Acts 1:1-8  Lord, Will You at This Time Restore the Kingdom to Israel?

[Study Aired November 20, 2022]

Act 1:1  The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach,
Act 1:2  Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen:
Act 1:3  To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God:
Act 1:4  And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me.
Act 1:5  For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.
Act 1:6  When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?
Act 1:7  And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.
Act 1:8  But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

The first verse of this book helps us identify its author:

Act 1:1  The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach,

‘The former treatise’ refers to Luke’s version of the gospel of Christ which he also addressed to “most excellent Theophilus”:

Luk 1:1  Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us,
Luk 1:2  Even as they delivered them unto us, which from the beginning were eyewitnesses, and ministers of the word;
Luk 1:3  It seemed good to me also, having had perfect [G199: ‘akribos’, exactly, circumspectly, diligently] understanding of all things from the very first, to write unto thee in order, most excellent Theophilus,
Luk 1:4  That thou mightest know the certainty of those things, wherein thou hast been instructed.

Act 1:2  Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen:

Here are some of those commandments He had given them:

Mat 28:7  And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you.
Mat 28:8  And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy; and did run to bring his disciples word.
Mat 28:9  And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail. And they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped him.
Mat 28:10  Then said Jesus unto them, Be not afraid: go tell my brethren that they go into Galilee, and there shall they see me.

Mat 28:16  Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them.
Mat 28:17  And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted.
Mat 28:18  And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
Mat 28:19  Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
Mat 28:20  Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

Mar 14:27  And Jesus saith unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered.
Mar 14:28  But after that I am risen, I will go before you into Galilee.

Mar 16:5  And entering into the sepulchre, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment; and they were affrighted.
Mar 16:6  And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold the place where they laid him.
Mar 16:7  But go your way, tell his disciples and Peter that he goeth before you into Galilee: there shall ye see him, as he said unto you.

It is important for us to recognize that…

Mat 28:10  Then said Jesus unto them, Be not afraid: go tell my brethren that they go into Galilee, and there shall they see me.

…Is not a contradiction of:

Luk 24:49  And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.

“The sum of Thy Word is Truth” (Psa 119:160 ASV) so it is obvious that Matthew complements Luke, and Christ gave His disciples both commandments.

Psa 119:160  The sum of thy word is truth; And every one of thy righteous ordinances endureth for ever. (ASV)

The fact that this commandment in Luke tells them to “tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem” does not mean that He could not therefore tell them to meet Him in Galilee and then come back and wait for the holy spirit in Jerusalem. That is in fact what He did, and they did both. They met Him in Galilee, and then they ‘tarried in Jerusalem’ until the holy spirit was given on the day of Pentecost.

It was on “the sea of Tiberius” (another name for ‘the sea of Galilee’) that Christ appeared to seven of His disciples who had returned to fishing. It was here that Christ three times told Peter to “Feed My lambs… feed My sheep… Feed my sheep”

Joh 21:1  After these things [Appearing again in Jerusalem for the sake of doubting Thomas,(Joh 20:24-29)] Jesus shewed himself again to the disciples at the sea of Tiberias; and on this wise shewed he himself.
Joh 21:2  There were together Simon Peter, and Thomas called Didymus, and Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two other of his disciples.
Joh 21:3  Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a fishing. They say unto him, We also go with thee. They went forth, and entered into a ship immediately; and that night they caught nothing.
Joh 21:4  But when the morning was now come, Jesus stood on the shore: but the disciples knew not that it was Jesus.
Joh 21:5  Then Jesus saith unto them, Children, have ye any meat? They answered him, No.
Joh 21:6  And he said unto them, Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find. They cast therefore, and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes.
Joh 21:7  Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved saith unto Peter, It is the Lord. Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girt his fisher’s coat unto him, (for he was naked,) and did cast himself into the sea.
Joh 21:8  And the other disciples came in a little ship; (for they were not far from land, but as it were two hundred cubits,) dragging the net with fishes.
Joh 21:9  As soon then as they were come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid thereon, and bread.
Joh 21:10  Jesus saith unto them, Bring of the fish which ye have now caught.
Joh 21:11  Simon Peter went up, and drew the net to land full of great fishes, an hundred and fifty and three: and for all there were so many, yet was not the net broken.
Joh 21:12  Jesus saith unto them, Come and dine. And none of the disciples durst ask him, Who art thou? knowing that it was the Lord.
Joh 21:13  Jesus then cometh, and taketh bread, and giveth them, and fish likewise.
Joh 21:14  This is now the third time that Jesus shewed himself to his disciples, after that he was risen from the dead.
Joh 21:15  So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these [fish]? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.
Joh 21:16  He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.
Joh 21:17  He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.

