increase. Now Christ's parables were explained; in which he resembled the kingdom of heaven to a little leaven, which in time leavened the whole lump; to a grain of mustard-seed, which, though very inconsiderable at first, grew to a great tree; and to the seed which a man sowed in his ground, and it sprang up he knew not how.
III. How they at length came back to Antioch in Syria, from whence they were sent forth upon this expedition. From Attalia they came by sea to Antioch, v. 26. And we are here told,
1. Why they came thither; because from thence they had been recommended to the grace of God, and such a value did they put upon a solemn recommendation to the grace of God, though they had themselves a great interest in heaven, that they never thought they could shew respect enough to those who had so recommended them. They having recommended them to the grace of God, for the work which they fulfilled; now that they had fulfilled it, they thought they owed them an account of it, that they might help them by their praises, as they had done by their prayers.
2. What account they gave them of their negociation; (v. 27.) They gathered the church together. It is probable that the christians at Antioch were more than ordinarily met, or could meet, in one place, but on this occasion they called together the leading men of them; as the heads of the tribes are often called the congregation of Israel, so the ministers and principal members of the church at Antioch are called the church; or perhaps as many of the people as the place would hold came together on that occasion. Or, some met at one time, or in one place, and others at another. But when they had them together, they gave them an account of two things:
(1.) Of the tokens they had had of the divine presence with them in their labours; They rehearsed all that God had done with them. They did not tell what they had done, (that would have savoured of vain-glory,) but of what God had done with them and by them. Note, The praise of all the little good we do at any time must be ascribed to God; for it is he that not only worketh in us both to will and to do, but then worketh with us to make what we do successful. God's grace can do any thing without ministers' preaching: but ministers' preaching, even Paul's, can do nothing without God's grace; and the operations of that grace must be acknowledged in the efficacy of the word.
(2.) Of the fruit of their labours among the heathen. They told how God had opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles; had not only ordered them to be invited to the gospel-feast, but had inclined the hearts of many of them to accept the invitation. Note. [1.] There is no entering into the kingdom of Christ but by the door of faith; we must firmly believe in Christ, or we have no part in him. [2.] It is God that opens the door of faith, that opens to us the truths we are to believe, opens our hearts to receive them, and makes this a wide door, and an effectual, into the church of Christ. [3.] We have reason to be thankful that God has opened the door of faith to the Gentiles, has both sent them his gospel, which is made known to all nations for the obedience of faith, (Rom. 16. 26.) and has also given them hearts to entertain the gospel. Thus the gospel was spread, and it shined more and more, and none was able to shut this door which God had opened; not all the powers of hell and earth.
3. How they disposed of themselves for the present; There they abode long time with the disciples, (v. 28.) longer than perhaps at first they intended; not because they feared their enemies, but because they loved their friends, and were loath to part from them.
CHAP. XV.
Hitherto we have, with a great deal of pleasure, attended the apostles in their glorious travels for the propagating of the gospel in foreign parts; have seen the bounds of the church enlarged by the accession both of Jews and Gentiles to it; and thanks be to that God who always caused them to triumph! We left them, in the close of the foregoing chapter, reposing themselves at Antioch, and edifying the church there with the rehearsal of their experiences, and it is pity they should ever be otherwise employed; but in this chapter we find other work (nothing so pleasant) cut out for them. The christians and ministers are engaged in controversy, and they that should have been now busied in enlarging the dominions of the church, have as much as they can do to compose the divisions of it; when they should have been making war upon the devil's kingdom: they have much ado to keep the peace in Christ's kingdom. Yet that occurrence and the record of it are of great use to the church, both for warning to us to expect such unhappy discords among christians, and direction to us what method to take for the accommodating of them. Here is, I. A controversy raised at Antioch by the judaizing teachers, who would have the believing Gentiles brought under the yoke of circumcision and the ceremonial law, v. 1, 2. II. A consultation had with the Church at Jerusalem about this matter, and the sending of delegates thither for that purpose, which occasioned the starting of the same question there, v. 2..5. III. An account of what passed in the synod that was convened upon this occasion, v. 6. What Peter said, v. 7..11. What Paul and Barnabas discoursed of, v. 12. And lastly, what James proposed for the settling of this matter, v. 15..21. IV. The result of this debate, and the circular letter that was written to the Gentile converts, directing them how to govern themselves with respect to the Jews, v. 22..29. V. The delivering of this determination to the church at Antioch, and the satisfaction it gave them, v. 30..35. VI. A second expedition designed by Paul and Barnabas to preach to the Gentiles, in which they quarrelled about their assistant, and parted upon it, one steering one course, and the other another, v. 36..41.
1.AND certain men which came down from Judea taught the brethren, 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.
Even when things go on very smoothly and pleasantly in a state or in a church, it is folly to be secure, and to think the mountain stands strong, and cannot be moved; some uneasiness or other will arise, which is not foreseen, cannot be prevented, but must be prepared for. If ever there was a heaven upon earth, surely it was in the church at Antioch at this time, when there were so many excellent ministers there, and blessed Paul among them, building up that church in their most holy faith. But
