the Week of Proper 20 / Ordinary 25
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The Holy Bible, Berean Study Bible
Acts 15:10
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So here's my question, cowboys. Why are y'all now bucking the way God does things and putting a load on the new cowboys' backs that we couldn't carry ourselves? We couldn't follow the code of Moses either, but you want these new cowboys to do what can't be done? That's insane!
"Now therefore why do you put God to the test by placing upon the neck of the disciples a yoke which neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear?
Now therefore why do you put God to the test by placing upon the neck of the disciples a yoke which neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear?
Why then are you testing God, by putting on the neck of the disciples a yoke so hard that not even our fathers or we were strong enough for it?
Now therefore why tempt ye God, by putting a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear?
Now therefore, why do you test God by putting a yoke on the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?
Now then, why are you testing God by putting a yoke on the disciples' necks that neither our ancestors nor we have been able to bear?
Now therefore why do you tempt God, that you should put a yoke on the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?
Now therefore why endeavour ye to put a yoke on the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?
Now, therefore, why try an experiment upon God, by laying on the necks of these disciples a yoke which neither our forefathers nor we have been able to bear?
Now therfore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke vpon the necke of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to beare?
Now, then, why do you test God by putting a yoke on the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we had strength to bear?
Now therfore why tempte ye God, with layenge vpon ye disciples neckes the yocke, which nether or fathers ner we were able to beare?
why therefore do you tempt God to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither we nor our forefathers were able to bear?
"So why are you now trying to out-god God, loading these new believers down with rules that crushed our ancestors and crushed us, too? Don't we believe that we are saved because the Master Jesus amazingly and out of sheer generosity moved to save us just as he did those from beyond our nation? So what are we arguing about?"
"Now then, why are you testing God by placing a yoke on the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we have been able to endure?
Now therefore why make ye trial of God, that ye should put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?
Now therefore why do you make trial of God by putting a yoke upon the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear?
Now therfore why tempte ye God that ye wolde put a yoke on the disciples neckes which nether oure fathers nor we were able to beare.
Now therefore why do you make trial of God, that you should put a yoke on the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?
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?
now, therefore, why do ye tempt God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?
So now why are you testing God by putting a heavy load around the necks of the non-Jewish believers? It is a load that neither we nor our ancestors were able to carry.
So now why are you putting God to the test by placing on the neck of the disciples a yoke that neither our ancestors nor we have been able to bear?
Now why are you trying to make God angry by placing a heavy burden on these followers? This burden was too heavy for us or our ancestors.
So why are you putting God to the test now by placing a yoke on the neck of the talmidim which neither our fathers nor we have had the strength to bear?
Now, therefore, why are you putting God to the test by placing a yoke on the neck of the disciples that neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear?
Nowe therefore, why tempt ye God, to lay a yoke on the disciples neckes, which neither our fathers, nor we were able to beare?
Now therefore why do you tempt God by putting a yoke upon the necks of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?
Now therefore why do you tempt God, that you should put a yoke on the neck of the talmidim which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?
So why do you test God by putting on the disciples' neck a yoke that neither our ancestors nor we could carry?Matthew 23:4; Galatians 5:1;">[xr]
And now why tempt you Aloha, that you would lay a yoke upon the necks of the disciples, which nor our fathers nor we could bear?
And now, why tempt ye God, by putting a yoke on the necks of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we could bear?
So why are you now challenging God by burdening the Gentile believers with a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors were able to bear?
Why do you test God by putting too heavy a load on the back of the followers? It was too heavy for our fathers or for us to carry.
Now therefore why tempt ye God, that ye should put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?
Now therefore why are you putting God to the test by placing on the neck of the disciples a yoke that neither our ancestors nor we have been able to bear?
Now, therefore, why are ye proving God, that ye should put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which, neither our fathers, nor we, have been able to bear.
Now therefore, why tempt you God to put a yoke upon the necks of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear?
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?
So now why are you putting God to the test by placing on the neck of the disciples a yoke that neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear?
Nowe therfore, why tempt ye God, to put on the disciples neckes, the yoke which neither our fathers nor we were able to beare?
So now, why are you putting a heavy burden around the necks of the non-Jewish followers of Jesus? Are you trying to make God angry? We and our fathers were not able to carry that burden.
"Since this is the case, why are you putting God to the test by placing upon the neck of the disciples a yoke which neither our forefathers nor we have been able to bear?
So then, why do you now want to put God to the test by laying a load on the backs of the believers which neither our ancestors nor we ourselves were able to carry?
Now thanne what tempten ye God, to putte a yok on the necke of the disciplis, which nether we, nether oure fadris miyten bere?
Contextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
Why: Exodus 17:2, Isaiah 7:12, Matthew 4:7, Hebrews 3:9
put: Matthew 11:28-30, Matthew 23:4, Galatians 5:1
which: Galatians 4:1-5, Galatians 4:9, Hebrews 9:9
Reciprocal: Nehemiah 3:5 - put not Lamentations 5:5 - Our necks are under persecution Matthew 11:30 - my yoke Acts 15:19 - that Acts 15:24 - Ye must Acts 15:31 - they rejoiced 1 Corinthians 8:1 - touching Galatians 2:14 - why Galatians 4:3 - in 1 Timothy 6:1 - servants
Cross-References
When the sun had set and darkness had fallen, behold, a smoking firepot and a flaming torch appeared and passed between the halves of the carcasses.
On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, "To your descendants I have given this land-from the river of Egypt to the great River Euphrates-
the land of the Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites,
He shall tear it open by its wings, without dividing the bird completely. And the priest is to burn it on the altar atop the burning wood. It is a burnt offering, an offering made by fire, a pleasing aroma to the LORD.
