The Results of the Jerusalem Council
Acts 15:22-35
22 Then
pleased it the apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men
of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas; namely, Judas surnamed
Barsabas, and Silas, chief men among the brethren: 23 And they wrote
letters by them after this manner; The apostles and elders and brethren send
greeting unto the brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and
Cilicia: 24 Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out
from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, Ye must be
circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave no such commandment: 25
It seemed good unto us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men
unto you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, 26 Men that have
hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 27 We
have sent therefore Judas and Silas, who shall also tell you the same things by
mouth. 28 For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay
upon you no greater burden than these necessary things; 29 That ye abstain
from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and
from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye
well. 30 So when they were dismissed, they came to Antioch: and when
they had gathered the multitude together, they delivered the epistle: 31
Which when they had read, they rejoiced for the consolation. 32 And
Judas and Silas, being prophets also themselves, exhorted the brethren with
many words, and confirmed them. 33 And after they had tarried there
a space, they were let go in peace from the brethren unto the apostles. 34
Notwithstanding it pleased Silas to abide there still. 35 Paul also
and Barnabas continued in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord,
with many others also.
Introduction:
In this chapter
we are confronted with the historical narrative concerning an epochal event
that constitutes another of the major turning points in The Acts of the Ascended Christ through the Holy Spirit by His Apostles.
The seeds of this event were first sown in Acts 10 when Peter was directed to
cross the threshold of Cornelius’ house.
These seeds came to full bloom in the first missionary journey presented
in Acts 13-14. God opening the door to
the Gentiles through the ministry of Paul and Barnabas in Cyprus and
particularly in Asia Minor created a major theological issue for some of the
Jewish members of the Jerusalem Church. This issue embraces soteriology, ethics
and ecclesiology: 1) soteriology - Can someone be saved who is not circumcised?
2) ethics - Does the Law of Moses continue to be administered under the New
Covenant? 3) ecclesiology - Must Gentiles become Jews to be considered as valid
members of the Church?
Acts 15 may be
considered under the following headings or paragraph divisions:
The Occasion of for the Jerusalem Council (15:1-5)
The Proceedings of the Jerusalem Council (15:6-21)
The Results of the Jerusalem Council (15:22-35)
The Journeys following the Jerusalem Council
(15:36-41)
Outline:
I. The Conclusion
of the Council (15:22-23a)
II. The Communication
by the Church (15:23b-29)
III. The Consolation
from the Correspondence (15:30-35)
Transition:
The significance of Acts 15 [1]
-
Historically:
“The success of the Gentile mission provoked what was perhaps
the most significant controversy in the NT era.” [2]
Theologically:
“Luke’s account of the discussion of the relation of the
Gentiles to the law of Moses forms the centre of Acts both structurally and
theologically.” [3]
Sadly:
“Probably no section of Acts has aroused such controversy
as this one or led to such varied historical reconstructions of the actual
situation.” [4]
In the account that we have before us we have information
that should be revealing concerning what is really going on here. Let us take this passage of Scripture apart,
examine it in detail, put it back together again, and see if we get what just
happened here!
I. The Conclusion of the Council (15:22-23a)
22 Then
pleased it the apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men
of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas; namely, Judas surnamed
Barsabas, and Silas, chief men among the brethren: 23 And they wrote
letters by them after this manner;
1. The Congregational Nature of the
Action (15:22a-b)
2. The Enthusiastic Nature of the Action
(15:22a)
3. The Assertive Nature of the Action
(15:22c)
4. The Formal Nature of the Action
(15:23)
1. The Congregational
Nature of the Action (15:22a-b)
“the apostles and
elders, with the whole church”
It must continuously be asserted in the face of the
entrenched error that this was not an “Apostolic Council”, and should not be
referred to as such. To do so flies
directly in the face of the explicit and repeated statements woven throughout
the narrative.
The response to the request from the First Christian
Church at Antioch was not an “Apostolic Decree”, but a letter endorsed by the
entire church, which nevertheless included apostles and elders (15:2; 16:4).
See also the “return address” in the salutation of the letter which follows in
the second half of verse 23: “The apostles and elders and brethren”,
and summation of this in verse 25, “being assembled with one accord”.
It may be that an ecclesiastical presupposition drives
the insistence on labeling this council as “apostolic”. Both Romanists and
Anglo-Catholics have a vested interest in doing so. Those convinced of a
presbyterian form of extra-church superstructures may also be predisposed to
dismiss:
1) the temporary nature of this council;
2) the geographically limited reach of its expression;
3) the inherent inter-congregational cooperation
evidenced in it (rather than “inter-elder”); and, 4) the lack of any assertion of
authority by any officers including apostles over a church or churches, or of
one church over another.
The following statements must not be ignored nor their
significance minimized in this narrative:
1) “…the brethren….they determined…” (15:1-2);
2) “and being brought on their way by the church” (15:3);
3) “they were received of the church” (15:4);
4) “with the whole church” (15:22);
5) “and brethren” (15:23); and,
6) “being assembled with one accord” (15:25).
Therefore, any continued insistence on characterizing
this council as “Apostolic” must be seen as hermeneutically suspect, and
exegetically untenable. It must be
rejected out of hand as placing a false emphasis on the nature of the council,
and as apparently driven by presuppositions void of Scriptural warrant.
