For Moses

(Μωυσης γαρ). A reason why these four necessary things (verse Acts 15:28) are named. In every city are synagogues where rabbis proclaim (κηρυσσοντας) these matters. Hence the Gentile Christians would be giving constant offence to neglect them. The only point where modern Christian sentiment would object would be about "things strangled" and "blood" in the sense of any blood left in the animals, though most Christians probably agree with the feeling of James in objecting to blood in the food. If "blood" is taken to be "murder," that difficulty vanishes. Moses will suffer no loss for these Gentile Christians are not adherents of Judaism.

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Old Testament