COUNCIL OF JERUSALEM

1. COUNCIL OF JERUSALEM VI Prof. M. M. Ninan

2. THE CROSS-CULTURAL CHALLENGE IN THE FIRST CENTURY Acts 15:1 It was in Antioch that "certain from Jerusalem taught Gentile converts, 'Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved'" (Acts 15:1). (thus turning Christianity into a Jewish sect)

3. 'Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved'" (Acts 15:1).

4. Circumcision P and J Traditions Circumcision was not unique to the Israelites, as this Egyptian tomb painting from sixth dynasty (2350-2000 B.C.E.) Saqqara demonstrates, but the Israelites invested it with unique significance by using it as the mark of the covenant. Priestly Tradition Circumcision established itself within Judaism as the premiere mark of covenant commitment. Sealing the covenant by circumcising the organ of procreation with a knife, with its obvious threat of infertility, has the effect of symbolically handing over the possibility of offspring to the grace of God. By practicing the rite from generation to generation, the Israelites almost literally placed their future into the hands of the God of covenant. Yahwite Tradition The covenant was primarily a convention whereby Yahweh granted blessing in perpetuity. For the Yahwist, covenant took the form of a charter covenant given to Abraham with no required action in return, only a commitment of faith. By retaining both notions of covenant within the Abrahamic narrative, the final edition affirms that the two covenants complement each other.

5. The Law or Grace? P J

6. ACTS 15:2 And when Paul and Barnabas had great dissension and debate with them, the brethren determined that Paul and Barnabas and some others of them should go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and elders concerning this issue.

7. Jerusalem Council AD 50

8. Jerusalem Council AD 50

9. Paul   Barnabáš    Mathew    John      Peter      James

10. Peter supports Paul & Barnabas Acts 15:7-11 "God is doing something new"

11. James, the Bishop of Jerusalem Rules Acts 15:13-21

12. James, and not Peter,was the undisputed leader of the Jerusalem Church following the death of Jesus.

14. Apostolic Decree The four prohibitions:1) Pollutions of idols (15:20) or things sacrificed to idols (15:29; 21:25). 2) Blood. This is a prohibition of eating or drinking blood. 3) Strangled things. 4) Sexual immorality (porneia).

15. Paul's Second Missionary Journey. Prof. M. M. Ninan

17. Act 15:32 And Judas and Silas, being themselves also prophets, exhorted the brethren with many words, and confirmed them.

18. Silas Silvanus One of the Elders of the Church at Jerusalem, “chief among the brethren” (Acts 15:22). His name may indicate him to have been a Hellenistic Jew. Roman citizen (Acts 16:37). Some of the early Fathers consider Silas to have been Bishop of Corinth,

20. THE CITY OF ANTIOCH IN SYRIA (51 A.D.) PAUL AND BARNABAS SEPARATE... They disagree over whether to take John Mark – Ac 15:37-38Barnabas was determined to take John Mark (his cousin) – Co 4:10

22. Paul insisted that he was not reliable Ac 13:13

23. PAUL AND BARNABAS SEPARATE... Paul &Silas Barnabas & Mark

24. PAUL AND BARNABAS SEPARATE...Their contention required them to separate Ac 15:39Barnabas took John Mark and went to Cyprus Where Barnabas was from, and which was visited on the first journey Ac 4:36; 13:4-12

25. PAUL AND SILAS BEGIN THEIR JOURNEY... Paul selected Silas to accompany him - Ac 15:40

26. Silas: One of the two men sent by Jerusalemwith the letter regarding circumcision - Ac 15:22-23,27 Who himself was a prophet- Ac 15:32 Who had stayed in Antioch - Ac 15:34

27. They pass through Syria and Cilicia, confirming the churches - Ac 15:41 They pass through Syria and Cilicia, confirming the churches - Ac 15:41 * From which Paul was from - Ac 22:3 * Where he had spent time preaching before - Ga 1:21 * To whom Paul and Silas likely delivered the letter addressed to them - Ac 15:23

28. . IN DERBE AND LYSTRA... Where Paul healed a lame man, and was stoned, on his first journey - Ac 14:6-20

29. IN DERBE AND LYSTRA... Paul desires Timothy to go with him - Ac 16:1-3 Timothy His mother was a Jew, his father a Greek - cf. 2 Ti 1:5; 3:15-16 Who had a good reputation among the brethren

30. Timothy Whom Paul had circumcised in deference to the Jews Galatians 5:2 Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all. Why did Paul circumcise Timothy?

31. The decrees from the conference in Jerusalem were delivered - Ac 16:4-5

32. IN PHRYGIA AND GALATIA... Ac 16:6 -

33. No They were forbidden by the Spirit to preach the word in Asia, i.e., to head southwest toward Ephesus - Ac 16:7

34. IN MYSIA AND TROAS... No Near Mysia they were not permitted by the Spirit to head north toward Bithynia - Ac 16:8 They arrive in Alexandria Troas - Ac 16:9-10 Where Paul has a vision, a man of Macedonia asking him to help them. Understood as the Lord sending them in that direction

35. IN MYSIA AND TROAS...

36. Luke: Luke, author of Acts, now joins Paul and his company He was a physician (Co 4:14), author also of the gospel which bears his name, and was with Paul in his last days - 2 Ti 4:11 St. Luke was not a Jew. He was probably a native of Antioch He was already an Evangelist when he met Paul in Phillipi.

37. From Troas they cross over to Samothrace, and then to Neapolis (Ac16:11). They have now entered the continent of Europe, and come into Europe.

39. Neapolis is the Aegean seaport of Philippi where Paul landed on European soil on his second journey (Acts 16:11). He arrived here after sailing for two days from Alexandria Troas in Asia (Acts 16:11). Today Neapolis is called Kavala (from Latin for "horse" due to its horse trading history), a Greek city of about 60,000 people.

40. III. THE REGIONS OF MACEDONIA AND ACHAIA (52-53 A.D.)PHILIPPI A chief city of Macedonia, and Roman colony - Ac 16:12

41. Paul from the port Neapolis (Kavalla) on the coast (Acts 16:11) reached Philippi by an ancient paved road over the steep range Symbolum in his second missionary journey, A.D. 51.

42. Paul crossed the mountains before entering Greece.

43. Greek countryside

44. The conversion of Lydia and her household - Ac 16:13-15 Paul and Lydia stained glass in Philippi Church of Lydia

45. the Purple Seller Acts 16:12-15, 40. Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods, who was a worshiper of God. Dyed goods were imported from Thyatira to the parent city Philippi, and were dispersed by pack animals among the mountaineers of Haemus and Pangaeus.

46. PHILIPPI... 1. Part of the large rectangular agora at Philippi 2. Shops and storage jars at the agora in Philippi

47. 3. Paving stones of the Via Egnatia in the agora at Philippi (in the upper right corner is the concrete embankment of the modern highway). Paul traveled about 9 miles on foot with a couple of companions along the Via Egnatia to Philippi. 4. Another view of the agora (the rectangular doorframe in the upper part of the photo, right of center, marks the site of the library).

48. 5. Ruins of the unfinished "Basilica B" at the south side of the agora at Philippi. 6. Cross-shaped baptistery in the octagonal church at the east end of the agora dedicated to St. Paul. 7. Theater at Philippi, built against the east slope of the acropolis.

49. 8. Acropolis of Philippi with remains of the bath house in the foreground. 9. The Gangetis River, west of the city walls of Philippi. The traditional "place of prayer" where Paul baptized Lydia from Thyatira.

50. 10. Traditional prison of Paul.