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Acts 15 - The Council of Jerusalem
This week's notes give us the chance to have a meaty Bible study and discussion.
Acts 15 The Jerusalem Council - a key moment in the book of Acts and the mission of the church
Questions to aid us in seeking a contemporary message from these verses in Acts:
Q.1 what function does this story hold within the larger whole of the Book of Acts?
(As summary of what has gone before - pause to reflect on decisions made etc.)
Q.2 Does the deliberation of the council change the direction of the church’s mission or its theological basis?
Read Acts 14:27-15:5
Overview - 2 Conflicts:
1. in Antioch - individuals from Judea protesting against the conversion of uncircumcised Gentiles - can’t be saved without circumcision
(how portrayed by Luke? - extreme and unauthorised - see e.g. Acts 15:24)
(Paul describes these Judaizers elsewhere - e.g. Rom 16:17-20; Gal 2:11-14; Phil 3:2; 18-19)
Jewish tradition that rite of circumcision is central to public identity of a covenant people (Maccabean revolt 2 centuries before)
expected of proselytes
however, more liberal diaspora communities wouldn’t always practise circumcision - Paul reflecting some of this teaching in talking about circumcision of the heart
First Jerusalem Council - Acts 11 - tacit agreement to conversion of uncircumcised Cornelius; therefore these Jewish protesters act without any authority
Day of Pentecost - Peter - quoting Joel - everyone who ‘calls on the name of the Lord will be saved’ - faith
Protests of certain Jewish believers are threatening their membership within the restored Israel of God
Response of congregation is to form a delegation to discuss the question with the apostles and elders - corporate solidarity
2. Second protest of Pharisaic members of Jerusalem church - not dismissed as unwarranted but given consideration by the leaders.
Pharisaic protest in Judea concerns circumcision as part of the halakhic (ethical norms for daily life)
Pharisees commitment to community’s purity before a Holy God and within a profane world - looking for an ‘official’ interpretation
‘it is necessary’ - divine necessity
their concern is more about sociology (being part of God’s covenant people) than soteriology (how you get saved)
Read Peter’s words: Acts 15:7-12
Overview:
Peter asserts that the church’s mission to uncircumcised Gentiles is God’s ‘choice’ - i.e. fulfilling God’s redemptive purposes
+ (v7) hearing and believing the preached gospel = principle means by which divine purpose is achieved
i.e. ‘divine necessity’ requirement is heartfelt response that only God need detect
Peter earlier criticized for having table fellowship with uncircumcised gentiles
True circumcision is of the heart (Lev 26:41, Deut 10:16, 30:6, Jer 4:4, 9:26, Ezek 44:7-9)
Prophecy of age of ‘new covenant’ of the heart (Jer 31:33)
Peter’s conclusion and the issue of purity of a Jewish social identity within an inclusive faith community
- subtlety of reliance on good works instead of trusting faithful God to save them
15:12 - connection with Acts 2:22 - Peter’s point is that God’s election of him to carry gospel to gentiles is now also consummated by prophetic work done through Paul and Barnabas
signs and wonders testifying to God’s work through them...
- full meaning of God’s prophecy
Read James’s verdict Acts 15:13-29
Overview:
Matter now concerning the council is the potentially damaging effects that Gentile converts could have on repentant Jews
v14 Gentiles share in equal measure the blessings of Israel’s salvation from a God who is impartial
Mission among pagans carried risk that Gentiles would become believers without altering their idolatrous habits and thereby defile believing Jews
Straightforward halakhah - God’s intention is to purify the hearts of non-proselyte Gentiles
BUT boundaries! v20, also v29 and 21:25
Gentile pagan practices:
1) things polluted by idols - food offered in pagan temples,contaminated by contact with idol worship
2) sexual immorality - probably referring here to temple prostitutes
3) and 4) food laws [kinds of food and their preparation] relevant to table fellowship often broken during pagan feast days
Leviticus 17-18 read aloud every Sabbath in the synagogues.
About behaviour of ‘resident aliens’ whose practices can subvert and defile the people’s covenant relationship with God
James offers guidelines to ensure that Christian fellowship in the mixed congregations of Paul’s urban mission will nurture faith rather than contaminate it.
Point made by James from the scripture citation: the same Scripture that claims them for God also requires their behaviour to express their identity as God’s people
Letter:
v28 good interpetation of Scripture must enjoy consensus that includes the Holy Spirit!
v29 exhortation - reciprocity in covenant relationship
Believers’ response:
strengthened
rejoicing
follow-up ministry - mature leaders helping rank-and-file believers to work through the implications of this teaching
Discuss the following: (brief notes and application questions are provided)
1. missional engagement with culture without compromising core beliefs and values
Key questions:
what are we asking of people wanting to be part of our faith community?
How can our mission as a Christian fellowship nurture faith rather than being contaminated by sin?
what are our idols and how can they get into the church community and pollute our faith, followership and community life?
2. As the church community consider what to do in this situation, how is a) their experience and b) God’s words in the Scriptures applied by them to inform their response?
James’s verdict 15:13-29
Evaluation of experience, requiring it to be ‘read’ by Scripture
Finding the experience as a theological norm in scripture
matter now concerning the council is the potentially damaging effects that Gentile converts could have on repentant Jews
Real worry is over practices to do with pagan temples - what does the Old Testament say?
James’s quotation from Amos + bit of Jeremiah and bit of Isaiah (v16,17)
Joel - salvation of the nations (quoted in Acts 2 at Pentecost)
Leviticus 17-18 - guidelines for table fellowship with ‘resident aliens’, safeguarding against the nations’ abominations polluting Israel
How good are we personally/corporately at undertaking this type of prayerful review in relation to living as a Christian in London in 2009?
3. Theology: what does the passage underline about soteriology (how we are saved) and sociology (being part of a social group) in relation to an increasingly mixed church of Jew and Gentile?
How have we sometimes begun to attribute our Christian status to what we do rather than to what Jesus has done?
How can idolatry begin to pollute our community life and as we undertake mission to our neighbours what can we do to ensure that our fellowship nurtures faith rather than becoming contaminated by sin
4. Response of church community to a challenging situation, with need for ‘official’ guidelines.
What elements of strong and spiritual leadership helped to create such a good outcome?
- unofficial and extreme protesters not given a democratic opportunity to air their views!
- genuine, good questions given a lot of public consideration
- time taken to review their experiences and decisions to see whether they were beneficial and lining up with Scripture
- Scripture interpreted rather than being taken at face value
- change in culture not ignored, but God’s main thing remains the main thing
- well-written letter with balance of exhortation, justification and authority
- follow-up ministry undertaken to assist the rank-and-file believers with the challenge of being part of a mixed congregation
What skills do we need to develop in order to be able to lead others towards Jesus in our faith community?
[See Robert W. Wall, The Acts of the Apostles, commentary in The New Interpreter’s Bible series] |
Robin Plummer, 06/05/2009 |
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