Commentaries and Other Bible Study Helps - Prayer Tents - Prayer Tents

15:1-35 The Jerusalem Council. A conference was held in Jerusalem (c. a.d. 48 or 49) to discuss conditions for Gentile membership in the church. The issue was raised by the "Pharisaic" wing of the Jerusalem church (vv. 1-5); the Gentile mission was defended by Peter (vv. 6-11); a solution was proposed by James (vv. 12-21); and an official agreement was reached (vv. 22-35). The fact that James is key to the resolution shows that the Jewish and Gentile believers were less divided than some try to make them. Those who complained here were on the fringe of the church, and their hard line view was rejected.

15:1-5 The Circumcision Party Criticizes the Gentile Mission. The Antioch church had reached out to many Gentiles (11:20-21), and God had given Paul and Barnabas great success among the Gentiles on their mission (14:27). No evidence exists that these Gentiles had been circumcised or required to live by all the Mosaic law. In fact, the Spirit had come on them without such an act, as Peter will argue. Some conservative Jewish Christians argued that Gentiles should undergo these things since they were required of all converts to Judaism. The issue was whether Gentiles needed to become Jews and follow Jewish ceremonial laws in order to be Christians. Though some scholars think that Paul is referring to this meeting in Gal. 2:1-10, it is better to see that passage as referring to private contacts made during his famine relief visit to Jerusalem (see note on Acts 11:27-30).