Act 15:1-10 | KingComments | STEP | After opposition from outside from the unbelieving Jews together with the Gentiles, there is now opposition from the midst of the believers. Believing Jews from Judaea, still living in connection with the demands of the law, want to impose these demands on the believers from the nations. They have come to this new center of work in Antioch to impose their teachings on the believers. Their teaching is to make salvation dependent on circumcision. This is a frontal attack on the gospel of the grace of God even in the center of the church. These people want to prevent Christendom from becoming independent of Judaism. If this would have succeeded, Christendom would only have become a Jewish sect. What these Judaists say is the same as saying: If you do not join our group, you cannot be saved, because there is no salvation outside of us. For those who bring this up, it is not a question of whether they are right. There is not the slightest trace of doubt about this in their legalistic teaching. Now, their teaching would not have to cause much commotion if the believers themselves were confirmed in the truth and held fast to it. People who bring legal teaching have neither Scripture nor the apostles on their side. However, the people are docile, and these people speak with force of voice and persuasion. That is why strong action must be taken against them. It is not a small difference of opinion, but it touches the very essence of the gospel. The introduction of the law is the denial of a risen and glorified Christ. It denies that through Christ everything is accomplished that is necessary to be saved. These people look back to the time before the cross, to things and persons on earth. They do not look through a torn veil at Christ above. They want to hold on to the ancient glory of the Jews from which they derive honor for themselves. They learn that there can only be salvation by becoming entirely Jewish. In this chapter it is about establishing that salvation is in nothing but faith in the Lord Jesus without any further conditions. Apart from the fact that the crisis situation is about a teaching of the highest importance, it is also about preventing a division in the church between believing Jews and believing Gentiles. The Jewish Christians remain zealous for the law. That in itself is not the problem. The problem is that they want to oblige believers from the Gentiles to also obey the commandments of the law. To the Jewish Christians, Christendom is a continuation of Judaism, but now with faith in the Messiah Jesus. To them, the churches among the nations are churches of proselytes. They consider these believers as people who have passed over to Judaism. To them, there is still nothing besides Judaism. But they are wrong, because Christendom is something completely new and has nothing in common with Judaism. If the believers would continue to cling to Judaism or would be forced to cling to it, Christendom would be reduced to Judaism. Later, Paul will expose the new dispensation in all its facets through the various letters he writes to various churches. Especially in the letter to the Ephesians he shows that Jew and Gentile together have become something new in the church. The wrong teaching causes great discussion, dissension, unrest and confusion. Paul and Barnabas, who see their work threatened, vigorously protest against this false teaching. Fortunately, the brothers in Antioch have so much faith in Paul and Barnabas that they decide that they should go to Jerusalem together with a few others to present this question of discord to the apostles and elders. The problem is not only a problem of Antioch. Jerusalem is also directly involved. According to the counsel of God, this issue should not be solved by apostolic authority or by the working of His Spirit in Antioch. This might have divided the church. In order to maintain unity, this matter must be resolved during a conference in Jerusalem, the center of the Jewish system. In Jerusalem, the Jewish Christians, the apostles, the elders and the whole church, must declare that the believers from the Gentiles are free from the law. The things at stake touch the heart of Christendom. The importance of a standpoint according to God’s thoughts is great.

‏ Acts 15:1-10

Salvation and Circumcision?

After opposition from outside from the unbelieving Jews together with the Gentiles, there is now opposition from the midst of the believers. Believing Jews from Judaea, still living in connection with the demands of the law, want to impose these demands on the believers from the nations. They have come to this new center of work in Antioch to impose their teachings on the believers. Their teaching is to make salvation dependent on circumcision.

This is a frontal attack on the gospel of the grace of God even in the center of the church. These people want to prevent Christendom from becoming independent of Judaism. If this would have succeeded, Christendom would only have become a Jewish sect. What these Judaists say is the same as saying: If you do not join our group, you cannot be saved, because there is no salvation outside of us. For those who bring this up, it is not a question of whether they are right. There is not the slightest trace of doubt about this in their legalistic teaching.

