12. The Council of Jerusalem

Acts of the Apostles

In Antioch of Syria, a beautiful, large, vibrant, active Christian community was born. Barnabas and Saul were the animators, and they also had other prophets and doctors in that Church in Antioch. In Antioch, the idea of starting the mission to the world matured, and they sent Barnabas and Saul to try it, a test to verify if what had happened in their city could be repeated in other realities, if God’s project involved preaching of the Gospel to all. Barnabas and Saul left.

In the previous video, we saw the text from chapters 13 and 14 of the Acts of the Apostles in which this first missionary journey of the two great apostles is narrated. From Cyprus, they reached Asia Minor, in the immense Anatolia, now Turkey. They were in the cities of Antioch in Pisidia, Iconium, Lystra, Derbe, and then they came back. They spent several years making this itinerary, for this “plantatio ecclesiae,” that is, the implantation of the Church; starting with small groups, many Churches were born in these different cities, and they are well-organized communities. They returned home, that is, in Antioch, towards the end in the 40s; Paul and Barnabas narrate everything they have done. They share what the Lord has done through them, and, in summary, they say that the experiment worked.

Indeed, the proclamation of the Gospel takes root; it bears fruit, some people welcome the proclamation and adhere to Jesus; therefore, it must be the right way. Paul and Barnabas announced the Gospel, baptized these people, gave birth to the community, celebrated the Eucharist, and gave the task to some men, the priests, to preside at the Eucharist, have organized the Church. Now a problem arises.

Chapter 15 of the Acts of the Apostles is dedicated precisely to this central point and decisive chapter in the history of the Church. Because “Some who had come down from Judea were instructing the brothers, ‘Unless you are circumcised according to the Mosaic practice, you cannot be saved.'” That is to say, some Christians of Jewish origin claim that before being Christian, one must be Jewish. The underlying idea is that the Messiah came for the Jews; Christ saves the Jews. If we now say that he saves everyone, all have to become Jewish. This salvation brought by Christ may reach everyone, but it is necessary, they say, that whoever wants to be saved first must become a Jew; that is, to accept the Law of Moses. To make the process of the proselytes according to the Jewish tradition: to study the law, commit to applying all the rules of the Law of Moses, the distinction between pure and impure foods, the rigorous observance of the Sabbath, circumcision and, therefore, these Judaizing Christians claim that before receiving baptism one must receive circumcision. One must be circumcised and accept the law of Moses; only then can one recognize Jesus as the Messiah and be baptized to obtain his salvation.

Paul and Barnabas did not agree on this at all. Let us not forget that Paul and Barnabas were Jews, and initially, they were well convinced of their religious tradition. Of Barnabas, we are simply told that he was a Levite, therefore, a priest, accustomed to the separation, to legal purity. And Saul was a Pharisee, a conscientious doctor of law, an avid supporter of the ancestors’ traditions, therefore, two men linked to the Jewish world who, throughout their lives, until the moment they met with Jesus Christ, had been observant of the Law of Moses. But knowledge of the Gospel of Jesus opened their minds, made them understand that the saving work of Jesus goes beyond the law. It does not suppress it, it does not annul it, but it completes it, leads it to compliance, fulfills it, and therefore in some areas surpasses it, such as food distinction, the material observance of the Sabbath, the need for circumcision.

They believe that to be a Christian you need only Christ. The fundamental question is here: What does it take to be a Christian or receive Christian salvation? Adhere to Jesus Christ. No other practices are necessary; baptism is a sacramental sign of adherence to faith in Christ, and circumcision becomes useless. The point is very delicate because, on that occasion, the Judaizers asked that Paul and Barnabas should circumcise all those foreigners, that is, that they should first be taught Jewish law and then bring them closer to Christ.

On the other hand, the two apostles, strong from their experience in the pagan world, say that there is no need, that now those norms are surpassed, we should not go through Judaism to be Christians. Those people who know nothing about Judaism can know Jesus without going through the Law of Moses. They have a problem because Paul and Barnabas are firmly opposed; they argue strongly with them, and the Judaizers do not accept giving in.

