Verse 1. "Some men came down from Judea and began teaching the
brethren, ‘Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses,
you cannot be saved.’"
Here were a few Jewish Christians, who apparently didn’t realize what
they were doing - they were advocating a return to spiritual "slavery"
by promoting the law of Moses for Gentile Christians. You’re always
going to run into people who say, "You’ve got to do everything our way"
in order to be saved; in order to be right with God. They say you have
to be baptized in a certain manner, or your repentance has to be just
so, or you have to believe this doctrine or that. The world is full of
such people, and they often feel perfectly righteous in what they
insist upon.
I’m not going to run down a list of what (and who) I think is in that
category, because for me, this is basically a "Romans 14" issue. You
remember Romans 14. In that Chapter, Paul used two examples which are
representative of many more, to express that we should accept other
Christians, theological differences and all. Paul’s examples were foods
and special days. He said "It is good neither to eat meat nor drink wine
nor do anything by which your brother stumbles or is offended or is made
weak" (Romans 14:21). Your love for people should be greater than love
for your doctrines.
Paul had no quarrel with the circumcising of Jews – it is the
unnecessary forcing of everybody into the mold of a few, which is
at issue. Then and now.
Verse 2. "And when Paul and Barnabas had great dissension and debate
with them, the brethren determined that Paul and Barnabas and some
others of them should go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and elders
concerning this issue."
The series of events related in this Chapter, has been termed the
"Jerusalem Council" which was essentially the first great Council of the
Church. An issue had come up which was not easily resolved and had to be
dealt with – now! So off went Paul, Barnabas, and others, to the
apostles and elders who were in Jerusalem.
Note that Paul and Barnabas "had no small dissension and dispute with
them" (NKJV). We are not always to be "gentle, meek, and mild" but we
are also to fight for that which is right. Paul and Barnabas saw that
circumcism, like other external rituals, was not essential to the
salvation of the believer. The spiritual LIVES of new Gentile believers
was at stake. On that issue, they would go to Jerusalem.
Verse 3. "Therefore, being sent on their way by the church, they were
passing through both Phoenicia and Samaria, describing in detail the
conversion of the Gentiles, and were bringing great joy to all the
brethren."
Paul, Barnabas, and the others went on their way toward Jerusalem, to
settle the dispute mentioned in verses 1 and 2. They stopped in a number
of places within the areas of Phoenicia (on the coast of Israel) and
Samaria (further inland).
So many people, by the way, wonder what a "witness" is, and some
don’t have one, because they’re afraid of what people might think about
what they say. But it’s just the telling of what you’ve seen and heard
as to what the Lord is doing in your life. The Holy Spirit will bring to
mind what the Lord has done for you. Just tell it as it was, and you’ll
bring joy to the brethren (and yourself), just like Paul and Barnabas
did.
Verse 4. "When they arrived at Jerusalem, they were received by the
church and the apostles and the elders, and they reported all that God
had done with them."
Paul, Barnabas and several others now came to Jerusalem and were
received by the Church, the apostles, and the elders in that place. We
should RECEIVE one another. Too many times, people are nervous
about what others will think of them, and as a result of personal
discomfort, they don’t receive others. They isolate themselves.
With others, there are issues from the past, and in order to not be hurt
again, they don’t receive those who come to them.
But, if we are in Christ now, "behold all things are made new"
(2 Corinthians 5:17) – and that fact should include your attitudes –
about everything! Two things about this verse – We need to care enough
about others to really start LISTENING to them, and second, when we talk
to others, we should become honest – no embellishment anymore – just the
truth about what God has done in your life.
Verse 5. "But some of the sect of the Pharisees who had believed
stood up, saying, ‘It is necessary to circumcise them and to direct them
to observe the Law of Moses.'"
We often bring our past into our relationship with God. If we had a
harsh father, we tend to think God is harsh, and to also be harsh with
other people. If you’ve encountered God in a certain way, it’s common
for people to think EVERYBODY should have precisely your experience. The
Pharisees were a sect within Judaism, and some of that group were coming
to the Lord. But they had been legalists within the Jewish religion, and
they were trying to bring that legalism into the freedom we are offered
in Christ.
