The Acts of the Apostles

THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES
(15) According to the Acts (iv. 36 ff.) this Barnabas
was a member of the Primitive Community ; accord-
ing to Gal. ii. y^ff' he feels more strongly than
St. Paul his dependence upon the authority of the
Primitive Community, especially of St. Peter and
St. James ; from this it is allowable to conclude that
he belonged to the Primitive Community.
(16) In the Acts St. Mark appears in especially
close connection with St. Barnabas (xv. 37^.); from
Col. iv. 10 we learn that he was his " aveylno^.''''
(17) According to Acts xv. ^Off. Silas, a member
of the Primitive Community, was a companion of
St. Paul, who as a missionary was in a position of
almost equal authority with that Apostle ; while the
position of Timothy (xvi. 1 ff.) was more subordi-
nate ; according to 1 Thess. i. 1 ; 2 Thess. i. 1 ; S Cor.
i. 19, Silas stands before Timothy.
(18) In the Acts, even in the earliest period of the
history of the Church of Jerusalem, the number of
members is very considerable (ii. 41 ; iv. 4) ; according
to 1 Cor. XV. 6, before the appearances of our Lord
to St. James and to " the Apostles " (in a body) there
were already more than five hundred brethren in one
place (thus in Jerusalem).
(19) According to the Acts and St. Paul, reception
into the community was consummated by an act of
baptism ; but according to the Acts, Baptism does
not appear as one of the specific functions of the
apostolic office ; these were rather preaching and the
imparting of the Spirit (viii. 14 ff.) ; here 1 Cor.
i. 14, 17, forms a striking parallel.
(20) Baptism was in the name^of Jesus (Acts ii. 38,