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Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Acts 15:6–21. His four-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
We have here a council called, not by writ, but by consent, on this occasion (Act 15:6): The apostles and presbyters came together, to consider this matter. They did not give their judgment separately, but came together to do it, that they might hear one another's sense in this matter; for in the multitude of counsellors there is safety and satisfaction. They did not give their judgment rashly, but considered of this matter. Though they were clear concerning it in their own minds, yet they would take time to consider of it, and to hear what might be said by the adverse party. Nor did the apostles give their judgment concerning it without the elders, the inferior ministers, to whom they thus condescended, and on whom they thus put an honour. Those that are most eminent in gifts and graces, and are in the most exalted stations in the church, ought to show respect to their juniors and inferiors; for, though days should speak, yet there is a spirit in man, Job 32:7, Job 32:8. Here is a direction to the pastors of the churches, when difficulties arise, to come together in solemn meetings for mutual advice and encouragement, that they may know one another's mind, and strengthen one another's hands, and may act in concert. Now here we have,
I.Peter's speech in this synod.
He did not in the least pretend to any primacy or headship in this synod. He was not master of this assembly, nor so much as chairman or moderator, pro hac vice - on this occasion; for we do not find that either he spoke first, to open the synod (there having been much disputing before he rose up), nor that he spoke last, to sum up the cause and collect the suffrages; but he was a faithful, prudent zealous member of this assembly, and offered that which was very much to the purpose, and which would come better from him than from another, because he had himself been the first that preached the gospel to the Gentiles. There had been much disputing, pro and con, upon this question, and liberty of speech allowed, as ought to be in such cases; those of the sect of the Pharisees were some of them present, and allowed to say what they could in defence of those of their opinion at Antioch, which probably was answered by some of the elders; such questions ought to be fairly disputed before they are decided. When both sides had been heard, Peter rose up, and addressed himself to the assembly, Men and brethren, as did James afterwards, Act 15:13. And here,
1.He put them in mind of the call and commission he had some time ago to preach the gospel to the Gentiles; he wondered there should be any difficulty made of a matter already settled: You know that aph' hēmerōn archaiōn - from the beginning of the days of the gospel, many years ago, God made choice among us apostles of one to preach the gospel to the Gentiles, and I was the person chosen, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word, and believe, Act 15:7. You know I was questioned about it and cleared myself to the universal satisfaction; every body rejoiced that God had granted to the Gentiles repentance unto life, and nobody said a word of circumcising them, nor was there any thought of such a thing. See Act 11:18. "Why should the Gentiles who hear the word of the gospel by Paul's mouth be compelled to submit to circumcision, any more than those that heard it by my mouth? Or why should the terms of their admission now be made harder than they were then?"
2.He puts them in mind how remarkably God owned him in preaching to the Gentiles, and gave testimony to their sincerity in embracing the Christian faith (Act 15:8): "God, who knows the hearts, and therefore is able to judge infallibly of men, bore them witness that they were his indeed, by giving them the Holy Ghost; not only the graces and comforts, but the extraordinary miraculous gifts of the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us apostles." See Act 11:15-17. Note, The Lord knows those that are his, for he knows men's hearts; and we are as our hearts are. Those to whom God gives the Holy Ghost, he thereby bears witness to that they are his; hence we are said to be sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise - marked for God. God had bidden the Gentiles welcome to the privilege of communion with him, without requiring them to be circumcised and to keep the law; and therefore shall not we admit them into communion with us but upon those terms? "God has put no difference between us and them (Act 15:9); they, though Gentiles, are as welcome to the grace of Christ and the throne of grace as we Jews are; why then should we set them at a distance, as if we were holier than they?" Isa 65:5. Note, We ought not to make any conditions of our brethren's acceptance with us but such as God has made the conditions of their acceptance with him, Rom 14:3. Now the Gentiles were fitted for communion with God, in having their hearts purified by faith, and that faith God's own work in them; and therefore why should we think them unfit for communion with us, unless they will submit to the ceremonial purifying enjoined by the law to us? Note,
(1.)By faith the heart is purified; we are not only justified, and conscience purified, but the work of sanctification is begun and carried on.
(2.)Those that have their hearts purified by faith are therein made so nearly to resemble one another, that, whatever difference there may be between them, no account is to be made of it; for the faith of all the saints is alike precious, and has like precious effects (Pe2 1:1), and those that by it are united to Christ are so to look upon themselves as joined to one another as that all distinctions, even that between Jew and Gentile, are merged and swallowed up in it.
