Acts 15:20
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.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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It's easy to read this list as just a set of rules, but the core instruction here—abstaining from "pollutions of idols"—was specifically about avoiding anything that looked like participating in idolatry. This wasn't just about avoiding evil actions, but also about navigating how their new faith intersected with the world, showing deep consideration for the Jewish believers' convictions.
The apostles and elders in Jerusalem are addressing a dispute about whether Gentile believers need to follow Jewish law to be saved. After much discussion, they decide to send a letter to the Gentile churches, guided by the Holy Spirit, outlining a few key requirements to help maintain unity and avoid offense, particularly towards Jewish believers. This letter contains a specific set of abstinences deemed necessary for these new converts to live in harmony with their Jewish brothers and sisters in Christ.
Ever wondered why the early church leaders focused on these specific issues for new Gentile believers? It wasn't random; it was strategic.
The Jerusalem Council, guided by the Holy Spirit, addressed four key areas in Acts 15:20 to help Jewish and Gentile believers live together peacefully:
Pollutions of Idols: This addressed the Gentile practice of eating food sacrificed to idols, which deeply offended Jewish sensibilities and was seen as participating in idolatry. While Paul later clarifies in 1 Corinthians that an idol is nothing, abstaining was crucial for unity at this early stage.
Sexual Immorality (Fornication): This was a widespread and often accepted practice in the Gentile world, even associated with religious rites. For Jewish believers, any form of sexual sin was a grave offense against God's law. Re-establishing a clear standard was vital for the integrity of the new Christian community.
These prohibitions relate to dietary laws from the Old Testament, specifically regarding how animals were killed and the blood being drained. For Jews, blood represented life and was consecrated to God, making its consumption forbidden. Strangled animals were those killed without draining the blood. These were seen as commands given to all humanity from creation (Noahic or Noachide laws), not just specific to the Mosaic Law, making them a reasonable expectation for all believers.
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These commands aimed to:
Was this decree a watering down of the gospel, or a wise strategy for a growing church?
The decision in Acts 15 was a delicate balancing act. It wasn't about making salvation easier by compromising core beliefs, but about finding practical ways for Jewish and Gentile believers to coexist and witness effectively.
A Bridge, Not a Barrier: The commands were chosen because they were already recognized by many as binding on all people (the Noachide laws) or were specific practices that caused significant offense to Jewish believers. They served as a bridge, allowing Gentiles to enter the church without imposing the full weight of the Mosaic Law (like circumcision).
Focus on Fellowship: The primary goal was to enable fellowship. Imagine a Jewish believer unable to share a meal with a Gentile believer because of dietary practices – this would create division. The decree sought to remove these stumbling blocks.
Spiritual Purity Emphasized: While some prohibitions were ceremonial (like strangled meat), others, like sexual immorality, were deeply moral. The inclusion of these shows that the council was concerned with the overall spiritual and ethical well-being of the new believers and the purity of the church.
This decree wasn't about declaring these practices sinful for Gentiles in isolation, but about recognizing their impact on the unity and witness of the body of Christ, especially in relation to Jewish believers.
Understand the original words
apechomai · Greek Verb
To hold back or refrain from a specific action or behavior, typically in a religious or moral context to maintain holiness, ritual purity, or fellowship with other believers.
alisgēma · Greek Noun/Adjective phrase
Relates to anything associated with the worship of false gods, often referring to food offered to idols. The early church prohibited this to avoid participation in demonic or pagan religious practices.
porneia · Greek Noun
A broad term encompassing any form of sexual activity outside of the covenant of marriage between a man and a woman, including adultery, premarital sex, and other prohibited unions. It is consistently condemned in Scripture as a violation of God's design for human intimacy.
haima · Greek Noun
The life force of a creature; in the Old Testament, blood belongs to God as the sustainer of life, and its consumption is strictly forbidden in the Law, reflecting the sanctity of life given by the Creator.
