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

73 Rejection of Jewish People and Jerusalem In distinction to the institutions of Israel, are the people and place where they live an object of rejection? Luke answers clearly in the negative . Although many of the leadership reject Stephen's message, Luke is careful to inform us just before the speech that the word kept on spreading and that "the number of the disciples continued to increase greatly in Jerusalem," to which he adds "a great many of the priests were becoming obedient to the faith" (6:7). Although the subsequent persecution drives many from the city , the apostles remain (8:1) and when Luke describes the church in the city some twenty years later , 66 it is composed of "many thousands of believers" (21:20). While some of the people may have rejected Stephen's testimony, many did not. In addition, the leading role of the church of Jerusalem did not seem to be affected by the martyrdom of Stephen any more than it was by the martyrdom of Jesus. Luke .; continues to "use Jerusalem as the hub of the wheel of the church. " 67 The apostles remain in Jerusalem (8: 1) and the mission to Samaria is legitimized only when the apostles come from Jerusalem (8: 14-17) . Paul was brought there for confirmation of his calling (11:27) and Peter reported back to the apostles and brothers in Jerusalem when the door wa opened to Gentile (11 :4 ff .). Clearly, the most important council in the growth of the early church which involved the place of Gentiles in the church was decided in Jeru alem (15: 1-29) . Thu according to Luke the central role played by the church at Jeru alem i ba i all unaff t d b the Jeru alem Jew , " Hur t, The Epi tle to the Hebrew , 165 r f rring t ntile Mi ion, 135-3 . Wil n, d npti n 61 D 1d A d il r d I t1tuti n," f A. D . 5 t r t ph n' m rt rd m nd .D . 7 f r J m ' 1) . nin t ph n: Pur m nd n nd n- 'heologi a 17 (1 ) : 1