| INTRODUCTION | | | | the pronoun tois, "those." An acceptable translation of |
| One of the largest riffs between Messianic Jews and | | | | this verse could be, "Wherefore I judge not to trouble |
| Gentile Christians is the nearly 2,000 year old argument | | | | those while they are turning from the Gentiles back to |
| about the Torah and its relationship to believers in | | | | God." This passage therefore should not be read as |
| Yeshua of Nazareth. The central matter is "What | | | | "those who have already turned back to God." |
| exactly did the Jerusalem Council in Acts 15 really | | | | The "For Moses" phrase in verse 21 is a conjunction |
| decide regarding the Torah?" The key scriptures to be | | | | that connects the four prohibitions in verse 20. It |
| investigated are Acts 15:19-21. This paper is akin to an | | | | provides the reason, explanation, and justification for |
| archaeological dig, set in Jerusalem, where a great | | | | these prohibitions. |
| artifact has been discovered. The desire of the | | | | Finally the word anaginoskomenos in the Present |
| archaeologists is to preserve what has been left | | | | Passive Participle Masculine Singular Nominative form |
| behind, protect the integrity of the find for future | | | | is translated "being read" which modifies the noun |
| learners, and interpret the meaning by examining the | | | | "Moses" and speaks specifically of the Torah. This is |
| object and its surroundings. Through analysis of the | | | | significant here. Daniel Lancaster states that the word |
| historical and literary context, translation, and exposition | | | | is typically used to signify public readings of the Torah |
| through observation and interpretation, this paper will | | | | in synagogue on the Sabbath (Lancaster, p. 815). |
| deliver an application for believers concerning the | | | | OBSERVATION AND INTERPRETAION |
| Torah's true place in the lives of those who belong to | | | | As a response to the men coming from Judea |
| Messiah. | | | | claiming that salvation comes from being circumcised |
| CONTEXT OF THE PASSAGE | | | | (verse 1), the Apostles and elders, in light of what God |
| Literary Context | | | | was doing with the Gentiles according to Paul and |
| It has been established from patristic tradition that the | | | | Barnabas (verse 12), decided to stop troubling the |
| author of Acts is Luke. The date of this scripture | | | | Gentiles with the yoke of Torah which has nothing to |
| varies from the early 60s, perhaps earlier, but certainly | | | | do with salvation. In contrast, the Jerusalem Council |
| before 70 C.E. Acts is Luke's sequel to The Gospel of | | | | decided to write to these God-fearing Gentiles and |
| Luke and both documents are addressed to a | | | | prohibit four things: idols, fornication, things strangled, and |
| Theophilus. Luke's preference for sequence and order | | | | blood. Why these four prohibitions? Dr. David Stern |
| remains true throughout Acts. While the first section of | | | | comments, "The requirements...were primarily practical |
| Acts is focused on Peter, Luke turns his attention in | | | | social requirements for fellowship between Jewish and |
| 12:25-16:5 to Paul and his encounters with various | | | | Gentile believers. A Gentile who did not immediately |
| Gentiles which contains the base section for this paper. | | | | observe all four prohibitions would so offend his Jewish |
| The book of Acts is unique in that it introduces over | | | | brothers in the faith that a spirit of community would |
| four hundred words that are not found anywhere else | | | | never be able to develop (Stern, p. 278)." These |
| in the New Testament. Furthermore, sixty of these | | | | changes in the Gentiles' behavior were necessary in |
| words only appear in Luke's Gospel, which also | | | | order to gain acceptance into the Jewish |
| introduces 250 words not found anywhere else in the | | | | congregations so that they could, eventually, learn the |
| New Testament (Elwell and Yarbrough, p. 212). | | | | Torah and live it out. |
| Suppose, in the archeology analogy, a worker | | | | The four prohibitions were not to become the only |
| discovers an oil lamp that is completely different from | | | | Torah standards by which all Christians everywhere |
| any other previously found. It can be easily dated but | | | | would be bound for all time. This is evident in the |
| its shape and style give no clue as to what class of | | | | conjunction "For Moses" of verse 21. Since the context |
| person may have used it, whether it was | | | | of this verse pertains to the public readings of the |
| commissioned as a gift or mass produced; even the | | | | Torah in the synagogues on every Sabbath, the |
| interpretation that it was truly an oil lamp should be | | | | Jerusalem Council thought it good to immediately bind |
