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Commentary on Acts 15 verses 1–5
Even when things go on very smoothly and pleasantly in a state or in a church, it is folly to be secure, and to think the mountain stands strong and cannot be moved; some uneasiness or other will arise, which is not foreseen, cannot be prevented, but must be prepared for. If ever there was a heaven upon earth, surely it was in the church at Antioch at this time, when there were so many excellent ministers there, and blessed Paul among them, building up that church in her most holy faith. But here we have their peace disturbed, and differences arising. Here is,
I. A new doctrine started among them, which occasioned this division, obliging the Gentile converts to submit to circumcision and the ceremonial law, Act 15:1. Many that had been proselytes to the Jewish religion became Christians; and they would have such as were proselyted to the Christian religion to become Jews.
1.The persons that urged this were certain men who came down from Judea; some think such as had been of the Pharisees (Act 15:5), or perhaps of those priests who were obedient to the faith, Act 6:7. They came from Judea, pretending perhaps to be sent by the apostles at Jerusalem, at least to be countenanced by them. Having a design to spread their notions, they came to Antioch, because that was the head-quarters of those that preached to the Gentiles, and the rendezvous of the Gentile converts; and, if they could but make an interest there, this leaven would soon be diffused to all the churches of the Gentiles. They insinuated themselves into an acquaintance with the brethren, pretended to be very glad that they had embraced the Christian faith, and congratulated them on their conversion; but tell them that yet one thing they lack, they must be circumcised. Note, Those that are ever so well taught have need to stand upon their guard that they be not untaught again, or ill taught.
2.The position they laid down, the thesis they gave, was this, that except the Gentiles who turned Christians were circumcised after the manner of Moses, and thereby bound themselves to all the observances of the ceremonial law, they could not be saved. As to this, (1.) Many of the Jews who embraced the faith of Christ, yet continued very zealous for the law, Act 21:20. They knew it was from God and its authority was sacred, valued it for its antiquity, had been bred up in the observance of it, and it is probable had been often devoutly affected in their attendance on these observances; they therefore kept them up after they were by baptism admitted into the Christian church, kept up the distinction of meats, and used the ceremonial purifyings from ceremonial pollutions, attend the temple service, and celebrated the feasts of the Jews. Herein they were connived at, because the prejudices of education are not to be overcome all at once, and in a few years the mistake would be effectually rectified by the destruction of the temple and the total dissolution of the Jewish church, by which the observance of the Mosaic ritual would become utterly impracticable. But it did not suffice them that they were herein indulged themselves, they must have the Gentile converts brought under the same obligations. Note, There is a strange proneness in us to make our opinion and practice a rule and a law to every body else, to judge of all about us by our standard, and to conclude that because we do well all do wrong that do not just as we do. (2.) Those Jews who believed that Christ was the Messiah, as they could not get clear of their affection to the law, so they could not get clear of the notions they had of the Messiah, that he should set up a temporal kingdom in favour of the Jewish nation, should make this illustrious and victorious; it was a disappointment to them that there was as yet nothing done towards this in the way they expected. But now that they hear the doctrine of Christ is received among the Gentiles, and his kingdom begins to be set up in the midst of them, if they can but persuade those that embrace Christ to embrace the law of Moses too they hope their point will be gained, the Jewish nation will be made as considerable as they can wish, though in another way; and "Therefore by all means let the brethren be pressed to be circumcised and keep the law, and then with our religion our dominion will be extended, and we shall in a little time be able to shake off the Roman yoke; and not only so, but to put it on the necks of our neighbours, and so shall have such a kingdom of the Messiah as we promised ourselves." Note, It is no wonder if those who have wrong notions of the kingdom of Christ take wrong measures for the advancement of it, and such as really tend to the destruction of it, as these do. (3.) The controversy about the circumcising of the Gentile proselytes had been on foot among the Jews long before this. This is observed by Dr. Whitby out of Josephus - Antiq. 20.38-45: "That when Izates, the son of Helen queen of Adiabene, embraced the Jews' religion, Ananias declared he might do it without circumcision; but Eleazar maintained that it was a great impiety to remain uncircumcised." And when two eminent Gentiles fled to Josephus (as he relates in the history of his own life) "the zealots among the Jews were urgent for their circumcision; but Josephus dissuaded them from insisting upon it." Such has been the difference in all ages between bigotry and moderation. (4.) It is observable what a mighty stress they laid upon it; they do not only say, "You ought to be circumcised after the manner of Moses, and it will be good service to the kingdom of the Messiah if you be; it will best accommodate matters between you and the Jewish converts, and we shall take it very kindly if you will, and shall converse the more familiarly with you;" but, "Except you be circumcised you cannot be saved. If you be not herein of our mind and way, you will never go to heaven, and therefore of course you must go to hell." Note, it is common for proud impostors to enforce their own inventions under pain of damnation; and to tell people that unless they believe just as they would have them believe, and do just as they would have them do, they cannot be saved, it is impossible they should; not only their case is hazardous, but it is desperate. Thus the Jews tell their brethren that except they be of their church, and come into their communion, and conform to the ceremonies of their worship, though otherwise good men and believers in Christ, yet they cannot be saved; salvation itself cannot save them. None are in Christ but those that are within their pale. We ought to see ourselves well warranted by the word of God before we say, "Except you do so and so, you cannot be saved."
