THE BOOK OF ACTS. CHAPTER 15 OUTLINE AND COMMENTARY. MARK DUNAGAN I. OUTLINE OF CHAPTER 15: I. The point at issue (Acts 15:1) II. The debate in Jerusalem (Acts 15:5-21) A. Peter (Acts 15:7-11) B. Paul and Barnabas (Acts 15:12) C. James (Acts 15:13-21) III. The conclusion and letter: (Acts 15... [ Continue Reading ]
"Some men came down from Judea and began teaching the brethren": That is, they came down to Antioch and tried teaching the following among the Christians there. Paul will later write that what such men were teaching was another gospel,. distortion of the true (Galatians 1:6), and were false brethren... [ Continue Reading ]
"Had great dissension and debate with them": Note that debating is not wrong, especially when truth is on the line (Judges 1:3; 1 Peter 1:17). God expects us to stand up for the truth and oppose what is false (Ephesians 5:11). Years ago David Edwin Harrell observed that denominations have. variety o... [ Continue Reading ]
"Sent on their way by the church": "The word sent could either indicate that they were provisioned for the journey (assisted in paying expenses, and encouraged by prayers for. safe journey) by the brethren at Antioch, or that some of the brethren actually accompanied them on the journey (Acts 21:5)... [ Continue Reading ]
"Arrived in Jerusalem": The journey from Antioch to Jerusalem was about 300 miles. This was his third visit to Jerusalem since his conversion (Acts 9:26; Acts 11:30). "They were received by the church and the apostles and the elders": That is, they were welcomed, acknowledged as faithful brethren an... [ Continue Reading ]
"But": Not everyone is thrilled with such news. While many Christians were rejoicing, some in Jerusalem were only filled with criticism. "Some of the sect of the Pharisees who believed": They had become Christians but it is clear that they had not abandoned all their old Jewish beliefs. "They may be... [ Continue Reading ]
"The apostles and the elders came together to look into this matter": Carefully note that this meeting is not concluded to figure out what they were going to believe, neither is the church voting on what to teach on. certain doctrine. By contrast, Paul and Barnabas already know what is true (Acts 15... [ Continue Reading ]
"After there had been much debate": Apparently the Judiazers are allowed to present their arguments, but the Holy Spirit records none of their arguments. After they had run out of arguments, the apostles, one by one, rise and counter the claims of the false brethren. "Men who are in error can never... [ Continue Reading ]
"God, who knows the heart, testified to them giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He also did to us": Seeing that God knows the heart (Acts 1:24), God knew that Cornelius was. genuine believer, and He Himself gave His approval of what Peter was doing by sending the Holy Spirit upon Cornelius and his... [ Continue Reading ]
"and He made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by faith": So there is only one plan of salvation for all men (Acts 4:12; Mark 16:16). Though Gentiles had not been circumcised, God still accepted them when they believed and were baptized. Notice the word cleansing that the Ho... [ Continue Reading ]
"Why do you put God to the test": That is, why are these Pharisees contradicting the clear will of God on the matter? Why are they acting like God made. mistake when he had Peter baptize uncircumcised Gentiles in Acts 10:1. "By placing upon the neck of the disciples. yoke": Demanding that new believ... [ Continue Reading ]
"We believe that we are saved": That's what the Law could never do. save you! The expression we believe refers to the settled conviction of the apostles and elders in Jerusalem on this matter. "Through the grace of the Lord Jesus": Notice that one is not saved by faith only and neither is one saved... [ Continue Reading ]
"All the people kept silent": "The whole assembly became silent after Peter's speech. The silence is testimony to the effect of Peter's presentation. He had presented such clear and forcible arguments that there was nothing that could be said against them" (Reese p. 539). "Listening to Paul and Barn... [ Continue Reading ]
"James": Most feel that this is James the Lord's brother, who became. prominent voice in the early church (Galatians 1:19; Acts 21:18), and who wrote the book of James around 62 AD... [ Continue Reading ]
He calls Peter by his Hebrew name Simon, and summarizes Peter's sermon. "Taking from among the Gentiles. people for His name": By using such words as. people, James is implying that the Gentile converts were no less the people of God than Israel used to be. "For His name may mean that these people b... [ Continue Reading ]
And the Old Testament prophets predicted such. James will quote from Amos but other prophets had also foretold the acceptance of the Gentiles (Isaiah 2:2; Isaiah 2:6; Micah 4:1).. whole list of Old Testament prophecies about the Gentiles becoming God's people is found in Romans 15:9.... [ Continue Reading ]
The quotation is taken from Amos 2:11. "After these things. will return, and. will rebuild the tabernacle of David which has fallen, and. will rebuild its ruins, and. will restore it": This verse is not predicting the rebuilding of the "tabernacle" constructed in Exodus, rather it is speaking of the... [ Continue Reading ]
