needful to circumcise them, and to command
them to keep the law of Moses.
Notice that they were NOT circumcised NOR were they keeping
the "laws of Moses".
6 And
the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter.
7 And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said to them,
“Men and brethren, you know how that a good while ago God made choice
among us, that the
Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and
believe.
8 And God, which knows the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy
Ghost, even as he did to us;
9 And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by
faith.
10 Now therefore why tempt you God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the
disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?
What is
this "yoke" that is hard to bear and who is it on? Is this saying that
God’s instructions for living a good life should be thrown out because
they are too hard to follow? No, that is not what is being said. The yoke is not
on the Gentiles; it is on the disciples. The followers of Yeshua from the School of Shammai were promoting the practice of forcing
Gentiles to comply with aspects of the law before they were ready. They
were saying that a Gentile had to become a full convert to Judaism (taking
on the entire "yoke" of the law)
before they would associate or fellowship with them. So in addition, they (those from
the School of Shammai) were putting a "yoke" upon those disciples (from the
School of Hillel).
13 And
after they had held their peace, James answered, saying, “Men and
brethren, listen to me: