The disagreement was about whether Gentile believers had to be circumcised and keep the Law of Moses to be saved, or whether they could be saved by Paul's gospel of grace apart from the Law.
Jerusalem believers, including the twelve, were shaken that Paul was claiming Gentiles were saved without keeping the law of Judaism. They called Paul and Barnabas to Jerusalem to answer whether he would stop teaching that Gentiles could be saved without the Law. Some of the sect of the Pharisees who believed insisted it was needful to circumcise Gentile believers and command them to keep the law of Moses.
Acts 15:5 — This verse records the specific demand of believing Pharisees that Gentile converts be circumcised and keep the law of Moses, which is the exact issue in the disagreement.
Galatians 2:2 — Paul states he went up to Jerusalem by revelation and communicated the gospel he preached among the Gentiles, showing the central issue he brought to the Jerusalem believers.
In Acts 15:5, the Scripture records that certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed rose up and said, 'That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.' This was the heart of the controversy: should Gentile believers be brought under circumcision and the Law of Moses? Paul's own account in Galatians 2:2 states that he went up to Jerusalem by revelation and 'communicated unto them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles.' Galatians 2:4 further reveals that false brethren came in privily to spy out the liberty believers have in Christ Jesus, intending to bring them into bondage.
Les teaches that the disagreement at Jerusalem was the big controversy between the Jerusalem church—including Peter and the eleven—and Paul over his ministry to the Gentiles at Antioch. The Jerusalem believers were 'shook up' that Paul was claiming Gentiles as saved people even though they were not keeping the law of Judaism. They brought Paul and Barnabas up to Jerusalem to settle the matter: 'Are you not going to stop teaching these Gentiles that they can be saved without keeping the Law?' Les emphasizes that Paul went up by revelation and communicated the very gospel he preached among the Gentiles, a gospel that Peter and the others had not preached, especially not to Gentiles.
Les explains that the Jerusalem church's setting was still based on the law, circumcision, and everything else associated with Judaism. When Paul and Barnabas argued that circumcision and legalism could not be put on Gentile believers, they could not settle the question at Antioch and were told to go to Jerusalem to deal with the church's leaders. At Jerusalem, certain of the sect of the Pharisees who believed said it was needful to circumcise the Gentile believers and command them to keep the law of Moses.
Paul went up to Jerusalem by revelation and communicated to the leaders the gospel he preached among the Gentiles. Les stresses that Paul spoke in plain terms, not in some unknown language, and made it clear that God was now going to the Gentile, pagan, idolatrous world to bring them to reconciliation with Himself outside of Judaism. This was an advance on what the Jerusalem believers knew, but it was something they could not comprehend.
They were 'shook up' and called Paul to Jerusalem. Believers from the sect of the Pharisees said it was needful to circumcise the Gentile converts and command them to keep the law. Les also points out how deeply the word 'Gentile' could inflame a Jewish crowd, and that Paul's message of 'no difference' between Jew and Gentile was a radical departure. He notes that Peter eventually woke up and realized that God had already shown him, by a previous experience, that He would save Gentiles.
Seven Years After Pentecost
Les establishes that the Jerusalem assembly was a Jewish believing body already facing persecution seven years after Pentecost, setting the stage for the later controversy.
Disagreement at Antioch
Paul and Barnabas had to argue against putting circumcision and legalism on Gentile believers, and the dispute was serious enough that they went to Jerusalem to settle it with the church's leaders.
The Big Controversy
Les identifies the controversy between Jerusalem and Paul over whether Gentiles could be saved apart from Judaism, without circumcision and without keeping the Law.
Jerusalem Shaken by Gentile Salvation
Jerusalem believers including Peter were upset that Paul claimed Gentiles were saved without keeping the law of Judaism; false brethren came to spy out their liberty from the Law.
The File Word 'Gentile'
Les shows the depth of Jewish feeling by noting that the word 'Gentile' could inflame a Jewish crowd; Paul's message of 'no difference' was a radical departure from Jewish thinking.
Paul Communicated His Gospel
Paul went to Jerusalem by revelation and communicated the unique gospel he preached among the Gentiles, a gospel Peter and the other apostles had not preached, especially not to Gentiles.
Incomprehensible to Jerusalem
Les explains that Paul's gospel was an advance that Jerusalem leaders could not comprehend—God reconciling pagan Gentiles outside Judaism.
Law versus Grace at the Jerusalem Council
Jerusalem believers from the sect of the Pharisees insisted on circumcision and the law; Les contrasts the law-based Jerusalem church with the grace-based Gentile message, and notes Peter eventually realized God would save Gentiles.
Acts 15:5: 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.
This verse records the specific demand from believing Pharisees that Gentile converts be circumcised and keep the law of Moses, the heart of the controversy.
Galatians 2:2: And I went up by revelation, and communicated unto them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to them which were of reputation, lest by any means I should run, or had run, in vain.
Paul himself states he went to Jerusalem and communicated the gospel he preached to the Gentiles, showing the central issue discussed with the Jerusalem believers.
Galatians 2:4: And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage:
Reveals false brethren came to spy out the liberty believers have in Christ Jesus, indicating the freedom from the Law that was at the center of the dispute.
Paul went up by revelation and communicated to the Jerusalem believers the gospel he preached among the Gentiles. Les explains that the Jerusalem leaders had called him there because they were shaken that he was claiming Gentiles as saved apart from Judaism, so the meeting was necessary to settle the controversy.
They wanted him to stop teaching Gentiles that they could be saved without keeping the Law. Some rose up from the sect of the Pharisees and said it was needful to circumcise them and command them to keep the law of Moses.
Les notes that the controversy was between Peter and the eleven at Jerusalem and Paul's dealings with Gentiles. Although the Jerusalem believers resisted, Les points out that Peter finally woke up and realized that a previous experience had shown him God would save Gentiles.
Watch the Teaching: Why the Twelve Apostles Stayed in Jerusalem — Acts 1 & 8