A.T. Robertson Commentary Acts 15

And certain men came down from Judea (κα τινες κατελθοντες απο της Ιουδαιας). Evidently the party of the circumcision in the church in Jerusalem (11:2) had heard of the spread of the gospel among the Gentiles in Cyprus, Pamphylia, and South Galatia (Phrygia, Pisidia, Lycaonia). Possibly John Mark after his desertion at Perga (13:13) told of this as one of his reasons for coming home. At any rate echoes of the jubilation in Antioch in Syria would be certain to reach Jerusalem. The Judaizers in Jerusalem, who insisted that all the Gentile Christians must become Jews also, had acquiesced in the case of Cornelius and his group (11:1-18) after plain proof by Peter that it was the Lord's doing. But they had not agreed to a formal campaign to turn the exception into the rule and to make Christianity mainly Gentile with a few Jews instead of mainly Jewish with a few Gentiles. Since Paul and Barnabas did not come up to Jerusalem, the leaders among the Judaizers decided to go down to Antioch and attack Paul and Barnabas there. They had volunteered to go without church action in Jerusalem for their activity is disclaimed by the conference (Acts 15:24). In Ga 2:4 Paul with some heat describes these Judaizers as "false brethren, secretly introduced who sneaked in to spy out our liberty." It is reasonably certain that this visit to Jerusalem described in Ga 2:1-10 is the same one as the Jerusalem Conference in Acts 15:5-29 in spite of the effort of Ramsay to identify it with that in 11:29f. Paul in Galatians is not giving a list of his visits to Jerusalem. He is showing his independence of the twelve apostles and his equality with them. He did not see them in 11:29f. , but only "the elders." In Ac 15 Luke gives the outward narrative of events, in Ga 2:1-10 Paul shows us the private interview with the apostles when they agreed on their line of conduct toward the Judaizers. In Ga 2:2 by the use of "them" (αυτοις) Paul seems to refer to the first public meeting in Acts before the private interview that came in between verses 15:5-6. If we recall the difficulty that Peter had on the subject of preaching the gospel to the heathen (10:1-11:18), we can the better understand the attitude of the Judaizers. They were men of sincere convictions without a doubt, but they were obscurantists and unable and unwilling to receive new light from the Lord on a matter that involved their racial and social prejudices. They recalled that Jesus himself had been circumcised and that he had said to the Syro-woman that he had come only save to the lost sheep of the house of Israel (Matthew 15:24ff.). They argued that Christ had not repealed circumcision. So one of the great religious controversies of all time was begun, that between spiritual religion and ritualistic or ceremonial religion. It is with us yet with baptism taking the place of circumcision. These self-appointed champions of circumcision for Gentile Christians were deeply in earnest.

Taught the brethren (εδιδασκον τους αδελφους). Inchoative imperfect active, began to teach and kept it up. Their attitude was one of supercilious superiority. They probably resented the conduct of Barnabas, who, when sent by the Church in Jerusalem to investigate the conversion of the Greeks in Antioch (11:20-26), did not return and report till a strong church had been established there with the help of Saul and only then with a big collection to confuse the issue. Paul and Barnabas were on hand, but the Judaizers persisted in their efforts to force their views on the church in Antioch. It was a crisis.

Except ye be circumcised after the custom of Moses, ye cannot be saved (εαν με περιτμηθητε τω εθε Μωυσεωσ, ου δυνασθε σωθηνα). There was the dictum of the Judaizers to the Gentiles. Paul and Barnabas had been circumcised. This is probably the precise language employed, for they spoke in Greek to these Greeks. It is a condition of the third class (undetermined, but with prospect of being determined, εαν plus the first aorist passive subjunctive of περιτεμνω). There was thus hope held out for them, but only on condition that they be circumcised. The issue was sharply drawn. The associative instrumental case (τω εθε) is customary. "Saved" (σωθηνα) here is the Messianic salvation. This doctrine denied the efficacy of the work of Christ.

When Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and questioning with them

(Γενομενης στασεως κα ζητησεως ουκ ολιγης τω Παυλω κα Βαρναβα προς αυτους). Genitive absolute of second aorist middle participle of γινομα, genitive singular agreeing with first substantive στασεως. Literally, "No little (litotes for much) strife and questioning coming to Paul and Barnabas (dative case) with them " (προς αυτους, face to face with them). Paul and Barnabas were not willing to see this Gentile church brow-beaten and treated as heretics by these self-appointed regulators of Christian orthodoxy from Jerusalem. The work had developed under the leadership of Paul and Barnabas and they accepted full responsibility for it and stoutly resisted these Judaizers to the point of sedition (riot, outbreak in Lu 23:25; Acts 19:40) as in 23:7. There is no evidence that the Judaizers had any supporters in the Antioch church so that they failed utterly to make any impression. Probably these Judaizers compelled Paul to think through afresh his whole gospel of grace and so they did Paul and the world a real service. If the Jews like Paul had to believe, it was plain that there was no virtue in circumcision (Galatians 2:15–21). It is not true that the early Christians had no disagreements. They had selfish avarice with Ananias and Sapphira, murmuring over the gifts to the widows, simony in the case of Simon Magus, violent objection to work in Caesarea, and now open strife over a great doctrine (grace vs. legalism).

The brethren appointed (εταξαν). "The brethren" can be supplied from verse 1 and means the church in Antioch. The church clearly saw that the way to remove this deadlock between the Judaizers and Paul and Barnabas was to consult the church in Jerusalem to which the Judaizers belonged. Paul and Barnabas had won in Antioch. If they can win in Jerusalem, that will settle the matter. The Judaizers will be answered in their own church for which they are presuming to speak. The verb εταξαν (τασσω, to arrange) suggests a formal appointment by the church in regular assembly. Paul (Galatians 2:2) says that he went up by revelation (κατ' αποκαλυψιν), but surely that is not contradictory to the action of the church.

Certain others of them (τινας αλλους). Certainly Titus (Galatians 2:1,3), a Greek and probably a brother of Luke who is not mentioned in Acts. Rackham thinks that Luke was in the number.

The apostles and elders (τους αποστολους κα πρεσβυτερους). Note one article for both (cf. "the apostles and the brethren" in 11:1). "Elders" now (11:30) in full force. The apostles have evidently returned now to the city after the death of Herod Agrippa I stopped the persecution.

They therefore (ο μεν ουν). Luke's favourite method of resumptive narrative as we have seen (11:19, etc.), demonstrative ο with μεν (indeed) and ουν (therefore).

Being brought on their way by the church (προπεμφθεντες υπο της εκκλησιας). First aorist passive participle of προπεμπω, old verb, to send forward under escort as a mark of honour as in 20:38; 21:5; 3 John 1:6. They were given a grand send-off by the church in Antioch.

Passed through (διηρχοντο). Imperfect middle describing the triumphal procession through both (τε κα) Phoenicia and Samaria.

The conversion (την επιστροφην). The turning.

They caused great joy (εποιουν χαραν μεγαλην). Imperfect active. They were raising a constant paean of praise as they proceeded toward Jerusalem. Probably the Judaizers had gone on or kept still.

Were received (παρεδεχθησαν). First aorist passive indicative of παραδεχομα, old verb, to receive, to welcome. Here it was a public reception for Paul and Barnabas provided by the whole church including the apostles and elders, at which an opportunity was given to hear the story of Paul and Barnabas about God's dealings with them among the Gentiles. This first public meeting is referred to by Paul in Ga 2:2 "I set before them (αυτοις) the gospel, etc."

But there rose up (εξανεστησαν δε). Second aorist active indicative (intransitive). Note both εξ and αν. These men rose up out of the crowd at a critical moment. They were believers in Christ (πεπιστευκοτες, having believed), but were still members of "the sect of the Pharisees" (της αιρεσεως των Φαρισαιων). Evidently they still held to the Pharisaic narrowness shown in the attack on Peter (11:2f.). Note the dogmatism of their "must" (δε) after the opposition of Paul and Barnabas to their "except" (εαν με) at Antioch (15:1). They are unconvinced and expected to carry the elders with them. Codex Bezae says that they had appealed to the elders (15:2,5). At any rate they have made the issue in open meeting at the height of the jubilation. It is plain from verse 6 that this meeting was adjourned, for another gathering came together then. It is here that the private conference of which Paul speaks in Ga 2:1-10 took place. It was Paul's chance to see the leaders in Jerusalem (Peter, James, and John) and he won them over to his view of Gentile liberty from the Mosaic law so that the next public conference (Acts 15:6–29) ratified heartily the views of Paul, Barnabas, Peter, James, and John. It was a diplomatic triumph of the first order and saved Christianity from the bondage of Jewish ceremonial sacramentalism. So far as we know this is the only time that Paul and John met face to face, the great spirits in Christian history after Jesus our Lord. It is a bit curious to see men saying today that Paul surrendered about Titus and had him circumcised for the sake of peace, the very opposite of what he says in Galatians, "to whom I yielded, no not for an hour." Titus as a Greek was a red flag to the Judaizers and to the compromisers, but Paul stood his ground.