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Acts 15 records the Council of Jerusalem, a meeting in about 50AD of early Church leaders regarding whether Gentiles could be Christians without first becoming Jews. "After much discussion" (15:7) they decide to write a letter to say that converts need not follow the practices of Judaism. What interests me is the terms in which they describe the decision in their letter; verse 28 says (NIV):

It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond the following requirements.

On the face of it, this looks a little like the statement attributed to Bernard Montgomery, "God said, and I agree with him..."!

It could be that the text is simply giving emphasis to the determination of the apostles and elders to carry out what the Holy Spirit has indicated. But the way it's phrased, and the context of the meeting, seem to point to the church having authority in this moment; that there's something special about these people being gathered together, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, which gives them the right to make the decision and send the letter. They are acting jointly with the Spirit in a way that goes beyond mere acquiescence.

I'm sure that Catholic and Orthodox readers would have no trouble at all here. However, I think that from a Reformed perspective it would be more difficult to admit special authority of this kind. When Calvin writes about later Church councils, for example, he seems to regard them as existing merely for practical "convenience" (Institutes 4.9.13), to elucidate the contents of Scripture, and always in a strictly subordinate role ("it is the right of Christ to preside over all councils, and not share the honour with any man", Institutes 4.9.1). How can that be squared with the "and to us" here in Acts?

In short, from a Reformed point of view, what is the point of mentioning "and to us", and what relationship do Reformed theologians envisage existing between the Spirit and the Church at this moment?

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    Not sure what the question is here. This incident took place before there was a canon of Christian scripture. No Christian at that time could possibly consider that church decision making consisted solely of carrying out the edicts of scripture.
    – DJClayworth
    Nov 19, 2012 at 14:29
  • I'm asking about the apparent difference between (1) a council is just a group of people gathered together, trying to discern God's will, but qualitatively no different from any other such group, and (2) there's something special about the Church, acting as a body, empowered by the authority of the Holy Spirit. I associate (1) with "(at least some) people who consider themselves part of the Reformed tradition" and this passage has more of a (2) flavour to me.
    – James T
    Nov 19, 2012 at 17:00
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    The question of whether the church in Antioch wrote to the church in Jerusalem asking advice from a more established but fundamentally equal church, or asking for a doctrinal ruling from the 'head church', has exercised the minds of theologians for many centuries.
    – DJClayworth
    Nov 20, 2012 at 14:18

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But the way [Acts 15:28 is] phrased, and the context of the meeting, seem to point to the church having authority in this moment; that there's something special about these people being gathered together, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, which gives them the right to make the decision and send the letter.

Yes. The early church leaders had the authority to decide what was and what wasn't Christianity. Paul's letters were not merely good advice. They were guidance for the various congregations.

Today, whether a church is part of a large denomination or an independent entity, somebody or some group runs the church. Administratively and doctrinally.

Hopefully, this leadership group runs the church with the counsel and guidance of the Holy Spirit. And the Holy Spirit is willing to guide the leadership group in harmony with God's will.

John 16:13-15 (NRSV):

When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own, but will speak whatever he hears, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, because he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine. For this reason I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.

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  • The idea that "early church leaders had the authority to decide what was and what wasn't Christianity" is not distinctly Reformed and would have to include some caveats in order to be accepted by at least most Reformed theologians.
    – Nathaniel is protesting
    Jun 17, 2016 at 11:53
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Your hunch is correct; Reformed thinkers tend to reject the idea that there was some special authority inherent in this group. Instead, the authority comes from God, and the group is a faithful witness to it. Regarding this particular phrase, the 16th century Protestant/Reformed Geneva Study Bible says:

Not that men have any authority of themselves, but to show the faithfulness that they used in their ministry and labour. (source)

Similarly, John Calvin:

Whereas the apostles and elders match and join themselves with the Holy Ghost, they attribute nothing to themselves apart therein; but this speech importeth as much as if they should say, that the Holy Ghost was the captain, guide, and governor, and that they did set down, and decreed that which they write as he did indite it to them. (source)

So what, then, is the significance of "to us" here? Calvin sees Exodus 14:31 as a parallel:

Israel saw the great power that the Lord used against the Egyptians, so the people feared the Lord, and they believed in the Lord and in his servant Moses. [ESV]

Here, Calvin contends, the people of Israel did not attach themselves "partly to God, and partly to mortal man," but rather that they simply "gave credence to his minister." John Gill argues similarly, comparing the language of 1 Chronicles 13:2:

And David said to all the assembly of Israel, “If it seems good to you and from the Lord our God, let us send abroad to our brothers who remain in all the lands of Israel..." (source)

In summary: Reformed theologians will tend to not view this phrase as indicating some special authority granted to this particular council. Instead, the authority comes from the Holy Spirit, and is bestowed on the council according to the faithfulness and diligence of its members.

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