11b – The Israelocentric Missiology Of The Church

A. The Scriptures were given by God to reveal himself to fallen humanity. The core of this self-disclosure resides in the “names” that God gives himself. These names reveal his nature and character, which in turn informs how he governs over creation and thus how redemptive history unfolds.[1] Generally these names are not in a vacuum, but rather they are “Israelocentric”.[2]

Seth also had a son, and he named him Enosh. At that time men began to call on the name of the LORD. (^NIV Genesis 4:26)

There he built an altar to the LORD and called on the name of the LORD. (^NIV Genesis 12:8)

David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.” (^NIV 1 Samuel 17:45)

My father David had it in his heart to build a temple for the Name of the LORD, the God of Israel. (^NIV 1 Kings 8:17)

The nations will fear the name of the LORD, all the kings of the earth will revere your glory. ¹⁶ For the LORD will rebuild Zion and appear in his glory… ²¹ So the name of the LORD will be declared in Zion and his praise in Jerusalem ²² when the peoples and the kingdoms assemble to worship the LORD. (^NIV Psalm 102:15-22)

The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone; ²³ the LORD has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes. ²⁴ This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. ²⁵ O LORD, save us; O LORD, grant us success. ²⁶ Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD. From the house of the LORD we bless you (cf. Mt. 21:9; Mk. 11:9; Lk. 19:38; Jn. 12:13). (^NIV Psalm 118:22-26)

So will it be on the earth and among the nations, as when an olive tree is beaten, or as when gleanings are left after the grape harvest. ¹⁴ They raise their voices, they shout for joy; from the west they acclaim the LORD’s majesty. ¹⁵ Therefore in the east give glory to the LORD; exalt the name of the LORD, the God of Israel, in the islands of the sea. ¹⁶ From the ends of the earth we hear singing: “Glory to the Righteous One.” (^NIV Isaiah 24:13-16)

At that time they will call Jerusalem The Throne of the LORD, and all nations will gather in Jerusalem to honor the name of the LORD. No longer will they follow the stubbornness of their evil hearts. (^NIV Jeremiah 3:17)

The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD. ³² And everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved; for on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be deliverance, as the LORD has said, among the survivors whom the LORD calls. (^NIV Joel 2:31-32)

1. The names of God are traditionally divided into three etymological categories:

a) YHVH – derivative of verb “to exist, be” (occurs 6,519 times in the OT).[3]

(1) YHVH Tsabaot – “Lord-Hosts/Armies” (cf. 1 Sa. 1:11; Ps. 24:10; 80:4; Is. 1:24; 6:5; Jer. 9:15; 48:1; Hos. 12:5; Am. 3:13; Mic. 4:4; Hag. 2:6; Zec. 1:3).

(2) YHVH Roah – “Lord-Shepherd” (cf. Gen. 49:24; Ps. 23:1; 80:1; Ez. 34:2).

(3) YHVH Rapha – “Lord-Heals” (cf. Ex. 15:26; Jer. 3:22; Is. 30:26; Ps. 103:3).

(4) YHVH Qanna – “Lord-Jealous” (cf. Ex. 20:5; 34:14; Deut. 4:24; Jos. 24:19).

b) Elohim – plural form of El, meaning “strong one” (occurs 2,570 times in OT), also used in conjunction with YHVH.[4]

(1) El Shaddai – “God-Almighty” (cf. Ge. 17:1; 28:3; 35:11; 49:25; Ex. 6:3; Num. 24:6; Ruth 1:20; Job; Ps. 22:10; 68:15; 91:1; Is. 13:6; Ez. 1:24; 10:5; Joel 1:15).

(2) El Elyon – “God-Supreme” (cf. Gen. 14:18ff; Ps. 7:17; 47:2; 57:2; Dan. 7:18ff).

(3) El Olam – “God-Everlasting” (cf. Gen. 21:33; Ps. 90:1ff; Jer. 10:10; Is. 26:4).

(4) El Chay – “God-Living” (cf. Deut. 5:26; Jos. 3:10; Ps. 42:2; 84:2; Jer. 10:10)

(5) El Yesha – “God-Salvation”, (cf. 1 Chr. 16:35; Ps. 65:5; 79:9; 85:4).

c) Adonai – plural form of Adon, meaning “master, owner” (occurs 434 times in OT—e.g. Gen. 18:2; 40:1; Deut. 10:17; Ex. 21:1-6; Josh. 5:14; 1 Sam. 1:15; Ps. 110:1; 136:3), also used in conjunction with and substitution for YHVH and Elohim.