Make every effort to present yourself approved to God, an unashamed workman who accurately handles the word of truth.
Gill's Notes on the Bible
Now therefore why tempt ye God,.... By hesitating about this matter, by disputing upon this point, and by seeking for further proof and evidence of the will of God in this affair; when it is so plain a case, that it has been his will that the Gospel should be preached to Gentiles, without obliging them to circumcision; that he has given his Spirit both in his extraordinary gifts, and special grace, to uncircumcised persons; particularly he has bestowed faith in Christ upon them, whereby they have been led to the blood of Christ, typified in circumcision, and are thereby purged from all their filth and pollution, and so are the true circumcision: wherefore it is no other than tempting God, a manifest opposition to him, and what must give him offence, to debate about a point so clear; and especially to attempt
to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear. It is common with the Jews to call the law a yoke; frequent mention is made of ניר פקידיא and מצות
עול, "the yoke of the commandments" o, and עול התורה, "the yoke of the law" p: and by it here is meant, not circumcision only and barely, for that the Jewish fathers had been able to bear, and had bore it; nor the whole ceremonial law only, which consisted of a multitude of commands and ordinances very heavy and hard; but even the whole moral law, which circumcision obliged those who submitted to it to keep it perfectly; see Galatians 5:3, which neither the apostles, nor their fathers, were ever able to do, nor any mere man whatever; and therefore this yoke was intolerable and insupportable, and not to be put upon the necks of the Gentile believers; who here are called disciples, being taught the doctrine of the Gospel, and the way of salvation; which was not by circumcision, nor by any works of the law, but by the grace of Christ, as in the following verse.
o Targum in Cant. i. 10. & in Lam. iii. 27. Misn. Beracot, c. 2. sect. 2. p Echa Rabbati, fol. 56. 3. Pirke Abot, c. 3. sect. 5. Tzeror Hammor, fol. 39. 3.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
Why tempt ye God? - Why provoke him to displeasure? Why, since he has shown his determination to accept them without such rites, do you provoke him by attempting to impose on his own people rites without his authority, and a against his manifest will? The argument is, that God had already accepted them. To attempt to impose these rites would be to provoke him to anger; to introduce observances which he had shown it was his purpose should now be abolished.
To put a yoke - That which would be burdensome and oppressive, or which would infringe on their just freedom as the children of God. It is called in Galatians 5:1, “a yoke of bondage.” Compare the notes on Matthew 23:4. A “yoke” is an emblem of slavery or bondage 1 Timothy 6:1; or of affliction Lamentations 3:27; or of punishment Lamentations 1:14; or of oppressive and burdensome ceremonies, as in this place, or of the restraints of Christianity, Matthew 11:29-30. In this place those rites are called a yoke, because:
(1) They were burdensome and oppressive; and,
(2) Because they would be an infringement of Christian freedom. One design of the gospel was to set people free from such rites and ceremonies.
Which neither our fathers ... - Which have been found burdensome at all times. They were expensive, and painful, and oppressive; and as they had been found to be so, it was not proper to impose them on the Gentile converts, but should rather rejoice at any evidence that the people of God might be delivered from them.
Were able to bear - Which are found to be oppressive and burdensome. They were attended with great inconvenience and many transgressions, as the consequence.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse Acts 15:10. Now therefore why tempt ye God — A God, by giving the Holy Spirit to the Gentiles, evidently shows he does not design them to be circumcised, in order to become debtors to the law, to fulfill all its precepts, c., why will ye provoke him to displeasure by doing what he evidently designs shall not be done?
A yoke - which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? — This does not refer to the moral law-that was of eternal obligation-but to the ritual law, which, through the multitude of its sacrifices, ordinances, c., was exceedingly burthensome to the Jewish people. And had not God, by an especial providence, rendered both their fields and their flocks very fruitful, they could not possibly have borne so painful a ritual.
There is a curious story in Midrash Shochar, told in Yalkut Simeoni, part i. fol. 229, where Korah is represented as showing the oppressive nature of the law, and avarice of its priests, in justification of his rebellion. "There was," said he, "a widow in our neighbourbood who had two orphan children: she had one field and, when she began to plough it, one came and said, Thou shalt not plough with an ox and an ass together. when she went to sow it, he said, Thou shalt not sow thy field with divers seeds. When she began to reap, and to gather the sheaves together, he said, Leave a handful and the corners of the field for the poor. When she prepared to thresh it, be said, Give me the wave-offering, and the first and second tithes. She did as she was commanded, and then went and sold her field, and bought two ewes, that she might clothe herself and family with the wool, and get profit by the lambs. When they brought forth their lambs, Aaron came and said, Give me the firstlings, for the holy blessed God hath said, All the first born, whatsoever openeth the womb, shall be thine. She yielded to his demands, and gave him two lambs. When shearing time came, he said, Give me the first fruits of the wool. When the widow had done this, she said, I cannot stand before this man I will kill my sheep and eat them. When she had killed the sheep, Aaron came and said, Give me the shoulder, and the jaws, and the ventricle. The widow said, Though I have killed my sheep, I am not delivered from this man; I therefore consecrate the whole to God. Then Aaron said, ALL belongs to me, for the holy blessed God hath said, Every thing that is consecrated in Israel shall be his, i.e. the priest's. He therefore took the whole carcasses, and marched off, leaving the widow and her orphan daughters over whelmed with affliction." This is a terrible picture of the requisitions of the Mosaic ritual; and, though exaggerated, it contains so many true features that it may well be said, This is a yoke which neither we nor our fathers were able to bear. See Schoettgen. In the same vexatious way may the tithes of the national Church in this country be exacted, and in this very way is the exaction frequently exercised. It is high time that these abuses should be corrected.
