But there arose of the sect of the Pharisees some that believed, saying: They must be circumcised and be commanded to observe the law of Moses.
εξανεστησαν δε τινες των απο της αιρεσεως των φαρισαιων πεπιστευκοτες λεγοντες οτι δει περιτεμνειν αυτους παραγγελλειν τε τηρειν τον νομον μωυσεως
6 Church Fathers comment on this verse
“Certain men of the sect of the Pharisees.” Believers not from the Gentiles, but from the Jews, demanded that those who had received the faith be circumcised and keep the other commandments of the law, which concerned man’s fleshly nature. The other disciples, though themselves of the circumcision, did not agree with those who reasoned from the ancient law. They sought to make a decree not according to their own desire, but with regard to the common benefit.
This intransigence led to further disputes. It became necessary for the whole Church to examine the matter. Its chosen members were assembled. In this gathering there was much debate on both sides. Πάν τό πλήϑος, Acts 15:12, and σύν όλη τή έκκλησία, v. 22. Yet because of its great number, the whole Church could scarcely have been assembled.
Paul and his companions set out for Jerusalem. Passing through Phoenicia and Samaria, they brought great joy to all the brethren of the churches founded there by the news of the Gentiles' conversion, accomplished through their apostolic labors.
With the same news they came to the apostles and presbyters of the Church of Jerusalem, by whom they were warmly received.
But some believers from the sect of the Pharisees rose up as they listened to the account of the Gentiles' conversion. They said that the Gentiles must be circumcised and commanded to keep the law of Moses.
This reception of the teaching on the freedom of the Christian religion moved the Apostle Paul to act cautiously. Before submitting the question to the general Church assembly, he first set forth his Gospel privately before the chief apostles.
He says this himself in the Epistle to the Galatians (Gal. 2:2). It was the Gospel that he preached among the Gentiles.
He acted in this way so that, in calm conversation with the apostles alone, he might first reach full agreement and oneness of mind with them. The slightest disagreement between him and the apostles could have made all his labors vain.
The apostles of the circumcision came into full agreement and oneness of mind with the apostle of the Gentiles (Gal. 2:3 and following).
Yet there was no agreement here either, just as in Antioch. The Pharisees who had come to believe in Christianity stubbornly demanded that the Gentiles who were being converted be subjected to circumcision.
Then some rose up, and so forth. On the occasion of the accounts given by Paul and Barnabas, the opinion of the Judaizing Christians was expressed directly and decisively.
They rose up in that same common solemn assembly, before the face of the whole Church of Jerusalem. Those who rose were believers from the sect of the Pharisees.
The members of this sect had always been especially strict zealots of the law of Moses and the traditions of the fathers. They had carried this strictness over into Christianity.
As is clear from their briefly stated thoughts, they rose against the manner of Paul and Barnabas's activity toward the Gentiles. They opposed the reception of the Gentiles into the Church of Christ as the apostles of the Gentiles received them.
Against them they said that, when Gentiles turn to Christ, they must be circumcised and commanded to keep the law of Moses even in Christianity.
This teaching of the Jerusalem Judaizers was essentially the same as that of those who came from Judea to Antioch (v. 1). Yet it differed from it in scope, decisiveness, and strict precision.
Here the circumcision of Gentiles when they passed into Christianity was presented as something they had to be compelled to undergo, if they did not wish it voluntarily. There they taught that Gentiles themselves must submit to circumcision if they wished to be saved.
There the obligation of the whole law of Moses for Christians from the Gentiles was not directly stated. Here this demand was put forward directly, and again with compulsion if they did not wish it voluntarily.
It is evident that this party felt more on its own ground in Jerusalem than in Antioch. It was conscious of its strength and firmness. It put forward its demands more broadly and decisively, whereas in Antioch it had still acted with restraint and caution.
In Jerusalem the representatives of the false teaching that Christians were obliged to observe the law of Moses were Christians converted from the Pharisees. Paul himself had once belonged to them.
In Judaism they had been the most zealous adherents of the ritual law of Moses, especially in its minute prescriptions. For this the Pharisees were repeatedly rebuked by Jesus Christ (see Mt 23:23).
Even after becoming Christians, they did not abandon this attachment to the law. Therefore they demanded the fulfillment of the law of Moses from others as well, not excluding the Gentiles.
The false teachers who had been in Antioch said only that circumcision was necessary. These demanded more: circumcision and the observance of the whole law of Moses.
Thus Judaism is presented here in the full extent of its demands, but also in its complete groundlessness. In Antioch the Judaizers said that without circumcision one could not be saved. In Jerusalem they no longer said this.
Probably the Apostle Paul had there explained with sufficient clarity the teaching of salvation through Jesus Christ apart from circumcision.
Thus the representatives of the false teaching in Jerusalem expressed their demand on the basis of their experience, authority, and strength. This was probably supported by a considerable number of Christians from the Jews who sympathized with them.
These could not detach themselves from Jewish ritual observance, all the more because they saw examples of ritual observance even in the apostles.
Therefore the question was important for all, of interest to all, and agitated all in different ways. As a pressing matter, it required resolution as immediately as possible, since it was being raised openly and sharply by everyone.
And so the first and most famous Apostolic Council was assembled in Jerusalem.
Passages read together with this verse.
Greek text, 21 words with lemma, transliteration and Strong’s number. Tap to expand.
THEOSIS