ACTS 15:1-2 1 And
certain men came down from Judea and taught the brethren, “Unless you are
circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.”
2 Therefore, when Paul and Barnabas had no
small dissension and dispute with them, they determined that Paul and
Barnabas and certain others of them should go up to Jerusalem, to the
apostles and elders, about this question.
Why are they said to have come "down" (Acts 15:1) from
Judea when it is south of Antioch in Syria?
They came down from the higher elevation of Judea to Antioch, located near
the Mediterranean coast.
Who were these "certain men" (Acts 15:1) from Judea?
Had they been unbelieving Jews, Paul and Barnabas most likely would have
just kept them out of the church until they came around. The fact that they
had heated dispute(s) -
"no small dissension and
dispute" (Acts 15:2) - against these men indicates that they were
most likely Jews who professed faith in Jesus but with a seriously flawed
theology.
What was their flaw?
In effect, that becoming a Jew -
"circumcised according
to the custom of Moses" (Acts 15:1) - is a prerequisite to salvation.
Why didn't the church in Antioch simply reject their flawed
message?
The church in Antioch wasn't founded by Paul and Barnabas:
"Now those
who were scattered after the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as
far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to no one but the
Jews only. But some of them were men from
Cyprus and Cyrene, who, when they had come to Antioch, spoke to the
Hellenists, preaching the Lord Jesus. And
the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number believed and turned
to the Lord." (Acts 11:19-21) Barnabas, who recruited Paul, was a
missionary to the young church in Antioch from the established church in
Jerusalem:
"Then news of these things
came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent out Barnabas to
go as far as Antioch. When he came and
had seen the grace of God, he was glad, and encouraged them all that with
purpose of heart they should continue with the Lord.
For he was a good man, full of the Holy
Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were added to the Lord. Then Barnabas departed for Tarsus to seek
Saul. And when he had found him, he
brought him to Antioch. So it was that for a whole year they assembled with
the church and taught a great many people. And the disciples were first
called Christians in Antioch." (Acts 11:22-26) Since another group of
self-declared Christians from Judea were preaching a different message, at
least some of the hearers in the Antioch church would have been unsure which
side to believe.
How did they decide to settle the dispute?
"They determined that Paul and Barnabas and certain
others of them should go up to Jerusalem, to the apostles and elders, about
this question." (Acts 15:2)
ACTS 15:3-4 3
So, being sent on their way by the church, they passed through Phoenicia and
Samaria, describing the conversion of the Gentiles; and they caused great
joy to all the brethren. 4 And when they had
come to Jerusalem, they were received by the church and the apostles and the
elders; and they reported all things that God had done with them.
Why did they pass through "Phoenicia and Samaria" (Acts
15:3)?
Travelling south from Syria, where Antioch was located, they would pass
through Phoenicia (Lebanon today) and Samaria (central Israel today) to get
to Jerusalem.
What did they do en route?
They told the churches en route about the conversion of the Gentiles,
causing
"great joy to all the brethren". (Acts
15:3)
Upon arrival, did they report all that they had done to
"the apostles and the elders" (Acts 15:4)?
No, they reported
"all things that God had done with
them". (Acts 15:4). Scalpels should never take credit for the
Surgeon's work.
ACTS 15:5 5 But some of the sect of the Pharisees who
believed rose up, saying, “It is necessary to circumcise them, and to
command them to keep the law of Moses.”
Who were "Pharisees" (Acts 15:5)?
The Pharisees were one of the leading sects within Judaism who took
pride in trying to adhere not only to the laws in the Old Testament, but a
dizzying array of man-made laws as well. They were respected by the other
Jews and enjoyed social, religious and political power in the community,
comprised a large proportion of Sanhedrin, the Jewish ruling council, and
were the chief persecutors of Jesus during His earthly ministry.
Why would they rise up in protest?
Given the similarity in the key message of the
"certain
men" (Acts 15:1) in Antioch who were from Judea but apparently
had not been sent by the apostles (see below), and the Pharisees' protest
above (compare Acts 15:1 with Acts 15:5), these Pharisees may well have been
the ones who sent those "certain men" to Antioch.
Were these Pharisees Christians?
Since they are described as having
"believed"
(Acts 15:5), they most probably did believe in Jesus as their Lord and
Savior, but evidently retained element(s) from their flawed tradition.
What was the result of that retention?
