Acts 15 · The Lantern

And certain men came down from Judæa and taught the brethren, saying, Except ye be circumcised after the custom of Moses, ye cannot be saved.

The reason why the Holy Spirit did, when the apostles at that time were consulting, relax the bond and yoke for us, was that we might be free to devote ourselves to the shunning of idolatry.

In Jerusalem, then, there were not any believers from among the Gentiles: but in Antioch of course there were. Therefore there came down certain yet laboring under this disease of the love of rule, and wishing to have those of the Gentiles attached to them. And yet Paul, though he too was learned in the Law, was not thus affected.

You see, the apostles were subjected to trials both external and internal. It was not simply said that circumcision was necessary, but: "unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved." The opposite opinion to this was that by being circumcised, believers could not be saved.

And when Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and questioning with them, the brethren appointed that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question.

It is to be noted that the early believers, with much searching and great eagerness, discussed dogmas, and that they benefited to such an extent through their discussions and that the Antiochians did not hesitate to send [someone] to Jerusalem to inquire about the controversy.

How in the Epistle to the Galatians he says, "I did not go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, nor did I entrust the Gospel to them or preach it among the Gentiles"; (Gal. 1:16-17) and yet here he says that Paul and Barnabas were appointed to go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and elders?

But Paul did not say: "Why is this? Am I not worthy of trust after having performed so many signs?" Rather, he decided to go to Jerusalem for their sake. How then does he say in the Epistle to the Galatians: "I did not go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me" (1:17)?

They therefore, being brought on their way by the church, passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles: and they caused great joy unto all the brethren.

And when they were come to Jerusalem, they were received of the church and the apostles and the elders, and they rehearsed all things that God had done with them.

But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees who believed, saying, It is needful to circumcise them, and to charge them to keep the law of Moses.

He then cursorily touches on his own conversion from a persecutor to an apostle-confirming thereby the Acts of the Apostles, in which book may be found the very subject of this epistle, how that certain persons interposed, and said that men ought to be circumcised, and that the law of Moses was to be observed; and how the apostles, when consulted, determined, by the authority o…

Saying that it is necessary to circumcise them. The Galatians were deceived by this error, believing that circumcision and the ceremonies of the law should be mixed with the grace of baptism.

The believers not from among the Gentiles, but from among the Jews, demanded that those who accepted the faith be circumcised and observe the other commandments of the law that pertained to the fleshly nature of man.

And the apostles and the elders were gathered together to consider of this matter.

And when there had been much questioning, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Brethren, ye know that a good while ago God made choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel, and believe.

Moreover, in that dispute about the observance or non-observance of the Law, Peter was the first of all to be endued with the Spirit, and, after making preface touching the calling of the nations, to say, "And now why are ye tempting the Lord, concerning the imposition upon the brethren of a yoke which neither we nor our fathers were able to support?

Observe Peter from the first standing aloof from the affair, and even to this time judaizing. And yet he says "ye know." Perhaps those were present who of old found fault with him in the matter of Cornelius, and went in with him on that occasion: for this reason he brings them forward as witnesses.

Notice: the grace to resolve the question is received by Peter, in whom even until now there remained elements of Judaism. "You," he says, "know." Perhaps those who had once accused him on account of Cornelius were present here, and perhaps also those who had entered with him into the house of Cornelius, and that is why he calls them as witnesses.

And God, who knoweth the heart, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Spirit, even as he did unto us;

and he made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by faith.

"And put no difference between us and them, having purified their hearts by faith." From faith alone, he says, they obtained the same gifts. This is also meant as a lesson to those objectors; this is able to teach even them that faith only is needed, not works nor circumcision.

Purifying their hearts by faith. Therefore, it is not necessary to cleanse them with the circumcision of the flesh, whose hearts such great faith purifies, that they even deserve to receive the Holy Spirit before baptism.

