성경 주석서

Acts 15:1-4 Great dissensions arise about circumcising the

Gentiles: Paul and Barnabas are sent to consult the

apostles and elders at Jerusalem.

Acts 15:5,6 The matter is debated in a council there,

Acts 15:7-11 Peter declareth his opinion.

Acts 15:12 Paul and Barnabas report the miracles they had

wrought among the Gentiles.

Acts 15:13-21 James pronounceth sentence in favour of the Gentiles,

requiring of them abstinence only in a few

particulars.

Acts 15:22-35 Letters are sent with the determination by messengers

to the churches, which are received with joy.

Acts 15:36-41 Paul and Barnabas propose to visit together the

churches they had planted, but disagree, and travel

different ways.

Certain men; these were such as did pretend to believe, but were false brethren; some think Cerinthus to have been of them.

The brethren; the Gentiles who were converted unto the faith of Christ, or Proselytes of the gate (as they were called) who were not circumcised, and now professing the true faith. These the pharisaical professors would have excluded from any hopes of salvation, although circumcision was not commanded but unto the posterity of Abraham, Genesis 17:10-13, and Abraham himself was justified before he was circumcised, Romans 4:10.

After the manner of Moses; according unto the law of Moses: for God by him did renew and establish that ordinance unto that people, although it was long before his time both commanded and practised, John 7:22.

Paul, that meek apostle, who was willing to become all things unto all men, yet he enters into a holy war with them that would introduce circumcision into the Christian church; because,

1. He would have no works of the law to be an ingredient into our salvation; but the free grace of God in Christ to be all in all.

2. That our freedom from all the ceremonial law, acquired by the death of Christ, might not be diminished.

3. That the spreading of the gospel might not be hindered, but that Christ might be accepted and honoured amongst all. Now if circumcision had been retained, it would have kept possession for all the other ceremonies to have continued, or re-entered, there being the same reason for the one as for the other, and the circumcised person was obliged by his circumcision to observe them all, Galatians 5:3,4.

They determined; the church at Antioch, where this controversy was moved.

Unto the apostles; James, Peter, and John who are thought to have been then at Jerusalem, the rest being probably gone to preach Christ in other parts.

Brought on their way by the church; the brethren or believers of Antioch, out of respect, went part of the way with them; as also thereby showing, that Paul and Barnabas did not go upon their own business or mind only, and that there was no dissension betwixt them and the church there.

The conversion of the Gentiles; it is a conversion or turning indeed from error to truth, from impurity to holiness; that is, from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto the ever living God, Acts 26:18.

They caused great joy unto all the brethren; nothing more rejoices a good man, than the bringing of souls unto God, and the enlarging of the kingdom of Jesus Christ.

They were received of the church; they were owned with respect and thankfulness, for their great work and labour in the Lord’s vineyard.

All things that God had done with them: see Acts 14:27.

If these words be taken for St. Luke’s, the penman of this book, then they declare, that in the church of Jerusalem there were some that did abet the opinion of the necessity of circumcision; but if, (as most probably we may), we take them for the words of St. Paul, they then are part of his narrative to the church there, of what had happened at Antioch.

The sect of the Pharisees; these Pharisees were a sect amongst the Jews, (so called from vrp separavit, and may be Englished, separatists), separating from converse with others, by reason of an opinion they had of their own holiness, Luke 18:11.

The apostles and elders, unto whom Paul and Barnabas were sent about the decision of this question, Acts 15:2,

came together for to consider of this matter; they had been informed of it, and now they met to deliberate about it.

Much disputing; they argued on both sides, and considered what might be said for either opinion: some of them that met here seem at first to have been for the retaining of circumcision; for we know but in part, and from the collision of adverse parties such sparks fly out, that many a man hath lighted his candle at them.

A good while ago; from the beginning of our having received our commission to preach, as Matthew 28:19; or more particularly, from the time of Cornelius’s conversion, Acts 10:22 11:12, which is thought to have been about fourteen or fifteen years before, that Peter preached Christ, by the command of God, unto the Gentiles.

Which knoweth the hearts; God knew the desires of the Gentiles, that they did sincerely desire to please God, and to see this salvation. This great attribute David improved, 1 Chronicles 29:17, and highly recommended his son Solomon to consider of, 1 Chronicles 28:9; which, if believed, would make us also to serve God with a perfect heart and a willing mind. Giving them the Holy Ghost; God himself was a witness for these Gentiles beyond all exception, when he gave them the ordinary and extraordinary gifts of the Holy Ghost; by which he testified, that they belonged to Christ, whose Spirit this was. Thus the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy, Revelation 19:10; and the Spirit, according to our Saviour’s promise, John 15:26, doth testify of him.