The Apostles Kept the Law

The Previous Section: Christ Wore the Tzitzit

THE SHEET VISION

The apostles kept mosaic laws, including a kosher diet. A common misconception is that the Apostles thought a kosher diet was no longer important.  They use Peter’s sheet vision as evidence.  But Peter’s sheet vision is about relations with gentiles, not about meat.  Peter was being harassed by the ‘circumcision party’ (those who believe in justification by works of the law, to include oral tradition and ordinances), as he was co-mingling with gentiles (the scattered).  Peter fell under peer pressure at some point in the presence of Paul to Talmudic law. We see they have a great disagreement over these ordinances of men (Gal 2:11).  Peter then has the ‘sheet vision’ in Acts 10, where God tells him to kill and eat, for He has made them clean (those who received no mercy, are now clean and can be slain in the spirit and baptized to life, or born again in Christ). The vision is immediately fulfilled when a gentile (Cornelius) calls for Peter, after he too received a word from an angel, and he is saved. This vision is not about food, it is about removing the dividing wall of hostility (the Talmud) between the scattered (north) and the gathered (south), so that all may be one in Christ (see Ephesians 2:11-22). We read that when Peter came to Cornelius, he tells him how unlawful it was (according to Jewish law and tradition —not God’s law) to associate with a gentile. Cornelius then states that the vision Peter had was there to show him that the gentiles were no longer unclean. We see the vision explicitly interpreted in scripture. We are not to infer somehow that pork and shellfish were now made acceptable by this vision, it is taking it completely out of context.

²⁵ When Peter entered, Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet and worshiped him. ²⁶ But Peter lifted him up, saying, “Stand up; I too am a man.” ²⁷ And as he talked with him, he went in and found many persons gathered. ²⁸ And he said to them, “You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a Jew to associate with or to visit anyone of another nation, but God has shown me that I should not call any person common or unclean. 

[then Peter expresses his summary of events to those gathered]

³⁴ So Peter opened his mouth and said: “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, ³⁵ but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. ³⁶ As for the word that he sent to Israel, preaching good news of peace through Jesus Christ (he is Lord of all), ³⁷ you yourselves know what happened throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism that John proclaimed: 

Acts 10:25-28,34-37 ESV

Interestingly, in verse 36 above, the word ‘As For’ which begins the verse, is not in the original Greek.  In other words, Peter is not contrasting Israel from others. There is no contrast in groups between verse 35 and 36.  These two verses are a continuation. Those who are acceptable to God are His Israel.  Punctuation was not present in the Greek, and a better interpretation seems to be in the KJV for Acts 10:35-36:

but in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him. The word which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ: (he is Lord of all:)

Acts 10:35-36 KJV

Peter is saying that in every nation there are those acceptable to Christ, the children of Israel, as Lord of all. 

Peter’s sheet vision from chapter 10 is also recounted to the circumcision party (Judaic Leadership) questioning him in Acts 11.  Knowing the sheet vision is not about meat, but the oral law, which prohibited jews and gentiles from association, let’s read Acts 11 in full context. 

The premise in the opening verses is that Peter is accused of eating with gentiles by the circumcision party.  He recounts his vision to them, including all the various animals (which represent various gentile groups).  God uses symbolism of killing and eating the various animals as making something previously unclean, now clean.  BUT this in no way has to do with food.  It is symbolism meant to demonstrate the importance of witnessing to others and sharing God’s gospel.  

Now the apostles and the brothers who were throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God. ² So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcision party criticized him, saying, ³ “You went to uncircumcised men and ate with them.” ⁴ But Peter began and explained it to them in order: ⁵ “I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision, something like a great sheet descending, being let down from heaven by its four corners, and it came down to me. ⁶ Looking at it closely, I observed animals and beasts of prey and reptiles and birds of the air.  ⁷ And I heard a voice saying to me, ‘Rise, Peter; kill and eat.’ ⁸ But I said, ‘By no means, Lord; for nothing common or unclean has ever entered my mouth.’  

