Featured What Did Barnabas See When He Saw the Grace of God

The NT apostolic era, JonC, was the foundation of the Christian church. It was a Jewish foundation and the same characters who were the stones of the foundation were those who ministered with Jesus to none but the physical seed of Abraham during his earthly ministry. The gospel that was preached in those days was the gospel of the kingdom and what was required in those days is that they believe that Jesus Christ is the promised Messiah of Israel and that he is the son of God. At the end of his 3.5 year ministry not a single apostle or prophet understood or believed that Jesus Christ was going to Jerusalem to die and rise again even though they were travelling there with him.

Mr 9:9 And as they came down from the mountain, he charged them that they should tell no man what things they had seen, till the Son of man were risen from the dead.
10 And they kept that saying with themselves, questioning one with another what the rising from the dead should mean.

I am telling you this because you are treating the scriptures as if they are a book of religion and there is not a record of God working out his plans in a progressive unfolding of it in time. There can not be any doubt that Acts 10 is the transition of God in his outworking of redemption that he included the gentiles, giving us the Holy Spirit through faith. As a result of this many gentiles were being saved and this is what Barnabas saw that he called the grace of God. Grace is the principle of God by which they are saved. The dispensation of the grace of God had a beginning in time with Cornelius in Acts 10 when God opened the door of faith to the gentiles.

Ac 15:7 And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe.
8 And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us;
9 And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.

Us and them. How do you process a personal testimony of an apostle who was there?

 

Then why the distinction in 60 AD? I am about to give up on you ky.

 

No I won't because you have given me an opportunity to reveal context that proves the point of my thread. Acts 14 & 15 has to do with an issue. The issue is how are gentiles saved. The Jews brought this up and insisted that Paul and Barnabas was not preaching the truth because they insisted that certain elements of the law must be practiced in addition to faith for the gentiles to be saved. So, I am going to broaden the context and let you read the whole thing for yourself. I will make a couple more comments at the end. This is at the end of the first of Paul's missionary journey's to the gentiles. My guess is about 49 AD.

Acts 14:19 ¶ And there came thither certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium, who persuaded the people, and, having stoned Paul, drew him out of the city, supposing he had been dead.
20 Howbeit, as the disciples stood round about him, he rose up, and came into the city: and the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe.
21 And when they had preached the gospel to that city, and had taught many, they returned again to Lystra, and to Iconium, and Antioch,
22 Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.
23 And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed.
24 And after they had passed throughout Pisidia, they came to Pamphylia.
25 And when they had preached the word in Perga, they went down into Attalia:
26 And thence sailed to Antioch (Syria), from whence they had been recommended to the grace of God for the work which they fulfilled.
27 And when they were come, and had gathered the church together, they rehearsed all that God had done with them, and how he had opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles.
28 And there they abode long time with the disciples.

Acts 15:1 ¶ And certain men (Jews) which came down (to Antioch, Syria) from Judaea taught the brethren (the saved gentiles), and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved.
2 When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question.
3 And being brought on their way by the church, they passed through Phenice and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles: and they caused great joy unto all the brethren.
4 And when they were come to Jerusalem, they were received of the church, and of the apostles and elders, and they declared all things that God had done with them.
5 But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.

6 ¶ And the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter.
7 And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren (remember, the church in Jerusalem and the apostles and elders, i.e. prophets), ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us (this is in Acts 10), that the Gentiles by my mouth (Peter's mouth) should hear the word of the gospel, and believe.
8 And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them (gentiles) the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us (Jews in Acts 2);
9 And put no difference (in how salvation is given by God) between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith (not faith plus law).
10 Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?
11 But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we (Jews) shall be saved, even as they (gentites).(by believing the gospel and without works of the law)
12 Then all the multitude kept silence, and gave audience to Barnabas and Paul, declaring what miracles and wonders God had wrought among the Gentiles by them.
13 And after they had held their peace, James answered, saying, Men and brethren, hearken unto me:
14 Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name.
15 And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written,
16 After this I will return, (remember the prophetic parable of Jesus that I have already referenced in Lk 19) and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up:
17 That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things.
18 Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world (<165>.=aion = age=time frame)
19 Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God:
20 But that we (apostles) write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood.
21 For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day.

22 ¶ Then pleased it the apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas; namely, Judas surnamed Barsabas, and Silas, chief men among the brethren:
23 And they wrote letters by them after this manner; The apostles and elders and brethren send greeting unto the brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia:
24 Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, Ye must be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave no such commandment:
25 It seemed good unto us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men unto you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,
26 Men that have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
27 We have sent therefore Judas and Silas, who shall also tell you the same things by mouth.
28 For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things;
29 That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well.
30 So when they were dismissed, they came to Antioch: and when they had gathered the multitude together, they delivered the epistle:
31 Which when they had read, they rejoiced for the consolation.
32 And Judas and Silas, being prophets also themselves, exhorted the brethren with many words, and confirmed them (with the sign gifts of an apostle and prophet - See Mark 16 - This is the reason Luke makes us understand that Judas and Silas were of the 70 prophets - The Jews require a sign 1 Cor 1:22 and the apostles and prophets had been given the sign gifts,).
33 And after they (Judas and Silas) had tarried there a space, they were let go in peace from the brethren unto the apostles.(who were in Jerusalem)

Now ky, you would have to put forth a great effort to keep from understanding the point here that there were gentile believers and Jewish believers in this context and the issue they are dealing with is how to be saved. The conclusion is that both Jew and gentiles are saved by hearing the word of the gospel of Jesus Christ and believing it from the heart. If you say you do not understand this then you are being dishonest, and ky, I have not thought that you are dishonest.

God is not trying to make Jew and gentile one or the other. Think with logic and reason and faith in the words above.

I believe Acts 15:8, and 11 above makes the case.

 

That is not an answer to the question. Here is the question;

What Did Barnabas See When He Saw the Grace of God