SCRIPTURE: ACTS 15
THE COUNCIL AT JERUSALEM (vs. 1-21)
Some men from Judea came to Antioch and were teaching the brothers saying, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved.” (v. 1). This brought Paul and Barnabas into sharp dispute and debate with them. So Paul and Barnabas were appointed, along with some others believed to go up to Jerusalem to see the apostles and elders about this question. The church sent them on their way, and as they traveled through Phoenicia and Samaria, they told how the Gentiles had been converted. This news made all the brothers very glad. When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and elders to whom they reported everything God had done through them.
Then some of the believers who belonged to the part of the Pharisees stood up and said, “The Gentiles must be circumcised and required to obey the law of Moses.” (v. 5) But Peter disputed and said: “We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved” (v.11) The whole assembly became silent as they listened to Barnabas and Paul telling about the miraculous signs and wonders God had done among the Gentiles through them. Then James spoke up, “Brothers, listen to me. Simon has described to us how God at first showed his concern by taking from the Gentiles a people for himself. The words of the prophets are in agreement with this, as it is written: “After this I will return and rebuild David’s fallen tent. Its ruins I will rebuild, and I will restore it, that the remnant of men may seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles who bear my name, says the Lord, who does these things that have been known for age” (vs. 16-17). It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God. Instead, we should write to them, telling them to abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals and from blood. For Moses has been preached in every city from the earliest times and is read in the synagogues on every Sabbath.”
THE COUNCIL’S LETTER TO GENTILE BELIEVERS (vs. 22-35)
The apostles and elders of the church decided to send Paul, Barnabas, Judas (called Barsabbas) and Silas to deliver a letter to the Gentile believers in Antioch, Syria and Cilicia.
This is the letter :
Greetings,
We have heard that some went out from us without our authorization and disturbed you, troubling your minds by what they said. So we all agreed to choose some men and send them to you with our dear friends Barnabas and Paul – men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore we are sending Judas and Silas to confirm by word of mouth what we are writing. It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond the following requirements: You are to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality. You will do well to avoid these things. Farewell.
The men were sent off and went down to Antioch, where they gathered the church together and delivered the letter. The people read it and were glad for its encouraging messages. Judas and Silas gave encouraging messages to them. After spending some time there, they were sent off by the brothers with the blessing of peace to return to those who had sent them. But Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch to teach and preach the word of the Lord.
DISAGREEMENT BETWEEN PAUL AND BARNABAS (vs. 36-41)
Paul invited Barnabas to visit the brothers in all the towns where they preached the word of God. Barnabas wanted to take John Mark with them but Paul refused because Mark had deserted them in Pamphylia and discontinued working with them. They had a sharp disagreement so they parted company. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus while Paul chose Silas and went to Syria and Cilicia.
THOUGHTS:
The conversion of Gentiles was raising an urgent question for the early church. One group of Jewish Christians insisted that following the law,, including submitting to the rite of circumcision was necessary for salvation. The Gentiles, however, did not think they needed to become Jewish first in order to become Christians. So Paul and Barnabas discussed this problem with the leaders of the church. The council upheld the conviction expressed by Paul and Barnabas that following the Jewish law was not essential for salvation.
James is Jesus’ brother who wrote the book of James. He became the leader of the church in Jerusalem and made a compromise that the Gentile believers did not have to be circumcised, but they should stay away from food sacrificed to idols, from sexual immorality, from consuming blood, or eating meat of strangled animals. The compromise helped the church grow unhindered by the cultural differences of Jews and Gentiles. When we share our message across cultural and economic boundaries, we must be sure that the requirements for faith we set up are God’s not people’s.
The debate over circumcision could have split the church. But Paul, Barnabas and the Jews in Antioch made the right decision to seek counsel from the church leaders and from God’s Word. We should also settle church differences in the same way – by seeking wise counsel and abiding by the decisions. Do not let disagreements divide believers in church.
Barnabas wanted to take Mark but Paul disagreed because Mark had left them earlier. This disagreement caused them to split and form two teams. God works through conflict and disagreements to open two missionary endeavors. Christians do not always agree, but problems can be solved by letting God work His will.
Paul was from Antioch church and Silas was from Jerusalem church. In Paul’s second missionary journey, they traveled together to many cities to spread the Good News. This teamwork demonstrated the church’s unity after the decision at the Jerusalem council.