Acts 15:22 — meaning, Hebrew and Greek word study, commentary
Acts 15:22
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; namely, Judas surnamed Barsabas and Silas, chief men among the brethren:
a man (properly as an individual male) · noun — accusative plural masculine
of
ἐξex
G1537
literal or figurative · preposition
company
αὐτῶνautōn
G846
the reflexive pronoun self · personal pronoun — genitive plural masculine
to
εἰςeis
G1519
to or into (indicating the point reached or entered) · preposition
Antioch
ἈντιόχειανAntiocheian
G490
Antiochia · noun — accusative singular feminine, a place
with
σὺνsun
G4862
with or together (but much closer than G3326 (μετά) or… · preposition
Paul
ΠαύλῳPaulō
G3972
(little · noun — dative singular masculine, a proper name
and
καὶkai
G2532
and · conjunction
Barnabas
Βαρναβᾷ,Barnaba
G921
son of Nabas (i.e. prophecy) · noun — dative singular masculine, a proper name
Judas
ἸούδανIoudan
G2455
Judas (i.e. Jehudah) · noun — accusative singular masculine, a proper name
surnamed
ἐπικαλέομαιepikaléomai
G1941
to entitle
Barsabas
ΒαρσαββᾶνBarsabban
G923
son of Sabas (or Tsaba) · noun — accusative singular masculine, a proper name
and
καὶkai
G2532
and · conjunction
Silas
Σιλᾶν,Silan
G4609
Silas · noun — accusative singular masculine, a proper name
chief
ἡγουμένουςhēgoumenous
G2233
to lead · verb — present middle or passive deponent participle, accusative plural masculine
men
ἄνδραςandras
G435
a man (properly as an individual male) · noun — accusative plural masculine
among
ἐνen
G1722
"in · preposition
brethren
ἀδελφοῖς,adelphois
G80
a brother (literally or figuratively) near or remote (m… · noun — dative plural masculine
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 15:27 We have sent therefore Judas and Silas, who shall also tell you the same things by mouth.
Acts 15:40 And Paul chose Silas, and departed, being recommended by the brethren unto the grace of God.
Acts 1:23 And they appointed two, Joseph called Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias.
Acts 15:32 And Judas and Silas, being prophets also themselves, exhorted the brethren with many words, and confirmed them.
Acts 18:5 And when Silas and Timotheus were come from Macedonia, Paul was pressed in the spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus was Christ.
1 Thessalonians 1:1 Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto the church of the Thessalonians which is in God the Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace be un…
2 Thessalonians 1:1 Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:
1 Peter 5:12 By Silvanus, a faithful brother unto you, as I suppose, I have written briefly, exhorting, and testifying that this is the true grace of God…
Cross-references from OpenBible.info (CC BY), in the lineage of the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain).
Commentary
Matthew Henry on Acts 15:22-35
We have here the result of the consultation that was held at Jerusalem about the imposing of the ceremonial law upon the Gentiles. Much more, it is likely, was said about it than is here recorded; but at length it was brought to a head, and the advice which James gave was universally approved and agreed to nemine contradicente - unanimously; and letters were accordingly sent by messengers of their own to the Gentile converts, acquainting them with their sentiments in this matter, which would be a great confirmation to them against the false teachers. Now observe here,
I. The choice of the delegates that were to be sent with Paul and Barnabas on this errand; not as if they had any suspicion o…
Judas surnamed Barsabas--therefore not the apostle "Judas the brother of James" (Act 1:13), surnamed "Thaddeus" (Mat 10:3); nor can it be shown that he was a brother of "Joseph called Barsabas" (Act 1:23). But nothing is known of him beyond what is here said.
and Silas--the same as "Silvanus" in the Epistles. He became Paul's companion on his second missionary journey (Act 15:40).
chief men among the brethren--selected purposely as such, to express the honor in which they held the church at Antioch, and the deputies they had sent to the council, and, as the matter affected all Gentile converts, to give weight to the written decision of this important assembly. They were "prophets," Act 1…
Then pleased it the apostles and elders, with the whole Church - James determined what ought to be done; and the whole assembly resolved how that should be done.
