Acts 15
The Dispute over Circumcision
(Genesis 17:9-27; Leviticus 12:1-8; Joshua 5:1-9)
1 And certain men came down from Judea and taught the brethren, saying, “Except ye be circumcised after the custom of Moses, ye cannot be saved.”
After the first missionary journey of Paul and Barnabas, many Gentiles were saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. There were certain other men who were part of a Jewish Circumcision Group who had traveled from Judea to Antioch in order to challenge grace salvation. These were the Jews in Judea who had criticized Peter for entering the house of Cornelius, who was an uncircumcised Gentile. Peter informed them that he had been sent not only by an angel from God, but by the Holy Spirit as well. This Circumcision Group was teaching the false doctrine of works salvation. They were teaching that Gentiles could not be saved unless they had faith plus circumcision. In Galatians 2:4, Paul described these men as false brothers. The Book of Galatians was written to counter this teaching.
This teaching is very similar to those today who teach that one must be baptized with water to be saved. Faith plus nothing equal salvation. Only faith in Christ alone can save. There is no extra church ritual needed for salvation.
2 And when Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and questioning with them, the brethren appointed that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question.
The Greek word for "dissension" is στάσις (stasis), meaning strife and insurrection. The Circumcision Group had caused strife and insurrection in the Antioch Church. Paul had seen many Gentiles saved during his first missionary trip. He was not about to allow a bunch of orthodox Jews destroy their faith. This Circumcision Group had broken up the Antioch Church, which was in agape unity before their arrival.
Paul and Barnabas and some other unnamed elders were to go to Jerusalem to discuss these matters. At this time, the apostles were over all of the churches. The elders were over the local churches, but subject to the apostles. After the apostles all died, the elders took over the church leadership, as according to the instructions left by Paul in 2 Timothy.
3 They therefore, being brought on their way by the church, passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles, and they caused great joy unto all the brethren.
As Paul and Barnabas traveled to Jerusalem, they went through the church in Phoenicia and Samaria. The Phoenician churches were mostly Gentile churches, founded in Chapter 8. The Samaritan churches were founded in Chapter 10. Paul and Barnabas gave reports of Gentile conversion to both groups of churches, and the people were overjoyed.
4 And when they were come to Jerusalem, they were received of the church and the apostles and the elders, and they rehearsed all things that God had done with them.
The Church of Jerusalem rejoiced at the arrival of Paul and Barnabas. Paul and Barnabas gave their Gentile report to the Jerusalem elders.
5 But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees who believed, saying, “It is needful to circumcise them, and to charge them to keep the Law of Moses.”
This group of Pharisees were believers, but they believed that one must still keep the Law. This was the Circumcision Group of Acts. 2. They taught that Gentiles must be circumcised and must keep the Mosaic Law.
6 And the apostles and the elders were gathered together to consider of this matter.
This meeting is going to be a crucial turning point of the church.
7 And when there had been much questioning, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Brethren, ye know that a good while ago God made choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel, and believe.
The Judaizers had ample time to present their cares. Peter calls them brothers, meaning that they are believers. God chose to give Peter the keys of the kingdom, so Peter opened the door of salvation to the Gentiles.
8 And God, who knoweth the heart, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Spirit, even as he did unto us;
God gave the Gentiles the Holy Spirit, meaning that they were saved without circumcision.
9 and he made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by faith.
The Gentiles and the Jews both receive salvation in the same way, by faith alone in Christ alone and without ritual.
10 Now therefore why make ye trial of God, that ye should put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?
Peter made two important points. If you force Gentiles to keep the Law, then you are putting God on trial. If no one could keep the Mosaic Law, not even our fathers, then why should we force this law on Gentiles?
11 But we believe that we shall be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, in like manner as they.
Salvation was by grace by faith for both groups. There was no distinction.
12 And all the multitude kept silence, and they hearkened unto Barnabas and Paul rehearsing what signs and wonders God had wrought among the Gentiles through them.
