Acts 15:1-21 Lesson 254

Acts 15:1-21
Lesson 254

Read both the "King James Bible" and the "New Living Translation."

In this lesson:

Dissension in the church.
Do gentile converts need to be circumcised?
The Council of Jerusalem settles a dispute.

Christians are freed from Jewish legalism.

What do we do to be saved?

Peter addresses the Council of Jerusalem (15:7).
Artist unknown.

Who was -

James -
James was a common name in biblical times. In fact, counting two of Jesus' disciples, there are five James mentioned in the New Testament. This James was Jesus' half-brother (Mark 6:3; Galatians 1:19). He was not one of the original twelve disciples (Matthew 10:2-4). James converted after the crucifixion and became one of the "pillars" in the Jerusalem church (Acts 12:17; 21:18; Galatians 2:9). He eventually succeeded Peter as its leader. He is also the author of one of the earliest books in the New Testament, "The General Epistle of James," written between AD 40-49. James was nicknamed "camel knees" due to his heavy calluses from praying. Known for his conservative religious views, he was called "James the Just," and he had the honor of a private meeting with the resurrected Christ (1 Corinthians 15:7). In this passage,
James sided with Paul to end the Judaizers debate, which threatened to tear the young church apart (Acts 15:13-29; 21:18-24). Historian Flavius Josephus records that the Jewish high priest Ananus ben Ananus had James put to death in AD 62. James was dragged to the top of the Temple in Jerusalem and thrown off. He was severely injured but survived the fall. An angry mob then stoned him until a fuller (launderer) stepped out of the crowd and clubbed him to death with a pole used to beat dirty laundry.

Simeon -
Another name for Peter, who (along with his brother Andrew) was the first disciple (Matthew 4:18-20; Mark 1:16-18) and part of Jesus' inner circle. After the crucifixion, Peter became the "rock" on which Jesus built His church (Matthew 16:16-19), and he helped spread the Gospel from Jerusalem to Rome. Whenever the Bible lists the twelve disciples/apostles, Peter is always listed first (Mark 3:16-19), and Roman Catholics consider him their first pope.

Study Tip:

Summarize the most important lesson of each passage.

The Acts of the Apostles

The King James Bible

Acts 15:1-21
The council at Jerusalem

1 And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved.

2 When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question.

3 And being brought on their way by the church, they passed through Phenice and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles: and they caused great joy unto all the brethren.

4 And when they were come to Jerusalem, they were received of the church, and of the apostles and elders, and they declared all things that God had done with them.

5 But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.

6 And the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter.

7 And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe.

8 And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us;

9 And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.

10 Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?

11 But we believe that through the grace of the LORD Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.

12 Then all the multitude kept silence, and gave audience to Barnabas and Paul, declaring what miracles and wonders God had wrought among the Gentiles by them.

13 And after they had held their peace, James answered, saying, Men and brethren, hearken unto me:

14 Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name.

15 And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written,

16 After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up:

17 That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things.

18 Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world.

19 Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God:

20 But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood.

21 For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day.

Margin notes:

"Certain men." (15:1) - "Judaizers." Judaizers were early Jewish converts to Christianity who believed that faith in Christ was not enough. They taught that salvation came through faith in Jesus Christ and the Mosaic Law. They believed that Gentile men needed to first become Jews, be circumcised (Acts 15:24), then practice all the rites and ceremonies of Judaism before they could become Christians. This created unnecessary hurdles for non-Jews to overcome to follow Christ. God does not put up hurdles; He accepts everyone who places their faith in Christ.

"After the manner of Moses." (15:1) - "As per the Mosaic Law."

"Dissension and disputation with them." (15:2) - Means "argument and debate with them."

"Paul and Barnabas.....should go up to Jerusalem." (15:2) - This will be Paul's third trip to Jerusalem since becoming a Christian fourteen years earlier.

"Being brought on their way." (15:3) - "Being sent on their way."

"Phenice." (15:3) - Also called Phoenix, it is a seaport on the southwest coast of Crete. It seems that Paul and Barnabas took the long way to Jerusalem.

