Some time passes between the end of chapter 14 and the beginning of chapter 15. We don't know for sure how much. It seems the first missionary journey began about 46AD. While we don't know how long it lasted, we know Paul and Barnabas we back in Antioch for a good while before going to Jerusalem in 50AD for the council meeting.
As we begin this chapter, it takes place about 50AD and it had been 17 years since Jesus had been crucified and had risen. Image how much our world has changed in 17 years. In this first 17 years after the resurrection, we've seen the Holy Spirit move the church out of Jerusalem to all of Judea, Samaria and the ends of the earth. God moved in the hearts of his disciples to continue His work.
Acts 15:1-2
These men came from Judea to Antioch, they were known as the Judaizers. The 'down' is a geographical term referring to elevation not direction. These were men holding to their tradition; men who thought salvation could only come in a similar way as it came to them. They were Jews, followers of the Law of Moses and then came to know their messiah. They deduced that this way was the only way. In doing so, they were adding a burden to the gentiles. The gentiles had to become proselytes, taking on the Law of Moses, be circumcised, live by the dietary laws and so on; then they could come to Jesus. Keep in mind the motivation of these men was not evil, they were simply trying to keep the faith pure. The lesson then is that it doesn’t take an evil heart to pervert the gospel.
Remember, these guys don't have the New Testament as their guide to theology and doctrine. They've arrived at a conclusion from their experience. Their traditions and experience made it very difficult for them to accept gentiles in any fashion. To believe they can simply trust in Christ and have their sins forgiven without any intention or deference to the law just didn't seem fair or right.
Isn't it fascinating how mankind feels the need to define and label the way and means to religion? Yet, the harder we try at this, the more we fail. Because we are sin fallen and unable to follow the simplest laws perfectly, we can't make enough rules to keep us holy. Why do we take something simple, like ‘by faith alone in Christ alone’ and add to it?
Paul and Barnabas had a major problem with this. These Judaizers show up in Antioch after all that God had done there and all that He was doing in the lives of gentiles, to tell them they had it all wrong. Paul and Barnabas, as leaders in this church, took exception with them. The church decided they needed to go back to Jerusalem and find out what their stance was. We should consider that these Judaizers might have been officials from the church.
The early church of Antioch is vastly different from the church we know today. We very specifically see the Holy Spirit moving in them and guiding their decisions. He chose Paul and Barnabas to go to Jerusalem. This was revealed through prayer and fasting. This wasn't a church that came to be led by a few. They were a force, an entity used by God.
Acts 15:3-5
Paul and Barnabas went on this 250-mile journey to Jerusalem. They don't appear to have been on a time schedule as they pass through Phoenicia and Samaria, sharing with other believers what God had been doing. All along the way they discussed the conversions of the gentiles.
They were received, showing unity with the church in Jerusalem. They met approval and acknowledgment as brothers. They had not seen Paul and Barnabas for 4 or 5 years, so they gave a report to the elders, apostles and brethren. This was probably not only an accounting of all that had happened in Antioch but how that church had sent them on this missionary journey and how God had moved in powerful ways on that journey.
It’s interesting that Luke still associates the Judaizers as Pharisees. They were brothers in Christ and if they died to themselves and were born again in Christ, then how did they still carry a Pharisaic label? Yet they did, it may well be all they knew. They were probably not bad men with bad intentions, just religious, devout, but confused. It didn't take long for the crux of the matter to surface. It could well be Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea who felt very strongly of their religious upbringing. They felt that this grace was too easy and too cheap and the law had been disrespected.
Acts 15:6-11
Even when there is disagreement in our faith, its revealed in the scripture. God didn't hide the reality of the disputes and issues that came up. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first council meeting of Christianity. All these men walked with Jesus and sought to be led by the Spirit. That's hard for us and it was hard for them. If there is a dispute among the brethren, someone isn't in the Spirit. Someone is wrong! God's word can stand up to scrutiny. God's grace is sufficient in all things. It is also sufficient in the challenge that is made against it?
