After Paul and Barnabas return from their amazing trip to Cyprus and Asia, they share what God has done through them (Acts 14:27). The BIG story is how Jesus "had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles."
Twenty-one centuries later, it's almost impossible for us to understand what a mind-blowing reality this was for Jews. They were in the midst of an exploding new paradigm of faith. God was throwing the doors wide open on His revelation regarding the salvation of non-Jews. Things were happening fast and furiously.
To get a better grasp on just how rapidly things were changing, let's do a comparison with modern technology. Think about the technological advances in our society since 1960. It's hard to keep up with all that has happened. That's sort of what is happening for first century Jews in regards to faith in Jesus. That's the context for what Luke describes in Acts 15.
At some point after Paul and Barney have returned from their trip (probably about one year), the good doctor tells us that some Jews roll into Antioch from Judea (v1). They teach that "Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved."
Paul and Barnabas consistently faced Jewish opposition on the road (Acts 13:44, 50; 14:2, 5, 19). Now they faced it at home in Antioch. Jews couldn't believe how this Gospel of Jesus was "polluting" their faith with these unclean Gentiles. Understand that this new movement was still VERY Jewish. In many ways, it's best understood that the followers of Jesus were Christian Jews rather than Jewish Christians. They were still part of Jewish society. They had simply come to understand that Jesus is the long-awaited Messiah.
These Jews from Judea demanded that these Gentile converts be circumcised. In many ways, this made perfect sense to them. If these non-Jews were coming to faith in Jesus Messiah, certainly they would need to do what others had been doing for centuries. To become a proselyte, Gentiles would be circumcised and follow the Mosaic Law. It was a sign of God's covenant promise to Abraham (Gen 17:10-14). Why should it be any different in the first century?
But circumcision was not a part of Paul and Barney's trip to Cyprus and Asia. Non-Jews simply believed in the risen Jesus and were saved. No circumcision. No Mosaic Law. Now that they were back home, things had come to (ahem) a head.
Circumcision was a HUGE issue in these important early years of the church. It was central point of Paul's teaching and letters. It's the entire focus of his epistle to the church at Galatia (not coincidentally, the apostle wrote that letter in this same time frame). The apostle wrote to the Philippians, "Look out for the dogs, look out for evil doers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh" (Phil 3:2). He wrote to the Colossians that the followers of Jesus have indeed been circumcised, but it is a VERY different circumcision. "In Him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ" (Col 2:11).
As a result of the debate over the "Gentile Problem" in Antioch, the church decides to send Paul, Barnabas and representatives of the circumcision crowd to Jerusalem (v2). They need to get a ruling from the home office. They will present their case and hear it straight from the mouths of the apostles and elders of the church in Jerusalem
Twenty-one centuries later, it's almost impossible for us to understand what a mind-blowing reality this was for Jews. They were in the midst of an exploding new paradigm of faith. God was throwing the doors wide open on His revelation regarding the salvation of non-Jews. Things were happening fast and furiously.
To get a better grasp on just how rapidly things were changing, let's do a comparison with modern technology. Think about the technological advances in our society since 1960. It's hard to keep up with all that has happened. That's sort of what is happening for first century Jews in regards to faith in Jesus. That's the context for what Luke describes in Acts 15.
At some point after Paul and Barney have returned from their trip (probably about one year), the good doctor tells us that some Jews roll into Antioch from Judea (v1). They teach that "Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved."
Paul and Barnabas consistently faced Jewish opposition on the road (Acts 13:44, 50; 14:2, 5, 19). Now they faced it at home in Antioch. Jews couldn't believe how this Gospel of Jesus was "polluting" their faith with these unclean Gentiles. Understand that this new movement was still VERY Jewish. In many ways, it's best understood that the followers of Jesus were Christian Jews rather than Jewish Christians. They were still part of Jewish society. They had simply come to understand that Jesus is the long-awaited Messiah.
These Jews from Judea demanded that these Gentile converts be circumcised. In many ways, this made perfect sense to them. If these non-Jews were coming to faith in Jesus Messiah, certainly they would need to do what others had been doing for centuries. To become a proselyte, Gentiles would be circumcised and follow the Mosaic Law. It was a sign of God's covenant promise to Abraham (Gen 17:10-14). Why should it be any different in the first century?
But circumcision was not a part of Paul and Barney's trip to Cyprus and Asia. Non-Jews simply believed in the risen Jesus and were saved. No circumcision. No Mosaic Law. Now that they were back home, things had come to (ahem) a head.
Circumcision was a HUGE issue in these important early years of the church. It was central point of Paul's teaching and letters. It's the entire focus of his epistle to the church at Galatia (not coincidentally, the apostle wrote that letter in this same time frame). The apostle wrote to the Philippians, "Look out for the dogs, look out for evil doers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh" (Phil 3:2). He wrote to the Colossians that the followers of Jesus have indeed been circumcised, but it is a VERY different circumcision. "In Him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ" (Col 2:11).
As a result of the debate over the "Gentile Problem" in Antioch, the church decides to send Paul, Barnabas and representatives of the circumcision crowd to Jerusalem (v2). They need to get a ruling from the home office. They will present their case and hear it straight from the mouths of the apostles and elders of the church in Jerusalem
There is an enormous reminder here against adding anything to salvation in Jesus. He has invited us to come to Him and to follow Him. As Tullian Tchividjian says, "Jesus plus anything is nothing. Jesus plus nothing is everything." It's the NEW math of the Gospel. There is nothing required to be saved except Jesus. No circumcision. No works. Jesus. That's it.
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