2. Unfortunately, in discussions on the names of God, associations with individuals and nation(s) are almost never discussed. This is the result of the Hellenization of redemptive history and even of God Himself. Thus, the nature of God has become etherealized (e.g. immutable, impassible, transcendent, omniscient, omnipresent, etc.) and detached from the redemptive history of the earth.[5]

3. Thus, the names of God are used to communicate two things: 1) God’s quality of character, and 2) God’s redemptive purpose. The former is generally expressed through the latter, which is expressed through covenant with the agents of the restoration of creation. In other words, God proves the quality of his character by remaining faithful to his creation in redemptive history, which plays out in the context of covenant with people(s).

a) YHVH Elohei Avraham Yitschaq Yaaqob – “LORD God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob”[6]

“I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob (Hb. Elohei Avraham Elohei Yitschaq Elohei Yaaqob).” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God. (^ESV Exodus 3:6)

O LORD, God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel (Hb. YHVH Elohei Avraham Yitschaq Yisrael), let it be known today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant… (^NIV 1 Kings 18:36)

O LORD, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel (Hb. YHVH Elohei Avraham Yitschaq Yisrael), our fathers, keep forever such purposes and thoughts in the hearts of your people, and direct their hearts toward you. (^ESV 1 Chronicles 29:18)

• But in the account of the bush, even Moses showed that the dead rise, for he calls the Lord ‘the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ (^NIV Luke 20:37)
• The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified his servant Jesus… (^ESV Acts 3:13)

Then we cried to the LORD, the God of our fathers (Hb. YHVH Elohei abotenu), and the LORD heard our voice and saw our affliction, our toil, and our oppression. (^ESV Deuteronomy 26:7)

The LORD, the God of their fathers (Hb. YHVH Elohei abotenu), sent word to them through his messengers again and again, because he had pity on his people and on his dwelling place. (^NIV 2 Chronicles 36:15)

• The God of our fathers raised Jesus, whom you killed by hanging him on a tree. ³¹ God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. (^ESV Acts 5:30-31)
• But this I confess to you, that according to the Way, which they call a sect, I worship the God of our fathers, believing everything laid down by the Law and written in the Prophets… (^ESV Acts 24:14)

b) YHVH Elohei Yisrael – “LORD God of Israel”[7]

Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel (Hb. YHVH Elohei Yisrael), “Let my people go, that they may hold a feast to me in the wilderness.” (^ESV Exodus 5:1)

Then Moses and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel went up, ¹⁰ and they saw the God of Israel (Hb. Elohei Yisrael). (^ESV Exodus 24:9-10)

And now, LORD God… do as you promised, ²⁶ so that your name will be great forever. Then men will say, “The LORD Almighty is God over Israel! (Hb. YHVH Sabbaoth Elohim al-Yisrael)” And the house of your servant David will be established before you. ²⁷ O LORD Almighty, God of Israel (Hb. YHVH Sabbaoth Elohei Yisrael), you have revealed this to your servant, saying, “I will build a house for you.” So your servant has found courage to offer you this prayer. (^NIV 2 Samuel 7:25-27)

Yet the LORD, the God of Israel (Hb. YHVH Elohei Yisrael), chose me from my whole family to be king over Israel forever… ⁵ he has chosen my son Solomon to sit on the throne of the kingdom of the LORD over Israel. (^NIV 1 Chronicles 28:4-5)

Endow the king with your justice, O God, the royal son with your righteousness… ⁸ He will rule from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth… ¹⁷ May his name endure forever; may it continue as long as the sun. All nations will be blessed through him, and they will call him blessed. ¹⁸ Praise be to the LORD God, the God of Israel (Hb. YHVH Elohim Elohei Yisrael), who alone does marvelous deeds. ¹⁹ Praise be to his glorious name forever; may the whole earth be filled with his glory. Amen and Amen. (^NIV Psalm 72:1-19)

• The people were amazed when they saw the mute speaking, the crippled made well, the lame walking and the blind seeing. And they praised the God of Israel. (^NIV Matthew 15:31)
• Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come and has redeemed his people. ⁶⁹ He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David ⁷⁰ (as he said through his holy prophets of long ago), ⁷¹ salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us– ⁷² to show mercy to our fathers and to remember his holy covenant, ⁷³ the oath he swore to our father Abraham… (^NIV Luke 1:68-73)

c) YHVH Adon kol-haerets – “LORD Lord of All the Earth”[8]