There is nothing wrong with the Law of Moses, and those who honor the
Law, do well. "The Law has become our schoolmaster to lead us to Christ,
that we may be justified by faith" (Galatians 3:24). The Law, which is
wonderful, does not save us. What it does is reveal our sin and our need
for a Savior. We have our Savior in Jesus Christ and we no longer need
to live under a schoolmaster, because we have the Holy Spirit of God,
who is leading us into a life of holiness in Christ.
Verse 6. "The apostles and the elders came together to look into this
matter."
Often, we are too quick to take a side in an issue. Sometimes we are
against something before we really understand it. In other situations,
we are for something that is at best questionable. We need to look into
things more, just as this verse presents the apostles and elders, who
listened to the arguments of Paul, Barnabas, and the
Pharisee-Christians.
This was the attitude of the Bereans, as reflected in Acts Chapter
17. When Paul and Silas spoke to them (Acts 17:10), they listened,
and it says (verse 11) they were "noble-minded" for "they received the
Word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily, to see
whether these things were so." When someone knocks on your door and
tells you things, open your Bible, and read to see if what they said is
true.
Verse 7. "After there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said
to them, ‘Brethren,
you know that in the
early days God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles
would hear the word of the gospel and believe.’"
Peter was referring back to the events reflected in Acts Chapters 10
and 11. Cornelius the Gentile Centurian, had a vision that Peter would
come to him. Peter also had a vision, and learned (subsequent to the
vision), that God would give salvation to the Gentiles. As Peter spoke
to them, the Holy Spirit fell on the people of the house of Cornelius,
before they fully understood what was happening to them, before they
were baptized, and before Peter was fully convinced that such things
could happen to Gentiles. God chose Peter to be a part of those events
in the early Church.
Verse 8. "And God, who knows the heart, testified to them giving them
the Holy Spirit, just as He also did to us;"
God knew the hearts of those who lived in the house of Cornelius (see
verse 7) and He knows your heart, as well. "All the circumcised
believers who had come with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the
Holy Spirit had been poured out upon the Gentiles also" (Acts 10:45).
They were filled with the Lord, and it was after all had happened, that
Peter said "surely no one can refuse the water for these to be baptized
who have received the Holy Spirit just as we did, can he?" (Acts 10:47).
It’s the HEART which must be changed. Religious acts can be very
helpful, but before religion can benefit anyone, the heart must be
changed and the person must embrace the Son of God, Jesus Christ. When
you have received the Son, the Holy Spirit will be given to you, just as
He was given to those in the house of Cornelius. Peter was saying
(continuing the since verses 1 and 2) that no matter who you are or what
your religious background is, God the Father, through God the Son, will
give the Holy Spirit to all those who believe.
Verse 9. "and He made no distinction between us and them, cleansing
their hearts by faith."
God doesn’t discriminate against people – it’s people who do that.
There is no distinction between us at all, and all the so-called
"differences" are just superficial – actually nonexistent from His
perspective. God is busy doing a work in us that will result in the
cleansing of our hearts through Jesus Christ, who shed His blood for you
and for me. It doesn’t matter what you have done (or not done) in the
past. He will cleanse you through faith. What is important is your
heart. Do you love Him? Do you trust in Him? If you do, He will save you
through Christ, just as He did the apostles and disciples who came
before you.
Verse 10. "Now therefore why do you put God to the test by placing
upon the neck of the disciples a yoke which neither our fathers nor we
have been able to bear?"
The sense of this verse is "why do you try God’s patience by your
provocation in putting an unbearable yoke upon the necks of those who
believe?" (Chrysostom). Jesus told us to give "cold water" to the one in
need (Matthew 10:42). He wants us to give our food and our time as well.
This is meant spiritually as well as physically. We are not only to give
physical things but we are also to give of the good Word of God.
Jesus died to set us free, and instead, we are inclined to place
heavy burdens on one another’s backs. Doctrines are wonderful, because
they tend to be tools that help us understand God. But they are simply
tools and we will not all agree about them. And it is not our proper
doctrines that will save us, but it is our trust in Christ that will
bring us through. He wants to give us love, but people often prefer
rules. Don’t do that to other people – don’t do it to yourself.
Verse 11. "But we believe that we are saved through the grace of the
Lord Jesus, in the same way as they also are."
Paul taught us much the same as this verse, when he said "For by
grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it
is the gift of God" (Ephesians 2:8). The grace of God, the gift of His
faith – throughout history, it has always been the same for all. God
made it simple for us, so that we might understand. The apostles were
saved by the grace of the Lord Jesus, and so is everyone who has placed
their faith in Him.
