Wednesdays are for the New Testament
5/22/24
Bruce, F.F. (1988). "The Council of Jerusalem (15:1-35)." In The Book of Acts (Revised). (281-300). William B. Eerdmans Publishing,
The Council in Jerusalem, recorded in Acts 15, is extremely detailed in nature. Bruce sees this as a sign that Luke considered this gathering to be of tremendous importance (Bruce 1988, p. 282). At issue was the appropriate way to bring Gentiles into membership of the church and in what way Jewish and Gentile Christians would engage in fellowship with one another.
Bruce observes that while Acts 15:1-35 is straightforward as is Galatians 2:1-10, it is difficult to harmonize the two passages with one another. Most scholars consider the passages to describe the same visit of Paul to Jerusalem. However, the two accounts seem significantly different from one another (Bruce 1988, p. 283). The conflict between Peter and Paul described in Galatians 2:11-14 portrays a challenge which would not have been very likely after the council of Acts 15. Bruce considers it most likely that the events of Galatians 2:11-14 led to the council in Acts 15 (Bruce 1988, p. 284).
In Acts 15:1-2, the stage for the conflict is set by people coming from Judaea. Bruce considers it possible that these were the same people "from James" (Galatians 2:12).They had a message that gentiles needed to be circumcised upon conversion (Bruce 1988, p. 285). This may well have been provoked by a conservative Jewish view that Christianity would remain in the cultural stream of Judaism. Circumcision had been omitted from the teaching given to the gentile converts. Because of the important repercussions for relationships between Jewish and gentile converts, it was important to assemble the various factions (Bruce 1988, p. 287).
During their trip toward Jerusalem in Acts 15:3-5, Paul and Barnabas, with some other companions. visited Christian groups along the way.(Bruce 1988, p. 288). Their account of what God had been doing among the gentiles brought thanksgiving, including among those assembled at Jerusalem. However, some were not satisfied. Luke specifically says in verse five that the critics in Jerusalem were Pharisees who had converted. In verse six, then, a council was assembled, including responsible leaders who were not among the apostles as well as those of the apostles who were able to assemble (Bruce 1988, p. 289).
Significantly, in Acts 15:7-11, Peter, not Paul, described the liberty of the gospel and the fact that God could forgive people from sin even if they were not formerly Jews (Bruce 1988, p. 289). In verses 10-11 Peter describes the requirements of the law as a "yoke" which was too heavy to be borne. This description was not held to by all the Jewish converts, but Bruce considers Peter's statement to accurately reflect "the rank and file of Galilaean Jews" (Bruce 1988, p. 290). Bruce observes that this is the last time we run across Peter in Acts (Bruce 1988, p. 291). Additional testimony came from Barnabas and Paul in verse 12, before James summed up the situation in Acts 15:13-21.
Bruce identifies James as one of the brothers of the Lord, and the acting leader of the Jerusalem church (Bruce 1988, p. 292). He, having considered the testimony, summarized what Peter had said. Bruce notes that he doesn't refer to Barnabas and Paul "This indeed may have been politic: James wanted to carry a difficult audience with him, and it was the activity of Barnabas and Paul that had created the situation which roused such apprehension in the minds of the Jerusalem rank and file" (Bruce 1988, p. 292). In James' summary, Bruce considers it very important that he used language specifically identifying the gentiles as "a people for [God's] name." This reflects the language used in Deuteronomy of Israel (Bruce 1988, p. 293). In verses 15-18 he further applies to the gentiles the gathering back of God's people described in Amos, in Jeremiah 12, and Isaiah 45. This conversion of the gentiles is the fulfillment of God's gathering his people who had been scattered.
The decision, in Acts 15:19-21, is that Jewish Christians should not attempt to demand circumcision on the part of the gentile converts. However, because the gentile converts would need to deal with Jewish christians in a non-controversial manner, the gentiles should avoid blood and food sacrificed to idols, as well as avoiding relationships between the sexes which would be offensive to the Jewish Christians (Bruce 1988, p. 295).
Having reached a conclusion, the leaders composed a circular letter describing the conflict in brief and charging people to adhere to their decisions (Acts 15:22-29) (Bruce 1988, p. 296). Messengers including Paul and Barnabas, Judas and Silas, were to bring the letter around to Christian communities, explaining it further as needed (Bruce 1988, p. 297). Significantly, in verses 24-27, the letter observes that the people who had been demanding circumcision had not been sent from Jerusalem with that purpose.
Acts 15:30-35 describes the relief which the letter provided for gentile Christians in Antioch. Bruce considers the burdens to be relatively small and that the decisions would avoid future tense relationships (Bruce 1988, p. 300). Judas and Silas remained for a brief time in Antioch before being sent on. Paul and Barnabas remained longer than Judas and Silas did.
5/22/24
Bruce, F.F. (1988). "The Council of Jerusalem (15:1-35)." In The Book of Acts (Revised). (281-300). William B. Eerdmans Publishing,
The Council in Jerusalem, recorded in Acts 15, is extremely detailed in nature. Bruce sees this as a sign that Luke considered this gathering to be of tremendous importance (Bruce 1988, p. 282). At issue was the appropriate way to bring Gentiles into membership of the church and in what way Jewish and Gentile Christians would engage in fellowship with one another.
Bruce observes that while Acts 15:1-35 is straightforward as is Galatians 2:1-10, it is difficult to harmonize the two passages with one another. Most scholars consider the passages to describe the same visit of Paul to Jerusalem. However, the two accounts seem significantly different from one another (Bruce 1988, p. 283). The conflict between Peter and Paul described in Galatians 2:11-14 portrays a challenge which would not have been very likely after the council of Acts 15. Bruce considers it most likely that the events of Galatians 2:11-14 led to the council in Acts 15 (Bruce 1988, p. 284).
In Acts 15:1-2, the stage for the conflict is set by people coming from Judaea. Bruce considers it possible that these were the same people "from James" (Galatians 2:12).They had a message that gentiles needed to be circumcised upon conversion (Bruce 1988, p. 285). This may well have been provoked by a conservative Jewish view that Christianity would remain in the cultural stream of Judaism. Circumcision had been omitted from the teaching given to the gentile converts. Because of the important repercussions for relationships between Jewish and gentile converts, it was important to assemble the various factions (Bruce 1988, p. 287).
During their trip toward Jerusalem in Acts 15:3-5, Paul and Barnabas, with some other companions. visited Christian groups along the way.(Bruce 1988, p. 288). Their account of what God had been doing among the gentiles brought thanksgiving, including among those assembled at Jerusalem. However, some were not satisfied. Luke specifically says in verse five that the critics in Jerusalem were Pharisees who had converted. In verse six, then, a council was assembled, including responsible leaders who were not among the apostles as well as those of the apostles who were able to assemble (Bruce 1988, p. 289).
Significantly, in Acts 15:7-11, Peter, not Paul, described the liberty of the gospel and the fact that God could forgive people from sin even if they were not formerly Jews (Bruce 1988, p. 289). In verses 10-11 Peter describes the requirements of the law as a "yoke" which was too heavy to be borne. This description was not held to by all the Jewish converts, but Bruce considers Peter's statement to accurately reflect "the rank and file of Galilaean Jews" (Bruce 1988, p. 290). Bruce observes that this is the last time we run across Peter in Acts (Bruce 1988, p. 291). Additional testimony came from Barnabas and Paul in verse 12, before James summed up the situation in Acts 15:13-21.
Bruce identifies James as one of the brothers of the Lord, and the acting leader of the Jerusalem church (Bruce 1988, p. 292). He, having considered the testimony, summarized what Peter had said. Bruce notes that he doesn't refer to Barnabas and Paul "This indeed may have been politic: James wanted to carry a difficult audience with him, and it was the activity of Barnabas and Paul that had created the situation which roused such apprehension in the minds of the Jerusalem rank and file" (Bruce 1988, p. 292). In James' summary, Bruce considers it very important that he used language specifically identifying the gentiles as "a people for [God's] name." This reflects the language used in Deuteronomy of Israel (Bruce 1988, p. 293). In verses 15-18 he further applies to the gentiles the gathering back of God's people described in Amos, in Jeremiah 12, and Isaiah 45. This conversion of the gentiles is the fulfillment of God's gathering his people who had been scattered.
The decision, in Acts 15:19-21, is that Jewish Christians should not attempt to demand circumcision on the part of the gentile converts. However, because the gentile converts would need to deal with Jewish christians in a non-controversial manner, the gentiles should avoid blood and food sacrificed to idols, as well as avoiding relationships between the sexes which would be offensive to the Jewish Christians (Bruce 1988, p. 295).
Having reached a conclusion, the leaders composed a circular letter describing the conflict in brief and charging people to adhere to their decisions (Acts 15:22-29) (Bruce 1988, p. 296). Messengers including Paul and Barnabas, Judas and Silas, were to bring the letter around to Christian communities, explaining it further as needed (Bruce 1988, p. 297). Significantly, in verses 24-27, the letter observes that the people who had been demanding circumcision had not been sent from Jerusalem with that purpose.
Acts 15:30-35 describes the relief which the letter provided for gentile Christians in Antioch. Bruce considers the burdens to be relatively small and that the decisions would avoid future tense relationships (Bruce 1988, p. 300). Judas and Silas remained for a brief time in Antioch before being sent on. Paul and Barnabas remained longer than Judas and Silas did.
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