Word Pictures in the New Testament - David Cox

Word Pictures in the NT [Acts: Chapter 15]
Titus and had him circumcised for the sake of peace, the very
opposite of what he says in Galatians, "to whom I yielded, no not
for an hour." Titus as a Greek was a red flag to the Judaizers
and to the compromisers, but Paul stood his ground.
15:6 {Were gathered together} (\sun•chth•san\). First aorist
(effective) passive indicative. The church is not named here as
in verse 4, but we know from verses 12-22 that the whole
church came together this time also along with the apostles and
elders. {Of this matter} (\peri tou logou toutou\). Same idiom in
8:21; 19:38. They realized the importance of the issue.
15:7 {When there had been much questioning} (\poll•s z•t•se•s
genomen•s\). Genitive absolute with second aorist middle
participle of \ginomai\. Evidently the Judaizers were given full
opportunity to air all their grievances and objections. They were
allowed plenty of time and there was no effort to shut off debate
or to rush anything through the meeting. {Peter rose up}
(\anastas Petros\). The wonder was that he had waited so long.
Probably Paul asked him to do so. He was the usual spokesman for
the apostles and his activities in Jerusalem were well-known. In
particular his experience at Caesarea (Ac 10) had caused
trouble here in Jerusalem from this very same party of the
circumcism (Ac 11:1-18). It was fitting that Peter should
speak. This is the last time that Peter appears in the Acts. {A
good while ago} (\aph' h•mer•n archai•n\). From ancient days. The
adjective \archaios\ is from \arch•\, beginning, and its actual
age is a matter of relativity. So Mnason (Ac 21:16) is termed
"an ancient disciple." It was probably a dozen years since God
"made choice" (\exelexato\) to speak by Peter's mouth to
Cornelius and the other Gentiles in Caesarea. His point is that
what Paul and Barnabas have reported is nothing new. The
Judaizers made objection then as they are doing now.
15:8 {Which knoweth the heart} (\kardiogn•st•s\). Late word from
\kardia\ (heart) and \gn•st•s\ (known, \gin•sk•\). In the N.T.
only here and 1:24 which see. {Giving them the Holy Spirit}
(\dous to pneuma to hagion\). And before their baptism. This was
the Lord's doing. They had accepted (11:18) this witness of God
then and it was true now of these other Gentile converts.
15:9 {He made no distinction between us and them} (\outhen
diekrinen metaxu h•m•n te kai aut•n\). He distinguished nothing
(first aorist active ind.) between (both \dia\ and \metaxu\) both
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