But Peter said, “I do not possess silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you: In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene–walk!”
— Acts 3:6
You see, brother, how many thousands there are among the Jews of those who have believed, and they are all zealous for the Law.
— Acts 21:20b
In Acts 21, which took place perhaps 20 years after Peter healed the lame man in Acts 3, Paul arrived in Jerusalem and met with James, the brother of the Lord. There he was told that there were tens of thousands in the church who were zealous after the law, and he was persuaded to do something to convince the church there that he was also supportive of the law (Acts 21:18-27).
I do not know why Paul went along with that, but if that had been accomplished rather than interrupted (21:27-30), I believe we would feel the ramifications of Paul’s failure even today.
Adapted from Oneness and the One Accord, page 83.
Tomorrow: “Beware of the Elements of the World” (2)