Peter’s Speech to the Jerusalem Council

Syrian Antioch holds an important place in Christian history. Not only did the church in that city send Paul and Barnabas on a key missionary journey, but it was also the first place where a large number of gentiles were a part of the Christian community (Acts 11:19–26; 13–14). Moreover, dissension in that congregation led to the first great council in the history of the universal church. As we saw in our last study, a group of professing believers claiming to be from Judea came to Antioch in Syria proclaiming the necessity of circumcision for salvation (15:1). This teaching, of course, pertained especially to gentile believers, for the Christians from a Jewish background would have been circumcised already. Paul and Barnabas debated with the circumcision party, but the church in Syria wanted to hear from all the Apostles on the matter. They sent Paul and Barnabas to Jerusalem to meet with the Apostles and elders there. Thus was convened the Jerusalem Council (vv. 2–4).

Importantly, the desire of the church in Syrian Antioch to hear from believers outside their congregation demonstrates that the earliest Christians saw themselves as ecclesiastically connected. In other words, each local church was not completely its own entity but was connected to other local churches for the purposes of mutual accountability and encouragement. Furthermore, almost every Christian tradition has viewed Acts 15 in some way as a model for church governance. When controversies threaten the peace and purity of the church, the church should respond by gathering its leaders to deliberate and make decisions for the whole body of believers. John Calvin comments, “Here is prescribed by God a form and an order in assembling synods, when there arises any controversy which cannot otherwise be decided.”

At the council, the circumcision party argued that gentiles had to be circumcised and keep the Mosaic law to be saved (v. 5). Peter addressed the council, summarizing his earlier encounter with Cornelius when the Holy Spirit fell on the uncircumcised man and his household. This proved that God does not distinguish between Jew and gentile in salvation but that He receives anyone who trusts in Christ, whether the person is circumcised or not (vv. 6–9; see ch. 10). Consequently, to require obedience to all the law of Moses would mean that salvation is not only by grace but also by human effort (15:10–11). By no means could that stand (Eph. 2:8–9).