Decision of the Conference

(Acts 15:13-35.)

1. 1.Relate in outline the circumstances of Paul's first missionary journey.
2. 2.Tell what took place after his return.
3. 3.What was the occasion of his visit to Jerusalem?
4. 4.What was the real point at issue?
5. 5.Who was the first speaker of importance at the meeting?
6. 6.Relate the substance of his remarks.
7. 7.Who next spoke and to what end?
8. 8.After they had finished, who summed up the matter? Verse 13.
9. 9.To whose speech did he refer? What did he say that God had done? Verse 14.
10. 10.With what did he say this was in harmony? Verse 15.
11. 11.From what prophet did he then quote?
12. 12.Repeat the portion quoted. Verses 16-18.
13. 13.What did God say by that prophet that He would do? What would the Lord build up? Verse 16.
14. 14.Since the preaching of the gospel to the Gentiles was in the line of this prophecy, of what is that work a building up?
15. 15.Why would the Lord thus build up the tabernacle of David? Verse 17.
16. 16.How long had God had this purpose in mind? Verse 18.
17. 17.In view of all this what did James conclude? Verse 19.
18. 18.What did he say they would write to them? Verse 20.
19. 19.Why was it not necessary for them to specify all the details of the law? Verse 21.
20. 20.What did the whole church, with the apostles and elders, then decide to do? Verse 22.
21. 21.What did they send by these brethren? Verse 23.
22. 22.Give the substance of the letter. Verses 23-29.
23. 23.What did the letter say of those who had been teaching circumcision as necessary to salvation? What had been the result of their teaching? Verse 24.
24. 24.What did the brethren say of the men by whom the letters were sent? Verses 25, 26.
25. 25.What authority did they give for the decision rendered? Verse 28.
26. 26.After they were dismissed, where did the messengers first go, and what did they do? Verse 30.
27. 27.How did the reading of the epistle affect the church? Verse 31.
28. 28.What did Judas and Silas do? What special gift did they have? Verse 32.
29. 29.Having delivered their message what did these brethren do? Verse 33.
30. 30.Who remained behind? Verse 34.
31. 31.What did Paul and Barnabas do? What was their continued occupation? Verse 35.

Additional Questions and Suggestions

1. 1.What did the brethren assembled say that the self-appointed teachers had done to the brethren which were of the Gentiles? Verse 24.
2. 2.What did Paul afterward write of the same ones? Gal. 1:7.
3. 3.What were they really doing in speaking these troublesome words? Ib.
4. 4.And what was the natural effect upon the souls of the hearers? Acts 15:24.
5. 5.How serious a matter is it to do such work? Gal. 1:8, 9.
6. 6.How many of the commandments are more or less directly involved in the four things mentioned by the assembly at Jerusalem?
7. 7.Which of the commandments are not referred to? Is there any hint in the letter about the necessity of obedience to parents, refraining from taking the name of God in vain, or lying and stealing? Are we therefore to conclude that there is no importance attached to these things?

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