Acts of Apostles in the Early Church 

Acts 15:1 - 16:5

Chapter 15 is "the turning point . . . of the book [of Acts], the episode which rounds off and justifies the past developments, and makes those to come intrinsically possible," says Ernst Haenchen in his commentary.

This is not an exaggeration, according to John Stott. Luke draws attention to it by shifts of emphasis. In his chapter Jerusalem is still the focus of interest, and Peter makes his final appearance in the story.

But from now on Peter disappears, to be replaced by Paul, and Jerusalem recedes into the background as Paul pushes on beyond Asia into Europe, and Rome appears on the horizon.

From our perspective of church history, we can see the crucial importance of this first ecumenical Council held in Jerusalem.

Its unanimous decision liberated the gospel from its Jewish swaddling clothes into being God's message for all humankind, and gave the Jewish-Gentile church a self-conscious identity as the reconciled people of God, the one body of Christ.

Although the whole Council affirmed it, Paul claimed it was a new understanding granted specially to him, the "mystery" previously hidden but now revealed -- namely that through faith in Christ alone Gentiles stand on equal terms with Jews as "heirs together" in his one new community.

The Point at Issue

Pharisees and those "zealous for the law" (Judaizers) were insisting that without circumcision converts could not be saved. They were telling Gentile converts that faith in Jesus was not enough for salvation.

In other words, they must let Moses complete what Jesus had begun, and let the law supplement the gospel. The issue was immense. The way of salvation was at stake. The gospel was in dispute. 

The apostle Paul saw this with great clarity and was outraged. His indignation increased when the Judaizers won over Peter, who was also in Antioch at the time.

That was only the beginning. The rest of the Jewish believers followed Peter's bad example and "joined in his hypocrisy."

So Paul "opposed Peter to his face, because he was in the wrong", and rebuked him in public.

As a result, there was "fierce dissension and controversy" among believers.

And so calling of the Council at Jerusalem was intended to clarify doctrine, end controversy and promote peace.

(Source: The Message of Acts by John Stott)

The Debate

No sooner had Paul and Barnabas arrived from Antioch and were given a warm welcome by the Jerusalem church, the controversy broke out again. 

"Then some of the believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees stood up and said, The Gentiles must be circumcised and required to obey the law of Moses."

Luke gives no details of the discussion that took place, but he summarizes the decisive speeches made by Peter, Paul (and Barnabas) and James.

The Decision

It was "that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God. Instead, we should write to them to abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from  meat of strangled animals and blood."

The Letter

The Council agreed with James' proposal of Gentile Christian abstinence in four cultural areas seemed a wise policy to promote mutual tolerance and fellowship.

It also agreed to send a letter to the churches in Antioch, Syria and Cilicia.

Not just a letter but also people who could explain its origin, interpret its meaning and secure its acceptance.

The Council sent Judas (called Barsabbas) and Silas with Paul and Barnabas.

Lessons for us

People who read Acts 15 today are tempted to dismiss it as being of somewhat antiquarian interest. There is no circumcision party in the 21st century trying to expect any contemporary Christian group to accept the four apostolic abstentions.

The whole incident appears remote, even irrelevant. Yet it contains at least two lessons of permanent value for us today, the first relating to salvation and the second to fellowship.

The Jerusalem Council secured a double victory: a victory of truth in confirm the gospel of grace, and a victory of love in preserving the fellowship of believers.