Men sent with letter (v 22)

James quoted from the Book of Amos, arguing that Gentiles, too, are saved by faith and grace. He then proposed four prohibitions that Gentile believers should observe out of consideration for Jewish believers. The decisions made at the Jerusalem Council would significantly impact the future development of the church. “Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men from among them to send to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas: Judas who was called Barsabbas, and Silas, leading men among the brothers.” (1) The Jerusalem church decided to send a delegation to the Antioch church. Two Jewish believers (leaders of the Jerusalem church) were chosen to deliver the conclusions of the Jerusalem Council. They would serve as witnesses, affirming the truth of the letter’s contents. At that time, verbal testimony was generally considered more reliable than written communication. (2) Judas, called Barsabbas, was a prophet (Acts 15:32). “Barsabbas” means “son of the Sabbath.” A man named “Joseph called Barsabbas (who was also called Justus)” who appears in Acts 1:23 and the Barsabbas mentioned in Acts 15 may be his brother. Judas was sent as a representative of the Hebrew-speaking Jewish believers from the Jerusalem church to the Antioch church. (3) Silas, also known by his Latin name Silvanus, was a leader in the Jerusalem church and, like Barsabbas, a prophet. Like Paul, he held Roman citizenship (Acts 16:37). Silas represented the Greek-speaking Jewish believers within the Jerusalem church. He would later become Paul’s co-laborer during his second missionary journey. Luke introduces Silas here in a natural way, preparing for his future important role (ref. 2 Cor. 1:19, 1 Thess. 1:1, 2 Thess. 1:1). Additionally, Silas served as Peter’s scribe (1 Peter 5:12). The individuals mentioned here are all disciples of Jesus Christ. They accurately discerned the guidance of the Holy Spirit and put into action what the Holy Spirit commanded. While affirming that Gentile evangelism was biblically legitimate, they also managed to avoid divisions that could have arisen. After this council, the church engaged in two distinct areas of mission: (1) evangelism to the Jews, and (2) evangelism to the Gentiles. We, too, must learn to accurately discern the guidance of the Holy Spirit. To do so, it is essential to study the Bible, as the Holy Spirit works through the revealed Word of God.