[pausing here at verse 8, this verse is incredibly damning to those who believe Peter or Christ ate unclean meat. Peter states in verse 8 that at least up to that point, some 7 years after Christ’s death and resurrection, he had yet to eat unclean meat.  One would think that if Christ came to abolish the kosher diet, Peter would have done so by then, but he hadn’t, because he kept the Torah.  Continuing on with verse 9, we see God has made certain gentiles clean, being grafted in as components of Israel.  Peter parallels the 3 sheets in the vision with the 3 gentiles sent from Cornelius.  The vision, according to Peter himself, is that there is no longer to be a distinction between Jew and Gentile if they claim Christ.  Both are Israel. This vision has nothing to do with food, but rather, how early Jewish Christians were to view gentile believers coming to Christ.]

⁹ But the voice answered a second time from heaven, ‘What God has made clean, do not call common.’ ¹⁰ This happened three times, and all was drawn up again into heaven. ¹¹ And behold, at that very moment three men arrived at the house in which we were, sent to me from Caesarea. ¹² And the Spirit told me to go with them, making no distinction.  These six brothers also accompanied me, and we entered the man’s house. ¹³ And he told us how he had seen the angel stand in his house and say, ‘Send to Joppa and bring Simon who is called Peter;¹⁴ he will declare to you a message by which you will be saved, you and all your household.’  ¹⁵ As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them just as on us at the beginning. ¹⁶ And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he said, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ ¹⁷ If then God gave the same gift to them as he gave to us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could stand in God’s way?” ¹⁸ When they heard these things they fell silent. And they glorified God, saying, “Then to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance that leads to life.”

Acts 11:1-18 ESV

Verse 18 concludes the meaning of the sheet vision, as the crowd concludes that the gentiles have been granted repentance through Christ.  This vision has nothing to do with food. The apostles kept the law and lived to emulate Christ. 

THE JERUSALEM COUNCIL

The Jerusalem counsel in Acts 15 is another example of the Apostles keeping the law. As a summary, some of the circumcision party (Judaism) crept in to the Christian circles and started teaching justification by works, or that people needed the sign of circumcision (conversion to Judaism) in order to be saved.  Paul and Barnabas have a great disagreement with them, and a council is convened to discuss the matter.  The council decides that they will ease the gentiles into the Torah slowly, (they do not decide to abolish the Torah).  In essence, this council debate is about whether SALVATION is by WORKS or by GRACE.  The conclusion is that their salvation is likely dependent on both to some degree, in that works are evidence of faith. So they ease them in with some written Torah basics if you will. Like a starter pack – namely, to flee idolatry, sexual immorality, and unclean food. They state that the other laws of the Torah will be understood with time, as Acts 15:21 states, ‘Moses is read in every city on every sabbath.’  Furthermore, in verse 10, we see reference to heavy burdens hard to bear in a reference to the oral law (Talmud).  After Peter states what his opponents within Judaism believe in verse 10 (salvation by works), Peter states his beliefs in verse 11 (salvation by grace).  In contrasting these positions, he defines the entirety of the argument, which is about justification. Here is the passage:

But some men came down from Judea and were teaching the brothers, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.” ² And after Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and debate with them, Paul and Barnabas and some of the others were appointed to go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and the elders about this question.  ³ So, being sent on their way by the church, they passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, describing in detail the conversion of the Gentiles, and brought great joy to all the brothers.^[a] 4 When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and the elders, and they declared all that God had done with them. ⁵ But some believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees rose up and said, “It is necessary to circumcise them and to order them to keep the law of Moses.” ⁶ The apostles and the elders were gathered together to consider this matter. ⁷ And after there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them, “Brothers, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe. ⁸ And God, who knows the heart, bore witness to them, by giving them the Holy Spirit just as he did to us, ⁹ and he made no distinction between us and them, having cleansed their hearts by faith. ¹⁰ Now, therefore, why are you putting God to the test by placing a yoke on the neck of the disciples that neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear? ¹¹ But we believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they will.”  ¹² And all the assembly fell silent, and they listened to Barnabas and Paul as they related what signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles.

