Acts 15:21

For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day. FOR MOSES OF OLD TIME HATH IN EVERY CITY THEM THAT PREACH HIM, BEING READ IN THE SYNAGOGUES EVERY SABBATH DAY - thus keeping alive in every Jew those feelings which such practices would shock, and which, therefore, the Gentile converts must carefully respect, if the oneness of both classes in Christ was to be practically preserved. This seems to us the most natural sense of the allusion to Moses here, (that of Calvin, Olshausen, DeWette, Meyer, Humphry, Hackett, Alford, etc.) Another view of it (that of Erasmus, Grotius, Thiersch, and Lechler) - that the authority of Moses was in no danger of being lowered by the admission of uncircumcised, Gentiles into the Church, seeing that he was "read in the synagogues every sabbath day" - seems to us a much less probable one. Be this a...

− 21._For Moses hath. _This place, in my judgment, hath been badly expounded, and drawn into a contrary sense. For interpreters think that James addeth this, because it were superfluous to prescribe anything to the Jews, who were well acquainted with the doctrine of the law, and to whom it was read every Sabbath-day; and they pick out this meaning, Let us be content to require these few things at the hands of the Gentiles, which are not accustomed to bear the yoke of the law; as touching the Jews they have Moses, out of whom they may learn more. Some do also gather out of this place, that circumcision, with its appurtenances, ought to be observed even at this day among the Jews. But they reason unfitly and unskillfully, though that exposition which I have set down − (141) were true. But James had a far other meaning; to wit, he teachers that it cannot be that ceremonies can be abolished...

7-21 We see from the words "purifying their hearts by faith," and the address of St. Peter, that justification by faith, and sanctification by the Holy Ghost, cannot be separated; and that both are the gift of God. We have great cause to bless God that we have heard the gospel. May we have that faith which the great Searcher of hearts approves, and attests by the seal of the Holy Spirit. Then our hearts and consciences will be purified from the guilt of sin, and we shall be freed from the burdens some try to lay upon the disciples of Christ. Paul and Barnabas showed by plain matters of fact, that God owned the preaching of the pure gospel to the Gentiles without the law of Moses; therefore to press that law upon them, was to undo what God had done. The opinion of James was, that the Gentile converts ought not to be troubled about Jewish rites, but that they should abstain from meats off...

Verse Acts 15:21. _MOSES OF OLD TIME HATH IN EVERY CITY_] The sense of this verse seems to be this: As it was necessary to write to the _Gentiles_ what was strictly necessary to be observed by _them_, relative to these points, it was not so to the converted Jews; for they had _Moses_, that is, the _law, preached to them_, κατα πολιν, _in the city_, that is, _Antioch_; and, by the reading of the law in the synagogues every Sabbath day, they were kept in remembrance of those institutions which the Gentiles, who had not the law, could not know. Therefore, James thought that a letter to the converted _Gentiles_ would be sufficient, as the converted _Jews_ had already ample instruction on these points....

FOR MOSES - The meaning of this verse is, that the Law of Moses, prohibiting these things, was read in the synagogues constantly. As these commands wore constantly read, and as the Jewish converts would not soon learn that their ceremonial law had ceased to be binding, it was deemed to be a matter of expediency that no needless offence should be given to them. For the sake of peace, it was better that they should abstain from meat offered to idols than to give offence to the Jewish converts. Compare 1 Corinthians 8:10.OF OLD TIME - Greek: from ancient generations. It is an established custom, and therefore his laws are well known, and have, in their view, not only the authority of revelation, but the venerableness of antiquity. IN EVERY CITY - Where there were Jews. This was the case in all the cit

EXPOSITION ACTS 15:1 _Came down … and taught _for _which came down_ …_ taught, _A.V.; _saying _for _and said, _A.V._; custom _(ἔθος) for _manner, _A.V. EXCEPT YE BE CIRCUMCISED, etc. The question thus raised nearly effected the disruption of the Church, and was the most serious controversy that had yet arisen. If the views broached by these Judaean Christians had prevailed, the whole character of Christianity would have been changed, and its existence probably cut short. How great the danger was appears from even Peter and Barnabas having wavered in their opinion. (For St. Paul's treatment of the subject, see Romans 2:25, etc.; 4.;...

FOR MOSES OF OLD TIME HATH IN EVERY CITY THEM THAT PREACH HIM,.... That is, for many years past, even from the times of Ezra, the law of Moses has been publicly expounded by them, whom the Jews call Derashim, preachers, or expounders, in every city where there was a synagogue; and every city belonging to the Jews, were obliged to build a synagogue, yea, they were obliged to do it where there were but ten Israelites n: this is given by James as a reason why the Gentiles should be wrote unto concerning the above things; because that they hearing the law read and expounded every week, would be ready to conclude that they were obliged to submit unto it, as to circumcision, and other things; unless they were told that they were free from it; only in order to maintain peace with their brethren the Jews, it would be necessary for them to abstain from the above things: and it may also carry in i...

CHAPTER 15 _ 1. The false teachers from Judea. Paul and Barnabas sent to Jerusalem (Acts 15:1)._ 2. The Council in Jerusalem (Acts 15:6). 3. The Result made known (Acts 15:22). 4. The Consolation brought to Antioch (Acts 15:30). 5. Paul and Barnabas separate (Acts 15:36). A very critical time had now arrived for the church. An important question had to be settled. That Gentiles can be saved and salvation must be extended to the Gentiles had been fully demonstrated. The Apostle of the circumcision, Peter, had been used to prea

SPEECH OF JAMES. Who is this James? In Galatians 2:9 Paul tells us of the agreement he made with James and Cephas and John. James and John in this account are _prima facie_ to be taken as the two sons of Zebedee; when Paul refers to the other James he calls him the brother of the Lord (Galatians 1:19). In Acts 1:22 we were told of the murder of James, the brother of John. But the James here will be the same person, if Acts 15 is in the wrong place, and ought to stand before Acts 15:12. His being the first martyr of the apostles proves his importance. [On the other hand see...

THE CRUCIAL PROBLEM (Acts 15:1-5) The influx of Gentiles into the Church produced a problem which had to be solved. The mental background of the Jew was founded on the fact that he belonged to the chosen people. In effect they believed that not only were the Jews the peculiar possession of God but also that God was the peculiar possession of the Jews. The problem was this. Before a Gentile became a member of the Christian Church was it necessary that he should be circumcised and take upon himself the Law of Moses? In other words--must the Gentile, before he became a Christian, first become a Jew? Or, could a Gentile be received into the Church as such? Even were that question settled there arose another problem. The strict Jew could have no intercourse with a Gentile. He could not have him as guest nor be his guest. He would not, as far as possible, even do business with him. So