Roman governor you mentioned. Part of coming to faith is a willingness to give back to God. There are many poor here in Jerusalem who have believed, as you know from a few years back. A test of the Gentiles' faith may be their willingness to give from their abundance to those who have need."
Of course not all Gentile converts were wealthy, but John and others had a certain stereotype of them. Indeed, he even thought of Paul and Barnabas as wealthy Greek-speaking Jews.
"This is an important truth to me as well," Paul quickly jumped in. "Perhaps in our mission we will see the fulfillment of the prophet Isaiah when he said that the wealth of the nations would flow to Jerusalem."
This idea seemed to resonate with the others as well.
Monday, July 03, 2017
Paul Novel 4:3: Private Meeting Jerusalem
continued from last time
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Barnabas arranged for a time to meet with the "pillars" of the Jerusalem church. Since they believed the temple had been defiled by corrupt leadership, the earliest church had come to think of four Jerusalem leaders as the four pillars in the new temple. Until such time as the physical temple was cleansed, they represented the true dwelling of God in the land.
Peter was the first pillar, the first of the disciples to whom Jesus appeared. James the brother of Jesus was the second, the leader of the Jerusalem church. Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee were the third and fourth pillar. Of course James of Zebedee had been killed by Herod Agrippa I by this time, leaving only three of the pillars.
At first Barnabas suggested they eat a meal with Paul, Titus, and him. Peter was happy to do it but James clearly wasn't excited about the idea. Barnabas didn't ask why because he knew it was the idea of eating with a Gentile--and maybe even Paul himself. Barnabas wouldn't tell Paul about that part of the conversation.
So at the appropriate time, Barnabas and Paul met with them, with Titus nearby. Paul knew well enough to let Barnabas do most of the talking. Barnabas first told of their visit to Cyprus and how surprised they were for the Roman governor himself to believe.
"He will find it difficult to follow the Way in such a position of wealth and power," James said. "As my brother said while he was with us, 'It is easier for a camel to get through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.'"
"Perhaps so," Paul finally said. "But our God can do all things through Christ who strengthens us."
"I hope the Gentiles can be saved, Barnabas," John chimed in. "But it is still very important for you and Paul to keep the Law, since you are Israelites."
"We are diligent to do so," Barnabas said. Paul kept silent. He basically still kept the Law. But if it ever seemed like the Law might stand in the way of the mission, the mission pretty much came first...
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Barnabas arranged for a time to meet with the "pillars" of the Jerusalem church. Since they believed the temple had been defiled by corrupt leadership, the earliest church had come to think of four Jerusalem leaders as the four pillars in the new temple. Until such time as the physical temple was cleansed, they represented the true dwelling of God in the land.
Peter was the first pillar, the first of the disciples to whom Jesus appeared. James the brother of Jesus was the second, the leader of the Jerusalem church. Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee were the third and fourth pillar. Of course James of Zebedee had been killed by Herod Agrippa I by this time, leaving only three of the pillars.
At first Barnabas suggested they eat a meal with Paul, Titus, and him. Peter was happy to do it but James clearly wasn't excited about the idea. Barnabas didn't ask why because he knew it was the idea of eating with a Gentile--and maybe even Paul himself. Barnabas wouldn't tell Paul about that part of the conversation.
So at the appropriate time, Barnabas and Paul met with them, with Titus nearby. Paul knew well enough to let Barnabas do most of the talking. Barnabas first told of their visit to Cyprus and how surprised they were for the Roman governor himself to believe.
"He will find it difficult to follow the Way in such a position of wealth and power," James said. "As my brother said while he was with us, 'It is easier for a camel to get through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.'"
"Perhaps so," Paul finally said. "But our God can do all things through Christ who strengthens us."
"I hope the Gentiles can be saved, Barnabas," John chimed in. "But it is still very important for you and Paul to keep the Law, since you are Israelites."
"We are diligent to do so," Barnabas said. Paul kept silent. He basically still kept the Law. But if it ever seemed like the Law might stand in the way of the mission, the mission pretty much came first...
