Gentiles and the Torah

Gentiles and the Torah

Acts 15:1-4 ¶ Some men came down from Judea and taught the brothers {in Antioch( Ac14:26 )}, “Unless you are circumcised after the custom of Moses, you can’t be saved.”{an obvious reference to the act of circumcision} 2 Therefore when Paul and Barnabas had no small discord and discussion with them, they appointed Paul, Barnabas, and some others of them to go up to Jerusalem to the emissaries and elders about this question... 4 When they had come to Jerusalem, ... they reported everything that God had done with them.

Acts 15:5 But some of the sect of the Pharisees who believed rose up, saying, “It is necessary to 1) circumcise them{obviously physical, especially because this =>}, and to command them to 2) keep the Torah of Moses.”

The demand was not just 1)to "circumcise them", but also 2)to "keep the Torah"! These are the same things mentioned later in Acts 21:21, as shown below...

Acts 15:6-9 The emissaries and the elders were gathered together to see about this matter. 7 When there had been much discussion, Peter rose up and said to them{"the Pharisees who believed"(vs.5)}, “Brothers, you know that a good while ago God made a choice among you that by my mouth the nations should hear the word of the Good News and believe. 8 God, who knows the heart, testified about them{the Gentiles}, giving them the Holy Spirit, just like he did to us. 9 He made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by faith.

Peter's observation was that when God gave the Holy Spirit and cleansed hearts, that He made no distinction between 1) the circumcised, Torah keeping Jewish converts and 2) the uncircumcised Gentiles who did not keep the Torah.
James(Jacob) comments further on this in verses 14-17 (below).

Acts 15:10 Now therefore why do you{"the Pharisees who believed"} tempt God, that you should put a yoke on the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? 11 But we believe that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Yeshua, just as they are.”

So, according to Luke's remembrance of this encounter, what was the "yoke" that "the Pharisees, who believed", were attempting to put "on the neck of the disciples"? According to Luke, there were two things that "the Pharisees who believed" were demanding of the Gentile believers, in order to be saved(vs.1) =>
1. They must be " circumcised after the custom of Moses" (vs.1,5).
2. They must " keep the Torah of Moses" (vs.5).
Regarding the yoke, see also Gal5:1-6 below...
Obviously, Peter was not in favor of either of these demands. Otherwise, he would not have used such strong words of rebuke directed at the demanding "Pharisees who believed".
Consider this => What would you think of me, if I told you that, in order to be saved, you must cut off a part of your penis?! You'd probably think I was crazy, and rightly so! But not only did some of the Jewish converts demand this of the Gentile converts, but they also demanded that they keep all the Jewish ceremonies. Peter's point was that, since these Gentiles were given the Holy Spirit without participating in either of these Jewish ceremonies, then there was certainly NO REASON that they should be required to do either of these later.

Acts 15:12-17 ¶ All the multitude kept silence, and they listened to Barnabas and Paul reporting what signs and wonders God had done among the nations through them. 13 After they were silent, Jacob{James} answered, “Brothers, listen to me. 14 Simeon{Peter in verses 7-9} has reported how God first visited the nations to take out of them a people for his name. 15 This agrees with the words of the prophets. As it is written, 16 ‘After these things I will return. I will again build the tabernacle of David, which has fallen. I will again build its ruins. I will set it up 17 that the rest of men may seek after the Lord: all the Gentiles who are called by my name, says the Lord, who does all these things.’

The above quote is from Amos 9:11-12 "In that day I will raise up the tent of David who is fallen, and close up its breaches, and I will raise up its ruins, and I will build it as in the days of old; that they may possess the remnant of Edom, and all the nations who are called by my name," says Yahweh who does this."
Here, we saw Jacob(James) agree with Peter, with further comment.

