Journal: Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society
Volume: JETS 65:4 (Dec 2022)
Article: Acts 15:21: Moses Is Preached And Read In The Synagogues
Author: Charles H. Savelle, Jr.

JETS 65:3 (September 2022) p. 707

Acts 15:21: Moses Is Preached And Read In The Synagogues

Charles Savelle*

^* Charles Savelle is Instructor of Bible Exposition at Dallas Theological Seminary, 3909 Swiss Avenue, Dallas, TX 75204. He may be contacted at [email protected].

Abstract: The Jerusalem Council is one of the most significant events narrated in the book of Acts, presenting the interpreter with a variety of challenges including the meaning of James’s rationale in Acts 15:21 for the apostolic prohibitions. This text has often been viewed as a crux interpretum, and an examination of over thirty commentaries from the last half-century suggests that this is still the case. This article provides a fivefold taxonomy of interpretive views of this perplexing and challenging text.

Key words: Acts, Torah, Jerusalem Council, Moses, James

The Jerusalem Council is one of the most significant events narrated in the book of Acts, and it presents the interpreter with a variety of challenges.1 One challenge is related to James’s statement in Acts 15:21: “‘For from ancient generations Moses has had in every city those who proclaim him, for he is read every Sabbath in the synagogues’” (ESV). Stephen Wilson has noted that this statement is notoriously obscure.2 Richard Pervo decries it as lacking in transparent logic, and Jacob Jervell posits that it is one of the most difficult texts in the New Testament.3 An examination of over thirty recent and fairly recent commentaries suggests that this verse continues to divide interpreters and so merits further consideration.4 It is to this task that we now turn with an examination consisting of three parts: (1) an overview of Acts 15:1–35 in general and 15:21 in particular, (2) an examination of the scope and meaning of the rationale organized into five views, and (3) some brief concluding thoughts. It is hoped that this study will facilitate further discussion on the text at hand and the questions that it raises.

JETS 65:3 (September 2022) p. 708

I. Overview Of Acts 15:1–35 And 15:21

1. Overview of Acts 15:1–35. The Jerusalem Council pericope can be divided into f...