Paul: Conflicts and Confrontations Quiz

Answer: Watched the clothes of the witnesses

The witnesses who accused Stephen of blasphemy would have been the ones to cast the first stones. This required them to remove their garments, which they then laid at the feet of Saul (Acts 7:58). Apparently, Saul silently watched over the garments while the witnesses began the stoning.

It is unknown whether or not he himself participated in the casting of stones, but it was clear that he "was consenting unto [Stephen's] death" (Acts 8:1).

Answer: Peter

Peter, after his vision in which God told him not to call unclean what God Himself had made clean, dined regularly with the Gentiles. But when James sent envoys to Antioch to see what was happening, Peter apparently feared their judgment, and he withdrew himself from the company of the Gentiles. For this, Paul rebuked Peter "to the face" and in public "before them all" (Galatians 2:11-14).

Answer: Timothy

In I Corinthians 7:18, Paul said, "Is any called in uncircumcision? let him not be circumcised." But in Acts 16, Paul circumcised Timothy "because of the Jews which were in those quarters." Paul may have compromised on this point because Timothy was a half-Jew, and his lack of circumcision may have been a roadblock when the pair attempted to witness to the Jews.

This was before Paul began to direct his mission solely to the Gentiles. Paul did not require Titus, who was fully Gentile, to be circumcised (Galatians 2:3).

Answer: Barnabas

Paul proposed that they revisit the cities where they had witnessed, and Barnabas wished to take John Mark with them. Paul, however, believed John Mark was not fit to accompany them, because he had apparently abandoned them in their work in the past. Barnabas stood his ground, "And the contention was so sharp between them, that they departed asunder one from the other: and so Barnabas took Mark, and sailed unto Cyprus; And Paul chose Silas, and departed" (Acts 15:39-40).

Answer: James

James says this in 2:21, and goes onto argue, "Ye see then how that by works man is justified, and not by faith only" (2:25). Though some have seen this as a conflict of theology between James and Paul, both teachings are a part of canonical scripture, and Christians have argued that they can be easily reconciled. James, they contend, is merely saying that a faith not evidenced by works is not a true, saving faith; man, therefore, is justified by the kind of true faith that is made visible in works, and not by simply saying that he has faith: "What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man SAY he hath faith, and have not works?" (James 2:14; emphasis added). Paul likewise agrees that true faith will be evidenced in a life of good works: "For by grace are ye saved through faith . . . For we are . . . created unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them" (Ephesians 2:8-10). Christ put it like this: "Every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.

A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit . . . by their fruits ye shall know them" (Matthew 7:17-20).

Answer: Bar-Jesus

This occurs in Acts 13. Bar-Jesus, also called Elymas, was a false prophet who attempt to impede Barnabas and Paul from successfully witnessing to the deputy of the area. Bar-Jesus was blinded for his interference, and the deputy, seeing this miracle, believed.

Answer: Jews

"These men, being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our city, and teach customs, which are not lawful for us to receive, neither to observe, being Romans" (Acts 16:20). The men were then beaten and imprisoned, and later the magistrates sent to release them. Paul made a point of the fact that he was a Roman, and said, "let them come themselves and fetch us out" (16:37). Alarmed to learn Paul was a Roman citizen (whom before they regarded merely as a "Jew"), the magistrates personally brought him out of prison.

Answer: All of these

He disputed with the Jews in the synagogues, and with a host of other people in the market. He was brought by the Greek philosophers to Areopagus for public debate, where he defended his beliefs. Some mocked his beliefs, and others mulled them over. (See Acts 17:17-34)

Answer: Ananias

Paul went on to upbraid Annanias for presuming to judge him by the law, while at the same time hitting him contrary to the law. The council then asked Paul if he dared to revile the high priest, and he replied with apology, saying he did not know Ananias was the high priest, and if he had, he would not have confronted him with such words, "for it is written, Thou shalt not speak evil of the ruler of thy people." Paul then turned the Pharisees and Sadducees against one another, stirring up a major confrontation, so that the chief captain, fearing Paul would be "pulled in pieces," had him escorted away by soldiers. (Acts 23:3-10)

Answer: Both of these

In Romans 14, Paul said that even though wine, meat, and "all things indeed are pure," he who eats these things without believing in his liberty to do so sins against his own conscience: "but it is evil for that man who eateth with offense." Therfore, Paul advised, "It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak . . . We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves" (Romans 14:21-15:1).