Acts 15:5

But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses. BUT THERE ROSE UP CERTAIN OF THE SECT OF THE PHARISEES WHICH BELIEVED - `of the believing Pharisees;' just the quarter from which such zealots might be expected to arise. SAYING, THAT IT WAS NEEDFUL TO CIRCUMCISE THEM - that is, the whole Gentile converts of Antioch, whose accession to Christianity the deputies had just "declared." AND TO COMMAND THEM TO KEEP THE LAW OF MOSES. They did not question the reality of their conversion, nor the propriety of recognizing them as believers, but contended that their right to the blessings of the Abrahamic covenant and their standing in the church was incomplete without circumcision....

− 5._Certain of the sect of the Pharisees. _It is not without cause that Luke expresseth what kind of men they were which went about to trouble or hinder Paul, even at Jerusalem also. And it is to be thought that the evil flowed from that fountain; and that Luke doth now more plainly express, that there brake out now also fans [disturbers] out of that very same sect, from whence the authors of that wicked dissension came. For though they had given Christ their names, yet there remained relics of their former nature. We know how proud the Pharisees were, how haughty, how lofty their looks were; − (89) all which they would have forgotten if they had truly put on Christ. Like as there remained no Phariseeism in Paul, but a great part had gotten the habit of stubbornness by long custom, which they could not shake off so easily by and by. Forasmuch as there reigned most of all among them hypo...

1-6 Some from Judea taught the Gentile converts at Antioch, that they could not be saved, unless they observed the whole ceremonial law as given by Moses; and thus they sought to destroy Christian liberty. There is a strange proneness in us to think that all do wrong who do not just as we do. Their doctrine was very discouraging. Wise and good men desire to avoid contests and disputes as far as they can; yet when false teachers oppose the main truths of the gospel, or bring in hurtful doctrines, we must not decline to oppose them....

Verse Acts 15:5. _BUT THERE ROSE UP CERTAIN OF THE SECT OF THE PHARISEES_] This verse appears to be part of the declaration made by Paul and Barnabas to this council: for, having stated how God blessed their ministry among the Gentiles, they proceed to declare how all the good work was likely to be destroyed by certain Pharisees, who, having received the Christian faith, came down to Antioch, and began to teach the necessity of circumcision, c., and thus filled the minds of the young converted Gentiles with doubtful disputations. See the _margin_....

BUT THERE ROSE UP ... - It has been doubted whether these are the words of Paul and Barnabas, relating what occurred at Antioch, or whether they are the words of Luke recording what took place at Jerusalem. The correct exposition is probably what refers it to the latter. For: (1) This seems to be the most obvious interpretation. (2) The use of the words “rose up” implies that. Those who disturbed the church at Antioch are said to have come down from Judea Acts 15:1, and if this place referred to that occurrence, the same words would have been retained. (3) The particular specification here of “the sect of the Pharisees” looks as if this was an occurrence taking place at Jerusalem. No such specification exists respecting those who came down to Antioch; but it w

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.;...

BUT THERE ROSE UP CERTAIN OF THE SECT OF THE PHARISEES,.... Which was the strictest sect of religion among the Jews: WHICH BELIEVED; that Jesus was the Messiah, and professed their faith in him, and were members of the church, though they still retained many of their pharisaical tenets, and are therefore said to be of that sect: these rose up in opposition to Paul and Barnabas, as they were relating their success among the Gentiles, and giving an account of the difference that had happened at Antioch, and their own sense of that matter: SAYING, THAT IT WAS NEEDFUL TO CIRCUMCISE THEM: the Gentiles that believed: AND TO COMMAND THEM TO KEEP THE LAW OF MOSES; both moral and ceremonial; the observance of which they reckoned was absolutely necessary to salvation. Some think these are not the words of Luke, relating what happened at Jerusalem, when Paul and Barnabas gave in their account of...

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

THE QUESTION OF CIRCUMCISION AT ANTIOCH AND AT JERUSALEM. IF. THE CUSTOM OF MOSES (_cf. Acts 6:14_) is the law of Moses as practised. Circumcision was no doubt the most important question to be settled; to exact it would have prevented the spread of the Church among the Gentiles; but there were other points. Acts 15:2. After WITH THEM Codex D reads: for Paul said that they should remain as they were when they believed, and was vehement to this effect, but those who had come from Jerusalem enjoined them, Paul and Barnabas and some others, to go up. The church at any rate resolved that this should be done. Acts 15:3 speaks of a leisurely and indirect journey, as if the envoys had no urgent commission to disc

Some men came down from Judaea and tried to teach the brethren, "If you are not circumcised according to the practice of Moses you cannot be saved." When Paul and Barnabas had a great dispute and argument with them, they arranged for Paul and Barnabas and some others to go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and elders to get this question settled. So they were sent on their way by the Church, and they passed through Phoenicia and Samaria telling the story of the conversion of the Gentiles; and they brought great joy to all the brethren. When they arrived at Jerusalem, they were received by the Church and the apostles and the elders and they told the story of all that God had done with them. But some men of the school of the Pharisees, who were converts, rose and said, "It is necessary to circumcise them and to enjoin them to keep the Law of Moses." It was almost by accident that the most e...