Grace Alone

First, Peter says his preaching to the Gentiles wasn’t his idea but part of God’s sovereign plan (v. 7). Second, he reminds his hearers that God has given the Gentiles the Holy Spirit (v. 8; cf. 10:44,47; 11:17). This too is proof that Jews and Gentiles were on equal footing. Finally, he reminds them that God makes no distinction between Gentile and Jew (v. 9); he shows no partiality (10:34). Therefore, God’s declaration has already been made, and no one should put any additional burden on Gentile Christians (v. 10).

Peter shows that the real boundary marker between alienation from God and salvation is not circumcision but faith(Johnson, Let’s Study Acts, 185). The Gentiles heard the gospel and believed it (v. 7). Therefore, God cleansed their hearts by faith (v. 9; cf. 10:15; 11:9). Jewish Christians too are saved by believing, just like the Gentiles (v. 11). Cornelius had been accepted by faith, not by circumcision. That’s the only way anyone is accepted by God. Salvation is by faith alone; it has nothing to do with the circumcision of one’s flesh.

Peter sounded a lot like Paul. In Paul’s letter to the Galatians, one finds many of the same themes mentioned:

But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, a curse be on him! As we have said before, I now say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, a curse be on him! (Gal 1:8-9)

Getting the gospel right is a matter of first importance, so the apostle tells the Galatians to watch out for false teachers, who should be cursed for preaching a different gospel. He concludes his letter by saying, “Both circumcision and uncircumcision mean nothing; what matters instead is a new creation” (Gal 6:15). Because everyone is saved by grace through faith, familial fellowship is possible—although Paul even had to confront Peter on the matter on a different occasion (Gal 2:11-14). We too must defend the gospel, never emphasizing external ritual but always internal transformation.

After Peter’s speech, Paul and Barnabas pick up the mike. They have already shared their experiences with the leaders (v. 4), but now they speak before the entire congregation. Essentially, they say that God endorsed their trip to the Gentiles by extending his grace. By only recording this brief verse, Luke draws attention to the fact that the main appeal they made in the debate wasn’t based on their experiences alone. They interpreted their experiences in light of Scripture, which James offered next.

This James was first mentioned in 12:17, after the martyrdom of the apostle James. He was Jesus’s half brother and became author of the Bible book bearing his name. He was recognized as a pillar of the Jerusalem church, along with Peter and John (Gal 2:9). James affirms the others’ defense of a circumcision-free gospel and goes on to offer a suggestion about establishing fellowship between Jewish and Gentile Christians.

He begins by affirming the words of “Simeon” (another name for Simon Peter), who said the Gentile mission was God’s plan. James provides scriptural support to strengthen Peter’s claim that God’s plan includes having a people for himself from all nations.

Prior to quoting Amos 9:11-12, he says, “The words of the prophets agree with this,” implying that this Amos text reflects what the prophets teach in general (Bock, Acts, 503). He could have cited a whole slew of prophetic texts about the Gentiles (Isa 2:2; 45:20-23; Jer 12:15-16; Hos 3:4-5; Zech 2:11; 8:22; and also Paul in Rom 15:7-13). The point is that James stresses fulfillment; all the prophets agree with Peter’s claims (ibid.).

John Stott summarizes James’s citation of Amos:

God promises first to restore David’s fallen tent and rebuild its ruins (which Christian eyes see as a prophecy of the resurrection and exaltation of Christ, the seed of David, and the establishment of his people) so that, secondly, a Gentile remnant will seek the Lord. In other words, through the Davidic Christ Gentiles will be included in his new community. (Message of Acts, 247)

Since the Gentiles are now in fact turning to the Messiah as the prophets foretold, James argues that the Gentiles shouldn’t be burdened with issues of the law (v. 19). So now we have Peter, Paul, and James in agreement. All obstacles to the gospel of grace should be removed, and the Gentiles should be welcomed to trust in Christ alone and join the community of faith.

Having established the doctrine of salvation by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, apart from works of the law, James suggests an appeal to the Gentiles to avoid some practices that may offend Jewish believers. (His goal is to encourage healthy fellowship.) James wants the Gentiles to know that where Moses is read and respected, Jewish believers might be understandably sensitive about certain things; thus, out of love for their brothers, the Gentiles should avoid certain practices. And if they aren’t familiar with Jewish practices, they can hear Moses’s writings for themselves. Here James models how one should display grace toward other Christians who may be offended by particular practices.

The four requirements James outlines are all basically ritual matters aimed at making fellowship possible between Jewish and Gentile Christians (Polhill, Acts, 331, so Stott and Bock). He asks the Gentile believers to avoid contact with (1) pollution that comes from idols, (2) immorality (probably the kind associated with pagan rites and temple prostitution, though he may also have intrafamilial relations in view; Lev 17–18), (3) strangled things (probably a reference to what happens to animals consumed among the Gentiles), and (4) blood (Leviticus prohibits eating meat with blood that hasn’t been properly drained; cf. Lev 17:10-14; Acts 15:29; 21:25).

James provided a wise policy that would uphold the gospel of grace while helping preserve Jew-Gentile fellowship. Grace is defended and displayed.

Acts 15:22-35

The entire council agreed with James, so the apostles, elders, and the whole church decided that some men should accompany Paul and Barnabas to Antioch to give a report on the meeting. They select Judas, also called Barsabbas, and Silas, who probably was the “Silvanus” who became closely associated with Paul and Peter (15:40; cf. 2 Cor 1:19; 1 Thess 1:1; 2 Thess 1:1; 1 Pet 5:12). These were “leading men among the brothers” (v. 22). They were sent to deliver the letter.

This piece of correspondence contained three points. First, the council rejected the circumcision party’s insistence on circumcision as a condition for salvation. Second, the delegates, who would not only deliver the letter but also give an oral description of the matter, had the council’s full approval and authorization. Finally, they emphasized the Spirit-directed unanimous decision not to burden Gentiles with anything (like insistence on circumcision) but to request that the Gentiles abstain from four particular matters out of respect for Jewish scruples. The fellowship matters were not conditions for salvation.

With this letter, the messengers head to Antioch. When those in Antioch heard it, they rejoiced that the Gentile Christians were accepted into the family of God; they didn’t need to adopt a Jewish way of life. Judas and Silas, who are noted as “prophets,” stayed in Antioch for a while and provided much encouragement and comfort to the church (v. 32).

The section concludes with a peaceful and joyful display of unity among different groups of Christians. Paul and Barnabas continue to proclaim God’s Word in Antioch (vv. 34-35), setting the stage for the second missionary journey.

We must learn at least two lessons from the Jerusalem Council, one regarding Christian truth and the other Christian love.

Salvation is by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. It comes apart from works of the law (cf. Phil 3:1-11). We must never bend on this truth. Jesus’s work is sufficient. We need to rest in his grace and proclaim it to the world.

There will be times in which Christians should abstain from certain liberties in order to maintain peaceful social interactions with others. Christians with strong consciences should never violate the consciences of weaker brothers and sisters. We should limit our liberty out of love for the weaker Christian (Stott, Message of Acts, 257; Rom 14; 1 Cor 8–9). John Newton said this about Paul’s dual commitment to the gospel and charitable flexibility with other Christians: “Paul was a reed in non-essentials; an iron pillar in essentials” (quoted in Stott, Message of Acts, 257). Let’s be an iron pillar on the gospel, and let’s be charitable to others regarding nonessentials, for the good of the church, for the advancement of the gospel among all nations, and for the glory of Jesus.