After they had held their peace; Barnabas and Paul had finished their narrative. James, who was surnamed the Just, and was the son of Alpheus, and a kinsman to our Saviour, now being president of this council. Answered; that is, began to speak. read more
Simeon, or Simon, the name of Peter; but St. Luke, being himself a Hebrew, writes it according as they pronounced it, and not so contracted as the Greeks wrote it. A people; there were some at all times probably amongst the Gentiles who did fear God, as Job and his three friends; but they did not make a people, or such a number as is here spoken of. For his name: God takes out of the world a people for his name, that is, 1. For himself; as, Proverbs 18:10, the name of the Lord is put for the... read more
The prophets; in the plural number, though only one cited: it is an ordinary enallage; but it also shows the harmony amongst the prophets, they all speaking by one Spirit; what one said is as if all had said it. read more
After this; in the days of the Messiah. I will return: the word may be taken in both voices. If actively, it signifies God’s returning uuto the Gentiles, from whom he had departed. If passively, it foreshows their returning unto God, whom they had forsaken. The tabernacle; the house, expressed by a tabernacle, (as frequently in Scripture), because that anciently they dwelt only in tabernacles; and here for the throne of David, who was a type of Christ, whose kingdom is over all. God does... read more
In the prophet it is the remnant of Edom, Amos 9:12, which is here called the residue of men; for as Jacob, or Israel, shadowed out the church, so Edom, or Esau, (the other son of Isaac), represented those who were rejected, Romans 9:13. The prophet also adds, by way of explication, all the heathen; as the apostle does here, all the Gentiles. Upon whom my name is called; who shall be mine, or appropriated unto me; also called by his name, they being called Christians from Christ, whom they... read more
This the apostle adds, that they might not be offended with the seeming novelty and surprise of the calling of the Gentiles, and abrogation of the ceremonies; for it was no other than what God had before determined to do, and therefore they ought to rest satisfied in the wise and holy appointments of God. read more
St. James here gives his opinion, confirming and approving what Peter had done in conversing with and baptizing of the Gentiles; whom he would not have afflicted or disturbed with such things as were not necessary, lest that it should hinder the conversion of the Gentiles, and the church should lose the substance for a shadow. read more
That they abstain from pollutions of idols; eating of meat that was offered to idols, as Acts 15:29 in a case of scandal, and for the present state of the church, was forbid, though afterwards in other cases indulged, 1 Corinthians 10:27. Fornication is here mentioned amongst indiferent things; not that it ever was so, but because it was amongst the Gentiles reputed to be so, even by them who punished adultery severely. By these two, some think all sins against both the tables of the law to be... read more
The reason why St. James would not have the ceremonies buried as soon as they were dead, was because the Jews had been so long confirmed in them, and bare such a love unto them; and he would purchase concord between them and the Gentile converts; though the Gentiles should bear with some inconvenience into the bargain, as not presently using all the liberty which through Christ they had a right unto. read more
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Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible - Acts 15:12
All the multitude; the apostles and elders themselves gave attention to what Barnabas and Paul declared, and by their silence did tacitly approve of what they had said. Miracles and wonders; the conversion of the Gentiles in itself, and not only the signs which did attend it, is truly wonderful: the saving of any one soul is a miraculous work. read more