Act 15:16-17 | KingComments | STEP | When Barnabas and Paul have spoken, James takes the floor. He is the leader of the church in Jerusalem and therefore has a special place in it. Although he does not belong to the twelve apostles, he is also called an apostle ( ). He is the brother of the Lord Jesus ( ) and the writer of the letter of James. It is of great importance that James will speak. His words will be decisive in this discussion about the meaning of the law for the Gentiles. His great zeal for the law is clear to everyone. If he says that the Gentiles do not have to keep the law, all zealots for the law will be silent. He starts his speech by drawing attention to what he has to say. First he points out what Peter has said. James uses the Hebrew name of Peter and speaks about Simeon. He connects to his report. From what he says, it appears that he has understood that the work Peter has spoken about does not consist of making proselytes. He understood that God is in the process of taking from the Gentiles a people for Himself, a people from among the Gentiles, and that “for His name”. For the zealots of the law, “for His name” can in fact only mean that it is about the people of Israel, because they are the people that God has chosen for His name. Therefore, all who come to faith from the Gentiles should join Israel. But James shows that even in the Old Testament there is already talk about Gentiles who are called by the Name of the Lord apart from the people of Israel. So this is not an unknown phenomenon, a new doctrine, but something the prophets have spoken about in the writings of the Old Testament. James quotes an example of this from the prophet Amos. It is not a fulfillment of what Amos said – that fulfillment only comes in the realm of peace – but it corresponds to it. This quote shows that in the realm of peace the nations will be blessed, not by joining Israel, but by seeking Yahweh. The expression “as it is written” is the end of all contradiction. It confirms what has already been said by the other apostles. James quotes the verse according to its tenor. God promises in Amos that “the tabernacle of David” will be rebuilt. The ‘tabernacle of David’ means the royal family. It has decayed since the Babylonian exile. Then the kingship of the house of David came to an end, while God promised that the house of David will exist forever ( ). The prophecy of Amos is fulfilled with the coming of the Lord Jesus. Although He has been rejected and His dominion is not visible on earth, all power has been given to Him in heaven and on earth ( ). This can only be seen in faith. Soon it will be visible to everyone, when He will sit on the throne of His father David in Israel. Then the Gentiles will seek Him and He will call out His Name over them. This is how it is now. Over all those who seek the Lord in faith, who turn to God and accept the Lord Jesus in faith, He will call out His Name. This is completely independent of Judaism and entering Judaism as a proselyte. It has been of eternity in God’s heart, when there was no mention of Judaism yet. Everyone who knows God knows that He is like that and acts like that.

‏ Acts 15:16-17

Reaction of James

When Barnabas and Paul have spoken, James takes the floor. He is the leader of the church in Jerusalem and therefore has a special place in it. Although he does not belong to the twelve apostles, he is also called an apostle (Gal 1:19). He is the brother of the Lord Jesus (1Cor 15:7) and the writer of the letter of James. It is of great importance that James will speak. His words will be decisive in this discussion about the meaning of the law for the Gentiles. His great zeal for the law is clear to everyone. If he says that the Gentiles do not have to keep the law, all zealots for the law will be silent.

He starts his speech by drawing attention to what he has to say. First he points out what Peter has said. James uses the Hebrew name of Peter and speaks about Simeon. He connects to his report. From what he says, it appears that he has understood that the work Peter has spoken about does not consist of making proselytes. He understood that God is in the process of taking from the Gentiles a people for Himself, a people from among the Gentiles, and that “for His name”.

For the zealots of the law, “for His name” can in fact only mean that it is about the people of Israel, because they are the people that God has chosen for His name. Therefore, all who come to faith from the Gentiles should join Israel. But James shows that even in the Old Testament there is already talk about Gentiles who are called by the Name of the Lord apart from the people of Israel. So this is not an unknown phenomenon, a new doctrine, but something the prophets have spoken about in the writings of the Old Testament.

James quotes an example of this from the prophet Amos. It is not a fulfillment of what Amos said – that fulfillment only comes in the realm of peace – but it corresponds to it. This quote shows that in the realm of peace the nations will be blessed, not by joining Israel, but by seeking Yahweh. The expression “as it is written” is the end of all contradiction. It confirms what has already been said by the other apostles.

James quotes the verse according to its tenor. God promises in Amos that “the tabernacle of David” will be rebuilt. The ‘tabernacle of David’ means the royal family. It has decayed since the Babylonian exile. Then the kingship of the house of David came to an end, while God promised that the house of David will exist forever (Psa 89:3-4 ; 35-37).

The prophecy of Amos is fulfilled with the coming of the Lord Jesus. Although He has been rejected and His dominion is not visible on earth, all power has been given to Him in heaven and on earth (Mt 28:18). This can only be seen in faith. Soon it will be visible to everyone, when He will sit on the throne of His father David in Israel. Then the Gentiles will seek Him and He will call out His Name over them.

This is how it is now. Over all those who seek the Lord in faith, who turn to God and accept the Lord Jesus in faith, He will call out His Name. This is completely independent of Judaism and entering Judaism as a proselyte. It has been of eternity in God’s heart, when there was no mention of Judaism yet. Everyone who knows God knows that He is like that and acts like that.