3.He sharply reproves those teachers (some of whom, it is likely, were present) who went about to bring the Gentiles under the obligation of the law of Moses, Act 15:10. The thing is so plain that he cannot forbear speaking of it with some warmth: "Now therefore, since God has owned them for his, why tempt you God to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, of the believing Gentiles and their children" (for circumcision was a yoke upon their infant seed, who are here reckoned among the disciples), "a yoke which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?" Here he shows that in this attempt,
(1.)They offered a very great affront to God: "You tempt him, by calling that in question which he has already settled and determined by no less an indication than that of the gift of the Holy Ghost; you do, in effect, ask, 'Did he know what he did? Or was he in earnest in it? Or will he abide by his own act?' Will you try whether God, who designed the ceremonial law for the people of the Jews only, will now, in its last ages, bring the Gentiles too under the obligation of it, to gratify you?" Those tempt God who prescribe to him, and say that people cannot be saved but upon such and such terms, which God never appointed; as if the God of salvation must come into their measures.
(2.)They offered a very great wrong to the disciples: Christ came to proclaim liberty to the captives, and they go about to enslave those whom he has made free. See Neh 5:8. The ceremonial law was a heavy yoke; they and their fathers found it difficult to be borne, so numerous, so various, so pompous, were the institutions of it. The distinction of meats was a heavy yoke, not only as it rendered conversation less pleasant, but as it embarrassed conscience with endless scruples. The ado that was made about even unavoidable touch of a grave or a dead body, the pollution contracted by it, and the many rules about purifying from that pollution, were a heavy burden. This yoke Christ came to ease us of, and called those that were weary and heavy laden under it to come and take his yoke upon them, his easy yoke. Now for these teachers to go about to lay that yoke upon the neck of the Gentiles from which he came to free even the Jews was the greatest injury imaginable to them.
4.Whereas the Jewish teachers had urged that circumcision was necessary to salvation, Peter shows it was so far from being so that both Jews and Gentiles were to be saved purely through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and in no other way (Act 15:11): We believe to be saved through that grace only; pisteuomen sōthēnai - We hope to be saved; or, We believe unto salvation in the same manner as they - kath' hon tropon kakeinoi̇ "We that are circumcised believe to salvation, and so do those that are uncircumcised; and, as our circumcision will be no advantage to us, so their uncircumcision will be no disadvantage to them; for we must depend upon the grace of Christ for salvation, and must apply that grace by faith, as well as they. There is not one way of salvation for the Jews and another for the Gentiles; neither circumcision avails any thing nor uncircumcision (that is neither here nor there), but faith which works by love, Gal 5:6. Why should we burden them with the law of Moses, as necessary to their salvation, when it is not that, but the gospel of Christ, that is necessary both to our salvation and theirs?"
II.An account of what Barnabas and Paul said in this synod, which did not need to be related, for they only gave in a narrative of what was recorded in the foregoing chapters, what miracles and wonders God had wrought among the Gentiles by them, Act 15:12. This they had given in to the church at Antioch (Act 14:27), to their brethren by the way (Act 15:3), and now again to the synod; and it was very proper to be given in here. That which was contended for was that the Gentiles ought to submit to the law of Moses; now, in opposition to this, Paul and Barnabas undertake to show, by a plain relation of matters of fact, that God owned the preaching of the pure gospel to them without the law, and therefore to press the law upon them now was to undo what God had done. Observe,
1.What account they gave; they declared, or opened in order, and with all the magnifying and affecting circumstances, what glorious miracles, what signs and wonders, God had wrought among the Gentiles by them, what confirmation he had given to their preaching by miracles wrought in the kingdom of nature, and what success he had given to it by miracles wrought in the kingdom of grace. Thus God had honoured these apostles whom Jewish teachers condemned, and had thus honoured the Gentiles whom they contemned. What need had they of any other advocate when God himself pleaded their cause? The conversion of the Gentiles was itself a wonder, all things considered, no less than a miracle. Now if they received the Holy Ghost by the hearing of faith, why should they be embarrassed with the works of the law? See Gal 3:2.
2.What attention was given to them: All the multitude (who, though they had not voted, yet came together to hear what was said) kept silence, and gave audience to Paul and Barnabas; it should seem they took more notice of their narrative than they did of all the arguments that were offered. As in natural philosophy and medicine nothing is so satisfactory as experiments, and in law nothing is so satisfactory as cases adjudged, so in the things of God the best explication of the word of grace is the accounts given of the operations of the Spirit of grace; to these the multitude will with silence give audience. Those that fear God will most readily hear those that can tell them what God has done for their souls, or by their means, Psa 66:16.
