Many persons as they interpret the events of Acts chapter 15, arrive at a conclusion which the passage and good sense do not support. They say; "If Sabbath observance was a requirement of the Church, it would have been included among those necessary things,..." .
Are we to believe there is no other command of the Law which applies to the Church? Was this a comprehensive list given by James as to the way of life of a Christian or did he only mention some of what is required; or what should not be done? If that which James mentioned (Acts 15:20-21,29) is all that Gentile Christians should not do then Christianity today is filled with many unnecessary things.
Judaism does not teach Gentiles had no law from God to keep, nor they had no covenant with God. They taught Noachide.
These persons like many others have misunderstood this passage and have imposed on it things which it does not say. This passage rather than making the Gentile more different from the Jew, draws him closer to the Jewish way of life.
Some claim, "...Gentile converts...were ignorant of Jewish Laws" and that "Sabbath keeping:...was unfamiliar to the Gentiles."
The scriptures do not support this.
Gentiles were among those who were in the synagogues on the Sabbath. (See Acts 13:42-48; 14:1;17:1-4; 18:1-4).
In Acts 15 also, James states that; "For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every Sabbath." (Acts 15:21).
Jewish historian Josephus supports this, "...the multitude of mankind itself have had a great inclination for along time to follow our religious observances; for there is not any city of the Grecians, nor any of the Barbarians, nor any nation whatsoever, whither our custom of resting on the seventh day hath not come... as God pervades all the world, so hath our law passed through all the world also." (Against Apion, 2, 40).
I think you are misunderstanding this here. Josephus says this also of these laws.
Josephus Against Apion 2, 32
"However
the reward is such as live
exactly according to the laws, is not silver or gold; it is not a garland of olive-branches or of smallage, nor any such public sign of commendation: but every good man hath his own conscience bearing witness to himself, and by virtue of our legislator's prophetic spirit, and the firm security God himself affords such a one, he believes that God
has made this grant to those who observe these laws, even though they be obliged to
die for them, that they shall
come into being again, and at certain revolution of things, shall
receive a better life than they had enjoyed before".
Circumcision - The Point of Contention
The main dispute in Acts 15 was the vexed question of circumcision. Certain disciples were of the view that to be saved, Gentiles had to be circumcised and keep the Law of Moses i.e. they had to keep all the commands in the Law, both those of the sacrificial and of the Ten Commandment system. Note that an uncircumcised person could not take part in the Passover in the Old Covenant (Exodus 12:45-48).
Yes, I think so, see Josephus above on this. However Passover is a sacrifice and a feast for a memorial to the fulfillment of the promises of the pre Sinai covenant. God's promise made in covenant with Abraham 400 years earlier. Yes. The Sinai covenant prevented the uncircumcised from the sacrificial offering of the celebration to memorialize the fulfilment of the promise of the covenant to Abraham (1st covenant to his natural seed).. But the new covenant no carnal circumcision necessary to partake of the celebratory offering from the altar. remebering the promise of the second covenant to the promise to all the seed of promise.
Ge 17:4 As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of
many nations. {many … : Heb. multitude of nations }
Ge 17:5 Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of
many nations have I made thee. {Abraham: that is, Father of a great multitude }
Ro 4:17 (As it is written, I have made thee a father of
many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were. {before him: or, like unto him }
Ro 4:18 Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of
many nations, according to that which was spoken,
So shall thy seed be.
It was being explained by Peter that both Jews and Gentiles will be saved through grace i.e. God's love in allowing His Son to die for us, rather than by sacrifices. (See Acts 15:7-11; Ephesians 2:8-13; Hebrews 9:11-14). Notice that the things mentioned are closely linked to either the sacrificial systems of the Jews or that of the Gentiles and to make it clear what is expected of the new converts then these things were mentioned.
Two covenants. Gal.24 Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar.
(1) Gentiles had a practice of partaking in food offered to idols (I Corinthians 10:19-21).
(2) Fornication was a part of the rituals performed by Gentiles in service to their gods. (Numbers 25:1-3; I Corinthians 10:8; Deuteronomy 23:17-18; I Kings 14:24)
The Lion Handbook, "The World's Religion" had this comment on Canaanite religion; "According to Hebrew and Greek writings, popular worship included ritual prostitution and other excesses." [Page 66].
(3) Blood was used for atonement in the Old Covenant and was not to be consumed. Animals were to be properly killed to remove the blood.
The heathen also drank blood in worship of their gods. A practice which Israel adopted (Psalm 16:4; Ezekiel 33:25; Leviticus 17:11-14).
Strangled animals i.e. animals which die of itself were given to the stranger or alien in the Old Covenant but now James is saying the Gentile should not partake of such an animal i.e. he should be like the Jew. (See Deuteronomy 14:21; Acts 15:29).
The Gentiles coming into the Church should not adopt the sacrifice of circumcision nor should they continue in their own sacrificial practices of fornication, offering and eating food offered to idols and drinking of blood. The fact that James referred all to Moses, being read in the synagogues on the Sabbath in every city, shows he was not rejecting the whole of the Law, as all things, the Gentiles should abstain from, are proscribed by the Law. (See Acts 15:20-21).
Do Christians Abstain From Things Strangled And Blood
"And whatsoever man there be of the children of Israel or of the strangers that sojourn among you, which hunteth and catcheth any beast or fowl that may be eaten; he shall even pour out the blood thereof and cover it with dust...ye shall eat the blood of no manner of flesh:..." (Leviticus 17:13-14).
It is this command that James is repeating in Acts 15. How many Christians today actually obey this command?
To this writer's knowledge, only Jewish and Moslem butchers take special care to see that animals are butchered in a manner to cause the blood to be drained properly. Other butchers use methods which technically result in the blood remaining in the animal and hence most Christians end up eating the blood in the flesh.
Rather than giving permission to abandon the Sabbath, the conference in Acts 15 has placed more responsibilities on Gentile Christians.These persons attitude is common, as many have not realized what is expected of them. The practice of blood transfusion may also be affected by this command. I urge all to repent of disobeying the commands in Acts 15:20, 29 and of placing the subject of the Sabbath in the passage when it clearly was not a part of the discussion.
Noachide law was universal law to all sons of Noah.
Gen 6:8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.
9 These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God.
2Pe 2:5 And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person,
a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly;