II. The opposition which Paul and Barnabas gave to this schismatical notion, which engrossed salvation to the Jews, now that Christ has opened the door of salvation to the Gentiles (Act 15:2): They had no small dissension and disputation with them. They would by no means yield to this doctrine, but appeared and argued publicly against it. 1. As faithful servants of Christ, they would not see his truths betrayed. They knew that Christ came to free us from the yoke of the ceremonial law, and to take down that wall of partition between Jews and Gentiles and unite them both in himself; and therefore could not bear to hear of circumcising the Gentile converts, when their instructions were only to baptize them. The Jews would unite with the Gentiles, that is, they would have them to conform in every thing to their rites, and then, and not till then they will look upon them as their brethren; and no thanks to them. But, this not being the way in which Christ designed to unite them, it is not to be admitted. 2. As spiritual fathers to the Gentile converts, they would not see their liberties encroached upon. They had told the Gentiles that if they believed in Jesus Christ they should be saved; and now to be told that this was not enough to save them, except they were circumcised and kept the law of Moses, this was such a discouragement to them at setting out, and would be such a stumbling-block in their way, as might almost tempt them to think of returning into Egypt again; and therefore the apostles set themselves against it.
III. The expedient pitched upon for preventing the mischief of this dangerous notion, and silencing those that vented it, as well as quieting the minds of the people with reference to it. They determined that Paul and Barnabas, and some others of their number, should go to Jerusalem to the apostles and elders, concerning this doubt. Not that the church at Antioch had any doubt concerning it: they knew the liberty wherewith Christ had made them free; but they sent the case to Jerusalem, 1. Because those who taught this doctrine came from Jerusalem, and pretended to have directions from the apostles there to urge circumcision upon the Gentile converts; it was therefore very proper to send to Jerusalem about it, to know if they had any such direction from the church there. And it was soon found to be all wrong, which yet pretended to be of apostolical right. It was true that these went out from them (Act 15:24), but they never had any such orders from them. 2. Because those who were taught this doctrine would be the better confirmed in their opposition to it, and in the less danger of being shocked and disturbed by it, if they were sure that the apostles and elders at Jerusalem (which was the Christian church that of all others retained the most affection to the law of Moses) were against it; and, if they could but have this under their hands, it would be the likeliest means to silence and shame these incendiaries, who had pretended to have it from them. 3. Because the apostles at Jerusalem were fittest to be consulted in a point not yet fully settled; and being most eminent for an infallible spirit, peculiar to them as apostles, their decision would be likely to end the controversy. It was owing to the subtlety and malice of the great enemy of the church's peace (as it appears by Paul's frequent complaints of these judaizing teachers, these false apostles, these deceitful workers, these enemies of the cross of Christ), that it had not this effect.
