James’ conclusion

James quoted from the Book of Amos, demonstrating that it is not surprising for Gentiles to be saved even before the fulfillment of the Messianic Kingdom. He then concluded, “Therefore, it is my judgment that we do not cause trouble for those from the Gentiles who are turning to God.” Jewish believers must not require Gentile believers to undergo circumcision. Gentiles, too, are saved by grace, through faith. While this resolved the doctrinal issue, the challenge remained of how to maintain the relationship between Jewish and Gentile believers.

Proposal of four prohibitions

“But that we write to them that they abstain from things contaminated by idols, from acts of sexual immorality, from what has been strangled, and from blood.” (a) Three out of the four prohibitions are related to food. These were intended to facilitate fellowship between Gentile believers and Jewish believers, especially during shared meals. (b) These prohibitions are not universal commands but should be observed when there is interaction with Jewish believers. (c) The background of these four prohibitions lies in the commands regarding resident foreigners (Levi. 17–18). (1) “Things contaminated by idols.” Meat offered to idols should be avoided. Paul’s teaching on Christian liberty does not fully align with this prohibition (Rom. 14:20), which shows that this command is to be observed in specific circumstances. (2) “Sexual immorality.” This is the only prohibition not related to food. The word used is “porneia,” which is broad in scope. This is not referring to general sexual sin, as it is already understood that sexual sins are always wrong. Here, “sexual immorality” likely refers to incest, written in Leviticus 18:6–18. (3) “What has been strangled.” This refers to meat that has not been properly drained of blood (Levi. 17:13). (4) “Blood.” Drinking blood is also abhorrent to Jews (Levi. 17:10–11). To avoid causing offense to them, blood should be avoided. James did not compromise on essential matters but encouraged respect for the other party’s position on non-essential issues. These four prohibitions appear three times in the text (15:20, 15:29, 21:25). “For from ancient generations Moses has those who preach him in every city, since he is read in the synagogues every Sabbath.” Many towns had synagogues where the Law of Moses was taught. Because the Jewish people were well-versed in the Law, Gentile believers were encouraged to be considerate of the customs and sensitivities of Jewish believers. The principle of limiting one’s own freedom to avoid causing others to stumble remains relevant today.