This faith is most noble, most solid and most splendid. Many possess it, however, without knowing it, for the face of faith is covered: it wears a kind of dark veil. It turns sinful souls into the most exalted. Hence, in the Acts, "He cleansed their hearts by faith."

Now therefore why make ye trial of God, that ye should put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?

And since there are some who sometimes assert that they have nothing to do with the law (which Christ has not dissolved, but fulfilled), sometimes catch at such parts of the law as they choose; plainly do we too assert that the law has deceased in this sense, that its burdens-according to the sentence of the apostles-which not even the fathers were able to sustain, have wholly…

Why did he say this, unless they were saved through the grace of our Lord, Jesus Christ, not through the law of Moses? Through the law there came not healing but the knowledge of sin, as the apostle teaches when he says, "For knowledge of sin came through the law.

What does "tempt God" mean? It means: "Why do you not believe God? As though God were not powerful enough to save a person through faith." To introduce the law is a sign of unbelief. It is known to all that the law was burdensome for the Israelites. The disciples acknowledged this too.

But we believe that we shall be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, in like manner as they.

Then he shows, not that the Law was evil, but themselves weak. "But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus we shall be saved even as they." Mark how he ends with a fearful consideration. He does not discourse to them from the Prophets, but from things present, of which themselves were witnesses.

"But through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we believe to be saved." Just as formerly the law preserved those who observed the things declared in it, so now grace, without the guardianship of the law, saves through faith. [AMMONIUS]

There is yet another passage similar to this: "By grace you have been saved" (Eph. 2:5). Thus, formerly the law saved those who kept everything written in the law, but now the grace of the Lord, even without observance of the law, saves through faith.

And all the multitude kept silence; and they hearkened unto Barnabas and Paul rehearsing what signs and wonders God had wrought among the Gentiles through them.

And after they had held their peace, James answered, saying, Brethren, hearken unto me:

Cyprian of Carthage said: The letter which was written to our colleague Jubaianus very fully expresses my opinion, that, according to evangelical and apostolic testimony, heretics, who are called adversaries of Christ and Antichrists, when they come to the Church, must be baptized with the one baptism of the Church, that they may be made of adversaries, friends, and of Antichri…

This James was bishop, as they say, and therefore he speaks last, and herein is fulfilled that saying, "In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established." But observe the discretion shown by him also, in making his argument good from the prophets, both new and old. For he had no acts of his own to declare, as Peter had and Paul.

This James was a bishop, which is why he also speaks after. Pay attention also to his wisdom: he confirms his word both with new testimony and with Old Testament prophecies.

Symeon hath rehearsed how first God visited 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,

This is shown in a still clearer light from the letter of the apostles, which they forwarded neither to the Jews nor to the Greeks, but to those who from the Gentiles believed in Christ, confirming their faith. ... After him James spoke as follows: "Men, brethren, Simon hath declared how God did purpose to take from among the Gentiles a people for His name.

The Jews understood this to refer to the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem after the exile. But this is not true, for that temple was destroyed many times thereafter; the prophecy promises an everlasting rebuilding. Those who say it refers to Zerubbabel have not rightly understood, as if he were descended from the line of David, and this too is not true.

Simon was known as a man close in time, but he did not have authority, since he was not an ancient man. Therefore James brings forth an ancient prophecy: "After this I will return and will rebuild the tabernacle of David which has fallen." The fall was so great that it seemed irreparable. What then? Was Jerusalem restored? Was it not destroyed even more?

After these things I will return, And I will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen; And I will build again the ruins thereof, And I will set it up:

"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." What? was Jerusalem raised up? Was it not rather thrown down? What sort of raising up does he call that which took place after the return from Babylon?

The tabernacle of David means the race of the Jews. It must be known that after Cyrus had freed Israel from captivity, they returned to Judea and built the temple of God. Then, after they had again fortified the cities that had been destroyed before, they lived in security day by day for a long time, that is, for many days and long periods.