IV. Their journey to Jerusalem upon this errand, Act 15:3. Where we find, 1. That they were honoured at parting: They were brought on their way by the church, which was then much used as a token of respect to useful men, and is directed to be done after a godly sort, Jo3 1:6. Thus the church showed their favour to those who witnessed against these encroachments on the liberties of the Gentile converts, and stood up for them. 2. That they did good as they went along. They were men that would not lose time, and therefore visited the churches by the way; they passed through Phenice and Samaria, and as they went declared the conversion of the Gentiles, and what wonderful success the gospel had had among them, which caused great joy to all the brethren. Note, The progress of the gospel is and ought to be a matter of great joy. All the brethren, the faithful brethren in Christ's family, rejoice when more are born into the family; for the family will be never the poorer for the multitude of its children. In Christ and heaven there is portion enough, and inheritance enough for them all.
V. Their hearty welcome at Jerusalem, Act 15:4. 1. The good entertainment their friends gave them: They were received of the church, and of the apostles and elders, were embraced as brethren, and had audience as messengers of the church at Antioch; they received them with all possible expressions of love and friendship. 2. The good entertainment they gave their friends: They declared all things that God had done with them, gave them an account of the success of their ministry among the Gentiles, not what they had done, but what God had done with them, what he had by his grace in them enabled them to do, and what he had by his grace in their hearers enabled them to receive. As they went they had planted, as they came back they had watered; but in both they were ready to own it was God that gave the increase. Note, It is a great honour to be employed for God, to be workers for him; for those that are so have him a worker with them, and he must have all the glory.
VI. The opposition they met with from the same party at Jerusalem, Act 15:5. When Barnabas and Paul gave an account of the multitude of the Gentiles, and of the great harvest of souls gathered in to Christ there, and all about them congratulated them upon it, there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees, who received the tidings very coldly, and, though they believed in Christ, yet were not satisfied in the admission of these converts, but thought it was needful to circumcise them. Observe here, 1. That those who have been most prejudiced against the gospel yet have been captivated by it; so mighty has it been through God to the pulling down of strong-holds. When Christ was here upon earth, few or none of the rulers and of the Pharisees believed on him; but now there are those of the sect of the Pharisees who believed, and many of them, we hope, in sincerity. 2. That it is very hard for men suddenly to get clear of their prejudices: those that had been Pharisees, even after they became Christians, retained some of the old leaven. All did not so, witness Paul, but some did; and they had such a jealousy for the ceremonial law, and such a dislike of the Gentiles, that they could not admit the Gentiles into communion with them, unless they would be circumcised, and thereby engage themselves to keep the law of Moses. This was, in their opinion, needful; and for their parts they would not converse with them unless they submitted to it.
See what a providence is here! And observe they do not come accusing those at Antioch, but "declaring all things that God had done with them." Thus they say nothing of what had happened in the matter of the Jews. But still they brought forward none of these charges: but when they have proved the matter, then the Apostles write in stronger terms.
"And when they were come to Jerusalem, they were splendidly received by the church." When Paul and Barnabas were come to Jerusalem with the brethren because of the question that was being inquired into, they were received with great joy by the whole church. There again, there was much disputing between the Pharisees who had already converted and the apostles about circumcision. Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, explained that the Gentiles were not to be purified by circumcision, but by faith. James the bishop, who was called the Lord's brother, also followed this view and supported it with great reasonings and with a prophet's testimony, saying that Moses was content with his name being uttered with reverence in the synagogue on every sabbath.
