Were the Acts 15:5 Pharisees who demanded circumcision Christ-rejecters or believers?
The Acts 15:5 Pharisees who demanded circumcision were believers, not Christ-rejecters. The context identifies them as certain of the sect of Pharisees who had believed that Jesus was the Christ. They insisted Gentile believers at Antioch be circumcised and commanded to keep the law of Moses.
Les explains that in Acts 15:5 certain of the sect of Pharisees rose up, but these were not Christ-rejecting Pharisees; they were believers. These Pharisees now believed that Jesus was the Christ, the very belief required to become a believer under Judaism. Yet they said it was needful to circumcise the Gentiles from Antioch and command them to keep the law of Moses. They directed this demand at Paul and Barnabas, showing the dispute over law and grace.
But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.
More Questions
Who were the 'them' that the Acts 15:5 believing Pharisees said needed to be circumcised?
The 'them' in Acts 15:5 were the Gentiles at Antioch whom Paul and Barnabas were told to circumcise and command to keep the law of Moses.
Who repeated the demand for circumcision in Acts 15:5?
In Acts 15:5 the same teaching is repeated, this time by Pharisees who had become believers.
What did the believing Pharisees say in Acts 15:5?
The Pharisees who believed in Acts 15:5 said it was necessary to circumcise Gentile converts and to command them to keep the Law.