I remember reading Thomas Aquinas, some years ago and being impressed
with his intellect. I think he was impressed, too, and he decided there
were two kinds of people. Those who need to find Christ through faith
(most of us) and those who are intelligent enough to find Him directly
(apparently men like himself). I hope he also had faith in our Lord, for
there is no intellect high enough to achieve salvation. The only way to
be saved has always been through simple faith in our Lord, made
effective by the grace of God.
Verse 12. "All the people kept silent, and they were listening to
Barnabas and Paul as they were relating what signs and wonders God had
done through them among the Gentiles."
We all have our opinions, and that is one of our problems. There is a
time to become silent, and simply – listen! That kind of attitude should
also be present when we read Scripture and when we pray to our Lord. We
need to listen. There is a time for our opinions, but God also speaks to
others, just like he does to you and me. Sometimes, we need to love our
brother (or sister) by LISTENING to them (and He will bless us for it).
God may well be telling you something though them, that you and I need
to hear, just as the people of this verse were LISTENING to Barnabas and
Paul.
God often chooses to work through people. And He is not exclusive
(from a human perspective) about who He picks for the job. He delights
in taking ordinary people, disagreeable people; those we consider
uneducated, and He wants to bless us through them. You might read the
context of 1st Corinthians 1:27, where it says "God has
chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise". He
wants us to know it is Him who teaches, Him who prophesies, Him who does
the work; lest we misunderstand Who’s really running things here.
Verse 13. "After they had stopped speaking, James answered, saying,
‘Brethren, listen to me.’"
Notice James waited until all of them were done. He REALLY (as we
will see) had something to say, whereas the others (except for Barnabas
and Paul) apparently did not. But he let them talk. So should we be
quick to hear and slow to speak (even when we have something to say).
But when James did speak, they all listened to him, for he spoke with
the authority of God.
Verse 14. "Simon has related how God first concerned Himself about
taking from among the Gentiles a people for His name."
Actually, God has always intended to take from among the
Gentiles a people for His name. Long before Abram (Abraham) was in the
land of Canaan, God said to him, "in you all the families of the earth
shall be blessed" (Genesis 12:3). Paul quoted that verse in Galatians
3:8 – "the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the nations
(Gentiles) by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying
‘In you all the nations shall be blessed."
But James is here reminding the Jerusalem Council of the manner in
which Simon (Peter) first encountered God’s intention that the
way of faith in Christ would be offered to everyone (including
you). This was seen in Acts Chapters 10 and 11, where we see that the
Gentile Centurion Cornelius had a vision about Simon Peter, and Peter
had a vision about non-Jews. God brought these men together and that was
the beginning of what can be called a revival among the Gentiles of the
region.
Verse 15. "With this the words of the Prophets agree, just as it is
written,"
The prophets (who expressed the heart of God to you and me) are in
agreement that God’s offer of salvation is for ALL humanity. Any time,
any place, whenever and wherever we have lived, Jesus Christ is for us
all. Wouldn’t it have been wonderful to be on the Emmaus Road with
Jesus, as "He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things
concerning Himself?" Actually, we are on that road with Him, for He has
given us His Scriptures, and the Holy Spirit of God will open that Word
to show us that the Promise of God is to ALL who believe in the Son.
I was astonished, years ago, as I taught the Book of Leviticus for
the first time, to find that the sacrifices and the offerings are FULL
of the cross of Christ – in parable form. The Book of Isaiah contains
countless references to Jesus Christ, as THE sacrifice for all humanity.
A good example of that is Isaiah 11:10 – "And in that day there shall be
a Root of Jesse" (Jesse was David’s father) "Who shall stand as a banner
to the people, for the Gentiles shall seek Him, and His resting place
shall be glorious". When you come in faith, you will find HIM, no matter
who or what you may think you are.
Verse 16 "After these things I will return, and I will rebuild the
tabernacle of David which has fallen, and I will rebuild its ruins, and
I will restore it,"
Everything in it, from utinsels to walls, was destroyed when the
temple of Solomon was knocked to the ground. Long after these words were
written, the rebuilt temple would itself experience utter destruction by
the Legions of Rome. But the real temple was always the people of God,
changed and made right for Him through the cross of Christ, and by the
indwelling of the Holy Spirit. In Jesus we find the true temple (John
2:19, 21), which is referred to as "His body".
