Acts 15:2 — meaning, Hebrew and Greek word study, commentary
Acts 15:2
When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question.
puny (in extent · adjective — genitive singular feminine
dissension
στάσεωςstaseōs
G4714
a standing (properly · noun — genitive singular feminine
and
καὶkai
G2532
and · conjunction
disputation
συζήτησιςsyzḗtēsis
G4803
mutual questioning
with
πρὸςpros
G4314
a preposition of direction · preposition
them
αὐτοὺςautous
G846
the reflexive pronoun self · personal pronoun — accusative plural masculine
that
ἔταξανetaxan
G5021
to arrange in an orderly manner · verb — aorist active indicative, 3rd person plural
Paul
ΠαῦλονPaulon
G3972
(little · noun — accusative singular masculine, a proper name
and
καὶkai
G2532
and · conjunction
Barnabas
ΒαρναβᾶνBarnaban
G921
son of Nabas (i.e. prophecy) · noun — accusative singular masculine, a proper name
and
καίkai
G2532
and · conjunction
certain
τιναςtinas
G5100
some or any person or object · indefinite pronoun — accusative plural masculine
other
ἄλλουςallous
G243
"else · adjective — accusative plural masculine
of
ἐξex
G1537
literal or figurative · preposition
them
αὐτῶνautōn
G846
the reflexive pronoun self · personal pronoun — genitive plural masculine
up
ἀναβαίνεινanabainein
G305
to go up (literally or figuratively) · verb — present active infinitive
to
εἰςeis
G1519
to or into (indicating the point reached or entered) · preposition
Jerusalem
ἸερουσαλὴμIerousalēm
G2419
Hierusalem (i.e. Jerushalem) · noun — accusative singular feminine, a place
unto
πρὸςpros
G4314
a preposition of direction · preposition
apostles
ἀποστόλουςapostolous
G652
a delegate · noun — accusative plural masculine
and
καὶkai
G2532
and · conjunction
elders
πρεσβυτέρουςpresbuterous
G4245
older · noun — accusative plural masculine
about
περὶperi
G4012
properly · preposition
this
τούτουtoútou
G5127
of (from or concerning) this (person or thing)
question
ζητήματοςzētēmatos
G2213
a search (properly concretely) · noun — genitive singular neuter
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (James Strong, 1890/1894), public domain; digitized by Open Scriptures (CC BY-SA). KJV word tagging: eBible.org (public domain). Original-language text, parsing and brief lexicon: STEPBible.org data from Tyndale House, Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).
Cross-references
Acts 15:22-23 Then pleased it the apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas; n…
Acts 15:6-7 And the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter.
Galatians 2:1-2 Then fourteen years after I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, and took Titus with me also.
Acts 11:30 Which also they did, and sent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul.
Acts 15:4 And when they were come to Jerusalem, they were received of the church, and of the apostles and elders, and they declared all things that Go…
2 Corinthians 11:5 For I suppose I was not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles.
Galatians 1:6-10 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:
Galatians 2:5 To whom we gave place by subjection, no, not for an hour; that the truth of the gospel might continue with you.
Cross-references from OpenBible.info (CC BY), in the lineage of the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain).
Commentary
Matthew Henry on Acts 15:1-5
Even when things go on very smoothly and pleasantly in a state or in a church, it is folly to be secure, and to think the mountain stands strong and cannot be moved; some uneasiness or other will arise, which is not foreseen, cannot be prevented, but must be prepared for. If ever there was a heaven upon earth, surely it was in the church at Antioch at this time, when there were so many excellent ministers there, and blessed Paul among them, building up that church in her most holy faith. But here we have their peace disturbed, and differences arising. Here is,
I. A new doctrine started among them, which occasioned this division, obliging the Gentile converts to submit to circumcision and the…
Paul and Barnabas--now the recognized heads of the Church at Antioch.
had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined--that is, the church did.
that Paul and Barnabas, and certain others of them--Titus was one (Gal 2:1); probably as an uncircumcised Gentile convert endowed with the gifts of the Spirit. He is not mentioned in the Acts, but only in Second Corinthians, Galatians, Second Timothy, and the Epistle addressed to him [ALFORD].
should go up to Jerusalem . . . about this question--That such a deputation should be formally despatched by the Church of Antioch was natural, as it might be called the mother church of Gentile Christianity.
Adam Clarke on Acts 15:2
No small dissension and disputation - Paul and Barnabas were fully satisfied that God did not design to bring the converted Gentiles under the yoke of circumcision: they knew that Jesus Christ was the end of the law for righteousness (justification) to every one that believed, and therefore they opposed the Judaizing teachers. This was one of the first controversies in the Christian Church; but, though the difference of sentiment was considerable, it led to no breach of Christian charity nor fellowship among themselves.