Two emphases in this account of the conclusion of the
council must not be missed:
2. The Enthusiastic
Nature of the Action (15:22a)
“it pleased”
Compare verses 25, 28, and 34 (textual issue) where this
same verb occurs in the Greek texts. In the first and the fourth occurrence in
this passage (15:22, 34) the KJV tranlsates it “pleased” while rendering it
“seemed good” in the other two (15:25, 28).
This verb is translated consistently in all four occurences in this chapter
as “seemed good” in some modern versions (NASB, ESV), or with the generic “decided”
(HCSB). Still other modern translations are found with a great deal of
inconsistency: “seemed good” (NIV, NLT, 15:28), “agreed” (NIV, 15:25),
“decided” (NIV, 15:22, 34; NLT, 15:25, 34), or left untranslated altogether (NLT,
15:22). Any inconsistency in the
translation of this verb in such a limited context results in an unwarranted
obscuring of the connections for the readers who are left clueless that the
inspired text employed the exact same word in each case. Therefore, the NASB, ESV and HCSB are to be
commended for avoiding this with their consistent translations of the verb.
This verb is used frequently in the New Testament
including ten times in Luke’s Gospel, and elsewhere in Acts in 12:9; 17:18;
25:27; 26:9; and 27:13. Therefore, four of the nine usages in Acts are found in
this chapter. However, only the usages here in Acts 15 and that in 25:27 are
listed as examples of the “impersonal” use of the verb in Acts. [5]
The only other impersonal usages listed
are Luke 1:3 and Hebrews 12:10. [6] Hebrews 12:10, however, appears to have been misclassifed
by Moulton and Geden since this is another example of the articular participle
along with Mark 10:42 and those in Galatians 2.
See the chart below, Translations of the impersonal usage of the
Greek verb δοκέω in the New Testament, for the examples of the translations
of these legitimate impersonal usages.
Interestingly, the only other chapter with as many
occurences of this verb is Galatians 2 (2:2; 2:6 twice; and 2:9). [7]
There it is not the impersonal usage of the verb, but the articular participle
that is found in each case. What makes this fact interesting, nevertheless, is
the historical connection many see between Galatians 2 and Acts 15.
Translations
of the impersonal usage of the Greek verb δοκέω in
the New Testament
Text
|
KJV
|
NASB
|
ESV
|
HCSB
|
NIV
|
NLT
|
Acts 15:22
|
pleased
|
seemed good
|
seemed good
|
decided
|
decided
|
(…chose)
|
Acts 15:25
|
seemed good
|
seemed good
|
seemed good
|
decided
|
agreed
|
decided
|
Acts 15:28
|
seemed good
|
seemed good
|
seemed good
|
decision
|
seemed good
|
seemed good
|
Acts 15:34
|
pleased
|
[seemed good]
|
[seemed good]
|
[decided]
|
[decided]
|
[decided]
|
Acts 25:27
|
seemeth
|
seems
|
seems
|
seems
|
think
|
makes
|
Lk. 1:3
|
seemed good
|
seemed fitting
|
seemed good
|
seemed good
|
decided
|
have decided
|
3. The Assertive
Nature of the Action (15:22c)
“chosen men of
their own company…chief men”
Influential leaders:
“Judas surnamed Barsabas”
“Silas”
4. The Formal
Nature of the Action (15:23)
“they wrote
letters by them”
“Letters” plural? This is italicized, i.e. supplied, in the KJV, with no
plausible explanation for the plural despite the plural of the participle
itself, and the plural object in the prepositional phrase that follows.
The prepositional phrase itself is ambiguous, whether to
be associated literally with the participle as “writing by by their hands”, or
implicitly as “to be delivered by them” (HCSB), i.e. “writing to be hand
delivered by them” or “writing
II. The Communication by the Church (15:23b-29)
The apostles and elders and
brethren send greeting unto the brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antioch
and Syria and Cilicia: 24 Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain
which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls,
saying, Ye must be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave no such
commandment: 25 It seemed good unto us, being assembled with one
accord, to send chosen men unto you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, 26
Men that have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 27
We have sent therefore Judas and Silas, who shall also tell you the same things
by mouth. 28 For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay
upon you no greater burden than these necessary things; 29 That ye
abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled,
and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare
ye well.
The content of the letter is unmistakably clear in its
embracing of Gentile converts as genuine brethren, and its repudiation of the
false teaching that they may have been exposed to.
1. The “Envelope Exterior” (15:23b)
2. The Presenting Problem (15:24)
3. The “Calling Cards” (15:25-27)
4. The Council Conclusion (15:28-29)
1. The “Envelope Exterior” (15:23b)
The apostles and elders and brethren
send greeting unto the brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria
and Cilicia:
“the brethren which are of the Gentiles”
2. The Presenting Problem (15:24)
Forasmuch as we have heard, that
certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your
souls, saying, Ye must be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave no
such commandment: 25 It seemed good unto us, being assembled with
one accord, to send chosen men unto you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, 26
Men that have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 27
We have sent therefore Judas and Silas, who shall also tell you the same things
by mouth. 28 For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay
upon you no greater burden than these necessary things; 29 That ye
abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled,
and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare
ye well.