They ended up trying, hopefully unintentionally, to inject a heresy into the
church, confusing the young believers in Antioch, consuming their teachers'
time, and causing strife within the Body of Christ.
Are any elements of your theology based on extra-biblical (denominational)
traditions?
ACTS 15:6-7 6
Now the apostles and elders came together to consider this matter.
7 And when there had been much dispute,
Peter rose up and said to them: “Men and brethren, you know that a good
while ago God chose among us, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the
word of the gospel and believe.
What did they "dispute" (Acts 15:7) about so "much" (Acts
15:7)?
Most likely what they thought and felt.
What did Peter tell them?
What God did.
When did God choose the Gentiles to hear the gospel through
Peter's "mouth" (Acts 15:7)?
When He had Peter preach to the Roman centurion Cornelius and his household
in Caesarea:
"So
Cornelius said, “Four days ago I was fasting until this hour; and at the
ninth hour I prayed in my house, and behold, a man stood before me in bright
clothing, and said, ‘Cornelius, your
prayer has been heard, and your alms are remembered in the sight of God.
Send therefore to Joppa and call Simon
here, whose surname is Peter. He is lodging in the house of Simon, a tanner,
by the sea. When he comes, he will speak to you.’ So I sent to you immediately, and you have done well to come. Now
therefore, we are all present before God, to hear all the things commanded
you by God.” Then
Peter opened his mouth and said: “In truth I perceive that God shows no
partiality.
But in every nation whoever fears Him and
works righteousness is accepted by Him.
The word which God sent to the children of Israel, preaching peace through
Jesus Christ - He is Lord of all - that
word you know, which was proclaimed throughout all Judea, and began from
Galilee after the baptism which John preached:
how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who
went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for
God was with Him. And we are witnesses of
all things which He did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem, whom
they killed by hanging on a tree. Him God
raised up on the third day, and showed Him openly, not to all the people, but to witnesses chosen before by God, even
to us who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead.
And He commanded us to preach to the
people, and to testify that it is He who was ordained by God to be Judge of
the living and the dead. To Him all the
prophets witness that, through His name, whoever believes in Him will
receive remission of sins.” (Acts 10:30-43)
ACTS 15:8-12 8 So God,
who knows the heart, acknowledged them by giving them the Holy Spirit, just
as He did to us, 9 and made no distinction
between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.
10 Now therefore, why do you test God by
putting a yoke on the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we
were able to bear? 11 But we believe that
through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved in the same
manner as they.” 12 Then all the multitude
kept silent and listened to Barnabas and Paul declaring how many miracles
and wonders God had worked through them among the Gentiles.
When did God give "the Holy Spirit" (Acts 15:8) to the
Gentiles?
While Peter was speaking to Cornelius and his household:
"While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all
those who heard the word." (Acts 10:44)
What is Peter saying?
This dispute about the Gentiles is nothing new. It was settled
"a good while ago" (Acts 15:7). Purification of
the heart is achieved not by circumcision but
"by faith" (Acts 15:9)
and God makes
"no distinction between us and them"
(Acts 15:9).
What "yoke" (Acts 15:10) is Peter referring to?
Salvation through works - obeying a set of rules,
"which
neither our father nor we were able to bear." (Acts 15:10).
What does Peter remind them about salvation?
It is by grace, not only the Gentile Christian, but also them - the Jewish
Christians:
"through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ
we shall be saved in the same manner as they."
(Acts 15:11)
Does Peter seek a compromise between the disputing factions
to maintain harmony in his church?
No, he unequivocally stands by the teachings of Jesus, even rebuking the
faction in error:
"why do you test God ...?"
(Acts 15:10)
What did God do with Peter's stand?
He settled the dispute and shut up the heresies, replacing them with
declaration of His
"miracles and wonders" (Acts
15:12)
How does your church deal with intra-church disputes?
ACTS 15:13-18 13 And after they had become silent, James
answered, saying, “Men and brethren, listen to me:
14 Simon has declared how God at the first visited the Gentiles to
take out of them a people for His name. 15
And with this the words of the prophets agree, just as it is written:
16 ‘After this I will return And will
rebuild the tabernacle of David, which has fallen down; I will rebuild its
ruins, And I will set it up; 17 So that the
rest of mankind may seek the Lord, Even all the Gentiles who are called by
My name, Says the Lord who does all these things.’
