Acts 15:24Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

And see how strongly they rebuke the opponents in their epistle. The rebuke is sufficient for the folly of those men and worthy of the meekness of the Apostles, who said nothing more. And see: they do not say, “certain men who went out from us commanded you to keep the law,” but, “they troubled you with words.” It is impossible to speak more precisely. No one could have expressed it so well. “They unsettled,” he says, “souls already established,” as though in a building they were shifting what others had already laid down. “To whom,” they say, “we gave no such commandment.”

In it they clearly said that these men, acting on their own authority, had not been authorized to act in this way either by the Apostles or by the presbyters of Jerusalem.

The written decree of the council was expressed in the words of the Apostle James. After greeting the brethren from the Gentiles in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia, the council first gives a strict rebuke to the Judaizing false teachers who had caused disturbance and wavering in Antioch. By contrast, it praises Barnabas and Paul, calling them beloved and men who have given up their lives for the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. It also indicates the purpose for which it sends Judas and Silas together with Paul and Barnabas. After this the council states the very rules which, by its decree, Christians from the Gentiles must strictly fulfill in life, while being generally free from the yoke of the law.

"Since we have heard," and so forth. The motive and occasion for writing the letter are set forth briefly, yet in strong and decisive expressions against the disturbers of brotherly peace and tranquility in the Churches. The Council declares that the words which disturbed the peace of the Syrian and Cilician Churches were the unauthorized words of these self-appointed preachers. They had indeed come from the Jerusalem community, or from the Palestinian community in general. Yet the apostles, presbyters, and brethren had not entrusted them with preaching what they preached. They had neither commission, nor authority, nor the community's approval for teaching that circumcision and observance of the Mosaic law were necessary for Gentile Christians.

After indicating its destination, the conciliar epistle contains a brief greeting: "rejoice." This was customary among the first Christians, who in this imitated the risen Christ. Compare Col 1:24. It then sets forth the occasion, namely the appearance of teachers preaching the necessity of circumcision for Gentile Christians. It is clarified that they taught this on their own authority, since they had received no authorization for it. Then the judgments of the Council are briefly stated, and finally the decree itself is set forth, verses 28-29. Concerning the opening words of the epistle, Saint John Chrysostom says that "in their epistle they strongly rebuke the opponents and give an admonition sufficient to condemn their folly, yet worthy of the meekness of the apostles.