acts 15

Read Acts 15 at Bible Gateway.

Acts 15:1-33 chiastic structure:

1a) Act 15:1-2a, The false word from men discouraged the brethren and sowed discord;

1 And certain men came down from Judea and taught the brethren, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.” 2 Therefore, when Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and dispute with them;

1b) Act 15:2b-4, Antioch sends to Jerusalem;

1a) Act 15:2b, They determined that Paul and Barnabas and certain others of them should go up to Jerusalem, to the apostles and elders, about this question;
1b) Act 15:3a, So, being sent on their way by the church;
central axis) Act 15:3b, They passed through Phoenicia and Samaria, describing the conversion of the Gentiles;
2b) Act 15:3c, And they caused great joy to all the brethren;
2a) Act 15:4, And when they had come to Jerusalem, they were received by the church and the apostles and the elders; and they reported all things that God had done with them;

1c) Act 15:5 But some of the sect of the Pharisees who believed rose up, saying, “It is necessary to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses;”

1d) Act 15:6-7a, Now the apostles and elders came together to consider this matter. 7 And when there had been much dispute;

1e) Act 15:7b-11, Peter’s answer;

7b Peter rose up and said to them: “Men and brethren, you know that a good while ago God chose among us, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe. 8 So God, who knows the heart, acknowledged them by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He did to us, 9 and made no distinction between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith. 10 Now therefore, why do you test God by putting a yoke on the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? 11 But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved in the same manner as they;”

1f) Act 15:12a, Then all the multitude kept silent;

central axis) Act 15:12b, And listened to Barnabas and Paul declaring how many miracles and wonders God had worked through them among the Gentiles;

2f) Act 15:13a, And after they had become silent;

2e) Act 15:13b-18, James’ answer;

13b James answered, saying, “Men and brethren, listen to me: 14 Simon has declared how God at the first visited the Gentiles to take out of them a people for His name. 15 And with this the words of the prophets agree, just as it is written: 16 ‘After this I will return And will rebuild the tabernacle of David, which has fallen down; I will rebuild its ruins, And I will set it up; 17 So that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord, Even all the Gentiles who are called by My name, Says the Lord who does all these things.’ 18 “Known to God from eternity are all His works;

2d) Act 15:19-20, Therefore I judge that we should not trouble those from among the Gentiles who are turning to God, 20 but that we write to them to abstain from things polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from things strangled, and from blood;

2c) Act 15:21, For Moses has had throughout many generations those who preach him in every city, being read in the synagogues every Sabbath;”

2b) Act 15:22-33, Jerusalem sends to Antioch;

1a) Act 15:22, 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;
1b) Act 15:23, 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;
1c) Act 15:24a, 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;”
1d) Act 15:24b, —to whom we gave no such commandment—;
central axis) Act 15:25-27, 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;
2d) Act 15:28, For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things;
2c) Act 15:29a, 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;
2b) Act 15:29b, Farewell;
2a) Act 15:30-33, The men chosen sent to Antioch to deliver the apostles’ decision, and returned;

1a) Act 15:30, So when they were sent off, they came to Antioch; and when they had gathered the multitude together, they delivered the letter;
1b) Act 15:31, When they had read it, they rejoiced over its encouragement;
central axis) Act 15:32a, Now Judas and Silas, themselves being prophets also;
2b) Act 15:32b, Exhorted and strengthened the brethren with many words;
2a) Act 15:33, And after they had stayed there for a time, they were sent back with greetings from the brethren to the apostles;

2a) Act 15:31-32, The word from God encouraged, exhorted, and strengthened the brethren;

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.

The structure highlights that the dispute was not whether the Gentiles should keep the Law of Moses, which the Jewish believers were already doing, but that, the do the Gentiles need to keep the Law in order to be saved (vs. 1). Peter reiterates that the question they were discussing was about what was necessary to be saved, in vs. 11.

acts 15, the jerusalem council and torah

The central axis highlights the miracles that took place in the power of the Spirit among the Gentiles. The Spirit of God bears witness that the word being spoken is of Him, by the miraculous signs which accompany it. The same is true of Jesus when He came doing mighty works in the power of the Spirit. So we should not despise miraculous signs and wonders or the gifts of power, because it is they by which the Spirit says “Amen” to our gospel!

The structure also highlights that the word of prophecy, the word of the Lord, brings encouragement, exhortation, and strength to the brethren. But, the question is often asked, what if a person or body of believers is in sin, shouldn’t a word of prophecy bring rebuke and correction? I don’t know about you, but my experience with God throughout my 50+ years, has been that when He brings correction, He does so in the spirit of encouragement and exhortation. The way He corrects, strengthens. He corrects without condemnation or criticism (the apostle says it is without reproach, Jam 1:5). Only the spiritually mature may bring correction, and then only in a spirit of gentleness, which is the fruit of the Lord’s own Spirit (Gal 6:1, Gal 5:22-23). The foolish see what is wrong with everyone else, but the wise know what is wrong with themselves, and in humility keep silent (Mat 7:3-5). It may be that the Lord is calling you to bring a word of rebuke or correction. But if it were me, I would take my time in fasting and prayer first, to be sure it was truly of the Lord, and to be sure that the rebuke was coming from a place of gentleness and wisdom instead of a place of pride or foolishness, as it so often does, to our shame. ♥