After this I will return, and build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen, and the rest. The tabernacle of David signifies the shadow of the law, which was corrupted and torn apart by the traditions of the Pharisees, but when the Lord returns, that is, appears in the flesh, it is raised up by the spiritual grace of God, so that not only Jews but also all nations of the…

That the residue of men may seek after the Lord, And all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called,

Saith the Lord, who maketh these things known from of old.

Wherefore my judgment is, that we trouble not them that from among the Gentiles turn to God;

but that we write unto them, that they abstain from the pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from what is strangled, and from blood.

"Speak to Aaron and his sons and to all the sons of Israel, and tell them: If anyone who is from among the sons of Israel or from among foreigners, who happens to be among you, eats any blood, I shall place my spirit over the spirit which shall have eaten the blood, and I shall abolish it from among the people, since the spirit of every flesh is its blood.

"But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication" - and yet they often insisted upon these points in discoursing to them - but, that he may seem also to honor the Law he mentions these also, speaking however not as from Moses but from the Apostles, and to make the commandments many, he has divided the one into two saying, "and from…

These precautions, although they concern sensible things, are nevertheless necessary. Since these things were the cause of many evils, it was primarily from them that James restrained the believers.

For Moses from generations of old hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath.

And the churches, too, will wail with a mighty lamentation, because neither "oblation nor incense" is attended to, nor a service acceptable to God; but the sanctuaries of the churches will become like a garden-watcher's hut, and the holy body and blood of Christ will not be shown in those days.

For Moses from ancient generations has in every city those who preach him in the synagogues; that is, and if they are not burdened by the severity of the precepts now, yet with passage of time, as they more frequently gather for reading of the law and the prophets, they will gradually adopt ways of life and the interrelated laws of mutual love to be preserved.

Before the coming of the Savior, Moses was read every Sabbath in the synagogues alone, but after His coming the Law of Moses was read without hindrance in the churches of Christ as well. And this is evident from the fact that it is read constantly even to this day.

Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men out of their company, and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas; namely, Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, chief men among the brethren:

In ordinations of the clergy, beloved brethren, we usually consult you beforehand, and weigh the character and deserts of individuals, with the general advice. But human testimonies must not be waited for when the divine approval precedes.

"to choose men from among them to send." They decided that it should not serve merely to have the letter present, for fear that they say that they had seized one thing for another by speaking falsely, but so that the matter might also become more credible, they send those from among them, that Barnabas and Paul may be beyond suspicion.

"Then it pleased the apostles, and the ancients, and the whole church, to choose men and to send to Antioch." It pleased the apostles and the ancients who dwelt in Jerusalem to send with Paul and Barnabas to Antioch Judas, who is surnamed Basabas, and Silas, through whom they sent a letter to this effect: they should not believe that the law of circumcision was necessary for th…

and they wrote thus by them, The apostles and the elders, brethren, unto the brethren who are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia, greeting:

The twelve, having called together the multitude of the disciples, said, "It is not meet for us to leave the word of God and serve tables." If they avoided this, much more did they shun gluttony.

Then it seemed good to us the apostles, and to James the bishop, and to the elders, with the whole Church, to send men chosen from among our own selves, with Barnabas, and Paul of Tarsus, the apostle of the Gentiles, and Judas who was called Barsabbas, and Silas, chief men among the brethren, and wrote by their hand, as follows: "The apostles, and elders, and brethren, to the b…

"The Apostles and elders and brethren send greeting unto the brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia." "To those in Antioch," it says, "and Syria and Cilicia," where the disease had its birth. Observe how they say nothing harsher against those brethren, but look to one thing only, namely, to undo the mischief which has been done.

Forasmuch as we have heard that certain who went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls; to whom we gave no commandment;

For the apostle says, "All other things buy out of the shambles, asking no questions," with the exception of the things mentioned in the Catholic epistle of all the apostles, "with the consent of the Holy Ghost," which is written in the Acts of the Apostles, and conveyed to the faithful by the hands of Paul himself.