Monday, June 26, 2017
Paul Novel 4.2: Down to Jerusalem
Continued from last week. Previous chapters now archived
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So after a few weeks back in Antioch, Paul and Barnabas were ready to go up to Jerusalem to share what God had done in Cyprus and Galatia. They had kept their eyes out for a Gentile convert who was full of the Holy Spirit and who embodied good news for the whole world, not just Jews. It did not take long for them to agree on Titus. In fact they both thought of him independently of each other. They took this fact as a sign that the Holy Spirit was behind the idea.
Titus was a young man, almost eighteen. Paul saw in him not only a good example of what God was doing among the Gentiles, but a potential replacement for John Mark on their next missionary journey. Titus' parents had been God-fearers in the synagogue, and they had believed in Jesus the Christ the very first time they heard about him. [1]
Baptism quickly became the central ritual for a Gentile becoming part of God's people. And so Titus' father had his whole household baptized, including Titus. It was not long before Titus himself had fully embraced his new family in Christ. [2]
It was over a two week journey south to Jerusalem, but by now Paul and Barnabas were well used to such travel. On the other hand, Titus had never been outside the city of Antioch. He was a very serious young man, and very responsible. In just the weeks Paul had known him, he had won Paul's complete confidence.
Peter greeted Barnabas warmly when they arrived. James, the half-brother of Jesus, was a little more formal. John Mark had that hesitancy around Paul that betrayed a little sense of guilt for having talked about someone behind their back...
[1] We do not know the details of Titus' background. It is reasonable to assume that he was a relatively young man. Although he is never mentioned in Acts, he is with Paul and Barnabas in Antioch around the year 49 (See Galatians 2). So either they picked him up in Galatia, perhaps as a replacement for John Mark, or he was a convert from Antioch.
[2] Acts may give us a somewhat idealized picture of the early church, so it is not entirely certain how quickly baptism became a universal practice among Jesus-followers. Paul seems rather casual about it in 1 Corinthians 1:14-16. We can imagine that baptism was very important for Apollos at Corinth, since he was a follower of the teachings of John the Baptist long before he became a Jesus follower (cf. Acts 18:25).
In other words, it is entirely plausible that baptism was a whole lot more central to Apollos' teaching than it was for Paul at this point.
Acts suggests that Gentile converts may have baptized their whole households (cf. Acts 16:15, 34). This is what we would expect in a group culture. As Western individualists, we find it hard to believe that a parent would have made such a decision for a child, but this is exactly what we would expect of the ancient Mediterranean world.
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So after a few weeks back in Antioch, Paul and Barnabas were ready to go up to Jerusalem to share what God had done in Cyprus and Galatia. They had kept their eyes out for a Gentile convert who was full of the Holy Spirit and who embodied good news for the whole world, not just Jews. It did not take long for them to agree on Titus. In fact they both thought of him independently of each other. They took this fact as a sign that the Holy Spirit was behind the idea.
Titus was a young man, almost eighteen. Paul saw in him not only a good example of what God was doing among the Gentiles, but a potential replacement for John Mark on their next missionary journey. Titus' parents had been God-fearers in the synagogue, and they had believed in Jesus the Christ the very first time they heard about him. [1]
Baptism quickly became the central ritual for a Gentile becoming part of God's people. And so Titus' father had his whole household baptized, including Titus. It was not long before Titus himself had fully embraced his new family in Christ. [2]
It was over a two week journey south to Jerusalem, but by now Paul and Barnabas were well used to such travel. On the other hand, Titus had never been outside the city of Antioch. He was a very serious young man, and very responsible. In just the weeks Paul had known him, he had won Paul's complete confidence.
Peter greeted Barnabas warmly when they arrived. James, the half-brother of Jesus, was a little more formal. John Mark had that hesitancy around Paul that betrayed a little sense of guilt for having talked about someone behind their back...
[1] We do not know the details of Titus' background. It is reasonable to assume that he was a relatively young man. Although he is never mentioned in Acts, he is with Paul and Barnabas in Antioch around the year 49 (See Galatians 2). So either they picked him up in Galatia, perhaps as a replacement for John Mark, or he was a convert from Antioch.
[2] Acts may give us a somewhat idealized picture of the early church, so it is not entirely certain how quickly baptism became a universal practice among Jesus-followers. Paul seems rather casual about it in 1 Corinthians 1:14-16. We can imagine that baptism was very important for Apollos at Corinth, since he was a follower of the teachings of John the Baptist long before he became a Jesus follower (cf. Acts 18:25).
