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

CHAPTER TWO THE BOOK OF ACTS: GENTILES ARE ADDED TO THE (JEWISH) CHURCH Introduction The transitions of the book of Acts dominate its structure. The geographical movement from Jerusalem to Rome and the movement of personalities from Peter to Paul are all recognized. They are often interpreted as a movement away from Jewish Jerusalem to pagan Rome or from Jewish Peter to Gentile Paul 1 • In this type of meaning the Church , born at Pentecost has Jewish roots but quickly outgrows them as the Jewish people persistently reject their Messiah and He rejects them and their Law. With Acts 7 the rejection of Me iah is mirrored and confirmed in the stoning of Stephen and the Mosaic fortress begin to crumble . A major quake is felt in the abrogation of dietary laws (Acts 10) and by the Jerusalem council (Acts 15) 2 all that is left are a few after hocks a the leader hip admit that 1 "Judaism and Chri tianity; Legali m and Grace; the Kingdom and the hur h · th are in contra t, at pole apart, and defy all attempt at reconciliation. I hma l- 'th ild-a man' - untamed and untamable, the on of the bond woman, i unalterabl pp d t I aac-' laughter' - pontaneou and obedient , the on of the fre woman. . . . In Th B k f the Act there i revealed the pa ing of Judai m, and the inc ming f hri tianit : h r in we ee h th old wine- kins of legali m are with ut tr ngth to r train th p n i pirit f the new wine of grace," Arno . Gaeb l in, The A ts of the Apostle ( J r 01zeaux Broth r , 1 61), 3. un ii ttl d thi matt r arl in m tt r 1 und 1 th L