This is how you will know that the living God (Hb. El Chay) is among you… ¹¹ See, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth (Hb. Adon kol-haerets) will go into the Jordan ahead of you… ¹³ And as soon as the priests who carry the ark of the LORD– the Lord of all the earth (Hb. YHVH Adon kol-haerets)— set foot in the Jordan, its waters flowing downstream will be cut off and stand up in a heap.” (^NIV Joshua 3:10-13)

The mountains melted like wax at the presence of the LORD, at the presence of the Lord of the whole earth (Hb. Adon kol-haerets). ⁶ The heavens declare His righteousness, and all the peoples have seen His glory… ⁸ Zion heard this and was glad, and the daughters of Judah have rejoiced because of Your judgments, O LORD. ⁹ For You are the LORD Most High (Hb. YHVH Elyon) over all the earth; You are exalted far above all gods. (^NASB Psalm 97:5-9)

Rise and thresh, O Daughter of Zion, for I will give you horns of iron; I will give you hoofs of bronze and you will break to pieces many nations. You will devote their ill-gotten gains to the LORD, their wealth to the Lord of all the earth (Hb. Adon kol-haerets). ^5:1 Marshal your troops, O city of troops, for a siege is laid against us. They will strike Israel’s ruler on the cheek with a rod. ² But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times. (^NIV Micah 4:13-5:2)

Sing, O barren woman, you who never bore a child; burst into song, shout for joy, you who were never in labor; because more are the children of the desolate woman than of her who has a husband, says the LORD (cf. Gal. 4)… ⁵ For your Maker is your husband– the LORD Almighty (Hb. YHVH Tsabaot) is his name– the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer; he is called the God of all the earth (Hb. Elohei kol-haerets)… ¹¹ O afflicted city, lashed by storms and not comforted, I will build you with stones of turquoise, your foundations with sapphires. ¹² I will make your battlements of rubies, your gates of sparkling jewels, and all your walls of precious stones. (cf. Rev. 21:2-21) (^NIV Isaiah 54:1-12)

Again I asked him, “What are these two olive branches beside the two gold pipes that pour out golden oil?” … ¹⁴ So he said, “These are the two who are anointed to serve the Lord of all the earth (Hb. Adon kol-haerets).” (cf. Rev. 11:4) (^NIV Zechariah 4:12-14)

• The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands… ²⁶ He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth… ³⁰ God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent, ³¹ because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed… (^NASB Acts 17:24-31)
• But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify (cf. Is. 45:24f; 54:17; 61:10; Jer. 23:6; 33:16; Dan. 9:24; etc.). ²² This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe (cf. Jew and Gentile, v.9). There is no difference, ²³ for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God… ²⁹ Is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too, ³⁰ since there is only one God, who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith. (^NIV Romans 3:22-30)

4. God is proven as Almighty, Supreme, Lord, Mighty, Faithful, Shepherd, Savior, Healer, etc. in the context of fulfilling his covenants as the God of Abraham, Israel, David, Jesus, and the nations. In this way, God’s nature could be spoken of as “Israelocentric”, as the nature of redemptive history and the Day of the Lord are “Israelocentric”.

B. The gospel of the kingdom and resurrection was thus understood as “Israelocentric”. The Messiah will return to Jerusalem (cf. Ps. 2:6; 48:2; 110:2; Is. 59:20; Rom. 11:26), establish his throne in the Temple (Is. 2:2; Ez. 43:7; Zech. 6:12; Mal. 3:1; Mt. 21:23), restore the Davidic kingdom to Israel (Is. 9:7; 11:10; Jer. 23:5; Ez. 37:24; Acts 1:6), and bless all the nations of the earth (cf. Ps. 72:17; Is. 25:7; Zech. 9:10; Rom. 15:9ff) by cleansing and rewarding the righteous while judging and destroying the wicked (cf. Is. 40:10; 59:18; 62:11; Mt. 16:27; Rev. 11:18).