| investigated because it could be a work of art. This is | | | | the Gentiles "turning" to God with the understanding |
| the dilemma of many of the passages in the New | | | | that they would be attending synagogues with the |
| Testament and Luke's uncommon vocabulary | | | | Jews on Shabbat. Why would the Council want this? |
| suggests that scholars should take a closer look into | | | | The answer is obvious--so that the God-fearing |
| his writings. | | | | Gentiles, now grafted in to Israel, could learn the Torah, |
| Historical Context | | | | do the Torah, and live righteously as empowered by |
| The entire book of Acts tells of the spread of the | | | | the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. This is apparent in |
| Gospel to far places. This means that the same | | | | Paul's writing in 2 Timothy 3:16-17, "All scripture [is] given |
| salvation that had come to the Jews had also come | | | | by inspiration of God, and [is] profitable for doctrine, for |
| to the Gentiles. The areas the Good News spread | | | | reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: |
| were not the "melting pot" of cultures that America | | | | That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly |
| enjoys today. Distinct lines between Jew and Gentile | | | | equipped for every good work." |
| had been drawn. | | | | APPLICATION/CONCLUSION |
| Different kinds of opposition to the Gospel (and to | | | | Tim Hegg, M.Div., Th.M., gives a parallel summary, "The |
| Paul) are themes in Acts. While Paul was preaching | | | | vision of the prophets is that the nations would come |
| that salvation was a free gift of God not to be earned, | | | | to Jerusalem to celebrate the feast of Sukkot (Feast |
| many Jews rejected Yeshua and His ultimate | | | | of Tabernacles), the mo'ed (appointed time) that |
| sin-sacrifice. Many theologians and pastors teach that | | | | consummates the festival cycle (Zechariah 14:16ff). |
| because of this, Paul became an apostle to the | | | | They would worship the God of Israel, sitting together |
| Gentiles because of this rejection of Yeshua. | | | | in the sukkah (booth or tabernacle). This is not some |
| However, the book of Acts and Paul's own letters | | | | perfunctory duty, for the nations have come to seek |
| indicate that Paul was commissioned as an apostle to | | | | Israel's covenant God, grasping the hem of a Jewish |
| the Gentiles and that he continually attended | | | | person as an entreaty to learn of Israel's God and |
| synagogue services every Shabbat (Sabbath) where | | | | enter the covenant. The point of this prophecy is that |
| he offered the Gospel of Messiah Yeshua faithfully to | | | | the Gentiles should 'go with' the Jew to learn and to |
| the Jews (Cornu and Shulam, p. xxxv). | | | | worship, not find their own separate worship and |
| As Luke was writing Acts, Jewish believers in Messiah | | | | identity" (Hegg, p. 63). |
| were still worshiping and fellowshipping among | | | | There are not two Torahs--one for the Jew and one |
| non-believing Jews both in the Temple and in | | | | for the Gentile. There are not two ways of salvation. |
| synagogues throughout Israel and abroad. In fact, Jews | | | | Only under one name is a person saved--Yeshua our |
| and Gentiles who believed in Yeshua were called | | | | Messiah. Since He is the same yesterday, today, and |
| Nazarene Jews--"Christianity" was actually considered | | | | forever, His ways nor His halakhah change. The |
| a sect of Judaism (Lancaster, p. 14). However, the | | | | beloved apostle says in 1 John 2:5-6, "By this we know |
| Gospel was sent out from Jerusalem at a time when | | | | that we are in Him: the one who says he abides in Him |
| the Jewish people were already on guard from | | | | ought himself to walk in the same manner as He |
| assimilation into pagan cultures due to the Hellenization | | | | walked." The Word of God became flesh and walked |
| of the area. | | | | among us as a Rabbi and a Torah-keeping Jew. He |
| Bible scholar and teacher Daniel Lancaster identifies | | | | ascended into heaven as a Torah-keeping Jew and |
| three classes of people Paul generally spoke to within | | | | He will return to earth as a Torah-keeping Jew (May it |
| the synagogues: Jews, proselytes, and God-fearing | | | | be speedily, in our day!). The picture of the Messianic |
| Gentiles (Lancaster, p. 17-18). As the message of the | | | | reign in Zechariah, among other prophets, implies that |
| Gospel spread, the number of God-fearing Gentiles | | | | Jews and Gentile alike will be in Israel living as "one |
| increased and they began flocking to the synagogues | | | | new man" who make up all of Israel and are entitled to |
| to learn more. Lancaster notes that to Evangelical | | | | all of the blessings and wealth of the land but who are |