Now, their teaching would not have to cause much commotion if the believers themselves were confirmed in the truth and held fast to it. People who bring legal teaching have neither Scripture nor the apostles on their side. However, the people are docile, and these people speak with force of voice and persuasion. That is why strong action must be taken against them.

It is not a small difference of opinion, but it touches the very essence of the gospel. The introduction of the law is the denial of a risen and glorified Christ. It denies that through Christ everything is accomplished that is necessary to be saved. These people look back to the time before the cross, to things and persons on earth. They do not look through a torn veil at Christ above. They want to hold on to the ancient glory of the Jews from which they derive honor for themselves. They learn that there can only be salvation by becoming entirely Jewish.

In this chapter it is about establishing that salvation is in nothing but faith in the Lord Jesus without any further conditions. Apart from the fact that the crisis situation is about a teaching of the highest importance, it is also about preventing a division in the church between believing Jews and believing Gentiles.

The Jewish Christians remain zealous for the law. That in itself is not the problem. The problem is that they want to oblige believers from the Gentiles to also obey the commandments of the law. To the Jewish Christians, Christendom is a continuation of Judaism, but now with faith in the Messiah Jesus. To them, the churches among the nations are churches of proselytes. They consider these believers as people who have passed over to Judaism. To them, there is still nothing besides Judaism. But they are wrong, because Christendom is something completely new and has nothing in common with Judaism.

If the believers would continue to cling to Judaism or would be forced to cling to it, Christendom would be reduced to Judaism. Later, Paul will expose the new dispensation in all its facets through the various letters he writes to various churches. Especially in the letter to the Ephesians he shows that Jew and Gentile together have become something new in the church.

The wrong teaching causes great discussion, dissension, unrest and confusion. Paul and Barnabas, who see their work threatened, vigorously protest against this false teaching. Fortunately, the brothers in Antioch have so much faith in Paul and Barnabas that they decide that they should go to Jerusalem together with a few others to present this question of discord to the apostles and elders.

The problem is not only a problem of Antioch. Jerusalem is also directly involved. According to the counsel of God, this issue should not be solved by apostolic authority or by the working of His Spirit in Antioch. This might have divided the church. In order to maintain unity, this matter must be resolved during a conference in Jerusalem, the center of the Jewish system. In Jerusalem, the Jewish Christians, the apostles, the elders and the whole church, must declare that the believers from the Gentiles are free from the law. The things at stake touch the heart of Christendom. The importance of a standpoint according to God’s thoughts is great.

To and at Jerusalem

The journey to Jerusalem is also spent for the honor of God and the blessing of the church. On the way, the embassy recounts in the regions through which they pass the conversion of the Gentiles. They do this in Phoenicia – today’s Lebanon – and Samaria. Their stories cause great joy. When they heard and accepted the gospel themselves some time ago, it had made them joyful (Acts 8:8). Now there is great joy when they hear that others from the Gentiles have accepted it.

The brothers have not heard of this work before. It is new to them, but they accept with great joy what they hear. It is important to remember that the special thing about the conversion of the Gentiles is that it happens separately from Judaism and also without them having to become Jews after their conversion.

When the company arrives at Jerusalem, it is received by the church, which has undoubtedly been called together. The apostles and the elders are mentioned separately. Paul and Barnabas and the others do not suddenly start discussing the question that causes controversy. First they tell, just as they did along the way, about all that God has done to them. They tell how God has caused Gentile churches to arise everywhere.

This is the reason for some of the Pharisees to stand up and express their views on circumcision and the law. They are not prevented from expressing their teachings, but are given every opportunity to say what they want. For a good solution it is necessary that everyone is given the opportunity to express their thoughts. These things are not regulated by a single word.

The defenders of the law therefore first get every opportunity to express their views. They have much to criticize because they are strongly against the apostles not having preached circumcision and not having said anything about keeping the law of Moses. The spokesmen, as Pharisees, are very familiar with the whole law, to which they also keep themselves scrupulously.