III.The speech which James made to the synod.
He did not interrupt Paul and Barnabas, though, it is likely, he had before heard their narrative, but let them go on with it, for the edification of the company, and that they might have it from the first and best hand; but, after they had held their peace, then James stood up. You may all prophesy one by one, Co1 14:31. God is the God of order. He let Paul and Barnabas say what they had to say, and then he made the application of it. The hearing of variety of ministers may be of use when one truth does not drive out, but clench, another.
1.He addresses himself respectfully to those present: "Men and brethren, hearken unto me. You are men, and therefore, it is to be hoped, will hear reason; you are my brethren, and therefore will hear me with candour. We are all brethren, and equally concerned in this cause that nothing be done to the dishonour of Christ and the uneasiness of Christians."
2.He refers to what Peter had said concerning the conversion of the Gentiles (Act 15:14): "Simeon" (that is, Simon Peter) "hath declared, and opened the matter to you - how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, in Cornelius and his friends, who were the first-fruits of the Gentiles-how, when the gospel began first to spread, presently the Gentiles were invited to come and take the benefit of it;" and James observes here, (1.) That the grace of God was the origin of it; it was God that visited the Gentiles; and it was a kind visit. Had they been left to themselves, they would never have visited him, but the acquaintance began on his part; he not only visited and redeemed his people, but visited and redeemed those that were lo ammi - not a people. (2.) that the glory of God was the end of it: it was to take out of them a people for his name, who should glorify him, and in whom he would be glorified. As of old he took the Jews, so now the Gentiles, to be to him for a name, and for a praise, and for a glory, Jer 13:11. Let all the people of God remember that therefore they are thus dignified in God, that God may be glorified in them.
3.He confirms this with a quotation out of the Old Testament: he could not prove the calling of the Gentiles by a vision, as Peter could, nor by miracles wrought by his hand, as Paul and Barnabas could, but he would prove that it was foretold in the Old Testament, and therefore it must be fulfilled, Act 15:15. To this agree the words of the prophets; most of the Old Testament prophets spoke more or less of the calling in of the Gentiles, even Moses himself, Rom 10:19. It was the general expectation of the pious Jews that the Messiah should be a light to enlighten the Gentiles (Luk 2:32): but James waives the more illustrious prophecies of this, and pitches upon one that seemed more obscure: It is written, Amo 9:11, Amo 9:12, where is foretold,
(1.)The setting up of the kingdom of the Messiah (Act 15:16): I will raise up the tabernacle of David, that is fallen. The covenant was made with David and his seed; but the house and family of David are here called his tabernacle, because David in his beginning was a shepherd, and dwelt in tents, and his house, that had been as a stately palace, had become a mean and despicable tabernacle, reduced in a manner to its small beginning. This tabernacle was ruined and fallen down; there had not been for many ages a king of the house of David; the sceptre had departed from Judah, the royal family was sunk and buried in obscurity, and, as it should seem, not enquired after. But God will return, and will build it again, raise it out of its ruins, a phoenix out of its ashes; and this was now lately fulfilled, when our Lord Jesus was raised out of that family, had the throne of his father David given him, with a promise that he should reign over the house of Jacob for ever, Luk 1:32, Luk 1:33. And, when the tabernacle of David was thus rebuilt in Christ, all the rest of it was, not many years after, wholly extirpated and cut off, as was also the nation of the Jews itself, and all their genealogies were lost. The church of Christ may be called the tabernacle of David. This may sometimes be brought very low, and may seem to be in ruins, but it shall be built again, its withering interests shall revive; it is cast down, but not destroyed: even dry bones are made to live.
