The Councils Letter to the Gentile Believers; Acts 15:22 – 35 – Part 2

Church History: Date: A.D. 49-50
They did not send inferior people who might serve to carry the letters, and attest the receipt of them from the apostles; but they were chosen men, and chief men among the brethren, men of eminent gifts, graces, and usefulness; for these are the things which designate the leaders among the brethren, and qualify them to be the messengers of the churches. They are named here: Judas, who was called Barsabas (probably the brother of that Joseph who was called Barsabas, and was a candidate for the apostleship, (Acts 1:23), and Silas. The character which these men had in the church at Jerusalem would have some influence upon those that came from Judea, as those false teachers did, and engage them to pay the more deference to the message that was sent by them.
The purpose of the letter sent to the churches, was to notify them as to the consensus reached at the synod in this matter. There is nothing in it arrogant or assuming. There was a severe reprimand given to the Judaizing teachers: "We have heard that certain unauthorized persons came to you and have troubled you with false teachings, and we are very much concerned to hear about it. This visit is to let you know that those who preached this doctrine were false teachers, both as they produced a false commission and as they taught a false doctrine." They did a great deal of harm to the apostles and ministers at Jerusalem, in pretending that they had instructions from them to impose the ceremonial law upon the Gentiles, when there was no need for such a pretension. "They mislead you, by leading you to believe that they belonged to our church. As for their urging the law of Moses upon you, they had no authority to do so. Nor have we ever thought of such a thing, or given them the authority to use our names in it." It is not a new thing for Apostolical authority to be pleaded in defense of those doctrines and practices for which the apostles have not given either command or encouragement. They did a great deal of harm to the Gentile converts by saying they must be circumcised, and must keep the law. “They have troubled them with words and harassment. They depended upon those who told them, “If you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ you shall be saved;” and now were startled by those that told them that you must keep the law of Moses or you cannot be saved, by which they were drawn into confusion. They were distracted from pursuing pure Christianity, by filling their heads with the necessity of circumcision, and the law of Moses, which did not serve the Gospel’s purpose.