| Christians, having a crowded, mixed audience would be | | | | also subject to the King's rules--the Torah. |
| a God-send; but to the non-believing Jews, the potential | | | | During the last two thousand years, the Christian |
| of a Gentile majority in the synagogues was | | | | church has looked at scripture with ignorance and |
| considered a threat to Jewish identity. What was this | | | | often times through anti-Semitic lenses. Christians have |
| threat exactly? Lancaster summarizes, "They were | | | | missed the point of Acts 15:19-21. These verses come |
| jealous that the message of the Gospel was | | | | to teach all who want to draw close to the God of |
| compromising the particularity of their theology. The | | | | Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob that salvation is wrought |
| message of the Gospel was throwing the doors of | | | | through faith in Yeshua alone and further instruction |
| Judaism wide open to the Gentile world" (Ibid., p. 19). | | | | comes by associating with believing Jews who can |
| As a final note towards the historical context of Acts | | | | continue to instruct them, as Paul, James, Peter, John, |
| 15:19-21, the information above corresponds to the | | | | and others did, in the ways of righteousness--the royal |
| stated reason the council convened in acts 15:1-2, | | | | Torah of God. Modern Christians ought to delicately |
| "Some men came down from Judea and {began} | | | | but purposefully clear away the rubble and debris of |
| teaching the brethren, 'Unless you are circumcised | | | | xenophobia, anti-Semitism, ethnocentrism, and |
| according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be | | | | Replacement Theology from artifacts like Acts 15 and |
| saved.' And when Paul and Barnabas had great | | | | other passages like them who seem to abrogate or |
| dissension and debate with them, {the brethren} | | | | destroy the Torah, and seek to understand and |
| determined that Paul and Barnabas and some others | | | | interpret these "scriptural finds" within their proper |
| of them should go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and | | | | setting--Judaism. |
| elders concerning this issue." | | | | Believers should also consider our Master's warning in |
| STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS AND TRANSLATION | | | | Matthew 5:17-19, "Do not think that I came to abolish |
| The point of the passage in Acts 15:19-21 is to establish | | | | the Torah or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish |
| a halakhah (a Hebrew term meaning "a way of | | | | but to fulfill. For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth |
| walking" or rule of faith) regarding the inclusion of the | | | | pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass |
| Gentiles. Luke is careful to record all of the | | | | from the Torah until all is accomplished. Whoever then |
| arguments--should Gentiles turning to God be | | | | annuls one of the least of these commandments, and |
| circumcised (a ritual of conversion) and accept the | | | | teaches others {to do} the same, shall be called least |
| yoke of Torah upon themselves in order to establish | | | | in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps and |
| salvation? Note that the context demands verses | | | | teaches {them,} he shall be called great in the kingdom |
| 19-21 be interpreted as to what, specifically, Gentiles | | | | of heaven." With these words in mind how could |
| should do upon being saved in order to be accepted | | | | Christians ever accuse Paul, Peter, or the Jerusalem |
| into a Jewish community that has placed its faith in | | | | Council of doing away with the Torah? For by |
| Yeshua the Messiah. | | | | Yeshua's own mouth they would be condemned to |
| The key words in this passage are epistrephousin | | | | being the least in the kingdom of heaven--a position for |
| "turning," Moses gar "for Moses," and | | | | which not one of the twelve disciples or Paul would |
| anaginoskomenos "being read." epistrephousin is in the | | | | jockey. Why should modern day disciples settle for |
| Present Active Participle Masculine Plural Dative form. | | | | less? It is time the Christian church mature past the |
| It means "to turn about," or "to turn around," and "to | | | | days of Acts 15 and seek to establish bonds with the |
| revert." What is significant to this passage is its | | | | Jewish people with a sincere heart to learn from them |
| Present Tense, Active, Participle form. The Present | | | | and to petition God as did king David in Psalm 119:18, |
| Tense used here is descriptive of an action currently | | | | "Open my eyes, that I may behold wonderful things |
| happening. Another feature of this verb is its Participle | | | | from Your Torah. |
| form. It appears as an Attributive Participle modifying | | | | |