18 “Known to God from eternity are all His works.
Who is this "James" (Acts 15:13)?
He is one of the 4 sons Mary bore after Jesus -
"Is this
not the carpenter’s son? Is not His mother called Mary? And His brothers
James, Joses, Simon, and Judas?" (Matthew 13:55) - who thought Jesus
was crazy -
"Then the multitude came together again, so
that they could not so much as eat bread. But when His own people heard
about this, they went out to lay hold of Him, for they said, “He is out of
His mind." (Mark 3:20-21) - but became a believer after Jesus
appeared to him after His death and resurrection -
"For
I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died
for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that
He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He was
seen by Cephas, then by the twelve. After that He was seen by over five
hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain to the present,
but some have fallen asleep. After that He was seen by James, then by all
the apostles." (1 Corinthians 15:3-7) - and who had becpme one of the
leaders of the church in Jerusalem.
Why does James say, "God at the first visited the Gentiles
to take out of them a people for His name." (Acts 15:14)?
To remind them that their revered forefather and the first Jew - Abraham -
was a Gentile to start.
Why does he then cite the Old Testament prophet Amos?
To express that Gentiles coming to the Lord not only fulfills a prophecy
given to their forefathers, but that the very reason Israel was
re-established as a nation after its exiles was for the very purpose of
affecting the Gentiles to come to the Lord:
"I will
return and will rebuild the tabernacle of David, which has fallen down; I
will rebuild its ruins, and I will set it up; so that the rest of mankind
may seek the Lord, even all the Gentiles who are called by My name, says the
Lord who does all these things." (Acts 15:16-17)
So what is James saying?
God began with a Gentile. God is continuing with the Gentiles. God is doing
everything -
"the Lord who does all these things"
(Acts 15:17) - exactly as He planned from the beginning:
"Known to God from eternity are all His works". (Acts 15:18)
ACTS 15:19-29 19 Therefore I judge that we should not
trouble those from among the Gentiles who are turning to God,
20 but that we write to them to abstain from
things polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from things strangled, and
from blood. 21 For Moses has had throughout
many generations those who preach him in every city, being read in the
synagogues every Sabbath.” 22 Then it
pleased the apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men
of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas, namely, Judas who
was also named Barsabas, and Silas, leading men among the brethren.
23 They wrote this letter by them: The
apostles, the elders, and the brethren, To the brethren who are of the
Gentiles in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia: Greetings.
24 Since we have heard that some who went out from us have troubled
you with words, unsettling your souls, saying, “You must be circumcised and
keep the law” - to whom we gave no such commandment -
25 it seemed good to us, being assembled
with one accord, to send chosen men to you with our beloved Barnabas and
Paul, 26 men who have risked their lives for
the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 27 We
have therefore sent Judas and Silas, who will also report the same things by
word of mouth. 28 For it seemed good to the
Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these
necessary things: 29 that you abstain from
things offered to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from sexual
immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell.
Whom did the Jerusalem church discredit to the Gentile
church in and around "Antioch" (Acts 15:23)?
The
"certain men" (Acts 15:1) from Judea:
"Since we have heard that some who went out from us have
troubled you with words, unsettling your souls, saying, “You must be
circumcised and keep the law” - to whom we gave no such commandment."
(Acts 15:24)
Whom did the Jerusalem church affirm as servants of Christ?
"Barnabas and Paul, men who have risked their lives for
the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." (Acts 15:25-26)
Who accompanied Paul and Barnabas back to Antioch?
"Then it
pleased the apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men
of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas, namely, Judas who
was also named Barsabas, and Silas, leading men among the brethren."
(Acts 15:22)
Why?
A letter carried back and presented by only Paul and Barnabas conceivably
could have been accused by their opponents in Antioch as having been forged
or altered.
"Judas who was also named Barsabas, and
Silas, leading men among the brethren" (Acts 15:22) could also help
Paul and Barnabas deal with their opponents in Antioch, as well as to
minister in its young church.
What four abstentions did the Jerusalem church instruct to
the Gentile church in Antioch?
"Abstain from things offered to idols, from blood, from
things strangled, and from sexual immorality." (Acts 15:20)
Were they being issued a new set of commandments or the
most important commandments?