Acts 15:1-12 ESV

In the next section we see a definition of who the gentiles are in the eyes of the apostles.  James states that the gentiles are the fulfillment of Amos 9:9-12.  Amos 9:9-12 is directed to the northern tribes of Israel who will be shaken among the nations, but not forgotten.  In those days, God will raise the booth or tower of David within God’s vineyard, who is Christ, and return the northern scattered remnant within Edom, who are called by His name: 

⁹ For behold, I will command, and shake the house of Israel among all the nations as one shakes with a sieve, but no pebble shall fall to the earth. ¹⁰ All the sinners of my people shall die by the sword, who say, ‘Disaster shall not overtake or meet us.’ ¹¹ “In that day I will raise up the booth of David that is fallen and repair its breaches, and raise up its ruins and rebuild it as in the days of old, ¹² that they may possess the remnant of Edom and all the nations who are called by my name,” declares the Lord who does this.

Amos 9:9-12 ESV

Understanding this prophecy in Amos, we now read in Acts 15 at the Jerusalem Council how James defines the Gentiles in accordance with Amos 9:9-12 (which again, references the scattered northern tribes of Israel): 

 ¹³ After they finished speaking, James replied, “Brothers, listen to me. ¹⁴ Simeon has related how God first visited the Gentiles, to take from them a people for his name.  ¹⁵ And with this the words of the prophets agree, just as it is written, ¹⁶ “‘After this I will return, and I will rebuild the tent of David that has fallen; I will rebuild its ruins, and I will restore it, ¹⁷ that the remnant^[b] of mankind may seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles who are called by my name, says the Lord, who makes these things ¹⁸ known from of old.’

Acts 15:13-18 ESV

Now with this prophecy understood as to the identity of the gentiles (Northern Tribes), James goes on to give his conclusion on what the counsel should proclaim.  In essence, he gives them a basic frame work off which to operate, BECAUSE Moses is read in every city on every Sabbath.  In other words, it gives them a starter pack, and the rest will be learned with time – NOT that the Law won’t be learned at all, which is today’s prominent teaching within Christian circles.

 ¹⁹ Therefore my judgment is that we should not trouble those of the Gentiles who turn to God,  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. ²¹ For from ancient generations Moses has had in every city those who proclaim him, for he is read every Sabbath in the synagogues.”  

Acts 15:19-21 ESV

Verse 21 is often overlooked, but absolutely pivotal for understanding the NT.  One cannot argue that the entirety of Christianity boils down to abstaining from things polluted by idols, sexual immorality, and from blood.  These were given as a starter kit essentially, and the rationale is given in verse 21, which states that the starter pack is reasonable because Moses was read in every city on every sabbath.  Furthermore, this understanding was in agreement with the believing pharisees within the council – who would likely never go along with the idea of abolishing God’s Torah.  We know that the believing Pharisees agreed with the starter pack/council verdict because the Council decree was sent out in one accord according to verse 25.    

²² Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men from among them and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They sent Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, leading men among the brothers, ²³ with the following letter: “The brothers, both the apostles and the elders, to the brothers^[c] who are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia, greetings. ²⁴ Since we have heard that some persons have gone out from us and troubled you with words, unsettling your minds, although we gave them no instructions, ²⁵ it has seemed good to us, having come to one accord, to choose men and send them to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, ²⁶ men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. ²⁷ We have therefore sent Judas and Silas, who themselves will tell you the same things by word of mouth.  ²⁸ For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay on you no greater burden than these requirements: ²⁹ that you abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what has been strangled, and from sexual immorality   If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell.”

Acts 15:22-29 ESV

KEEPING THE LAW, AFTER THE JERUSALEM COUNCIL

In the next few chapters, we see Paul, Barnabas, and Timothy going out proclaiming the decision of the counsel.  But, while doing so, they are still keeping the law.  If the council had decided that the law no longer applied, why would the apostles still carry it out? They still circumcise Timothy, attend synagogue on the Sabbath, go to traditional places of prayer (Acts 16:3-4,13, 18:4), and importantly, we see Paul keeping the Torah in the form of a Nazareth vow from Numbers 6:1-21.  After being persecuted, Paul travels to Syria, and Cenchreae, where we see him cutting his hair after being under the vow.  If such things were abolished, why would he still be going through the trouble of a nazarite vow from Numbers?  

