The letter of comfort

[Acts 15:22-35]

All of us are individuals in need of both giving and receiving comfort in our lives. Henry Nouwen spoke about the awkward comforter in this way (Internet): There was an ugly feeling. This feeling was kind, but because the skin on its face was rough, a friend, the sweet potato, always teased it, calling it a potato. The sweet potato had been so hurt that it eventually developed potato rot. The sweet potato went to the hospital for treatment. The doctor examining the sweet potato said, 'Sweet Potato, you have a severe case of potato rot. So, from now on, if others call you a potato, you will die. So, for a while, don't go out and rest quietly at home.' Worried, the sweet potato returned home. The story spread among its friends. The close friend, the potato, felt so sorry after hearing the story. Therefore, he decided never to call the sweet potato a potato again. To comfort the sweet potato, he went to its house. And he called out, "Sweet Potato!" However, there was no answer. "Sweet Potato..." But the sweet potato continued to maintain silence. Unable to contain his curiosity, the potato said, "Sweet Potato, are you sleeping?" Eventually, the sweet potato died (Internet). Reading this anecdote reminded me of Job 16:2, where Job refers to his friends who came to comfort him as miserable comforters. Despite their intention to comfort, Job's friends ultimately failed to provide solace; rather, they only increased his distress.

In Robert Strand's book ‘The Spirit of Comfort,’ there is an introduction by Henry Nouwen. Nouwen states that the word "comfort" means "to be with the lonely person," not to take away their pain but to be present with them. How many people around us, including ourselves, are in need of comfort? In today's passage, Acts 15:30-31, the Bible says, "... they sent a letter along with them, stating, 'The apostles and elders, your brothers, To the Gentile believers in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia: Greetings. We have heard that some went out from us without our authorization and disturbed you, troubling your minds by what they said'" (NIV). Reading these verses, with the words "letter" and "the words of comfort," we can say that the letter sent by the leaders of the Jerusalem church to the Antioch church is a 'letter of comfort.' Therefore, today, under the title "The Letter of comfort," I will reflect on this letter in four aspects, hoping that we will be established as burning comforters of love, writing actual letters of comfort to those around us who are in need.

First, the Sender

The individuals who sent this letter of comfort were none other than the representatives of the Jerusalem church, the apostles, and elders. Look at Acts 15:23 - "They sent the following letter by them: The apostles and elders, your brothers, To the brothers among the Gentiles in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia. Greetings." These leaders heard about the events at the Antioch church from Paul, Barnabas, and others who came up from there (v. 2). After hearing about "everything God had done among the Gentiles" (v. 4) and the argument put forth by some Pharisees who believed that Gentiles must be circumcised and required to obey the Law of Moses (v. 5), there was much discussion (v. 7). After hearing Peter and James' accounts, they made a decision regarding the issue. The representatives of the Jerusalem church, the apostles, and elders decided, in agreement with James's proposal, to send a letter to the Gentile believers, instructing them not to trouble those turning to God with unnecessary requirements but to abstain from things polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from things strangled, and from blood (vv. 19-20). This decision was deemed acceptable, and they chose individuals to go with Paul and Barnabas to deliver the letter to the Antioch church (v. 22).

Reflecting on the senders of this letter of comfort, I pondered how this message could apply to us. The thought that came to mind is the fact that our Lord is our ultimate sender. In other words, our Lord sends us into this world.

Second, the Messengers

The people who delivered this letter of comfort were "Judas and Silas," leaders from the Jerusalem church. Look at Acts 15:22: "Then the apostles and elders, with the whole church, decided to choose some of their own men and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They chose Judas (called Barsabbas) and Silas, men who were leaders among the believers." The decision of the representatives of the Jerusalem church, including "the whole church," was reported to "the whole church" (Yoo). Subsequently, the entire church selected individuals to deliver the decision to the churches in the Antioch region. The chosen leaders were Judas, also known as Barsabbas, and Silas, recognized leaders among the brothers (Yoo). In verse 32, they are referred to as "prophets." After being sent to Antioch, they gathered the assembly, read the letter, and provided "much encouragement" before returning to the Jerusalem church representatives who sent them (v. 33).

Thinking about Judas and Silas, the messengers who carried the contents of the decision made by the Jerusalem church to the Gentile believers in Antioch, we receive a lesson that emphasizes our responsibility to faithfully fulfill the tasks entrusted to us. Again, just as Judas and Silas faithfully carried out their responsibilities as those sent, realizing the intentions of the senders—the representatives of the Jerusalem church, apostles, and elders—we, too, need to faithfully carry out the intentions of our sender, the Lord who sends us into this world. Judas and Silas' responsibility was to take the official letter containing the decision made by the entire Jerusalem church to the Antioch church and verbally deliver its content to the Gentile believers (v. 27). Similarly, we, as messengers or ambassadors of the Lord, need to proclaim something. That something is none other than the gospel of Jesus Christ. We are to take the gospel and spread it to the world around us.

