CHAPTER 15
That it is not necessary for those from the Gentiles who have believed to be circumcised, a decree and judgment of the apostles; in which is the apostolic instruction to the Gentiles concerning what must be observed. Paul's rebuttal to Barnabas regarding Mark.
Acts 15:1-5 And some who had come down from Judea were teaching the brothers, that “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.” When therefore a disagreement and much debate arose between Paul and Barnabas and them, it was decided that Paul and Barnabas, and some others of them, should go up to the apostles and elders in Jerusalem about this question. The ones therefore who had been sent on ahead by the church passed through Phoenicia and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles, and they brought great joy to all the brothers. When they arrived in Jerusalem they were received by the church and the apostles and the elders, and related how many things God had done with them. But some from the sect of the believing Pharisees rose up, saying that it was necessary to circumcise them and to command them to keep the law of Moses.
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 ? And we say that, first, he did not himself go up, but was sent by others. Secondly, that he did not arrive as one being instructed, but persuading others. For he from the beginning held this opinion, which the apostles afterwards confirmed, that it was not necessary to be circumcised . But since at first he did not seem to them to be trustworthy, and they gave heed to those in Jerusalem, he went up, not so much to be more persuaded himself as to persuade the objectors that even those in Jerusalem agreed with these things. [CHRYSOSTOM]
— 1 Not those faithful from the Gentiles, but those from the Jews demanded that the faithful be circumcised, and that they perform other fleshly things of the law; whom, wishing to boast in their own peculiar circumcision, the disciples did not receive, although they themselves were of the circumcision; for they sought not their own, but the common good and salvation of the world. [AMMONIUS]
Acts 15:6-9 Then the apostles and the elders were gathered together to consider this matter. After much discussion, Peter stood up and said to them: "Brothers, you know that from ancient days God chose to make his message for the Gentiles heard through me, so that they might listen and believe. And God, who knows the hearts, testified to them by giving them the Holy Spirit just as he did to us, and he made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by faith."
Perhaps those who accused him earlier regarding Cornelius were present, and having entered with him, therefore they produce them as witnesses. But what is meant by " God chose to make "? That is, choosing among us while we are present in Palestine. [CHRYSOSTOM]
" and he made no distinction ,” he says, “ between us and them, cleansing their hearts by faith ," that is, having affected a cleansing of the sins coming from their hearts. And this cleansing seemed like circumcision, and instead of circumcision in the flesh is given circumcision in the Spirit, which cleanses the hidden things by faith toward Christ. That physical circumcision is not of benefit is shown from the fact that it was given to the male alone. But in Christ Jesus, by true faith, "there is neither male nor female, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither Greek nor Barbarian, but we are all one." (Gal. 3:28) [AMMONIUS]
Acts 15:10-12 Now therefore why do you test God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? But through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we believe to be saved in the same manner as they. And the whole multitude became silent, and they were hearing Barnabas and Paul relating what signs and wonders God had done among the Gentiles through them. And after they had ceased speaking.
" why do you test God ? That is, why do you disbelieve God, as if what he says is not sufficient to save those who come to Him by faith? 2 It should be noted that the difficult-to-accomplish precepts of the flesh need not be imposed on anyone, such as extreme fasting, or celibacy, or silence, unless someone prescribes these things for himself. For although they are difficult, they are not impossible, and yet they have been practiced by many. [AMMONIUS]
" 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]
Acts 15:13 James answered, saying, "Men, brothers, listen to me.
This James, appointed by the Lord as bishop of the Jerusalem church, was the son of Joseph the carpenter, and a brother according to the flesh of our Lord Jesus Christ. From youth he was wise, and the message of the prophets is confirmed by both ancient and recent events. For he had no need to display any work, as Peter and, indeed, Paul did. It is well managed through those things that events not destined to delay for the people of Jerusalem come to pass. But this one who taught them was not to be held responsible, nor indeed to be torn away from his conviction.
