Acts 15
CHAPTER 15
Acts 15:1-35 . COUNCIL AT JERUSALEM TO DECIDE ON THE NECESSITY OF CIRCUMCISION FOR THE GENTILE CONVERTS.
1, 2. certain men--See the description of them in Galatians 2:4 .
2. Paul and Barnabas--now the recognized heads of the Church at Antioch.
had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined--that is, the church did.
that Paul and Barnabas, and certain others of them--Titus was one ( Galatians 2:1 ); probably as an uncircumcised Gentile convert endowed with the gifts of the Spirit. He is not mentioned in the Acts, but only in Second Corinthians, Galatians, Second Timothy, and the Epistle addressed to him [ALFORD].
should go up to Jerusalem . . . about this question--That such a deputation should be formally despatched by the Church of Antioch was natural, as it might be called the mother church of Gentile Christianity.
3-6. being brought on their way by the church--a kind of official escort.
they passed through
and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles, and they caused great joy to the brethren--As the converts in those parts were Jewish ( Acts 11:19 ), their spirit contrasts favorably with that of others of their nation.
4. And when they were come to Jerusalem--This was Paul's THIRD VISIT TO JERUSALEM after his conversion, and on this occasion took place what is related in Galatians 2:1-10 . (See there).
were received of the church, and the apostles and elders--evidently at a meeting formally convened for this purpose: the deputation being one so influential, and from a church of such note.
they declared all things that God had done with
6. the apostles and elders came together to consider of this--but in presence, as would seem, of the people ( Acts 15:12 Acts 15:22 Acts 15:23 ).
7. Peter, &c.--This is the last mention of him in the Acts, and one worthy of his standing, as formally pronouncing, from the divine decision of the matter already in his own case, in favor of the views which all of Paul's labors were devoted to establishing.
a good while ago--probably about fifteen years before this.
made choice . . . that the Gentiles by my
8. God, which knoweth the hearts--implying that the real question for admission to full standing in the visible Church is the state of the heart. Hence, though that cannot be known by men, no principle of admission to church privileges which reverses this can be sound.
9. put no difference between us and them: purifying their hearts by faith--"Purification" here refers to "sprinkling (of the conscience by the blood of Jesus) from dead works to serve the living God." inward revolution wrought upon the genuine disciples of the Lord Jesus!
10. why tempt--"try," "provoke"
ye God--by standing in the way of His declared purpose.
to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, &c.--He that was circumcised became thereby bound to keep the whole law. (See Galatians 5:1-6 ). It was not then the mere yoke of burdensome ceremonies, but of an obligation which the more earnest and spiritual men became, the more impossible they felt it to fulfil. (See Romans 3:5 , Galatians 2:4 , &c.).
11. through the grace of the Lord Jesus--that is, by that only.
we shall be saved, even as they--circumcision in our case being no advantage, and in their case uncircumcision no loss; but grace doing all for both, and the same for each.
12. Then all . . . gave audience to Barnabas and Paul--On this order of the names here,
declaring what miracles and signs God wrought among the Gentiles by them--This detail of facts, immediately following up those which Peter had recalled to mind, would lead all who waited only for divine teaching to see that God had Himself pronounced the Gentile converts to be disciples in as full standing as the Jews, without circumcision; and the attesting miracles to which Paul here refers would tend, in such an assembly to silence opposition.
13. James answered, saying, &c.--Whoever this James was Jerusalem, and here, as president of the assembly, speaks last, winding up the debate. His decision, though given as his own judgment only, could not be of great weight with the opposing party, from his conservative reverence for all Jewish usages within the circle of Israelitish Christianity.