The life and work of St. Paul

224 THE LIFE AND WORK OP ST. PAUL.
eagerly then would such an inquirer embrace a faith which, while it offered
him a purer morality, and a richer hope for the future, and a greater strength
for the present, and a more absolute remission for the past, offered him these
priceless boons unaccompanied by the degradation of circumcision and the
hourly worry of distinctions between meats ! Stoicism might confront him
with the ban-en inefficiency of " "
the categorical imperative the ; Gospel
offered him, as a force which needed no supplement, the Spirit of the living
Christ. Yes, St. Paul felt that the Gentiles could not refuse the proffered
salvation. He himself might only live to see the green blade, or at best to
gather a few weak ears, but hereafter he was confident that the full harvest
would be reaped. Henceforth he knew himself to be essentially the Apostle
of the Gentiles, and to that high calling he was glad to sacrifice his life,
1 COB. ix. 19.
CHAPTER
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THE CONSULTATION AT JERUSALEM.
IK -xAvruv, vuffiv ifiavrby 'EAOTAQ2A,
THE first step of Paul and Barnabas on their arrival at Antioch had been to
summon a meeting of the Church, and give a report of their mission and its.
success, dwelling specially on the proof which it afforded that God had now
opened to the Gentiles " a door of faith." God Himself had, by His direct
blessing, shown that the dauntless experiment of a mission to the heathen was
in accordance with His will.
For some time the twa Apostles continued to rest from their toils ami
perils amid the peaceful ministrations of the new metropolis of Christianity.
But it is not intended that unbroken peace should ever in this world continue
for long to bo the lot of man. The Church soon began to be troubled by a
controversy which was not only of pressing importance, but which seemed
likely to endanger the entire destiny of the Christian faith.
Jewish and Gentile converts were living side by sido at Antioeh, waiving
the differences of view and habit which sprang from their previous training,
and united heart and soul in the bonds of a common love for their common
Lord. Had they entered into 1
doubtful disputations, they would soon have
found themselves face to face with problems which it was difficult to solve ;
but they preferred to dwell only on those infinite and spiritual privileges of
which regarded themselves as equal sharers.
Into this bright fraternal community came the stealthy sidelong intrusion
of certain personages from Judaea, 2 who, for a time, profoundly disturbed the
peace of the Church. Pharisees scarcely emancipated from their Pharisaism
1 Rom. xiv. 1, fir) (if tltxplvtlf jiaXoyiffJl" 1'*
3 Gal. ii. 4, tropntr^AOor ; of. Judo 4, wofMio'ttvow, "eneaked in."