"They were received of the church." (15:4) - "They were welcomed by the church."

"They declared all things that God had done." (15:4) - "They told all the things God had done."

"There rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees." (15:5) - These were converted Jews who had followed the Pharisees.

"It was needful." (15:5) - "It was necessary."

"The apostles and elders came together." (15:6) - This was the Council of Jerusalem which met about AD 50.

"Much disputing." (15:7) - "Much debate."

"Peter rose up." (15:7) - This is Peter's final appearance in Acts.

"Ye know how that a good while ago God made choice." (15:7) - "You know that some time ago God chose me."

"God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us." (15:8) - God knows our hearts (1 Chronicles 28:9). Giving Gentiles the "Holy Ghost" proved they were saved. See Acts 10:44-45.

"Purifying their hearts by faith." (15:9) - We are saved through faith.

"Why tempt ye God." (15:10) - "Why do you test God."

"A yoke." (15:10) - The legalism coupled with the numerous rites and ceremonies of the Mosaic Law was like a yoke on believers. Peter is questioning the way Jewish religious leaders interpreted the Mosaic Law and burdened people with harsh, man-made restrictions (Matthew 23:4; Galatians 5:1).

"Through the grace of the LORD Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they." (15:11) - "Through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we will be saved, the Gentiles too." Read the important passages in Romans 3:23-24, Ephesians 2:8, and Titus 2:11.

"Gave audience to Barnabas and Paul." (15:12) - Means, "Listened to Barnabas and Paul."

"Wonders God had wrought." (15:12) - "The wonders God had worked." As promised by Jesus in Mark 16:18.

"And after they had held their peace." (15:13) - "And after they had finished."

"Hearken unto me." (15:13) - "Listen to me."

"Simeon hath declared." (15:14) - "Peter has described."

"It is written." (15:15) - Written in 750 BC by the Prophet Amos (Amos 9:11-12).

"Build again the tabernacle of David." (15:16) - "Bring back the contract with David."

"The residue of men." (15:17) - "The rest of mankind."

"Wherefore my sentence is." (15:19) - "Therefore my opinion is."

"They abstain from pollutions of idols." (15:20) - "They avoid food sacrificed to pagan idols."

Galatians 2:1-10 also covers the Council of Jerusalem.

New Living Translation

Acts 15:1-21
The Council at Jerusalem

1 While Paul and Barnabas were at Antioch of Syria, some men from Judea arrived and began to teach the believers: "Unless you are circumcised as required by the law of Moses, you cannot be saved."

2 Paul and Barnabas disagreed with them, arguing vehemently. Finally, the church decided to send Paul and Barnabas to Jerusalem, accompanied by some local believers, to talk to the apostles and elders about this question.

3 The church sent the delegates to Jerusalem, and they stopped along the way in Phoenicia and Samaria to visit the believers. They told them-much to everyone's joy-that the Gentiles, too, were being converted.

4 When they arrived in Jerusalem, Barnabas and Paul were welcomed by the whole church, including the apostles and elders. They reported everything God had done through them.

5 But then some of the believers who belonged to the sect of the Pharisees stood up and insisted, "The Gentile converts must be circumcised and required to follow the law of Moses."

6 So the apostles and elders met together to resolve this issue.

7 At the meeting, after a long discussion, Peter stood and addressed them as follows: "Brothers, you all know that God chose me from among you some time ago to preach to the Gentiles so that they could hear the Good News and believe.

8 God knows people's hearts, and he confirmed that he accepts Gentiles by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as he did to us.

9 He made no distinction between us and them, for he cleansed their hearts through faith.

10 So why are you now challenging God by burdening the Gentile believers with a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors were able to bear?

11 We believe that we are all saved the same way, by the undeserved grace of the Lord Jesus."

12 Everyone listened quietly as Barnabas and Paul told about the miraculous signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles.

