Bullet Point Bible

The Dispute Over Circumcision

¹ Now some men came down from Judea and began to teach the brothers, "Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved."² When Paul and Barnabas had a major argument and debate with them, the church appointed Paul and Barnabas and some others from among them to go up to meet with the apostles and elders in Jerusalem about this point of disagreement.³ So they were sent on their way by the church, and as they passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, they were relating at length the conversion of the Gentiles and bringing great joy to all the brothers.⁴ When they arrived in Jerusalem, they were received by the church and the apostles and the elders, and they reported all the things God had done with them.⁵ But some from the religious party of the Pharisees who had believed stood up and said, "It is necessary to circumcise the Gentiles and to order them to observe the law of Moses."

A significant theological conflict arose in Antioch concerning the requirements for Gentile salvation.
Judaizers (men from Judea, likely believers with Pharisaic background as per Acts 15:5) insisted on circumcision and adherence to Mosaic Law for Gentiles.
This challenged the core message of salvation by grace through faith, which Paul and Barnabas championed (compare Galatians 2:11-21).
The Antioch church recognized the gravity of the issue and sought resolution from the apostles and elders in Jerusalem, acknowledging their authority.
Paul and Barnabas' report of Gentile conversions brought joy, highlighting the success of the mission but also setting the stage for the debate.
The "party of the Pharisees" who believed in Jesus still held strongly to the necessity of the Law, demonstrating the difficulty early Jewish Christians had in separating cultural/legal traditions from the gospel message.
This conflict threatened the unity of the early church, pitting Jewish tradition against the Spirit-led expansion among Gentiles.
The issue was not merely cultural preference but soteriological: What is essential for salvation?

The Jerusalem Council Convenes: Peter's Testimony

⁶ Both the apostles and the elders met together to deliberate about this matter.⁷ After there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them, "Brothers, you know that some time ago God chose me to preach to the Gentiles so they would hear the message of the gospel and believe.⁸ And God, who knows the heart, has testified to them by giving them the Holy Spirit just as he did to us,⁹ and he made no distinction between them and us, cleansing their hearts by faith.¹⁰ So now why are you putting God to the test by placing on the neck of the disciples a yoke that neither our ancestors nor we have been able to bear?¹¹ On the contrary, we believe that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, in the same way as they are."¹² The whole group kept quiet and listened to Barnabas and Paul while they explained all the miraculous signs and wonders God had done among the Gentiles through them.

The Jerusalem Council represents a pivotal moment in early church history, addressing the Jew-Gentile relationship within the body of Christ.
Peter reminded the council of his experience with Cornelius (Acts 10-11), where God clearly showed acceptance of Gentiles apart from Mosaic Law.
Key argument: God gave the Holy Spirit to Gentiles *before* circumcision or law-keeping, signifying His acceptance based on faith alone (Acts 15:8).
God "made no distinction" (Acts 15:9), indicating equality between Jewish and Gentile believers in Christ.
Hearts are cleansed by faith, not by ritual or law-keeping (Acts 15:9).
Peter described the Law as a "yoke" that even Jews found difficult to bear, arguing against imposing it on Gentiles (Acts 15:10). This echoes Jesus' contrast between the burdens of the Pharisees and His own "easy yoke" (Matthew 11:28-30).
Peter affirmed universal salvation through grace: Jews are saved the same way as Gentiles – through the grace of the Lord Jesus (Acts 15:11).
Barnabas and Paul corroborated Peter's point by recounting God's miraculous work among Gentiles, further evidence of divine approval of their mission and message.
The silence of the assembly (Acts 15:12) suggests the weight and impact of the testimonies presented.

James' Judgment and Proposal

¹³ After they stopped speaking, James replied, "Brothers, listen to me.¹⁴ Simeon has explained how God first concerned himself to select from among the Gentiles a people for his name.¹⁵ The words of the prophets agree with this, as it is written,¹⁶ ' After this I will return,¹⁶ and I will rebuild the fallen tent of David;¹⁶ I will rebuild its ruins and restore it,¹⁷ so that the rest of humanity may seek the Lord,¹⁸ known from long ago .¹⁹ "Therefore I conclude that we should not cause extra difficulty for those among the Gentiles who are turning to God,²⁰ but that we should write them a letter telling them to abstain from things defiled by idols and from sexual immorality and from what has been strangled and from blood.²¹ For Moses has had those who proclaim him in every town from ancient times, because he is read aloud in the synagogues every Sabbath."