From the west, men will fear the name of the LORD, and from the rising of the sun,they will revere his glory. For he will come like a pent-up flood that the breath of the LORD drives along.²⁰The Redeemer will come to Zion, to those in Jacob who repent of their sins…^60:1Arise, shine, for your light has come, andthe glory of the LORD rises upon you…³Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn…¹¹Your gates will always stand open, they will never be shut, day or night, so that men may bring you the wealth of the nations– their kings led in triumphal procession…¹⁹The sun will no more be your light by day, nor will the brightness of the moon shine on you, forthe LORD will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your glory…²¹Then will all your people be righteousand they will possess the land forever…²²The least of you will become a thousand, the smallest a mighty nation. I am the LORD; in its time I will do this swiftly. (^NIVIsaiah 59:16-60:22)

And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed methe Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God.¹¹It shone with the glory of God, and its brilliance was like that of a very precious jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal.¹²It had a great, high wall with twelve gates, and with twelve angels at the gates(cf. Is. 54:11-12). On the gates were writtenthe names of the twelve tribes of Israel…²²I did not see a temple(Gk. naos)in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple(cf. Jer. 3:16).²³The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, forthe glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp.²⁴The nations will walk by its light, andthe kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it.²⁵On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there.²⁶The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it.²⁷Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life. (^NIVRevelation 21:10-27)

• <3485> nao,jnaos{nah-os’}

Meaning:1) used of the temple at Jerusalem, but only of the sacred edifice (or sanctuary) itself, consisting of the Holy place and the Holy of Holies (in classical Greek it is used of the sanctuary or cell of the temple, where the image of gold was placed which is distinguished from the whole enclosure)[9]

Origin:from a primary naio (to dwell); TDNT – 4:880,625; n m

Usage:AV – temple 45, a shrine 1; 46[10]

1. Jesus assumes this understanding of the gospel by referring to himself as the “King of Israel” (Jn. 1:49; 12:13; Mt. 27:42; Mk. 15:32); moreover, Jesus is consistently referred to in the narratives as “King of the Jews” (Mt. 2:2; 27:11, 29, 37; Mk. 15:2, 9, 12, 18, 26; Lk. 23:3, 37f; Jn. 18:33, 39; 19:3, 19, 21).

Then Nathanael declared, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God;you are the King of Israel.”⁵⁰Jesus said, “You believebecause I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You shall see greater things than that.” (^NIVJohn 1:49-50)

They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!Blessed is the King of Israel!”¹⁴Jesus found a young donkey andsat upon it, as it is written…(^NIVJohn 12:13-14)

2. Jesus also promised his Jewish disciples that they would sit on twelve thrones ruling over the twelve tribes of Israel in the resurrection (cf. Mt. 19:28; Mt. 20:21; Lk. 22:30).

I tell you the truth,at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will alsosit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel…²⁹and will inherit eternal life. (^NIVMatthew 19:28-29)

And I confer on you a kingdom, just as my Father conferred one on me,³⁰so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom andsit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. (^NIVLuke 22:29-30)

3. Before and after the Ascension, the apostles reflect an Israelocentric posture of expectation, waiting for the return of Jesus to the Temple to restore the kingdom to Israel (cf Lk. 24:53; Acts 1:8ff; 2:46; 5:42; etc.).

While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven.⁵²Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy.⁵³And they stayedcontinually at the temple, praising God. (^NIVLuke 24:51-53)

• He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke aboutthe kingdom of God…⁶So when they met together, they asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going torestore the kingdom to Israel?” (^NIVActs 1:3-6)
• Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts,⁴⁷praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. (^NIVActs 2:46-47)

4. Before the baptism of the Gentiles in the Holy Spirit (cf. Acts 10:44; 11:21), the apostles universally assumed the resurrection and the kingdom to be reserved only for the Jews and those Gentiles who were proselytes.

Now there were staying in JerusalemGod-fearing Jewsfrom every nation under heaven…¹⁴Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: “Fellow Jewsand all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you…²²Men of Israel, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles…³⁶Therefore letall Israelbe assured of this…” (^NIVActs 2:5-36)

Men of Israel, why do you wonder at this…¹³The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob,the God of our fathers, glorified his servant Jesus…¹⁹Repent therefore, and turn again, thatyour sinsmay be blotted out,²⁰that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may sendthe Christ appointed for you, Jesus. (^ESVActs 3:12-20)

Rulers and elders of the people…¹⁰know this,you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed…¹²Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by whichwe must be saved. (^NIVActs 4:8-12)

We must obey God rather than men!³⁰The Godof our fathersraised Jesus from the dead– whom you had killed by hanging him on a tree.³¹God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Saviorthat he might give repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel.³²We are witnesses of these things…(^NIVActs 5:29-32)

5. The inclusion of Gentiles in the resurrection without Jewish conversion was startling and initially confusing. However, it was gradually understood that this was the means by which the Gentiles would be blessed by Abraham and his Seed in the resurrection. The Gentiles would be justified through faith in the Cross and be resurrected along with the descendants of Abraham.[11]

