Ang pagtutol ni Eli sa aming tv dialogue noong 2003, na si San Pedro ang Pangulo ng mga Apostol at pangulo sa Konsilyo sa Herusalem, ay lumang estilo na ng mga anti-Catholics, katulad din sa walang laman na pagtutol ni James White na Protestanteng debatedor sa America. Kaya, mga kapatid, basahing mabuti ang pamamahayag ko sa ibaba. (Note: kung di-masyado maka-gets ng sinulat ko, kasi isinulat ko noon ito sa English, magpaturo lamang sa mga kapatid nyo riyan sa Dating Daan).
Protestant Objection: “In Acts 15 we read about a council of the early Church held at Jerusalem. Much has been made of this council and its relevance for claims of Petrine primacy. Let us note the important features of this account. In verse 6 we read, ‘The apostles and the elders came together to look into this matter.” It does not say that the Pope and the apostles and the elders met. Peter is plainly considered as an Apostle, as all the rest. The council is not under the direction of Peter. As the bishop of Jerusalem, James directs the proceedings. Peter addresses the group not as a Pope, but as an Apostle used by God to bring the Gospel to the Gentiles.” (The Roman Catholic Controversy, p.112).
My Answer: It was St. Peter who presided the Council in Jerusalem, not James. It was Peter who stood up and settled the matter that no one could solve, whether the gentile converts be circumcised or not. Starting with verse 7, Peter said,
“Men and brethren, you know that a good while ago God chose among us, that by MY mouth (not Apostle James’ mouth)the Gentiles should hear the word of the Gospel and believe.”
It was actually Peter, not James, who was chosen by God to open the doors for the salvation of gentiles. Peter then argued that the Jews should not impose circumcision for the gentiles.
Verses 10-11 give the concluding remarks of Peter, “Now, therefore, why do you test God by putting a yoke on the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we are able to bear? But we believe that through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved in the same manner as they” (NKJV).
Peter has solved the problem which no other Apostle can solve. Then the whole assembly became silent after the conclusion and decision made by St. Peter.
What James did, as the host of the Council, being the bishop of Jerusalem, was to concur (agree) with what Peter had decided. In verse 19, James, not himself a member of the 12 Apostles, said:
“Therefore I judge that we (the Jews of James’ bishopric) should not trouble those from among the gentiles who are turning to God”.
James merely followed what Peter has declared for both the Jews and gentiles alike.
Mons. Bertrand Conway clarified, “The translation in the King James version of krino, ‘my sentence is’ (Acts 15:19) should be ‘I think; I am of the opinion’; as we learn from other passages of the Acts (13:46; 16:15; 26:8). James gave no special decision on the question, but merely expressed the views that had been adopted at the meeting spoken of in Gal.2:6. Moreover the decree is attributed to the Council of Apostles and Presbyters, assisted by the Holy Spirit (Acts 16:4; 15:8), and not to James personally. (The Question Box, p. 152).
Kahit ano mang paniwala ni Soriano na si Santiago ang mas pangulo pa kay Pedro, nanatiling MALING paniniwala niya iyon. Ang mge ebidensya ay nagtuturo na si San Pedro, bilang unang lider ng mga Apostoles ay siyang nag-solve ng napakahagang problema sa Konsilyo sa Herusalem. Si Santiago ay sumang-ayon lamang sa kanya.
O, ano ang maisasagot niyo mga pareng taga-Dating Daan. Mananatili pa ba kayo riyan sa Dating kamalian nyo?