Peter had returned to fishing for a living, and the Lord wants us to know that He must come first in our lives, and that even our work should be to His glory.

Galilee is 80 miles north of Jerusalem, and there was a reason Christ told His disciples to meet Him at a mountain in Galilee. Galilee is called “Galilee of the Gentiles”, and it was Christ Himself who first took the gospel to the Gentiles as He prophesied He would do in His first recorded sermon in Nazareth, and as He did in taking the gospel to the Samaritans via the encounter with the Samaritan ‘woman at the well’:

Mat 4:13  And leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is upon the sea coast, in the borders of Zabulon and Nephthalim:
Mat 4:14  That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying,
Mat 4:15  The land of Zabulon, and the land of Nephthalim, by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles;
Mat 4:16  The people which sat in darkness [the Gentiles] saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up.

Luk 4:23  And he said unto them, Ye will surely say unto me this proverb, Physician, heal thyself: whatsoever we have heard done in Capernaum, do also here in thy country.
Luk 4:24  And he said, Verily I say unto you, No prophet is accepted in his own country.
Luk 4:25  But I tell you of a truth, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when great famine was throughout all the land;
Luk 4:26  But unto none of them was Elias sent, save unto Sarepta, a city of Sidon, unto a [Gentile] woman that was a widow.
Luk 4:27  And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Eliseus the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, saving Naaman the [Gentile] Syrian.
Luk 4:28  And all they in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath,
Luk 4:29  And rose up, and thrust him out of the city, and led him unto the brow of the hill whereon their city was built, that they might cast him down headlong.
Luk 4:30  But he passing through the midst of them went his way,

Joh 4:16  Jesus saith unto her [the Gentile Samaritan woman], Go, call thy husband, and come hither.
Joh 4:17  The woman answered and said, I have no husband. Jesus said unto her, Thou hast well said, I have no husband:
Joh 4:18  For thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: in that saidst thou truly.
Joh 4:19  The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet.
Joh 4:20  Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.
Joh 4:21  Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.
Joh 4:22  Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.
Joh 4:23  But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.
Joh 4:24  God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
Joh 4:25  The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things.
Joh 4:26  Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he.
Joh 4:27  And upon this came his disciples, and marvelled that he talked with the [Gentile] woman: yet no man said, What seekest thou? or, Why talkest thou with her?
Joh 4:28  The woman then left her waterpot, and went her way into the city, and saith to the men,
Joh 4:29  Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?
Joh 4:30  Then they went out of the city, and came unto him.
Joh 4:31  In the mean while his disciples prayed him, saying, Master, eat.
Joh 4:32  But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of.
Joh 4:33  Therefore said the disciples one to another, Hath any man brought him ought to eat?
Joh 4:34  Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.
Joh 4:35  Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.
Joh 4:36  And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together.
Joh 4:37  And herein is that saying true, One soweth, and another reapeth.
Joh 4:38  I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour: other men laboured, and ye are entered into their labours. [How true that is for us!]
Joh 4:39  And many of the Samaritans of that city believed on him for the saying of the woman, which testified, He told me all that ever I did.
Joh 4:40  So when the Samaritans were come unto him, they besought him that he would tarry with them: and he abode there two days.
Joh 4:41  And many more believed because of his own word;
Joh 4:42  And said unto the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world.
Joh 4:43  Now after two days he departed thence, and went into Galilee [“of the Gentiles”].

These Samaritans knew Christ was “the Savior of the world” before the apostles themselves came to see that great Truth.

Act 1:3  To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God:

Christ came teaching about “the kingdom of God”:

Mat 9:35  And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.

Christ knew that “the kingdom of God is within you” at this present time, but He could not make that clear to His apostles until long after His death and resurrection.

Joh 16:12  I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.

He told them the kingdom was within, but He knew they could not see or hear such a revolutionary message at that time:

Luk 17:20  And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation:
Luk 17:21  Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.

