Acts 15:1

King James Version (KJV)

And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved.

Adam Clarke
Bible Commentary

Except ye be circumcised, etc. - The persons who taught this doctrine appear to have been converts to Christianity; but, supposing that the Christian religion was intended to perfect the Mosaic, and not to supersede it, they insisted on the necessity of circumcision, because, by that, a man was made debtor to the whole law, to observe all its rites and ceremonies. This question produced great disturbance in the apostolic Church; and, notwithstanding the decree mentioned in this chapter, the apostles were frequently obliged to interpose their authority in order to settle it; and we find a whole Church, that at Galatia, drawn aside from the simplicity of the Christian faith by the subtilty of Judaizing teachers among themselves, who insisted on the necessity of the converted Gentiles being circumcised.

Ye cannot be saved - Ye can neither enjoy God's blessing in time, nor his glory in eternity. Such an assertion as this, from any reputable authority, must necessarily shake the confidence of young converts.

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Albert Barnes
Notes on the Whole Bible

And certain men - These were undoubtedly men who had been Jews, but who were now converted to Christianity. The fact that they were willing to refer the matter in dispute to the apostles and elders Acts 15:2 shows that they had professedly embraced the Christian religion. The account which follows is a record of the first internal dissension which occurred in the Christian church. Hitherto the church had been struggling against external foes. Violent persecutions had raged, and had fully occupied the attention of Christians. But now the churches were at peace. They enjoyed great external prosperity in Antioch, and the great enemy of souls took occasion then, as he has often done in similar circumstances since, to excite contentions in the church itself, so that when external violence could not destroy it, an effort was made to secure the same object by internal dissension and strife. This history, therefore, is particularly important, as it is the record of the first unhappy debate which arose in the bosom of the church. It is further important, as it shows the manner in which such controversies were settled in apostolic times, and as it established some very important principles respecting the perpetuity of the religious rites of the Jews.

Came down from Judea - To Antioch, and to the regions adjacent, which had been visited by the apostles, Acts 15:23. Judea was a high and hilly region, and going from that toward the level countries adjacent to the sea was represented to be descending, or going down.

Taught the brethren - That is, Christians. They endeavored to convince them of the necessity of keeping the laws of Moses.

Except ye be circumcised - This was the leading or principal rite of the Jewish religion. It was indispensable to the name and privileges of a Jew. Proselytes to their religion were circumcised as well as native-born Jews, and they held it to be indispensable to salvation. It is evident from this that Paul and Barnabas had dispensed with this rite in regard to the Gentile converts, and that they intended to found the Christian church on the principle that the Jewish ceremonies were to cease. When, however, it was necessary to conciliate the minds of the Jews and to prevent contention, Paul did not hesitate to practice circumcision, Acts 16:3.

After the manner of Moses - According to the custom which Moses commanded; according to the Mosaic ritual.

Ye cannot be saved - The Jews regarded this as indispensable to salvation. The grounds on which they would press it on the attention of Gentile converts would be very plausible, and such as would produce much embarrassment. For:

(1) It would be maintained that the laws of Moses were the laws of God, and were therefore unchangeable; and,

(2) It would doubtless be maintained that the religion of the Messiah was only a completing and perfecting of the Jewish religion that it was designed simply to carry out its principles according to the promises, and not to subvert and destroy anything that had been established by divine authority. It is usually not difficult to perplex and embarrass young converts with questions of modes, and rites, and forms of religion; and it is not uncommon that a revival is followed by some contention just like this. Opposing sects urge the claims of their special rites, and seek to make proselytes, and introduce contention and strife into an otherwise peaceful and happy Christian community.

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Matthew Henry
Concise Bible Commentary

Some from Judea taught the Gentile converts at Antioch, that they could not be saved, unless they observed the whole ceremonial law as given by Moses; and thus they sought to destroy Christian liberty. There is a strange proneness in us to think that all do wrong who do not just as we do. Their doctrine was very discouraging. Wise and good men desire to avoid contests and disputes as far as they can; yet when false teachers oppose the main truths of the gospel, or bring in hurtful doctrines, we must not decline to oppose them.

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SDA Bible Commentary (limited)
Volume 1-7

1. Certain men. The emissaries of dissension are not named. They seem to have been Pharisees who had become Christians (see v. 5).

Down from Judaea. That is, from Judea to Antioch. These new teachers came from the center of apostolic authority, but apparently without authorization to teach what they set forth.

Taught the brethren. The church at Antioch was a cosmopolitan body, composed of Jews, Gentile proselytes, and members converted directly from paganism (cf. on ch. 11:19, 20). Furthermore, Paul and Barnabas, the leading spirits in preaching to the Gentiles, were prominent there and had been commissioned by that church. For these reasons, and because the Antiochian church was the one nearest to Judea containing Gentiles in large numbers, the question of how to deal with Gentiles in the church from the point of view of Judaism naturally emerged there.