¹⁸ After this, Paul stayed many days longer and then took leave of the brothers and set sail for Syria, and with him Priscilla and Aquila. At Cenchreae he had cut his hair, for he was under a vow.

Acts 18:18 ESV

In addition, in Acts 20, we see Paul and other Christians celebrating the feast of unleavened bread.  Again, why would they be doing this if the OT and its ‘days’ and ‘seasons’ and festivals were abolished?  Further on, we see Paul hastening to be at Jerusalem for the feast of Pentecost.

“but we sailed away from Philippi after the days of Unleavened Bread, and in five days we came to them at Troas, where we stayed for seven days.”

Acts 20:6 ESV

“For Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus, so that he might not have to spend time in Asia, for he was hastening to be at Jerusalem, if possible, on the day of Pentecost.”

Acts 20:16 ESV

Yet many claim these feasts were no longer relevant after Christ.  God gave these feasts to the children of Israel, throughout their generations forever. Since you are Israel, these feasts are for you. Let’s read Leviticus 23 : 

“Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, These are the appointed feasts of the Lord that you shall proclaim as holy convocations; they are my appointed feasts. And you shall make a proclamation on the same day. You shall hold a holy convocation. You shall not do any ordinary work. It is a statute forever in all your dwelling places throughout your generations. Thus Moses declared to the people of Israel the appointed feasts of the Lord.”

Leviticus 23:2, 21, 44 ESV

In Acts chapter 21, Paul arrives in Jerusalem where he is a wanted man.  He speaks to the Christian elders, James included, who was there, and they tell him that he is wanted because the believing Jews in Jerusalem thought he was telling Gentiles to completely forsake the Torah, (which was not his teaching).  Paul was Torah adherent, for he was under another Nazarite vow at the time, and so were 4 others there in Jerusalem.  So as an act of Torah observance, and to demonstrate there is no truth to the claim that he forsook the Torah, they all go and complete their vow by shaving their heads in accordance with Numbers 6, and present themselves to the priest.  It explicitly states in verse 24 that he does so in order to show the believing Jews in Jerusalem that there is no truth to the claim that he does not observe the law.  This is critical to understand.  

¹⁷ When we had come to Jerusalem, the brothers received us gladly. ¹⁸ On the following day Paul went in with us to James, and all the elders were present. ¹⁹ After greeting them, he related one by one the things that God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry. ²⁰ And when they heard it, they glorified God. And they said to him, “You see, brother, how many thousands there are among the Jews of those who have believed. They are all zealous for the law, ²¹ and they have been told about you that you teach all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or walk according to our customs. ²² What then is to be done? They will certainly hear that you have come. ²³ Do therefore what we tell you. We have four men who are under a vow; ²⁴ take these men and purify yourself along with them and pay their expenses, so that they may shave their heads. Thus all will know that there is nothing in what they have been told about you, but that you yourself also live in observance of the law. ²⁵ But as for the Gentiles who have believed, we have sent a letter with our judgment that they should abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what has been strangled,^[d] and from sexual immorality.” ²⁶ Then Paul took the men, and the next day he purified himself along with them and went into the temple, giving notice when the days of purification would be fulfilled and the offering presented for each one of them.

Acts 21:17-26 ESV 

Paul is surrounded by a mob who believe he was preaching against the Law.  After argumentation, the Pharisees find nothing wrong with his conduct.  In essence, they find nothing blatantly anti-torah in Paul’s teachings or beliefs.  

“Then a great clamor arose, and some of the scribes of the Pharisees’ party stood up and contended sharply, “We find nothing wrong in this man. What if a spirit or an angel spoke to him?””