The Judaizes and those who were neutral kept silent, because they had no answer. Paul and Barnabas gave a report of the signs and wonders that God performed during their first missionary journey to the Gentiles.
13 And after they had held their peace, James answered, saying, “Brethren, hearken unto me.”
James was the elder and the pastor of the church, so he spoke last and gave the solution.
14 Simon hath rehearsed how first God visited the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name.
Simon was the Aramaic name of Peter. Peter had the keys to open the door to Gentile salvation. God has always had a Jewish Remnant that he has taken for his name sake. Now, he will have a Gentile Remnant as well.
15 And to this agree the words of the prophets, as it is written:
The prophets predicted Gentile salvation.
16 ‘After these things I will return, and I will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen. And I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up,’
This is a quote from Amos 9:11-12. Amos spoke of a time when the house of David will fall. However, God will rebuild the house.
17 ‘That the residue of men may seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called,’
Amos predicted that Gentiles will one day seek after the Lord.
18 ‘Saith the Lord, who maketh these things known from of old.’
God knows the future and he will fulfill these prophecies of Gentile salvation.
19 “Wherefore my judgment is, that we trouble not them that from among the Gentiles turn to God.”
The decision of James was that the believing Gentiles should not be troubled with circumcision.
20 “But that we write unto them, that they abstain from the pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from what is strangled, and from blood.”
For the sake of social interaction, James gave four suggestions for Gentile believers. They could not sacrifice to idols, but they did have liberty to eat meat sacrificed to idols. They could not commit fornication, which was rampant in the Roman society. They could not eat strangled meat. They were not to drink blood, which was rampant in Roman society.
21 “For Moses from generations of old hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every Sabbath.”
In every synagogue and in every city, Jews were reading the Laws of Moses. Therefore, Gentiles should abstain from these things so that they do not offend the Jews.
The Letter to the Gentile Believers
22 Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men out of their company, and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas, namely, Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, chief men among the brethren.
Two men will be sent back to the Church in Antioch with Paul and Barnabas to give the decision of this council.
23 And they wrote thus by them: The apostles and the elders, brethren, unto the brethren who are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia, Greeting.
The Council of Jerusalem wrote a letter to the Gentile believers. The letter was from the apostles, elders, Jewish believers, and Gentile believers of the Church of Jerusalem. The letter was written to the Gentile churches of Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia. Like most Greek letters, it began with a greeting.
24 Forasmuch as we have heard that certain who went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, to whom we gave no commandment.
The letter began with an understanding of the issues. The Gentiles in these three churches were agitated by some of the words of the Judaizes.
The Greek word for "subverting" is ἀνασκευάζω (anaskeuazo), meaning to scramble one's theology. These Judaizes had scrambled theology. They did not have any commandment or authority from the apostles or elders to scramble the theology of the Gentile churches.
25 It seemed good unto us, having come to one accord, to choose out men and send them unto you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,
The apostles, elders, and Judaizes were all in agreement that Gentles were saved by grace alone in faith alone in Christ alone, without any other ritual. Barnabas and Paul were loved by the church. Therefore, they will be sent to Antioch to straighten out the false teaching.
26 men that have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Paul and Barnabas both suffered during their first missionary journey. Paul was stoned to unconsciousness and left for dead.
27 We have sent therefore Judas and Silas, who themselves also shall tell you the same things by word of mouth.
Paul and Barnabas will give a verbal report of the church’s verdict. Judas and Silas will be the two witnesses required by the Old Testament to deliver the epistle and verbally confirm its contents.
28 For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things:
The verdict of the Jerusalem Council seems good to the Holy Spirit. These burdens are not necessary for salvation, but for improved fellowship between Jews and Gentiles.
29 That ye abstain from things sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication, from which if ye keep yourselves, it shall be well with you. Fare ye well.
Keeping these four guidelines will keep peace between the Jews and Gentiles. The Greek word for "fare you well" is Ἔρρωσθε (herrosthe), meaning to be strong. This was a common farewell placed at the end of Greek letters.
After the Jerusalem Council, James wrote his epistle to the Jewish saints spared throughout the diaspora. Paul wrote his letter to the Galatians, warning them about the Judaizes.
