The Relationship of Jewish and Gentile Believers to the Law Between A.D. 30 and 70 in the Scripture

118 Church as well (Heb 8). One problem which the early believers experienced in coming to terms within an interim age between Messiah's first and second comings was knowing which blessings He had dispensed at his first coming and which ones were yet to be given. The promise of the Spirit was not as difficult to identify since Jesus specifically encouraged the disciples to be waiting for it just before his ascension (Acts 1:4). How, though, did James know that the Gentiles were now acceptable to God. It is the contention of this paper that he could not simply have looked at the passage in Amos and known which blessings would be realized now and which would be realized only in the coming kingdom. Rather, based upon the miraculous precedent of God's working through Peter in the salvation of Cornelius, James could then deduce that the significant parts of the Old Testament promise had now come to fruition. This could account for the wording of James' speech when he says in essence, "We are convinced by Peter's testimony that God is now saving Gentiles as Gentiles (15: 14), and based upon this precedent the prophets agree (15: 15)." James could see that the promises of David had been partially fulfilled by Messiah. Jesus was not sitting on David 's throne, but he had come, been crucified and resurrected . As Peter had preached this message to Cornelius he had become one of God 's people. Surely God 's partial fulfillment of the Davidic promise had led to the salvation of many Israelites (Acts 15: 16) who had taken the message to Gentile who are now "called by my Name" (15: 17). We are not suggesting, of cour e, that Jame thought the promi e to David had been completely fulfilled . Of all people , Jame , ould b aware that he wa not the on of Mary who would be pre iding over a theological qu tion in J ru alem if the Davidic covenant had been fulfilled . He knew that one da M iah ould reign on Da id' thron , all of I rael ould be a d (15 :16) and m n pon the d o I rael (15 :17) . ntil that tim , ho e r, d qu te pre ent d o conclude th t d h d uffi i ntl fulfill d thi p mi t uld 11 had b n 11 up n it th