Class 8 ~Church Council

Dissension, Discussion, Decision

HOMEWORKTrue or False:

Paul and Titus went to the Council of Jerusalem.

True

Galatians 2:1

Acts 14:28 -15:4

• Acts 14:28 “And they spent a considerable time with the disciples”

• From autumn 46 AD to 49 AD –three years Paul spent with the church in Antioch

• Transition from the conflicts of the disciples with the unbelieving world to one as serious amongst themselves.

Saul, the Hebrew of Hebrews• Born Saul in the City of Tarsus around 2-5 AD• Tribe of Benjamin• Father a Pharisee and a Roman citizen.• Saul was his Hebrew name –also given the Latin name Paul.

Circumcised on the 8th day (Phil 3:5)• Went to Pharisaic Rabbinical school in Jerusalem to become a

Rabbi (a minister, teacher AND lawyer all in one) about 15 AD. Personally taught by Gamaliel and Saul became a Pharisee.

• When Jesus began his ministry, Saul was in his early 20’s (uncertain where he was –back in Tarsus? staying in Jerusalem? –we DO know that he was in Jerusalem as a prominent Pharisee when Stephen was martyred around 32 AD (He would have been in his late 20’s, wreaking havoc on the church)

Saul’s autobiography

• Galatians 1:11 -24• Converted in Damascus, 33 AD• Went to Arabia immediately –taught and trained by

Jesus? Keep in mind that three years in Arabia mirrors the time frame Jesus taught and trained with the 12 disciples

• 36 AD, went to Jerusalem and visited with Peter for 15 days (Acts 9:26-30)

• Sent home by the Leaders (Acts 9:30 –who else would the leaders have seen sent home by their Lord?)

• Advancing in Judaism beyond many Jews of my own age

• Extremely Zealous of the traditions of my fathers

Jewish Outlook on Zeal ~Heroes of Zeal

• Phineas

• Elijah –I Kings 18

• Maccabean Revolt –spirit of Elijah and Phinehas, violence as a demonstration of zeal for the Lord -168 BC against Syrian Atrocities –Mattathias and his sons, nicknamed the Maccabees.

PhinehasNumbers 25:1• The nation was under a plague

until Phinehas, grandson of Aaron, acted.

• “Phinehas has turned back My wrath from the Israelites because he was zealous for My zeal, so that I did not destroy the Israelites in My zeal. Therefore declare: I grant him my covenant of peace.” Numbers 25:11-12

• Pretty messy scene…to have zeal…

• But, zeal was an atoning action.

ElijahI Kings 18

• The tribe of Gad• The Mount Carmel

Showdown, Elijah vs. 450 prophets of Baal and 400 prophets of Asherah

• After God’s victory, Elijah slaughters the prophets of Baal -450 people! (maybe 850 unless the 400 prophets of Asherah escaped back to Jezebel)

• At the Wadi Kishon –the spring ran red with blood.

Jewish Outlook on Zeal ~ Deuteronomy 13:1-5

• If a prophet or someone who has dreams arises among you…

• That prophet or dreamer must be put to death, because he has urged rebellion against the LORD your God …

• Arguably, they had more Scriptural basis for persecuting the Nazarene sect than they did for the Maccabean Revolt (against the Syrian Empire in 168 BC, not from among you).

Saul ~ from Pharisee Zealot to Apostle to the Gentiles

• Galatians 1:14 –extremely zealous for the traditions of my ancestors.

• Surely Saul remembered the scroll of Deuteronomy when he viewed the Nazarene sect before his conversion.

• Now he would leave the Pharisaic influences of Zeal for the gospel of Christ Gal 4:18 “Zeal is fine, if the purpose is good”

• Also I Tim 1:13 –”I acted in ignorance and unbelief”• He had the advantage of empathy and the gravitas of his

background to justify his mission and conviction –IMO a Gentile (or even a nominal Jew –Peter, James?) would not have been able to stand up to these elements and still maintain a unity (however shaky, as we’ll see when he returns to Jerusalem later in Acts)

• But not everybody would leave these convictions?

State of the Movement, 49 AD• 19 years since Pentecost • 9 years since Cornelius• 5 years since the First Missionary Journey

–Gentile converts coming into the church• The Judean churches between Antioch and

Jerusalem were very positive about the conversion of Gentiles

• Acts 15:5 ~The position of the believers who belonged to the “party of the Pharisees” There was an element in the church who supported strict adherence to the Law of Moses within this new Jewish sect –It’s where they wanted the movement to go

• This created the sharp dispute with Paul –this was probably the time when Paul had the showdown with Peter as outlined in Galatians 2:11 –between 46 and 49 AD

• Fear of Change –Who would know that this would happen when they were converted in Acts 2 or Acts 5?…When we’re baptized the only thing that matters is “Jesus is Lord”, but do we count the costs of where that might “lead us” in our relationships and our faith?

Church Council -2 Accounts

• Acts 15:6-21 • Galatians 2:1-10

Acts 15:6-21 Emphasis

• Peter –repeats his testimony from Acts 11:1-18• James quotes the prophet Amos to establish the

legitimacy of a Gentile ministry• James suggests the solution –the elder arguably

most sympathetic to the Pharisee position…• Note the Pharisees were not rebuked nor motive

impugned by the Council

James’ 3 Prohibitions

• Sexual Immorality –wrong before the law of Moses (Sodom & Gommorah, Joseph & Potiphar’s wife)

• Idols –wrong before the law of Moses (Pharoah and the golden calf in the desert)

• Food with the blood of strangled animals (Gen 9:4)

• Not the slightest extension of the law of Moses• It was now up to the Pharisee party to

obey/support the decision –Would they?

Galatians 2:1-10 Emphasis

• Paul sent in response to a REVELATION –God “called the council”

• Discussed privately with James, Peter and John.• From the perspective of four years later –Galatians

written 53 AD (after 2nd Missionary Journey), the Pharisee party, in whole or in part, were proven to be “false brothers”

• Also called “the circumcision group” (Gal 2:12)• Titus 2:10 –this group had devolved into a group of

several under the category of “rebellious” -“mere talkers and deceivers,” “dishonest gain”, minds and consciences “corrupted,” detestable, disobedient, and unfit for doing anything good” -63 AD

False Brothers• If it was possible to have a Simon Magus converted, certainly there

were those converts who were the Judaizing version of Simon (a hidden agenda) –consider the Parable of the Weeds (Matthew 13:25)

• Ironically, circumcision is not a covenant of the Mosaic Law = false doctrine

• It is a covenant of the Abrahamic relationship with God (Gen 17)

Abraham

Ishmael(Age 13)

Isaac(8 days)

Keturah’s SonsZimran, Jokshan, MedanMidian, Ishbak and Shuah

Jerusalem to Antioch

• Acts 15:22 -35• Judas Barsabbas

and Silas, leaders and prophets, join Paul, Barnabas (and Titus!)

Peer Pressure

• In their deepest religious sentiments and cultivated in their devotions was a national antipathy by the Jews toward the Gentile world. They were taught to be holy, set apart

• However, after the dispersion of the 12 tribes, the most successful Jews played offense with their faith, not defense.

• On offense, you are holy and an ambassador for Christ (2 Cor 5)

• On defense, you are a separatist, a hermit• Galatians 2:11 -14

Affect of the Circumcision Group

• To the Jews –hypocrisy and separatism

• To the Gentiles –false doctrines (all hail J!)

• CONCLUSION ~Galatians 2:15-20

• HOMEWORK –Read Acts 16