So, in Antioch, a division is created within the Church. There are two operational lines: conservative and progressive. Conservatives want to keep everything as before, and progressives want to step forward and recognize that the newness of Christ liberates from that old Jewish schema. The two sides are opposed and cannot find a solution, and so they decide to go to Jerusalem, to the apostles and the elderly, and present them with the problem. Paul and Barnabas are therefore sent to Jerusalem to clarify the issue with the central authorities.

During their long journey from Antioch to Jerusalem, Paul and Barnabas cross many regions; they find several communities in Phoenicia and Samaria, they relate their experience. “When they arrived in Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the Church, as well as by the apostles and the presbyters, and they reported what God had done with them.” They relate that extraordinary experience of the evangelization of the pagans in Anatolia and describe their discussion with some of the Judaizers. Some of those present in Jerusalem are of the same idea as the Judaizers. “But some from the party of the Pharisees who had become believers stood up and said, ‘It is necessary to circumcise them and direct them to observe the Mosaic law.'”

Also, these two positions exist in Jerusalem. “The apostles and the presbyters met together to see about this matter.” The solemn meeting of the apostles and other leaders called priests is equivalent to a first Council. This event is usually called the Council of Jerusalem; it is considered the first Council in the history of the Church when they are faced with a new problem that has arisen and the Church authorities must decide. The issue must be clarified because it is not very clear what the procedure is.

There are arguments in favor of one part and arguments that favor another. Therefore, a discussion, a careful study, is necessary. The criteria are those of the word of Jesus and the Scriptures. They need to get back to the basics, need to go back to the origins. Several historical elements allow us to date this apostolic meeting in the year 49 in Jerusalem. Almost twenty years have passed since the Passover of Jesus; in twenty years of Church history, things have changed; there are new situations, problems have arisen that were not there before, and to solve these new problems require a return to the origins, a return to Jesus as a foundation: his teaching, the word of God preserved in the Old Testament Scriptures and to search in those fundamental elements the criteria for solving the current problem. Luke presents a brief discussion and exemplifies it with some speeches.

“After much debate had taken place, Peter got up and said to them….” Peter reappears here after having left Jerusalem at the time of Herod Agrippa the first persecution; now, he returns to Jerusalem, which is the last time he appears in the book of Acts. He tells his story with Cornelius, which is the episode narrated in chapter 10. And there has already been a speech by Peter in chapter 11 when the apostle had to defend himself against the accusations of his brothers in Jerusalem by holding that the strange story of the centurion Cornelius is a sign of the times, is a way in which the Lord wanted to give precise indications; that is, of openness towards the pagans and if Cornelius, a Roman, received the Holy Spirit, even before his baptism, it is clear that there is no need to circumcise him because he was willing to accept Jesus and was filled with the Spirit of Jesus, so Peter’s baptism was the official sign of welcome in the Christian community.

Peter concludes by saying: “We believe that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, in the same way as they.” We are not saved by circumcision. The apostles who belong to this group are all Jews, everyone has experience of the Jewish tradition, but Peter says: ‘We have received the grace of Christ and we believe that this is what saves us, not our membership in the Jewish people and observance of the law; if we believe that the grace of Jesus Christ saves us, the same is true for them; they too are saved by the grace of Christ.’

“The whole assembly fell silent, and they listened while Paul and Barnabas described the signs and wonders God had worked among the Gentiles through them;” Peter told an episode, that of Cornelius. Still, Barnabas and Paul have dozens of such episodes and tell of Cyprus, Antioch of Pisidia, Lystra, Iconium and Derbe. They mention names; they tell facts, situations of people who have extraordinarily approached the Lord. When they finish telling all those stories, James gets up. James is the head of the Jerusalem community, is the representative of the most conservative group; he is called the brother of Jesus because he belongs to the family clan; James is probably the son of Cleophas, brother of St. Joseph, so he is Jesus’ cousin and a close relative, in that Semitic realm, he is the natural heir of the chief.