13 When they had finished, James stood and said, "Brothers, listen to me.

14 Peter has told you about the time God first visited the Gentiles to take from them a people for himself.

15 And this conversion of Gentiles is exactly what the prophets predicted. As it is written:

16 'Afterward I will return
and restore the fallen house of David.
I will rebuild its ruins
and restore it,

17 so that the rest of humanity might seek the Lord,
including the Gentiles-
all those I have called to be mine.
The Lord has spoken-

18 he who made these things known so long ago.'

19 "And so my judgment is that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God.

20 Instead, we should write and tell them to abstain from eating food offered to idols, from sexual immorality, from eating the meat of strangled animals, and from consuming blood.

21 For these laws of Moses have been preached in Jewish synagogues in every city on every Sabbath for many generations."

This second Bible text from the "New Living Translation" (Tyndale House, Publishers, Wheaton, Illinois) is a paraphrase and not an accurate word for word translation of the Bible. However, it is a helpful tool when read with the "King James Version."

Today's Question:

1. Why the debate over circumcision? (15:1)

Questions? I'll do my best to answer them

Answer: (Do you agree?)

1. At first glance, the debate seemed to be about circumcision. But looking deeper, the disagreement was over the entire Law of Moses passed down in Jewish culture and religion for generations. Jews who accepted Christ found it hard to stop following the the traditions they grew up with. It was part of their heritage. Some of these converts were once members of the Pharisees sect (15:5) and still believed that observing the Mosaic Law was vital to maintaining a relationship with God (these were called Judaizers). Those who agreed with Paul, believed that the new covenant (agreement) made the old Mosaic Law obsolete (these were called Antiochenes). Antiochenes believed that having faith in Jesus could save anyone and the Mosaic Law would save no one (Galatians 5:2).

The Jerusalem council met circa AD 50. By now, it has been about ten years since the first gentile was admitted to the church. Notice that the Judaizers and Antiochenes debated whether Gentiles had to obey the Law of Moses to be saved, and not if they could be saved. A massive step forward.

Additional note: This wasn't the first time turmoil threatened the church. You'll remember the stories of Ananias and Sapphira (5:1-10), the concern over the treatment of widows (6:1), the stoning of Stephen (7:54-60), the believer Simon who tried to buy the power of God (8:18-24), and the commotion caused when Peter baptized the gentile Cornelius (10:48). The early church had its struggles.

Application thought for the day:

The Pharisees displayed a very human trait that endures today. We tend to think that anyone who doesn't do as we do is wrong. But when it comes to Christianity, regardless of our background, how we worship and pray, or when we came to Christ, we are all saved by the gift of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ (15:11).

Thanks to the writings and commentary of John Wesley and Adam Clarke. Also, "The Layman's Bible Study Notebook" by Irving Jensen published by Harvest House Publishing, Irvine, California; the "Life Change Series" published by NavPress books, Colorado Springs, Colorado; the "Life Application Study Bible" published by Tyndale House Publishing, Carol Stream, Illinois; the "Quest Study Bible" published by The Zondervan Corporation, Grand Rapids, Michigan; "Robertson's New Testament Word Studies;" "The MacArthur Bible Commentary" by John MacArthur published by Thomas Nelson, Nashville, Tennessee; "Wisdom of the Bible" CD by Topics Entertainment, Inc., Renton, Washington for their inspiring pictures; "My utmost for His Highest" by Oswald Chambers published by Barbour Publishing, Inc., Uhrichsville, Ohio; The "Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge" by Reuben Archer Torrey; "Hope For Each Day" by Billy Graham published by J. Countryman, a division of Thomas Nelson, Inc., Nashville, Tennessee; "Easton's Bible Dictionary" by Matthew George Easton; "Unger's Bible Dictionary" by Merrill F. Unger, published by Moody Press, Chicago, Illinois; "Halley's Bible Handbook" by Henry H. Halley, Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, Michigan; "The Everyday Bible" published by World Wide Publications, Minneapolis, Minnesota; "The Living New Testament" published by Tyndale house; "The New Living Translation" published by Tyndale House; "The New Testament" translated from the Latin Vulgate, published by Guild Press, New York, New York; BibleGateway.com for all their wonderful links; and of course the "King James Bible." All were critical in putting these lessons together.
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