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Acts Chapter 15 Verses 12-21
Acts 15:12 “Then all the multitude
kept silence, and gave audience to Barnabas and Paul,
declaring what miracles and wonders God had wrought among
the Gentiles by them. 13 And after they had held their
peace, James answered, saying, Men and brethren, hearken
unto me: 14 Simeon hath declared how God at the first did
visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his
name. 15 And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it
is written, 16 After this I will return, and will build
again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I
will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up: 17
That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all
the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord,
who doeth all these things. 18 Known unto God are all his
works from the beginning of the world. 19 Wherefore my
sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the
Gentiles are turned to God: 20 But that we write unto them,
that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from
fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood. 21
For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach
him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day.”
“Then all the multitude kept
silence, and gave audience to Barnabas and Paul, declaring
what miracles and wonders God had wrought among the Gentiles
by them.” Here we see both Barnabas and Paul declaring what
miracles and wonders God had wrought among the Gentiles by
them. This is the 2nd testimony concerning the
salvation of the Gentiles that goes along with Peter’s
previous testimony which was well known. This testimony
shows that God had validated that this was his work among
the Gentiles by miracles and wonders.
“And after they had held their
peace, James answered, saying, Men and brethren, hearken
unto me: Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit
the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name.
And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is
written, After this I will return, and will build again the
tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build
again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up: That the
residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the
Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who
doeth all these things. Known unto God are all his works
from the beginning of the world.” As the third testimony or
witness, James, whom I assume was the pastor of the church
at Jerusalem, quotes Old Testament scripture to prove that
God had a people among the Gentiles.
“Wherefore my sentence is, that we
trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned
to God: But that we write unto them, that they abstain from
pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things
strangled, and from blood. For Moses of old time hath in
every city them that preach him, being read in the
synagogues every sabbath day.” James here declares the
findings of this counsel in Jerusalem and the message to be
sent to the Gentiles. Paul deals with the error of mixing
law with grace extensively in the book of Galatians.
Verses 22-29
Acts 15:22 “Then pleased it the
apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send chosen
men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas;
namely, Judas surnamed Barsabas, and Silas, chief men among
the brethren: 23 And they wrote letters by them after this
manner; The apostles and elders and brethren send greeting
unto the brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antioch and
Syria and Cilicia: 24 Forasmuch as we have heard, that
certain which went out from us have troubled you with words,
subverting your souls, saying, Ye must be circumcised, and
keep the law: to whom we gave no such commandment: 25 It
seemed good unto us, being assembled with one accord, to
send chosen men unto you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,
26 Men that have hazarded their lives for the name of our
Lord Jesus Christ. 27 We have sent therefore Judas and
Silas, who shall also tell you the same things by mouth. 28
For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon
you no greater burden than these necessary things; 29 That
ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and
from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if
ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well.”
In the above passage we have the
church at Jerusalem sending a letter to the church at
Antioch and specifically to the Gentiles in that church as
well as the Gentiles in the churches at Syria and Cilicia.
In the letter it is shown that it includes the apostles and
elders along with the whole church and their conclusions.
Along with the letter the church at Jerusalem sent witnesses
Judas and Silas who were to confirm the contents of the
letter by mouth.
The letter was very clear that
those who had gone out from the church at Jerusalem and
taught that the Gentiles must be circumcised and keep the
law of Moses had not the authority of the church and that
the church gave no such commandment. Moreover, they stated
that by the leading of the Holy Ghost that no greater burden
be laid upon them than the necessary things: “That ye
abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and
from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if
ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well.”
Verses 30-34
Acts 15:30 “So when they were
dismissed, they came to Antioch: and when they had gathered
the multitude together, they delivered the epistle: 31 Which
when they had read, they rejoiced for the consolation. 32
And Judas and Silas, being prophets also themselves,
exhorted the brethren with many words, and confirmed them.
33 And after they had tarried there a space, they were let
go in peace from the brethren unto the apostles. 34
Notwithstanding it pleased Silas to abide there still.”
This was the final step in
resolving the issue between the church at Jerusalem and the
church at Antioch. The deliverance of the letter to the
church at Antioch and the exhortation by Judas and Silas
confirmed that the two churches were the same in belief.
We read that Judas and Silas
continued there at Antioch for a space and then were let by
in peace from the brethren at Antioch to return to the
apostles in Jerusalem. However, it pleased Silas to abide
in Antioch and not return to Jerusalem.
Verses 35-41
Acts 15:35 “Paul also and Barnabas
continued in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the
Lord, with many others also. 36 And some days after Paul
said unto Barnabas, Let us go again and visit our brethren
in every city where we have preached the word of the Lord,
and see how they do. 37 And Barnabas determined to take with
them John, whose surname was Mark. 38 But Paul thought not
good to take him with them, who departed from them from Pamphylia, and went not with them to the work. 39 And the
contention was so sharp between them, that they departed
asunder one from the other: and so Barnabas took Mark, and
sailed unto Cyprus; 40 And Paul chose Silas, and departed,
being recommended by the brethren unto the grace of God. 41
And he went through Syria and Cilicia, confirming the
churches.”
“Paul also and Barnabas continued
in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord,
with many others also.” Paul and Barnabas were both members
of the church at Antioch. This shows us that both the
apostle and prophet were not always on the road in
evangelistic efforts. Sometimes they were at home preaching
and teaching the word of the Lord at their home church.
“And some days after Paul said unto
Barnabas, Let us go again and visit our brethren in every
city where we have preached the word of the Lord, and see
how they do.” A minister engaged in the work of evangelism
bonds with the people who he has spent time with in the work
and desires to know how they are faring and if they are
continuing in the faith that was once delivered unto the
saints. They know that Satan has a way of subverting
believers and thus desire to confirm that they are not being
subverted by Satan or false teachers. No doubt this was
Paul’s desire when he spoke those words to Barnabas.
“And Barnabas determined to take
with them John, whose surname was Mark. But Paul thought not
good to take him with them, who departed from them from Pamphylia, and went not with them to the work.” John Mark
had departed from the work at Pamphylia. We are not told
why he departed from the work. However, there was a
disagreement between Barnabas and Paul about taking him on
the trip. This did not mean that either was right or wrong,
but that they just were not agreed in their thoughts. Later
Paul would have a change of mind about John Mark as he wrote
in 2 Tim. 4:11 “Only Luke is with me. Take Mark, and bring
him with thee: for he is profitable to me for the ministry.”
“And the contention was so sharp
between them, that they departed asunder one from the other:
and so Barnabas took Mark, and sailed unto Cyprus.” We can
become so locked on our opinions that it brings contention
between brethren and this was one of those occasions. Paul
and Barnabas would no longer travel together in their gospel
labors because of the contention. Later on in the letters
we find that Paul wrote kindly concerning Barnabas.
“And Paul chose Silas, and
departed, being recommended by the brethren unto the grace
of God. And he went through Syria and Cilicia, confirming
the churches.” Here we see that Silas was recommended by
the brethren to the work of preaching the grace of God.
Thus Paul with Silas returned going through Syria and
Cilicia, confirming the churches that God had blessed to be
established in his previous evangelistic journey. |
