From such a situation it was inevitable that there should come dispute and controversy. The extremists on the side of the Jerusalem Church insisted on circumcision—the distinctive feature of ceremonial Judaism—as necessary to salvation and acceptance within the Church. Paul and his followers insisted on the freedom from this rite given by the essential principle of justifica tion by faith. It was the determination of this contention. in the light of the practical results of the first mission tour, that eonstituted the real question before the Je•tusalem Council; and the decision which was reached to grant the Gen tiles, with a few unessential provisos, full free dom from the ceremonial law was a result which was not only a triumph for the views of Paul, but a salvation for the Church itself. Fo•, in spite of the conviction of the Jerusalem leaders, the Church's future lay beyond Judaism, and could be reached only as the way to Christ was no longer obstructed by the forms which Judaism imposed.
From this council Paul and Barnahas returned to Antioch, and soon afterwards Paul, having dis agreed with Barnabas on some matters of their practical work. took with him Silas, who had come down with them front Jerusalem, and started upon his second missionary tour (Acts xv. 30-40). On this tour he first revisited the churches established at an earlier period in Syria and Cilieia, as well as those gathered to gether on his first journey. From one of these latter churches he secured Timothy to be a helper in his work. Upon arriving finally at Antioch in Pisidia he essayed to go farther westward into the Prdvinee of Asia, butt, being divinely forbid den, he returned northward with a view ulti //lately of entering the Province of Bithynia, but, again, being forbidden by the Holy Spirit, he turned westward to the seacoast town of Troas, the old classical region of Troy ( Acts xv. 41-xvi.8).
It is clear from his general policy of selecting the large city centres for his work that Paul's purpose in this further extension of his journey beyond Antioch had been to go to Ephesus and, when forbidden to preach there, to go northward to Byzantium, which at that time was within the Province of Bithynia. The divine prevention of this policy, confusing though it was, left him naturally convinced that the :Master had for him some distinctive mission to perform. lle was consequently in a receptive mood for the vision which came to him at Troas and called him across the water to Thrace.
In obedience to this divine direction he entered upon his first European mission, passing down along the commercial highway that gave him en trance at the important towns of Philippi, Thes salonica. and Berea and finally brought him to Athens and Corinth (Acts xvi. 9-xviii. 1). At all of these places, as far as Corinth. his mission efforts had been disappointing. either being broken off by persecution or being received with indifference and contempt. As a consequence he came at last to Corinth in a despondent frame of mind (I. Cor. ii. 3). At this last place, however,
his work was greatly blessed, and for a year and a half he and his companions remained in that region establishing churches, not only in Corinth itself, but throughout the Province of Achaia (Acts xviii. 2-11; II. Cor. i, 1). It was during the early part of his stay in Corinth that, anx ious for their welfare in the face of persecution, corrupting influences, and false teachings, he .wrote his two letters to the Thessalonians, gen erally considered the earliest of his preserved writings. (See THESSALONIANS. EPISTLES TO TILE.) From Corinth Paul returned by sea to Syria, stopping on the voyage at Ephesus long enough to reason in the synagogue and make promise of a return for more extended work. Landing finally at he went up to Jeru salem with greetings to the Church, and then returned to Antioch (Acts xviii. 18-22).
After sonic time spent there be set out upon his third mission tour, visiting again the churches of Southern Asia Minor, and in fulfillment of his promise proceeded on to Ephesus. At this large centre of activity and influence he remained at work for the greater part of three years. carrying the Gospel, either personally or through his help ers, throughout the entire seacoast Province of Asia (Acts xviii. 23-xix. 20; xx. 17-35: I. Cor. xvi. 19). During this period he was in more or less contact with the Church at Corinth. whose problems of organization, Christian brotherhood. and moral life necessitated frequent communica tion with the Apostle. This produced considerable correspondence, portions of whieh are preserved in his Corinthian Epistles. it is quite clear that late in this period, in answer to an urgent sum mons, he made a hurried trip from Ephesus to Corinth by the direct route across the sea. The occasion of the visit was evidently a new manifestation of factional tendencies in the Church. The visit was apparently quite brief, and resulted in a practical failure to straighten out the situation. (See CORINTH I NS. EPISTLES TO TILE.) Soon after his return to Ephesus from this fruitless trip Paul was obliged to leave the city, because of disturbances occasioned by pa gan resentment of his increasingly successful work. To give himself and the people at Corinth time to recover from the disappointing experi ences of his recent visit, as well as to visit the :Macedonian churches established on his previous journey, he selected the less direct route by the way of Troas (Acts six. 23-xx. 1; iT. Cor. i. 23-ii. 13). On the way he again wrote to the Corinthians and engaged in more or less mis sion work in the provinces south of Macedonia, covering the territory up to if not across the borders of Illyricum. It is quite likely that dur ing the progress of this work he received the startling news from the Galatian churches which occasioned his letter to them. (See GALATIANS.