“troubled you with words”
“subverting your souls”
3. The “Calling Cards” (15:25-27)
25 It
seemed good unto us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men unto
you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, 26 Men that have hazarded
their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 27 We have sent
therefore Judas and Silas, who shall also tell you the same things by mouth.
“being assembled with one accord”
These men have unimpeachable credentials, and
unquestioned commitment to the cause of Christ.
“who shall also tell you the same things by mouth”
4. The Council Conclusion (15:28-29)
28 For
it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden
than these necessary things; 29 That ye abstain from meats offered
to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from
which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well.
“no greater burden” - This is not merely minimal, it is
the maximum.
“these necessary things” - There is a need.
III. The Consolation from the Correspondence
(15:30-35)
30 So
when they were dismissed, they came to Antioch: and when they had gathered the
multitude together, they delivered the epistle: 31 Which when they
had read, they rejoiced for the consolation. 32 And Judas and Silas,
being prophets also themselves, exhorted the brethren with many words, and
confirmed them. 33 And after they had tarried there a space, they
were let go in peace from the brethren unto the apostles. 34
Notwithstanding it pleased Silas to abide there still. 35 Paul also
and Barnabas continued in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord,
with many others also.
1. The Delivery of the Epistle (15:30)
2. The Reaction to the Epistle (15:31)
3. The Exhortations of the Prophets (15:32)
4. The Continuation of the Preaching (15:33-35)
1. The Delivery of the Epistle (15:30)
So when they were dismissed,
they came to Antioch: and when they had gathered the multitude together, they
delivered the epistle:
when
they were dismissed - this is the same verb as is found in
verse 33 there translated by the KJV “let go”.
Modern translations, for the most part, consistently translate both as
either “sent away” (NASB), or “sent off” (ESV, NIV). In both cases the discharging of a responsibilty
appears to be the basis, here in order to do so, and in verse 33, having done
so.
when
they had gathered the multitude together - The communication was
from one church to another, and not just from the leadership of one church to
the leadership of another.
they
delivered the epistle - “Epistle” is only used in four other verses
in Acts: 9:2; 22:5; 23:25, 33.
Acts 9:2 - 1 And Saul, yet breathing out
threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the
high priest, 2 And desired of him letters to Damascus to the
synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women,
he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem.
Acts 22:5 - As also the high priest doth bear me
witness, and all the estate of the elders: from whom also I received letters
unto the brethren, and went to Damascus, to bring them which were there bound
unto Jerusalem, for to be punished.
Acts 23:25-26 - 25 And he wrote a letter after
this manner: 26 Claudius Lysias unto the most excellent governor Felix sendeth greeting.
Acts 23:33 - Who, when they came to Caesarea, and delivered
the epistle to the governor, presented Paul also before him.
These usages are significant in consideration of the purpose
of Acts given the total absence of any mention of the Pauline corpus of
epistolary communications to the churches.
The inclusion of the account of these epistles in the narrative, and the
seemingly inexplicable silence concerning the canonical epistles is problematic
for those who approach Luke’s narrative with erroneous preconceived notions
concerning his purpose. Each of the epistles that are mentioned have more of an
official and legal character than that of mere letters, and this is the way the
usage here in Acts 15:30 should be considered.
2. The Reaction to the Epistle (15:31)
Which when they had read, they
rejoiced for the consolation.
“they rejoiced for the consolation”
They had been troubled. They were troubled no longer, for
Christ has turned their trouble into a source of joy!
3. The Exhortations of the Prophets (15:32)
And Judas and Silas, being prophets also
themselves, exhorted the brethren with many words, and confirmed them.
“exhorted the brethren with many words, and confirmed
them”
Along with the negative end of their troubles bringing
them joy is the additional benefit of the increase of their teaching and the
strengthening of their faith.
4. The Continuation of the Preaching (15:33-35)
33 And after they had tarried there
a space, they were let go in peace from the brethren unto the apostles. 34
Notwithstanding it pleased Silas to abide there still. 35 Paul also
and Barnabas continued in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord,
with many others also.
1) The departure
of the delegation from Jerusalem (15:33)
And
after they had tarried there a space, they were let go in peace from the
brethren unto the apostles.
Three different verbs are employed in these three verses
for “staying” or “remaining”. In this case an investment of time is implied,
hence the common translation “to spend time”. This time is invested in the
activity spelled out in the previous verse, which was the reason they were
delegated to accompany the epistle in the first place. They were not just wasting time, vacating, or
kicking back their heels!
2) The
continuation of Silas at Antioch (15:34)
Notwithstanding it
pleased Silas to abide there still.
On the textual issues concerning the bases for the
omission of verse 34: [8]
a. What support is there for this verse? [9]
Compilation of witnesses in support of this verse with
type, number, ID, and date range for type (Note: those in parentheses include
variants):
(1) Uncials: 2 - (C, D*, D) [5th c.]
(2) Miniscules: 15+ - 33, 36, (181), 307, 323, 453, 610,
614, (945), 1175, 1409, 1678, 1739, 1891, 2344, al [9th - 14th c.]
(3) Lectionary: 1 - 1178 [11th c.]
