_
James is not writing as an apostle to assemblies and believers. He is
writing as a servant of the absent rightful King of Israel (John
1.49). He is writing to expatriate Israel. (James is the oldest
half-brother of our Lord (Matt 13.55). His position is similar to
that of the Empress Eugenie who became Regent of France when her
husband, Napoleon III, was captured by the Prussians.)
Acts
15:13-21 KJV And after they had held their peace, James
answered, saying, Men and brethren, hearken unto me: (14) [...] (19)
Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among
the Gentiles are turned to God: (20) But that we write unto them,
that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and
from things strangled, and from blood. (21) For Moses of old time
hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues
every sabbath day.
_
As Regent, James declares what is acceptable to the Nation of Israel
as far as the participation of Gentiles in the assemblies is
concerned. These restrictions are accepted by the Assembly. The
restrictions are not permanent law for the assemblies. This would
lead to the Galatian error, with these restrictions substituted for
circumcision. The restrictions are part of a temporary
co-dispensation in which there was valid testimony from both the
Assembly and the faithful remnant of Israel.
Genesis
8:20-9:4 KJV And Noah builded an altar unto the LORD; and took
of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt
offerings on the altar. (21) And the LORD smelled a sweet savour;
and the LORD said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any
more for man's sake; for the imagination of man's heart is evil from
his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as
I have done. (22) [...] (9:1) And God blessed Noah and his sons,
and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the
earth. (2) [...] (4) But flesh with the life thereof, which is
the blood thereof, shall ye not eat.
_
The covenant of Noah, one between God, and all men (including
Gentiles) and all animals, is the source of the restrictions James
places on Gentile Christians. Those who read Moses know that Gentiles
ought to obey these restraints. In the judgment of the Regent of
Israel, those who accept the restrictions ought to be acceptable to
those under the Law of Moses. Sacrifices to idols are contrary to the
offerings which are at the heart of the covenant. Fornication, a
diversion of reproductive capacity, is contrary to the command to be
fruitful and multiply. Eating of blood is directly condemned. Eating
things strangled is generally the same as eating blood since the
blood is not drained by the method of slaughter.
I2C
150928aa Jam1v1 James the Regent | I2C | 150928 1442 et
