Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Acts 15:15
And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written,
15. And to this agree ] i.e. with this action on God’s part the statements of His prophets are in harmony. They had foretold that it should be so. Only one prophet is here quoted, viz. Amos (Act 9:11-12), but the audience would recall other like passages, as St Paul does Rom 15:9-12, quoting from the books of Moses, David and Isaiah.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
The words of the prophets – Amo 9:11-12. It was a very material point with them, as Jews, to inquire whether this was in accordance with the predictions of the Scriptures. The most powerful revivals of religion, and the most striking demonstrations of the divine presence, will be in accordance with the Bible, and should be tested by them. This habit was always manifested by the apostles and early Christians, and should be followed by Christians at all times. Unless a supposed work of grace accords with the Bible, and can be defended by it, it must be false, and should be opposed. Compare Isa 8:20.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 15. And to this agree the words of the prophets] Peter had asserted the fact of the conversion of the Gentiles; and James shows that that fact was the fulfilment of declarations made by the prophets.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
The prophets; in the plural number, though only one cited: it is an ordinary enallage; but it also shows the harmony amongst the prophets, they all speaking by one Spirit; what one said is as if all had said it.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
15. to this agree the words of theprophetsgenerally; but those of Amos (Am9:11) are specified (nearly as in the Septuagint version).The point of the passage lies in the predicted purpose of God, underthe new economy, that “the heathen” or “Gentiles”should be “called by His name,” or have “His namecalled upon them.” By the “building again of the fallentabernacle of David,” or restoring its decayed splendor, ismeant that only and glorious recovery which it was to experienceunder David’s “son and Lord.”
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And to this agree the words of the prophets,…. In several of the prophecies of the Old Testament, which plainly speak of the calling of the Gentiles; though James thought it sufficient to produce only one instead of many:
as it is written; in Am 9:11 and this is agreeably to the Jewish way of citing Scriptures, as Surenhusius observes; so it is said q, in twenty four places the priests are called Levites, and this is one of them, Eze 44:15 where only one place is mentioned, instead of the twenty four.
q T. Bab. Yebamot, fol. 86, 2. & Beracot, fol. 4. 1, 2.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
To this agree ( ). Associative instrumental case () after (voice together with, symphony with, harmonize with), from , old verb seen already in Matt 18:19; Luke 5:36; Acts 5:9 which see. James cites only Amos 9:11; Amos 9:12 from the LXX as an example of “the words of the prophets” ( ) to which he refers on this point. The somewhat free quotation runs here through verses 16-18 of Ac 15 and is exceedingly pertinent. The Jewish rabbis often failed to understand the prophets as Jesus showed. The passage in Amos refers primarily to the restoration of the Davidic empire, but also the Messiah’s Kingdom (the throne of David his father,” Lu 1:32).
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
1) “And to this agree,” (kai touto sunphonousin) “And to this (testimony) agree or harmonize;” James asserted that the application of this gospel acceptance by the Gentiles was in agreement of the Old Testament, when interpreted by subject matter, in contextual setting, and in racial and historical setting, Joh 5:39; 2Ti 2:15; 1Pe 3:15.
2) “The words of the prophets;” (hoi logoi ton propheton) “The words (testimony) of the prophets,” all Old Testament prophets. What Peter had reported regarding the gospel light he preached to the Gentiles, and their acceptance of it, was, James affirmed, in harmony with the prophecies of their own Hebrew prophets, Isa 42:6-7; Isa 43:21-22; Luk 2:32.
3) “As it is written,” (kathos gegraptai) “Even as it has been written,” in the 0ld Testament Scriptures, in Amo 9:11-12. After the church age comes the millennial age, in which God will raise up Israel again, restore her to her land, with Jesus as honored king, sitting on David’s throne in Jerusalem, while the church, giving Him glory in all ages, will have the twelve apostles who shall sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel, Luk 1:32-33; Luk 22:28-35; Eph 3:21.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
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15. Hereto agree the words of the prophets. We see now how the apostles took nothing to themselves imperiously, but did reverently follow that which was prescribed in the word of God. Neither did it grieve them, neither did they count it any disgrace to them to profess themselves to be the scholars of the Scripture. Also we must here note, that the use of the doctrine of the prophets is yet in force, which some brain-sick men would banish out of the Church. By citing the prophets, in the plural number, to be witnesses, whereas he doth allege one place only, he signifieth that there is such an agreement among them, that that which is spoken by one is the common testimony of them all, because they speak all with one mouth, and every one speaketh as in the person of all, or rather the Spirit of God speaketh in them all. Moreover, the oracles of all the prophets were gathered together, that they might make one body. Wherefore that might worthily and fitly be ascribed to all the prophets in general, which was taken out of some one part of the general book. −
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(15) To this agree the words of the prophets.On the mode of quoting without naming the prophet, see Note on Act. 13:40.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
‘And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written,’
Then he supports Peter’s case from the prophets, citing them as infallible Scripture (‘it is written’). The quotation, taken from Amo 9:11-12, is interesting in that it neither follows MT nor LXX, although being closer to LXX. But in fact discoveries at Qumran, where the Hebrew lying behind this quotation is paralleled (4 Q Flor Act 1:11), suggest that James was using a differing Hebrew text than MT, or possibly a book of quotations in Hebrew (we tend to forget that they had to use what they had available, and to learn it by heart. There were no ‘authorised’ pocket Bibles).