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SUMMARY
Upon their arrival in Jerusalem, Paul and Barnabas, fresh from their groundbreaking first missionary journey, were warmly welcomed by the entire Christian community, including the esteemed apostles and elders. In this pivotal moment, they formally presented a detailed account of all the miraculous works and salvific acts that God had accomplished through them among the Gentiles, setting the stage for the crucial theological deliberations of the Jerusalem Council regarding Gentile inclusion.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
The verse primarily employs Narrative Reporting, a common literary device in Acts, to convey a significant event in the early church's history. Luke, as the author, meticulously records the sequence of events, from arrival to reception to the formal declaration, providing a factual and orderly account. There is also a strong element of Divine Agency, as the focus is explicitly on "all things that God had done," rather than on the accomplishments of Paul and Barnabas. This rhetorical choice underscores the theological conviction that the missionary expansion was supernaturally driven. Furthermore, the verse functions as a form of Foreshadowing, setting the stage for the intense debate and monumental decision of the Jerusalem Council that immediately follows, hinting at the profound implications of God's work among the Gentiles for the future of the Christian faith.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Acts 15:4 serves as a powerful testament to the early church's commitment to accountability, unity, and the recognition of God's sovereign work in the world. Paul and Barnabas, despite their direct calling by the Holy Spirit, willingly submitted their ministry and its results to the collective discernment of the Jerusalem leadership. This act underscored the corporate nature of the church and the importance of shared authority in addressing theological and practical challenges. Their report, centered on "all things that God had done," shifted the focus from human achievements to divine initiative, reminding the church that mission is fundamentally God's work through His Spirit. This principle remains vital today, calling believers to attribute success in ministry to God's grace and power, fostering humility and dependence on Him.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Acts 15:4 offers profound lessons for contemporary believers and the church. Firstly, it highlights the indispensable value of accountability within Christian leadership. Paul and Barnabas, though apostles, did not operate autonomously but willingly presented their work to the broader church and its recognized leaders. This models a healthy spiritual ecosystem where transparency, mutual respect, and shared discernment are prioritized, safeguarding against individualism and promoting corporate unity. Secondly, the emphasis on "all things that God had done with them" serves as a powerful reminder for us to continually acknowledge and celebrate God's hand in our lives and ministries. It encourages a posture of humility, recognizing that our successes are ultimately His work, fostering gratitude and dependence. Finally, the act of formally reporting and testifying to God's work underscores the importance of sharing our faith stories and the ways God is moving in the world. Such testimonies encourage fellow believers, build corporate faith, and glorify God, strengthening the bonds of fellowship and inspiring further mission.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why was it important for Paul and Barnabas to report to the church in Jerusalem?
Answer: It was crucial for several reasons. Firstly, Jerusalem was the spiritual epicenter of the early church, where the apostles and elders, who held significant authority and were eyewitnesses to Jesus' ministry, resided. Reporting to them ensured theological alignment and unity across the burgeoning Christian movement, especially concerning the contentious issue of Gentile inclusion. Secondly, it demonstrated accountability on the part of Paul and Barnabas, showing their submission to the collective wisdom and authority of the church's leadership. Finally, their detailed report of God's work among the Gentiles provided essential evidence and testimony for the upcoming Jerusalem Council, which would debate and ultimately decide on the terms of Gentile salvation, as detailed in Acts 15:6-29.
What was the significance of "all things that God had done with them" in their report?
Answer: This phrase is profoundly significant because it highlights the divine agency behind the missionary success, rather than attributing it to human effort or strategy. By emphasizing that God was the active agent, Paul and Barnabas underscored that the inclusion of Gentiles was not a human innovation but a sovereign work of God's Spirit. This theological framing was critical for the Jerusalem Council, as it presented a powerful argument that God Himself was breaking down the traditional barriers between Jews and Gentiles, fulfilling prophecies and expanding His kingdom in a new and unexpected way, as seen in Peter's vision and subsequent ministry to Cornelius. It shifted the debate from a question of human rules to a recognition of divine action.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Acts 15:4, though seemingly a simple narrative detail, profoundly points to the Christ-centered nature of God's redemptive plan. The "all things that God had done" among the Gentiles through Paul and Barnabas were ultimately the fruit of Christ's finished work on the cross. It was through Jesus' death and resurrection that the dividing wall of hostility between Jew and Gentile was broken down, as powerfully articulated in Ephesians 2:14-16. The inclusion of Gentiles, without requiring full adherence to the Mosaic Law, was a direct consequence of Christ's new covenant, which superseded the old, fulfilling the promise that all nations would be blessed through Abraham's seed, who is Christ (Galatians 3:8-9). The Holy Spirit, poured out by the ascended Christ, was the divine agent enabling this expansion, demonstrating that the Spirit's work is inextricably linked to the person and mission of Jesus (John 16:7-8). Thus, the report in Acts 15:4 is not merely about missionary success but about the unfolding of God's universal salvation plan, centered entirely on the person and work of Jesus Christ, the one who makes all things new and draws all peoples to Himself (Revelation 21:5).