Daily Scripture Reading Acts 14:25 - 15:20

One of the theological differences found within Christianity is whether or not believers need to observe the Mosaic Law. The temple and its sacrificial system no longer exists, so few argue that Christians should offer sacrifices; however, there are denominations which believe Christians should observe the rest of the Law.

This was a debate in 1st century Christianity as well. Today, in Acts 15, we will read about a meeting held in Jerusalem to address this question. They issued a clear answer which should shape how we answer this question in our churches in the 21st century.

At the end of yesterday’s reading, Paul and his companions reversed their path through Asia Minor and revisited the cities where they had preached the gospel. Then they passed through the province of Pisidia and came into the province of Pamphylia, which was the province where they had begun their journey through Asia Minor.

Acts 14:25 And when they had spoken the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia.

This tells us Paul spoke the word in Perga. Paul had been in Perga before, as recorded in Acts 13:13, but there is no indication he had done any preaching during his first visit.

It is only 9 miles / 15 km from Perga To Attalia. That walk would take about three hours.

Acts 14:26 And from there they sailed to Antioch, from where they had been committed to the grace of God for the work that they had fulfilled.

It was about 300 miles / 490 km from Attalia to Antioch. This is the city named Antioch that was located at the northeast corner of the Mediterranean Sea.

Acts 14:27 And when they had arrived and gathered the church together, they began to report all things that God had done with them and how He had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles.

Acts 14:28 And they spent not a little time with the disciples.

Note the phrase “not a little time”. This tells us a significant amount of time elapsed between Acts 14 and Acts 15.

Acts 15:1 ¶ Some men came down from Judea and began teaching the brothers, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.”

Notice the last phrase “you cannot be saved”. The men from Judea were not arguing Christians should get circumcised after salvation. They were teaching that Gentiles had to be circumcised in order to be saved.

This was a big theological issue in the 1st century. Jesus and the 12 apostles were Jews. Most of the people who became believers in the first few years after the Day of Pentecost were Jews. As the gospel began spreading beyond Judaism, there arose a huge debate as to whether Gentile believers had to observe the Law of Moses, specifically in regards to circumcision.

Acts 15:2 And when Paul and Barnabas had not a little dissension and debate with them, the brothers determined that Paul and Barnabas and some others of them should go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and elders concerning this issue.

In this verse we see the phrase “not a little dissension and debate”. This was a massive argument.

It was about 300 miles / 490 km from Antioch to Jerusalem. It would have taken them at least 10 days to traverse that distance.

Acts 15:3 Therefore, being sent on their way by the church, they were passing through both Phoenicia and Samaria, recounting in detail the conversion of the Gentiles, and were bringing great joy to all the brothers.

One of their travel options would have been to sail from Antioch down to Judea. However, this verse tells us they passed through Phoenicia and Samaria, which indicates they traveled by land.

Phoenicia was the region just north of the Sea of Galilee along the coast. Samaria was the region just north of Jerusalem.

Acts 15:4 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.

Acts 15:5 But some of the sect of the Pharisees who had believed stood up, saying, “It is necessary to circumcise them and to command them to keep the Law of Moses.”

First, note that some of the Pharisees had become believers. Second, note the variation in the argument. At Antioch, the men from Judea argued Gentiles needed to be circumcised in order to be saved. At Jerusalem the Pharisaic believers argued the Gentile Christians also needed to observe the Law of Moses. They didn’t mean observing the Law was necessary for salvation, they meant the Mosaic Law is applicable to Gentile believers in the church age.

Today, few Christians argue Gentile believers need to be circumcised or become Jews in order to be saved. The temple and its sacrifices no longer exist, so Christians do not argue modern day believers need to offer sacrifices. However, the question over whether Christians need to observe the Mosaic Law is an ongoing debate. Many believers insist 21st century Christians need to observe the Mosaic Law as much as possible.

Acts 15:6 ¶ Both the apostles and the elders came together to look into this matter.

Acts 15:7 And after there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them, “Brothers, 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.

This is a reference to the events recorded in Acts 10 in which Peter saw the vision of animals on a sheet and then went to Caesarea and presented the gospel to some Gentiles.

Acts 15:8 And God, who knows the heart, testified to them giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He also did to us;

Acts 15:9 and He made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by faith.

Acts 15:10 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?

Peter argued against requiring Gentiles to observe the Law of Moses.

Acts 15:11 But we believe that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, in the same way as they also are.”

Acts 15:12 ¶ And all the multitude 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.

Acts 15:13 ¶ Now after they had stopped speaking, James answered, saying, “Brothers, listen to me.

Acts 15:14 Simeon has related how God first concerned Himself about taking from among the Gentiles a people for His name.

Acts 15:15 And with this the words of the Prophets agree, just as it is written,

Acts 15:16 ‘AFTER THESE THINGS I will return,

AND I WILL REBUILD THE FALLEN BOOTH OF DAVID,

AND I WILL REBUILD ITS RUINS,

AND I WILL RESTORE IT,

Acts 15:17 SO THAT THE REST OF MANKIND MAY SEEK THE LORD,

AND ALL THE GENTILES WHO ARE CALLED BY MY NAME,’

Acts 15:18 SAYS THE LORD, WHO MAKES THESE THINGS KNOWN FROM LONG AGO.

James quoted from Amos 9:11-12. In that passage, Yahweh vowed to destroy Israel for their sin, but not completely, so that eventually the kingdom would be rebuilt and include Gentiles. James argued that Peter’s outreach to the Gentiles was in line with God’s promise recorded in Amos 9.

Acts 15:19 Therefore I judge that we do not trouble those who are turning to God from among the Gentiles,

Acts 15:20 but that we write to them that they abstain from things contaminated by idols and from sexual immorality and from what is strangled and from blood.

James declared that Gentiles did not need to be circumcised in order to be saved. Furthermore, and this is important to us today, James stated that Gentile believers do not need to observe the Mosaic Law. The entire Bible, including the Mosaic Law, is profitable for learning about God and His values and priorities, but when it comes to identifying the commands we need to live by today, the commands of the Mosaic Law are not binding on us.

What are some provision of the Mosaic Law that are often observed by Christians today, but are not repeated in the New Testament, meaning Christians are not bound by that requirement in the 21st century?

Thanks for visiting Bible Mountain. If you have already joined my email list, thank you and please tell others about Bible Mountain. If you have not joined my email list yet, please do so now. In order to join, go to Bible Mountain dotcom, click on subscribe, and that will take you to a page where you can sign up. Your email address will not be sold nor given away. Once again, thanks for visiting Bible Mountain.

“Scripture quotations taken from the (LSB®) Legacy Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2021 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Managed in partnership with Three Sixteen Publishing Inc. LSBible.org and 316publishing.com.”