Acts 15:22-41
The Jerusalem Decree
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.
Continuing Ministry in Syria
30 So when they were sent off, they came to Antioch; and when they had gathered the multitude together, they delivered the letter. 31 When they had read it, they rejoiced over its encouragement. 32 Now Judas and Silas, themselves being prophets also, exhorted and strengthened the brethren with many words. 33 And after they had stayed there for a time, they were sent back with greetings from the brethren to the apostles.
34 However, it seemed good to Silas to remain there. 35 Paul and Barnabas also remained in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also.
Division over John Mark
36 Then after some days Paul said to Barnabas, "Let us now go back and visit our brethren in every city where we have preached the word of the Lord, and see how they are doing." 37 Now Barnabas was determined to take with them John called Mark.
38 But Paul insisted that they should not take with them the one who had departed from them in Pamphylia, and had not gone with them to the work. 39 Then the contention became so sharp that they parted from one another. And so Barnabas took Mark and sailed to Cyprus; 40 but Paul chose Silas and departed, being commended by the brethren to the grace of God. 41 And he went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.
Here is the record of a disagreement and a letter of intent for believers to follow as a sort of statement of faith regarding the keeping of the Law and the freedom in Christ. First is the letter clarifying the scriptural guidance and intent of the ceremonial Law in light of the moral Law of God. Clearly, the elders of the head church in Jerusalem sought the scriptures to see if these things brought by Paul and Barnabas were so (Acts 17:11) like the faithful in Berea later would follow by example in all matters of doctrine. The sovereign counsel of God had just moved the council of elders to determine that God in His sovereignty shows grace to release His people from the restrictive yoke of legalistic rules like the physical circumcision because the Lord cleanses the heart with the spiritual circumcision of Hos word and Spirit’s work in transforming lives. Then they wrote these things down in a letter to solidify the doctrine in a statement of the faith for all to read and for future reference as a spiritual precedent of understanding and as an interpretation of scripture based on scripture which is available for future reference by all believers to follow. This is why we have counsels, statements of faith, and written doctrine as a systematic set of guidelines to navigate the meaning and application of Scripture. This letter reiterated the requirements of the essential doctrines only, here concerning the need to avoid idolatry and immortality, as well as not eating sacrifices of blood in which the life (Genesis 9:4-5) was contained as both for their health and in recognition of the blood of Christ being the only sacrifice and life needed for them all. As we saw in the previous passage and explained more fully, the instructions were not to require the ceremonial Laws of Moses for salvation or living, but only the moral laws of God in the commandments summed up in loving God with all we are and have and loving our neighbors as we do for ourselves (Mark 12:30-31). The letter released the readers from keeping the Old Testament and old covenant requirement of physical circumcision because the intent all along was a cleansed heart circumcised by God’s Spirit applying His word to each one changed by Him (Romans 2:28-29) as long promised. Any further requirements would only be unnecessarily burdensome. The messengers of the gospel took this letter personally back to Antioch and made the hearers glad with relief and encouragement. After some time teaching and preaching the words of this life there, they returned to the churches they planted and taught previously to encourage them and see how they were gro in the Lord. However, there was a disagreement with taking John Mark because he had previously refused to go to the work in Pamphylia. This caused a sharp contention and resulted in a temporary division among the disciples which would later be healed in reconciling grace (2 Timothy 4:11) and continuing the work with him. Barnabas saw the good in John Mark and took him along while Paul cooled off and took Silas on a separate mission back through Syria and Cilicia to strengthen the churches they had started and encouraged before. There may be disagreements among us as to who does the work of the gospel and when, but there is always room for reconciliation in grace to work together. That is the lesson here in addition to sound doctrine clearly outlined as found in scripture and worked out together to follow, the pattern for clearly stated doctrine that is essential and reconciliation in grace with disagreements. Doctrine thruths and relational fellowship both matter.
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