Q. “E. W. M.” Did the ministry of Paul, concerning “one body,” the church, commence when he was a prisoner at Rome? Because, at the conclusion of his oral testimony in Acts 26, he says to Agrippa that he was “saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come.” Now we know his written testimony goes much beyond this.
Does the Acts at all comprehend the church of God as united to Christ in heavenly glory? and is the distinction of Jew and Gentile (the absence of which characterizes the church) maintained all through the Acts?
A. In Paul’s answer before Agrippa you will find many more things stated than those embraced in verses 22, 23. The union of the saints with Christ on high is owned of the Lord by the words, “Why persecutest thou me?” (Acts 9:4). Paul was to be a minister and a witness of what he had seen, i.e, the appearing of a glorified Christ, and of those things in which He would appear to Paul — embracing fresh revelations of truth communicated through him at subsequent seasons, for all truth was not communicated to him at the moment of his conversion. But the Jews, being his accusers, and king Agrippa being one who knew the prophets and was versed in the Jewish Scriptures, the statements of the verses quoted (Acts 26:22,23), rather show that he was saying nothing contrary to the testimony of God in the Scriptures, which the Jews who accused him professed to accept.
Besides, Paul wrote 1 Corinthians during the early part of his stay at Ephesus, and sent it by Titus (compare Acts 19:22, with 1 Corinthians 16:8-10, 2 Corinthians 7:6). In it he taught the doctrine of the Church as “one body” (see chapter 12. He also wrote the Epistle to the Romans from Corinth during his ministrations there (see Rom. 16:1), where he commends Phoebe, who served the assembly at Cenchrea, near to Corinth; and in it he speaks of the practical relationship of Christ’s members as “one body” in chapter 12.
His ministry of the church as “one body” was no new thing when at Rome. He had taught it all through before he became the prisoner of Jesus Christ.
We must remember that Acts is transitional in its character. Jewish Christians were emerging from Judaism, and God thought of the strong prejudices of His ancient people, and forbore with them until the last testimony to them in Hebrews to “go forth unto him, without the camp” (Heb. 13:13) before Jerusalem was destroyed by the armies of Titus (compare Matt. 22:7). The Acts is historic Scripture, the Epistles are doctrinal. This accounts for much; but strong traces abound throughout the book of the Acts to prove that the doctrine of “one body,” the church, was the groundwork of all, and that care was taken to maintain the unity. Samaria must receive the Holy Spirit from Jerusalem (Acts 8). Antioch was not permitted to settle the question as to the law, and so to create a breach with Jerusalem (Acts 15). Jerusalem herself must surrender the right of imposing the law on Gentiles. So in many instances.
Words of Truth 5:218, 219.