After they finished speaking, James replied, “Brothers, listen to me. Simeon has related how God first visited the Gentiles, to take from them a people for his name. And with this the words of the prophets agree, just as it is written, “‘After this I will return, and I will rebuild the tent of David that has fallen; I will rebuild its ruins, and I will restore it, that the remnant of mankind may seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles who are called by my name, says the Lord, who makes these things known from of old.’ Therefore my judgment is that we should not trouble those of the Gentiles who turn to God, but should write to them to abstain from the things polluted by idols, and from sexual immorality, and from what has been strangled, and from blood. For from ancient generations Moses has had in every city those who proclaim him, for he is read every Sabbath in the synagogues.”
the words of the prophets agree, just as it is written - "The quotation is from the LXX version of Amos 9:11-12. James specifies that the prophecy of Amos will be fulfilled 'after these things,' i.e., after the present worldwide witness. Then, after the return of Christ, 'the tent of David (in the millennial kingdom) will be established, and Jew and Gentile will know the Lord. James assured the council that God's program for Israel had not been abandoned by the coming of Gentiles into the church." (Ryrie)
"He then quotes, in particular, from Amos 9:11-12, LXX, freely in some parts (vs 16, 18), but verbatim in the part relating to the Gentiles (v 17). A reference to the original passage in Amos will shew that the prophet referred specially to the possession, by the chosen race, of Edom and the other Gentile nations. The Greek translators, by rendering Adam (man) for Edom, through the change of a single letter, interpreted the passage as we have it in the text. The Jews understood the prophecy to be Messianic, and had called the Messiah, in consequence, 'Bar Naphli', 'the son of the fallen.'" (Walker)
"In A.V. Amos 9:11-12 reads 'remnant of Edom,' instead of 'residue of men,' and 'possess,' instead of 'seek,' but doubtless the latter in each case is correct, as quoted by James in Acts for while Edom is 'adum' in the Hebrew, man is 'adam' and while possess is 'irsh,' seek is 'drash.' The difference in each case is so slight that the words may very well have been miscopied. Also, James' quotation of the passage is more in line with the rest of prophecy than the text from which is was translated in the A.V." (Stam)
"Certainly the passage in Amos 9 is not being fulfilled in our day. Nor did James say it was being fulfilled then. Doubtless overruled by God, James simply said that the conversion of the Gentiles was in harmony with (Gr. 'sumphoneo) what the prophets had said. We can say as much about the conversion of Gentiles today, for while this is not a fulfillment of the prophetic program, the fact remains that God had promised to send salvation to the Gentiles and He did send it to them, in spite, of course, of Israel's refusal to become the channel of blessing, but He did send it. This explains such passages as Acts 13:46-47 and Rom 15:8-16. The fact pointed out by James that God 'first' visited the Gentiles through Peter, implies a connection between Cornelius and his household and the Gentiles later saved under Paul. While it is true that in the case of Cornelius we have a foreshadowing of the conversion of the Gentiles through redeemed Israel, personified by Peter, yet the fact is that God sent Peter to Cornelius, not under the 'great commission' but by a special commission, not because Israel had accepted Christ and the prophetic program could now go on, but because Israel had rejected Christ and a new program was being ushered in, and Peter, the leader of the twelve and of the Circumcision Church was the one chosen for this task so that there might be no doubt as to it and that so the further development of this program under Paul (who had already been raised up when Peter visited Cornelius) might be fully attested. James' testimony, under God, then, was not to show that the prophetic program was being fulfilled, for this was not yet the case, but that it was not contrary to God's purpose that Gentiles should be saved, but rather in harmony with it." (Stam)
the tent of David - "Meaning 'the Jewish nation.' The word rendered 'tent,' when referred to the original word used by Amos (booth or hut), signifies a poor and temporary abode like the booths used in the Feast of Tabernacles, in contrast to a kingly palace. It thus points to the dilapidated condition into which the chosen nation had fallen." (Walker)
we should not trouble those - "The clear verdict of James, as president of the council, was that Gentile converts need not be circumcised." (Ryrie)
abstain - "In order to promote peace between Jewish and Gentile believers, the Gentiles were asked to abstain from any practice abhorrent to Jewish Christians. The Jewish Christians would then socialize with them (cf. 1 Cor 8:13)." (Ryrie)