(2.)The bringing in of the Gentiles as the effect and consequence of this (Act 15:17): That the residue of men might seek after the Lord; not the Jews only, who thought they had the monopoly of the tabernacle of David, but the residue of men, such as had hitherto been left out of the pale of the visible church; they must now, upon this re-edifying of the tabernacle of David, be brought to seek after the Lord, and to enquire how they may obtain his favour. When David's tabernacle is set up, they shall seek the Lord their God, and David their king, Hos 3:5; Jer 30:9. Then Israel shall possess the remnant of Edom (so it is in the Hebrew); but the Jews called all the Gentiles Edomites, and therefore the Septuagint leave out the particular mention of Edom, and read it just as it is here, that the residue of men might seek (James here adds, after the Lord), and all the Gentiles, or heathen, upon whom my name is called. The Jews were for many ages so peculiarly favoured that the residue of men seemed neglected; but now God will have an eye to them, and his name shall be called upon by the Gentiles; his name shall be declared and published among them, and they shall be brought both to know his name and to call upon it: they shall call themselves the people of God, and he shall call them so; and thus, by consent of both parties, his name is called upon them. This promise we may depend upon the fulfilling of in its season; and now it begins to be fulfilled, for it is added, saith the Lord, who doeth this; who doeth all these things (so the Seventy); and the apostle here: he saith it who doeth it, who therefore said it because he was determined to do it; and who therefore does it because he hath said it; for though with us saying and doing are two things they are not so with God. The uniting of Jews and Gentiles in one body, and all those things that were done in order to it, which were here foretold, were,
[1.]What God did: This was the Lord's doing, whatever instruments were employed in it: and,
[2.]It was what God delighted in, and was well pleased with; for he is the God of the Gentiles, as well as the Jews, and it is his honour to be rich in mercy to all that call upon him.
4.He resolves it into the purpose and counsel of God (Act 15:18): Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world. He not only foretold the calling of the Gentiles many ages ago by the prophets (and therefore it ought not to be a surprise or stumbling-block to us), but he foresaw and foreordained it in his eternal counsels, which are unquestionably wise and unalterably firm. It is an excellent maxim here laid down concerning all God's works, both of providence and grace, in the natural and spiritual kingdom, that they were all known unto him from the beginning of the world, from the time he first began to work, which supposes his knowing them (as other scriptures speak) from before the foundation of the world, and therefore from all eternity. Note, Whatever God does, he did before design and determine to do; for he works all, not only according to his will, but according to the counsel of his will: he not only does whatever he determined (Psa 135:6), which is more than we can do (our purposes are frequently broken off, and our measures broken), but he determined whatever he does. Whatever he may say, to prove us, he himself knows what he will do. We know not our works beforehand, but must do as occasion shall serve, Sa1 10:7. What we shall do in such or such a case we cannot tell till it comes to the setting to; but known unto God are all his works; in the volume of his book (called the scriptures of truth, Dan 10:21) they are all written in order, without any erasure or interlining (Psa 40:7); and all God's works will, in the day of review, be found to agree exactly with his counsels, without the least error or variation. We are poor short-sighted creatures; the wisest men can see but a little way before them, and not at all with any certainty; but this is our comfort, that, whatever uncertainty we are at, there is an infallible certainty in the divine prescience: known unto God are all his works.
5.He gives his advice what was to be done in the present case, as the matter now stood with reference to the Gentiles (Act 15:19): My sentence is; egō krinō - I give it as my opinion, or judgment; not as having authority over the rest, but as being an adviser with them. Now his advice is,
(1.)That circumcision and the observance of the ceremonial law be by no means imposed upon the Gentile converts; no, not so much as recommended nor mentioned to them. "There are many from among the Gentiles that are turned to God in Christ, and we hope there will be many more. Now I am clearly for using them with all possible tenderness, and putting no manner of hardship or discouragement upon them," mē parenochlein - "not to give them any molestation nor disturbance, nor suggest any thing to them that may be disquieting, or raise scruples in their minds, or perplex them." Note, Great care must be taken not to discourage nor disquiet young converts with matters of doubtful disputation. Let the essentials of religion, which an awakened conscience will readily receive, be first impressed deeply upon them, and these will satisfy them and make them easy; and let not things foreign and circumstantial be urged upon them, which will but trouble them. The kingdom of God, in which they are to be trained up, is not meat and drink, neither the opposition nor the imposition of indifferent things, which will but trouble them; but it is righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost, which we are sure will trouble nobody.