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
15 And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written,
Ver. 15. And to this agree, &c. ] The Scriptures must overrule; as Cyril saith in a synod at Ephesus, upon a high throne in the temple there lay sanctum Evangelium, the holy gospel.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
15. ] Neuter, to this : not, ‘ to Him ,’ in which case we should expect not ., but (Meyer).
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Act 15:15 . , “and to this agree,” A. and R.V., i.e. , to the fact just stated (so Wendt, Weiss, Blass, Ramsay); if the pronoun referred to St. Peter, as some take it, we should have had , not as in text, . . The quotation Amo 9:11-12 , is freely cited from the LXX, and indeed the chief point made by St. James depends upon that version. ., plural, as including those prophets whose words of prophecy had been of similar import.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
agree. Gr sumphoneo. See note on Act 5:9.
prophets. Only one prophet is quoted (Amo 9:11 Amo 9:12), but there are many similar predictions in Isaiah and others. See App-107.
is has been.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
15. ] Neuter, to this: not, to Him, in which case we should expect not ., but (Meyer).
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Act 15:15. ) to this fact.-, agree, [harmonise with this]) Peter brought forward the argument of experience, and that, too, what had been vouchsafed to himself, which was trustworthy in itself () and valid, no less than, for instance, in the time of Abraham. James superadds the prophetic Scripture. Beautiful harmony!- , the words) many; one of which, viz. Amos, is forthwith explicitly quoted.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Act 13:47, Rom 15:8-12
Reciprocal: Dan 10:21 – I will Amo 9:11 – that day Gal 3:8 – foreseeing 1Jo 5:8 – and these
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
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Verses 15-17. James not only endorsed the statement of Peter, but quoted the prophecy that foretold it. (See the prediction in Amo 9:11-12).
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Act 15:15. And to this agree the words of the prophets. After referring here to the work of God instanced by Peter, James now shows how completely the word of God in the writings of the prophets agreed with this work. The signs and wonders which accompanied the conversion of Cornelius, and subsequently crowned the missionary labours of Paul and Barnabas, were only the Divine seal of a great work long ago foreshadowed in the Hebrew prophecies.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
See notes on verse 13
Fuente: McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries (New Testament)
15. To this correspond the words of the prophets, as has been written:
Fuente: William Godbey’s Commentary on the New Testament
James reminded his hearers that the Old Testament prophets supported the salvation of Gentiles apart from Judaism. Note that James did not say the salvation of Gentiles then was the fulfillment of these prophecies. He said the prophets’ predictions of future Gentile salvation harmonized with the present salvation of Gentiles apart from Judaism (cf. Act 2:16). [Note: See Heater, pp. 147-57; and Bock, "Evidence from . . .," pp. 195-96.] James then quoted Amo 9:11-12 as a representative prophecy. Another view is that by "the prophets" James meant the book of the 12 Minor Prophets of which Amos was a part. Neither Amos nor any other prophet said Gentiles had to become Jews to enjoy the blessings of salvation (cf. Rom 11:12).
"The passage in Amos refers primarily to the restoration of the Davidic empire, but also the Messiah’s Kingdom ([’]the throne of David his father,’ Luk 1:32)." [Note: Robertson, 3:230.]
"James’s major contribution to the decision of the council was to shift the discussion of the conversion of Gentiles from a proselyte model to an eschatological one. . . . James is saying, God’s people will consist of two concentric groups. At their core will be restored Israel (i.e., David’s rebuilt tent); gathered around them will be a group of Gentiles (i.e., ’the remnant of men’) who will share in the messianic blessings but will persist as Gentiles without necessarily becoming Jewish proselytes." [Note: Longenecker, p. 446.]