[The posts which follow make extensive use of The Acts of the Apostles, by Madame Cecilia, (Religious of St Andrew's Convent, Streatham), with an Imprimi potest dated 16 October 1907 (Westminster); Burns, Oates & Washbourne Ltd. (London). With grateful prayers for the author and her team:
REQUIEM æternam dona eis, Domine, et lux perpetua luceat eis. Requiescant in pace. Amen.ETERNAL rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace. Amen.]
Acts XV : 1-5
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| Moses. J-J Tissot. 1896-1904 Jewish museum. NY. |
[2] And when Paul and Barnabas had no small contest with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain others of the other side, should go up to the apostles and priests to Jerusalem about this question.
[3] They therefore being brought on their way by the church, passed through Phenice, and Samaria, relating the conversion of the Gentiles; and they caused great joy to all the brethren.
[4] And when they were come to Jerusalem, they were received by the church, and by the apostles and ancients, declaring how great things God had done with them.
[5] But there arose some of the sect of the Pharisees that believed, saying: They must be circumcised, and be commanded to observe the law of Moses.
[1] Et quidam descendentes de Judaea, docebant fratres : Quia nisi circumcidamini secundum morem Moysi, non potestis salvari. [2] Facta ergo seditione non minima Paulo et Barnabae adversus illos, statuerunt ut ascenderent Paulus, et Barnabas, et quidam alii ex aliis ad Apostolos et presbyteros in Jerusalem super hac quaestione. [3] Illi ergo deducti ab ecclesia pertransibant Phoenicen et Samariam, narrantes conversionem gentium : et faciebant gaudium magnum omnibus fratribus. [4] Cum autem venissent Jerosolymam, suscepti sunt ab ecclesia, et ab Apostolis, et senioribus annuntiantes quanta Deus fecisset cum illis. [5] Surrexerunt autem quidam de haeresi pharisaeorum, qui crediderunt, dicentes : Quia oportet circumcidi eos, praecipere quoque servare legem Moysi.
Notes
1. some coming down. Codex D and the Syriac Version add, “ of those who believed of the sect of the Pharisees.”
According to Epiphanius and St Jerome, these judaizers were under the leadership of Cerinthus, who was afterwards connected with the sect of the Ebionites, who taught much the same doctrines. This Cerinthus is said to have excited the brethren against St Peter for having received Cornelius into the Church, and to have attacked St Paul for not circumcising Titus (Gal. ii. 3).
St Paul speaks of these teachers as false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privately to spy our liberty, which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into servitude (Gal. ii. 4).
from Judea. From verse 24 we see that they had no commandment from the apostles, but the fact that they came from Jerusalem, the Mother Church, gave them a certain importance with the Christians of Antioch.
brethren. These consisted of Hellenistic, Hebrew, and Gentile converts. See ch. xi. 19-21.
except you he circumcised, etc. This rite carried with it an obligation to observe the Jewish Law. The circumcised man is a debtor to do the whole law (Gal. V. 3). No uncircumcised proselyte could partake of the Pasch (see Exod. xii. 43-48).
after the manner. Better, “the custom” (τῷ ἐφει) The same Greek word is rendered “traditions” in ch. vi. 14. These “customs” were observances based on the written Law, and practised by the Jew’s.
you cannot be saved. This doctrine concerning such a vital question was opposed to that taught by St Paul, and calculated to cause the greatest uneasiness among the Gentile converts.
2. no small contest. Lit. “opposition” or “sedition” (σατασεως). The Greek Codices add, “and questioning ” (ζητηςεως) The word here rendered “ contest ” is employed in classical Greek of a division between the aristocracy and the democracy. The judaizers urged their doctrines vehemently. The Bezan text adds here : “ For Paul said that they should so abide even as they had believed, vehemently affirming it.” The apostles were not divided in their opinions, as the sequel proves.
they determined, — i.e. the rulers of the church of Antioch.