The apostles of Jesus Christ, as all who first receive the holy spirit, begin as “carnal babes in Christ”, arguing among themselves who would be the most prominent within the coming kingdom:

Mar 9:33  And he came to Capernaum: and being in the house he asked them, What was it that ye disputed among yourselves by the way?
Mar 9:34  But they held their peace: for by the way they had disputed among themselves, who should be the greatest.

Christ knows when and just how much we can receive, and He gives us His mind as we are able to bear it. Typifying how reluctant to receive the Truth we all are, it took decades after His death and resurrection before even Christ’s apostles were given to understand that physical Israel, and physical descent from Abraham, was being replaced by Christ as the spiritual ‘Father of the faithful’, and being of Abraham is now a matter of being “in Christ”.

Rom 2:28  For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:
Rom 2:29  But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.

It was several years after the events of Acts 21 that the apostles at Jerusalem began to realize that being circumcised and being of the seed of Abraham was simply a matter of being in Christ, and that a Gentile who had been given the spirit of Christ was in fact of ‘the circumcision’ and was also the seed of Abraham:

Gal 3:24  Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
Gal 3:25  But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.
Gal 3:26  For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
Gal 3:27  For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
Gal 3:28  There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.
Gal 3:29  And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

We must understand that this knowledge was not yet given in its fullness to the apostles in the scope of this book of the Acts of the apostles. The revelation that God would no longer place a “wall of partition” between Jews and Gentiles was not given to the apostles until Paul was in prison in Rome. It was there that he was inspired to write these words:

Eph 2:11  Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands;
Eph 2:12  That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:
Eph 2:13  But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
Eph 2:14  For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; [The letter to the Gentiles of Acts 15]
Eph 2:15  Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;
Eph 2:16  And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:
Eph 2:17  And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh.
Eph 2:18  For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.
Eph 2:19  Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;
Eph 2:20  And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;
Eph 2:21  In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:
Eph 2:22  In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.

This is part of what Christ referred to when He make this statement on the eve of being apprehended and crucified:

Joh 16:12  I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.

That verse is applied to every one of us at our own preordained time of being kept under the deception of the idols of our hearts. The idol of the hearts of the apostles in this book of the Acts of the apostles was their conviction that the Lord was still dealing with men according to their physical pedigree. Indeed “it seemed good to the holy spirit and to [the apostles]” that the Jews needed to continue in the law of Moses while the Gentiles were not expected to be physically circumcised or keep the law of Moses. That all happened to the apostles to show us how to handle doctrinal differences correctly and Biblically. Acts 15 gives us some of the details of a very contentious conference at which these matters were debated and agreed upon through the consensus of the leaders of the Lord’s flock.

Here is what happened at that conference:

Act 15:1  And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved.
Act 15:2  When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question.
Act 15:3  And being brought on their way by the church, they passed through Phenice and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles: and they caused great joy unto all the brethren.
Act 15:4  And when they were come to Jerusalem, they were received of the church, and of the apostles and elders, and they declared all things that God had done with them.
Act 15:5  But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.
Act 15:6  And the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter.
Act 15:7  And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye 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.
Act 15:8  And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us;
Act 15:9  And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.
Act 15:10  Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?
Act 15:11  But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.

Peter was at Cornelius’ house when the holy spirit was given to those Gentiles. Peter was just previously shown in a vision a sheet coming down from heaven filled with unclean animals he was commanded to “slay and eat”; that he was ‘not to call any man common or unclean’:

Act 11:1  And the apostles and brethren that were in Judaea heard that the Gentiles had also received the word of God.
Act 11:2  And when Peter was come up to Jerusalem, they [Jews that believed in Christ, the apostles themselves] that were of the circumcision contended with him,
Act 11:3  Saying, Thou wentest in to men uncircumcised, and didst eat with them.
Act 11:4  But Peter rehearsed the matter from the beginning, and expounded it by order unto them, saying,
Act 11:5  I was in the city of Joppa praying: and in a trance I saw a vision, A certain vessel descend, as it had been a great sheet, let down from heaven by four corners; and it came even to me:
Act 11:6  Upon the which when I had fastened mine eyes, I considered, and saw fourfooted beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air.
Act 11:7  And I heard a voice saying unto me, Arise, Peter; slay and eat.
Act 11:8  But I said, Not so, Lord: for nothing common or unclean hath at any time entered into my mouth. [Long after the death and resurrection of Christ]
Act 11:9  But the voice answered me again from heaven, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common.
Act 11:10  And this was done three times: and all were drawn up again into heaven.
Act 11:11  And, behold, immediately there were three men already come unto the house where I was, sent from Caesarea unto me.
Act 11:12  And the Spirit bade me go with them, nothing doubting. Moreover these six brethren accompanied me, and we entered into the man’s house:
Act 11:13  And he shewed us how he had seen an angel in his house, which stood and said unto him, Send men to Joppa, and call for Simon, whose surname is Peter;

