The Jerusalem meeting settled that Gentile believers did not have to become proselytes of Judaism or keep the Law of Moses.
At issue was whether Gentile converts had to be circumcised and keep the Law. Peter testified that God had saved Gentiles apart from Judaism, and Paul refused to yield. The leaders agreed that Paul and Barnabas would go to the Gentiles while the Jerusalem apostles went to the circumcision.
Acts 15:5 — Shows the exact demand that Gentile believers be circumcised and keep the Law, which the Jerusalem meeting addressed.
Acts 15:12 — Records the Jerusalem assembly falling silent after Barnabas and Paul report God's wonders among the Gentiles.
Galatians 2:9 — Records the right hand of fellowship and division of ministry between Paul and the Jerusalem leaders.
The book of Acts records that certain believers of the sect of the Pharisees rose up in the meeting and said, "That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses" (Acts 15:5). After Barnabas and Paul reported what God had done, "all the multitude kept silence" (Acts 15:12). James then referred to Peter's testimony: "Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name" (Acts 15:14). Paul's account of the same event says that James, Cephas, and John gave the right hand of fellowship to Paul and Barnabas, agreeing that Paul and Barnabas should go unto the heathen and they unto the circumcision (Galatians 2:9).
Les Feldick ties the Jerusalem meeting directly to Peter's earlier visit to Cornelius. He teaches that God sent Peter to that Gentile household so that, years later, Peter could stand and defend Paul at the Jerusalem meeting. Peter's eyes had been opened to the fact that God could save Gentiles without making them proselytes of Judaism. Les says that had Peter missed that experience, the Jewish believers in Jerusalem would have squashed Paul and Barnabas, stopping the Gospel of Grace from reaching the Gentile world.
Acts 15:5 reports that certain believers of the sect of the Pharisees said it was needful to circumcise the Gentile believers and command them to keep the Law of Moses. Les Feldick explains that Paul was brought to Jerusalem because the Jewish believers objected to his teaching that Gentiles could be saved apart from Judaism, without circumcision and without being commanded to keep the Law.
God sent Peter to Cornelius so that, years later, Peter could come to Paul's defense. Peter had seen that God saves Gentiles simply by believing, without making them proselytes of Judaism. Les says that had Peter not had that eye-opening experience, Paul would never have gotten off the hook and Christianity would never have gotten off the ground.
After Barnabas and Paul reported the miracles and wonders God had done among the Gentiles, the multitude kept silence. James then said that Simeon had declared how God at the first visited the Gentiles. Les notes that James, not Peter, moderated the meeting, and James, Peter, and John perceived the grace given to Paul and gave Paul and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship, agreeing that Paul and Barnabas would go to the Gentiles while the Jewish apostles went to the circumcision.
Paul said he did not give place to the demand to subject Gentile believers to the Law, even for an hour, so that the truth of the gospel might continue with Gentiles. Les teaches that if the Jewish believers had stopped Paul, they would have stopped the gospel from going to the Gentile world — "Christianity would have never gotten off the ground."
Paul Refuses to Yield
Les explains that Paul did not give in to the demand that Gentile believers keep the Law and be circumcised, because giving in would have stopped the Gospel of Grace from going to the Gentile world.
Peter's Testimony at the Jerusalem Meeting
Les shows that after Peter shared his Cornelius experience, the Jews at Jerusalem heard Barnabas and Paul report God's wonders among the Gentiles.
Peter Defends Paul's Gentile Ministry
Les stresses that Peter's testimony about Cornelius is what spared Paul's ministry when the Jewish leadership challenged Paul's work among the Gentiles.
Gentile Salvation Without Judaism
Les reminds that the demand was to circumcise Gentile believers and keep the Law, but Peter had witnessed years earlier that God saves Gentiles apart from Judaism.
The Acts 15 Controversy
Les explains that Paul was called to Jerusalem because Jewish believers objected to Gentiles being saved apart from the Law and circumcision.
Peter's Eye-Opening Experience
Les says that had Peter not had the Cornelius experience, Paul would never have gotten off the hook, and Christianity would never have gotten off the ground.
Right Hand of Fellowship
Les explains that James, Peter, and John recognized Paul's grace and agreed by handshake that Paul and Barnabas would go to the Gentiles while they went to the circumcision.
James Moderates the Jerusalem Meeting
Les clarifies that James, the Lord's half-brother, moderated the meeting, and after the dispute Peter's Cornelius testimony quieted the Jewish believers.
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 exact requirement—circumcision and the Law—that the Jerusalem meeting was called to resolve.
Acts 15:12: Then all the multitude kept silence, and gave audience to Barnabas and Paul, declaring what miracles and wonders God had wrought among the Gentiles by them.
This verse shows the Jerusalem assembly's response to Paul and Barnabas' report of Gentile conversions.
Acts 15:14: Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name.
James uses Peter's testimony that God first visited the Gentiles to support Gentile salvation outside Judaism.
Galatians 2:5: To whom we gave place by subjection, no, not for an hour; that the truth of the gospel might continue with you.
Paul's refusal to yield preserved the truth of the gospel for Gentile believers.
Galatians 2:9: And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision.
This verse records the fellowship and division of ministry agreed at the Jerusalem meeting.
Yes. Acts 15:5 says certain believing Pharisees insisted that it was needful to circumcise Gentile believers and command them to keep the Law of Moses. This is the issue Paul confronted at the meeting.
Peter had been sent to the house of Cornelius and knew that God saves Gentiles apart from Judaism. His testimony about that experience quieted the Jerusalem Jewish believers and defended Paul's Gentile ministry.
No. Paul said he did not give place to the demand that Gentiles keep the Law, no, not for an hour, so that the truth of the gospel might continue with the Gentiles (Galatians 2:5).
Watch the Teaching: Why Mixing Law and Grace Cancels the Work of the Cross