The Believers at Antioch Rejoice
30 So they, when they were dismissed, came down to Antioch, and having gathered the multitude together, they delivered the epistle.
Paul, Barnabas, Judas, and Silas traveled to Antioch, called a public meeting, and delivered the letter. This was a letter from the Jewish evangelism church in Jerusalem to the Gentile evangelism church in Antioch.
31 And when they had read it, they rejoiced for the consolation.
The Gentiles in Antioch rejoiced and were encouraged because of their liberty.
32 And Judas and Silas, being themselves also prophets, exhorted the brethren with many words, and confirmed them.
Judas and Silas were prophets, so they gave the Antioch Gentiles direct messages from God. These direct messages from God encouraged them and confirmed that they were justified.
33 And after they had spent some time there, they were dismissed in peace from the brethren unto those that had sent them forth.
The four apostles and prophets stayed at the Church of Antioch for a long period of time. Most of the believers were Gentile. Eventually, they left in peace, traveling back to the Jerusalem Church.
34 But it seemed good unto Silas to abide there.
Many argue that verse 34 should not be in the text, but this verse was recorded by the early church fathers, who had access to the earliest manuscripts. The Westcott-Hort manuscripts, which most modern Bibles uses, is not the most accurate manuscript. Paul will later hook-up with Silas again before his second missionary journey.
35 But Paul and Barnabas tarried in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also.
The Judaizes in Antioch did not accept the decision of the Jerusalem Council. Therefore, Paul and Barnabas stayed in Antioch, teaching the word of God. According to Galatians 2:11-21, Peter was one of the others who stayed and taught at Antioch. It was during this time period that Paul and Peter had their negative confrontation.
Paul's Second Missionary Journey
(Acts 13:1-3; Acts 18:23-28)
36 And after some days Paul said unto Barnabas, Let us return now and visit the brethren in every city wherein we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they fare.
After teaching at the Antioch church for several years, Paul planned to visit the Gentile churches that he had founded in modern Turkey. He wanted to see if thy survived the attack of the Judaizes.
37 And Barnabas was minded to take with them John also, who was called Mark.
Barnabas wanted to take his younger cousin Mark, who would eventually write the Gospel of Mark.
38 But Paul thought not good to take with them him who withdrew from them from Pamphylia, and went not with them to the work.
Mark had bailed out on Paul and Barnabas during the first missionary journey, so Paul did not want to take the risk.
39 And there arose a sharp contention, so that they parted asunder one from the other, and Barnabas took Mark with him, and sailed away unto Cyprus,
The Greek word for "contention" is παροξυσμός (parazusmas), meaning an angry dispute that cuts someone, so they must respond.
The Greek word for "asunder" is ἀποχωρίζω (apochorizo), meaning or separate or divide.
Barnabas, the son of consolation, lost his temper, had angry words with Paul, so he separated. Barnabas formed a second team and took Mark with him back to Cyprus, his home-town. We never hear from Barnabas or Mark again in the Book of Acts, but the epistles show that all three of them healed their schism and maintain fellowship. This division does not mean that Paul was right and Barnabas was wrong. Luke, led by the Holy Spirit, decided to concentrate on Paul's ministry. This schism did send out two missionary teams instead of one.
40 but Paul choose Silas, and went forth, being commended by the brethren to the grace of the Lord.
Silas was a prophet and a Roman citizen, making him a valuable partner for Paul. The Antioch Church commended Paul. This does not mean that the Antioch Church did not commend or reprove Barnabas. There is no information recorded in the Scriptures about the latter.
41 And he went through Syria and Cilicia, confirming the churches.
Paul and Silas visited the churches that were planted either by Paul and Barnabas, or by the Antioch Church. Tarsus, the hometown of Paul was located in Cilicia.
The Greek word for "confirming" is ἐπιστηρίζω (epistapizo), meaning to strengthen or build upon. Paul and Silas were discipling these new churches, building upon prior knowledge, and making them stronger.
