'Ac 15:2-21

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To Jerusalem to discuss the problem (Ac 15:2-21)

The trouble created by the Judaisers had now spread to the farthermost parts of the church, so the matter needed to be settled quickly and decisively. Because the teaching came from Jerusalem, that was the place to discuss the matter. The church at Antioch therefore appointed Paul, Barnabas and other leaders to go to Jerusalem as its representatives.

Along the way and after their arrival in Jerusalem, they reported on the widespread turning to God among the Gentiles, but as soon as the meeting began the Judaisers spoke against them (Ac 15:2-5).

(This Jerusalem meeting is sometimes referred to as the Council of Jerusalem.)

After lengthy debate, Peter vigorously opposed the Judaisers and defended the Gentiles, asserting that Gentiles should not have to keep the Jewish law. The way of salvation and entrance into the full Christian fellowship was by faith alone, and was the same for Jews and Gentiles. This principle was basic to the gospel and could not be changed (Ac 15:6-11).

The recent experiences of Paul and Barnabas reinforced this principle (Ac 15:12).

James agreed with Peter, Paul and Barnabas, adding that the events they were witnessing - the coming of the Messiah, the establishment of his kingdom and the expansion of that kingdom among the Gentiles - had been foretold by the prophets of Old Testament times (Ac 15:13-18).

In summing up the discussion, James repeated that no attempt should be made to put the Gentiles under the Jewish law (Ac 15:19).

However, one problem remained. Jewish attitudes to social issues had been moulded by centuries of submission to the law of Moses, whereas Gentiles had no such law and as a result their moral standards were lower. The Jews considered many Gentile practices improper, such as the eating of any sort of food at all, regardless of how it had been killed or whether it had been offered to idols.

James therefore suggested that the Gentile Christians would help improve relations between the two groups if they were careful not to engage in practices that the Jews considered offensive (Ac 15:20-21).