The ‘much dispute’ of verse 6 is the same word as dissension in verse 2. Peter had remained quiet for while. There was 'much dispute' as this difference of opinions and beliefs went on for a bit. Then Peter rose to speak. In most quarrels among men, we establish our side and then fight to bring others to our way of thinking. Peter essentially said that it doesn't matter what men think but what God thinks. It was God's choosing to use Peter to take the gospel to the gentiles. He took no credit and felt no pride. God chose the gentiles and they received the Holy Spirit in the same way that the Jews had. Peter witnessed this at Caesarea when Cornelius had gathered a great crowd and Peter preached Jesus to them. It was in chapter 10 of Acts it said that while Peter was still preaching, the Holy Spirit fell on them. It was very similar to what the Jews had experienced at Pentecost. It was clear that God made no distinction between Jew and Gentile. This would have been offensive in a big way to these guys.
It is the same faith in the same God through the same blood of Christ that we are all saved. There is no distinction. This was a hard thing for these men. They were raised to think of themselves so much higher than the gentiles. God acknowledged them, who were they to choose not to? To put a burden on them was to doubt what God had already done. God gave them the Holy Spirit who were they to declare that incorrect. God made no distinction, who were they to make one?
Paul was a Pharisee of Pharisees who said, I am the chief of sinners; the worst of all. Some of these Jewish men were thinking they were sinners saved by grace but still better than any old gentile (because of the Law of Moses). Peter asked why they wanted to test God? They were saved by God's grace when Jesus bore their sin on the cross. The work was complete, the law fulfilled. It was offensive to God for his children to want to return to the law.
O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you that you should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed among you as crucified? 2 This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?—3 Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh? 4 Have you suffered so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain?
5 Therefore He who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you, does He do it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? 6 just as Abraham “believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” 7 Therefore know that only those who are of faith are sons of Abraham. 8 And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, “In you all the nations shall be blessed.” 9 So then those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham. (Galatians 3:1-9)
What sense was there in placing a burden on the gentiles that the Jews could never keep? The Pharisaic Judaizers were holding to some old traditions and ways of thinking. Peter declared that they were saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus.
What's really fascinating is how Peter stated this at the end of verse 11. Any Jew would have placed themselves first and put a gentile second, yet Peter said, "we shall be saved in the same manner as they.” There was no doubt in Peter's mind about the salvation status of the gentiles. They were saved by Jesus Christ. Peter stated that 'we Jews' shall be saved in the same way; meaning by faith alone in Christ alone.
Acts 15:12-17
These followers of Christ were teachable; able to listen and reason and make wise decisions. I think this silence was from the Holy Spirit. As Peter finished, Barnabas and Paul gave further testimony to God's work. It wasn't their argument; it was simply stating facts and letting God's work speak for itself. God was doing miracles and wonders at the preaching of salvation through faith alone in Christ.
Note the order of Barnabas first and then Paul. It always seems as though Paul was quick to speak, here he allows Barnabas the honor since he would have been well known among this council. They would have respected him and what he had to say, probably more so than Paul.
James is the half brother of Jesus. He was the leader of the church of Jerusalem and wrote the book of James. When he began to speak, people respected what he had to say. His quote of Amos 9:11-12 was probably a source of confusion to this group. This should probably be understood as James’s acknowledgement that these Jewish believers had been wrong to teach the gentiles that they had to take on the law. The Tabernacle of David is representative of the Jewish heritage. The Jews and the heritage of the Jews was to be means to call all of mankind to Jesus. They had fallen down and needed to be corrected. After all, Amos confirmed these were Gentiles called by God's name, not gentiles that had become Jews.
Acts 15:18-21
James said they shouldn’t place the gentiles under the Law of Moses. But James gave them some instructions. These instructions are from the leaders of the church to the other churches so as to preserve the unity between the Jews and gentiles. The gentiles could thumb their nose at the laws that Jewish believers chose to keep, Jews could have looked down their notes at Gentiles. And a division could have formed. But, in the interest of unity, James suggests a compromise by asking them to voluntarily stay away from certain things. These 3 things were common among the gentiles:
- Things polluted by idols. This could be meat bought in the marketplace that had been offered to an idol as it was slaughtered. Paul speaks to this in 1 Cor 8:14 & 1 Cor 10:18 among other places. This would be common among gentiles.
- Sexual Immorality was as normal in these days as it is today, if not more so. Paul speaks to this in 1 Cor 6:12 as does the bible in other places.
- ‘Things strangled and from blood’ is a reference to eating meat with the blood still in it. This was prohibited in the law of Moses and offensive to Jews.
