CHAPTER XXVI. 575 men ; and Barnabas and Paul had much ado to hinder the peo- ple from offering sacrifice to them ; Verses 8-18. 32. Q. Did the people continue in this mind ? A. They were so changeable, that by the persuasion of certain wicked .Jews, they quickly stoned Paul, and left him for dead; Verse 19. 33. Q. How did Paul escape thence ? A. When his ene- mies were gone, he rose up, and went with Barnabas through many cities where they had preached the gospel, to confirm the disciples; and then they returned to Antioch in Syria, from whence they had been sent forth, and recommended to the grace of God; Verses 20-27. 34. Q. What new troubles arose while they were at An- tioch ? A. Some Jewish Christians coining from Judea, taught the brethren that they could not be saved, unless they were cir- cumcised, and kept the law of Moses ; Acts xv, 1. 35. Q. How was this controversy determined ? A. Paul and Barnabas were sent to Jerusalem to the apostles and elders about this question Verse 2. Note, It is probable that at this time Paul told Peter, James and John, of the liberty of the gospel or the freedom from all Jewishc,emonies which he preached to the Gentiles; Gal. ii. 1 -9. and which he calls his gospel, being eminently the apostle of the Gentiles ; Gal. ii. 7 -9. and 1 Tim. ii. 7. 30. Q. How did the apostles and elders decide it? A. First, Peter declared that the Gentiles liad received the gospel from his mouth, as well as the Jews, and there was now no dif- ference between them, since God had declared his acceptance of them, by giving them the holy Spirit, and that without cir- cumcision. Secondly, Barnabas and Paul rehearsed what wondrous success God had given to their ministry, among the Gentiles, and what miracles were wrought among them: then James delivered his opinion, that since the Gentiles had received the gospel, as it wasforetold by the prophets, they should not be burdened with circumcision, and other Jewish ceremonies ; upon which, at last,the apostles and elders, and thewhole church sent a message to Antioch, and other countries, 'that the Gen- tile converts were not bound by the Jewish laws : yet, by the direction of the holy Spirit, they required them at that time to abstain from meats offered to idols, from eating blood, from things strangled, and from fornication ; Verses 6-30. 37. Q. Why were these few things so particularly forbid to the Gentile converts ? A. Some suppose these were thethings always forbidden to the Jewish proselytes of the gate. See note on Question 20. And that it would have given too much offence to the Jews, as well as to those proselytes; if the apostles had not required the gentile converts to observe these rules, at least for the present season. Note, Fornication was a thing always
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