James, the half-brother of Jesus and leader of the Jerusalem church, summarized the discussion and rendered a judgment.
He affirmed Peter's (Simeon's) testimony, linking it to Old Testament prophecy (Amos 9:11-12, quoted from the Septuagint version which explicitly mentions Gentiles).
The prophecy indicated God's plan included Gentiles seeking the Lord as part of the restoration of David's kingdom (fulfilled spiritually in Christ and the Church).
James' conclusion: Do not burden Gentile converts with the full Mosaic Law, specifically circumcision (Acts 15:19).
He proposed four specific prohibitions for Gentile believers (Acts 15:20):
These prohibitions were not requirements for salvation but guidelines to promote fellowship between Jewish and Gentile believers and respect Jewish sensitivities, as Moses was widely known (Acts 15:21).
These points addressed key areas where Gentile practices deeply offended Jewish moral and ceremonial standards, facilitating table fellowship and unity.
James' ruling balanced grace (no need for full law observance) with practical wisdom for a mixed community.

The Council's Letter to Gentile Believers

²² Then the apostles and elders, with the whole church, decided to send men chosen from among them, Judas called Barsabbas and Silas, leaders among the brothers, to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas.²³ They sent this letter with them:

The decision was made collectively ("apostles and elders, with the whole church"), indicating broad consensus.
Judas Barsabbas and Silas, respected leaders from Jerusalem, were chosen to accompany Paul and Barnabas, adding weight and credibility to the message.
The letter explicitly disavowed the Judaizers ("some have gone out from among us without our authorization," Acts 15:24), clarifying they did not represent the Jerusalem leadership.
The letter affirmed Paul and Barnabas, calling them "dear friends" and acknowledging their commitment ("risked their lives," Acts 15:25-26).
The decision was presented as guided by the Holy Spirit ("It seemed best to the Holy Spirit and to us," Acts 15:28), emphasizing divine guidance in the council's conclusion.
The letter reiterated the four necessary prohibitions (Acts 15:29), framing them as essential for maintaining harmony and ethical standards, not as conditions for salvation.
The tone of the letter is pastoral and aimed at reassuring the Gentile believers and restoring peace.
This official communication aimed to settle the controversy definitively across multiple regions (Antioch, Syria, Cilicia).

Delivering the Decision in Antioch

³⁰ So when they were dismissed, they went down to Antioch, and after gathering the entire group together, they delivered the letter.³¹ When they read it aloud, the people rejoiced at its encouragement.³² Both Judas and Silas, who were prophets themselves, encouraged and strengthened the brothers with a long speech.³³ After they had spent some time there, they were sent off in peace by the brothers to those who had sent them.³⁵ But Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch, teaching and proclaiming (along with many others) the word of the Lord.

The delegation successfully delivered the letter to the church in Antioch.
The Gentile believers received the decision with joy and encouragement (Acts 15:31), as it affirmed their standing in Christ without the burden of the Mosaic Law.
Judas and Silas, being prophets, provided further ministry, strengthening the Antioch church (Acts 15:32). Prophecy here likely involved inspired teaching and exhortation.
The positive reception confirmed the wisdom of the council's decision and the effectiveness of the chosen delegates.
Verse 34 is absent in the earliest and best manuscripts, hence its omission or bracketing in many modern translations like the NET. Some later manuscripts add "But Silas decided to stay there."
Paul and Barnabas continued their fruitful ministry in Antioch, indicating the resolution of the conflict allowed the church's mission to proceed.
The phrase "along with many others" shows the growing number of teachers and leaders in the vibrant Antioch church.

Paul and Barnabas Disagree

³⁶ After some days Paul said to Barnabas, "Let's return and visit the brothers in every town where we proclaimed the word of the Lord to see how they are doing."³⁷ Barnabas wanted to bring John called Mark along with them too,³⁸ but Paul insisted that they should not take along this one who had left them in Pamphylia and had not accompanied them in the work.³⁹ They had a sharp disagreement, so that they parted company. Barnabas took along Mark and sailed away to Cyprus,⁴⁰ but Paul chose Silas and set out, commended to the grace of the Lord by the brothers and sisters.⁴¹ He passed through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.

Following the council, Paul initiated plans for a second missionary journey to revisit and strengthen the churches established earlier.
A sharp disagreement arose between Paul and Barnabas over whether to take John Mark.
Barnabas, known as the "Son of Encouragement" (Acts 4:36) and Mark's cousin (Colossians 4:10), wanted to give Mark a second chance.
Paul viewed Mark's previous departure (Acts 13:13) as disqualifying him for the demanding work ahead, prioritizing the mission's reliability.
The disagreement was severe ("paroxysmos" in Greek, Acts 15:39), leading to the separation of this effective ministry team.
This incident demonstrates that even Spirit-filled leaders can have strong differences of opinion regarding ministry strategy and personnel.
God ultimately used this separation to multiply the missionary effort: Barnabas and Mark went to Cyprus, while Paul, choosing Silas (one of the Jerusalem delegates), traveled through Syria and Cilicia.
Paul's choice of Silas connected his new journey back to the Jerusalem church's authority and decision.
Despite the painful separation, both teams continued the work of strengthening churches and advancing the gospel. Later scripture indicates reconciliation between Paul and Mark (Colossians 4:10, 2 Timothy 4:11).

The Bullet Point Bible

Acts 15