(2.)That yet it would be well that in some things, which gave most offence to the Jews, the Gentiles should comply with them. Because they must not humour them so far as to be circumcised, and keep the whole law, it does not therefore follow that they must act in a continual contradiction to them, and study how to provoke them. It will please the Jews (and, if a little thing will oblige them, better do so than cross them) if the Gentile converts abstain,
[1.]From pollutions of idols, and from fornication, which are two bad things, and always to be abstained from; but writing to them particularly and expressly to abstain from them (because in these things the Jews were jealous of the Gentile converts, lest they should transgress) would very much gratify the Jews; not but that the apostles, both in preaching and writing to the Gentiles that embraced Christianity, were careful to warn against, First, Pollutions of idols, that they should have no manner of fellowship with idolaters in their idolatrous worships, and particularly not in the feasts they held upon their sacrifices. See Co1 10:14, etc.; Co2 6:14, etc. Secondly, Fornication, and all manner of uncleanness. How large, how pressing, is Paul in his cautions against this sin! Co1 6:9-15; Eph 5:3, etc. But the Jews, who were willing to think the worst of those they did not like, suggested that these were things in which the Gentiles, even after conversion, allowed themselves, and the apostle of the Gentiles connived at it. Now, to obviate this suggestion, and to leave no room for this calumny, James advises that, besides the private admonitions which were given them by their ministers, they should be publicly warned to abstain from pollutions of idols and from fornication - that herein they should be very circumspect, and should avoid all appearances of these two evils, which would be in so particular a manner offensive to the Jews.
[2.]From things strangled, and from blood, which, though not evil in themselves, as the other two, nor designed to be always abstained fRom. as those were, had been forbidden by the precepts of Noah (Gen 9:4.), before the giving of the law of Moses; and the Jews had a great dislike to them, and to all those that took a liberty to use them; and therefore, to avoid giving offence, let the Gentile converts abridge themselves of their liberty herein, Co1 8:9, Co1 8:13. Thus we must become all things to all men.
6.He gives a reason for his advice - that great respect ought to be shown to the Jews for they have been so long accustomed to the solemn injunctions of the ceremonial law that they must be borne with, if they cannot presently come off from them (Act 15:21): For Moses hath of old those that preach him in every city, his writings (a considerable part of which is the ceremonial law) being read in the synagogues every sabbath day. "You cannot blame them if they have a great veneration for the law of Moses; for besides that they are very sure God spoke to Moses," (1.) "Moses is continually preached to them, and they are called upon to remember the law of Moses," Mal 4:4. Note, Even that word of God which is written to us should also be preached: those that have the scriptures have still need of ministers to help them to understand and apply the scriptures. (2.) "His writings are read in a solemn religious manner, in their synagogues, and on the sabbath day, in the place and at the time of their meetings for the worship of God; so that from their childhood they have been trained up in a regard to the law of Moses; the observance of it is a part of their religion." (3.) "This has been done of old time; they have received from their fathers an honour for Moses; they have antiquity for it." (4.) "This had been done in every city, wherever there are any Jews, so that none of them can be ignorant what stress that law laid upon these things: and therefore, though the gospel has set us free from these things, yet they cannot be blamed if they are loth to part with them, and cannot of a sudden be persuaded to look upon those things as needless and indifferent which they, and their fathers before them, had been so long taught, and taught of God too, to place religion in. We must therefore give them time, must meet them half-way; they must be borne with awhile, and brought on gradually, and we must comply with them as far as we can without betraying our gospel liberty." Thus does this apostle show the spirit of a moderator, that is, a spirit of moderation, being careful to give no offence either to Jew or Gentile, and contriving, as much as may be, to please both sides and provoke neither. Note, We are not to think it strange if people be wedded to customs which they have had transmitted to them from their fathers, and which they have been educated in an opinion of as sacred; and therefore allowances must be made in such cases, and not rigour used.
Historical interpretation
Five Centuries of Reception
5 surviving comments on this verse. Each one is dated, so this reads as a timeline rather than a list.
Select a marker to jump to its quote. Markers stagger vertically where authors wrote within a few decades of each other.
“Speak to Aaron and his sons and to all the sons of Israel, and tell them: If anyone who is from among the sons of Israel or from among foreigners, who happens to be among you, eats any blood, I shall place my spirit over the spirit which shall have eaten the blood, and I shall abolish it from among the people, since the spirit of every flesh is its blood. To you I have also given the blood so that by it upon the altar there might be propitiations for your spirits, since the blood will make expiation for the spirit. Therefore, I have said to the sons of Israel: Every spirit among you shall not eat blood, and any foreigner among you shall not eat blood.” You see, therefore, that this law regarding blood, given equally to both the sons of Israel and to foreigners, is even observed by us from among the Gentiles who believe in God through Jesus Christ. Scripture tends to call proselytes foreigners, as when it says, “The foreigner who is among you will rise up above you, while you descend below. He shall be your head, and you shall be his tail.” Therefore, even the church of the Gentiles took in common with the people of Israel the law regarding blood, for that blessed council of the apostles, understanding that these things had been so written in the law, then ordered and decreed in writing the teachings for the Gentiles that they abstain not only from what had been sacrificed to idols and from fornication, but also from blood and from what had been suffocated. Now perhaps you will ask, “If Scripture was so clear with regard to blood, should it not also teach clearly about what has been suffocated, whether a law was given as common to the people of Israel and to foreigners, since the teachings of the apostles decree that Gentiles also observe this law?” Listen how observantly even this is guarded against in the laws of God: “If a man, any man,” it says, “from the sons of Israel and from the foreigners among you, hunts a beast or a bird, let him pour out its blood and cover it with earth, for the spirit of every flesh is its blood.”