(4) Versions: 8 - Italic, Vulgate, Syriac, Coptic,
Armenian, Georgian, Ethiopic, and Old Church Slavonic - itc, syrh*,
copsa, copbo mss, arm, eth, geo, slav; (itar,
itd, itgig, itl, itph, itro,
itw, vgmss, vgcl) [3rd - 13th c.]
(5) Fathers: 1 - Cassiodorus [c. 485-c. 580] [10]
b. What historical evidence is there for the truth of
this verse?
Acts 15:40 - And
Paul chose Silas, and departed, being recommended by the brethren unto the
grace of God.
The end of the chapter assumes the continued presence of
Silas at Antioch rather than his return to Jerusalem with the others as
indicated in 15:33. This is inexplicable
without the truth expressed in 15:34.
c. What basis is there to object to this verse as having
been in the original manuscript of Acts?
While this verse is included in the Textus Receptus, none
of the modern Greek texts include it except in the critical apparatus. Scrivener
objected to it at the end of the 19th century. More importantly, when such
agreement is found between the Byzantine text of Robinson and Pierpont, the
Majority Text of Hodges and Farstad, and the Nestle-Aland it would seem
presumptuous to insist on its inclusion despite the witnesses which support the
Textus Receptus reading.
3) The
continuation of the ministry at Antioch (15:35)
Paul
also and Barnabas continued in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the
Lord, with many others also.
The verb used here for “to continue” is not the same as
that used in verse 34 for Silas. There it is a compounded form of the common
verb for “to abide”. Neither is the same
as the verb previously discussed in verse 33.
The word used here is the source of our transliterated word “diatribe”,
but bears the meaning in this context of “to spend or pass time”. This serves
by way of contrast between Paul and Barnabas who belonged in Antioch anyway,
and Silas who chose to stay there. This distinction is lost in many of the
marginal translations of verse 34 in modern versions where “remain” is often
employed for both verbs.
Conclusion:
Earlier I mentioned that in the account that we have
before us we have information that should be revealing concerning what is really
going on here. Let us take this passage
of Scripture apart, examine it in detail, put it back together again, and see
if we get what just happened here!
Now let’s see what we have!
1. What was the
original problem? False teachers?
2. Where was the
original problem? Antioch?
3. Was the
Jerusalem Church properly addressing that problem?
4. What forced the
Jerusalem Church to face and resolve the problem?
5. In the
resolution of the problem by the council what unanticipated benefits accrued?
6. Where did the
vision for church planting missions to Asia Minor begin?
7. Was the
Jerusalem Church directly involved in this mission, in other words, were they
supplying workers?
8. What is the
significance of Silas being at Antioch?
9. How many
mission teams went our previously?
10. How many
mission teams are going to go out now?
11. If the false
teachers had not come from Judea to Antioch would Silas have been joined with Paul in the missions to the nations?
12. Where did this
all start again?
The Powerful Resurrection of Christ from the Sealed Tomb:
Mt. 28:6 - He is not here: for he is risen, as he
said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.
The Universal Reign of Christ Explained to the Chosen
Apostles:
Mt. 28:18-20 - 18 And
Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven
and in earth. 19 Go ye
therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and
of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching
them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with
you alway, even unto the end of the
world. Amen.
The Glorious Ascension of Christ to the Eternal Throne:
Acts 1:6-11 - 6 When
they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou
at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? 7 And he
said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the
Father hath put in his own power. 8 But ye shall receive power,
after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me
both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost
part of the earth. 9 And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he
was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. 10 And while they looked stedfastly toward
heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; 11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why
stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into
heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.
I. The Conclusion
of the Council (15:22-23a)
1. The Congregational
Nature of the Action (15:22a-b)
2. The Enthusiastic
Nature of the Action (15:22a)
3. The Assertive Nature
of the Action (15:22c)
4. The Formal Nature of
the Action (15:23)
II. The Communication
by the Church (15:23b-29)
1. The “Envelope Exterior”
(15:23b)
2. The Presenting Problem
(15:24)
3. The “Calling Cards”
(15:25-27)
4. The Council Conclusion
(15:28-29)
III. The Consolation
from the Correspondence (15:30-35)
1. The Delivery of the Epistle
(15:30)
2. The Reaction to the Epistle
(15:31)
3. The Exhortations of the
Prophets (15:32)
4. The Continuation of the
Preaching (15:33-35)
[Sermon preached 6 JUL 2014 by Pastor John T.
“Jack” Jeffery at Wayside Gospel Chapel, Greentown, PA.]
Excursus on one of the Biblical passages commonly
cited in the defense of extra-local ecclesiastical polity - The Jerusalem
"Council" in Acts 15: [11]
Many attempts at Biblical defenses for such
ecclesiastical superstructures have been brought forward over the centuries
which may be seen as flawed on their face, or not pertinent at best. What about the Jerusalem "council",
as it commonly referred to? This is
often cited as a historical precedent for extra-church superstructures
intervening between local churches and the Headship of Christ. This issue in
Acts 15 of the Jerusalem Council should be considered worthy of closer scrutiny
since it has at least the appearance of a reasonable treatment of the text. [12] In fact, if this "proof" is
demonstrated to be flawed, it may serve as the best example of the kind of
selective reading, eisegesis, and assuming what needs to be proved, etc. that
is evident in all of the others. One
current example of the employment of Acts 15 in such a fashion may be
cited.
