Day 22: Acts 15:1-21

The leadership of the early Church is forced to confront a serious theological issue that threatens to rip them apart. “Do Gentiles who become Christians need to become Jews first through the rite of circumcision or not?”

The issue is first raised in Antioch by certain unnamed men from Judaea (v. 1) and again in Jerusalem by a sect of the Pharisees (v. 5). We can learn a lot from the manner in which the leadership addressed this issue and eventually settled it.

The group in Antioch “determined that Paul and Barnabas and certain others of them should go up to Jerusalem, to the apostles and elders, about this question.” (v. 2)

Paul and Barnabas had just returned from their first missionary journey, where they saw Gentiles come to Jesus in large numbers (chapters 13 & 14). They did not require any of them to become Jews first before they could become Christians. Needless to say they did not see the necessity of this intermediary step. They were convinced that God did not require it either.

Regardless of where they stood on the issue, they still did not want to go any further without input from the leadership in Jerusalem. Thus the decision is made that a group of them would travel to Jerusalem for this purpose.

They teach us the importance of honouring those whom God has placed in spiritual authority over us by seeking their input first. Sad to say, time and again, we see this violated at various levels of the church. Someone makes a decision independently without consulting or receiving the blessing of their spiritual authority. More often than not, this has the potential to cause confusion and/or further division. In certain cases it leads to a loss of credibility, which is often very difficult to gain back.

Even though Paul & Barnabas had great credibility with the church in Antioch, they still go to Jerusalem.

When they get to Jerusalem, the sect of the Pharisees present their case: “It is necessary to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.” (v. 5)

There are three different responses that present the case for the exact opposite—from Peter, Paul & Barnabas and James respectively.

Peter, who saw Holy Spirit come upon the Gentiles gathered at the house of Cornelius states very simply that God, by “giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He did to us…made no distinction between us and them…”  Then he poses a pointed question: “Why do you test God by putting a yoke on the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?” (vs. 8-10).

Paul and Barnabas stress “how many miracles and wonders God had worked through them among the Gentiles.” (v. 12)

Finally, James provides the Council with the backing of Scriptures from Amos 9:10-11 to prove that what the others were reporting lined up exactly with God’s heart “that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord, even all the Gentiles who are called by My name.”

Notice how, when Paul and Barnabas honoured their spiritual authority and went to Jerusalem, their position was bolstered even more—first with Peter’s testimony and persuasive words, then with James’ appeal to the prophets. Now they have the backing of the Jerusalem Church, and their credibility goes up more than before.

Dear friend, no wonder then that Scripture teaches us: “Remember your leaders who taught you the word of God. Think of all the good that has come from their lives, and follow the example of their faith…Obey your spiritual leaders, and do what they say. Their work is to watch over your souls, and they are accountable to God” (Hebrews 13:7, 17).

We would be wise to heed these words, as did the leadership in Antioch. Amen?