Year 2, Week 42, Day 1 Bible Reading Observations

Year 2, Week 42, Day 1

I have a brief observation for today’s reading of Acts 15-16.

Today’s reading continues with the Book of Acts. The Book of Acts is a selective history of the early church, which demonstrates how Jesus, by the Spirit, empowers His followers to continue His work. While the Book of Acts traces the early history of the church in general, eventually, the ministry of the Apostle Paul will be the primary focus for much of the remainder of Acts. Acts 15 focuses on a council of churches and church leaders that assembled in Jerusalem to clarify the nature of the Gospel: “The apostles and the elders were gathered together to consider this matter. And after there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them, “Brothers, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe…But we believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they will” (Acts 15:6-11). Some were trying to require that any Gentile who wishes to follow Christ, first become a circumcised Jew and then live by the Mosaic Law given to the nation of Israel. The council rejected this notion. Acts 16 traces the start of what is commonly known as Paul’s second missionary journey: “Paul wanted Timothy to accompany him…As they went on their way through the cities, they delivered to them for observance the decisions that had been reached by the apostles and elders who were in Jerusalem. So the churches were strengthened in the faith, and they increased in numbers daily” (Acts 16:3-5). Some of the stops on their travels took them to places already visited, while other stops were into new territory.

One of the things that struck me from today’s reading was the narration of disagreements that unfolded within the early church. Today’s reading records two different kinds of conflicts. The first conflict was a very serious conflict over a vital doctrinal matter: "But some men came down from Judea and were teaching the brothers, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.” And after Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and debate with them, Paul and Barnabas and some of the others were appointed to go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and the elders about this question” (Acts 15:1-2). While everything that the Bible teaches is important for our lives and therefore should be taken seriously; there are some matters that are more essential to embrace for the very salvation of people’s souls are at stake. Some where teaching that salvation was earned by human works, such as circumcision and works of the Law; while others understood that salvation comes by Christ and received through faith: “And God, who knows the heart, bore witness to them, by giving them the Holy Spirit just as he did to us, and he made no distinction between us and them, having cleansed their hearts by faith” (Acts 15:8-9). There is not much compatibility between those two viewpoints and therefore there cannot be much camaraderie between those who hold these differing views on doctrinal matters of this magnitude. The nature of the Gospel itself was at stake. Speaking on this very, Paul would write: “I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel…If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed” (Galatians 1:6-9). True Christian unity and fellowship cannot be extended when essential matters of Gospel doctrines are at stake. Ironically, while the Jerusalem council clearly discerned that nothing can be added to the work of Jesus in accomplishing salvation; the council also recommended that for the sake of the fellowship—not hindering fellowship through unnecessary offense—certain practices should be dropped: “Therefore my judgment is that we should not trouble those of the Gentiles who turn to God, but should write to them to abstain from the things polluted by idols, and from sexual immorality, and from what has been strangled, and from blood” (Acts 15:19-20). But these requests were for the sake of unity, not in order to obtain salvation.

In the immediate aftermath of the conflict over an essential matter of salvation, a personal dispute came to a head between Barnabas and Paul: “Now Barnabas wanted to take with them John called Mark. But Paul thought best not to take with them one who had withdrawn from them in Pamphylia and had not gone with them to the work. And there arose a sharp disagreement, so that they separated from each other. Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus, but Paul chose Silas and departed…And he went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches” (Acts 15:37-41). Paul and Barnabas disagreed over what to do with John Mark. John Mark, who had accompanied Paul and Barnabas on their first missionary journey, left early (see Acts 13:13). Barnabas wants John Mark to rejoin them on their second missionary journey while Paul does not. The two men hit an impasse. The dispute is so sharp that they either cannot reconcile, and so they decide the only way to settle the matter is to separate. On matters of this nature, it is harder to determine who is right; and often, on matters of this nature, life together and/or the advancement of the Gospel are not in serious danger. Life, ministry, and Gospel advance can move forward in the context of this kind of disagreement. The Lord seems to have used both men in the different directions that they pursued. Interestingly, Paul would later see great value in John Mark: “Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is very useful to me for ministry” (2 Timothy 4:11).

What struck you in today’s reading? What questions were prompted from today’s reading?

Pastor Joe