Acts 15:14 Simeon explained how first God visited to take from among the nations a people for his name.
Some say that this Simeon is the one who prophesied in Luke: “Now you may dismiss your servant, Lord.” (Luke 2:29)
Acts 15:15-21 And the words of the prophets agree with this, as it is written: After these things I will return and will rebuild the fallen tent of David, and I will rebuild its ruined places, and will raise it up, so that the remnant of men may seek the Lord, and all the nations on whom my name has been called may do so, says the Lord who accomplishes all these things. All his works are known to God from eternity. Therefore I judge that they who turn to God from the Gentiles should not be troubled, but should be sent to abstain from the defilements of idols, and from fornication, and from strangled things, and from blood. For Moses has, from ancient generations, those who proclaim him in every city in the synagogues reading him every Sabbath.
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. For Zerubbabel ruled only a short time and then met the term of death. The prophecy contains a promise of eternal blessings and of the knowledge of God by all the nations, which is not fulfilled by those who lived under Zerubbabel. It is therefore plain that we must interpret this as spoken concerning our Lord Jesus Christ. For our Lord, being descended according to the flesh from David, fulfilled the promise made to David. "For the Word became flesh," (Jn. 1:14) and dwelt among us, having taken up the dwelling from David. It is therefore fitting that David’s prophetic word says the dwelling will be rebuilt, and not for a short time, but for all the days of the age; and it promises to the nations the gift of knowledge of God, that is, those from the nations who have turned to Christ and have been called by the name of Christ. Others say that this was said concerning his resurrection from the dead. For when the tent that had fallen into death, that is, the flesh raised from the earth by God and Father, then the whole human form was restored to its original shape, and all our things that had fallen down were raised to a new appearance; for we were raised with Christ. Death indeed demolished all the tents. But God and the Father rebuilt in Christ. For it was not possible for our nature to be raised otherwise than by the hand of Him who shaped its beginning reaching down and fashioning it anew through regeneration by water and Spirit. (see Jn. 3:5) For it had truly fallen, a ruin incurable, and in need of that mighty hand. And he says that this need of ours will not last a short time, but for the days of an age [αἰῶνος 3 ]. For the good of incorruption is enduring in us. Then, he says, even the remnant of men after those who have believed out of Israel will have truly and by nature known God, having departed from ancient error. And he says that all the nations will be called, and upon them will be my name, upon whom it was called from the beginning, “For whom he foreknew, he also predestined,” he says. (Rom. 8:29)
Acts 15:22-36 Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men from among them and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas: Judas who was called Barsabbas, and Silas, leading men among the brothers, writing by their hands therefore: The apostles and the elders and the brothers, to the brothers who are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia, greetings. Since we have heard that some who went out from us have troubled you with words, unsettling your souls, saying, “You must be circumcised and keep the law,” to whom we gave no such commandment, it seemed good to us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. We have therefore sent Judas and Silas, who themselves will also 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: that you abstain from things sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from sexual immorality; from which if you keep yourselves, you will do well. Farewell. So those who were sent off returned to Antioch; and having gathered the multitude, they delivered the letter; and when they had read it, they rejoiced at the support. Judas and Silas, being themselves also prophets, exhorted the brethren with many words and confirmed them. And after they had spent some time, they were dismissed with peace by the brethren to the apostles. And it seemed good to Silas to remain there. But Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also. And after some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us return and visit the brethren in every city where we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are.”
