Bible Study - Acts 15
S — But some believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees rose up and said, "It is necessary to circumcise them and to order them to keep the law of Moses." The apostles and the elders were gathered together to consider this matter.
Acts 15:5–6 ESV
O — Commentary:
The issue was stated forthrightly by the believing Pharisees. Significantly circumcision also involved keeping the whole Old Testament Law as Paul later wrote (Gal. 5:3). The method of justification ultimately determines the method of sanctification (cf. Col. 2:6). The apostles and elders met to consider this question. In addition many other believers were present (cf. vv. 12, 22).
...The issue of whether to accept Gentiles was settled then and there. This was evidenced, Peter said, because God gave the Holy Spirit to them (10:44–46) just as He did to the Jews (2:4; 11:15). So God made no distinction between believing Jews and Gentiles. All are accepted by faith.
15:10. Requiring Gentiles to be circumcised to obey the Mosaic Law would have had two results: (a) the Jews would test (peirazete) God (cf. Deut. 6:16) and (b) they would put on the necks of the disciples an unbearable yoke (cf. Matt. 23:4). To "test" God is to see how far one can go with God (cf. Acts 5:9). Putting a yoke on the disciples' necks was an appropriate way to state the second result, for "taking the yoke" was used to describe Gentile proselytes coming into Judaism. It spoke of an obligation.
Stanley D. Toussaint, "Acts," in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 393–394.
A — This was a defining moment for the early church. Some believers wanted to add rules. Circumcision. Law-keeping. A checklist before Gentiles could belong. The apostles and elders said no. They refused to make faith harder than God made it.
We still do this today. We add our own checklists. Look like us. Talk like us. Believe every doctrine exactly like us — then we'll call you a believer. That's why we've got so many denominations.
But the gospel isn't complicated. What do you believe about Jesus? Do you believe He's the Son of God, that He came in human flesh, died on a cross, and rose again for your sins? Do you confess Him as Lord and Savior? That's where it starts. Add to that — is God's Word your final authority for how you live? Get those two things right, and everything else is secondary.
R — Heavenly Father, You are the one true God. Ground us today in You and Your Word. Thank You for the burdens You don't require us to carry. We're free — free to focus on knowing You and becoming more like You. In Jesus' name, amen.
