Chapter Fifteen –
First Doctrinal Problem
ACTS 15:13-22:
In our
last two lessons, we looked into the doctrinal conflict that has found its
way from Jerusalem to Antioch of Syria. This is not an external problem, but
one that has come from within; the attempted re-insertion of the Law of
Moses (namely circumcision –
Vs.1,
and the keeping of the Law of Moses –
Vs.5).
After a
great dispute; whereby Paul would state in his own words,
“We did not yield submission even
for an hour” –
Galatians 2:5; it has been decided that since the problem
originated from these men coming from Jerusalem, they would go there to
solve this issue. As the Apostles and elders have come together with the
Spirit of God, they are now establishing the Divine authority by which unity
will be found. This has now begun to be revealed to the multitudes.
There are
three ways to establish Biblical authority:
-
Direct Command
(James will now speak to this
in this lesson).
-
Spirit or Apostolic approved example
(Peter has used this method in his
presentation).
-
Necessary inference
(Paul and Barnabas have used this method).
In this
lesson we will see James use the
direct command method and we will also see the result of all three
combined!
Text #1:
Acts 15:13-21
“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.’
(Amos
9:11-12)
18
“Known to
God from eternity are all His works.
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.””
James:
Here we have a command or
statement that God has said concerning the acceptance of the Gentiles. James
also confirms that the prophet’s words have been fulfilled in the words of
Peter, as God worked through him to bring about fulfillment of this fact.
James is
going to also quote from
Amos
9:11-12 (Amos would perform
his work during the reign of Jeroboam II, and just before the ten northern
tribes would be taken into Assyrian captivity); where Amos is prophesying
concerning the destruction of Israel (the certainty of Israel’s desolation (Amos
9:1-10), and then the restoration of Israel (I will raise up the
house of David) which would include the Gentiles (here James is stating that
this is fulfilled in the kingdom of Jesus the Christ).
Known to
God:
James
continues to recognize that this was God’s intent even before the creation
of men. We see this in the statement of Paul concerning the work of the
Christ of God in the existence of the church as God’s eternal purpose in
Christ (which would include all men) –
Ephesians 3:10-11.
This was
additionally the foundation of the
“Great Promise” made to Abraham –
Genesis 12:1-3.
Turning to
God:
James
concludes “therefore”, that
these Gentiles, who are converting to God through the Gospel of Jesus
Christ, should not be troubled. Even though James does not mention the
specifics of the trouble, we know by the context of everything we are
dealing with in this chapter, he is specifying circumcision and the
traditions of the Law of Moses.
The
description used of the Gentiles
“turning to God” is a simple description of the purpose of the Gospel of
Jesus Christ in conversion (also described as being
“added to the church” or
“to the Lord” –
Acts
2:47;
5:14).
Paul would
describe this turning process as the heart of the Gospel he was sent to
preach to Jew and Gentile, note:
Acts 26:17-18
“I will deliver you from the Jewish people, as well
as from the Gentiles, to whom I now send you,
18
to open
their eyes, in order to
turn them
from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that
they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are
sanctified by faith in Me.’”
Abstain
from:
As the
Gentiles turn to God, there is an expected transformation in their lives in
no different way than in the lives of Jews who have obeyed the Gospel. The
only difference is the detail of what or which works of the flesh they would
have to abstain from. James here recognizes that the universal works of the
flesh, that the Gentiles would have to deal with were associated with
immorality, and then things strangled, and blood (which the last are items
associated with idolatry and its practices); all of which men were capable
of even before the Law of Moses came into being.
Moses has
them that Teach Him:
This is not
given to substantiate the continuation of the Law of Moses, but simply to
enforce that for many generations Moses Law has been taught, which included
this final culmination of Jew and Gentile into one man (Ephesians
2:14-17); bringing fulfillment to the
“Great Promise” made to Abraham.
And in that
same synagogues instruction would have to include a time that would come
when Moses’ words would be superseded by a greater Prophet!
Acts 3:22-23
“For Moses truly said to the fathers,
‘The Lord
your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your brethren. Him you
shall hear in all things, whatever He says to you.
23
And it shall be
that
every soul who will not hear that Prophet shall be utterly destroyed from
among the people.’”
(Deuteronomy
18:15-19)
Text #2:
Acts 15:22
“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.”
The product
of God’s authority, especially when submission to His will is the primary
focus is a joyful unity. This is the result of the entire congregation of
God’s people as a result of this unified training.
In addition
to the unity, they also concluded that chosen men of their own number would
be sent to Antioch with the news of this event; especially since the problem
had arisen here. This would allow the brethren to know beyond a shadow of a
doubt that if any others came with different teaching than this again, it
did not originate with them and should be seen as false.
Judas –
Barsabas:
His surname
(Barsabas) means, ‘son of Sabas’ and hints that he may have been the brother
of Joseph who’s surname was also Barsabas (Acts
1:23). This Judas would also be, through the laying on of the
Apostles hands, a prophet of God (Vs.
32).
Silas:
Along with Judas, Silas was additionally a prophet and a leading man among
the brethren in Jerusalem. Silas will accompany Paul on his second journey,
after a falling out with Barnabas. He will share in the ministry of the
Gospel and the sufferings for the cause of Christ with Paul. Not much else
is known or spoken of Silas outside of the book of
Acts;
however the “Silvanus” in the
introduction of the letters to the church of Thessalonica must surely be
Silas.
Next: “The First Inspired Letter!”