This is rehearsed before the apostles to remind them that Peter’s entering in and eating with Gentiles was indeed a work of the Lord Himself. The Lord is giving them this new revelation only as they can receive it. “By little and by little” the Lord is driving out all the shortcomings of the law of Moses (Exo 23:30).

Peter was speaking for himself, who had been chosen to take the gospel to the house of the Gentile Roman centurion, Cornelius. He was also speaking on behalf of Paul and Barnabas, who had just returned from a missionary trip which took them to Greece and many of the cities of the Roman province of Asia, as well as other provinces and cities east of Asia preaching the gospel to both Jews and Gentiles. Paul and Barnabas had just days earlier confronted Peter in Syrian Antioch over his hypocrisy and forgetting what the Lord had told him about not calling anyone common or unclean. Peter was eating with the Gentiles until certain Jews came down from Jerusalem. Then Peter and even Barnabas separated themselves from the Gentiles lest the Jews from Jerusalem think less of them for fraternizing with Gentiles. This story is related to us in:

Gal 2:1  Then fourteen years after I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, and took Titus with me also. [The Jerusalem conference of Acts 15]
Gal 2:2  And I went up by revelation, and communicated unto them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to them which were of reputation, lest by any means I should run, or had run, in vain.
Gal 2:3  But neither Titus, who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised:
Gal 2:4  And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage:
Gal 2:5  To whom we gave place by subjection, no, not for an hour; that the truth of the gospel might continue with you.
Gal 2:6  But of these who seemed to be somewhat, (whatsoever they were, it maketh no matter to me: God accepteth no man’s person:) for they who seemed to be somewhat in conference added nothing to me:
Gal 2:7  But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter;
Gal 2:8  (For he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles:)
Gal 2:9  And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision. [The letter to the Gentiles of Acts 15]
Gal 2:10  Only they would that we should remember the poor; the same which I also was forward to do.

At Antioch Peter and Barnabas, as types of us, both forgot what they knew to be true, and were more concerned with what the Jewish believers in Jerusalem thought about them than what God thought about them, and Paul had to call them out for their blatant hypocrisy:

Gal 2:11  But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed.
Gal 2:12  For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision.
Gal 2:13  And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation.
Gal 2:14  But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews?

Paul knew that both Peter and Barnabas understood justification was by faith and not by works of the law. Paul called out their hypocrisy in front of all those they had slighted by their actions:

Gal 2:15  We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles,
Gal 2:16  Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.
Gal 2:17  But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners [hypocrites], is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid.
Gal 2:18  For if I build again the things which I destroyed [the doctrine of salvation by works of the law], I make myself a transgressor.

Nevertheless, even though the apostles at this conference in Jerusalem agreed that the Gentiles need not keep the law of Moses, the consensus of the apostles at Jerusalem, “and the holy spirit”, was that for a time, the Jews were still required of the holy spirit to keep the law of Moses, including circumcision and the offering of the blood of calves and lambs and goats at the physical temple in Jerusalem:

Act 15:12  Then all the multitude kept silence, and gave audience to Barnabas and Paul, declaring what miracles and wonders God had wrought among the Gentiles by them.
Act 15:13  And after they [the multitude] had held their peace, James answered, saying, Men and brethren, hearken unto me:
Act 15:14  Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name.
Act 15:15  And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written,
Act 15:16  After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up:
Act 15:17  That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things.
Act 15:18  Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world.
Act 15:19  Wherefore my sentence [not ‘sentence’ but G2919: ‘krino’ ‘my judgment’] is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God:
Act 15:20  But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood.
Act 15:21  For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day.

The apostles had not yet separated themselves from worshiping with the Jews who did not yet believe in Christ. That is the meaning of verse 21.

