Year of the Bible

Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles, Chapter 15:

Back in Antioch with the local Church that sent Paul and Barnabas on mission, some believers from the province of Judea arrive and begin to teach the community that one must be circumcised to be saved (vs. 1). Dispute and division in the Church over this issue emerges and as a result the apostles and elders [=priests] in Jerusalem gather in council to consider the issue (vs. 2, 5). How does this first council of the Church function? They debate, bringing evidence of recent signs and experiences (vs. 7-12) and interpreting the recent events in light of the Scriptures (vs. 16-18). Guided by the Holy Spirit (vs. 28), the council announces the decision and shares it through written letters with the entire Church (vs. 19-20, 23-30) and sends prophets to Antioch to reassure the believers there that this was indeed the teaching of the Church (vs. 27, 32). After a while, Paul and Barnabas begin to plan another missionary journey, but fall into a personnel dispute (vs. 36-39). They solve it by agreeing to disagree on this issue of personal preference and part ways so that both continue to proclaim the Good News in different areas.

The Acts of the Apostles, Chapter 15:

The Council at Jerusalem

1 But some men came down from Judea and were teaching the brethren, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.” 2 And when Paul and Barnabas had no small dissen­sion and debate with them, Paul and Barnabas and some of the others were appointed to go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and the elders about this question. 3 So, being sent on their way by the Church, they passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, reporting the conversion of the Gentiles, and they gave great joy to all the brethren. 4 When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the Church and the apostles and the elders, and they declared all that God had done with them. 5 But some believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees rose up, and said, “It is necessary to circumcise them, and to charge them to keep the
law of Moses.”
6 The apostles and the elders were gathered together to con­ sider this matter. 7 And after there had been much debate, Peter rose and said to them, “Brethren, you know that in the early days God made choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gos­pel and believe. 8 And God who knows the heart bore witness to them, giving them the Holy Spirit just as he did to us; 9 and he made no distinction between us and them, but cleansed their hearts by faith. 10 Now therefore why do you make trial of God by putting a yoke upon the neck of the dis­ciples which neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear? 11 But we believe that we shall be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they will.”
12 And all the assembly kept silence; and they listened to Barnabas and Paul as they relat­ed what signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles. 13 After they finished speaking, James replied, “Breth­ren, listen to me. 14 Symeon has related how God first visited the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name. 15 And with this the words of the prophets agree, as it is written,
16 ‘After this I will return,
and I will rebuild the dwelling of David, which has fallen;
I will rebuild its ruins, and I will set it up,
17 that the rest of men may seek the Lord,
and all the Gentiles who are called by my name,
18 says the Lord, who has made
these things known from of old.’
19 Therefore my judgment is that we should not trouble those of the Gentiles who turn to God, 20 but should write to them to ab­stain from the pollutions of idols and from unchastity and from what is strangled and from blood. 21 For from early generations Moses has had in every city those who preach him, for he is read every sabbath in the synagogues.”

The Council’s Letter to the Gentile Believers

22 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. They sent Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, leading men among the brethren, 23 with the following letter: “The breth­ren, both the apostles and the el­ders, to the brethren who are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia, greeting. 24 Since we have heard that some persons from us have troubled you with words, unsettling your minds, al­though we gave them no instruc­tions, 25 it has seemed good to us in assembly to choose men and send them to you with our be­ loved Barnabas and Paul, 26 men who have risked their lives for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ. 27 We have therefore sent Judas and Silas, who themselves will tell you the same things by word of mouth. 28 For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay upon you no greater bur­den than these necessary things: 29 that you abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols and from blood and from what is stran­gled and from unchastity. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell.”
30 So when they were sent off, they went down to Antioch; and having gathered the congrega­tion together, they delivered the letter. 31 And when they read it, they rejoiced at the exhortation. 32 And Judas and Silas, who were themselves prophets, exhorted the brethren with many words and strengthened them. 33 And after they had spent some time, they were sent off in peace by the brethren to those who had sent them. 35 But Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also.

Paul and Barnabas Separate

36 And after some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Come, let us return and visit the brethren in every city where we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are.” 37 And Barnabas wanted to take with them John called Mark. 38 But Paul thought best not to take with them one who had withdrawn from them in Pamphylia, and had not gone with them to the work. 39 And there arose a sharp contention, so that they separated from each other; Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus, 40 but Paul chose Silas and de­ parted, being commended by the brethren to the grace of the Lord. 41 And he went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.

*Daily Lectio Divina Question:

Many times we fail to live up to the demands of the gospel. When this happens we can try to fix and focus on the "externals." This chapter is a reminder that the Lord cares about the conversion of our hearts. Lord, is there something in my heart that needs healing and attention so that I may better respond to your call to follow you?

Biblical Commentary provided by the Catholic Biblical School of Michigan. Join a Catholic Biblical School of Michigan class this September at Holy Family in Grand Blanc or online.

Revised Standard Version; Second Catholic Edition. (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2006).
Permission to use the RSV-2CE given for Bishop's Year of the Bible by Ignatius Press. Many thanks to Ignatius for this.
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