Ver. 1. And certain men, &c.] Cerinthus, the heretic, with his complices, saith Epiphanius. These are said to “subvert the gospel,” Galatians 1:7. A little thing untowardly mingled, mars all, saith Chrysostom.
Ver. 2. No small dissension] We must earnestly contend for the faith of the gospel, accounting every parcel of truth precious, Jude 3. How zealous was Paul in this cause, Galatians 2:5 1:7 5:12. He wisheth them not only circumcised, but served as the Turks do their eunuchs, whom they deprive of all their genitals, so that they are forced to supply the uses of nature with a silver quill. Non circumcidantur mode, sed et abscindantur. Chrys.
Ver. 3. By the Church] That is, by the community of God’s people, who therefore (as it may seem) sided with Paul and Barnabas, against those disturbers. They passed through Phenice and Samaria] They took a long journey for a public good. Calvin was wont to say, that he would gladly sail over ten seas to settle a general peace and good agreement in the reformed Churches. Terentius (that noble general under Valens the emperor), when he was bidden ask what he would, and it should be done, asked nothing but that the Church might be freed from Arians. And when the emperor tore his petition, he said that he would never ask anything for himself, if he might not prevail for the Church: this that he might, he would undertake any pains, undergo any peril by sea or land. (Theodoret, iv. 32.) Ne decem quidem maria, &c. Beza.
Ver. 4. They were received of the Church] i.e. By the body of the people; for the apostles and elders have a peculiar place assigned them.
Ver. 5. But there rose up] These are not Luke’s words, but the apostles continuing their speech: they declared all things that God had done with them, and how they had been opposed by certain of the Pharisees’ sect, &c.
Ver. 6. And the apostles and elders, &c.] This was the first Christian council. The four following general councils, Gregory the Great held of equal authority almost with the four Gospels. In posterioribus conciliis (saith Luther) nunquam de fide, sed semper de opinionibus et quaestionibus fuit disputatum: ut mihi conciliorum nomen pene tam suspectum et invisum sit quam nomen liberi arbitrii. He fitly compareth the recent Popish councils to the meeting of foxes, which, going about to sweep a room with their tails, raise dust, but rid none. Nicen., Constantinopol., Ephesinum, et Chalcedonense.
Ver. 7. And when there had been much disputing] Each part striving for victory, till the apostles stood up and determined. It was no matter between Austin and Jerome, in their disputations, who gained the day; they would both win, by understanding their errors. But Basil in his latter time grew to a great dislike of councils and conferences; because men usually met in their own strength there, and strove not so much for verity as victory, for truth as for triumph.
Ver. 9. Purifying their hearts by faith] Faith (as a neat housewife) sweeps clean, and suffers never a slut’s corner in the soul. It is ever purging upon corruption, and lets out the lifeblood of it; for it shows a man a better project than to lie sucking at the botches of carnal pleasures, or to be basely affixed to earthly profits. Every true believer beareth a brush at his back, as we say of a trim man. His faith consecrateth his heart, and maketh it, of the devil’s thoroughfare, God’s enclosure.
Ver. 10. Now, therefore, why tempt ye God] Or (as Jerome in a certain epistle to Augustine reads this text, and so it runs more smoothly), “Why attempt ye to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples,” &c. Ceremonies were abolished by Christ, and had no use after his death, but by accident; as he who buildeth a vault, letteth the centrals stand till he put in the keystone, and then pulleth them away: so here.
Ver. 11. That through the grace] We sail to heaven all upon one bottom; we climb up all by one ladder. If any conceit another way, he must erect a ladder and go up alone: he shall (as Aristotle somewhere saith) κακα εφ εαυτον ελκειν ως το κακιας νεφος, plunge himself into remediless mis ery.
Ver. 12. Then all the multitude kept silence] See here the picture of a lawful council, guided by the word and Spirit of God. It was not a Cyclopical assembly, ubi ουδεις ουδεν ουδενος ακουει, nor as in Alcibiades’ army, where all would be leaders, no learners, &c. Or, as the Jews of this day in their Jeshiboth, or academies, meet to dispute, but talk all together confusedly: the rabbis with their scholars, &c.
Ver. 13. James answered] Who seemed to be a pillar, Galatians 2:9, and was so, both of the college of apostles and of the Church at Jerusalem.
Ver. 14. Simeon hath declared, &c.] q.d. He hath done it very well, only he hath not alleged any text of Scripture for confirmation; which therefore I will add. In Popish councils the Holy Scripture is in a manner set aside; and the decrees of fathers, schoolmen, and former councils brought in place thereof. At the Council of Basil, when the Hussites refused to admit of any doctrine that could not be proved by Scripture, Cardinal Cusan made answer, that the Scriptures pertained not to the being of the Church, but to the well-being only, and that they were to be expounded according to the current rite of the Church, qua mutante sententiam, mutetur et Dei iudicium. (Jac. Rev. de Vit. Pont.)