Acts 15:16Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

How so? Was Jerusalem not restored, and was it not afterwards destroyed again? But he is not speaking of that here. Of what restoration, then, you ask, is he speaking? Of the one that took place after the Babylonian captivity. "After this," he says, "I will return and rebuild the tabernacle of David which has fallen." Whoever examines attentively will find that David's kingdom still stands even now. If his Descendant reigns, then certainly his kingdom also exists. What use are buildings and a city when there are no subjects? And what harm is the destruction of the city when all are ready to give their lives for it? Thus it not only stands, but has become more renowned than all, because it is now glorified throughout the whole world. One thing has been fulfilled. The other must also be fulfilled.

Therefore James cites an ancient prophecy: “After this I will return and rebuild the fallen tabernacle of David.” This fall was so great that it seemed irreparable. What then? Was Jerusalem restored? Was it not even more destroyed? Of what restoration, then, does the prophecy speak? Of the restoration after the Babylonian captivity, when Jerusalem again came to have significance.

The tabernacle of David signifies the race of the Jews. One must know that after Cyrus freed the Israelites from captivity, they returned again to Judea and built the divine temple. Having fortified the desolate cities, they began to live there in safety day by day, that is, for many days and long years. They became for the other nations an example and exact testimony of the necessity of turning to God. These words recount historical events, yet more deeply and truly they may be understood in Christ. For when He rose from the dead and raised the tabernacle that had fallen into death, that is, when God the Father raised up the earthly flesh, then in Him He raised all humanity to its original condition. He clothed in a new form all that we had rejected. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation (2 Cor 5:17), according to Scripture. We were raised together with Him. And although death destroyed the tabernacles of all, God the Father raised them up in Christ.

“The fallen tabernacle of David” (Amos 9:11), that is, human nature, which is being destroyed by death because of sin.

The predictions of the prophets also agreed with this. They proclaimed that when the fallen throne of David would be restored, then the worship of the true God would also spread among the Gentiles.

"After this I will return," or "I will come back." In human fashion, God is represented as having turned away from His people because of their sins, or as having departed from them. But afterwards, when the fullness of time had come (Gal 4:4), He promises again to turn His merciful face toward the people, or to return to them. He promises to rebuild the tabernacle of David which has fallen, that is, the royal house of David. This house had fallen and grown weak from the time of the division of the kingdoms after Solomon. It continued to fall and weaken more and more, until David's descendants ceased to sit upon his royal throne.

Compare Am 9:11-12. The messianic prophecy of Amos concerning the rebuilding of the tabernacle, that is, God's dwelling among men, the theocracy, was spoken for the consolation of the Jews. After they fell into idolatry and God turned away from them, their God-preserved kingdom came into the greatest decline. It was as though God's dwelling, the tabernacle, were no longer among them, and the theocracy had fallen. "But behold," says the Lord through the prophet, "I will turn to you, if you turn to Me. And I will raise up My dwelling, My tabernacle, as it was in the glorious days of David, the king after My heart. I will do this chiefly so that the other nations also may believe in Me.