They determined that Paul, etc. - This verse is read very differently in the Codex Bezae: Γενομενης δε εκτασεως και ζητησεως ουκ ολιγης τῳ Παυλῳ και τῳ Βαρναβᾳ συν αυτοις…
And Paul does not say, What? Have I not a right to be believed after so many signs? but he complied for their sakes. But when he returned from thence, the doctrine also became more exact. For if they at Jerusalem enjoin no such thing, much more these have no right to do so.
How in the Epistle to the Galatians he says, "I did not go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, nor did I entrust the Gospel to them or preach it among the Gentiles"; (Gal. 1:16-17) and yet here he says that Paul and Barnabas were appointed to go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and elders? And we say that, first, he did not himself go up, but was sent by others. Secondly, that he did not arrive as one being instructed, but persuading others. For he from the beginning held this opinion, which the apostles afterwards confirmed, that it was not necessary to be circumcised. But since at first he did not seem to them to be trustworthy, and they gave heed to those in Jerusalem, he went up, not so much to be more persuaded himself as to persuade the objectors that even those in Jerusalem agreed with these things. [CHRYSOSTOM]
It is to be noted that the early believers, with much searching and great eagerness, discussed dogmas, and that they benefited to such an extent through their discussions and that the Antiochians did not hesitate to send [someone] to Jerusalem to inquire about the controversy. And yet their inquiry was not, in the first place, about the Godhead, or the providential incarnation of the Son, or the Holy Spirit, or angels, or powers, or heaven, or anything like this, but about circumcision, about the least part of a man's genitals. They were aware of the fact that the words "a single iota and a single point of the law" were full of a great spiritual meaning. The Antiochian disciples were afraid to take authority, but they took so much thought even for questions that seemed to be trifling, seeing that those from Antioch sent Paul and Barnabas to consult those in Jerusalem, while the disciples from Jerusalem sent Judah and Silas back to Antioch with their letters.
The Church Fathers: public-domain translations (Ante-Nicene and Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers), verse-indexed by SermonIndex (CC BY 4.0).
Dictionary and topics
Barnabas — Son of consolation, the surname of Joses, a Levite (Acts 4:36). His name stands first on the list of prophets and teachers of the church at Antioch (13:1). Luke speaks of him as a “good man” (11:24).…
Council — Spoken of counsellors who sat in public trials with the governor of a province (Acts 25:12). The Jewish councils were the Sanhedrim, or supreme council of the nation, which had subordinate to it…
Galatians, Epistle to — The genuineness of this epistle is not called in question. Its Pauline origin is universally acknowledged. Occasion of. The churches of Galatia were founded by Paul himself (Acts 16:6; Gal. 1:8;…
Paul — =Saul (q.v.) was born about the same time as our Lord. His circumcision-name was Saul, and probably the name Paul was also given to him in infancy “for use in the Gentile world,” as “Saul” would be…
Peter — Originally called Simon (=Simeon, i.e., “hearing”), a very common Jewish name in the New Testament. He was the son of Jona (Matt. 16:17). His mother is nowhere named in Scripture. He had a younger…
Titus — Honourable, was with Paul and Barnabas at Antioch, and accompanied them to the council at Jerusalem (Gal. 2:1-3; Acts 15:2), although his name nowhere occurs in the Acts of the Apostles. He appears…
Antioch · General references — General references
Catholicity · INCUL — INCUL
Council · Apostoli — Apostoli
Elder · IN THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH — IN THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH
Justification Before God · Under the gospel: Is not of faith and works united — Under the gospel: Is not of faith and works united
John Gill on Acts 15:2
When therefore Paul and Barnabas,.... Who were the ministers of the uncircumcision, and were just returned from preaching the Gospel among the Gentiles, with success, and were advocates for them, being witnesses of the grace that was bestowed on them, and therefore opposed the sentiments of these men:
and had no small dissension and disputation with them; which was attended with much heat and sharpness, and continued some time, and occasioned much disturbance and uneasiness; nor could the affair be decided and issued: wherefore
they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them; that is, the members of the church at Antioch, taking this matter into consideration, and finding…
Acts 15:1-5
1. And certain which came down from Judea did teach his brethren, that unless they should be circumcised according to the manner of Moses, they could not be saved. 2. And when there arose sedition, and disputing not a little to Paul and Barnabas against them, they appointed that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to the apostles and elders to Jerusalem about this question. 3. And when they were sent by the Church, they passed through. Phenice and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles, and they brought great joy to all the brethren. 4. And when they were come to Jerusalem, they were received of the Church, and of the apostles and elders, and t…
The Antioch church decided to send . . . delegates to Jerusalem to resolve this matter in discussion with the apostles and elders there. En route, the entourage visited believers in Phoenicia and Samaria, where the Christian faith had made substantial inroads (ch 8).
Dictionary: Easton's (1897) and Smith's (1863), public domain. Topics: Nave's Topical Bible (1896) and Torrey's Topical Textbook (1897), public domain. Both as parsed by NEUU (CC BY 4.0).