This is good news for you, for Paul has taught "you are the temple of
the living God" (2nd Corinthians 6:16), when you are in
Christ. He will "rebuild" those who come to the Son of God. He will
revive you and restore that which has fallen in your life. Any
ruin you have made of things, can be completely rebuilt in Him. When
Jesus makes you "new" (2 Corinthians 5:17), you are new indeed.
Verse 17. "So that the rest of mankind may seek the LORD, and all the
gentiles who are called by My name,"
This is a quote (as was the preceding verse) from Amos 9:11-12. The
actual words in verse 12 are "that they" (Israel, called the "booth of
David"), "may possess the remnant of Edom and all nations" (the
Gentiles) "who are called by My name." Amos related God’s intention to
bless Israel, and James (quoted by Dr. Luke in "our" verse) had even a
deeper, wider understanding of God’s intention.
Not only would Israel be blessed in the future, but, in Christ, men
and women from ALL nations would receive the blessing of God. That’s
good news, which can be summed up in two words: "grace" (unmerited
favor) and "faith" (God’s enabling in us, that we may trust in Him). All
of our lives have been (or would be) in ruins, but in Christ, our
"walls" are indeed rebuilt and we are made strong in Him.
Verse 18. "Says the Lord, who makes these things known from long
ago."
The verse (quote) from Amos 9:12, is concluded here: "Declares the
Lord who does this." Your life has been rebuilt in Christ. You are made
new in Him. As it says in 2nd Corinthians 5:17, "the old things are
passed away, and behold, all things are made new." He has said it;
therefore you are safe in Him.
The importance of this verse is to help us understand it is GOD
who makes these things known. Without His revelation (His Holy Word) we
would have no real understanding at all. Our ability to understand
ANYTHING, especially about the things of God, comes from Him, and the
Word (the Bible) that is written about Him (as revealed by the Holy
Spirit), is how you learn of Him.
Verse 19. "Therefore it is my judgment that we do not trouble those
who are turning to God from among the Gentiles,"
James started speaking in verse 13, and from that time, he has laid a
foundation leading to this moment. What we are witnessing through James,
is a gift of the Holy Spirit of God, called "Word of Wisdom." A very
thorough discussion about that gift is found in the Commentary on 1st
Corinthians 12:8 (www.fridaystudy.org). With that gift, God speaks
through a person (often in the midst of a disagreement between people)
and heals the situation with words that come from God.
James had made his opening statements and now he speaks words of
calming oil on the trouble (argument) of the moment. We need the WHOLE
Body of Christ. To one is given a gift of teaching, and to another
evangelism, and so on. But we need the other gifts, too – often the
person we never speak to, a couple of pews over, has something we (and
the whole Church) needs to hear. It’s time to listen to one another, for
the Lord Jesus Christ tends to use ALL who are in the Body of Christ.
Verse 20. "but that we write to them that they abstain from things
contaminated by idols and from fornication and from what is strangled
and from blood."
This verse (and the next one) continues the word of wisdom God is
expressing through James (see the commentary on the preceding verse and
also 1 Corinthians 12:8). A group of Jewish Christians (probably ALL of
these people were Jewish) had insisted that Gentiles who come to the
Lord must keep the entire Mosaic Law. Paul and Barnabas had come to
Jerusalem to argue the point, insisting that Gentiles do NOT have to
become Jews in order to be saved. James was now addressing the Jerusalem
Council with a Word of Wisdom, given through him by the Holy Spirit of
God.
This was essentially a compromise position, which is often the way of
the word of wisdom. Paul could have continued to insist on salvation by
faith alone, which is true – we are saved by faith in our Lord Jesus
Christ, and faith alone. But to avoid idolatry is essential for us all,
and no harm is done here - in fact, the Gentiles tended to fall into
idol worship and this would benefit them. Fornication has been a problem
throughout history (certainly it is now) and we need to be reminded to
stay within marriage. To strangle animals and drink blood were common
practices of the false religions of the day. These restrictions would
HELP the Gentiles who followed them.
Verse 21. "For Moses from ancient generations has in every city those
who preach him, since he is read in the synagogues every Sabbath."
