15:22 Then the apostles and elders, with the whole church, decided 67 to send men chosen from among them, Judas called Barsabbas and Silas, 68 leaders among the brothers, to Antioch 69 with Paul and Barnabas. 15:23 They sent this letter with them: 70
From the apostles 71 and elders, your brothers, 72 to the Gentile brothers and sisters 73 in Antioch, 74 Syria, 75 and Cilicia, greetings! 15:24 Since we have heard that some have gone out from among us with no orders from us and have confused 76 you, upsetting 77 your minds 78 by what they said, 79 15:25 we have unanimously 80 decided 81 to choose men to send to you along with our dear friends Barnabas and Paul, 15:26 who 82 have risked their lives 83 for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 84 15:27 Therefore we are sending 85 Judas and Silas 86 who will tell you these things themselves in person. 87 15:28 For it seemed best to the Holy Spirit and to us 88 not to place any greater burden on you than these necessary rules: 89 15:29 that you abstain from meat that has been sacrificed to idols 90 and from blood and from what has been strangled 91 and from sexual immorality. 92 If you keep yourselves from doing these things, 93 you will do well. Farewell. 94
What a curious thing to say. It seemed best to the Holy Spirit and to us. How remarkable that the author (traditionally, Luke), would say it in such a way. Remarkable and enigmatic. It is Scripture after all.
I would love to know how they knew that it seemed best to the Holy Spirit. In a similar vein I would love to know what Jesus was writing with his finger in the dirt (see note 10).
I would have written it this way today:
"For it seemed best to us, after we prayed over it and discussed it amongst ourselves not to place..."
How fortunate we are that I was not entrusted to write Scripture.
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NET note:
88 tn This is the same expression translated “decided” in Acts 15:22, 25. BDAG 255 s.v. δοκέω 2.b.β lists “decide” as a possible gloss for this verse, and this translation would be consistent with the translation of the same expression in Acts 15:22, 25. However, the unusually awkward “the Holy Spirit and we have decided” would result. Given this approach, it would be more natural in English to say “We and the Holy Spirit have decided,” but changing the order removes the emphasis the Greek text gives to the Holy Spirit. Thus, although the similarity to the phrases in 15:22, 25 is obscured, it is better to use the alternate translation “it seems best to me” (also given by BDAG): “it seemed best to the Holy Spirit and to us.” Again the scope of agreement is highlighted.
Basically, as a secularist I read that as "For it seemed best to us and our invisible friend agreed that you should follow these rules:" Okay, well my response would be, I don't care what you're invisible friend thinks, tell me the costs and benefits of following these rules. And then let me use logic and reason to evaluate those suggestions to determine if following them is in the best interest of both me and my community.
ReplyDeleteIt doesn't read as an appeal to authority here, but I do see your point.
DeleteThat's probably why they sent two of their own to tell them in person after they sent the letter.