Be circumcised. See on ch. 7:8. This demand proves what is not elsewhere plainly stated in Scripture, that Paul and Barnabas had not required their Gentile converts to be circumcised. Here opens the account of the first major controversy in the Christian church. It was certain to arise as soon as Christianity spread beyond Palestine. The first converts to Christianity were Jews, but they retained most of the practices and prejudices of the religion in which they had been reared. Therefore they were shocked to see Gentiles come into the Christian church without first having become full proselytes to Judaism. It might have seemed that the conversion of Cornelius, or even that of the Ethiopian, or of the Samaritans, would have settled the question. Those who now set forth objections may have been willing to accept Cornelius and his household into the church. But they probably argued that the leading of the Holy Spirit had brought about an exception in Cornelius’ case that did not vitiate the rule of circumcision. Hence they declared that those who were brought into the church through baptism, under the clear leading of the Holy Spirit, should now be circumcised.

These agitators came to Antioch probably claiming to speak in the name of James, the presiding officer of the church in Jerusalem. But James distinctly denied having authorized them to do this (v. 24). However, inasmuch as he seems to have been a stickler for Judaic ritual and custom in his personal life (cf. Gal. 2:12), they probably felt justified in identifying him with their teaching. They maintained that circumcision was part of the law, and that if it was neglected or refused, the whole law was broken. They were neither prepared nor willing to recognize the true relationship between Christ and the law. The Judaizers brought into prominence at Antioch a question that proved a continuing cause of dissension throughout Paul’s ministry, and left its mark on most of the writings of the NT, and even upon postapostolic Christian literature.

The query may be raised as to why the Lord did not anticipate such questions as this during His ministry on earth. He did not deal with it specifically, but did lay general emphasis upon true religion as being that of the soul, and not of outward observances. Christ laid a broad foundation, and enunciated principles rather than detailed dogmas. The church was to be led step by step into all truth by the Holy Spirit (John 16:13). This did not mean that the church was to develop an authoritative tradition. But it did indicate that the church was to discover and experience new light. Christianity has had to solve many problems in the face of fresh developments, but this was not to be done by changing the teachings and examples of Scripture (Rom. 15:4). New light, with the solution of unforeseen problems, would come from increasing study of the truths of Scripture, and making applications of scriptural principles to the work of the church.

Manner of Moses. Or, “custom of Moses.” The practice was more than a “manner” in the sense of “fashion.” Circumcision was given to Abraham by God (Gen. 17:10-13), and was confirmed to Moses (Lev. 12:3; cf. John 7:22).

Ye cannot be saved. Here was the heart of the problem. Circumcision could hardly be required of the Gentiles on the grounds of the antiquity of the custom, nor as a condition of church membership. The Judaizers presented it as a necessary step to salvation. However, God had “opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles” (ch. 14:27), a development that could not but prove that ceremonial rites were no longer needed.

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Ellen G. White
SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 6 (EGW), 1061

Riches and worldly honor cannot satisfy the soul. Many among the rich are longing for some divine assurance, some spiritual hope. Many long for something that will bring to an end the monotony of their aimless life. Many in official life feel their need of something which they have not. Few among them go to church, for they feel that they receive little benefit. The teaching they hear does not touch the heart. Shall we make no special appeal to them? 6BC 1061.1

God calls for earnest, humble workers, who will carry the gospel to the higher classes. It is by no casual, accidental touch that the wealthy, world-loving souls can be drawn to Christ. Decided personal effort must be put forth by men and women imbued with the missionary spirit, those who will not fail nor be discouraged (The Review and Herald, April 6, 1911). 6BC 1061.2

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Ellen G. White
The Acts of the Apostles, 188-91

This chapter is based on Acts 15:1-35.

On reaching Antioch in Syria, from which place they had been sent forth on their mission, Paul and Barnabas took advantage of an early opportunity to assemble the believers and rehearse “all that God had done with them, and how He had opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles.” Acts 14:27. The church at Antioch was a large and growing one. A center of missionary activity, it was one of the most important of the groups of Christian believers. Its membership was made up of many classes of people from among both Jews and Gentiles. AA 188.1

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Ellen G. White
The Story of Redemption, 304-5

The apostles, in this, their special work, were to be exposed to suspicion, prejudice, and jealousy. As a natural consequence of their departure from the exclusiveness of the Jews, their doctrine and views would be subject to the charge of heresy; and their credentials as ministers of the gospel would be questioned by many zealous, believing Jews. God foresaw all these difficulties which His servants would undergo, and, in His wise providence, caused them to be invested with unquestionable authority from the established church of God, that their work should be above challenge. SR 304.1

The ordination by the laying on of hands was, at a later date, greatly abused; unwarrantable importance was attached to the act, as though a power came at once upon those who received such ordination, which immediately qualified them for any and all ministerial work, as though virtue lay in the act of laying on of hands. We have, in the history of these two apostles, only a simple record of the laying on of hands, and its bearing upon their work. Both Paul and Barnabas had already received their commission from God Himself; and the ceremony of the laying on of hands added no new grace or virtual qualification. It was merely setting the seal of the church upon the work of God—an acknowledged form of designation to an appointed office. SR 304.2

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