Lecture 8 – From Antioch to the Jerusalem Council

Recap from last week

11:19-20

19 Now those who were scattered because of the persecution that arose over Stephen
traveled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to no one
except Jews. 20 But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who on
coming to Antioch spoke to the Hellenists also, preaching the Lord Jesus. (n.b.
Hellenists here does not mean Hellenistic Jews, but Gentiles)

The active seeking out of Gentiles.

The time-relationship and causal relationship between the Cornelius incident and
Gentile mission in Antioch.

“The Lord‟s hand was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to
the Lord.”

The cautious cross-checking of the Jerusalem community - send Barnabas (see Acts
4:36)

Barnabas affirms not so much Gentile inclusion, but Gentile mission.

 Goes and gets Saul of Tarsus

o Paul is summoned by Barnabas in AD 47?

Lecture 8 – From Antioch to the Jerusalem Council

 It is also interesting that the disciples were called Christians first at Antioch
(11:26).

 The prophecy of Agabus - What was the place of prophecy in the early
movement? How much prophecy? What authority?

 The sense of „brotherly‟ unity with the existing church in Judea.

 Further chronology issues – famines in the reign of Claudius; cf. 11:28.

The Renewed Persecution of the Jerusalem Church 12:1-24

The literary unit is the final part of the third panel.

Persecution now from secular powers – an example of the way God supports his
mission in the face of hostility.

Which Herod? Herod Agrippa I (not Herod the Great from early in the Gospels,
and not Herod Antipas in the ministry of Jesus)
Lecture 8 – From Antioch to the Jerusalem Council

Now Herod Agrippa comes against the church in persecuting power.

Two big acts of persecution:

 James, son of Zebedee – executed by the sword.

 Peter is arrested at the time of Passover.

Peter is rescued by a praying church and an angel sent from God, but Peter doesn‟t
believe it!

9 And he went out and followed him. He did not know that what was being done by
the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision.
10 When they had passed the first and the second guard, they came to the iron gate
leading into the city. It opened for them of its own accord, and they went out and went
along one street, and immediately the angel left him.

The comical return of Peter to the prayer meeting.

Contrast as a key device in this unit:

 Contrast between the power of Herod and the power of God (and his church)

 Contrast between Peter and James.

Peter goes into hiding and appears to leave Jerusalem community (back in Acts 15; in
Antioch in Gal 2:11-14) – change in leadership.

 New leader – go tell these things to James (the brother of Jesus)

Angels attend to Peter, and worms attend to Herod ( see the parallel in
Jos.Ant.19.343-350).

23 Immediately, because Herod did not give praise to God, an angel of the Lord
struck him down, and he was eaten by worms and died. 24 But the word of God
continued to increase and spread.
Lecture 8 – From Antioch to the Jerusalem Council

See in 12:24 the third summary statement.

 Nothing can stop this movement of the word.

 Moving from Jerusalem to Antioch. From Peter to Saul.

6:8-9:31
9:32-12:24 16:6 -19:20
1:1-6:7 12:25-16:5 19:21-28:31
The Gospel
The Gospel The Gospel
The Gospel in in Judea, The Gospel The Gospel
goes to the goes to
Jerusalem Galilee and goes to Asia goes to Rome
Gentiles Europe
Samaria

13:2 - "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them."

The implementation by the Spirit of the call of Saul in chapter 9.

Antioch as a new mission centre.

The place of the Holy Spirit in guiding the mission

The “first missionary journey” (Acts 13-14)

Lecture 8 – From Antioch to the Jerusalem Council

Salamis

Confrontation with Elymas, (Paul does the same things as Peter in Acts 8)

Pisidian Antioch

Largest synagogue speech of Paul in Acts

Initial acceptance or favour shown by the synagogue – but then offence at Gentile
inclusion? (“when the Jews saw the crowds”)

13:48 – predestination?

Note the stirring up of persecution by Jews in 13:50 – this will become a pattern
throughout Acts

Shaking the dust off their feet (see Mark 6:11//Luke 9:5; Luke 10:10-11//Matt 10:14).
Lecture 8 – From Antioch to the Jerusalem Council

The whole unit becomes paradigmatic to a degree of what Paul will regularly do. Go
to the synagogue, be largely rejected, and go to the Gentiles.

Iconium 14:1-7

repetition of similar events as in Pisidian Antioch

Lystra 14:8-20

God continues to support them with powerful signs and wonders (lame man; cf. Acts
3:1-10; Luke 7:22; Isaiah 35:6)

The capability of the gospel and its accompanying signs to be syncretistically

embedded within existing belief systems.

