22 Then it pleased the apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas, namely, Judas who was also named Barsabas, and Silas, leading men among the brethren. 23 They wrote this letter by them: The apostles, the elders, and the brethren, To the brethren who are of the Gentiles in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia: Greetings. 24 Since we have heard that some who went out from us have troubled you with words, unsettling your souls, saying, “You must be circumcised and keep the law”—to whom we gave no such commandment—25 it seemed good to us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, 26 men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 27 We have therefore sent Judas and Silas, who will also report the same things by word of mouth. 28 For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things: 29 that you abstain from things offered to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell.
Commentary
Vs. 22 “Then it pleased the apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas, namely, Judas who was also named Barsabas, and Silas, leading men among the brethren.”
With their decision settled, and the Jerusalem decree written, the Apostles and elders at Jerusalem now ask the Apostles Paul and Barnbas to return to Antioch with it, and to take with them some chosen men from their assembly who would also verify their decision, amongst whom are mentioned two leading men, Judas also called Barsabas, and Silas who will later accompany the Apostle Paul’s on his many of his evangelistic and missionary endeavors. On a side note, Paul refers to Silas as Silvanus in (1 Thess. 1:1; 2Thess. 2:1).
Vs. 23-29 23 They wrote this letter by them: The apostles, the elders, and the brethren, To the brethren who are of the Gentiles in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia: Greetings. 24 Since we have heard that some who went out from us have troubled you with words, unsettling your souls, saying, “You must be circumcised and keep the law”—to whom we gave no such commandment—25 it seemed good to us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, 26 men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 27 We have therefore sent Judas and Silas, who will also report the same things by word of mouth. 28 For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things: 29 that you abstain from things offered to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell.
And so, the Apostles and elders at Jerusalem in returning the Apostles Paul and Barnabas to the church at Antioch also gave them this letter (vs. 23-29), in which they first refute those Jews who went out from their assembly and went to Antioch trying to put the Gentiles under Moses and the Law (vs. 23-24). Notice too that it is specifically addressed to the Gentiles who are in Antioch, Syria, Cilicia, basically every region where Gentile disciples had been made, or will be made, for there are no regional teachings or commandments in the N.T., that to apply to one assembly and not another. And so, they make it abundantly clear that neither the Holy Spirit, nor they, have ever commanded that anyone who has believed in the Lord Jesus Christ by God’s grace should ever be put back under Moses and the Law (vs. 24-28). Now, so as to restore the Apostles Paul and Barnbas’ reputations and authority there; for no doubt those who opposed them at Antioch said many things against them, and likely even used Paul’s past as a Pharisees and persecutor of the church to undermine him; they now strongly reaffirm them by saying that not only are Paul and Barnabas beloved by them, (and all the church there), but that they themselves have also risked their own lives for the Lord Jesus Christ and for the sake of the Gospel (vs. 26). Therefore, they are also sending to Antioch to two leading men from them, Judas and Silas, who will also report the same things by word of mouth to them (Vs. 27). Which should then silence anyone who would now dare speak against them. In concluding their openly penned letter to us all, the Apostles and elders now write some simple and poignant words, that every believer needs to re-read when those who also seek to trouble us try to confuse or complicate what is required of us, stating to every believer everywhere: 28 For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things: 29 that you abstain from things offered to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell. Vs. 28-30 No heavy burden then do they, or the Lord Jesus Christ lay upon us, rather we are simply to abide in His Word, and let His Spirit guide us through it! “For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.” Rom. 15:4
Scripture Quotations
New King James (1982):Thomas Nelson.
No comments:
Post a Comment