"First, regardless of how one
applies all the details, the Jerusalem Council of Acts 15 provides evidence for
the governmental interdependency of local churches. A dispute regarding the
orthodoxy of Paul and Barnabas arises in Antioch, but the case is referred to
the elders and apostles in Jerusalem for adjudication. Several lines of
evidence point to the extra-local governmental authority of the council. (a)
The very fact that a local church (Antioch) would deem it appropriate to look
outside of their own church to other men in other churches shows that the
church did not regard itself as completely self-governing. (b) If it is the
case that the elders of the Jerusalem council came from many different
Jerusalem house-churches, then this also indicates the governmental unity of
the churches. (c) The council viewed itself as having authority in many local
churches. The council communicated its decision not only to the church in
Antioch, but to churches in all of Syria and Cilica as well (15:22ff.; 16:4).
(d) The decree sent to the churches carried authority: “For it has seemed good
to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay on you no greater burden than these requirements…”
(Acts 15:28). The decision came, not as a suggestion from a neighboring church,
but as an authoritative decree (carrying the “burden” of “requirements”) sent
by ecclesiastical officers. It was given in that spirit (vv. 24-30), and it was
received in that spirit (v. 31)." [13]
Is there anything to this argument? Should this historical episode in the first
century be credited as presenting Scriptural warrant for the denominations,
assemblies, synods, presbyteries, etc. that have been erected in subsequent
centuries?
The following factors must be taken into consideration,
and given appropriate weight, in answering such questions:
1. The presence
of Apostolic authority (Acts 15:2, 4,
6, 22-23; 16:4). [14]
Any ecclesiastical entity in the post-apostolic period
that thinks it has the right to ordain "decrees" to local churches is
presumptuous to say the least.
2. The lack of
New Testament guidance.
The fact that this was done prior to the close of the New
Testament should not be dismissed lightly or ignored. Whereas the Bereans searched the Scriptures
to ascertain whether what Paul was teaching was in accordance with their Bible,
i.e., the Old Testament (Acts 17:11), that would not have sufficed to resolve
this trans-covenantal and trans-ethnic issue.
At the conclusion of the "council" debate James did cite the
Old Testament prophets (Jer. 12:15; Amos 9:11f.; and Is. 45:21) as supporting
one related issue, i.e., God saving some of the Gentiles. This, however, did not resolve the presented
question concerning requiring circumcision for their salvation. The continuing flow of the inspired writings
that would come to constitute the New Testament canon of Scripture was ongoing,
and in fact, just beginning. When dating
the Jerusalem "council" is considered it should be obvious that the
bulk of the New Testament was written later than this. Once the New Testament was completed there
was no need to address such questions to the Apostles as was done here.
3. The nature
of the transitional period.
Both of the issues mentioned under the first two points
are directly related to the transitional nature of the period from Pentecost to
the completion of the New Testament canon and the death of the last
Apostle. A historical precedent may be
found in the inspired record of this period, but extreme care must be taken in
extracting doctrine from historical literature given the character of the
period involved. We may have no doubt
about what they did and why. We may have
no such certainty that we are to "go and do likewise" without
explicit didactic literature indicating that this is the case.
4. The
singularity of the church convening the council.
The issues in the question communicated were directed to
one church by another. The contingent
from the local church in Antioch presented their concerns to the church in
Jerusalem (Acts 15:2, 4). There is a
specific reason stated in the context why these questions were addressed to the
Jerusalem church, and this is made explicit in the decision communicated by the
council (Acts 15:24). That is:
1) did these men from Judea who came to our church in
Antioch teaching that the Gentiles could not be saved unless they were
circumcised come from the Jerusalem church, and,
2) is their teaching endorsed by the Jerusalem
church? The response of the Jerusalem
church was affirmative to the former and negative to the latter.
5. The lack of
any expression of ecclesiastical authority over other local churches in the
resultant document. (Acts 15:28;
16:4)
Apostolic authority, with the agreement of the Jerusalem
church, would appear to be implicit in the language of these two verses.
Acts 15:28 - "For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to
us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things;"
Emphasis might be
placed upon the laying on of a burden, but the reality is that these were
"necessary things".
Acts 16:4 - "And as they went through the cities, they delivered
them the decrees for to keep, that were ordained of the apostles and elders
which were at Jerusalem."
Here the language
is even stronger than that of 15:28 involving "decrees" being
"ordained". However, it must
be remembered that this was in response to a question from the church at
Antioch about teachers who had gone out from the Jerusalem church. In other words, the decrees ordained directly
counteracted the false teaching of those requiring circumcision, and directed
that in the future the only things that the Gentile believers could be expected
to do to keep the peace in the churches between the two ethnic groups would be
the four prohibitions mentioned in the letter in 15:29. The involvement of these four things with the
idolatrous backgrounds of these Gentiles, and the offensive nature to the
Jewish brethren during shared meals of the first three items, appear to be the
context for their selection and inclusion in the letter. [15]
6. The local
church authority expressed in the "council's" decision
(Acts 15:22-23, 25, 28).