The Peter had just rebuked the Pharisee believers,
"Why
do you test God by putting a yoke on the neck of the disciples which neither
our fathers nor we were able to bear?" (Acts 15:10) and the most
important commandments would not have been those:
"But
when the Pharisees heard that He had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered
together. Then one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, and
saying, “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?” Jesus said to
him, “ ‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your
soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And
the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these
two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets." (Matthew
22:34-40)
Then why did the Jerusalem church instruct those four
abstentions?
Things offered to idols refers to animals sacrificed to idols in pagan
temples. Blood was a pagan delicacy and strangled animals spilt blood when
being cooked, as opposed to slaughtered animals which had been cut and their
blood already drained. And temple prostitution of course was an especially
popular element of paganism. Prior to this incident, the young Gentile
church had been caught between the Jewish church on the one side and
paganism on its other side. Negating the need for circumcision eliminated
the barrier between the Gentile and Jewish churches, while the above four
abstentions strengthened the barrier between the Gentile church and
paganism, from which most of its members had come. Satan had created a
conflict to try to split the Gentile church from the Jewish church, but God
used it to unify them.
ACTS 15:30-35
30 So when they were sent off, they came to
Antioch; and when they had gathered the multitude together, they delivered
the letter. 31 When they had read it, they
rejoiced over its encouragement. 32 Now
Judas and Silas, themselves being prophets also, exhorted and strengthened
the brethren with many words. 33 And after
they had stayed there for a time, they were sent back with greetings from
the brethren to the apostles. 34 However, it
seemed good to Silas to remain there. 35
Paul and Barnabas also remained in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word
of the Lord, with many others also.
Did the Gentile Christians understand the letter as it was
intended?
"When they had read it, they
rejoiced over its encouragement." (Acts 15:31)
How else were they encouraged?
By the ministries of Judas and Silas who came with Paul and Barnabas:
"Judas and Silas, themselves being prophets also,
exhorted and strengthened the brethren with many words." (Acts 15:32)
Who returned to Jerusalem "with greetings" (Acts 15:33)
from the Gentile church in Antioch?
All of the emissaries from Jerusalem who escorted Paul and Barnabas, except
"Silas" (Acts 15:34), whom the Lord had lined up
as Paul's new missionary partner, as below.
ACTS 15:36-41 36 Then
after some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us now go back and visit our
brethren in every city where we have preached the word of the Lord, and see
how they are doing.” 37 Now Barnabas was
determined to take with them John called Mark. 38
But Paul insisted that they should not take with them the one who had
departed from them in Pamphylia, and had not gone with them to the work.
39 Then the contention became so sharp that
they parted from one another. And so Barnabas took Mark and sailed to
Cyprus; 40 but Paul chose Silas and
departed, being commended by the brethren to the grace of God.
41 And he went through Syria and Cilicia,
strengthening the churches.
What did Paul propose to Barnabas "after some days" (Acts
15:36)?
To revisit the churches they planted during their first missionary journey:
“Let us now go back and visit our brethren in every city
where we have preached the word of the Lord, and see how they are doing.”
(Acts 15:36)
Why didn't Paul want to take along "John called Mark" (Acts
15:37)?
On their first missionary journey,
"when Paul and his
party set sail from Paphos, they came to Perga in Pamphylia; and John, departing from them,
returned to Jerusalem." (Acts 13:13) and
"Paul
insisted that they should not take with them the one who had departed from
them in Pamphylia, and had not gone with them to the work." (Acts
15:38)
Why then was Barnabas "determined to take with them John
called Mark" (Acts 15:37)?
While the exact reason isn't given, the fact that John Mark was his cousin
might have played a role:
"Mark the cousin of Barnabas"
(Colossians 4:10)
Was Satan again trying to create a dissension?
Yes.
Did he succeed?
Yes, in sending out two teams of missionaries instead of just one to
strengthen the Body of Christ, who wins again:
"And so
Barnabas took Mark and sailed to Cyprus; but Paul chose Silas and
departed, being commended by the brethren to the grace of God.
And he went through Syria and Cilicia,
strengthening the churches." (Acts 15:39-41)* Moreover, Paul's later
comments about John Mark indicates that their dissension was temporary:
"Aristarchus my fellow prisoner greets you, with Mark
the cousin of Barnabas (about whom you received instructions: if he comes to
you, welcome him), and Jesus who is called Justus. These are my only fellow
workers for the kingdom of God who are of the circumcision; they have proved
to be a comfort to me." (Colossians 4:10-11)