"But the ways in which this garment may be spotted are these: If any one withdraw from God the Father and Creator of all, receiving another teacher besides Christ, who alone is the faithful and true Prophet, and who has sent us twelve apostles to preach the word; if any one think otherwise than worthily of the substance of the Godhead, which excels all things;— these are the things which even fatally pollute the garment of baptism. But the things which pollute it in actions are these: murders, adulteries, hatreds, avarice, evil ambition. And the things which pollute at once the soul and the body are these: to partake of the table of demons, that is, to taste things sacrificed, or blood, or a carcass which is strangled, and if there be anything else which has been offered to demons. Be this therefore the first step to you of three; which step brings forth thirty commands, and the second sixty, and the third a hundred, as we shall expound more fully to you at another time."
"But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication" - and yet they often insisted upon these points in discoursing to them - but, that he may seem also to honor the Law he mentions these also, speaking however not as from Moses but from the Apostles, and to make the commandments many, he has divided the one into two saying, "and from things strangled, and from blood." For these, although relating to the body, were necessary to be observed, because these things caused great evils. "From things strangled," it says, "and from blood." Here it prohibits murder.
And from things strangled, and blood, that is, from shedding blood or eating with blood. These indeed were allowed for those coming from a Gentile life, as the rudiments of the faith and the ingrained habit of Gentilism, but lest they should think that the same sufficed even for the more perfect, he diligently added and said:
To abstain from the pollutions of idols, and fornication, and that which is strangled, and blood. He speaks of that which is strangled as carrion, about which Ezekiel writes: "The priests shall not eat anything that is dead of itself or torn by beasts, whether it be from birds or from cattle" (Ezek. XLIV). Jerome explains this: "And according to the literal sense, says he, this pertains to the whole chosen royal and priestly race, which properly refers to Christians, who are anointed with spiritual oil, about which it is written: 'God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness above your companions.' These precepts apply, that they do not eat dead flesh, whether from birds or from cattle, whose blood has by no means been shed, which in the Acts of the Apostles is called strangled; and the epistle of the Apostles from Jerusalem warns that these things should necessarily be observed; and what is taken by a beast, because this too is similarly strangled; and it condemns priests who, with gluttonous greed, keep these things from thrushes, fig-peckers, dormice, and the like."
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Summary
Acts 15:20 records a crucial part of the Jerusalem Council's decree, outlining specific prohibitions for Gentile converts to facilitate harmonious fellowship with Jewish believers and uphold fundamental ethical and spiritual standards. This decision, a landmark moment in early church history, emphasized that salvation is by grace through faith, yet called believers to practical holiness and sensitivity towards the conscience of others, particularly concerning practices associated with paganism and those deeply offensive to Jewish sensibilities rooted in the Mosaic Law.
Context
Literary Context
This verse is a direct outcome of the momentous Jerusalem Council, a pivotal gathering of apostles and elders convened to resolve the contentious issue of whether Gentile converts needed to be circumcised and adhere to the Mosaic Law for salvation. The preceding verses detail the heated debate, the testimonies of Peter, Paul, and Barnabas affirming salvation by grace, and James's concluding summation. James's proposal, recorded in Acts 15:19-21, served as a Spirit-guided compromise, affirming the theological truth of salvation by faith while addressing practical concerns for unity. The decree itself is then formally communicated in a letter to the Gentile churches, as detailed in Acts 15:22-29.