The "council" itself may have been composed of
"apostles and elders", but the message went back to Antioch from this
group plus the rest of the brethren expressed as "the whole
church". This was a decision by one
local church in answer to a question raised by another local church. It may not be reduced to some type of
"conciliar" authority over one or more local churches.
7. The trans-covenantal
and trans-ethnic nature of the issues involved.
What is at stake are
relationships between:
1) different ethnic groups of believers, and,
2) the Old Covenant and the New Covenant (Acts 15:1-3,
5-21).
The seriousness of the issue between these Jewish
teachers, and Gentile believers and churches concerning Mosaic circumcision for
salvation could not therefore be lightly dismissed, nor could it be
ignored. The issues involve the very
nature of the Gospel, and the character of the New Covenant ministry. As such disagreement could not be tolerated
between local churches, especially when teachers are going from one church to
another with this heresy which undermines the very nature of the Gospel of the
New Covenant.
8. Finally, and
most importantly, the exceptional, unique and temporary nature of this council
(Acts 15:2, 6).
The Jerusalem "council", was only brought into
the "question" (Acts 15:2) or "matter" (Acts 15:6) on the
initiation of the local church in Antioch (Acts 14:26-27). This was
specifically due to the fact that the problem was created by "certain
men" from Judea. The exceptional
nature of the "council" is entirely based on this extraordinary
circumstance between two churches. It is unique since this is the only time in
the New Testament's inspired history of the first century churches where we
ever read of such a thing. The temporary
nature of this "council" is evident since there is no indication
whatsoever that the council continued to meet to deal with questions or matters
such as this or to function in any other way.
On this issue of the relevance of the Jerusalem Council
to the defenses of subsequent ecclesiastical extra-local polities see also:
Hezekiah Harvey, The
Church: Its Polity and Ordinances (Rochester, NY: Backus Book Publishers,
n.d.; 1982 reprint of 1879 original by American Baptist Publication Society,
Philadelphia), pp. 49-50. The 1903
reprint by the American Baptist Publication Society of the 1879 original is
available either as a full "preview" online or as a free eBook
including downloadable EPUB and PDF file formats on Google Books at http://books.google.com/books?id=Q9RLAAAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=Hezekiah+Harvey&hl=en&sa=X&ei=TwGdULL6J7O10AGSo4DIAQ&ved=0CDMQ6AEwAQ [accessed 9 NOV 2012].
Edward T. Hiscox, The
New Directory for Baptist Churches (Philadelphia: The Judson Press, 1894),
pp. 142-159, 313-317. The 1902 reprint
by the American Baptist Publication Society of the 1894 original is available
either as a full "preview" online or as a free eBook including
downloadable EPUB and PDF file formats on Google
Books at http://books.google.com/books?id=rQZFAAAAIAAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false [accessed 9 NOV 2012].
Paul R. Jackson, The
Doctrine and Administration of the Church, rev. ed. (Schaumburg, IL:
Regular Baptist Press, 1980, 1968), pg. 35.
Benjamin L. Merkle,
40 Questions About Elders and Deacons (Grand Rapids: Kregel Academic
& Professional, 2008), pp. 31-37.
Resources on the Jerusalem
Council:
Thomas Dehany Bernard, The Progress of Doctrine in the
New Testament: Eight lectures delivered before the University of Oxford on The
Bampton Foundation (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, n.d.), pp.
131-141.
F. F. Bruce, New Testament History (Garden City,
NY: Anchor Books, 1969), pp. 279-290.
F. F. Bruce, Paul: Apostle of the Heart Set Free
(Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1977), pp. 173-187.
J. Gresham Machen, The Origin of Paul's Religion: The
James Sprunt Lectures Delivered at Union Theological Seminary in Virginia
(Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1925), pp. 39-40, 71-113, and
139-140.
A. T. Robertson, Epochs in the Life of Paul: A Study of
Development in Paul's Character (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1974), pp.
121-138.
Udo Schnelle, Apostle Paul: His Life and Theology,
trans. M. Eugene Boring (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2003; trans. from Paulus: Leben und Denken, Berlin: Walter
de Gruyter GmbH & Co., n.d.), pp. 121-137, and 512-513.
Resources on Acts:
G. K. Beale and D. A. Carson, eds., Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old
Testament (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2007), pp. 513-606.
Paul Barnett, The Birth of Christianity: The First
Twenty Years, After Jesus, Vol. 1
(Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2005).
Darrell L. Bock, Acts, Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament, eds. Robert W.
Yarbrough and Robert H. Stein (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2007).
F. F. Bruce, The
Acts of the Apostles: The Greek Text with Introduction and Commentary, 2nd
ed. (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1951, 1952).
H. J. Cadbury,
“Lexical Notes on Luke-Acts. IV. On Direct Quotations with Some Uses of oti and
dei”, Journal of Biblical Literature 48 (1929), pp. 412-425.
I. Howard Marshall, Acts: An Introduction And
Commentary, Vol. 5 in Tyndale New
Testament Commentaries, gen. ed. Leon Morris (Downers Grove, IL:
InterVarsity Press, 1980; 2008 reprint).
David G. Peterson, The Acts of the Apostles, The Pillar New Testament Commentaries,
gen. ed. D. A. Carson (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2009).