You have received as your patrimony the desire never to allow the teachings of our faith to degenerate into heresy. What makes this clear? In the time of your ancestors, people came here from Judea who were muddying the clear waters of the doctrine taught by the apostles. They were exhorting your ancestors to practice circumcision and to observe the Mosaic law.

They have troubled you, subverting your souls, to whom we gave no commandment. In the Greek, more is added: Subverting your souls, saying, you must be circumcised, and keep the law, whom we gave no commandment.

it seemed good unto us, having come to one accord, to choose out men and send them unto you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,

men that have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

We have sent therefore Judas and Silas, who themselves also shall tell you the same things by word of mouth.

For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things:

Do we not, in the apostles also, recognise the form of the Old Law with regard to the demonstration of adultery, how great (a crime) it is; lest perchance it be esteemed more trivial in the new stage of disciplines than in the old?

"For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost and to us" - it is not man's doing, it says - "to lay upon you no greater burden" - again it calls the Law a burden: then apologizing even for these injunctions - "save these necessary things." For that was a superfluous burden.

It says that it was "pleasing to the Holy Spirit," so that they would not think this was a human matter. As for what was added "and to us," this was so that everyone would know that they too, the circumcised, held precisely this opinion regarding the question of circumcision.

that ye abstain from things sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication; from which if ye keep yourselves, it shall be well with you. Fare ye well.

Now in these precepts where it says that no other burden ought to be imposed on Gentile believers except abstinence from the sacrifices of idols, from blood, from what has been suffocated and from fornication, homicide is not forbidden, nor adultery, nor theft, nor homosexual acts, nor other crimes that are punished by divine and human laws.

"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." For these things the New Testament did not enjoin: we nowhere find that Christ discoursed about these matters; but these things they take from the Law.

It is shown that there is nothing that the believers lacked; on the contrary, it is sufficient for them to "abstain from things offered to idols" and so on. By the expression "to abstain from…things strangled," murder is forbidden.

So they, when they were dismissed, came down to Antioch; and having gathered the multitude together, they delivered the epistle.

And when they had read it, they rejoiced for the consolation.

And Judas and Silas, being themselves also prophets, exhorted the brethren with many words, and confirmed them.

And after they had spent some time there, they were dismissed in peace from the brethren unto those that had sent them forth.

But Paul and Barnabas tarried in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also.

And after some days Paul said unto Barnabas, Let us return now and visit the brethren in every city wherein we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they fare.

And besides, the contention cannot be said to be evil, when each disputes for such objects (as here) and with just reason.

If it seemed necessary to the apostles to travel around, and to return often to the same cities where they had preached the gospel, and to visit the believers and to examine closely how they were, what justification will we have before God if we do not fulfill through our writings what they fulfilled by traveling with great toil on their feet and going spontaneously to those wh…

It should be noted that it was the duty of leaders to care for those whom they had enlightened with the light of the Gospel — to examine whether they were sound in faith, whether they were faltering, and whether they needed to be corrected.

And Barnabas was minded to take with them John also, who was called Mark.

But Paul thought not good to take with them him who withdrew from them from Pamphylia, and went not with them to the work.

And there arose a sharp contention, so that they parted asunder one from the other, and Barnabas took Mark with him, and sailed away unto Cyprus:

"And how is it not amiss, that upon so small a matter there should arise so great an evil?" In the first place then, no evil did come of it, if, sufficing each for whole nations, they were divided the one from the other, but a great good. And besides, they would not readily have chosen to leave each other.

"A sharp disagreement," he said, "arose," nor a love of conflict. Yet the sharp disagreement was such that it separated them from one another; and with the highest righteousness, which each considered to be beneficial, he later confirmed this by an act of sharing toward him. [CHRYSOSTOM]

There was, however, discord. Do not think this a sin. For it is not wrong to be troubled, but to be troubled irrationally, without any just cause.

but Paul chose Silas, and went forth, being commended by the brethren to the grace of the Lord.

And he went through Syria and Cilicia, confirming the churches.

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