Historical & Cultural Context
The early church faced significant internal tension between Jewish Christians, who largely continued to observe aspects of the Mosaic Law, and Gentile converts, who came from polytheistic backgrounds with vastly different cultural norms. The specific prohibitions in Acts 15:20 directly address practices prevalent in the Greco-Roman world that were anathema to Jewish sensibilities. Food sacrificed to idols was common, often sold in public markets or consumed at pagan temple feasts. Fornication (sexual immorality) was widespread and often integrated into pagan worship practices. The consumption of blood and animals not properly bled (strangled) violated ancient and deeply ingrained Jewish dietary laws, tracing back to Genesis 9:4 and reiterated throughout the Mosaic Law. These cultural differences posed significant barriers to table fellowship and genuine community between Jewish and Gentile believers, threatening the unity of the nascent Christian movement.
Key Themes
The decree in Acts 15 contributes to several overarching themes within the book of Acts and the broader New Testament. Foremost is the theme of Salvation by Grace Through Faith, unequivocally affirmed over salvation by works of the Law. This verse, while listing prohibitions, does so not as a means to salvation but as a practical outworking of love and unity. Another key theme is Christian Unity and Fellowship, as the prohibitions were designed to remove stumbling blocks for Jewish and Gentile believers to share meals and community. The decree also underscores the importance of Moral Purity and Spiritual Separation from pagan practices, particularly concerning idolatry and sexual immorality, which are universal ethical demands for all believers. Finally, it highlights the principle of Love and Consideration for Others' Conscience, demonstrating a willingness to make concessions for the sake of brotherly harmony, a principle further expounded by Paul in his epistles, such as in Romans 14.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This word means "to enjoin (by writing), i.e. (genitive case) to communicate by letter (for any purpose)." In Acts 15:20, it signifies the authoritative and formal nature of the Jerusalem Council's decision, communicated in written form to the Gentile churches. This was not a mere suggestion but a binding directive issued by the apostles and elders, guided by the Holy Spirit.
This middle voice verb means "to hold oneself off, i.e. refrain." This term emphasizes a deliberate and conscious choice on the part of the Gentile believers to separate themselves from certain practices. It highlights the active role of the believer in living out their faith and respecting the guidelines set forth by the church leadership for the sake of unity and holiness.
This word refers to "(ceremonially) defilement." Specifically, when paired with "of idols" (G1497, eídōlon, meaning "an image for worship; by implication, a heathen god"), it refers to food or practices associated with pagan idol worship. This prohibition aimed to prevent Gentile believers from participating in or giving the appearance of participating in pagan rituals, which were a source of spiritual and ceremonial defilement from a Jewish perspective.
Verse Breakdown
"But that we write unto them,"
This clause introduces the specific instruction or decree that the Council decided to issue to the Gentile believers. The use of "But" (G235, allá) signals a transition from the general theological affirmation of salvation by grace to the practical implications and specific behavioral guidelines for the Gentile converts. The act of "writing" (G1989, epistéllō) underscores the official and authoritative nature of this communication from the Jerusalem Council.
"that they abstain from pollutions of idols,"
This is the first and arguably most significant prohibition. "Pollutions of idols" (G234, alísgema of G1497, eídōlon) refers primarily to food that had been sacrificed to idols, but also encompasses any participation in or association with pagan worship. For Jewish believers, consuming such food or engaging in idol worship was a profound defilement and a betrayal of the one true God. This prohibition aimed to ensure a clear break from paganism for new converts and to avoid offending the consciences of Jewish Christians who would view such practices as an endorsement of idolatry.
"and [from] fornication,"
This prohibition addresses sexual immorality (G4202, porneía), a broad term encompassing all illicit sexual acts, including prostitution, adultery, and incest, which were rampant in the Greco-Roman world and often intertwined with pagan religious rites. Unlike the other prohibitions, which had specific cultural and ceremonial implications, the command to abstain from fornication is a universal moral imperative, foundational to biblical ethics for all believers, regardless of their background.
"and [from] things strangled,"
This refers to meat from animals that had been suffocated (G4156, pniktós) rather than properly bled. In Jewish law, animals intended for consumption had to be bled to render them kosher. The blood, representing life, was considered sacred and reserved for atonement, not for consumption. This practice was common in pagan sacrifices but violated deeply held Jewish dietary laws.
"and [from] blood."
This final prohibition directly addresses the consumption of blood (G129, haîma). From the earliest commands to Noah (Genesis 9:4) to the detailed regulations in the Mosaic Law (Leviticus 17:10-14), the consumption of blood was strictly forbidden for the Israelites. This prohibition was deeply ingrained in Jewish theology, where blood symbolized life and was central to the concept of atonement. For Jewish believers, consuming blood was an egregious violation of God's command and a profound offense.