“You know the message God sentto the people of Israel, telling the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all…“⁴⁴While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message.⁴⁵The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonishedthat the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles. (^NIVActs 10:36-45)

The apostles and the brothers throughout Judea heard thatthe Gentiles also had received the word of God.²So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers criticized him…¹⁷“So if God gave them the same gift as he gave us, who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ,who was I to think that I could oppose God?”¹⁸When they heard this, they had no further objections and praised God, saying, “So then, God has grantedeven the Gentilesrepentance unto life.”¹⁹Now those who had been scattered by the persecution in connection with Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch,telling the message only to Jews.²⁰Some of them, however, men from Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch andbegan to speak to Greeks also, telling them the good news about the Lord Jesus. (^NIVActs 11:1-20)

On the Sabbath they entered the synagogue and sat down…¹⁶“Men of Israel and you Gentileswho worship God, listen to me!¹⁷The God of the people of Israel chose our fathers…²⁶Brothers,children of Abraham, and you God-fearing Gentiles, it is to us that this message of salvation has been sent…³²We tell you the good news: What God promised our fathers³³he has fulfilled for us, their children, by raising up Jesus.”…⁴³When the congregation was dismissed, many ofthe Jews and devout converts to Judaismfollowed Paul and Barnabas…⁴⁶Then Paul and Barnabas answered them(abusive Jews)boldly: “We had to speak the word of God to you first. Since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, wenow turn to the Gentiles. (^NIVActs 13:14-46)

• Know then that it is those of faith who arethe sons of Abraham.⁸And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “In you shall all the nations be blessed.”⁹So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith. (^ESVGalatians 3:7-9)
• Is Godthe God of Jews only? Is he notthe God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too,³⁰since there is only one God, who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith…^4:1What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather, discovered in this matter?…⁹Is this blessedness only for the circumcised, or also for the uncircumcised?…¹¹So then, he is the father of all who believe but havenot been circumcised, in order that righteousness might be credited to them.¹²And he is also the father ofthe circumcisedwho not only are circumcised but who also walk in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised…¹⁶Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteedto all Abraham’s offspring– not only to those who are of the law but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all.¹⁷As it is written: “I have made youa father of many nations.” He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed– the God who gives life to the dead andcalls things that are not as though they were. (^NIVRomans 3:29-4:17)

6. This led to an immediate confusion concerning how to disciple these newly converted Gentiles. The Council of Jerusalem reveals the perceived relationship between Gentile believers and Jewish believers. Everyone would be discipled in the righteousness of the age to come, while Gentiles would be spared discipleship inthe signsof the righteousness of the age to come (e.g. circumcision, dietary law, calendar, etc.).

On arriving there, they gathered the church together and reported all that God had done through them and how he hadopened the door of faith to the Gentiles.²⁸And they stayed there a long time with the disciples.^15:1Some men came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the brothers: “Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses,you cannot be saved.”²This brought Paul and Barnabas intosharp dispute and debatewith them. So Paul and Barnabas were appointed, along with some other believers, to go up to Jerusalem to see the apostles and elders about this question…⁵Then some of the believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees stood up and said, “The Gentilesmust be circumcised and required to obey the law of Moses.”⁶The apostles and elders met to consider this question…¹³When they finished, James spoke up: “Brothers, listen to me.¹⁴Simon has described to us how God at first showed his concernby taking from the Gentiles a people for himself.¹⁵The words of the prophets are in agreement with this, as it is written:¹⁶‘After this I will return andrebuild David’s fallen tent. Its ruins I will rebuild, and I will restore it,¹⁷that the remnant of men may seek the Lord,and all the Gentiles who bear my name, says the Lord, who does these things’¹⁸that have been known for ages.¹⁹It is my judgment, therefore, thatwe should not make it difficult for the Gentileswho are turning to God.²⁰Instead we should write to them, telling them to abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals and from blood.²¹For Moses has been preached in every city from the earliest timesand is read in the synagogues on every Sabbath.”²²Then the apostles and elders, with the whole church, decided to choose some of their own men and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas…²³With them they sent the following letter: The apostles and elders, your brothers,To the Gentile believersin Antioch, Syria and Cilicia: Greetings…²⁸It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond the following requirements:²⁹You are to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality.You will do well to avoid these things. Farewell…³⁵Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch, where they and many others taught andpreached the word of the Lord. (^NIVActs 14:27-15:35)