The Acts of the Apostles

284 THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES
Lastly, in regard to the Old Testament, there
could be no satisfaction until absolutely every
kind of claim that the Jews might advance to
its possession was disproved, and it was clearly
shown that the book belonged exclusively to the
Christians.
In the writings of the Apologists, and in the Epistle
of Barnabas, these points of view have been already
reached. Between them and the Doctrine of St.
Paul as the starting-point, we can distinguish stages
of development. In regard to the question of the
nation of Israel, these stages have been briefly sketched
above on pp. xxv. s. What station in this process of
development may now be assigned to the writings of
St. Luke ?
Let us at once say
—
one that is still very ancient^ one
that by no means coincides with that of St. Paul, yet
is of equal standing with it in point of age, and
is more archaistic than that of " St. John," to say
nothing of « Barnabas " and the Apologists.
As for the Law, he has an extraordinarily high
opinion of its importance for the Jew by birth. From
the first leaf of his gospel he shows this. The Jew's
pious observance of the Law is with him a thing
worthy of the highest honour {of. Elizabeth and
Zacharias, &c.). People who were to be found daily
in the Temple are to him worthy of reverence, and it
appears to him most praiseworthy that the members
of the early Church were so conscientious in their
visits thither. It has also his full approval that
St. Paul behaved himself as a pious Jew, both in
Jerusalem and elsewhere. The Law according to St.