Chapter Fifteen
The Jerusalem Council
15:1 But some men came down from Judea and were teaching the brothers, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.”
Some unidentified men from Judea were teaching the believers that circumcision was required for salvation. This is the first direct reference to the false claim that circumcision was necessary for someone to be saved, although it was implied by those that chastised Peter in Acts 11:2-3, which occurred before he told them about his vision and Cornelius’ family. However, apparently many believers still held this false belief later as Paul addresses this issue in his epistle to the Galatians (see Galatians 2:11-14). Some of these Jewish legalist believers were called Judaizers, as they believed not only in the need for circumcision, but also compliance to the law of Moses. In other words, they thought Gentles should become proselytes to Judaism first, then accept Jesus.
15:2 And after Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and debate with them, Paul and Barnabas and some of the others were appointed to go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and the elders about this question.
Paul and Barnabas apparently had a fairly ‘heated’ debate with these men. This argument may have been the “tipping point” that it was time to address this and other growing concerns facing the church’s outreach and release an ‘official’ statement of fact for everyone to follow, so the two were appointed to Jerusalem to meet with the other apostles and elders to discuss on how to proceed in evangelizing to the Gentiles.
15:3 So, being sent on their way by the church, they passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, describing in detail the conversion of the Gentiles, and brought great joy to all the brothers.
Barnabas and Paul were sent on their way from Antioch to Jerusalem and on their way they went through Phoenicia and Samaria which were largely inhabited by Hellenistic Jews and Samaritans who readily accepted the gospel.
15:4 When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and the elders, and they declared all that God had done with them. 5 But some believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees rose up and said, “It is necessary to circumcise them and to order them to keep the law of Moses.”
Paul and Barnabas arrive and are welcomed by the apostles, elders, and the church in Jerusalem and they shared all that God had done regarding the salvation of the Gentiles. They immediately hear opposition from who Luke identifies as being believers who were once of the Pharisee sect, saying that it was necessary for any Gentile to be circumcised first and that they also needed to keep the law of Moses. Just like many today, these former Jews did not understand that Jesus fulfilled the law (click here to read why the Jews rejected Jesus).
15:6 The apostles and the elders were gathered together to consider this matter. 7 And after there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them, “Brothers, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe. 8 And God, who knows the heart, bore witness to them, by giving them the Holy Spirit just as he did to us, 9 and he made no distinction between us and them, having cleansed their hearts by faith. 10 Now, therefore, why are you putting God to the test by placing a yoke on the neck of the disciples that neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear? 11 But we believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they will.”
After much debate Peter stands and tells the group assembled about his experience with Gentiles receiving the Holy Spirit after hearing the gospel. And since God knows the heart and made no distinction between believing Gentiles and believing Jews, both being cleansed by faith, would this discussion not be putting God to the test by placing an unnecessary burden on both groups? That both Gentiles and Jews are saved by the grace of the Lord Jesus.
15:12 And all the assembly fell silent, and they listened to Barnabas and Paul as they related what signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles.
Peter’s statement silenced the room, then Barnabas and Paul gave testimony of the signs and wonders God had done through them as they witnessed to the Gentiles.
15:13 After they finished speaking, James replied, “Brothers, listen to me. 14 Simeon has related how God first visited the Gentiles, to take from 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 I will rebuild the tent of David that has fallen; I will rebuild its ruins, and I will restore it, 17 that the remnant of mankind may seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles who are called by my name, says the Lord, who makes these things 18 known from of old.’ 19 Therefore my judgment is that we should not trouble those of the Gentiles who turn to God,
When Barnabas and Paul were finished with their report, James, the half-brother of Jesus, called everyone to listen to him. He began by noting that when Peter (identified here as Simeon, which is equivalent to Simon, his original name before Jesus changed it, see Matthew 6:18) told them about the time first visited the Gentiles to take from them a people for Himself, that it aligns with the Word of God just it is written in Amos 9:11-12, “Afterward I will return and restore the fallen house of David. I will rebuild its ruins and restore it, so that the rest of humanity might seek the LORD, including the Gentiles— all those I have called to be mine. The LORD has spoken— he who made these things known so long ago.” (Acts 15:16-18, NLT) James concludes by saying that they should not make it more difficult for Gentiles than necessary for those who turn to God.
15:20 but should write to them to abstain from the things polluted by idols, and from sexual immorality, and from what has been strangled, and from blood. 21 For from ancient generations Moses has had in every city those who proclaim him, for he is read every Sabbath in the synagogues.”
