I have to confess I have a problem with James.109 No, not the
book. I don’t have Martin Luther’s difficulty.110 But I do have a
problem with James’ attitude and actions towards Paul in Acts
21, when Paul returned to Jerusalem after his work among the
Gentiles. It was all to do with the law, the law of Moses, in
connection with converted Jews and Gentiles. And the way
James spoke to Paul, and dealt with him, does leave me in a bit
of a quandary.
Having said that, at one time Peter and Barnabas had a
problem over the very same issue at Antioch, and it needed Paul
to sort them out. Which he did. See Galatians 2. Indeed, as is
evident from the number of references to it in the apostolic
writings, the law of Moses was a very hot potato for believers in
those early days. And, for many believers today it still is. At
least, many get it wrong. Which, when you come to think about
it, is very odd. |