In other words, it is entirely plausible that baptism was a whole lot more central to Apollos' teaching than it was for Paul at this point.
Acts suggests that Gentile converts may have baptized their whole households (cf. Acts 16:15, 34). This is what we would expect in a group culture. As Western individualists, we find it hard to believe that a parent would have made such a decision for a child, but this is exactly what we would expect of the ancient Mediterranean world.
Monday, June 19, 2017
Paul 4.1 Back in Antioch
Prior novel chapters may disappear after transferred into a Word document. While it lasts, here is the link to the last post in chapter 3.
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Chapter 4: Jerusalem Decisions
The whole way back to Antioch, Paul was thinking about what might lie ahead. John Mark had been back in Jerusalem for over a year. Who knows what all he had said to the leaders in Jerusalem? They would of course tend to believe his account because he was one of them.
Paul could hear what he might be whispering into their ears. "Paul hijacked the mission from Barnabas." "Paul has no regard for the Jewish Law." "Paul has abandoned his own people in preference to non-Jews."
Barnabas assured Paul that everything would be fine. Mark was just young and immature. And, with a bit of a smile, "You can be a little overbearing at times, Paul."
Finally, Barnabas had a plan that made sense to Paul. "Let's go down to Jerusalem after we get back," he said. "Let's take one of the Gentile converts from Antioch to show them an actual person. It's hard to argue with a real person in front of you," Barnabas continued. "They'll see that the gospel is for the whole world, Paul. How could they keep such good news all to themselves?"
Paul agreed. It made sense. It would sure be better for the kingdom--and for the churches he had planted--if James and Peter agreed that Gentiles could be saved from the coming judgment without becoming circumcised.
The house churches of Antioch were clearly glad to see them, and they hung on every story Paul and Barnabas told. They were amazed that a Roman governor had believed, although they already knew that part of the story from John Mark. At first they cringed to hear of Paul getting stoned, but then laughed when Barnabas told how Paul "just got up and went into town" while they were looking at his body thinking he was dead.
Paul could tell, though, that there had been some rumblings about his familiarity with non-Jews. Had he started eating pork? "No!" he assured them. Had he succumbed to sexual immorality like the Gentiles? "May it never be!" he protested in anger. "And none of those who have believed do such things either!"
It infuriated him that they would assume a person was sexually immoral, just because he or she was a Gentile!
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Chapter 4: Jerusalem Decisions
The whole way back to Antioch, Paul was thinking about what might lie ahead. John Mark had been back in Jerusalem for over a year. Who knows what all he had said to the leaders in Jerusalem? They would of course tend to believe his account because he was one of them.
Paul could hear what he might be whispering into their ears. "Paul hijacked the mission from Barnabas." "Paul has no regard for the Jewish Law." "Paul has abandoned his own people in preference to non-Jews."
Barnabas assured Paul that everything would be fine. Mark was just young and immature. And, with a bit of a smile, "You can be a little overbearing at times, Paul."
Finally, Barnabas had a plan that made sense to Paul. "Let's go down to Jerusalem after we get back," he said. "Let's take one of the Gentile converts from Antioch to show them an actual person. It's hard to argue with a real person in front of you," Barnabas continued. "They'll see that the gospel is for the whole world, Paul. How could they keep such good news all to themselves?"
Paul agreed. It made sense. It would sure be better for the kingdom--and for the churches he had planted--if James and Peter agreed that Gentiles could be saved from the coming judgment without becoming circumcised.
The house churches of Antioch were clearly glad to see them, and they hung on every story Paul and Barnabas told. They were amazed that a Roman governor had believed, although they already knew that part of the story from John Mark. At first they cringed to hear of Paul getting stoned, but then laughed when Barnabas told how Paul "just got up and went into town" while they were looking at his body thinking he was dead.
Paul could tell, though, that there had been some rumblings about his familiarity with non-Jews. Had he started eating pork? "No!" he assured them. Had he succumbed to sexual immorality like the Gentiles? "May it never be!" he protested in anger. "And none of those who have believed do such things either!"
It infuriated him that they would assume a person was sexually immoral, just because he or she was a Gentile!
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