This decree from the Council of Jerusalem wasn't just about religious rules; it was a strategic move to build bridges between Jewish and Gentile believers, acknowledging that their shared life in Christ needed to navigate deep-seated cultural and religious differences.
c. 4 BC - AD 30/33
Life and Ministry of Jesus
Jesus' teachings and actions established the foundation for the early Christian movement, including His interactions with both Jewish and Gentile followers.
c. AD 30-33
Resurrection and Ascension of Jesus
The foundational events of Christianity, leading to the spread of the Gospel and the formation of the early church.
c. AD 30s - 40s
Early Expansion of Christianity
The Gospel begins to spread beyond Jewish communities into Gentile populations, creating initial tensions regarding practices and requirements for new believers.
c. AD 48-49— this verse
Council of Jerusalem
A pivotal gathering where apostles and elders debated and decided on the requirements for Gentile converts, establishing guidelines to foster unity between Jewish and Gentile believers.
c. AD 49
Missionary Journeys of Paul
Following the Council of Jerusalem, Paul, in particular, travels widely, establishing churches among Gentiles and reinforcing the council's decrees, often facing resistance and requiring further clarification.
This passage marks the first prohibition against eating blood after the flood, establishing a foundational principle for Noah and all humanity that connects to the instruction in Acts 15:20.
Leviticus 17:10-14The Levitical law explicitly forbids eating blood, stating that the life is in the blood and is given for atonement, directly paralleling the prohibition in Acts 15:20 and highlighting its significance beyond mere ritual.
Daniel 1:8Daniel's refusal to eat the king's rich food, which likely included idol offerings and foods forbidden by Jewish law, serves as an ancient precedent for abstaining from things that would defile oneself, echoing the 'pollutions of idols' in Acts 15:20.
1 Corinthians 8:1Paul addresses the issue of eating food sacrificed to idols, affirming that an idol is nothing but warning against causing a weaker brother to stumble, which is the core concern behind the Jerusalem council's decree in Acts 15:20.
Romans 14:13-23Paul's discussion on disputable matters, including food, emphasizes the importance of not judging a brother or causing them to stumble, providing a broader framework for understanding the practical application of the restrictions in Acts 15:20 for Christian unity.
cambridgeActs 15:20: "But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood."
20 . But that we write unto them ] The word is used primarily of a charge sent by a messenger, but also, as in Hebrews 13:22 , is often used of what is sent by letter (and hence comes the English word epistle ), and there can be little doubt that this is the sense in the present case, for though messengers were sent, they carried with them the d…
pulpitActs 15:20: "But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood."
Verse 20. - The pollutions for pollutions, A.V.; what is strangled for things strangled, A.V. The pollutions. In the decree itself (ver. 29) this is explained by εἰδωλοθύτων, things offered to idols, though some apply the "pollutions" to all the things here mentioned, not the idols only. Later St. Paul somewhat enlarged the liberty of Gentile co…
It's easy to read this list as just a set of rules, but the core instruction here—abstaining from "pollutions of idols"—was specifically about avoiding anything that looked like participating in idolatry. This wasn't just about avoiding evil actions, but also about navigating how their new faith intersected with the world, showing deep consideration for the Jewish believers' convictions.
The apostles and elders in Jerusalem are addressing a dispute about whether Gentile believers need to follow Jewish law to be saved. After much discussion, they decide to send a letter to the Gentile churches, guided by the Holy Spirit, outlining a few key requirements to help maintain unity and avoid offense, particularly towards Jewish believers. This letter contains a specific set of abstinences deemed necessary for these new converts to live in harmony with their Jewish brothers and sisters in Christ.
The apostles and elders in Jerusalem are addressing a dispute about whether Gentile believers need to follow Jewish law to be saved. After much discussion, they decide to send a letter to the Gentile churches, guided by the Holy Spirit, outlining a few key requirements to help maintain unity and avoid offense, particularly towards Jewish believers. This letter contains a specific set of abstinences deemed necessary for these new converts to live in harmony with their Jewish brothers and sisters in Christ.
"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." — It's easy to read this list as just a set of rules, but the core instruction here—abstaining from "pollutions of idols"—was specifically about avoiding anything that looked like participating in id…
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