from polluted by idols - "Gentiles used idols' temples for banquets (cf. 1 Cor 10:14-22). Partaking in a religious feast means fellowshipping with the one worshiped at that feast. This is true of the Lord's Supper (1 Cor 10:16-17), it was true of Israel in OT times (1 Cor 10:18), and it is true of a pagan feast (1 Cor 10:19-22). Therefore, believers must not fellowship at pagan feasts since they may thereby open themselves to demonic attacks (1 Cor 10:20)." (Ryrie)
from sexual immorality - "It does not seem likely that the word means illicit sexual relations in this instance (though it does elsewhere), for this would be wrong for any Christian, Gentile or Jew. It evidently has the special meaning here of marriages contracted between too-near relatives, as forbidden in Lev 18." (Ryrie)
"Probably not in its grosser forms but in such cases where they felt the Gentile believers might be more lax." (Stam)
what has been strangled - "A word peculiar to this chapter and Acts 21:25. The Jews were forbidden by their law to eat the flesh of any animal from which the blood had not been let out (Lev 17:13), since the latter was considered sacred to God. Things 'strangled' would, of course, come under that prohibition. There is a natural feeling, which is allied to this, against eating animals which die of themselves." (Walker)
from blood - "The blood needed to be drained from slaughtered animals." (Ryrie)
"This, from the time when animal food was first permitted to man, was strictly prohibited (Gen 9:4), the prohibition being enforced and emphasized by the law of Moses (Lev 3:17;17:10-14; Deut 12:16, 23). If we examine the four points specified, we see that they relate to idolatry, impurity, and indulgence in questionable meats (as the Jew, at least, considered them). It was just such things which, apart from circumcision, made the Gentile offensive to the Jew and so rendered intercourse between them well nigh impossible. St. James's fourfold prohibition was clearly intended to form a basis of agreement between the two parties. Many consider that it was of the nature of a compromise, intended to meet temporary conditions (1 Cor 8:1-13). Such compromise on lesser questions, when once the main principle (in this case the circumcision test) is conceded, is in accordance with the Christian law of love." (Walker)
in every city - "Where there was a synagogue. We may understand this verse as meaning either that there was no fear that the law of Moses would be entirely forsaken, since it was regularly taught in the synagogues of the dispersion; or, that, since the precepts of the law of Moses were everywhere diligently inculcated, Gentile Christians must be careful not to offend the prejudices of their Jewish fellow-believers in these four particulars." (Walker)
the words of the prophets agree, just as it is written - "The quotation is from the LXX version of Amos 9:11-12. James specifies that the prophecy of Amos will be fulfilled 'after these things,' i.e., after the present worldwide witness. Then, after the return of Christ, 'the tent of David (in the millennial kingdom) will be established, and Jew and Gentile will know the Lord. James assured the council that God's program for Israel had not been abandoned by the coming of Gentiles into the church." (Ryrie)
"He then quotes, in particular, from Amos 9:11-12, LXX, freely in some parts (vs 16, 18), but verbatim in the part relating to the Gentiles (v 17). A reference to the original passage in Amos will shew that the prophet referred specially to the possession, by the chosen race, of Edom and the other Gentile nations. The Greek translators, by rendering Adam (man) for Edom, through the change of a single letter, interpreted the passage as we have it in the text. The Jews understood the prophecy to be Messianic, and had called the Messiah, in consequence, 'Bar Naphli', 'the son of the fallen.'" (Walker)
"In A.V. Amos 9:11-12 reads 'remnant of Edom,' instead of 'residue of men,' and 'possess,' instead of 'seek,' but doubtless the latter in each case is correct, as quoted by James in Acts for while Edom is 'adum' in the Hebrew, man is 'adam' and while possess is 'irsh,' seek is 'drash.' The difference in each case is so slight that the words may very well have been miscopied. Also, James' quotation of the passage is more in line with the rest of prophecy than the text from which is was translated in the A.V." (Stam)