The Holy Spirit knew that the Jews would be offended deeply by what
they would consider the "freedom" of the Gentiles. God would allow that
liberty to be reduced slightly, just because he loved the Jewish
Christians (and the Gentile ones) so much. And as we saw in the
preceding verse, the restrictions of verse 20 would actually be a
benefit to these Gentile people. If your beliefs and mine don’t quite
agree – just remember that He loves us, and does not wish us to be hurt
by mere doctrinal differences. If you have to choose between some minor
doctrinal point and your brother – choose your brother.
The teachings of Moses SHOULD be read by Christians everywhere, just
as they are read in the synagogues every Sabbath. As it was then, so it
is now. The Old Testament throws great light on the new. As a man said
to me the other night, "the Old Testament is this wide" (he separated
his fingers widely), "and the New Testament is only this" (at which
point the fingers narrowed considerably). He continued "The WHOLE Bible
is valuable to us all. We need the Old as well as the New." - Amen.
Verse 22. "Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with
the whole church, to choose men from among them to send to Antioch with
Paul and Barnabas, Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, leading men among
the brethren,"
The decision of the Jerusalem Council (preceding verses) was
IMPORTANT to the Church, and so they authenticated the message that
would be taken back to Antioch through Paul, Barnabas, Judas Barsabbas
and Silas, with a letter, as recorded in the following verses. The
people of Antioch would hear the decision through these men and also by
the letter sent from the apostles and elders at Jerusalem.
The letter (see next verse) was God’s Word to the Gentile Christians.
Paul and the others would tell them of the decision, and they had the
Holy Spirit inside so they would KNOW what’s right (but God gives even
more). Yes, He sends people we can recognize, understand, and listen to,
and yes, He gives us the Holy Spirit of God, but He also gives the
written Word, that we may SEE His will for you and for me. (The men, the
Spirit, the written Word – God is indeed reaching out to you and to me).
Verse 23. "and they sent this letter by them, ‘the apostles and the
brethren who are elders, to the brethren in Antioch and Syria and
Cilicia who are from the Gentiles, greetings.’"
A written letter was sent with them. Paul and Barnabas, Judas
Barsabbas (not Iscariot) and Silas were like letters themselves, sent
from the heart of the apostles in Jerusalem, but the actual letter would
be sent also. This letter recorded one of the most important events in
history, coming out of a battle in the early Church. A group of Jewish
Christians (see verse 1 and following verses) decided that Gentiles had
to keep the whole Law of Moses in order to be saved.
Paul and Barnabas had taken the position of absolute freedom
for the Gentiles, and James had given a "word of wisdom" to the Council,
which amounted to an acceptable compromise but which also leaned far
over in support of the position of Paul and Barnabas. The rules for new
Gentile Christians of the time would not be troublesome and addressed
all of the issues in Romans 14. In that Chapter, we see we are FREE in
Christ, but we are also not to exercise our freedom in such a manner
that it would cause our brothers to stumble.
Verse 24. "Since we have heard that some of our number to whom we
gave no instruction have disturbed you with their words, unsettling your
souls,"
The men who came down from Judea and began teaching the brethren,
"Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot
be saved" (see verse 1) are described in this verse. The ground was cut
out from under them and their doctrine. Such men (or women), who teach
that we must be under this law or that, in order to be saved, are false
in what they say. The issue of salvation is clear and is stated in
Romans 10:13 – "whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved",
which is a quote of Joel 2:32.
Notice the balance in the Lord’s response through James (see verses
19-21). There was a minor compromise so the two groups (Jews and
Gentiles) could come together, but there was no quarter toward those who
would mislead the new believers. Notice the force in the words of this
verse (24) – the ones who "disturbed you with their words, unsettling
your souls" were the ones who (appropriately) lost the battle at the
Jerusalem Council.
Verse 25. "it seemed good to us, having become of one mind, to select
men to send to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,"
They became "of one mind." That is wonderful, especially since
we seldom become of one mind in anything. Usually, those of this world
don’t even WISH to be of one mind. Jesus prayed in John 17 (the Lord’s
closing prayer for you and me), that we would be "one" even as the
Father and Son are one. And that should be our prayer for one another;
for the Church, that we might be one. Not "one" in doctrinal positions,
but one in LOVE for each other.
