After the story of Peter and Conelius (Acts 10), the focus of Acts turns to the Gentiles. Some believers who came to Antioch began “speaking to the Greeks also, preaching the Lord Jesus. And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a large number who believed turned to the Lord," (Acts 11:20-21). When news reached Jerusalem that a large number of Gentiles believed, the elders sent Barnabas, not Peter, to Antioch to investigate. When Barnabas arrived, he rejoiced at the “considerable numbers” that were being brought to the LORD. Barnabas left Antioch for Tarsus to bring back Saul, who then instructed the growing body of believers for an entire year. The new body of Gentile disciples “were first called Christians in Antioch,” (Acts 11:26).
At this time (A.D. 42-43), some prophets came down from to Antioch and prophesized of a world-wide famine that occurred during the reign of Claudius, (Acts 11:27)(Gal 2:2). Historians generally date this famine as early as A.D 43 to as late as A.D. 47. Dan Lancaster dates the famine as beginning in A.D. 43 and lasting three years. Shortly into the beginning of the famine, 14 years after Saul’s Damascus road encounter (Gal 2:1), Barnabas, Saul, and Titus journeyed to Jerusalem to bring contributions from the saints at Antioch, (Acts 11:29).
In Torah Club 6 “Va’era”, Daniel Lancaster dates the trip of Barnabas and Saul to coincide with a Festival, which Lancaster identifies as Shavuot (Pentecost) in the year 44 A.D. My timing shifts the trip of the apostles back seven months to Sukkot (Tabernacles) at the beginning of the Hebrew year in September 43 A.D. This follows the Lancaster rule, “You are always allowed plus or minus one year in dating biblical events.” Some scholars surmise that Paul’s vision of being caught up to heaven occurred during this trip to Jerusalem. If so, Paul’s vision would best coincide with the traditional ten day opening of the gates of heaven between Rosh Hashanah (Trumpets) and Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement). Although only seven months earlier, Sukkot A.D 43 moves the meeting between Saul and the elders to a time before the death of James and the imprisonment of Peter.
Although Saul came to Jerusalem to deliver contributions to the saints, he clearly had an ulterior motive because he brought Titus the Gentile, who did not accompany Paul on either of his two subsequent trips to Jerusalem. Either Saul needed someone to watch the suitcases while he and Barnabas went into the temple, or Saul brought Titus to the elders to press the question of circumcision for new Gentile believers. If the elders were going to require circumcision on Gentile believers, they were going to have to begin by telling Titus face to face.
While in Jerusalem, Saul took the opportunity to speak to those of “high reputation” about his ongoing work among the Gentiles. It was probably during this visit that Paul first laid out “my gospel” (Rom 2:16), which was the known gospel with a Pauline twist. Gentiles could remain Gentiles and be saved by faith through adoption, apart from circumcision. Although Paul had received his ministry by Divine revelation, he still remained concern “that I might be running, or had run in vain,” (Gal 2:2). At the conclusion of their meeting, the elders in Jerusalem recognized “that I (Saul) had been entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcised…and recognizing the grace that had been give to me, James and Peter and John…gave to me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, so that we might go to the Gentiles,” (Gal 2:6-9).
If Saul sought an unconditional endorsement from the elders for his position on the Gentile question, he apparently did not receive it during this First Jerusalem Council (A.D. 43-44), but neither did the elders hinder the work of Saul among the Gentiles. (This only goes to show that even apostles did not get the answer they sought in the timeframe they desired.) In summary, Saul received a “commission” from the elders to the Gentiles and would hereafter, refer to himself as “the apostle to the Gentiles,” (Rom 11:13).
(to be continued - Scott)
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