Chosen men of their own company - Paul and Barnabas were to return: they could have witnessed to the Church at Antioch what was done at the council at Jerusalem; but as it was possible that their testimony might be suspected, from the part they had already taken in this question at Antioch, it was necessary that a deputation from the council should accompany them. Accordingly Judas and Silas are sent to corroborate by their oral testimony what was contained in the letters sent from the council.
The Church Fathers
"Then it pleased the apostles, and the ancients, and the whole church, to choose men and to send to Antioch." It pleased the apostles and the ancients who dwelt in Jerusalem to send with Paul and Barnabas to Antioch Judas, who is surnamed Basabas, and Silas, through whom they sent a letter to this effect: they should not believe that the law of circumcision was necessary for them, but they should only abstain from idols, fornication and strangled blood, and trust that they were in a good position if they persevered in the grace of the Lord.
"to choose men from among them to send." They decided that it should not serve merely to have the letter present, for fear that they say that they had seized one thing for another by speaking falsely, but so that the matter might also become more credible, they send those from among them, that Barnabas and Paul may be beyond suspicion. And so that it may not seem to be slander that Paul and Barnabas were the ones sent, they entrust them. They say that men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. [CHRYSOSTOM]
Then the decree is made in common. "Then pleased it the Apostles and elders, together with the whole Church, to choose men of their own company" - do you observe they do not merely enact these matters, and nothing more? - "and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas: namely, Judas surnamed Barsabas, and Silas, chief men among the brethren: and they wrote letters by them after this manner." And observe, the more to authenticate the decree, they send men of their own, that there may be no room for regarding Paul and his company with suspicion. There was a design of Providence in the disputation also, that after the disputation the doctrine might be more firm.
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
Antioch — (1.) In Syria, on the river Orontes, about 16 miles from the Mediterranean, and some 300 miles north of Jerusalem. It was the metropolis of Syria, and afterwards became the capital of the Roman…
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;…
James — (1.) The son of Zebedee and Salome; an elder brother of John the apostle. He was one of the twelve. He was by trade a fisherman, in partnership with Peter (Matt. 20:20; 27:56). With John and Peter he…
Judas — The Graecized form of Judah. (1.) The patriarch (Matt. 1:2, 3). (2.) Son of Simon (John 6:71; 13:2, 26), surnamed Iscariot, i.e., a man of Kerioth (Josh. 15:25). His name is uniformly the last in the…
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…
Silas — Wood, a prominent member of the church at Jerusalem; also called Silvanus. He and Judas, surnamed Barsabas, were chosen by the church there to accompany Paul and Barnabas on their return to Antioch…
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 · .Dissension within the congregation of
John Gill on Acts 15:22
Then pleased it the apostles and elders, with the whole church,.... The opinion, judgment, and advice of James, being approved of by the whole body of the apostles, ministers, and brethren of the church assembled together on this occasion; they unanimously agreed,
to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch, with Paul and Barnabas; that is, they thought fit to choose some persons from among themselves, out of that assembly, or who were members of the church at Jerusalem; and send them to Antioch, where the difference began, along with Paul and Barnabas, to give an account of the sense of the apostles, elders, and brethren, about the affair in controversy, and what was their advice up…
Acts 15:22-29
22. Then it seemed good to the apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men of them to Antioch, with Paul and Barnabas, Judas, surnamed Barsabas, and Silas, chief men among the brethren. 23. Sending letters by their hands after this form: The apostles, and elders, and brethren, to those brethren which are at Antioch, and in Syria and Gilicia, which are of the Gentiles, greeting: 24. Because we have heard that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, commanding you to be circumcised, and to keep the law, to whom we gave no commandment; 25. It seemed good to us, being gathered together with one mind, to send chosen men…
The Jerusalem church chose two of the church leaders to report its decision. They took with them a letter from the apostles and elders . . . in Jerusalem explaining the terms of the agreement.
Elder · IN THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH — IN THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH
Gentiles · CONVERSION OF — CONVERSION OF
Justification Before God · Under the gospel: Is not of faith and works united — Under the gospel: Is not of faith and works united
Silas · .Sent to Paul, in Antioch (of Syria), from — .Sent to Paul, in Antioch (of Syria), from
Titus · Compare — Compare
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).