The HOPE of this verse is this: They did it! They demonstrated that
PEOPLE can become of one mind, even if only for a time. We’ve seen it in
this verse, reflecting a moment in history, and it should give us hope.
Hope that we can be of one mind in our marriage, our Church; in our
family, with our friends, our children – If these people can be of one
mind and heart, so can we, because God can do all things.
Verse 26. "men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord
Jesus Christ."
Barnabas and Paul literally risked their lives for the name of the
Lord Jesus Christ. They loved Him more than they loved life itself. From
the world’s perspective, they’re dead now; both of them. Think about
this, though – even if they hadn’t risked their lives for His name, they
would still be dead. But because of the way they lived,
they are heroes to the faith and beloved of God. And they are with Him
right now, for as Paul taught us, "to be absent from the body" is to be
"present with the Lord" (2 Corinthians 5:8).
We typically don’t have to risk our lives for Him. Most people in our
time don’t have to do that at all, although there are Christians in many
countries who are at risk on a daily basis - just because they love our
Lord. We have been very blessed in numerous ways. The best of all is
that HE died for you and for me. Think about His blessings, and like
Barnabas and Paul, you and I should be willing to give our lives in
service to the One who loves you and me.
Verse 27. "Therefore we have sent Judas and Silas, who themselves
will also report the same things by word of mouth."
Silas and Judas called Barsabbas, were faithful men. "Faithful" in
this context, was to honestly and completely report that which they had
seen, heard and received, in relation to the word of our Lord. We must
do the same. These men had been a part of the Jerusalem Council and they
were known as men who would faithfully relate the decision of that
Council. No embellishment, no throwing light or glory on themselves, no
stretching of the truth – They were men who could be counted on to
faithfully relate what they had seen. So should we also should
have the same reputation for simple honesty and truth.
Verse 28. "For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay
upon you no greater burden than these essentials:"
"It seemed good to the Holy Spirit." This is, of course, a statement
that the Holy Spirit of God spoke to these "apostles" and
"elders" (verse 23) at the Jerusalem Council. They actually are
authenticating the "word of wisdom", spoken through James (verses
13-21). In doing this, they are relying on at least one other spiritual
gift, namely "discernment of spirits". With that gift, you KNOW whether
an utterance is from God or whether it is not.
The "essentials" or "necessary things" (NKJV) of this verse, are
found in verses 20 and 29. These minor restrictions were necessary in
order to bring peace to the Church, the people of God. No greater burden
was laid upon them at that time, and no greater burden is laid on you
right now. As Paul said, "let us pursue things which made for peace and
the things by which one may edify another" (Romans 14:19).
Verse 29. "that you abstain from things sacrificed to idols and from
blood and from things strangled and from fornication; if you keep
yourselves free from such things, you will do well. Farewell.'"
There were two key areas of potential bondage for the early Church,
both involving, as Joseph Excell observed, "a false concept of the
liberty" we are given in Christ ("the law of the Spirit of life in
Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death" –
Romans 8:2). 1) We are not to allow ourselves to be placed under some
kind of "law" for salvation, because we are truly FREE in Him. 2) On the
other hand, liberty is NEVER license to sin ("What then, are we to
continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid!" – Romans 6:1-2).
This verse in Acts is an excellent reminder of the dangerous extremes
others would sometimes try to force upon us.
They were given simple rules that would settle a dispute in the early
Church. I’ve loved Romans 14:21 for many years – "It is good neither to
eat meat nor drink wine nor do anything by which your brother stumbles
or is offended or is made weak". The limitations on our lives are cords
of love, that not only protect us, but also protect others in the body
of Christ.
Verse 30. "So when they were sent away, they went down to Antioch;
and having gathered the congregation together, they delivered the
letter."
So off they went (Paul, Barnabas, Judas Barsabas, and Silas),
directly to Antioch and to the people of that community. When the Holy
Spirit leads you to act, the time to do it is NOW, unless He directs
otherwise. They knew this and went quickly, delivering the letter of the
Jerusalem Council to the people of that place.
Note they brought the whole "congregation" (NKJV "multitude")
together. Paul and Barnabas were not men who did things in secret, and
the Holy Spirit calls such people (who are willing to be open) to
publicly serve God. If we are a "closed" people, He will open us up.
Jesus taught us "You are the light of the world; a
city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden" (Matthew 5:14). That
which Christ speaks to you is typically not for you alone – His Word
through us is for the world.
