The journey to Jerusalem (v 3)

“Therefore, after being sent on their way by the church, they were passing through both Phoenicia and Samaria, describing in detail the conversion of the Gentiles, and they were bringing great joy to all the brothers and sisters.” On their journey to Jerusalem, they passed through Phoenicia and Samaria. (1) Phoenicia was a region of Gentiles. (2) Samaria was the region of the Samaritans. (3) Along the way, they testified about their first missionary journey to the churches established in these Gentile and Samaritan regions, bringing great joy to all the brethren. The Gentile and Samaritan believers rejoiced sincerely at the increase in Gentile believers. Let’s compare the translations: “Describing in detail the conversion of the Gentiles” (NASB2020). “They told how the Gentiles had been converted” (NIV). “Declaring the conversion of the Gentiles” (ASV). From this comparison, it is clear that the content of the testimony was about “the conversion of the Gentiles.”

Arrived in Jerusalem (v 4-5)

“When they arrived in Jerusalem, they were received by the church, the apostles, and the elders, and they reported all that God had done with them.” (1) The delegation was warmly received by the Jerusalem church, including: (a) the apostles, (b) the elders, (c) and the entire church. (2) The delegation gave a report of their first missionary journey, testifying that Gentiles were being saved by grace and faith alone. “But some of the sect of the Pharisees who had believed stood up, saying, ‘It is necessary to circumcise them and to direct them to keep the Law of Moses.’” (1) The Judaizers, who were believers from the Pharisee sect, opposed Saul and Barnabas’ report. These were Pharisees who had come to faith in Jesus, and Paul, having been a Pharisee himself, would have understood their perspective. (2) Their argument had two main points: (a) Gentiles must be circumcised to be saved, (b) and they must keep the Law of Moses for sanctification. Here, two essential truths are under attack: (1) What is the Gospel? God opened the way of salvation by sacrificing His Son, Jesus. Humanity is saved simply by accepting Jesus as their Savior. If anything is added to the Gospel, it ceases to be the Gospel. (2) What is the Church? Is the Church an organization made up of Jewish believers, or is it a newly created entity? The Church is a new creation made up of both Jewish and Gentile believers, forming one new person (Eph. 2:14–16).