James notes that they should instead write down those things that believers are to avoid namely abstain from eating food that was offered to idols, sexual immorality, eating meat from strangled animals, and consuming blood, as these laws of Moses has been taught in every city for many years. Food offered to idols refers to food that was offered to pagan gods and since they are false gods the food is not consumed, the food, after a period of time would then be sold at the market. Paul wrote to the church in Corinth regarding this issue (see 1 Corinthians 8:1-13; 10:14-33, click here to read the commentary). The reference to sexual immorality refers to any sexual sin, sexual orgies were common in the worship of pagan gods, Paul also addressed this issue in his first epistle to the church in Corinth (see 1 Corinthians 6:15-20, click here to read the commentary). To abstain from eating meat from an animal that was strangled and drinking the blood of animals, while not a requirement, the abstention allows for interaction among Jews, as James stated, these rules were read every Sabbath.
James, interestingly enough, who represents the Jerusalem church and who represents the Jewish wing of the Jerusalem church that was so sensitive about keeping the law and responding to it, steps in and says, “Yes, this is something also that the teaching of the prophets harmonizes with.” The literal phrase here is “symphonizes,” just like you put notes together to make a symphony. So these texts work together to show this is the way to go. He makes the point that there’s going to be a restoration of the fallen hut of David, and there’s going to be an opportunity for people to join into blessing. There’s nothing said about the law in these texts. James comes alongside Peter and says, “Yes, that’s the way we should handle it.”[1]
Considerations
Church Councils
The word ‘council’ may be a too strong of a word as it often presupposes an official group that has official representatives. While not an officially established council with rules of order to follow, this group of men met to discus a number of issues that needed to be resolved.
Why did the church need to make decisions? We know that later Paul will write in his epistle to the church in Ephesus identifying Jesus as the Head of the church (see Ephesians 1:15-23; 4:15; 5:23, see also Colossians 1:18), so what can man offer? The answer is nothing! But God working through people is different. The question then becomes, “Who is qualified to participate in these meetings?” This is where church history gets mirky as power, politics, affluence, education, influence, popularity, and anything else people can be persuaded by, become the ‘qualifiers’ instead of God appointing someone.
From the time the events recorded in Acts chapter two, to the present day the number of these types of meetings probably exceed anything we can imagine. So what needs to be determined? Issues such as what books were inspired by God and which ones weren’t, what is essential doctrine to be saved, methods for correct theological interpretation, etc. Every time a new challenge or a new obstruction is encountered a meeting (or meetings) is convened.
The following is not an exhaustive list of councils, there are some books, okay, actually volumes of books available to read if interested. This brief list includes a quick topic summary that each council discussed. When reviewing, it won’t take long for you to see that the majority of the concerns and issues are related to man’s interpretation. Not every Christian group recognized the authority of the councils even though they are often touted as being “Ecumenical” (representing multiple churches). Many of these councils were only recognized by the Catholic Church.
This list is provided to give you a ’taste’ of what happens when man tries to understand God and His ways. The end result often is done by bringing God down to our level of thinking rather than be awed by the glory, the majesty, the power, and the incredible intelligence of our God!
To be fair, there is a need to continually “sort some things out” in theology, as man and Satan work continuously to counter God’s Word, but we also need to rely on the truth of the Bible. Reform should always bring us back to His Word.
Council of Jerusalem: The meeting described in this chapter was the first and probably the most significant, as it resolved the doctrinal question of salvation. The apostles and elders resisted pressure to impose Jewish legalism and ritualism on Gentile believers, forbidding the inclusion of works in salvation. They affirmed that salvation is wholly by God’s grace through faith alone, apart from human efforts.
First Council of Nicaea: Arianism (a belief that teaches Jesus was created, not eternal), baptism protocols, Christology (was Jesus fully human and fully God), Lapsi (Christians that when persecuted deny Jesus, the question raised are they saved), Ordination qualifications, Passover/Easter controversies, and the concept of the Trinity. The Nicene Creed was created by this council (there are several versions of this creed). Creeds were created to teach basic Christianity and to clarify beliefs especially between churches.
First Council of Constantinople: Arianism, Trinity, Christology, and the divinity of the Holy Spirit.
First Council of Ephesus: Christology, Mariology (relating to Mary the mother of Jesus, regarding her role in salvation and if she was without sin), Theotokos (a variation of Mariology, Mary being the mother of God), Nestorianism (teaches that Jesus was two distinct persons, one human and one divine), and Pelagianism (a teaching that denies original sin and that humans are born ‘neutral’ allowing them to obtain salvation on their own)
Council of Chalcedon: Christology, Jesus’ Divinity, Jesus’ Humanity, and the Second Council of Ephesus (primarily regarding the humanity versus divinity of Jesus).
Second Council of Constantinople: Christology, Nestorianism, and Origenism (the application of allegorical interpretation for Scripture).
Third Council of Constantinople: Christology and Monothelitism (the teaching that Jesus had two natures, one human and one divine, but only one will).
Second Council of Nicaea: Iconoclasm (the destruction of icons, any art, monuments, etc. for religious reasons).
