GENTLENESS
GIFTS
449
that their work of showing the things of Christ to all the nations upon earth was His work, and making their preaching of them effectual unto salvation in every part of the Empire. After this, St. Luke's principal object is to describe the triumphant progress of the gospel from Antioch to Rome.
It does not fall within the scope of this article to trace the liistory of the attempt made by a large section of the adherents of Judaistic Christianity to obstruct and even to wreck tlie Gentile mission. Before St. Paul's missionary labours were ended, it was evident that this attempt had completely failed. The energetic remonstrance which he had addressed to St. Peter at Antioch on his withdrawing himself from table-fellowship with the Gentiles, and of which we may infer from 1 Co 3^- that St. Peter had acknowledged the justice, probably had an import- ant effect in settling the question of Gentile rights. Fourteen or fifteen years later, St. Paul had the happiness of testifying to wdiat his eyes had seen of ' the mystery of God ' now revealed, ' that the Gentiles are fellow-heirs, and fellow-members of the body, and fellow-partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel' (Eph S*^). While Gentile Christianity increased, Judaistic Christian- ity decreased, and, after losing its local centre at Jerusalem, it became 'the shadow of a shade.' In the striking words of Guthe {EBi 2211), ' When Christianity and Judaism gradually separated, it was as if a mighty river had changed its bed : a feeble current still crept along the old channel, but the main, the perennial stream flowed elsewhere.' (For the countries in which the Gentile mission had gained a footing before the close of the Apos- tolic Age, see Gwatkin, Early Church Hist. i. 113.)
Literature. — J. Adam, The Rel. Teachers of Greece, Edin- burg-h, 1908, pp. 2, 298, 373, The Vitality of Platovixin, Cam- bridfje, 1911, pp. 179, 186, 228; W. H. Bennett, EFd 1679 fl. ; A. Bonus, iJCGi. 641 f.; F. C. Burkitt, The Gospel History and its Transmission, Edinburgh, 1906, p. 188 ; S. Dill, Roman Society from Nero to Marciis Anrelius, rx)ndon, 1904; S. R. Driver, Joel and Amos, Canibridpre, 1897, p. 223 ; EcpT xx. [1908-09] 304 ; A. E. Garvie, HUB v. 323; Grimm-Thayer, s.vv. eSi'os, Aaos ; H. Guthe, EDi 2277 ; H. M. Gwatkin, Early Chtirch History to AD. 313, London, 1909, i. 1-114 ; A. Harnack, Expansion of Christianity, Eng;. tr.,do. 1904-05, i. 1-S5, The Acts of the AjMstles, do. 1909, pp. xxx, 51, Date of the Acts, do. 1911, pp. 124, 126; W. J. Henderson, DOG ii. 193; E. G. Hirsch, JE V. 615 ff. ; F. J. A. Hort, Judaistic Christianity, Cambridtre and London, 1894, p. 35; J. Kelman, DCG ii. 296 ff. ; R. H. Kennett, 7'he ' Servant of the Lord,' London, 1911, pp. 11-28, 55 ; E. Konig, 'The Consummation of tlie OT in Jesus Christ,' Expositor, 8th ser., iv. [1912] 1, 97 ; A. C. McGiffert, EREi. 626 ff. ; J. Orr, HDR ii. 850 ff. ; W. M. Ramsay, St. Paul the Traveller, London, 1S95, p. 67, and 'The Thousrht of Paul,' Ex- positor, 8th ser., ii. [1911] 289 ff.; J. Reid, bCG ii. 194; H. Schultz, OT Theolofjij,Eng. tr., Edinburgh, 1892, ii. 13, 373; J. A. Selbie, HDB ii. 149; H. Sidgwick, History of Ethics, London, 1886, pp. 96, 98 ; J. Skinner, Isaiah, Cambridire, 1896- 98, ii. 230 ; W. R. Smith, EBi iii. 3063 ; H. B. Swete, The Holt/ Spirit in the NT, London, 1909, pp. 78, 104 ; T. Zahn, Introd. to i\T, Eng. tr., Edinburgh, 1909, L 373.
James Donald. GENTLENESS.— See Meekness.
GHOST.— See Holy Spirit.
GIDEON (FeSeciv). — Gideon was a man of valour who, according to Jg 6-8, received a visit from Jahweh's messenger, overturned the altar of Baal, saved Israel from the hand of Midian, chastised the men of Succoth, and finally refused a crown. He is merely named in Hebrews (IP-) among the ancients who Avrought great deeds by faith, time failing the author to recount the achievements of all bis heroes. James Strahan.
GIFTS. — We may distinguish for the purpose of this article between gifts and giving generally, and the particular endowments which are connoted by the term x°-p''-'^f^°-T°-j translated in AV and KV •gifts.'
VOL. 1. — 29
1. General. — It is clear that in the Apostolic Age the Church had learnt the implications of the fact of the Incarnation. From the literature of the time w^e note the connexion between the gift of God's grace in Christ, the 'unspeakable gift' (2 Co 9^^), and the ethical practice of Christ's followers. The Greek verbs didwini and dwpiofxai are hallowed by new associations and duties to which both the theology and ethic of Christianity give notable contributions. Specific deeds of charity and kindness (see ALMS) enter naturally, as the result of our Lord's teaching, into Christian practice (see art. CHRISTIAN Life for the appoint- ment of deacons and systematic giving in the Church). The generosity of Stephanas (I Co 16'*), which impelled him at his own expense to journey to the Apostle with Fortunatus and Achaicus (his slaves), is singled out by St. Paul for special men- tion, as setting forth a new duty to the Church on the lines of the old Greek Xeirovpyia or service done to the State. The same Epistle (1 Co 16') empha- sizes the duty of the Christian community in the matter of the collection {q.v.) : St. Paul insists on the duty of supporting not only the Church and its ministry but also poorer churches at a distance (2 Co 8'"* 9'-''*) and of supplying a portion for the communion-meal, while his eulogy of cheer- ful giving (2 Co 9') in general sets the standard and model of Christian liberality and of systematic gifts to spiritual objects, to the support of the poor and helpless (cf. Aristides, Apol. xv. ), as well as to the furtherance of the gospel. Philanthropy is bound up with the Christian life and can never be dissociated from it.