"So that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord": When David finally has. descendant once again ruling on his throne at the same time the Gentiles will be offered salvation. Clearly the prophets had predicted that when the Messiah reigns as king, when His kingdom is established, then salvation will b... [ Continue Reading ]
"Since God had foretold. long time ago that the Gentiles would be. part of the kingdom, without circumcision, it should not be opposed and resisted by us. We rather should get our ideas in harmony with God's revealed will!" (Reese p. 543).... [ Continue Reading ]
"Therefore it is my judgment": This is the only conclusion that James can reach from the facts presented. Notice how the apostles have argued. Both Peter and Paul had offered approved examples and necessary inferences and James has offered direct commands and then made the appropriate conclusion. No... [ Continue Reading ]
"But that we write to them": That is, put this in writing and clear up the matter. "This will leave no opportunity for the Judaizers to again misrepresent what Gentiles have to do to be saved, for the Gentiles will have. specific word from the Lord on the matter" (Reese p. 544). "That they abstain f... [ Continue Reading ]
"For": The reason that Gentile Christians need such instruction is because, in contrast the to Jews who had heard the Scriptures read from ancient generations every week, the Gentiles have not had access to such instruction concerning fornication and the above. Jewish Christians do not need such ins... [ Continue Reading ]
"The combined force of the four speeches made the will of God so clear that the opposition was totally silenced, and the only remaining question was how to best carry out the proposal" (Reese p. 549). The elders are mentioned right after the apostles. This does not mean they were equal in authority,... [ Continue Reading ]
Acts 15:23 THE LETTER Carefully note that this letter is not some human decree or creed. The apostles did not vote on this matter, rather the will of God was clear. The letter itself makes it clear that this decision was. decision given by the Holy Spirit (Acts 15:28). Ancient and modern church co... [ Continue Reading ]
The Judaizing teachers had lied. The apostles did not endorse their teaching and neither did the congregation in Jerusalem. Evidently such false brethren had been making some false claims of being authorized to teach such views. "We cannot help but wonder if the Judaizers were present in the assembl... [ Continue Reading ]
This letter represents. united position among all the apostles and the elders in the Jerusalem church. Acts 15:25 "With our beloved Barnabas and Paul": Here is how the church in Jerusalem viewed Barnabas and Paul. This makes it clear to all that all the apostles are on the same side against the fals... [ Continue Reading ]
"Men who have risked their lives": "It is clear from this that the sufferings and narrow escapes during the first missionary journey were well known in Jerusalem" (Reese p. 552).... [ Continue Reading ]
Judas and Silas would also teach exactly the same thing as that taught in Paul and Barnabas. Their presence, along with the letter, makes it clear that the false teachers were teaching their own opinion.... [ Continue Reading ]
"For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit": The speeches and arguments made in this chapter are the arguments given through inspired men by the Holy Spirit. This decision in Jerusalem was an inspired conclusion and so was the letter.... [ Continue Reading ]
Note that God does not want to burden believers, but rather the commands that He gives are "essentials" and for our good (Acts 15:29) (1 John 5:3). Some have argued that the essential mentioned here only applied to this time and place and are not standards of conduct demanded of all Christians for a... [ Continue Reading ]
Acts 15:30-35 The new Christians in Antioch immediately embraced the message in the letter and rejoiced. "Encouraged and strengthened the brethren with. lengthy message": "These men took. personal interest in the brethren, encouraging and strengthening them, just the opposite effect that the Judaize... [ Continue Reading ]
"Paul and Barnabas stayed in Antioch": Notice how Paul attached himself to and worked with. local congregation when he was not traveling and establishing churches. Some feel that at this time the events recorded in Galatians 2:11 took place. THE SECOND JOURNEY... [ Continue Reading ]
This second trip will take place between around 51-54 AD It will start with Paul visiting the congregations that he had established on the first trip. Acts 15:37-38 Barnabas wants to take along Mark, but Paul objects. Barnabas kept insisting that they take Mark and Paul kept on refusing.... [ Continue Reading ]
"There occurred such. sharp disagreement": Note that no apology is ever given by either man and that neither man is rebuked by God. Secondly, years later Mark will be with Paul (Colossians 4:10), and Paul always will praise Barnabas when he is mentioned in his letters (1 Corinthians 9:6). Here we le... [ Continue Reading ]
See Acts 13:3; Acts 14:26 for similar language.... [ Continue Reading ]