The Acts of the Apostles (1911) — PDF Scan 200

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194 THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES witness, giving tliem the Holy Ghost, even as He did unto us; and put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith. Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the necl^ of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear!" This yoke was not the law of ten commandments, as some who oppose the binding claims of the law assert; Peter here referred to the law of ceremonies, which was made null and void by the crucifixion of Christ. Peter's address brought the assembly to a point where they could listen with patience to Paul and Barnabas, who related their experience in working for the Gentiles. ^'All the multitude kept silence, and gave audience to Barnabas and Paul, declaring what miracles and wonders God had wrought ai^iong the Gentiles by them." James also bore his testimony with decision, declaring that it was God's purpose to bestow upon the Gentiles the same privileges and blessings that had been granted to the Jews. The Holy Spirit saw good not to impose the ceremonial law on the Gentile converts, and the mind of the apostles regarding this matter was as the mind of the Spirit of God. James presided at the council, and his final decision was, "Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God. ' ' This ended the discussion. In this instance we have a refutation of the doctrine held by the Eoman Catholic Church, — that Peter was the head of the church. Those who, as popes, have claimed to be his successors, have no scriptural foundation for their pretensions. Nothing in the life of Peter gives