John B. Polhill, Acts, Vol. 26 in The New American Commentary, gen. ed.
David S. Dockery (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman, Publishers, 1992).
Eckhard J. Schnabel, Acts, Vol. 5 in the Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the New
Testament, gen. ed. Clinton E. Arnold (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2012).
William H. Willimon, Acts, in Interpretation: A Bible Commentary for Teaching and Preaching,
series ed. James Luther Mays, New Testament ed. Paul J. Achtemeier (Louisville,
KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2010).
Resources on Paul:
Kenneth E. Bailey, Paul Through
Mediterranean Eyes: Cultural Studies in 1 Corinthians (Downers Grove,
IL: IVP Academic, 2011).
F. F. Bruce, Paul: Apostle of the Heart Set Free
(Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1977).
D. A. Carson, The Gagging of God: Christianity Confronts
Pluralism (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1996), pp. 496-501.
W. J. Conybeare and J. S. Howson, The Life, Times and
Travels of St. Paul, 2 vols. in 1, unabridged American ed. (New York: E. B.
Treat U Co., 1869); on Google Books
at http://books.google.com/books?id=Bn1CAAAAIAAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false
[accessed 12 FEB 2013].
Adolf Deissmann, Paul: A Study in Social and Religious
History, 2nd ed., trans. William E. Wilson (New York: Harper Torchbooks,
n.d.).
F. W. Farrar, The Life and Work of St. Paul (New
York: E. P. Dutton and Co., 1889); on Google
Books at http://books.google.com/books?id=RB2KeCSM6KsC&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false [accessed
12 FEB 2013].
Bruce N. Fisk, “Paul: Life and
Letters”, in The Face of New Testament Studies: A Survey of Recent Research,
ed. Scot McKnight and Grant R. Osborne (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2004),
pp. 283-325.
Richard B.Gaffin, Jr.,
"Acts and Paul", 46 lectures (MP3 format), WTS Resources Media Center
on Westminster Theological Seminary
at http://wts.edu/resources/media.html?paramType=audio&filterTopic=5&filterSpeaker=10&filterYear=2005 [accessed 20 MAR 2013].
Frank J. Goodwin, A Harmony of the Life of the St. Paul
According to the Acts of the Apostles and the Pauline Epistles (New York:
American Tract Society, 1895); on Google
Books at http://books.google.com/books?id=YgpEAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false
[accessed 12 FEB 2013].
Richard N. Longenecker, The Ministry And Message Of Paul
(Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1971).
Richard N. Longenecker, Paul, Apostle Of Liberty (New
York: Harper & Row, 1964).
Richard N. Longenecker, ed., The Road From Damascus : The
Impact Of Paul's Conversion On His Life, Thought, And Ministry (Grand
Rapids: Eerdmans, 1997).
Richard N. Longenecker, Studies In Paul, Exegetical And
Theological (Sheffield : Sheffield Phoenix Press, 2004).
J. Gresham Machen, The Origin of Paul's Religion: The
James Sprunt Lectures Delivered at Union Theological Seminary in Virginia
(Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1925).
Leon Morris, The Apostolic Preaching of the Cross
(Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1955).
John Pollock, The Apostle: A Life of Paul, 3rd ed.
(Colorado Springs: David C. Cook, 1969, 2012); also published as The Man Who
Shook the World (Wheaton: Victor Books, 1972; originally The Apostle: A Life of Paul, New York:
Doubleday, 1969).
Stanley E. Porter, Paul in Acts, in Library of Pauline Studies, gen. ed.
Stanley E. Porter (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., 1999; 2001
reprint of The Paul of Acts: Essays in Literary Criticism, Rhetoric and
Theology, in Wissenschaftliche
Untersuchungen zum Neuen Testament 115, by Mohr Siebeck, Tubingen).
W. M. Ramsay, The Cities of St. Paul: Their Influence on
his Life and Thought (New York: A. C. Armstrong and Son; London: Hodder and
Stoughton, 1908); on Google Books at http://books.google.com/books?id=JryEbmKool0C&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false
[accessed 13 FEB 2013].
W. M. Ramsay, Pauline and Other Studies in Early
Christian History (New York: A. C. Armstrong and Son, 1906); on Google Books at http://books.google.com/books?id=-1ZJAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false
[accessed 13 FEB 2013].
W. M. Ramsay, St. Paul the Traveler and the Roman Citizen,
10th ed. (London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1907); on Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) at http://www.ccel.org/ccel/ramsay/paul_roman.html
[accessed 13 FEB 2013].
W. M. Ramsay, The Teaching of Paul in terms of The
Present Day: The Deems Lectures in New York University (London: Hodder and
Stoughton, 1914); on Internet Archive
at http://ia600404.us.archive.org/2/items/teachingofpaulin00rams/teachingofpaulin00rams.pdf
[accessed 13 FEB 2013].
A. T. Robertson, Epochs in the Life of Paul: A Study of
Development in Paul's Character (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1974).
Eckhard J. Schnabel, Paul The
Missionary: Realities, Strategies And Methods (Downers
Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2008).
Udo Schnelle, Apostle Paul: His Life and Theology,
trans. M. Eugene Boring (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2003; trans. from Paulus: Leben und Denken, Berlin: Walter
de Gruyter GmbH & Co., n.d.).
