The service in Jerusalem must have occupied Barnabas and Saul for a considerable time. They acted as adminis- trators (Siclkovoi) of the relief; and it becomes evident how much is implied in the words of XI 29, XII 25 from the comparison of VI 1 " the daily ministration " of food to the poor. The same term (Siaicovia) that is used in these cases is applied (with tov \6yov understood) to the steady con- stant work of a missionary or an apostle, XX 24, XXI 19, I 17, 25, VI 4. The Antiochian delegates did not merely act as carriers of money ; they stayed in Jerusalem through the famine and acted as providers and distributors, using all the opportunity of encouraging and comforting the dis-
52 The Church in Antioch. Chap. III.
tressed that was thus afforded. In this way Saul's second visit to Jerusalem was an important moment in the develop- ment of the Church, and is related as such by Luke : it united far-distant parts of the Church at a great crisis ; it gave to the poor in Jerusalem the sense of brotherhood with the Antiochian brethren, and to the Antiochian con- gregation that consciousness of native life and power which comes only from noble work nobly done. But for this end it was necessary that the work should be done from first to last by the Antiochian congregation, and that every starving disciple in Jerusalem should realise that he owed his relief to his brethren at Antioch. Great part of the effect would have been lost, if the delegates had merely handed a sum of money to the leaders in Jerusalem to dis- tribute ; and the author, who is so sparing of words, does not fail to assure us that the two delegates " completed the ministration " before they returned to Antioch.
It must be noticed that only the Elders at Jerusalem are here mentioned, whereas in XV Paul and Barnabas were sent to the Apostles and Elders. The marked difference may probably be connected with the author's conception of the appropriate duties of each. In XV, when a matter of conduct and principle was in question, the Apostles were primarily concerned ; but when it was a matter of the dis- tribution of food, the Apostles were not concerned, for it was right that they should not " serve tables," but " continue in the ministry of the word " (VI 2-4). It would have been quite natural to say that the contributions were sent to the congregation, or to the Brethren, in Jerusalem ; and it is apparent that here the Elders represent the congregation of Jerusalem as directors of its practical working, while in XV the Apostles and Elders represent the Church in every aspect.
Sec. 3. The Antiochian Collection for the Poor. 53
The omission of the Apostles in XI 29 is commonly ex- plained on other grounds, not very honourable to them. Even Lightfoot says: "the storm of persecution had broken over the Church of Jerusalem. One leading Apostle had been put to death ; another, rescued by a miracle, had fled for his life. It is probable that every Christian of rank had re- tired from the city. No mention is made of the Twelve ; the salutations of the Gentile Apostles are received by 'the Elders '. They arrived charged with alms for the relief of the poor brethren of Jerusalem, Having deposited these in trustworthy hands, they would depart with all convenient speed." But Luke expressly says that the administration of the relief was performed in detail by the two Antiochian delegates (XII 25) ; and one can only marvel that Light- foot ever stooped to the idea that they sneaked into the city and sneaked out hastily again, leaving the poor without a single " Christian of rank " to minister to them. Nor is there any good reason to think that the Apostles all fled from Jerusalem, and left the disciples to look after themselves. It was not men like that who carried Christi- anity over the empire within a few years. Such an act of cowardice should not be attributed to the Apostles without distinct evidence ; and here the evidence tells in the opposite direction : (1) at the far more serious persecution following the death of Stephen, " all were scattered abroad except the Apostles" (VIII 1): (2) it is implied that "James and the Brethren" were in Jerusalem, when Peter escaped from prison and retired (XII 17) ; and immediately after, Herod went away and the persecution was at an end. The author oi Acts evidently had the impression that the guidance of affairs rested with the Apostles in Jerusalem ; and they are conceived by him as being there permanently, except when absent on a special mission.