The Jerusalem Council Series

Introduction

Throughout the past two millennia, countless assemblies of Christian leaders have assembled to settle doctrinal matters.

The first of these assemblies is the Jerusalem Council, described in Acts 15:1-35.

The book titled Got Questions states the following: “Employing the council held in Jerusalem (Acts 15) as a model for settling doctrinal and disciplinary issues, seven assemblies of church leaders met from 325 to 787 AD (Got Questions Ministries, Got Questions? Bible Questions Answered, vol. 2 [Bellingham, WA: Faithlife, 2014–2021]).

The two most significant of these councils were the Council of Nicea (325 AD), which condemned the heresy of Arianism and summarized the teaching of the apostles in credal form, and the Council of Chalcedon (451 AD), which addressed erroneous views about Jesus’ person.

However, as already mentioned, the Jerusalem Council, which met in Jerusalem between 48 and 50 AD, was the model for these seven councils.

The question that the Jerusalem Council had to address was the most significant of all questions: What must a person do to be saved?

The gospel’s good news started in Jerusalem. The good news was that Jesus was alive and changing lives.

The first Christians were Jews.

But the gospel quickly spread to non-Jews, the Gentiles.

Gentiles believed that Jesus was alive and changing lives.

Gentiles repented of their sins and trusted in Jesus alone for the gift of salvation.

Some Jews, however, became quite concerned about the inclusion of the Gentiles in the church.

They believed that Gentiles who wanted to become Christians must first become Jewish proselytes.

They saw Christianity as the fulfillment of Judaism.

They believed that Gentiles were short-circuiting the process and becoming Christians without first becoming Jewish proselytes.

They could not conceive that pagans could become full members of the church and immediately be on equal footing with Jewish believers.

That seemed wrong to some Jewish believers who had devoted their lives to keeping God’s law.

John MacArthur sums up the issue before the Jerusalem Council:

The issue was not whether God wanted to save Gentiles but how they were to be saved. Could they enter the kingdom of God directly without coming through the vestibule of Judaism? That was the question the Jerusalem Council convened to decide (John F. MacArthur Jr., Acts, vol. 2, MacArthur New Testament Commentary [Chicago: Moody Press, 1994], 61–62).

Scripture

Let’s read Acts 15:1-35:

1 But some men came down from Judea and were teaching the brothers, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.” 2 And after Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and debate with them, Paul and Barnabas and some of the others were appointed to go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and the elders about this question. 3 So, being sent on their way by the church, they passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, describing in detail the conversion of the Gentiles, and brought great joy to all the brothers. 4 When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and the elders, and they declared all that God had done with them. 5 But some believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees rose up and said, “It is necessary to circumcise them and to order them to keep the law of Moses.”

6 The apostles and the elders were gathered together to consider this matter. 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 should hear the word of the gospel and believe. 8 And God, who knows the heart, bore witness to them, by giving them the Holy Spirit just as he did to us, 9 and he made no distinction between us and them, having cleansed their hearts by faith. 10 Now, therefore, why are you putting God to the test by placing a yoke on the neck of the disciples that neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear? 11 But we believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they will.”

12 And all the assembly fell silent, and they listened to Barnabas and Paul as they related what signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles. 13 After they finished speaking, James replied, “Brothers, listen to me. 14 Simeon has related how God first visited the Gentiles, to take from them a people for his name. 15 And with this the words of the prophets agree, just as it is written,

16 “ ‘After this I will return,

and I will rebuild the tent of David that has fallen;

I will rebuild its ruins,

and I will restore it,

17 that the remnant of mankind may seek the Lord,