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

128 Luke's coverage and in fact would have been moot since he was already portrayed as a very close adherent to the synagogue. That is, the four elements of the decree would not have been an imposition on Cornelius because as he is portrayed by Luke he probably already kept them. 203 Since his lifestyle was already very devout it was pointless to address the issue and policy is not made where there is no need. Although the record is not definitive it appears that even on Paul's first missionary the majority of Gentiles saved were "god-fearers" and closely aligned to the synagogue. 204 It was not until a great number of Gentiles were saved, and what was previously an isolated incident with Cornelius became a pattern with Paul, that a judgment was necessary. Thus, this view is not in conflict with, but is naturally complemen– tary, to the Cornelius incident. Another objection to the ritual view is that the regulations were to be kept not because they were Mosaic but apostolic. 205 In response to this, however, the words of the .,. decree were not formulated by an apostle, but by James. Although James is the defacto leader of the council he clearly was not endowed with apostolic authority from Christ, and yet 203 Haenchen notes, "it is obvious that the centurion's piety could have accommodated them," Haenchen, Acts, 450. "Filson argues that the majority of Gentile kept the e rule long before the Council, in deference to Jewish scruple . The decree wa merel a diplomati arrangement, confirming an already accepted practice," Wil on, The Gentile and the Gentile Mission in Luke-Acts, 189, n. 1. 204 1n 13 : 16 and 26 uke u e the term Kai oi <j>o~ouµ 01 To 0 6 :4 u the term or ac~oµ vo1 npoariAuTot . The " reek " of 14:1 ar found in th althou h th Gre k ho came from "the whol it " in 1 :44 ma n t ha prev1ou attachment to Judai m. ' The fir t adher nt to th n f ith am ng th ntil r crmted rom mong non-J w ho wer alread t Jud i m . h r th d e ' h pt d t m b i J i h ti n , t 1 a t th 11 d pt " D id lu r , Judai m and the rigin 'hri tianity , (J ru h , 1 88) , 30 0 Wil n, Luk and th Law, 1 1.