21.Dissension in Presbyteries

Dissension in Presbyteries led to the calling of a Synod However, "certain men which came down from Judaea, taught the brethren and said, ’Unless you get circumcised after the manner of Moses, you cannot be saved!’ When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no sniall dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas and certain other of them should go up to Jerusalem to the Apostles and Elders about this question.... And when they had come to Jerusalem, they were received by the Church and by the Apostles and Elders." Acts 15:1-4.

According to Acts 15:2f, representatives of the Presbyteries of at least Antioch and Jerusalem now met together in order to settle a very important matter after "no small dissension and disputation" had plagued the Church. Indeed, it seems that representatives would also have been sent from the equally-concerned Presbyteries of Syria and Cilicia.

Acts 15:23; Acts 15:41. For a great doctrinal controversy had arisen in the apostolic Congregations first in Judaea and later in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia. It was a controversy as to whether converts to Christianity from heathendom (in addition to needing to be baptized) needed also to be circumcised "after the manner of Moses." The matter was sent up by way of reference ore referral apparently by the regional Presbytery of Antioch (Acts 13:1-5; Acts 14:27f), and possibly also by the regional Presbytery of Syria and the regional Presbytery of Cilicia (cf. Acts 15:23; Acts 15:41). It was referred not to a mere Congregation (however influential) in Jerusalem, but to the Apostles and Elders themselves (Acts 15:2) in other words, to a Synod which ’came together’ precisely to ejudicate on this. Indeed, the very word ’Synod’ from the Greek words sun and cod(os) alias ’with’ and ’road’ means precisely a ’cross-roads’ where people would gather for meetings.

"The Apostles and Elders came together for to consider this matter." Acts 15:6. These Apostles and Elders, and they alone, came together to consider the matter. Acts 15:6.

Other non-commissioned persons present, were simply observers at that Synod  such as

"the multitude" in Acts 15:12 and "the whole Church" (alias the entire Congregation) in Acts 15:22 and the "brethren" in Acts 15:23. Such observers only silently and non-votingly concurred in the decision made by the Synod itself.

Many Delegates to that Synod spoke up. "And, when there had been much disputing"

(Acts 15:7) Peter, Barnabas, Paul and finally James all spoke their minds (Acts 15:7-13).

James referred to the sacred Scriptures explicitly pointing to the prediction of the internationalization of the Church in Amo 9:11f, and implicitly presupposing the ongoing obligatoriness of the provisions of the Noachic Covenant in Gen 9:1-12. Then he recommended that the Synod write to the troubled Gentile Christians, and decree not that they should observe the Mosaic laws but indeed that they should keep the Noachic laws (derived from the Moral Law given to all men from Adam to Noah etc.). Acts 15:13-20f.