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The Book of Acts
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BIBLE STUDY ACTS 15:1-41 REVIEW: In Chapter 14 we charted the journey of Paul and Barnabas’ mission into Asia. The account notes the success of their mission in “making disciples” among the Gentiles as well as such dangers as Paul being stoned (but not killed) by the Jews from Antioch (of Pisidia) and Iconium. Notable, was their experience in Lystra where they were mistaken by the people there for the Greek gods Zeus and Hermes. In this section we saw how Paul was able to adapt the gospel message to suit the context of his hearers. The Chapter ends with Paul and Barnabas’ return to Antioch where they report that “God had opened the door of faith for the Gentiles.” These events set the stage for the Church conflict that ensues in Chapter 15. CHAPTER 15:1-3 “Dissension and Debate” “Then certain individuals came down from Judea and were teaching the brothers, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.” 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 discuss this question with the apostles and the elders. So they were sent on their way by the church, and as they passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, they reported the conversion of the Gentiles, and brought great joy to all the believers. When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and the elders, and they reported all that God had done with them. But some believers who belonged to the sect of the Pharisees stood up and said, “It is necessary for them to be circumcised and ordered to keep the law of Moses.” Here we are introduced to what would become the greatest controversy of the early Church. In this passage, Luke emphasizes three things that were unfolding simultaneously: 1) Paul and Barnabas were reporting great success regarding their new mission. That is, the Gentiles were coming to believe in the Gospel message of Paul and Barnabas. 2) This great “conversion of the Gentiles…brought great joy to all believers.” That is, the news of a conversion trend amongst Gentiles, which was reported by Paul and Barnabas, was received enthusiastically in the church. 3) But not by everybody! Apparently there was also a segment of “believers” not entirely comfortable with this new movement. It is interesting to see how at this moment in history Acts states that there were “believers who belonged to the sect of the Pharisees.” According to this segment of the church, keeping the law of Moses (the Torah) was an obvious requirement for those wanting to follow Jesus. In studying Church history, it is important to see how the lines of distinction that we sometimes take for granted today, were not always so cut and dry. For instance, historian Karen Armstrong reports in her book Jerusalem, how James, the first Patriarch of the Church in Jerusalem after the crucifixion, was very well respected by the Pharisees in Jerusalem. He was killed, eventually, by a plot of the Sadducees, which many scholars believe led directly to the Jewish revolt against Rome. Yet, we will soon see how the pharisaic focus on law-observance (mitzvot) became a huge theme of dissension within the early Christian church. Notice how, already in this Chapter of Acts, the pharisaic-“Christians” are both included and not included under the label of “believer.” CHAPTER 15:6-11 “Peter’s Position” “The apostles and the elders met together to consider this matter. After there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them, “My brothers, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you, that I should be the one through whom the Gentiles would hear the message of the good news and become believers. And God, who knows the human heart, testified to them by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as he did to us; and in cleansing their hearts by faith he has made no distinction between them and us. Now therefore why are you putting God to the test by placing on the neck of the disciples a yoke that neither our ancestors nor we have been able to bear? On the contrary, we believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they will.” In this Chapter, as well as in the last Chapter, we get a glimpse of the evolving structure of the early Church. Just as Paul and Barnabas established “elders” among the communities of Asia Minor (Chapter 14), so we see that the position of elder had also become a part of the Church structure in Jerusalem. According to the Eerdman’s Bible Dictionary, The Christian church followed the Jewish custom of granting authority to older persons who had shown laudable wisdom (e.g., 1 Tim 5:1; Heb. 11:2)… At what stage of church growth the elders became actual office bearers, alongside of deacons and bishops, remains uncertain. Presumably the office of elder came into existence throughout the wider church, as early as this noteworthy meeting of church leaders and as this benchmark debate ensued. It is extremely interesting to compare these events, as presented by Luke—the Author of Acts, with Paul’s perspective presented in his letter to the Galatians (Read Galatians 2:1-14). Despite some complications with details regarding which one, Peter (Cephas) or Paul, God chose to evangelize the Gentiles, both sources verify a similar outcome from this meeting. That is, whether the concept came first from Peter or Paul, a new articulation of the Gospel message—the message of universal justification by faith in Christ—and therefore, a new grasp of the church’s purpose. In Peter’s speech, the argument goes like this. 1) God also has a relationship with the Gentiles—God testifies to them by giving them the Holy Spirit. They become “believers” when they hear the “good news.” 2) It is God who knows the human heart and cleanses it with faith. 3) This reality of faith, shared both by Jews and Gentiles, indicates that from God’s perspective there is no distinction between Gentile and Jewish Christians. Both are justified by faith. Both have faith (Greek: pistos) and are “believers” (pisteusai). This basic message would be elaborated upon much in Paul’s letters; Augustine would also shape and formulate this doctrine during his lifetime (350-418); and down through the centuries it would become, for many Christians, the heart of the Christian message. During the reformation, Martin Luther regarded this message of justification by Faith as the central and founding doctrine of Christianity or the doctrine by which the church “stands or falls.” This is still the Lutheran confession today. CHAPTER 15:12-35 “James’ Decision” “The whole assembly kept silence, and listened to Barnabas and Paul as they told of all the signs and wonders that God had done through them among the Gentiles. After they finished speaking, James replied, “My brothers, listen to me. Simeon has related how God first looked favorably on the Gentiles, to take from among them a people for his name. This agrees with the words of the prophets, as it is written, ‘After this I will return, and I will rebuild the dwelling of David, which has fallen; from its ruins I will rebuild it, and I will set it up, so that all other peoples may seek the Lord—even all the Gentiles over whom my name has been called. Thus says the Lord, who has been making these things known from long ago.’ Therefore I have reached the decision that we should not trouble those Gentiles who are turning to God, but we should write to them to abstain only from things polluted by idols and from fornication and from whatever has been strangled and from blood. For in every city, for generations past, Moses has had those who proclaim him, for he has been read aloud every Sabbath in the synagogues.” Here we see that James is the spokesman for the Jerusalem Church and seems to be speaking here as the final authority, after hearing from Peter, Paul and Barnabas. Although we hear relatively little from James in the New Testament, we see here that his focus, as Jerusalem “bishop”, is in making sense of the current situation based on the prophetic traditions of the past. In his words we also see a messianic hope centered on the prophetic vision of the city of David. As for the three prohibitions stated by James, commentators are divided as to whether their overall intent is primarily moral or religious. One view, which seems viable to me, Pastor Josh, is that the primary message is that Gentile converts were to stop practicing pagan religious practices if they claim to believe in the salvation of Jesus Christ. The Church was to avoid a syncretism between their monotheistic religion and paganism. Therefore, avoiding idolatry was the central issue. Temple prostitution was associated with pagan cults and all fornication was associated with idolatry and the practice of pagans. The prohibition about eating animals without draining the blood, is also a Biblical ritual having to do with honoring God for the gift of life (Lev 17:8-15). James sites the long-standing and widespread practice of Torah study in synagogues as his final basis for making this decision. According to Luke Timothy Johnson, in his commentary on The Acts of the Disciples, the Torah’s own norms for proselytes and sojourners would already have been commonly known by Gentiles. In other words, there was already precedent for Gentiles to be practicing Torah study without circumcision or other Jewish religious observances. CHAPTER 15:22-35 “A Delegation Sent to Antioch” “Then the apostles and the elders, with the consent of the whole church, decided to choose men from among their members and to send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They sent Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, leaders among the brothers, with the following letter: “The brothers, both the apostles and the elders, to the believers of Gentile origin in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia, greetings. Since we have heard that certain persons who have gone out from us, though with no instructions from us, have said things to disturb you and have unsettled your minds, we have decided unanimously to choose representatives and send them to you, along with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, who have risked their lives for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ. We have therefore sent Judas and Silas, who themselves will tell you the same things by word of mouth. For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to impose on you no further burden than these essentials; that you abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols and from blood and from what is strangled and from fornication. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell.” So they were sent off and went down to Antioch. When they gathered the congregation together, they delivered the letter. When its members read it, they rejoiced at the exhortation. Judas and Silas, who were themselves prophets, said much to encourage and strengthen the believers. After they had been there for some time, they were sent off in peace by the believers to those who had sent them. But Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch, and there, with many others, they taught and proclaimed the word of the Lord.” In the last section Luke recorded what could be called the first ever “Church council.” Luke’s characterization in the book of Acts would become a model by which the church would continue to make important decisions and resolve difficult issues of faith throughout history. Luke Timothy Johnson identifies the procedure established in this story: Here now is a community capable of resolving difficult issues concerning membership and status: it calls a council, hears testimony, interprets its sacred texts, declares its convictions in propositions of faith, sends out legations with letters, establishes peace between local communities. In summary, it is important to see how Acts affirms the reality of God’s guidance, even in the midst of dissention and debate. After all, what congregation has not had dissension and debate? Yet, the work of the Holy Spirit continues to work in Christ’s church. CHAPTER 15:36-41 “Paul and Barnabas Separate” “After some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Come, let us return and visit the believers in every city where we proclaimed the word of the Lord and see how they are doing.” Barnabas wanted to take with them John called Mark. But Paul decided not to take with them one who had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not accompanied them in the work. The disagreement became so sharp that they parted company; Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus. But Paul chose Silas and set out, the believers commending him to the grace of the Lord. He went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches. After having played such a crucial role in bringing Saul into the church, Barnabas is never mentioned in Acts again. He is only mentioned three more times in the New Testament (Col 4:10, 1 Cor 9:6, Gal 2:13). Although Luke’s telling of the story of the Jerusalem Council seems to have resulted in a peaceful resolution, perhaps this abrupt transition back into “sharp disagreement” between Paul and Barnabas indicates that (between the lines) there was yet some unresolved conflict after the council. Although not expressed in Acts, according to Paul’s letter to the Galatians (2:11), “Barnabas was led astray by [the] hypocrisy” of Peter, James and the “circumcision party.” Nevertheless, Paul and Barnabas (as well as John Mark and Silas, for that matter) each set out to visit or inspect the locations they had visited before. Each, no doubt, should be honored for their great contribution to the spread of the gospel in our early church history. -------------------- Joshua W. Magyar, Pella Lutheran Church 418 W. Main Street Sidney, MT 59270
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