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

127 give up circumcision themselves? 200 The implication of Marshall's question is "if the Law has no role in salvation then it has no role in the life of the Jewish believer." One wonders if he would have the same response to the validity of the ritual regulation of post-conversion baptism today. The principle of justification by faith was just as valid during Moses' time as during Paul's time and by itself did not prevent the proper observance of the law any more in 49 B.C. than in A.D. 49. Another objection to this view is that it would conflict with the truth established in Acts 10 concerning the acceptability of Gentiles without any obligation to the Law. That is, the decree would be a retreat from the full acceptance already gained by Gentiles. 201 In response, it is true that the original objection (15: 1) that circumcision was necessary for salvation for Gentiles was a regression from the truth confirmed in Cornelius (11: 18). Howev– er, the council quickly answered that question by Peter's brief recital of the Cornelius incident ..,. (15:6-11). But the scope of the question at the council was wider than simply the issue of salvation and involved the general question of the Gentiles' relationship to the Law. In this regard the council addresses a different issue or at least a broader issue than Cornelius. In Acts 10 the issue and the principle defined was confined to the issue of salvation. 202 The i sue of how Cornelius would live with reference to the Law after salvation was not addres ed by 200 Marshall, Acts, 250. The ame bias and assumption di play them el e when he comment about the Pharisees in 15 :5, "The point wa not accepted, howe er, b certain hri tians who had been Phari ees in their pre-conver ion day . . . . There i nothing surpri ing about former Pharisee being converted-Paul was one him elf . . . " Ibid ., 0 (empha is mine). Mar hall evidently ee no problem invoking the pa t ten e though Paul u the pr nt (23 :6)! 201 Wil on, Luke and th La , 71. umm ry f th i ord f th m n f J ru 1 m t the nd oft tory, • 'W 11 then, 1 th r p nt n th t e d to hf ,"' (11 18) .