Knowing all of this makes clear that the events of the book of Acts are the history of the church of Christ while it was still in its ‘nepios’ state and not yet in a more mature ‘uihos’ child stage.

1Co 3:1  And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes [G3516: ‘nepios’, an infant] in Christ.
1Co 3:2  I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.
1Co 3:3  For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?
1Co 3:4  For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?

Four times within those four verses a ‘nepios’ is called a “carnal… babe in Christ… yet carnal”.

It is in this immature stage that Christ begins dealing with His church here in the book of Acts:

Act 1:4  And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me.
Act 1:5  For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.

Receiving the holy spirit does not make one an instantaneously mature son. When we do begin to mature in the doctrine of Christ, another Greek word is used to describe where we are in our spiritual development and growth:

Gal 3:24  Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
Gal 3:25  But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.
Gal 3:26  For ye are all the children [G5207: ‘uihos’, a son who is growing toward maturity] of God by faith in Christ Jesus.

In the book of the Acts of the apostles, the apostles are all still “under the law” because of the letter that was sent to the Gentiles as the fruit of the Jerusalem conference. Notice that this agreement included “the holy spirit”:

Act 15:22  Then pleased it the apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas; namely, Judas surnamed Barsabas, and Silas, chief men among the brethren:
Act 15:23  And they wrote letters by them after this manner; The apostles and elders and brethren send greeting unto the brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia:
Act 15:24  Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, Ye must be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave no such commandment:
Act 15:25  It seemed good unto us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men unto you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,
Act 15:26  Men that have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Act 15:27  We have sent therefore Judas and Silas, who shall also tell you the same things by mouth.
Act 15:28  For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things;
Act 15:29  That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well.
Act 15:30  So when they were dismissed, they came to Antioch: and when they had gathered the multitude together, they delivered the epistle:
Act 15:31  Which when they had read, they rejoiced for the consolation.

Even the apostles agreed with Peter, Paul and Barnabas that adhering to circumcision and the offering of blood sacrifices were totally unnecessary for the salvation of the Gentiles, but “it seemed good to the holy spirit and to… the apostles and elders at Jerusalem” to tell the Jews that they still had to live by the law of Moses.

According to verse 23, this epistle applied only to “the brethren which are of the Gentiles”. The Jews, on the other hand, had Moses read to them every sabbath in the synagogues. Notice carefully what is still expected of the Jews:

Act 15:19  Wherefore my sentence [not ‘sentence’ but G2919: ‘krino’ – my judgment] is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God:
Act 15:20  But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood.
Act 15:21  For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day.

Verse 21 was not a negative statement in the opinion of the apostles. It was ‘the law of Moses’ which they agreed was still binding upon the Jews, as James reiterated so very clearly many years later when Paul and his company came back up to Jerusalem to visit the church and the apostles and elders again:

Act 21:17  And when we were come to Jerusalem, the brethren received us gladly.
Act 21:18  And the day following Paul went in with us unto James; and all the elders were present.
Act 21:19  And when he had saluted them, he declared particularly what things God had wrought among the Gentiles by his ministry.
Act 21:20  And when they heard it, they glorified the Lord, and said unto him, Thou seest, brother, how many thousands of Jews there are which believe; and they are all zealous of the law:
Act 21:21  And they are informed of thee, that thou teachest all the Jews which are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, saying that they ought not to circumcise their children, neither to walk after the customs.
Act 21:22  What is it therefore? the multitude must needs come together: for they will hear that thou art come.
Act 21:23  Do therefore this that we say to thee: We have four men which have a vow on them;
Act 21:24  Them take, and purify thyself with them, and be at charges with them, that they may shave their heads: and all may know that those things, whereof they were informed concerning thee, are nothing; but that thou thyself also walkest orderly, and keepest the law.
Act 21:25  As touching the Gentiles which believe, we have written and concluded that they observe no such thing, save only that they keep themselves from things offered to idols, and from blood, and from strangled, and from fornication.

Was it true that Paul had been “teaching all the Jews which are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, saying that they ought not to circumcise their children, neither to walk after the customs?” If indeed there were any truth to those words, then Paul’s denial that he had done so would make him a worse hypocrite than Peter and Barnabas had been in Antioch many years earlier when Paul rebuked them both for their hypocrisy. But the truth was that Paul had never told the Jews among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, and he willingly agreed to prove that he himself was still keeping the law of Moses and was “walking orderly and [still] keeping the law”.

