Jerusalem Congregation and Jews in the Diaspora

James, who also attended the meeting where territories were mentioned, served as an overseer in the Jerusalem congregation. (Acts 12:12, 17; 15:13; Galatians 1:18, 19) He was an eyewitness at Pentecost 33 C.E. when thousands of visiting Jews in the Diaspora responded to the good news and were baptized.​—Acts 1:14; 2:1, 41.

Then and thereafter tens of thousands of Jews came for the annual festivals. The city became overcrowded, and visitors had to stay in the neighboring villages or encamp in tents. Besides their meeting friends, Encyclopaedia Judaica explains, the pilgrims entered the temple to worship, offer sacrifices, and engage in the study of the Torah.

No doubt, James and the other members of the Jerusalem congregation used these opportunities to witness to Diaspora Jews. Perhaps the apostles did so with great discretion during the period when the “great persecution arose against the congregation that was in Jerusalem” as a result of Stephen’s death. (Acts 8:1) Before and after this event, the record indicates, the zeal of these Christians for preaching resulted in continued increase.​—Acts 5:42; 8:4; 9:31.

Another link was the tens of thousands of pilgrims who went to Jerusalem every year for the festivals. The account at Acts 2:9-11 about Pentecost 33 C.E. illustrates this. The Jewish pilgrims present came from Parthia, Media, Elam, Mesopotamia, Cappadocia, Pontus, Asia, Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, Libya, Rome, Crete, and Arabia.