Shalom,
My question pertains to Acts 15 and verse 21 in particular. How can we conclude the Council decision was that it is optional for Gentiles to observe Torah with the following as evidence? Would it not be more in-line that they were loosening a burdensome yoke for babes in Messiah?
I believe that a pretext is brought to the text which has caused a contradiction to both Messiah's warning (Mt.5:17-19) and the New Covenant stipulations (Jer.31:31-33) of our Heavenly Father.
The verse (Acts 15:21) contains a very important conjunction that never gets commented on except in analytical commentaries on the Greek text itself: The conjunction "GAR" or the English "FOR/BECAUSE".
According to the Louw-Nida Greek-English Lexicon (LN 89.23) this Greek conjunction, "GAR", is a "MARKER for showing a cause or reason for something They say "Because" would be better for the layman to follow than "For". Many more examples abound that the Greek GAR is not a negative but a strengthening of what precede it. One out of many examples, such as An Intermediate Greek-Lexicon which states:
"I. ARGUMENTATIVE, to introduce the reason for a statement, which usually precedes — when it precedes the statement
Liddell, H. (1996). A lexicon: Abridged from Liddell and Scott's Greek-English lexicon (160). Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.
So how can we conclude that torah observance is optional when the "reason" for the Council's decision was to LIGHTEN THE LOAD/YOKE...because...
"Because (gar)" Moshe is preached every Shabbat in synagogue. Their conclusion was not "No" but in fact they lightened the load to "essentials" from the Torah!. I can't see how it is optional to "Honor your father and mother (Eph.6:2) just because it wasn't part of the Apostolic Dogma. Especially when Paul says it's a commandment of Torah (Eph. 6:2).
The commandment to Honor parents is not found in Apostolic Council's decrees but Paul makes it clear this is not "optional" but obligatory, i.e., "a commandment with a promise....".
Furthermore, surely the Council recalled the Messiah's warning (Mt.5:17-19) and decided to give new converts a lighter load(Mt.11:29) and did not seek to contradict Messiah by "loosening(ëýóù)" his torah(V.19).
It appears from the whole of the N.T., the Gentiles are actually encourage to grow in their practice of torah but not TO BE SAVE but because they ARE SAVED. Again, it's hard to believe the Apostles condoned the Gentiles ongoing state of infancy. If so, there are many commandments not included that would be disastrous if left as "optional" to any Ecclesia.
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Dear Warren,
I understand your question. You need to keep in mind that the first 15 chapters of Acts was originally in Hebrew, not Greek, so the Greek is relatively unimportant. But, the key to your question is not the Greek of Acts 15:21 but is actually Paul’s conclusion in Acts 15:24 which said that many were subverting their souls saying that “you must be circumcised and keep the law”. Paul concludes “- to whom he gave no such command.” |
