The debate was over whether Gentile believers had to be circumcised and commanded to keep the Law of Moses in order to be saved.
Jewish believers from Jerusalem went to Antioch and insisted that unless Gentiles were circumcised after the manner of Moses, they could not be saved. Paul and Barnabas strongly opposed this, and the dispute escalated into a big argument, leading them to go up to Jerusalem to settle the matter before the church and the apostles. Les Feldick emphasizes that these Jewish believers, including some believing Pharisees, wanted to place Gentile believers under the Law, but Paul insisted they were under grace.
Acts 15:1 — This verse directly states the issue: certain men from Judea taught that Gentiles could not be saved unless they were circumcised after the manner of Moses.
Acts 15:5 — This verse records believing Pharisees insisting that it was needful to circumcise the Gentile believers and command them to keep the law of Moses.
In Acts 15:1, certain men came down from Judea to Antioch and taught the brethren, "Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved." This caused a dispute between Paul and Barnabas and these men. Acts 15:2 says Paul and Barnabas had "no small dissension and disputation" with them, and it was determined that Paul, Barnabas, and certain others should go up to Jerusalem about this question. When they arrived in Jerusalem, Acts 15:5 says that "there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees who believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses." The debate was specifically about whether Gentile believers had to keep the Law of Moses, including circumcision, in order to be saved or fully accepted.
Les Feldick explains that the Jerusalem believers were "all shook up" that Gentiles were supposedly being saved up at Antioch, so they sent men to check it out. These men insisted that the Gentiles had to be circumcised after the manner of Moses, and Les notes that the word "command" was used instead of "suggestion" — they were adamant that the law be imposed. Les characterizes the dispute between Paul and these Jews as a "big argument" and a "great confrontation." Les also points out that the people who rose up against Paul in Acts 15:5 were not the self-righteous Pharisees we see in the Gospels; they were "Pharisees who had become believers of who Jesus was, that He was the Christ, but they're still lawkeepers." They were still under the local economy of law and circumcision, and they wanted the Gentile believers to keep the Law of Moses. Paul, however, said "No way" — that would not be part of his message. Les notes that eventually Peter came to Paul's defense, recalling the time he went to Cornelius's house and witnessed that God would save a Gentile "without ascribing to Judaism, without repentance and water baptism."
Les explains that these were Jewish believers from Jerusalem who had embraced Jesus as the Christ, but were still law-keeping. They included "certain of the sect of the Pharisees who believed" (Acts 15:5). These were not the self-righteous Pharisees of the Gospels; they were believers, but they still held to the old economy of law and circumcision.
Les says that Paul and Barnabas had "no small dissension" — meaning a big argument — with these Jewish believers. Paul kept saying that you cannot force Gentile believers under the Law; they are under grace. Les depicts it as a "tremendous argument" between Paul and the Jewish believers at Jerusalem.
They demanded that Gentile believers at Antioch be circumcised and commanded to keep the Law of Moses. Les stresses that the word "command" shows it was not a suggestion — they were adamant. They even said that "except you be circumcised after the manner of Moses, you cannot be saved."
According to Les, Peter finally woke up and realized that by a previous experience (going to the house of Cornelius), God had shown him that He would save Gentiles without requiring them to become proselytes of Judaism. Paul and Barnabas were brought down to Jerusalem like heretics to be called on the carpet, and the matter was debated there before the church and the apostles.
Why Mixing Law and Grace Cancels the Work of the Cross
your prayers and everything. We couldn't do it without you. And we always appreciate the folk that come in for these studio classes. And again, we could never talk to just a camera. That was one of the first things when they asked me to teach on television. I said, well, one thing I have to have is a class in front of me. I can't just talk to a bare room and a camera.
The Jerusalem Believers Investigate Antioch
Les explains that Jewish believers from Jerusalem sent men to Antioch to check out reports of Gentile salvation, and that Paul and Barnabas had a big argument with them over whether Gentiles had to be circumcised after the manner of Moses.
The Big Controversy Over Gentile Salvation
Les frames Acts 15 as the big controversy between Peter and the eleven in Jerusalem and Paul's dealing with Gentiles at Antioch — salvation apart from Judaism, without circumcision and without commanding the Law.
The Demand for Circumcision and Law-Keeping
Les recounts how the believing Jews said it was needful to circumcise Gentile believers and command them to keep the Law of Moses, but Paul said 'No way' — a great confrontation followed, and Peter later defended Paul's position.
The Jerusalem Church Still Under Law
Les explains that the Jerusalem church, including the twelve, was still based on law and circumcision, while the Gentile was based on grace — so the two had to be reconciled.
The Demand from Judea
Les quotes Acts 15:1 to show the exact issue: certain men from Judea taught that except Gentile believers were circumcised after the manner of Moses, they could not be saved.
Commanded, Not Suggested
Les highlights that the Jewish believers used the word 'command' — they weren't suggesting the law would help, they were commanding Gentile believers to keep the Law of Moses, and a tremendous argument followed.
Believing Pharisees Who Kept the Law
Les identifies the opponents as believing Pharisees — men who believed Jesus was the Christ but were still lawkeepers, and who insisted it was needful to circumcise the Gentiles at Antioch.
Acts 15:1: And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved.
This verse states the core issue: the demand that Gentiles be circumcised in order to be saved.
Acts 15:2: When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question.
This verse shows the conflict was serious enough that Paul and Barnabas were sent to Jerusalem to resolve the question.
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 reveals the specific demand from believing Pharisees at the Jerusalem meeting: circumcision and command to keep the Law of Moses.
The main issue was whether Gentile believers had to be circumcised and commanded to keep the Law of Moses in order to be saved. Jewish believers from Jerusalem insisted that the Gentiles at Antioch could not be saved unless they followed these practices.
They were Jewish believers, including certain of the sect of the Pharisees who believed in Jesus as the Christ. As Les Feldick explains, they were still lawkeepers and held to the old economy of law and circumcision.
Paul strongly opposed it. Les Feldick says Paul had no small dissension and disputation with them, and that he refused to make circumcision and law-keeping part of his message to the Gentiles, insisting they were under grace.
According to Les Feldick, Peter came to Paul's defense, referencing his experience at Cornelius's house where he witnessed God saving a Gentile without ascribing to Judaism or requiring repentance and water baptism.
They went to Jerusalem to settle the question of whether Gentile believers had to keep the Law. Paul was brought down from Antioch to face the church there and defend his teaching that salvation was apart from the Law.
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