Acts 15:18-19 ¶ All of God’s works are known to him from eternity. 19 Therefore my judgment is that we don’t trouble those from among the Gentiles who turn to God,

Now, what is it that James doesn't want to "trouble" the "Gentiles who turn to God" with? There has only been mentioned the following two things which are troubling these Gentiles =>
1. They must be " circumcised after the custom of Moses" (vs.1,5).
2. They must " keep the Torah of Moses" (vs.5).
  - Paul is more-specific about this in Colossians 2:16-17 "So don’t let anyone condemn you for what you eat or drink, or for not celebrating certain holy days or new moon ceremonies or Sabbaths. For these rules are only shadows of the reality yet to come. And Christ himself is that reality."
James then follows by saying that there are four things restricted by the Torah that these Gentiles need to understand =>

Acts 15:20-21 Instead, we should write and tell them to abstain 1) from eating food offered to {or "polluted by"} idols, 2) from sexual immorality, 3) from eating the meat of strangled animals, and 4) from consuming blood. 21 For Moses from generations of old has in every city those who proclaim him, being read in the synagogues every Sabbath.

Let's look at those 4 restrictions, one-by-one:
1. food offered to {or "polluted by"} idols
  - 1 Corinthians 10:14-21 So, my dear friends, flee from the worship of idols. 15 You are reasonable people. Decide for yourselves if what I am saying is true. 16 When we bless the cup at the Lord’s Table, aren’t we sharing in the blood of Christ? And when we break the bread, aren’t we sharing in the body of Christ? 17 And though we are many, we all eat from one loaf of bread, showing that we are one body. 18 Think about the people of Israel. Weren’t they united by eating the sacrifices at the altar? 19 What am I trying to say? Am I saying that food offered to idols has some significance, or that idols are real gods? 20 No, not at all. I am saying that these sacrifices are offered to demons, not to God. And I don’t want you to participate with demons. 21 You cannot drink from the cup of the Lord and from the cup of demons, too. You cannot eat at the Lord’s Table and at the table of demons, too.
2. sexual immorality
  - Issue of the Moral Law => 1 Corinthians 6:18-20 Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually sins against their own body. Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore, honor God with your bodies.
  - Revelation 21:8 But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.
3. eating the meat of strangled animals
  - Health Issues Today => Adrenaline is a natural response to stress, and it can be released in large quantities when an animal is subjected to a slow and inhumane death, such as being strangled. This stress response can also lead to the release of other hormones and chemicals, such as cortisol and lactic acid, which can affect the animal's metabolism, heart rate, and blood pressure. This can affect the quality and safety of the meat which can stimulate a stress response in the human body, which can be problematic...
4. consuming blood
  - Leviticus 17:10-14 If anyone of the house of Israel or of the strangers who sojourn among them who eats any blood, I will set my face against that person and will cut him off from among his people, for the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it for you on the altar to make atonement for your souls, for it is the blood that makes atonement by reason of the life...And to you I have given the charge of the blood of every living thing: 'Whoever eats blood, that person shall be cut off.'
  - Health Issues Today =>
    - Prion diseases: Animal blood can contain prions, which are infectious proteins that can cause prion diseases such as bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE or mad cow disease) in cattle, and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in humans.
    - Viral and bacterial infections: Animal blood can contain viruses and bacteria such as Salmonella, E. coli, and Brucella, which can cause infections in humans.
    - Parasites: Animal blood can contain parasites such as tapeworms, liver flukes, and other helminths, which can infect humans if ingested.
    - Hemolysis and iron overload: Consuming large amounts of animal blood can lead to hemolysis (the breakdown of red blood cells) and iron overload, which can cause a range of health problems, including kidney damage, liver disease, and cardiovascular disease.
    - Allergic reactions: Some people may be allergic to animal blood, which can cause an allergic reaction, including anaphylaxis.
    - Food poisoning: If the blood is not handled, stored, or cooked properly, it can become contaminated with bacteria, viruses, or other pathogens, leading to food poisoning.
5. Regarding verse 21: The Gentiles were unlikely to complain about these 4 things since they've likely already heard of these restrictions either in "the synagogues" or from friends or neighbors who told them.

In Acts 15:22-29 we see that "the emissaries and the elders, with the whole assembly" were OK with this plan and carried it out, saying to the Gentile converts, "we have heard that some{"the Pharisees who believed"(vs.5)} who went out from us have troubled you with words, unsettling your souls, saying, ‘You must be circumcised and keep the Torah,’ to whom we gave no commandment"( Acts15:24 ).

They went on to say that they wish to "lay no greater burden on you than these necessary things"( Acts15:28 ). And what were those things? The same four things mentioned in verse 20 and again in Acts 21:25 . There were no other restrictions given to Gentile converts.

