Combined Bible Commentary
Acts 15:20
See notes on verse 13
See notes on verse 13
ACTS 15:20 kai. th/j pornei,aj {A} See the preceeding comments....
Verse Acts 15:20. _BUT THAT WE WRITE UNTO THEM_] Four things are prohibited in this decree: 1. Pollutions of idols; 2. fornication; 3. things strangled; 4. blood. By the _first_, POLLUTIONS _of_...
THAT WE WRITE UNTO THEM - Expressing our judgment, or our views of the case. THAT THEY ABSTAIN - That they refrain from these things, or wholly avoid them. POLLUTIONS OF IDOLS - The word rendered “po...
CHAPTER 15 _ 1. The false teachers from Judea. Paul and Barnabas sent to Jerusalem (Acts 15:1)._ 2. The Council in Jerusalem (Acts 15:6). 3. The Result made known (Acts 15:22). 4. The Consolation b...
SPEECH OF JAMES. Who is this James? In Galatians 2:9 Paul tells us of the agreement he made with James and Cephas and John. James and John in this account are _prima facie_ to be taken as the two sons...
THE CRUCIAL PROBLEM (Acts 15:1-5) The influx of Gentiles into the Church produced a problem which had to be solved. The mental background of the Jew was founded on the fact that he belonged to the ch...
After they had been silent James replied, "Brothers, listen to me. Symeon has told you how God first made provision for the Gentiles, to take from them a people for his name, With this the words of th...
WRITE. Greek. _epistello._ Only here, Acts 21:25.Hebrews 13:22. ABSTAIN. Greek. mid. of _apecho._ This form occurs here, Act 15:29. 1 Thessalonians 4:3;...
_But that we write unto them_ The word is used primarily of a charge sent by a messenger, but also, as in Hebrews 13:22, is often used of what is sent by letter (and hence comes the English word _epis...
ἈΛΛᾺ ἘΠΙΣΤΕΙ͂ΛΑΙ ΑΥ̓ΤΟΙ͂Σ, _but that we write unto them_. ἐπιστέλλω is used primarily of a charge sent by a messenger, but also, as in Hebrews 13:22, is often used of what is sent by letter (and hence...
JAMES SUMS UP THE DISCUSSION, AND PRONOUNCES THE DECISION OF THE CHURCH ON THIS CONTROVERSY...
_AN ACCOUNT OF THE DISCUSSION ACTS 15:6-21:_ The church, with the apostles and elders, came together to discuss this problem concerning the Gentiles and the Law. Peter said that "God made choice among...
ΈΠΙΣΤΕΊΛΑΙ _aor. act. inf. от_ ΈΠΙΣΤΈΛΛΩ (G1989) посылать, отправлять к комул., наставлять. В папирусах обычно относится к отправлению письма или другого письменного сообщения, но в официальных докуме...
WHEREFORE MY SENTENCE IS, &C.— This passage, on which the critics have so much differed in sentiment, and written so much, may, I think, be thus paraphrased: "Wherefore I cannot but determine in my ow...
THE ELDERS AND APOSTLES MEET TO SETTLE THE DISPUTE. Acts 15:6-29 a. Peter's speech. Acts 15:6-11. Acts 15:6 And the apostles and the elders were gathered together to consider of this matter....
But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood. BUT THAT WE WRITE UNTO THEM, THAT THEY ABSTAIN FROM POLLUT...
18 James does not refer to the report of Barnabas and Paul, when he quotes Amo_9:11-12, but to Peter's address. The prophet, speaking of the time when the kingdom will be set up, refers to those among...
15:20 blood. (f-22) Or 'and of fornication, and of what is strangled, and of blood.'...
THE QUESTION OF CIRCUMCISION 1-35. The Council of Jerusalem, 49 a.d. The usual view is that Galatians 2:1 describes the visit of St. Paul to Jerusalem on the occasion of this Council. Adopting this, t...
St. James mentions four prohibitions: (1) pollutions of idols, (2) fornication, (3) eating the flesh of strangled animals, (4) eating blood. The object of these prohibitions was to render social inter...
