Acts 15 recounts a “watershed” moment among believers in Messiah Yeshua (Jesus) — should believers among the nations be allowed into the assembly of Israel and how. These events didn’t happen in a vacuum. Events from Acts 1–14 — Peter’s encounter with Cornelius and Paul’s first tour of Asia Minor — led to this momentous ruling by the elders.
In part 2 of the discussion, the importance of the passage from Amos 9 of restoration of a tabernacle for all believers is revealed. The Yerushalayim council ruled that we mustn’t "trouble" new believers as they learn Torah.
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Food for thought from the recorded discussions
Part 1
Who were the "Judaizers"? What must we do to be saved? What is the "yoke" or burden that the believers were avoiding? What is a yoke? Is a yoke good or bad?
What are the basic requirements of new believers? Can those of the nations join the fellowship of Israel?
What is circumcision, and what does it really mean (Deut.10:12-17)?
What is citizenship?
What are the tzitzitot? What is their function?
What is the Sabbath? What kind of sign is the Sabbath?
What is conversion? How many times does this word show up in the New Testament? How many times does it show up in the TaNaKh (Hebrew Scriptures)?
How do we “turn back,” i.e. repent?
How did the Judaizers see the purpose of circumcision?
How does the Yerushalayim council’s decision become “case law” for the assembly of believers in Yeshua? What will be restored?
Who is Silas?
Part 2
How is Acts 15 a study in case law?
Is the Torah the Constitution for Israel?
What are some of the important concepts we see in this chapter? What is "conversion"? How are “faith” and “grace” discussed in Acts 15?
How is Amos 9 referenced in Acts 15? What is a unique feature of the tabernacle? Who does the idea of winnowing of wheat help us see what God was doing among the Jews as well as the Gentiles? What does the Talmud tell us about the common interpretation of Amos 9? If the Bible is the true history of the world, where did the nations originate? What is the Messiah Yeshua rebuilding?
What bar did the Gentiles have to leap over before they were accepted as a part of Israel? What kind of “trouble” did the Apostles want to protect the Gentiles from carrying? How were the believers supposed to avoid the appearance of committing idolatry? Are the admonitions at the end of the chapter just a starting point for the believers, or is it all they ever have to do? What does the word “burden” mean? Where is that same word seen in Revelation?
Do all the laws of the Torah apply to all Israelites all the time? What did the Torah say about the “ger” or “stranger”?
Reader: Dave DeFever. Speaker: Jeff.