"Certainly the passage in Amos 9 is not being fulfilled in our day. Nor did James say it was being fulfilled then. Doubtless overruled by God, James simply said that the conversion of the Gentiles was in harmony with (Gr. 'sumphoneo) what the prophets had said. We can say as much about the conversion of Gentiles today, for while this is not a fulfillment of the prophetic program, the fact remains that God had promised to send salvation to the Gentiles and He did send it to them, in spite, of course, of Israel's refusal to become the channel of blessing, but He did send it. This explains such passages as Acts 13:46-47 and Rom 15:8-16. The fact pointed out by James that God 'first' visited the Gentiles through Peter, implies a connection between Cornelius and his household and the Gentiles later saved under Paul. While it is true that in the case of Cornelius we have a foreshadowing of the conversion of the Gentiles through redeemed Israel, personified by Peter, yet the fact is that God sent Peter to Cornelius, not under the 'great commission' but by a special commission, not because Israel had accepted Christ and the prophetic program could now go on, but because Israel had rejected Christ and a new program was being ushered in, and Peter, the leader of the twelve and of the Circumcision Church was the one chosen for this task so that there might be no doubt as to it and that so the further development of this program under Paul (who had already been raised up when Peter visited Cornelius) might be fully attested. James' testimony, under God, then, was not to show that the prophetic program was being fulfilled, for this was not yet the case, but that it was not contrary to God's purpose that Gentiles should be saved, but rather in harmony with it." (Stam)
the tent of David - "Meaning 'the Jewish nation.' The word rendered 'tent,' when referred to the original word used by Amos (booth or hut), signifies a poor and temporary abode like the booths used in the Feast of Tabernacles, in contrast to a kingly palace. It thus points to the dilapidated condition into which the chosen nation had fallen." (Walker)
we should not trouble those - "The clear verdict of James, as president of the council, was that Gentile converts need not be circumcised." (Ryrie)
abstain - "In order to promote peace between Jewish and Gentile believers, the Gentiles were asked to abstain from any practice abhorrent to Jewish Christians. The Jewish Christians would then socialize with them (cf. 1 Cor 8:13)." (Ryrie)
from polluted by idols - "Gentiles used idols' temples for banquets (cf. 1 Cor 10:14-22). Partaking in a religious feast means fellowshipping with the one worshiped at that feast. This is true of the Lord's Supper (1 Cor 10:16-17), it was true of Israel in OT times (1 Cor 10:18), and it is true of a pagan feast (1 Cor 10:19-22). Therefore, believers must not fellowship at pagan feasts since they may thereby open themselves to demonic attacks (1 Cor 10:20)." (Ryrie)
from sexual immorality - "It does not seem likely that the word means illicit sexual relations in this instance (though it does elsewhere), for this would be wrong for any Christian, Gentile or Jew. It evidently has the special meaning here of marriages contracted between too-near relatives, as forbidden in Lev 18." (Ryrie)
"Probably not in its grosser forms but in such cases where they felt the Gentile believers might be more lax." (Stam)
what has been strangled - "A word peculiar to this chapter and Acts 21:25. The Jews were forbidden by their law to eat the flesh of any animal from which the blood had not been let out (Lev 17:13), since the latter was considered sacred to God. Things 'strangled' would, of course, come under that prohibition. There is a natural feeling, which is allied to this, against eating animals which die of themselves." (Walker)
from blood - "The blood needed to be drained from slaughtered animals." (Ryrie)
"This, from the time when animal food was first permitted to man, was strictly prohibited (Gen 9:4), the prohibition being enforced and emphasized by the law of Moses (Lev 3:17;17:10-14; Deut 12:16, 23). If we examine the four points specified, we see that they relate to idolatry, impurity, and indulgence in questionable meats (as the Jew, at least, considered them). It was just such things which, apart from circumcision, made the Gentile offensive to the Jew and so rendered intercourse between them well nigh impossible. St. James's fourfold prohibition was clearly intended to form a basis of agreement between the two parties. Many consider that it was of the nature of a compromise, intended to meet temporary conditions (1 Cor 8:1-13). Such compromise on lesser questions, when once the main principle (in this case the circumcision test) is conceded, is in accordance with the Christian law of love." (Walker)
in every city - "Where there was a synagogue. We may understand this verse as meaning either that there was no fear that the law of Moses would be entirely forsaken, since it was regularly taught in the synagogues of the dispersion; or, that, since the precepts of the law of Moses were everywhere diligently inculcated, Gentile Christians must be careful not to offend the prejudices of their Jewish fellow-believers in these four particulars." (Walker)
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