Act 21:26  Then Paul took the men, and the next day purifying himself with them [according to the law of Moses] entered into the temple, to signify the accomplishment of the days of purification, until that an offering [a blood offering] should be offered for every one of them.

It is at this point that the Jews who had been lying about Paul stirred up the “thousands of Jews that believed and were zealous of the law” and falsely accused Paul of bringing a Gentile into the temple. Nevertheless, Paul continued to adhere to the Jerusalem agreement with the holy spirit, and the apostles and elders, that the Jews must still keep the law of Moses, and he testified truthfully to this fact before Felix, the governor of Caesarea:

Act 24:1  And after five days Ananias the high priest descended with the elders, and with a certain orator named Tertullus, who informed the governor against Paul.
Act 24:2  And when he was called forth, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying, Seeing that by thee we enjoy great quietness, and that very worthy deeds are done unto this nation by thy providence,
Act 24:3  We accept it always, and in all places, most noble Felix, with all thankfulness.
Act 24:4  Notwithstanding, that I be not further tedious unto thee, I pray thee that thou wouldest hear us of thy clemency a few words.
Act 24:5  For we have found this man a pestilent fellow, and a mover of sedition among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes:
Act 24:6  Who also hath gone about to profane the temple: whom we took, and would have judged according to our law.
Act 24:7  But the chief captain Lysias came upon us, and with great violence took him away out of our hands,
Act 24:8  Commanding his accusers to come unto thee: by examining of whom thyself mayest take knowledge of all these things, whereof we accuse him.
Act 24:9  And the Jews also assented, saying that these things were so.
Act 24:10  Then Paul, after that the governor had beckoned unto him to speak, answered, Forasmuch as I know that thou hast been of many years a judge unto this nation, I do the more cheerfully answer for myself:
Act 24:11  Because that thou mayest understand, that there are yet but twelve days since I went up to Jerusalem for to worship.
Act 24:12  And they neither found me in the temple disputing with any man, neither raising up the people, neither in the synagogues, nor in the city:
Act 24:13  Neither can they prove the things whereof they now accuse me.

Paul later reiterated the fact that he was still keeping the law before Festus, who “after two years” replaced Felix as the governor:

Act 24:27  But after two years Porcius Festus came into Felix’ room: and Felix, willing to shew the Jews a pleasure, left Paul bound.

He again confessed to keeping the law before King Agrippa:

Act 26:1  Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Thou art permitted to speak for thyself. Then Paul stretched forth the hand, and answered for himself:
Act 26:2  I think myself happy, king Agrippa, because I shall answer for myself this day before thee touching all the things whereof I am accused of the Jews:
Act 26:3  Especially because I know thee to be expert in all customs and questions which are among the Jews: wherefore I beseech thee to hear me patiently.
Act 26:4  My manner of life from my youth, which was at the first among mine own nation at Jerusalem, know all the Jews;
Act 26:5  Which knew me from the beginning, if they would testify, that after the most straitest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee.

These words of Paul are after making all three missionary journeys and spending two years in Caesarea. This is decades after the death and resurrection of Christ, and Paul and Barnabas and Peter and all the apostles and elders at Jerusalem are still living their lives under the “schoolmaster” … the law of Moses.

Spiritual maturity to the extent of coming out from under the ‘schoolmaster’ had not yet come to the church as we begin our study here in the first chapter of the Acts of the apostles:

Act 1:6  When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?

Christ had told these very same apostles that His kingdom at this time was an inward kingdom (Luk 17:20-21), and their spiritual vision was not yet able to understand what “the kingdom of God is within you” meant. In their immature state they are asking Him to restore the outward kingdom to outward Israel:

Act 1:7  And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.
Act 1:8  But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

As we just saw in the story of the hypocrisy of Peter and Barnabas at Antioch, these apostles of Christ are yet so spiritually immature that they still considered it unlawful to eat with or mix with a Gentile. When Christ told them that they must witness for him “unto the uttermost part of the earth” they understood Him to be speaking of witnessing to the Jews of the diaspora in “the uttermost parts of the earth”. They certainly did not think He was telling they that they would be witnessing to Gentiles at this stage of their immaturity. Peter had not yet even gone into the house of Cornelius. It is in this spiritually youthful, immature state that this entire book of Acts is written.