ACTS

INTRODUCTION
The astonishing success of the preaching of the Word during the First Missionary Journey created a situation in which both the Jews and some Jewish Christians rose up in aggressive opposition to Paul and Barnabas.

For the Jew associated with the Synagogue, the conversion of many of their members as well as a large number of the Gentile worshippers of God who were associated with the Synagogue, the problem was primarily a loss of members and Synagogue influence. However, Paul's apparent negation of the Jewish Law in favor of faith in Jesus, and a breakdown of the barriers that separated the Jews and Gentiles, was a direction the Jews could not tolerate.

For the Jewish Christians, Paul's apparent disregard for the traditions of the Jewish Law, especially in his refusal to require that Gentile Christians be circumcised, was interpreted as a departure from or negation of the law and Jewish faith.

The opposition from the Synagogue resulted in outright persecution, but the opposition from the Jewish Christians resulted in their following Paul and Barnabas and attempting to undermine Paul's doctrine of salvation by grace through faith in Jesus, and not by works of law.

The opposition became so intense that we believe the Epistle to the Galatians was written at this time. In Galatians Paul aggressively and angrily challenges the Jewish Christians and their requirement of law keeping, insisting that justification was by grace through faith in Jesus and not by law keeping. It seems that the main Jewish Christian opposition to Paul came from Jerusalem Jewish Christians.

Paul's and Barnabas' meeting with the Jerusalem church has been called by many The Jerusalem Conference, but we prefer to call it The Jerusalem Meeting.

This meeting, and its discussion and conclusion, is extremely important to the life of the Christina doctrine of Justification (salvation) by grace through faith in Jesus.
Paul knew that if this major doctrinal disagreement was not solved, and solved immediately, the result would be the corruption and destruction of the Christian faith, and purpose of God in Christ.

The Reason for the Meeting (Acts 15:1-5)
Luke succinctly states the reason for the meeting:

But some men came down from Judea and were teaching the brethren, "Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved." ²And when Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and debate with them, Paul and Barnabas and some of the others were appointed to go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and the elders about this question. (Acts 15:1-2)

The language adopted by Luke is expressive of the danger confronting the inclusion of Gentile converts. His comment that "no small dissention and debate" arose should be understood as an understatement of the real fact and should be understood as a serious dissention and debate arose!
Paul and Barnabas recognized immediately that unless this dangerous doctrine was defeated, the pure gospel of grace through faith in Jesus would be negated.

It is interesting that Paul and Barnabas were appointed by the church in Antioch to go to Jerusalem to meet with the Apostles and Elders about the problem. What is interesting here is that Paul as an Apostle was appointed by the church in Antioch, indicating that even as an Apostle Paul respected the leadership of the church, and that even as an Apostle he was subject to the church and did not rule over local congregations. He might writes serious and rebuking letters to churches (Galatia and Corinth), but he nevertheless respected the local autonomy of the local church!

As Paul and Barnabas journeyed toward Jerusalem they reported the conversion of the Gentiles to the churches in Phoenicia and Samaria. These churches would be more open to Gentile conversion than the Jerusalem church, and the news of the Gentile mission was received with great joy.

When Paul and Barnabas arrived in Jerusalem, they were opposed by Christians of "the party of the Pharisees," indicating that the Pharisaical attitude of some Jews was difficult to shed even after conversion to Christ. They still struggled over the relationship of the Law to the Christian faith.

Notice their claim:

Read Galatians 1:6-9 and 6:11-15 to learn of Paul's attitude to this false doctrine.

Gal 1:6-9 ^"I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and turning to a different gospel— ⁷not that there is another gospel, but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. ⁸But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to that which we preached to you, let him be accursed. ⁹As we have said before, so now I say again, If any one is preaching to you a gospel contrary to that which you received, let him be accursed."

Gal 6:11-15^"See with what large letters I am writing to you with my own hand. ¹²It is those who want to make a good showing in the flesh that would compel you to be circumcised, and only in order that they may not be persecuted for the cross of Christ. ¹³For even those who receive circumcision do not themselves keep the law, but they desire to have you circumcised that they may glory in your flesh. ¹⁴But far be it from me to glory except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. ¹⁵For neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation."

Paul's claim is that to bind the Law of Moses on the doctrine of salvation by grace through faith in Jesus was to negate the cross of Christ. Paul would not boast in his ability to keep th e Law. His only boast was in what God had done through Christ and the cross.

We mention these points here to emphasize the seriousness of the false doctrine Paul and Barnabas were opposing in this trip to Jerusalem. The false doctrine arose in Jerusalem and had to be opposed in Jerusalem!

