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

136 Gentiles on his third missionary journey and the brothers had responded with rejoicing (21: 17- 20a), James presented him with a serious problem of perception by the Jewish believers in the area: '"You see , brother , how many thousands there are among the Jews of those who have believed , and they are all zealous for the Law;"' (21 :20b). Although Jerusalem was famous for its rejection of Christianity and persecution of believers (Acts 7-8) Luke tells us that rejection was only half the story. In reality, many thousands of Jews in the Jerusalem area also accepted the truth of Messiah and sought to live for him. An issue which is critical to the understanding of this passage is the nature of this group. Were they a fanatical fringe or were they the mainstream of the church of Jerusalem? Some would argue that the group of which James speaks is only a segment of the church in Judea , that in reality they are outside the mainstream because they are particularly (and perhaps overly) zealous of the Law. 222 Some would go further in assuming that this group is not only distinct from the average believer but that they also differ from the leader– ship . 223 That is , James and the elders were not zealous for the Law but encouraged Paul a they did in deference to some "weaker brethren" who were Torah observant. In response it should be noted first that the identification of this group with the instigators of the Jerusalem council (Acts 15 :1, 5) is without foundation and al o confu e the 222 Mar hall identifie the people, "The e wi ll have been the ame peopl a th converted Phari ee in 15:5," Marshall , Acts, 343. Cf. al o Bruce, Act, 430 , n. Ki temaker goe even further in identifying the e ayi ng, 'Multitud of J i h hri ti n in J ru alem and Judea trictly ob erved the law and expe t d all b lie r t d th m . Th were like the Judaizer who oppo ed Paul and Barnaba at th n lu i n of th ir fir t mi ionary journ y to ypru and A ia Min r (15 :1, 5)," im n Kit mak r , Th po ztzon of th Act of the Apo tie , w Te tam nt omm ntar ( r nd Rapid : B k r B k H u , 1 0), 758. rd broth r intim t th t J m hri t. nd th di t n th m 1 , fr m th id d th f th J ru l m