12 All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any. (1 Cor 6:12)
Christians met in various homes and many times shared love feasts in the fellowship. These would have been the first Christian Potlucks. While meat sacrificed to idols was nothing, it would have been offensive to the Christian brothers and sisters who had a Jewish background. By asking the gentiles to abstain from things contaminated by idols, James was asking them to exercise caution to not offend those who by tradition ate differently.
The sexual immorality that James requests them to abstain from wasn't so much in reference to sexual relations. Among the gentiles one could marry other races, tribes, cultures, and even certain family members. None of these things were allowed in Judaism. James was simply asking them to not unnecessarily antagonize their Jewish brothers in Christ.
The 'things strangled' refers to the improper way of killing an animal. In strangulation they say some of the blood is left in the body. The Jews were careful not to have any blood left in the meat when it was eaten. James asked that they use caution to not use strangulation and use general care in not serving something with blood still in the meat.
Now the gentiles probably thought, "No big deal". After all, they didn't know the Jewish laws, nor would they have considered any of these things offensive. But in the interest of unity, they were likely more than receptive.
Verse 21 is perceived in different ways by scholars. We might rephrase it like this, "The law has been preached to these people for so many generations and so widespread, it's not easy for them to change." Now, everyone in the synagogue may be Christian. They may meet with gentiles there in fellowship. By a few compromises, the gentiles and Jews could do well together.
Acts 15:22-29
The church, elders and apostles decided to choose men to send back to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas to testify what was being sent in the letter. The letter established that the Judaizers that had come there were wrong to add a burden to their salvation. All the leaders were in agreement with what God had been doing. They were of one mind to lay no burden on them. The things this council did ask them to do were not tied to their salvation in any way. Salvation is by faith alone. But these things were such a stumbling block in the pagan culture there should have been little to no resistance to the request. This was the simple act of distancing one’s self from the world when you are no longer of the world.
This was great news. They were in agreement with the Apostles, Elders and the church of Jerusalem. This unity was a big deal to them.
Acts 15:30-35
Luke called the believers in Antioch a ‘multitude’. The church is growing and spreading. This gathering of folks rejoiced over the encouragement they received from the news. It was unifying, Antioch was in accord with Jerusalem and the apostles.
Judas and Silas are named as prophets – they encourage and strengthened the believers with a lengthy message. We can see it was nice to get a letter, but to have these 2 men come and speak first hand to the church had a healing affect. Judas and Silas stayed there a long time before returning to Jerusalem. Note that verse 34 says that Silas remained there. This is a disputed verse. Most scholars believe this was added later by someone copying this passage. It’s not found in the oldest manuscripts and shows up only in a couple texts. By verse 40, Silas is right back in Antioch. The copyist probably thought he was correcting an error. But Silas had plenty of time to return to Jerusalem and then come back before he joined up with Paul on the 2nd missionary journey. When Silas returned, he may well have brought John Mark with him.
This is the thought process that became the 2nd missionary journey. They didn't really set out to go on another missionary journey, but the Lord laid it on their heart to visit the believers they had left behind.
Imagine this church in Antioch, as they gathered, praying for the Christians in Lystra, Iconium, Derbe and Antioch Pisidia. And I'm sure they prayed for Sergius Paulus, the Proconsul from Paphos in Cyprus. Paul and Barnabas had experienced the opposition to Jesus in those places. How in the world would these little groups of believers continue on in their faith? They would do so by the same Spirit that saved them.
Acts 15:30-36
Uncle Barnabas (son of encouragement) wanted to take his nephew Mark. Paul essentially said that he tried that already and Mark had left them. Paul insisted that they not take him. Harsh words were spoken and they parted from one another. These are two leaders and brothers in Christ, both walking with the Lord and in the Spirit. How is it that they can be in such sharp disagreement? This disagreement split these 2 men up. Here's what we know. One of these men was wrong or both were wrong. Barnabas may well have been wrong not to submit to Paul since he was an apostle. But even as they may have bother argued in the flesh, the Lord used it for his glory.
Barnabas took Mark and they went their separate ways. This was probably more of an agreement to disagree. Barnabas would pass through Cyprus visiting the brethren and Paul would go to Asia. They eventually did reconcile (see 1 Corinthians 9:6).
©2008, 2014, 2021 Doug Ford, Calvary Chapel Sweetwater
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