Acts 21:17 ¶ When we had come to Jerusalem, the brothers received us gladly. 18 The day following, Paul went in with us to Jacob; and all the elders were present. 19 When he had greeted them, he reported one by one the things which God had worked among the Gentiles through his ministry. 20 They, when they heard it, glorified God. They said to him, “You see, brother, how many thousands there are among the Judeans of those who have believed, and they are all zealous for the Torah. 21 They{Judean believers} have been informed about you{Paul}, that you teach all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, telling them {1)}not to circumcise their children and {2)}not to walk after the customs. 22 What then? The assembly must certainly meet, for they will hear that you have come. 23 Therefore do what we tell you. We have four men who have taken a vow. 24 Take them and purify yourself with them, and pay their expenses for them, that they may shave their heads. Then all will know that there is no truth in the things that they have been informed about you, but that you{Paul} yourself also walk keeping the Torah. 25 But concerning the Gentiles who believe, we have written our decision that they should observe no such thing{"keeping the Torah"(vs.24)}, except that they should keep themselves from food offered to idols, from blood, from strangled things, and from sexual immorality.”

Quoted from Acts15:28-29 - According to Acts 15 and 21, there were no other general requirements given to Gentile converts.

Galatians 5:1-6 ¶ Stand firm therefore in the liberty by which Messiah has made us free, and don’t be entangled again with a yoke of bondage. 2 ¶ Behold, I, Paul, tell you that if you receive circumcision, Messiah will profit you nothing. 3 Yes, I testify again to every man who receives circumcision that he is a debtor to do the whole law. 4 You are alienated from Messiah, you who desire to be justified by the law. You have fallen away from grace . 5 For we through the Spirit, by faith wait for the hope of righteousness. 6 For in Messiah Yeshua neither circumcision nor uncircumcision amounts to anything, but faith working through love.

Colossians 2:16-17 So don’t let anyone condemn you{Gentile converts} for what you eat or drink, or for not celebrating certain holy days or new moon ceremonies or Sabbaths. 17 For these rules are only shadows of the reality yet to come. And Christ himself is that reality.

45 other Bible versions show the same understanding as NLT above, as seen => https://www.biblegateway.com/verse/en/Colossians2:17

Notice the same wording about the shadow here, as in Col2:17 above => Hebrews 10:1-10 For the Torah, having a shadow of the good to come, not the very image of the things, can never with the same sacrifices year by year, which they offer continually, make perfect those who draw near... 4 For it is impossible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sins. 5 Therefore when he{Yeshua} comes into the world, he says, ... 8 ...“Sacrifices and offerings and whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin you didn’t desire, neither had pleasure in them” (those which are offered according to the Torah), 9 then he has said, “Behold, I have come to do your will.”{quoted from Psalm 40:6-8} He{Yeshua} takes away the first, that he may establish the second, 10 by which will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus the Messiah once for all.

Conclusion

Ephesians 2:13-16 ... now in Messiah Yeshua you who once were far off are made near in the blood of Messiah. 14 For He has brought peace to us. He united Jews and Gentiles into one people when , in his own body on the cross, he broke down the wall of hostility that separated us. 15 He did this by ending the system of law with its commandments and regulations . He made peace between Jews and Gentiles by creating in himself one new people from the two groups. 16 Christ reconciled both groups to God by means of his death on the cross, and our hostility toward each other was put to death.

"one new people" was created from "the two groups". This "new people" was called "The Way", as shown below. Today, we are called "Christians". Both terms refer to followers of Christ Jesus, our Messiah.
- Acts 9:2: Referring to Paul seeking letters to Damascus to find people "belonging to the Way"
- Acts 19:9, 23: Mentioning disturbances concerning "the Way"
- Acts 22:4: Paul describing persecution of "this Way"
- Acts 24:14: Paul admitting to serving "the Way which they call a sect"
The name "The Way" was the earliest known designation for the Christian movement, and it carried deep theological meaning: It represented more than just a belief system - it was a distinctive way of living and following Jesus. "The way" connected to Jesus' own words about being "the way, the truth, and the life" ( John 14:6 ).

Desiring to live by every word that comes from the mouth of Jehovah ( Deut8:3; Matt4:4 )

-Sid Nash: 12/09/2025. Latest version: https://sidnash.org/docs/GentilesAndTorah.html