Acts 15:1
Coming down from Judea — Perhaps to supply what they thought Paul and Barnabas had omitted.... [ Continue Reading ]
Coming down from Judea — Perhaps to supply what they thought Paul and Barnabas had omitted.... [ Continue Reading ]
They (the brethren) determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain others should go up to Jerusalem about this question — This is the journey to which St. Paul refers, Galatians 2:1, when he says he went up by revelation: which is very consistent with this; for the Church in sending them might be di... [ Continue Reading ]
They were received — That is solemnly welcomed.... [ Continue Reading ]
But certain Pharisees — For even believers are apt to retain their former turn of mind, and prejudices derived therefrom. The law of Moses — The whole law, both moral and ritual.... [ Continue Reading ]
After much debate — It does not appear that this was among the apostles themselves. But if it had, if they themselves had debated at first, yet might their final decision be from an unerring direction. For how really soever they were inspired, we need not suppose their inspiration was always so inst... [ Continue Reading ]
God bare them witness — That he had accepted them, by giving them the Holy Ghost.... [ Continue Reading ]
Purifying — This word is repeated from Acts 10:15; their hearts — The heart is the proper seat of purity; by faith — Without concerning themselves with the Mosaic law.... [ Continue Reading ]
Now therefore — Seeing these things are so: why tempt ye God? — Why do ye provoke him to anger, by putting so heavy a yoke on their neck?... [ Continue Reading ]
The Lord Jesus — He does not here say our Lord; because in this solemn place he means the Lord of all, we — Jews, shall be saved even as they — Gentiles, namely, through the grace of the Lord Jesus, not by our observance of the ceremonial law.... [ Continue Reading ]
Miracles and wonders — By which also what St. Peter had said was confirmed.... [ Continue Reading ]
Simon hath declared — James, the apostle of the Hebrews, calls Peter by his Hebrew name. To take out of them a people for his name — That is to believe in him, to be called by his name.... [ Continue Reading ]
To this agree — St. Peter had urged the plain fact, which St. James confirms by Scripture prophecy. The words of the prophets — One of whom is immediately cited.... [ Continue Reading ]
After this — After the Jewish dispensation expires. I will build again the fallen tabernacle of David — By raising from his seed the Christ, who shall build on the ruins of his fallen tabernacle a spiritual and eternal kingdom. Amos 9:11.... [ Continue Reading ]
The Gentiles on whom my name is called — That is, who are called by my name; who are my people.... [ Continue Reading ]
Known unto God are all his works from eternity — Which the apostle infers from the prophecy itself, and the accomplishment of it. And this conversion of the Gentiles being known to him from eternity, we ought not to think a new or strange thing. It is observable, he does not speak of God's works in... [ Continue Reading ]
To abstain from fornication — Which even the philosophers among the heathens did not account any fault. It was particularly frequent in the worship of their idols, on which account they are here named together. And from things strangled — That is, from whatever had been killed, without pouring out t... [ Continue Reading ]
Perhaps the connection is, To the Jews we need write nothing on these heads; for they hear the law continually.... [ Continue Reading ]
With the whole Church — Which therefore had a part therein; to send chosen men — Who might put it beyond all dispute, that this was the judgment of the apostles and all the brethren.... [ Continue Reading ]
Writing thus, and sending it by their hand — The whole conduct of this affair plainly shows that the Church in those days had no conception of St. Peter's primacy, or of his being the chief judge in controversies. For the decree is drawn up, not according to his, but the Apostle James's proposal and... [ Continue Reading ]
Forasmuch as, &c. — The simplicity, weightiness, and conciseness of this letter are highly observable.... [ Continue Reading ]
Men that have hazarded their lives — This is spoken of Paul and Barnabas.... [ Continue Reading ]
Who will tell you the same things — Which we have written.... [ Continue Reading ]
These necessary things — All of these were necessary for that time. But the first of them was not necessary long; and the direction concerning it was therefore repealed by the same Spirit, as we read in the former Epistle to the Corinthians.... [ Continue Reading ]
Blood — The eating which was never permitted the children of God from the beginning of the world. Nothing can be clearer than this. For, 1. From Adam to Noah no man ate flesh at all; consequently no man then ate blood. 2. When God allowed Noah and his posterity to eat flesh, he absolutely forbade th... [ Continue Reading ]
Paul and Barnabas abode in Antioch — And it was during this time that Peter came down from Jerusalem, and that St. Paul withstood him to the face, for separating himself from the Gentiles, Galatians 2:11, &c.... [ Continue Reading ]
Let us go and visit the brethren in every city where we have preached — This was all that St. Paul designed at first; but it was not all that God designed by his journey, whose providence carried him much farther than he intended. And see how they do — How their souls prosper: how they grow in faith... [ Continue Reading ]
Barnabas counselled to take John — His kinsman.... [ Continue Reading ]
But Paul thought it not right — To trust him again, who had deserted them before: who had shrunk from the labour and danger of converting those they were now going to confirm.... [ Continue Reading ]
And there was a sharp contention — Literally, a paroxysm, or fit of a fever. But nothing in the text implies that the sharpness was on both sides. It is far more probable that it was not; that St. Paul, who had the right on his side, as he undoubtedly had,) maintained it with love. And Barnabas taki... [ Continue Reading ]
But Paul departed — Held on his intended course: being recommended by the brethren to the grace of God — We do not find that Barnabas stayed for this. O how mighty is the grace of God! which in the midst of the world, in the midst of sin, among so many snares of Satan, and in spite of the incredible... [ Continue Reading ]