GOOD NEWS FOR EVERYONE ACTS _MARION ADAMS_ CHAPTER 15 AN IMPORTANT MEETING IN *JERUSALEM, 15:1-21 V1 Some men came from *Judea to Antioch. They were teaching the *believers like this. ‘You must...
BUT THAT WE WRITE UNTO THEM. — The grounds on which the measure thus defined was proposed are not far to seek. (1) It was of the nature of a compromise. The Gentiles could not complain that the burden...
ἐπιστεῖλαι (Acts 21:25), Hebrews 13:22; the verb is used of a _written_ injunction, Westcott, _l. c._ (so Wendt here and in Acts 21:25, and so Klostermann), and so often in ecclesiastical writers; her...
A GENEROUS CONCLUSION Acts 15:12-21 When their turn came to speak, Paul and Barnabas contented themselves with emphasizing the signs and wonders by which God had set His seal on their words and metho...
In the work among Gentiles the question of circumcision very naturally arose, and its difficulty is revealed in the calling of a council. That council seems to have opened with much desultory discussi...
Resolving Conflict The matter was placed before the apostles and elders to be considered. Quite a discussion followed. Though Peter's actions were not always commendable, as when he dissembled in Anti...
But that we write unto them, that they abstain from (i) pollutions of idols, and [from] fornication, and [from] things strangled, and [from] blood. (i) From sacrifices, or from feasts which were kept...
Things strangled and from blood. In these prohibitions, the Church indulged the particular feelings of the Jews, that the bond of union between them and the Gentiles might be more closely united; the...
_“But to command them to abstain from things offered to idols, from fornication, strangulation, and blood.”_ We see here that the Jerusalem council of apostles and elders, _i. e_., the highest tribuna...
And the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter. (7) And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while...
We now enter on the missionary journeys, as they are called, of the apostle Paul. The work, under the Spirit, opens to the glory of the Lord. Not merely are Gentiles met in grace and brought into the...
− But here appeareth a manifest reason why they gave particular commandment concerning things offered to idols, blood, and that which was strangled. They were, indeed, of themselves things indifferent...
Chapter 15 contains the account of this. Certain persons come from Jerusalem, where all was still going on in connection with the requirements of the law; and they seek to impose these requirements on...
BUT THAT WE WRITE UNTO THEM,.... Or send an epistle to them, to this effect, concerning the following things: THAT THEY ABSTAIN FROM POLLUTIONS OF IDOLS; that is, from eating things offered to idols;...
But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and _from_ fornication, and _from_ things strangled, and _from_ blood. Ver. 20. _And from fornication_] Which is here reckoned...
_Wherefore my sentence_ My judgment in this matter; _is, that we trouble not_ With such observances as those now in question; _them which from among the Gentiles_ The ignorant and idolatrous Gentiles;...
POLLUTIONS OF IDOLS; from using meats offered in sacrifice to idols, or in any way conniving at idolatry. FORNICATION; a sin which was exceedingly common among the Gentiles, and against which they ne...
The proposal of James:...
BUT THAT WE WRITE UNTO THEM THAT THEY ABSTAIN FROM POLLUTIONS OF IDOLS, AND FROM FORNICATION, AND FROM THINGS STRANGLED, AND FROM BLOOD....
However, here at Antioch a matter arose of deeply serious significance, and it was clearly God's wisdom to have Paul and Barnabas there at the time. Men from Judea, professing the knowledge of Christ,...
BUT THAT WE WRITE TO THEM TO ABSTAIN FROM THINGS POLLUTED BY IDOLS, _FROM_ SEXUAL IMMORALITY, _FROM_ THINGS STRANGLED, AND _FROM_ BLOOD. 1. There are some things that pre-date the Law of Moses. Murde...
"But that we write to them": That is, put this in writing and clear up the matter. "This will leave no opportunity for the Judaizers to again misrepresent what Gentiles have to do to be saved, for the...
7-21 We see from the words "purifying their hearts by faith," and the address of St. Peter, that justification by faith, and sanctification by the Holy Ghost, cannot be separated; and that both are t...
