Acts 15:28 - Printer Friendly

ESV: For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay on you no greater burden than these requirements:

NIV: It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond the following requirements:

NASB: For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay upon you no greater burden than these essentials:

CSB: For it was the Holy Spirit's decision--and ours--not to place further burdens on you beyond these requirements:

NLT: 'For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay no greater burden on you than these few requirements:

KJV: For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things;

NKJV: For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things:

Cross-cultural churches have a unique challenge. They face different preferences in music, dress, emotional atmosphere, and language. As Gentiles joined the Jewish church, the mix of traditions between Jews who were still fully devoted to the Mosaic law and Romans who were coming out of paganism often led to conflict. Some of the Jewish Christians who were once Pharisees want the best of both worlds. They love the attention they receive from the Jewish populace for their pious lifestyle (Matthew 23:5–7) but social interaction with Gentiles will ruin their reputations (Galatians 6:12). The fix they come up with is to make Gentiles convert to Judaism before they can join the church (Acts 15:1), even though they, themselves, can't follow the Law (Galatians 6:13; Acts 15:10).

A council between Paul, Barnabas, the apostles, and the elders from the church in Jerusalem, has decided this expectation is inappropriate (Acts 15:6–18). The Pharisees' burden has always been heavy (Matthew 23:4) while Jesus' is light and easy (Matthew 11:30). Circumcision and the Mosaic law are not required for salvation, and the Pharisees shouldn't act like they are just to protect their own worldly reputation.

However, life in the church requires self-sacrifice for the good of others (Ephesians 5:21). The council gives the Gentiles "requirements," though these are not for salvation but for unity in their mixed-cultural churches. To maintain fellowship with the Jews, Gentiles are to refrain from sexual immorality, blood, and food sacrificed to idols (Acts 15:29). Since the broadest sense of "sexual immorality" would be obviously contrary to life in Christ, anyway, commentators suggest its use here means marriage between close relatives. This would have been a point of cultural disagreement between Jews and Gentiles.

These requirements are decided by extensive debate (Acts 15:7), personal testimonies (Acts 15:7–12), and wise counsel based on Scripture (Acts 15:12–21). Most importantly, the decision is come to by the leading of the Holy Spirit. Jesus sent the Holy Spirit for this purpose—to reveal the will of God (1 Corinthians 2:10–11; John 16:13) and maintain unity in the church (1 Corinthians 12:13).

Acts 15:22–29 records probably the first or second letter sent by a Christian leader with instructions as to how the church should live. A possibly earlier message is what we now call the book of James. The council in Jerusalem has decided: Gentiles do not need to convert to Judaism to receive salvation from Jesus. They are, however, asked to make a few alterations to their dietary and sexual practices. This is not for salvation, but to maintain unity and community in the Jewish-Gentile church.

Paul and Barnabas are in Syrian Antioch, home from their first missionary journey. Legalistic Christians from Jerusalem arrive and insist Gentiles must convert to Judaism. When negotiations fail, a delegation travels to Jerusalem to request clarification from Jesus' closest students. The leadership in Jerusalem agree with Paul and Barnabas. They write a letter that Gentiles should only make concessions, mostly dietary, which will ensure unity with the Jews in their congregation. After delivering the letter to Antioch, Paul takes Silas and Barnabas takes John Mark to share the letter to other churches they have planted.

Acts chapter 15 resembles Acts 11:1–18, where Peter testified before the leadership of the church in Jerusalem. His subject was how the Holy Spirit had fallen on uncircumcised and unbaptized Gentiles. Here Paul and Barnabas also testify that Gentiles are coming to faith in Jesus without being circumcised. The issue the leadership must decide is the extent Gentiles must be responsible to follow the Mosaic law. Their decision is that the Law is in no way required to be saved, but Gentiles should graciously make concessions so their Jewish brothers and sisters feel free to live in community. This forms a partial background to the rest of Paul's missionary journeys as explained in Acts.

The summary of the book of Acts is provided in Jesus' words in Acts 1:8: ''But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.'' In Acts 2:1–13, the Christ-followers receive the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:14—7:60 describes the rapid growth of the church in Jerusalem. Chapters 8—12 find Jewish persecution inadvertently spreading the gospel throughout Judea and Samaria. And in chapters 13—28, Paul and his companions spread the good news throughout the Roman Empire.