" 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. And so that it may not seem to be slander that Paul and Barnabas were the ones sent, they entrust them. They say that men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ . [CHRYSOSTOM]
“ It seemed good ,” they say, “ to the Holy Spirit and to us .” For nowhere did Christ discuss these matters; rather they speak of them from the law. Therefore, for fear that it seem to be of human origin, they ascribe it to the Holy Spirit. And so that they may be instructed that they too accept them even though being circumcised, they add, “ to us to .” For they could indeed have shown these things without written words, but because of the unsuspecting, and with the intention that these matters become a written ordinance, they write the letter. Again, so that they may be persuaded by the law, and after forbidding them to do these four things, they accepted the remaining customs to themselves. What are these? “ To abstain ,” they say, “ from things sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what is strangled, and from sexual immorality .” By the command to abstain from what is strangled, they forbid murder. [CHRYSOSTOM]
Acts 15:37-38 Barnabas, however, decided to take with him John who was called Mark. But Paul insisted that the one who had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not accompanied them in the work should not be taken along.
John, called Mark , was accompanying them on the evangelic journey, from Palestine as far as Pamphylia. Then, finding the apostles’ route too strenuous, and his spirit unbending toward those engaged in struggles, Mark, being a man given to exhaustion and not suited to so laborious a road and to the challenges and dangers that arise in each city, withdrawing from the apostles’ route, returned to Palestine, not denying Christ, but renouncing the long and heavy road. Paul and Barnabas, full of the fruits of devotion, and preaching to the church in Jerusalem, in no way resolved to forbid hardships. When, then, all the nations were praising Paul and Barnabas for their accomplishments, Mark, being distressed, suffered a blow to his spirit, and perhaps thought within himself, saying, If I were a sharer in the sufferings, I would now be a sharer also in the praises; and he determined to accompany the apostles in their preaching. Barnabas therefore received him after his repentance, but Paul insisted and said, One who did not accompany us in the Lord's work should not be taken along . The contention, then, was one of righteousness, not of passion. For Paul sought what was just, and Barnabas what was compassionate. Mark accordingly followed Barnabas, striving and running, while Paul in the churches commanded that Mark be not accepted, not so that he might grieve him, but that he might make him more earnest. But when Paul saw that Mark had anticipated the urgency and had made his defense through others, he began to praise him and said, "Mark, Barnabas's nephew, sends his greetings; concerning whom you received instructions, if he comes, welcome him."(Col. 4:10) 4 [CHRYSOSTOM]
Acts 15:39-41 A sharp disagreement arose, so that they separated from one another; Barnabas took Mark and sailed off to Cyprus. But Paul, having chosen Silas, departed, having been commended to the grace of God by the brothers. He went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.
“ 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]
It seems reasonable that the separation arose from mutual understanding, and to say to one another that “Since I wish it and you do not, so that we do not quarrel, let us divide the regions.” Therefore they entirely yielded to one another in this. For Barnabas wished that Paul should remain, and therefore he departed. Yet we also find this among the prophets: different dispositions and different temperaments, as Elijah is severe, Moses gentle, so likewise here Paul is the more intense of the two compared to Barnabas. This battle was very beneficial to Mark. For it turned back Paul's harshness, and made Barnabas kind so that he would no longer be abandoned. Therefore they fight, but in the end increase is accomplished. For seeing Paul lifted up to depart, he became very afraid and condemned himself, and seeing Barnabas therefore opposing him, he would very much love him. And the student was corrected through the struggle of the teachers, so that he kept far from being scandalized. For when he saw himself therefore cast out because of his idleness by Paul, he hurried with zeal on the second course to cover up his former annoyance, greatly benefited by Paul's correctness. What then? Did the enemies withdraw? By no means! That there was not hostility toward the apostles is shown everywhere afterward by Barnabas enjoying many praises from Paul in his letters. [CHRYSOSTOM]
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Translator notes for Acts chapter 15.
1. According to Cramer’s Catena, this is an excerpt from Ammonius of Alexandria.
2. Ammonius of Alexandria.
3. The phrase "εἰς ἡμέρας αἰῶνος" is a Koine Greek expression typically translated as "unto the days of the age" or more poetically as "forevermore".
4. This parting of the ways between Paul, Barnabas, and Mark was beautifully written about in the Acts of Barnabas, which is an apocryphal writing that claims to have been written by Mark himself. According to Mark in this writing, Paul misunderstood the situation.