THAT THEY ABSTAIN FROM POLLUTIONS OF IDOLS; EATING OF MEAT THAT WAS OFFERED TO IDOLS, as ACTS 15:29 in a case of scandal, and for the present state of the church, was forbid, though afterwards in othe...
Didache bear what thou art able; but against that which is sacrificed to idols[71] Recognitions of Clement IV And the things which pollute at once the soul and the body are these: to partake of the...
Acts 15:20 but G235 write G1989 (G5658) them G846 abstain G567 (G5733) from G575 polluted G234 idols...
“But that we write to them, that they abstain from the pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from what is strangled, and from blood. For Moses from generations of old has in every city those...
Acts 15:20. BUT THAT WE WRITE UNTO THEM, THAT THEY ABSTAIN FROM POLLUTIONS OF IDOLS, ETC. On the full meaning of the famous injunctions embodied in the decree of the Council, see Excursus at the end o...
BUT THAT WE WRITE UNTO THEM (αλλα επιστειλα αυτοις). By way of contrast (αλλα). First aorist active infinitive of επιστελλω, old verb to send to one (message, letter, etc.). Our word επιστλε (επιστο...
CONTENTS: The council at Jerusalem and the question of circumcision. Paul's second missionary journey. Silas chosen. CHARACTERS: God, Jesus, Holy Spirit, Moses, Paul, Barnabas, apostles, elders, Phar...
Acts 15:1. _Certain men which came down from Judea._ Epiphanius says, Cerinthus the heretic was one of the principals in this dissension. But they were, no doubt, of the devil's sending, to disquiet t...
We SHOULD write A LETTER. Four things are mentioned, all of which were common practices in the Gentile world. FOOD THAT IS UNCLEAN. _Johnson_ thinks this includes everything that went into the worship...
_And after they had held their peace, James answered._ THE DECISION OF THE COUNCIL This was a crisis in the history of the Church. The greatest disasters might have befallen it at this critical time....
_And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised … ye cannot be saved._ DISTURBERS OF THE CHURCH I. Certain men came down from Judea. 1. Probably...
ACTS—NOTE ON ACTS 15:1 The Jerusalem Council. A conference was held in Jerusalem (c. A.D. 48 or 49) to discuss conditions for Gentile membership in the church. The “Pharisaic” group in the Jerusalem c...
ACTS—NOTE ON ACTS 15:12 When some apostles had begun to leave Jerusalem for a wider witness, the Jerusalem leadership was continued by others. Jesus’ brother James had a prominent role (see Acts 12:17...
ACTS—NOTE ON ACTS 15:19 James agreed with Peter that they should not TROUBLE the Gentiles with the ritual laws. But he knew that Gentile Christians would have contact with Jewish Christians who still...
_HOMILETICAL ANALYSIS_.—_Acts 15:6_ The Council at Jerusalem; or, the Circumcision Controversy Settled I. THE COMPOSITION OF THE COUNCIL.— 1. The _apostles_. The twelve; Paul not yet included in the...
EXPOSITION ACTS 15:1 _Came down … and taught _for _which came down_ …_ taught, _A.V.; _saying _for _and said, _A.V._; custom _(ἔθος) for _manner, _A.V. EXCEPT YE BE CIRCUMCISED, etc. The question t...
And certain men which came down from Judea [to the church in Antioch] taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved (Acts 15:1). Unfortunately,...
1 Corinthians 10:20; 1 Corinthians 10:28; 1 Corinthians 5:11; 1 Corinthians 6:13;...
Write [ε π ι σ τ ε ι λ α ι]. Originally, to send to, as a message; hence, by letter. The kindred noun ejpistolh, whence our epistle, means, originally, anything sent by a messenger. Letter is a second...
THE PLAN AND PURPOSE OF GOD Acts 15:13 INTRODUCTORY WORDS We are once more back in Jerusalem in attendance at the council called by the Church at Jerusalem to consider the demands of certain from t...
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...
Does this passage indicate that it is a sin to receive a blood transfusion? PROBLEM: The ability of modern medicine to sustain life by blood transfusion is a common practice that has no doubt been us...