Literary Devices
Acts 15:20 employs several literary devices to convey its message effectively. The most prominent is Enumeration, as the verse presents a clear, concise list of four specific prohibitions. This list is structured with Anaphora, the repetition of the preposition "from" (G575, apó) before each item ("from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood"), which emphasizes each distinct category of abstinence and gives the decree a rhythmic, authoritative tone. The use of Juxtaposition is also evident, as the list combines prohibitions related to pagan practices (pollutions of idols, things strangled, blood) with a universal moral command (fornication). This highlights the dual concern of the council: maintaining spiritual purity and fostering inter-cultural unity. The initial conjunction "But" (G235, allá) serves as a Transition, signaling a shift from the theological argument to the practical application of the Council's decision.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Acts 15:20 stands as a testament to the early church's commitment to both theological truth and practical unity. While affirming salvation by grace through faith alone, the Council recognized the importance of practical holiness and sensitivity to cultural and religious backgrounds. The prohibitions were not about earning salvation but about living out a transformed life that honored God and did not cause offense to fellow believers, particularly those with deeply held convictions rooted in the Old Testament. This decision set a precedent for Christian liberty, demonstrating that while the ceremonial law was not binding for salvation, love and consideration for the conscience of others should guide believers' actions. It underscored that the gospel creates a new community where cultural differences are navigated with wisdom and grace for the sake of shared fellowship.
Reflection and Application
Acts 15:20, while addressing specific historical and cultural challenges, offers timeless principles for contemporary believers. The call to abstain from "pollutions of idols" extends beyond literal idol worship to encompass any modern-day "idols" that compete for our ultimate devotion, such as materialism, self-worship, or the pursuit of worldly status. The prohibition against "fornication" remains a universal and unwavering command for sexual purity, reminding us that our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit. While the dietary restrictions concerning "things strangled" and "blood" are generally not considered binding for Gentile Christians today, the underlying principle of loving consideration for the conscience of fellow believers and avoiding actions that might cause a brother or sister to stumble remains profoundly relevant. This passage challenges us to live lives of practical holiness, marked by both unwavering devotion to God and compassionate sensitivity towards others, always prioritizing the unity of the body of Christ over personal preferences or liberties.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Are the prohibitions in Acts 15:20 still binding for Christians today?
The prohibitions in Acts 15:20 are generally understood to have varying degrees of ongoing applicability. The command to abstain from "fornication" (sexual immorality) is a universal and timeless moral absolute, consistently condemned throughout the New Testament (e.g., 1 Corinthians 6:18). The abstinence from "pollutions of idols" remains relevant as a call to avoid any form of idolatry, whether literal or spiritual, that compromises devotion to the one true God. While Christians are free from the ceremonial laws of the Old Testament, the principle of not participating in or giving the appearance of endorsing false worship is enduring. The prohibitions against "things strangled" and "blood" were primarily rooted in Jewish dietary laws and cultural sensitivities, designed to facilitate fellowship between Jewish and Gentile believers in the early church. Most Gentile Christians today do not consider these specific dietary restrictions to be binding, understanding them as part of the temporary cultural bridge-building efforts of the early church. However, the underlying principle of loving consideration for the conscience of fellow believers (as discussed by Paul in Romans 14 and 1 Corinthians 8) remains crucial.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Acts 15:20, while a practical decree, finds its ultimate fulfillment and deeper meaning in Christ. The prohibitions, particularly concerning "blood" and "pollutions of idols," implicitly point to the comprehensive work of Jesus. The Old Testament emphasis on blood, as seen in the command against its consumption, underscored its sacredness as the life-force and its role in atonement (Leviticus 17:11). This foreshadowed the ultimate and perfect atonement achieved through the shedding of Christ's own blood, which truly cleanses from all sin and defilement, making Old Covenant sacrifices and dietary laws obsolete for salvation (Hebrews 9:12-14). Furthermore, the call to abstain from "pollutions of idols" highlights Christ's exclusive claim as the one true God and Savior. He is the only mediator between God and humanity (1 Timothy 2:5), and devotion to Him inherently means turning away from all other gods and false worship. The universal moral command against "fornication" is also fulfilled in Christ, who calls His followers to a radical new standard of holiness and purity, reflecting His own character and the sanctity of the body as a temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). Thus, the practical guidelines of Acts 15:20, while addressing immediate concerns, ultimately find their theological grounding and spiritual power in the person and finished work of Jesus Christ, who unites all believers, Jew and Gentile, into one holy body.