Luke talks about “the sect of the Pharisees”. A sect is a group that distinguishes itself from other groups. The word ‘sect’ means ‘to choose’. It does not have to be about false teachings, but it is about the overemphasis of a doctrine or a person.

The word ‘sect’ appears nine times in the New Testament, six times in Acts and three times in the letters (Acts 5:17 ; Acts 15:5 ; Acts 24:5 ; 14 ; Acts 26:5 ; Acts 28:22; 1Cor 11:19; Gal 5:20; 2Pet 2:1). In the church in Corinth, these are groups of believers who separate from each other by following persons who are their favorite (1Cor 1:12). In the letter to the Galatians sects are called a manifestation of the flesh. Peter writes about pernicious cults as the work of false teachers.

A sect is not something of the Spirit, but of man, the flesh, the devil. The Pharisees who raise their voices here have come to faith in the Messiah Jesus, but remain bound with heart and soul to the law and its customs. These are the statutes of God that must therefore also be observed by the believers of the Gentiles, they think.

After the Pharisees have made their remarks and thus have laid down the core of the problem, the apostles and the elders meet together to deal with this problem. It seems that only the apostles and the elders have spoken about this matter, without the whole church being present. In any case, brothers in charge of the church have discussed it with each other. It has not been dealt with by some apostles who have imposed their decision on the others. In making decisions, it is good to involve as many brothers as possible who have responsibility.

Reaction of Peter

Even in the smaller circle of responsible brothers, unanimity is initially hard to find. There is much debate. There is freedom to say what is in one’s heart, although the flesh can abuse it. Yet it is not said: ‘There is no discussion here.’ Nor are structures created to prevent these discussions. This would restrict the freedom to express oneself. In all argumentation it should be about learning to understand the will of the Holy Spirit, so that finally it can be said that “the Holy Spirit and we” have come to a certain decision (Acts 15:28).

During the debate, Peter stands up. After his deliverance from prison, he travelled to another place (Acts 12:17), but here he is back in Jerusalem. What he is about to say shows that he has thoroughly learned the lesson of the event at Cornelius (Acts 10:34). He listened carefully to what the others said. Guided by the Spirit, he stands up at the right moment (Pro 18:13). After the thoughts of the people the thoughts of God are given and they come to a unanimous conclusion.

Peter begins by reminding how God used him as a special instrument with the purpose that through his mouth the Gentiles would hear the gospel and believe it. It was not God’s purpose that they would only hear it, no, the purpose was that they also would come to faith.

God proved that they indeed came to faith by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He also did to “us”, who are the believing Jews. By giving His Spirit also to converted Gentiles, God Himself gave testimony that He saved them (Rom 8:9; Eph 1:13). God has sealed their faith with the Holy Spirit, without any prerequisites, but only by faith. God knew the hearts of Cornelius and his people and saw faith in those hearts. He would never have given His Spirit in their hearts if their hearts had not been cleansed by faith.

How, then, could people set additional conditions, conditions that were also not fulfilled by those who set them? God does not demand external action such as circumcision or proselyte baptism, but cleanses their hearts by faith. The function of the law is to condemn man. Through law knowledge of sin comes, but the law does not bring salvation from sin.

Peter tells about the function and the effect of the law. He forcefully states that the unbearable yoke of the law with its inseparable impossibility of being saved by it must certainly not be imposed on others. How could they do that and why would they do that? It is such a great sin that Peter equates it with testing God. It is to challenge God, to test Him to see how far one can go.

It is an insult to God to say that something still must be done in addition to the work done by the Lord Jesus in order to be saved. No, the foundation on which the Gentiles stand is that of grace and faith. On that basis they have been saved. Peter sets the way in which God saves Gentiles as an example of how Jews too can be saved and not the other way around. The origin lies in the grace of the Lord Jesus and grace places everyone on the same basis before God.