Acts 23:9 ESV

After being taken away from Jerusalem for false charges that he does not adhere to the law, Paul appeals to a Roman governor, Felix on his way to Caesar, and reiterates his adherence to the Torah and the Nazarine vows.  Tertullus, the spokesman for the Jewish High Priest Ananias, begins the charges, and Paul denies his claims and states that he believes everything laid down in the law and prophets.  Furthermore, that he had purified himself according to the nazarite vow in the Torah and that the only thing they have against him in regards to the law is the pharisaical concept of the resurrection of the dead.  

¹³ Neither can they prove to you what they now bring up against me. ¹⁴ But this I confess to you, that according to the Way, which they call a sect, I worship the God of our fathers, believing everything laid down by the Law and written in the Prophets, ¹⁵ having a hope in God, which these men themselves accept, that there will be a resurrection of both the just and the unjust. ¹⁶ So I always take pains to have a clear conscience toward both God and man. ¹⁷ Now after several years I came to bring alms to my nation and to present offerings. ¹⁸ While I was doing this, they found me purified in the temple, without any crowd or tumult. But some Jews from Asia— ¹⁹ they ought to be here before you and to make an accusation, should they have anything against me.  Or else let these men themselves say what wrongdoing they found when I stood before the council, other than this one thing that I cried out while standing among them: ‘It is with respect to the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial before you this day.’”

Acts 24:11-21 ESV

Paul is then brought before Festus, who took over for Felix.  Festus will decide if he goes to Caeser, and Paul again states he did not violate the Torah: 

 ⁸ Paul argued in his defense, “Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar have I committed any offense.” 

Acts 25:8 ESV

In Paul’s early writings in Galatians, we see him discuss the old and new covenants. He states that we are no longer slaves to the law, keeping its tenants as though FORCED under guardians and tutors, but rather as heirs and sons. Paul states that the slave and the heir ARE NO DIFFERENT in how they act. Both take care of the land. BOTH the slave and the heir FOLLOW THE LAW. The difference is that the slave is forced by a guardian and justifies themself through their works, but the heir is justified by faith and desires to keep the land because they are adopted as sons. In other words, the slave and the heir both take care of the land (follow the law), the difference is the heart. While we are no longer slaves taking care of the land, we still take care of the land as heirs. We still do the same work as heirs (how we take care of the land does not change), but we’re no longer punished for our failures for Christ removed the punitive measures. Our transgressions are erased and forgiven. Our works do not justify us. So Paul warns those falling once again into justification by works, that they are starting to follow teachings of men and elementary principles of the world (Talmudic principles and other worldly religions – as we read, ‘enslaved to justification by works and those that by nature are not gods’). In essence, that they are enslaving themselves again.

”Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed. So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.“

[the analogy continues in the next chapter, with the law being our guardian, teacher, or manager]

”I mean that the heir, as long as he is a child, is no different from a slave, though he is the owner of everything, but he is under guardians and managers until the date set by his father. In the same way we also, when we were children, were enslaved to the elementary principles of the world. But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God. Formerly, when you did not know God, you were enslaved to those that by nature are not gods. But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless elementary principles of the world, whose slaves you want to be once more? You observe days and months and seasons and years! I am afraid I may have labored over you in vain.“

‭‭Galatians‬ 3:23-29, ‭4‬:‭1‬-‭11‬ ‭ESV‬‬

When Paul says in verse 11, ‘you observe days and months and seasons and years!’, is he talking about the feasts and the sabbath? That would seem quite ridiculous, since he too kept those Godly principles throughout the book of Acts. Paul is talking about justification by works in the passage, and when speaking of days/months/years, likely some elementary principles that had to do with the zodiac, or mystical Judaism. (The tree of life and Kabbalism is rife with astrology and tarot readings. As we’ll see, the 22 paths of the tree of life were given the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet, and assigned tarot cards.)

The book of Acts shows us the early apostles kept the law. The difference is that they were no longer slaves to it, punished for their transgressions, but kept it as sons and heirs through a contrite heart, which cries out to the Father. We should do the same.

So what does it mean to live out the Torah?

Next Section: Living the Torah