Paul and Barnabas .... should go up, etc. This was the third recorded visit of St Paul to Jerusalem since his conversion, and is probably the one to which he refers in his epistle to the Galatians. The circumstances appear to be identical and the dates synchronize. The greater number of commentators hold that Acts xv. 2 and Gal. ii. 1 refer to the same visit. The annotations on this section are based on this hypothesis.
From Gal. ii. 2 we learn that St Paul went up by revelation. This command was either made known to him personally, and confirmed by the decision of the Church, or revealed to the church of Antioch by one of the prophets. St Luke does not mention this revelation, but of this incident, as in relating others, he gives the exterior history, whereas St Paul gives his personal experience, i.e. the internal circumstances. St Paul took Titus, Qn uncircumcised Greek convert, with him.
certain others of the other side. This must include the judaizers who had come from Jerusalem, and some Jewish converts of Aiit ioch who sympathized with them. Some of these judaizers had probably been fellow-students with St Paul at the feet of Gamaliel.
apostles and priests. This expression occurs five times in this chapter, viz. in verses 2, 4, 6, 22, 23, and each time the same Greek word (πρεςβυτεροι) is used. The Rheims Testament has ‘‘priests” or “ancients,” while the R.V. renders, more literally, “ancients.” From other passages, where the reference is manifestly to those who had received ordination (see supra, xiv. 22), we must infer that we are to understand here either “ bishops” or “ priests,” but we cannot tell which is intended. The apostles always take precedence. St Ignatius, in his epistle to the Trallians (ch. ii.), writes ; “ It is therefore necessary, whatsoever things ye do, to do nothing without the bishop.”
3. being brought on their way. The deputation was honourably conducted for some little distance on the journey, possibly as far as Seleucia, the port of Antioch. A few commentators explain this passage as meaning that the Church defrayed their expenses, but the former explanation is more generally adopted. It was customary to accompany travellers for a short distance as a mark of esteem and affection (see infra, XX. 38, xxi. 5). Compare this with our custom of “ seeing people off.”
through Phenice and Samaria. They sailed from Seleucia to Tyre or Cesarea. At one of these ports they disembarked and took the road that led through Samaria. If they travelled by land the whole distance, they must have halted at Berytus, Tyre, and Sidon, where there were also disciples.
relating the conversion, etc. On their journey, the travellers passed several Christian communities, and especially in Samaria, where Philip had evangelized so successfully (see supra^ viii, 5-12). These converts, not having previously been recognized as true Jews, and never having practised the observances of the ceremonial Law, had a special interest in the question which was to be discussed in Jerusalem.
caused great joy. The whole sympathies of the brethren were with the apostles, not with the judaizers.
4. they were received, etc. There was a solemn reception of the brethren from Antioch, many of whom were known personally to the Judean Christians (see supra, xi. 19).
declaring how great things etc. The general account of their work preceded the formal gathering of the apostles and ancients.
with them (μετ' αὐτων). God not only worked through His ministers, but co-operated with them.
5. But there arosce etc. These words belong to St Luke's narration, and not to the account rendered by St Paul and Barnabas. These were probably some of the “false teachers” who had disturbed the church of Antioch, but others of this sect were to be found in the church in Jerusalem.
Note.— After the first welcome given to the apostles and their companions, when St Paul and Barnabas gave an account of their work, we must place the private interview of St Paul and Barnabas with St Peter, St James, and St John, on which occasion these three apostles formally approved of St Paul's mission to the Gentiles, and gave him the right hands of fellowship (Gal. ii. 9).
St Paul thus refers to his call to the apostleship
(1) Paul, an apostle, not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead (Gal. i. 1).
(2) For I give you to understand, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. For neither did I receive it of man, nor did I learn it; but by the revelation of Jesus Christ (Gal. i. 11-12).
Totus tuus ego sum
Et omnia mea tua sunt;
Tecum semper tutus sum:
Ad Jesum per Mariam.
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