Verse 31. "When they had read it, they rejoiced because of its
encouragement."
When I think back over the past 30-years of the studying of God’s
Word, several wonderful words come to mind, but one of them sort of sums
up all the others, and that is "encouragement". I who did not understand
love, am being taught to love, through His Word. The one who has no
faith will become faithful. The person who has no hope will find
encouragement and hope in the Word of God. He has communicated to us
through His Son (Who is the Word of God), expressed both directly in our
hearts and through the written Word we call the "Bible".
If you give your life to Jesus Christ and devote yourself to this
book, the "Bible"), you will find you have "rejoiced because of its
encouragement". This letter was only a tiny part of the Word of God, and
yet it brought rejoicing to their hearts. That which we are given in
Christ, will cause you to know the joy of the Lord (and to bless other
people). Read this book, and you will be ENCOURAGED by the Lord.
Verse 32. "Judas and Silas, also being prophets themselves,
encouraged and strengthened the brethren with a lengthy message."
The spiritual gifts, such as "prophesy," are designed to encourage
and strengthen both individual believers and the body of Christ as a
whole. Notice the message was lengthy. We hear statements about "long"
sermons, and sometimes the comments are humorous, sometimes not. But
here they were ENCOURAGED and STRENGTHENED by the long message of Judas
and Silas. It isn’t how long or how short the message – it’s the
presence of the Holy Spirit of God.
Sometimes the messages we hear are utterly from the Lord, and we are
glad to hear them. Other times, the man who speaks is straining to make
a point, when it is God who should teach us all. What’s important is
that we all learn to look to the Spirit of God in what we say, and
otherwise, we should be slow to speak. We are not all prophets but we
are each given something to share, of our wonderful Lord.
Verse 33. "After they had spent time there, they were sent away from
the brethren in peace to those who had sent them out."
You are called, not only to listen to the good things of God, as
these Christians at Antioch had been doing, but also to speak of Him, as
the Holy Spirit directs at that time. These people had been ENCOURAGED
by the words brought from the Jerusalem Council, and they had
encouragement to GIVE as well. They returned the favor.
Many of the "brethren" including Judas Barsabas would be sent back to
Jerusalem with the joyous greetings of the Church at Antioch. They were
sent away in peace. In the last chapters, we have seen that peace was a
rare commodity for Paul and Barnabas, and probably for the others as
well. We must learn to grant peace to one another – a rare commodity
indeed.
Verse 34. "But it seemed good to Silas to remain there."
"It seemed good" was the same language used in verse 28, to describe
the leading of the Holy Spirit. The reason Silas remained at Antioch was
because that was what the Lord led him to do. The Holy Spirit is
constantly "speaking" to every Christian. Sometimes we don’t understand.
Often we don’t recognize it when He touches our hearts and minds with
the Direction of God. Sometimes it just seems GOOD to do this or that,
and often the good comes from Him. He will teach us to listen, to
understand, and to follow Him.
Verse 35. "But Paul and Barnabas stayed in Antioch, teaching and
preaching with many others also, the word of the Lord."
Paul and Barnabas decided to stay in Antioch for awhile, also. Some
left (verse 33) and others stayed, including Silas (verse 34). What a
joy it must have been for Paul and Barnabas to spend their time with the
people of God, preaching and teaching them the good Word of the Lord.
So, often, these men had been "run out of town on a rail" but this was a
time of delight and peace for them.
Verse 36. "After some days Paul said to Barnabas, ‘Let us return and
visit the brethren in every city in which we proclaimed the word of the
Lord, and see how they are.'"
God had chosen his man well. Saul, a.k.a. Paul had a real love and
concern for those the Lord had placed into his life. He didn’t start out
this way, for this very religious man had imprisoned and murdered those
who loved the Lord Jesus Christ. The end of Acts Chapter 7 (and the
beginning of Chapter 8) were turning points for Paul. He was the one who
held the outer garments of those who did the actual stoning of Stephen
(Acts 7:58), and by Jewish custom, the one who held the garments was the
leader of the execution.
But God had changed him. In Acts Chapter 9, we find this same man,
literally struck down by the Lord (he was knocked off the animal he was
riding and also he was temporarily blinded) and he was turned to Christ.
