What did the believing Pharisees say was required of Gentile believers in Acts 15:5?
In Acts 15:5, certain Pharisees who believed rose up and said Gentile believers needed to be circumcised and to keep the Law of Moses. They declared these requirements necessary, insisting salvation could not be apart from Judaism, circumcision, and the Mosaic Law.
Les explains that Acts 15 records the big controversy between Peter and the eleven at Jerusalem and Paul, who was dealing with Gentiles at Antioch. Paul and Barnabas were telling them that salvation was apart from Judaism, without circumcision, and without commanding them to keep the Law. In verse 5, certain of the sect of the Pharisees who believed said it was needful to circumcise the Gentile believers at Antioch and to keep the Law of Moses. Paul rejected that, and there was a great confrontation and argument. Later Peter defended Paul, remembering Cornelius about fourteen years back, where God saved a Gentile without ascribing to Judaism, without repentance and water baptism; they were saved even before Peter got that far.
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.