Thomas R. Schreiner, Paul, Apostle of God's Glory in
Christ: A Pauline Theology (Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2001).
James Stalker, The Life of St. Paul, (Edinburgh: T.
& T. Clark, 1885; rev. ed. 2010 by Kessinger Publishing from 1912 ed.); on Google Books at http://books.google.com/books?id=vT0HAAAAQAAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false
[accessed 7 FEB 2013].
James Ironside Still, St. Paul on Trial (London:
Student Christian Movement, 1923).
[1] See also “Resources on the
Jerusalem Council” appended to the sermon notes.
[2] Thomas R. Schreiner, The King In His Beauty: A
Biblical Theology of the Old and New Testaments (Grand Rapids: Baker
Academic, 2013), pg. 496.
[3] I. Howard Marshall, Acts: An Introduction And
Commentary, Vol. 5 in Tyndale New
Testament Commentaries, gen. ed. Leon Morris (Downers Grove, IL:
InterVarsity Press, 1980; 2008 reprint), pg. 256.
[4] Marshall, op. cit., pg.
258. See my “Excursus” on this chapter
appended to the sermon notes for my response to one aspect of the
controversies.
[5] A Concordance to the Greek
Testament, eds. W. F. Moulton and A. S. Geden, 4th ed., rev. H. K. Moulton
(Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark, 1963), pp. 222-223, s.v. DOKE´W.
[6] Ibid.
[7] Ibid.
[8] Barbara Aland, Kurt Aland, Matthew Black, Carlo M.
Martini, Bruce M. Metzger, and Allen Wikgren, The Greek New Testament, 4th rev. ed. (Stuttgart, FRG: United Bible Societies and
Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, 1993, 1994), pg. 469.
Kurt Aland and Barbara
Aland, The Text of the New Testament: An Introduction to the Critical
Editions and to the Theory and Practice of Modern Textual Criticism, trans.
Erroll F. Rhodes (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1987; from Der Text des Neuen Testaments,
Stuttgart: Deutsche Bibelgesellshcaft, 1981), pp. 295, 299.
The
Greek New Testament According to the Majority Text, 2nd ed., eds. Zane C. Hodges,
Arthur L. Farstad, et al. (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1985), pg. 428.
Bruce M.
Metzger, A Textual Commentary on the Greek New Testament: A Companion Volume
to the United Bible Societies' Greek New Testament (third edition) (Stuttgart,
Germany: United Bible Societies, 1971), pg. 439.
Bruce M. Metzger, and United Bible Societies, A Textual
Commentary on the Greek New Testament, Second Edition, a Companion Volume to
the United Bible Societies' Greek New Testament (4th rev. ed.) (London; New
York: United Bible Societies, 1994), pg. 388.
Novum Testamentum Graece, eds. Eberhard and
Erwin Nestle, 27th ed., eds. Barbara and Kurt Aland, Johannes
Karavidopoulos, Carlo M. Martini, and Bruce M. Metzger (Stuttgart: Deutsche
Bibelgesellschaft, 1898, 1993), pg. 367.
Maurice
A. Robinson and William G. Pierpont, The New Testament in the Original
Greek: Byzantine Textform 2005 (Southborough, MA: Chilton Book Publishing,
2005), pg. 287.
Frederick Henry Ambrose Scrivener, A Plain
Introduction to the Criticism of the New Testament for the Use of Biblical
Students, 2 vols., 4th ed., ed. Edward Miller (New York: George Bell &
Sons, 1894), pp. 373-374.
[9] 33, 36, 307, 323, 453, 610, 614, 1175, 1409, 1678,
1739, 1891, 2344, al, l 1178, itc, syrh*,
copsa, copbo mss, arm, eth, geo, slav; and, with
variants: 181, 945, C, D*, D, itar, itd, itgig,
itl, itph, itro, itw, vgmss,
vgcl, Cassiodorus.
[10] Kurt Aland and Barbara Aland, The Text of the New
Testament: An Introduction to the Critical Editions and to the Theory and
Practice of Modern Textual Criticism, trans. Erroll F. Rhodes (Grand
Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1987; from Der Text des Neuen Testaments, Stuttgart: Deutsche
Bibelgesellshcaft, 1981), pg. 212.
[11] This is an excerpt from
my discussion outline “Theocratic Congregationalism”, posted on 16 APR 2014 to Wayside Gospel Chapel at http://waysidegospelchapel.blogspot.com/2014/04/theocratic-congregationalism-solus.html
[accessed 24 JUN 2014].
[12] See on this Benjamin
L. Merkle, 40 Questions About Elders and Deacons (Grand Rapids: Kregel
Academic & Professional, 2008), pg. 31.
[13] Sovereign Grace Book of Church Order, PROPOSAL
(SGM Polity Committee, October 28, 2012), pp. 4-5. See Appendix 4: Extract (cover to end of
page six only).
[14] This may be a moot point
for Sovereign Grace Ministries and others who maintain that apostles are extant
throughout the history of the Church including the 21st century! Sovereign Grace Book of Church Order,
op. cit., pg. 5.
[15] On this issue see especially Merkle, op. cit., pp. 34-36.
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