It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us
This phrase highlights the unity between divine guidance and human decision-making. The early church leaders, including the apostles and elders, sought the Holy Spirit's direction in resolving the issue of whether Gentile converts should follow Jewish law. This reflects the practice of seeking God's will in decision-making, as seen in other scriptures like Acts 13:2, where the Holy Spirit directs the church in Antioch. The phrase underscores the belief that the Holy Spirit actively guides the church, a theme consistent throughout the New Testament.

not to burden you
The context here is the Jerusalem Council's decision regarding the requirements for Gentile believers. The leaders chose not to impose the full weight of the Mosaic Law on Gentile converts, recognizing the grace of the New Covenant. This decision reflects Jesus' teaching in Matthew 11:28-30, where He invites those who are burdened to find rest in Him. The early church sought to avoid placing unnecessary obstacles in the path of new believers, emphasizing the sufficiency of faith in Christ for salvation.

with anything beyond these essential requirements:
The "essential requirements" refer to the specific instructions given to Gentile believers, which included abstaining from food sacrificed to idols, blood, meat of strangled animals, and sexual immorality (Acts 15:29). These requirements were chosen to promote unity between Jewish and Gentile Christians and to avoid practices that were particularly offensive to Jewish believers. This decision reflects the early church's effort to balance freedom in Christ with sensitivity to cultural and religious backgrounds, as seen in Paul's teachings in 1 Corinthians 8 and Romans 14. The focus on essentials aligns with the broader biblical theme of prioritizing love and unity within the body of Christ.

1. The Apostles and Elders
Key leaders in the early church who gathered in Jerusalem to discuss the requirements for Gentile believers.

2. The Jerusalem Council
A significant meeting in the early church where leaders decided on the requirements for Gentile converts.

3. The Holy Spirit
The third person of the Trinity, who guided the decision-making process of the council.

4. Gentile Believers
Non-Jewish converts to Christianity who were the subject of the council's decision.

5. Antioch
The city where the letter containing the council's decision was sent, a major center of early Christianity.Guidance of the Holy Spirit
The decision of the Jerusalem Council was made under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, emphasizing the importance of seeking divine guidance in church matters.

Unity in Diversity
The council's decision highlights the importance of unity within the church, respecting cultural differences while maintaining core Christian beliefs.

Avoiding Unnecessary Burdens
The early church leaders chose not to impose unnecessary burdens on Gentile believers, teaching us to focus on essential doctrines and avoid legalism.

Essential Requirements
The council identified essential requirements for believers, reminding us to discern between essential and non-essential issues in our faith.

Role of Church Leadership
The involvement of apostles and elders in decision-making underscores the importance of godly leadership and accountability in the church.(28) It seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us . . .--The measure was, the Apostles were persuaded, one of wisdom and charity, and they could not ascribe those gifts to any other source than the Spirit who gives a right judgment in all things. The words have since become almost a formula for the decrees of councils and synods, often used most recklessly when those decrees bore most clearly the marks of human policy and passion. Here we may well admit that the claim was founded on a real inspiration, remembering, however, as we do so, that an inspired commandment does not necessarily involve a permanent obligation. (See Note on next verse.)

To lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things.--The words throw light upon the message addressed to the Church of Thyatira, "I will put upon you no other burden" (Revelation 2:24). Looking to the prominence in the Epistles to the Seven Churches of the two points of fornication and eating things sacrificed to idols, there can scarcely be the shadow of a doubt that we have in those words a distinct reference to the decree of the Council of Jerusalem. The letter does not say why these things were necessary, and the term was probably chosen as covering alike the views of those who held, like the Pharisee Christians, that they were binding on the Church for ever, and those who, like St. Paul, held that they were necessary only for the time, and as a measure of wise expediency.

Verse 28. - It seemed good, etc. The formula is remarkable. It implies the consciousness on the part of the council that they had "the mind of the Spirit;" but how this mind of the Spirit was communicated we are not expressly told. There may have been some "revelation," similar to that recorded in Acts 13:2; Acts 10:19; Galatians 2:1, etc. It is, however, generally understood as resting upon Christ's promise to be with his Church always. Hefele ('Hist. of Christian Councils,' pp. 1,2, English translation) quotes Cyprian as writing to Pope Cornelius in the name of the Council of A.D. : "Placuit nobis, Sancto Spiritu suggerente;" and the Synod of Aries as saying, "Placuit, praesenti Spiritu Sancto." And this is the general language of the synods. Constantine claimed for the decrees of the three hundred bishops at Nicaea the same authority as if they had been "solius Filii Dei sententia." But, as Bishop Wordsworth on Acts 15:28 wisely says, "It cannot be held that councils of the Church now are entitled to adopt the words of the text in the framing of canons."

Parallel Commentaries ...


It seemed good
Ἔδοξεν (Edoxen)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1380: A prolonged form of a primary verb, doko dok'-o of the same meaning; to think; by implication, to seem.

to the
τῷ (tō)
Article - Dative Neuter Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

Holy
Ἁγίῳ (Hagiō)
Adjective - Dative Neuter Singular
Strong's 40: Set apart by (or for) God, holy, sacred. From hagos; sacred.

Spirit
Πνεύματι (Pneumati)
Noun - Dative Neuter Singular
Strong's 4151: Wind, breath, spirit.

and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

to us
ἡμῖν (hēmin)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 1st Person Plural
Strong's 1473: I, the first-person pronoun. A primary pronoun of the first person I.

not
μηδὲν (mēden)
Adjective - Accusative Neuter Singular
Strong's 3367: No one, none, nothing.

to burden
βάρος (baros)
Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular
Strong's 922: Probably from the same as basis; weight; in the New Testament only, figuratively, a load, abundance, authority.

you
ὑμῖν (hymin)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 4771: You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou.

[with anything] beyond
πλέον (pleon)
Adjective - Accusative Neuter Singular - Comparative
Strong's 4119: Or neuter pleion, or pleon comparative of polus; more in quantity, number, or quality; also the major portion.

these
τούτων (toutōn)
Demonstrative Pronoun - Genitive Neuter Plural
Strong's 3778: This; he, she, it.

essential requirements:
ἐπάναγκες (epanankes)
Adverb
Strong's 1876: Necessarily; as subst: necessary things. Neuter of a presumed compound of epi and anagke; on necessity, i.e. Necessarily.


Acts 15:28 NIV
Acts 15:28 NLT
Acts 15:28 ESV
Acts 15:28 NASB
Acts 15:28 KJV

Acts 15:28 BibleApps.com
Acts 15:28 Biblia Paralela
Acts 15:28 Chinese Bible
Acts 15:28 French Bible
Acts 15:28 Catholic Bible

NT Apostles: Acts 15:28 For it seemed good to the Holy (Acts of the Apostles Ac)