Third, the Delivered Message

Through Judas and Silas, what was the content of the message delivered to the Antioch church? The contents are recorded in Acts 15:24-29, and we can summarize them in a few points.

The first point is about an incident where certain individuals, without prior approval from the apostles and elders of the Jerusalem church, went down to Antioch and troubled the Gentile brothers.

Look at Acts 15:24 - "We have heard that some went out from us without our authorization and disturbed you, troubling your minds by what they said." The representatives of the Jerusalem church, the apostles, and elders, explain that those who went to Antioch and troubled the Gentile brothers by teaching them that they must be circumcised according to the law of Moses to be saved were not sent by them (v. 1). They clarify that they did not authorize or instruct these individuals who caused distress among the Gentile brothers.

The second point is about the selection of Judas and Silas, along with Paul and Barnabas, to be sent by the Jerusalem church representatives to the Antioch church.

Look at Acts 15:25-26: "So we all agreed to choose some men and send them to you with our dear friends Barnabas and Paul—men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." Here, the representatives of the Jerusalem church refer to the previously mentioned messengers, Judas and Silas (v. 23). These two are mentioned again in verse 27: "Therefore, we are sending Judas and Silas to confirm by word of mouth what we are writing." Their role is to affirm the crucial decision contained in the letter through their oral testimony. This confirms that the content sent by the leaders of the Jerusalem church, as approved and sent by them, aligns with the verbal testimony of Judas and Silas. This plays a significant role in silencing the situation caused by certain individuals from the Jerusalem church who created issues in the Antioch church without permission (Yoo). An interesting point here is that the leaders of the Jerusalem church, referring to Barnabas and Paul, say, "our dear friends Barnabas and Paul—men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." This usage of "our" indicates a sense of brotherhood between the saints of the Jerusalem church and the Antioch church, emphasizing that they are one in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ (vv. 23, 32). Additionally, it highlights the high esteem and respect Barnabas and Paul held among the leaders of the Jerusalem church, as they were individuals who did not spare their lives for the sake of the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The third point is the content that refers to the essential matters decided at the Jerusalem church meeting.

Look at Acts 15:29 - "You are to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality. You will do well to avoid these things. Farewell." These essential matters include four things that Gentile believers should abstain from: "food sacrificed to idols," "blood," "the meat of strangled animals," and "sexual immorality." These four items were not absolute requirements for the salvation of Gentile believers but were deemed necessary for maintaining harmonious fellowship and friendship with Jewish believers, with whom they would continue to have regular contact in daily life (Yoo). The statement, "You will do well to avoid these things," more accurately reflects the meaning of the Greek sentence, conveying, "By being careful to avoid such things, you will behave rightly" (Yoo). It's crucial to note that these core decisions were not merely decisions made by the leaders of the Jerusalem church, but as stated in verse 28, they were decisions made under the directive guidance of the "Holy Spirit". Look at verse 28: "It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond the following requirements." This statement aligns with the perspective expressed by the apostle James in verse 19: "It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God." What does this show? It demonstrates that, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, the entire Jerusalem church accepted the Gentiles who turned to God and believed in Jesus as "brothers" (vv. 23, 32).

Fourth and last, Recipient

The recipients of the letter of consolation were none other than the Gentile brothers in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia. Look at Acts 15:23 - "They sent the following letter by them: The apostles and the elders, your brothers, To the Gentile believers in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia." According to Professor Sang-seop Yoo, if we consider Syria and Cilicia as administrative units within the Roman province, and Antioch as the capital of this region, these three names essentially refer to one region. In that case, we commonly refer to that region as Antioch. The leaders of the Jerusalem church sent the letter to the Gentile believers who lived in this region through Judas and Silas. Judas and Silas went down to Antioch, gathered the people, and orally delivered the letter. How did the Gentile believers in the Antioch region react? Look at Acts 15:30-31: "So when they were dismissed, they went down to Antioch, and after gathering the congregation, they delivered the letter. And when they had read it, they rejoiced because of its encouragement." The recipients of the letter of consolation, the believers in the Antioch region, joyfully received the recommendations or comforting words conveyed in the letter sent by the leaders of the Jerusalem church.

When we look at the Prayer for Peace by Saint Francis, it includes these words: ‘To understand rather than be understood, to comfort rather than be comforted, to love rather than be loved ...." Of course, our instinct is to seek understanding rather than to understand, to receive love rather than to give love, and to be comforted rather than to comfort. However, the teachings of Jesus emphasize that there is greater blessing in giving than in receiving. Therefore, we should strive to live a life of giving comfort rather than seeking it. To achieve this, let us all, as taught in today's scripture, exert effort to write "letters of comfort."

Desiring a letter of comfort from the Lord,

James Kim

(Although I should live a life of giving comfort rather than seeking it ...)