Believing Pharisees Speak

We have come to our final two-day walk and talk with Jesus. So far, I’m sure that many of you, if not all of you, have found these times to be quite unpredictable indeed. Even now, to think of Jesus’ Hands being tied to do His mighty works in His own hometown, leaves me looking at myself. No less gripping was the description of a man like Herod, being so exceedingly glad to be in the Presence of Jesus. Daily, even now, I look at me, my thoughts, my manner and my attitude where Jesus, the Living Word is concerned. Am I exceedingly glad to be with the Word and look for what it can do? I know that you are being kept alert and mindful also.

Here is the picture. Paul, Barnabas and others of their missionary team, have been sent to Jerusalem by the Church at Ephesus, concerning a matter of great disagreement.

Paul and Barnabas, after a fantastic time preaching the Gospel and making converts to Jesus, have returned to the Church in Antioch, giving the victory news of all that God had done with them, and that He had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles. Acts 14: 27b. However, certain believers came from Judea, teaching this to the people. Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved. Acts 15: 1b. Naturally, Paul and Barnabas could not abide by such untruth, such gross misleading and misguidance.

They disputed such erroneousness, as they saw how the Spirit of God worked and saved souls by grace, through faith, and absolutely nothing of the works of keeping the Jewish laws and traditions. We are told that the dispute about circumcision became so heated and so intense, they determined that Paul and Barnabas and certain others of them should go up to Jerusalem, to the apostles and elders, about this question. Acts 15: 2b.

Now this team of Paul, Barnabas and certain others are in Jerusalem, before the hierarchy, concerning the question of circumcision. These men are more than excited to report to the apostles and elders all things that God had done with them.

After hearing it all, hearing how the Spirit of God was working freely among the Gentiles and of the large numbers who were converted to Christianity, some of the converted Pharisees, rose up to speak. This is what we are listening to. But some of the sect of the Pharisees who believed rose up, saying, It is necessary to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses. Acts 15: 5. Here are converts to Christianity, Pharisees who heard the Gospel of Jesus preached, and believed, speaking in their old tongues.

Let’s follow closely together. Here are men of law and tradition, whose entire lives are lives which hold fast to tradition and law. The first curiously disturbing thought is this. How did these Pharisees believe and how do they still believe? There is no dispute that they have embraced Christianity, for they are not just described as believers, but they are sitting among the Apostles and elders who have gathered in a special meeting, called to give clarity and wisdom on the matter before them.

Note, it is a matter of law and tradition. We know that a person is only saved by grace through faith, so that these Pharisees could not have been saved by any other means. We must believe that they converted from Judaism to Christianity by grace through faith. This being the case, why are they speaking of having the already converted Gentiles, follow the traditions and customs of the Jews? Isn’t this also curiously disturbing? Non-Jews have received the same salvation as Jews – salvation by grace through faith – yet some are demanding that the Gentiles look as they look, in terms of circumcision and other traditions and customs unique to the Jews. These Pharisees are placing works alongside grace, something which many believers still do today.

The question of God’s grace and human works of law, still causes no small dissention among believers.