Therefore, the continuator of Jesus’ work is his brother, who is his close relative. James stood up and supported the same idea. It is based on a biblical argument; he mentions a long quote from the end of the book of the prophet Amos in which it is said of the Lord that “Again I will rebuild the fallen hut of David; from its ruins I shall rebuild it and raise it up again, so that the rest of humanity may seek out the Lord, even all the Gentiles on whom my name is invoked.”

So, James, based on the Scriptures and not just on the strength of experience, says: “It is my judgment, therefore, that we ought to stop troubling the Gentiles who turn to God, but tell them by letter to avoid…” some things. This is a wise and moderate decision: We must not pretend to impose the law of Moses on the Greeks; we no longer observe it to the letter, we have learned to recognize that it was a transitory element, and in many ways, we have overcome it by the strength of Jesus; therefore, we must let them adhere to Jesus without those impediments of the law, but…it is common sense that we ask for a bit of respect because we, used to the Jewish tradition, have a certain reluctance about “pollution from idols, unlawful marriage, the meat of strangled animals, and blood.” ‘And since it is not necessary to eat pork, we ask you not to do so out of respect for us; we do not say that it is essential to save oneself by not eating pork; however, out of respect to those who consider it wrong to eat pork, we ask you to adapt.’ It is a moderate position that proposes a certain balance and respect and is accepted.

“Then the apostles and presbyters, in agreement with the whole Church, decided to choose representatives and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas.” It is suitable to send someone from Jerusalem along with the two of them because if they both return to Antioch saying, ‘we are right – the apostles have said that our line is right’ – who guarantees it? It is fitting that from Jerusalem go others of the opposite position, who testify that the whole Church has considered as best that line proposed by Paul and Barnabas. “The ones chosen were Judas, who was called Barsabbas, and Silas.”

Two new characters, of whom we know nothing, enter the apostolic history and are the bearers of a letter, a conciliatory document. The meeting of the apostles in Jerusalem concludes with a letter that Luke inserts in its entirety. “The apostles and the presbyters, your brothers, to the brothers in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia of Gentile origin: greetings. Since we have heard that some of our number who went out without any mandate from us have upset you with their teachings and disturbed your peace of mind….” We have met, we have examined the situation, we have decided the following: “It is the decision of the Holy Spirit and us”… That is, illuminated by the Spirit … “not to place on you any burden beyond these necessities….”

And they mention four attitudes: “To abstain from meat sacrificed to idols, from blood (i.e., meat with blood), from meats of strangled animals and unlawful marriage (in the sense of marriage between relatives). If you keep free of these, you will be doing what is right. Farewell.” Paul and Barnabas, together with Barsabbas and Silas, descend from Jerusalem and return to Antioch; they gather the community and read the apostolic letter.

It is a moment of life in the Church; it is one of the first letters, of the first conciliar documents. The letter to the assembly is read and “When the people read it, they were delighted with the exhortation. Judas and Silas, who were themselves prophets, exhorted and strengthened the brothers with many words. After they had spent some time there, they were sent off with greetings of peace from the brothers to those who had commissioned them.” So Judas, nicknamed Barsabbas, and Silas are simply charged with accompanying as witnesses of the Council; they deliver the letter and explain the apostolic line. After which, they can return to Jerusalem.

“But Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch, teaching and proclaiming with many others the word of the Lord.” And Silas also remains with them because, at the beginning of the second mission trip, Silas will become Paul’s collaborator for the work of the great mission. After a certain period, Paul and Barnabas decide to resume the mission. They have a minor disagreement about Mark. Remember that when they arrived in Antalya on the first trip, Mark was frightened by the arduous journey to cross the Taurus and turned back.

Barnabas is Mark’s cousin and would be inclined to forgive him and take him back with him. Paul is much harder: ‘If he has left us once, he no longer comes with us.’ Paul and Barnabas discuss and believe it is better to separate; then they form two groups: Barnabas with Mark return to Cyprus and resume evangelization on that island. Together with Silas, Paul returns to the other cities of Central Anatolia and begins what, since chapter 17 of the Acts, narrates as the second incredible missionary journey with which the Gospel comes to Europe.