They vindicated their position, which was in opposition to that of Paul, by showing that the course of the apostle, in receiving the Gentiles into the church without circumcision, prevented more Jews from accepting the faith than there were accessions from the Gentiles. Thus they excused their opposition to the results of the calm deliberations of God’s acknowledged servants. They refused to admit that the work of Christ embraced the whole world. They claimed that He was the Saviour of the Hebrews alone; therefore they maintained that the Gentiles should receive circumcision before being admitted to the privileges of the church of Christ. {6BC 1110.13}

De forsvarede deres standpunkt, som var i modsætning til Paulus, ved at vise at apostlenes kurs, med at tage hedningene ind i menigheden uden omskærelse, forhindrede flere jøder fra at acceptere troen end der var tilgang fra hedningene. Således undskyldte de (1111) deres modstand mod Guds anerkendte tjeneres stille sindighed. De nægtede at lade Kristi arbejde omfavne hele verden. De hævde at han var Hebræernes Frelser alene; derfor fastholdte de at Hedningene skulle tage imod omskærelsen før de fik adgang til Kristi kirkes privilegier.