The men with him, who were shocked by what had happened, but didn’t
really didn’t understand any of it, "led him by the hand" (Acts 9:8)
into Damascus, their intended destination. The one who had been filled
with hatred was now consumed by love, and he wanted to return and
encourage all those previously brought to the Lord through his ministry.
Verse 37. "Barnabas wanted to take John, called Mark, along with them
also."
Barnabas (Paul’s companion) agreed with Paul that visiting the
converts in all of the cities and areas they had visited, was a good
idea. He also wanted to take John Mark along with them. This was a young
man we encountered and discussed in an earlier Chapter. Barnabas and
Paul were at "Perga in Pamphylia, and John, departing from them,
returned to Jerusalem" (see Scripture and commentary on Acts 13:13).
Verse 38. "But Paul kept insisting that they should not take him
along who had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not gone with them to
the work."
The John Mark discussed in these verses, is the same young man who
was later to write the Book of Mark, a Book which the early Church
described as the recollections of Peter, as told to John Mark. Paul, at
this point, didn’t want to have anything to do with the younger man,
because he felt that Mark could not be trusted. His comment, as
reflected in this verse, was that John Mark had "deserted" them, and to
him the desertion came at a critical time, when they needed him the
most.
I’m encouraged by this, because I, too, deserted the Lord at a
critical time, and as a result, wasted many years which might have been
spent in service to Him. Indeed Mark was to become the close companion
of Peter (1 Peter 5:13), and even better, he was more than restored to
fellowship with the Apostle Paul, who later said "Get Mark and bring him
with you, for he is useful to me for ministry" (2 Timothy 4:11). God
takes those that become useless and makes them useful. He did it for
Mark, He did it for me, and he can do it for you.
Verse 39. "And there occurred such a sharp disagreement that they
separated from one another, and Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed
away to Cyprus."
It would be difficult to be the one that caused the separation
between Barnabas and Paul. When you think about it, Mark had the right
to leave them when they were at Perga. If he was wrong in what he did,
the Holy Spirit would correct that aspect of his personality in due
time. We need to be patient with what we feel are the shortcomings of
other persons and be slow to judge them.
Paul may have acted correctly in what he did – we really do not know.
The Holy Spirit may have shown him that Mark should not have gone at
that time. But we should be gentle in rebuke and quick to forgive. If
Paul’s response was excessive, it should be encouraging for the rest of
us, by the way. God loved this little man of God (Paul) and used him,
flaws and all. If he had flaws (he did) and God could use him anyway,
that should indicated the Lord will use flawed people like you and me.
Verse 40. "But Paul chose Silas and left, being committed by the
brethren to the grace of the Lord."
Paul chose Silas (who was also named Silvanus). This is the same
Silas who was termed a prophet (Acts 15:32). He was a perfect companion
for Paul, because he (like Paul) was a Roman citizen (Acts 16:25 &
forward, especially verse 37). They would have much in common, including
an ability to move with freedom through the Roman Empire.
Silas also was to become closely associated with Peter, who spoke of
Silas a.k.a. Silvanus as "our faithful brother" (1 Peter 5:12). In the
verse that followed (5:13), John Mark was called "my son" by Peter. Paul
and Silvanus would go in different directions from Barnabas and Mark,
but they really went in the same direction - further into the work and
will of God. The Lord would use this unfortunate separation to INCREASE
their effectiveness in His service.
Verse 41. "And he was traveling through Syria and Cilicia,
strengthening the churches."
Some time passed and "he" (Paul, along with Silas and the others) was
now traveling through Cilica (a province of Asia Minor) and also Syria
(which means "the highland"). Today (for now) Syria is closed to those
who teach Jesus Christ, but at that time, Churches FILLED the land, and
they received the personal touch of Paul the Apostle.
This is a key job in the body of Christ (as reflected in this verse):
to strengthen one another. What did Jesus mean when He commended those
who "gave a cup of cold water" to the one in need? Yes, He did refer to
literal water, but also it means so much more. As God has gifted us
(each one uniquely and differently), we are to 1) give abundantly
of our abilities to those we meet, and we must 2) remember that a
form of giving can be to receive (they have a need to give, also). Just
like those of Cilicia and Syria, we are to receive the people God has
sent to us.
Ron
Beckham, Pastor
Friday Study Ministries
www.fridaystudy.org
Ron@fridaystudy.org