Note the different sermon style for the speech in Lystra

The Return to Antioch (14:21-28)

"We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God," they said.
(14:22)

The presence of suffering does not invalidate the gospel nor its messenger.

14:23 – indigenous leadership structures.

The excited response that God had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles is a natural
lead in to the Jerusalem Council.
Lecture 8 – From Antioch to the Jerusalem Council

A further chronological question – the dating of Galatians

South Galatian Theory/North Galatian theory.

 South Galatian theory – Galatians is written to the southern cities of the

Roman province of Galatia which is evangelised by Paul in Acts 13-14

 North Galatian theory – Galatians is written to the Gallic regions in the north
of Asia Minor, which is not evangelised by Paul until Acts 16 (?)

15:1-35 – The Jerusalem Council

One final obstacle to Gentile mission from Jerusalem.

The influx of Gentiles provoking new questions, not just about salvation, but
fellowship together as one people of God.

Massive scholarly debate over this events timing in relationship to Gal 2.

Acts 15 could be Gal 2:1-10 (Fitzmyer, Jervell, Polhill)

Acts 11:30 could be Gal 2:1-10 (Bruce, Witherington, Marshall, Schnabel)

Points for Gal 2 = Acts 11:30

 Gal 2:2 is a private meeting, not the public one of Acts 15

 Gal 2 lacks any mentions of the conditions that come out of the meeting
 Gal 2:1 is described by Paul as his second visit = Acts 11
 Ga 2:2 says he went because of a revelation which accords with the Agabus
prophecy.
 Both texts mention material needs in Judea
 How could Gal 2:11-14 happen after the decree?
 Gal 2 is therefore Paul‟s second post-conversion visit to J, and Acts 15 is his
third.
 How can one accept the silence of the council when the letter of Acts 15 is to
the Galatian region?
Lecture 8 – From Antioch to the Jerusalem Council

Therefore, the decree comes after Galatians was written – demands an early date for
Galatians (South Galatian Theory)

Galatians 2:1-10 = Acts 15

 Where are the apostles mentioned in Gal 2 but not in Acts 11:30?
 How could Titus be present in Gal 2 but he is not mentioned in Acts 11?
 Why did Gal 2:11-14 concern dietary practices not circumcision?
 Paul is subordinate to Barnabas in Acts 11 but is he in Gal 2?
 Perhaps Paul didn‟t think the famine visit was important, so he didn‟t count it
as a visit.
 Why doesn‟t Luke suggest all the Gentile issue details that Gal 2 does?

Then this could refer back to the decree, and Galatians is written later.

The challenge

4 When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles
and the elders, and they declared all that God had done with them.
5 But some believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees rose up and said, "It
is necessary to circumcise them and to order them to keep the law of Moses."

Peter’s response

"Brothers, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you, that by my
mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe.
8 And God, who knows the heart, bore witness to them, by giving them the Holy Spirit
just as he did to us,
9 and he made no distinction between us and them, having cleansed their hearts by
faith.
10 Now, therefore, why are you putting God to the test by placing a yoke on the neck
of the disciples that neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear?
11 But we believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as
they will."

Paul’s response

12 And all the assembly fell silent, and they listened to Barnabas and Paul as they
related what signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles.
Lecture 8 – From Antioch to the Jerusalem Council

James scriptural argument

14 Simeon has related how God first visited the Gentiles, to take from them a people
for his name.
15 And with this the words of the prophets agree, just as it is written,
16 "'After this I will return, and I will rebuild the tent of David that has fallen; I will
rebuild its ruins, and I will restore it,
17 that the remnant of mankind may seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles who are
called by my name, says the Lord, who makes these things
18 known from of old.'

However, for the sake of the community, one should exercise discretion.

 What does 15:21 mean?

 Judas and Silas come as official Jerusalem reps to authorise their Gentile
ministry.

Was Paul not entirely happy with the outcome, given that he never mentions it?

The idea that circumcision is necessary is decisively refuted. Stop bothering the
Gentiles.

One thing that is not made clear is how Jews are to view the practice of keeping the
law. If Paul is our guide, there are two options:

1. keep the law scrupulously for the sake of evangelism to the Jews
2. relax your practice for the sake of the Gentiles (1 Cor 9:19-22; Rom 14-15)