Acts 21:18

V. PAUL IN COUNCIL WITH JAMES ARREST SENT TO CESAREA, Acts 21:18 to Acts 23:35.

1. Paul, James, and Elders , Acts 21:18-25 .

18. Went in with us As principal with his followers. This is a formal and fully appointed assemblage on both sides.

James Our readers may trace him through our notes on Matthew 10:3; John 7:3; Acts 1:14-15 entire. A fuller portraiture of his remarkable character we hope to furnish introductory to the Epistle of James. No contemporaneous proof whatever exists that he was ever ordained to an official order above the eldership. If, however, there was any man living at this primitive day who could claim to be a pope, a universal pontiff and bishop of the Christian Church, it was this brother of Christ, this spiritual potentate to whom the embassy and the tribute are paid, this prince of the house of David in David’s ancient capital.

Elders were present As Paul is attended by his full suite, so the presbytery of James receive them in full session. The two bodies, therefore, meet, headed by the two illustrious personages whom, perhaps, the unanimous vote of each of the two great sections of the Church, the Judaic and Gentilic, would have recognised as the representative men. The great question of the Church of that age is before them as stated in notes on Acts 10:1; Acts 11:19 and Acts 15:6.