Acts 21:25

And for fear that he should say, "If the Gentiles learn this, they will be scandalized," they therefore add: "As for the Gentile believers, we wrote," he says, "commanding them to observe nothing of that sort." Just as then we imposed upon them, although preaching to Jews, so also, you preaching to the Gentiles, cooperate with us: for this is condescension, do not suspect anything. [CHRYSOSTOM]

"What then," he might say, "if the Gentiles should learn it? I shall injure them." How so? say they, seeing that even we, the teachers of the Jews, have sent unto them. "As touching the Gentiles which believe, we have written and concluded that they observe no such thing, save only that they keep themselves from things offered to idols, and from blood, and from strangled, and from fornication." Here with a kind of remonstrance, as "we," say they, commanded them, although we are preachers to the Jews, so do thou, although a preacher to the Gentiles, cooperate with us. Observe Paul: he does not say, "Well, but I can bring forward Timothy, whom I circumcised: well, but I can satisfy them by what I have to say of myself:" but he complied, and did all: for in fact thus was it expedient to do. The party of James distinctly admits that adherence to the legal ceremonies is not required of the Gentile Christians; it is equally important to notice that Paul yielded to the advice to take this view, as a concession in a matter of indifference, since he was living for the time as a Jew among Jews, that he might give no needless offence and might win the more. It was not a compromise, but an expedient concession to convictions and prejudices which it was not wise or necessary to oppose or increase.

About those who believed from among the Gentiles, we wrote judging that they abstain from idols, sacrifices, etc. In Greek, it is more clearly stated: About those who believed among men, we wrote judging that they observe no such thing, except they keep themselves from things sacrificed to idols, etc. Therefore, at that time, Jewish believers in Christ were not prohibited from entering according to the custom of the law, since the temple and their religion still stood, although they would find salvation in the sacraments of the New Testament alone; but those who believed from the Gentiles and were instructed in the sacraments of the Gospel were prohibited from turning to accept the sacraments of the law. However, they were urged to diligently observe those commandments of the law which pertain to the training of morals and the purification of the heart, such as: You shall not covet (Rom. VII). This fourth apostolic synod was held in Jerusalem. The first was concerning the election of the twelfth apostle in place of Judas, the second about the election of the seven deacons, the third about circumcision so that it would not be imposed on Gentile believers, and this fourth one concerning Jewish believers at that time so that they would not be prohibited, where necessity required, from being initiated into the legal ceremonies, to avoid the offense of those who thought they had condemned the decrees of Moses as idolatrous doctrines, which they had also been accustomed to do previously, as proven most notably by the circumcision of Timothy.