S
Schabel
Guest
In Acts 15, James follows Peter’s doctrinal pronouncement with his pastoral implementation:
Ac 15:19 Therefore my judgment is that we should not trouble those of the Gentiles who turn
to God,
20 but should write to them to abstain from the pollutions of idols and from unchastity and
from what is strangled and from blood.
Now, this was obviously not the entirity of what was expected of the new Christians; they were still expected to obey Christ in other things, especially the moral laws of the OT as amplified in the Sermon on the Mount.
These stipulations are temporary provisions meant to avoid scandal between the Jewish and Gentile converts.
Or are they? I can see that for the dietary provisions, and even the “pollutions of idols” since it seems to refer to taking any part in the rituals of the pagans even though it may be assumed that the Christian will not put any faith in these rituals or the idols, but what about the “unchastity” (“fornication”) portion? That seems to be a part of the unchanging moral law. Why is this part alone stated? If this pronouncement is just about the distinctively Jewish ritual observances, it doesn’t seem to belong. If it is about all things that the new Christians were to observe, how can it not include such things as stealing or murder?
Ac 15:19 Therefore my judgment is that we should not trouble those of the Gentiles who turn
to God,
20 but should write to them to abstain from the pollutions of idols and from unchastity and
from what is strangled and from blood.
Now, this was obviously not the entirity of what was expected of the new Christians; they were still expected to obey Christ in other things, especially the moral laws of the OT as amplified in the Sermon on the Mount.
These stipulations are temporary provisions meant to avoid scandal between the Jewish and Gentile converts.
Or are they? I can see that for the dietary provisions, and even the “pollutions of idols” since it seems to refer to taking any part in the rituals of the pagans even though it may be assumed that the Christian will not put any faith in these rituals or the idols, but what about the “unchastity” (“fornication”) portion? That seems to be a part of the unchanging moral law. Why is this part alone stated? If this pronouncement is just about the distinctively Jewish ritual observances, it doesn’t seem to belong. If it is about all things that the new Christians were to observe, how can it not include such things as stealing or murder?