Fourth Council of Constantinople: Photius (a controversial leader of the church who was excommunicated due to his writing against the Pope).
First Lateran Council: Investiture controversy (a conflict as to who chooses the church leadership, the church or the state) and Ordination.
Second Lateran Council: Reform, Anacletus II (called an Antipope, he rule in opposition to Pope Innocent III), and the Schism.
Third Lateran Council: Church discipline, Church polity, Simony (the buying and selling of 'spiritual' things including church positions, sacraments, etc.), Cathari (belief in two gods, a good spiritual one and a material evil god that created the physical world), and Waldenses (they prioritized the Bible by making it the ultimate authority, emphasized voluntary poverty, and rejected the Catholic teachings of purgatory, indulgences, prayers for the dead, and the authority of the Pope, many view them as predecessors to the Reformation movement.)
Fourth Lateran Council: Transubstantiation (the belief that the bread and wine used in communion or Eucharist are, by divine power during consecration, substantively transformed into the actual body and blood of Jesus Christ), Crusades, Reform, and what constitutes as Heresy.
A few additional topics of later councils included: Christian persecution, purgatory (the belief that the dead are purged of the remnant of their sins prior to entering heaven, some variations include the belief that the righteous dead existed in a purgatory-like state which prayers from the living can help move them to heaven), indulgences (penalties and fees for those guilty of sins), original sin, the number of sacraments, papal infallibility, liberalism, rationalism, liturgies, revelations (new words of God to people) and some Bible-related questions as well but very few in comparison. Seeing that these corruptions came mostly from within the church, helps us understand today why there are so many variations of what is considered Christianity and why there are so many church denominations.
The Council’s Letter to Gentile Believers
15:22 Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men from among them and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They sent Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, leading men among the brothers, 23 with the following letter: “The brothers, both the apostles and the elders, to the brothers who are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia, greetings. 24 Since we have heard that some persons have gone out from us and troubled you with words, unsettling your minds, although we gave them no instructions, 25 it has seemed good to us, having come to one accord, to choose men and send them 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 themselves will tell you the same things by word of mouth. 28 For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay on you no greater burden than these requirements: 29 that you abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what has been strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell.”
The ‘council’ all agreed, so they selected Judas (who was also called Barsabbas, but apparently different than the Barsabbas mentioned in the first chapter, see Acts 1:23) and Silas (a teacher and companion of Paul, see Acts 16:19, 25-29; 17:4, 10, 14-15; 18:5, the name is considered that same as Silvanus, see 2 Corinthians 1:19; 1 Thessalonians 1:1; 2 Thessalonians 1:1; 1 Peter 5:12) to go to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas to bring them a letter that states the decisions made that day.
The letter simply, but elegantly, states the initial concerns and why they met in Jerusalem. It also explains why they chose those delivering the letter. The actual instructions given in the letter occupy only two sentences, which reads nearly identical to James’ recommendation (see verses 13-21). Then it closes with a single word, “Farewell” (Greek errōstge, to be strengthened, to be firm).
15:30 So when they were sent off, they went down to Antioch, and having gathered the congregation together, they delivered the letter. 31 And when they had read it, they rejoiced because of its encouragement. 32 And Judas and Silas, who were themselves prophets, encouraged and strengthened the brothers with many words. 33 And after they had spent some time, they were sent off in peace by the brothers to those who had sent them. 35 But Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also.
To say that the letter was well received would be an understatement! Luke reveals that Judas and Silas also had the gift of prophecy and provided encouragement, then after a while went back to Jerusalem. Meanwhile Paul and Barnabas stayed in Antioch teaching the Word of God and preached the gospel with other believers.
Paul and Barnabas Separate
15:36 And after some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us return and visit the brothers in every city where we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are.” 37 Now Barnabas wanted to take with them John called Mark. 38 But Paul thought best not to take with them one who had withdrawn from them in Pamphylia and had not gone with them to the work.
Paul desires to return to all of the churches they helped start (we call that church planting today) and see how they are doing. Barnabas suggests that they take John Mark (see Acts 12:12, his cousin see Colossians 4:10 ) with them. But Paul remembers that since he abandoned them in Pamphylia and did not help much, he thought it best that he not join them.
15:39 And there arose a sharp disagreement, so that they separated from each other. Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus, 40 but Paul chose Silas and departed, having been commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord. 41 And he went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.
But Barnabas disagreed and apparently the argument ended in a “sharp disagreement” (Greek paroxysms, stirring up anger), which resulted in them going their own ways. Barnabas took John Mark with him to the Island of Cyprus (see Acts 13:4), while Paul chose Silas before he left to Jerusalem and the two went on to Syria (see verse 23) and Cilicia (see Acts 6:9) and the second missionary journey begins.
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[1] Bock, D. L. (2015). NT217 Key Events and Speeches in Acts. Lexham Press.