The Meeting and Its Decision (Acts 14:6-21)
Although Luke begins by stating that the Apostles and Elders gathered together to consider the matter, it becomes obvious that the whole church was present in an open meeting! Notice Acts 15:12 "... all the assembly kept silence..." and Acts 15:22 "The it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men...to send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas..."
The matter was so serious that the whole church assembled to hear Paul, the Apostles, and other leading men discuss the problem!

First, Peter reminded the assembly that he himself had bee the first to preach to the Gentiles (Cornelius) and that God had given them the Holy Spirit. Peter concluded (Acts 15:4,5):

God "made no distinction between us and them, but cleansed their hearts by faith. ¹⁰Now therefore why do you make trial of God by putting a yoke upon the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear? ¹¹But we believe that we shall be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they will."

When Peter had finished, "All the assembly kept silence..." (Acts 15:12). It was as though peter had silenced Paul's opponents and focused attention on what God had already done and acknowledged: The Gentiles and Jews would both be saved by faith in Jesus, and not by circumcision, since he had already done this for Cornelius apart from circumcision!

Barnabas and Paul then cited what God had done during their first missionary journey, and that God had confirmed their preaching with signs and wonders.

Finally, James (most likely, James the brother of Jesus who had become a Christian and prominent in the church in Jerusalem) spoke up. His conclusion was that they should not bind circumcision on the Gentiles as the Pharisaic party were demanding. Note his world in Acts 15:19.

"Therefore my judgment is that we should not trouble those of the Gentiles who turn to God, ²⁰but should write to them to abstain from the pollutions of idols and from unchastity and from what is strangled and from blood. ²¹For from early generations Moses has had in every city those who preach him, for he is read every sabbath in the synagogues."

¹For freedom Christ has set us free; stand fast therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.²Now I, Paul, say to you that if you receive circumcision, Christ will be of no advantage to you. ³I testify again to every man who receives circumcision that he is bound to keep the whole law. ⁴You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace. ⁵For through the Spirit, by faith, we wait for the hope of righteousness. ⁶For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision is of any avail, but faith working through love. ⁷You were running well; who hindered you from obeying the truth? ⁸This persuasion is not from him who calls you. ⁹A little leaven leavens the whole lump. ¹⁰I have confidence in the Lord that you will take no other view than mine; and he who is troubling you will bear his judgment, whoever he is. ¹¹But if I, brethren, still preach circumcision, why am I still persecuted? In that case the stumbling block of the cross has been removed. ¹²I wish those who unsettle you would mutilate themselves!¹³For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love be servants of one another. ¹⁴For the whole law is fulfilled in one word, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." ¹⁵But if you bite and devour one another take heed that you are not consumed by one another.

But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from law, although the law and the prophets bear witness to it, ²²the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction; ²³since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, ²⁴they are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus,

The Meeting's Decision Communicated (Acts 15:22-35)
Since Paul and Barnabas had been commissioned by the church in Antioch to discuss the problem with the church in Jerusalem, the whole church in Jerusalem was of the same mind to send leading men from Jerusalem to convey a letter to the church in Antioch with approval of Paul and Barnabas and an admonition to be sensitive to Jewish cultural concerns over food, idolatry, and immorality. The two men chosen from the Jerusalem church were Judas called Barsabbas and Silas (of whom we will learn much in the next chapters as he becomes a missionary companion of Paul).
The church in Antioch rejoiced in the news of the meeting and at the exhortation from the church in Jerusalem.
Judas and Silas returned to Jerusalem, while Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch teaching and preaching.

	1.	Barnabas and Paul are chosen by the church to go to Jerusalem to discuss the problem which seemed to come from the Jerusalem church regarding binding circumcision on Gentiles
	2.	The meeting involved the whole church in Jerusalem, Apostles, Elders, and congregation.
	3.	After hearing from Peter, Paul, and James, the church agreed that the Gentiles should not be required to keep the Law, especially of circumcision, since God had already accepted the Gentiles without circumcision.
	4.	A letter was sent from the Jerusalem church to the Antioch church telling them of this, and encouraging them to be sensitive to Jewish customs, especially regarding food, idols, and chastity.

Summary and Discussion

1) Summarize in your own words the situation leading up to the Jerusalem meeting and why it
was important that for Paul the problems be resolved.

2) What was the real issue discussed in the meeting?

3) Who was gathered for the meeting?

4) What did Peter add to the discussion, especially regarding Paul's ministry?

5) What did James add to the meeting's conclusion?

6) What did the Jerusalem leaders ask the Gentile church to treat with sensitivity?