Acts 15:22-26 22Then it seemed best to the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, choosing men from among them to send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas, Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, leading men among the brothers, 23writing through their hand: “The brothers, the apostles and the elders, to the brothers who are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia, greetings. 24Since we have heard that some persons, having gone out from us, confused you with words, upsetting your souls, who we did not give order, 25it has seemed best to us, having come to one accord, by choosing men to send them to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, 26men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
After James’ words, verse 22 assumes the whole council agreed with his terms since it mentions the apostles, elders, and whole church. This statement is significant because it shows the unity of the early church. The church faced a significant issue that could have split the church into two with two different interpretations of the gospel. In John 17, Jesus prayed for unity in his followers, and this council was evidence of his answered prayer. The council chose two leaders to go with Paul and Barnabas back to Antioch with a letter describing the situation and compromise. Nothing is known about Judas Barsabbas. His family name literally means “Son of the Sabbath.” It is possible he was related to Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also called Justus, mentioned in 1:23. He was a highly respected leader to be chosen to represent the church in Jerusalem. Much more is known about Silas, who became Paul’s travel companion for the second missionary journey, described later in this chapter. Silas was short for Silvanus, which is a Greek name, suggesting that he was a Hellenistic Jew and would have communicated well with the Hellenistic Jews of Antioch. He may have been a Roman citizien, as suggested in 16:37. The council was wise in who it sent by choosing a Jew of Jerusalem to represent the Pharisaic branch and a Hellenistic Jew to represent the Greek branch of the church.
The formal letter began with the typical senders: the brothers, apostles, and elders in Jerusalem. This was followed by the intended audience, which included the Gentile believers in a large geographical area, showing it was intended to be circular. The body of the letter begins in verse 24 by summarizing the rhetorical situation and reason for the letter and delegation. It shows that the council knew about the challenge of false teachers proclaiming the wrong message. It is a form of apology, recognizing that the problem originated in Jerusalem but not from the leaders. These false teachers were creating theological questions for the Gentiles, and this was not the intent of the apostles and elders.
Verses 25-26 introduce the delegates who would be hand-delivering the letter. The description of Barnabas and Paul is significant. First, the name of Barnabas comes first. This could simply be Luke’s style of switching the order, or it could imply the important connection of Jerusalem and Antioch through Barnabas, who was highly respected in both places. Second, the two are called beloved (agapētois), showing the respect, admiration, and deep appreciation these two had earned and received from the Jerusalem believers. Third, the Jerusalem leaders recognized that Barnabas and Paul and risked their lives for the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. The stories that they told had made an impact on the leaders and church in Jerusalem. It is clear that God was present and guiding the decisions of this council. The power of God was recognized through the ministry of Barnabas and Paul.