Paul was well aware that there were not a few, even among the Christians of Palestine, by whom he was regarded with jealousy or dislike; and he had reason to believe that the agitation for the observance of the ceremonial law, which had disturbed the Churches of Galatia, had been promoted by the zealots of the Hebrew metropolis.  But he had a strong attachment to the land of his fathers; and he felt deeply interested in the well-being of his brethren in Judea.  They were generally in indigent circumstances; for, after the crucifixion, when the Spirit was poured out on the day of Pentecost, those of them who had property “sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need;” [132:1] and, ever since, they had been harassed and persecuted by their unbelieving countrymen.  “The poor saints” that were in Jerusalem [132:2] had, therefore, peculiar claims on the kind consideration of the disciples in other lands; and Paul had been making collections for their benefit among their richer co-religionists in Greece and Asia Minor.  A considerable sum had been thus provided; and that there might be no misgivings as to its right appropriation, individuals chosen by the contributors had been appointed to travel with the apostle, and to convey it to Jerusalem. [132:3] The number of the deputies appears to have been seven, namely, “Sopater of Berea; and of the Thessalonians, Aristech’s and Secundus; and Gaius of Derbe, and Timotheus; and of Asia, Tychicus and Trophimus.” [132:4] The apostle knew that he had enemies waiting for his halting; and as they would willingly have seized upon any apology for accusing him of tampering with this collection, he, no doubt, deemed it prudent to put it into other hands, and thus place himself above challenge.  But he appears to have had a farther reason for suggesting the appointment of these commissioners.  He was, in all likelihood, desirous that his brethren in Judea should have a favourable specimen of the men who constituted “the first fruits of the Gentiles;” and as all the deputies selected to accompany him to Jerusalem seem to have been persons of an excellent spirit, he probably reckoned that their wise and winning behaviour would do much to disarm the hostility of those who had hitherto contended so strenuously for the observance of the Mosaic ceremonies.  Solomon has said that “a man’s gift maketh room for him;” [133:1] and if Gentile converts could ever expect a welcome reception from those who were zealous for the law, it was surely when they appeared as the bearers of the liberality of the Gentile Churches.