The Jerusalem Council: Circumcision of Hellenized Hebrews

[jeremiah1five]

What is the Jerusalem Council of Acts 15 and who was it that Judaizers wanted to circumcise?
The answer of course is found in Scripture. So, let's take a look at who the council was all about.

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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
8 And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us;
9 And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.
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?
11 But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.
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.
13 And after they had held their peace, James answered, saying, Men and brethren, hearken unto me:
14 Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name.
15 And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written,
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:
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.
18 Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world.
19 Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God:
20 But that we write unto them,
that they abstain from pollutions of idols,
and from fornication,
and from things strangled,
and from blood.
21 For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day.
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:
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:
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:
25 It seemed good unto us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men unto you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,
26 Men that have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
27 We have sent therefore Judas and Silas, who shall also tell you the same things by mouth.
28 For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things;
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.
Acts 15:1–29.

1. Abstain from meats offered to idols: This is related to the concept of idols and false gods, which is strongly condemned throughout the Old Testament.
2. From blood: The prohibition against consuming blood is found in Leviticus 7:26-27 and Deuteronomy 12:23-25.
3. From things strangled: The prohibition against eating strangled animals is found in Deuteronomy 14:21-22.
4. From fornication: While the term "fornication" is not used directly in the Old Testament, the laws against sexual immorality are prevalent, including prohibitions against adultery, incest, and other sexual sins.

It's important to note that the decision in Acts 15 wasn't simply a restatement of existing Mosaic Law, but rather a clarification of how these laws applied to mixed heritage Gentiles who were becoming Christians. The council concluded that while mixed heritage Gentiles were not required to follow all the Mosaic Law, they needed to adhere to these specific prohibitions as a way of demonstrating their commitment to following Jesus Christ who obeyed the Law and fulfilled the Law in every aspect given of God in the desert at the time of the Tabernacle.

These Jewish Christians who chaired the Acts 15 Jerusalem Council knew that the Law of Moses did not apply to non-Hebrew Gentiles. Thus, knowing this and their adherence to the Law of Moses themselves as born-again Jewish Christians, they knew they had no authority nor could they place non-Hebrew Gentiles under any aspect of the Law of Moses, and so by the decision of the leadership in the Jewish Church at Jerusalem in placing these four aspects of the Law of Moses upon these "Gentiles" could only lead to the realization that these "Gentiles" identified in Acts chapter 15 are indeed mixed heritage Hebrews who had a non-Hebrew Gentile parent in their ancestry who also grew up as Gentiles in a Greek culture in Asia Minor. There can be no way for the Jerusalem leadership to place these four aspects of the Law of Moses upon non-Hebrew Gentiles for if such a thing was done that all Jewry would complain - even revolt - against such a mishandling of the Law of Moses. These mixed heritage "Gentiles" in Acts 15 are Hebrews who did not know their Hebrew heritage, but as half-Jew/half-Gentile brethren were not circumcised and once they became born-again Christian were taught by Judaizers in the Church they must be circumcised in order to be counted as brethren and saved. The Judaizers who came into the Church would not teach that non-Hebrew Gentiles follow the requirement as a Jew would to be circumcised as Christ followers. No Jew of the time would even entertain such a preposterous idea that non-Hebrew Gentiles be circumcised in order to be among those in covenant with God through the Abraham and Mosaic Covenants. Thus, these "Gentiles" who were the subject of the Jerusalem Council were mixed heritage Jew/Gentile offspring of the Diaspora who for about 20 generations since the remnant returned with Nehemiah back to the Holy Land, these Jew/Gentile offspring were still Abraham's seed and heirs according to the Promise.

Another factor supporting these "Gentiles" as being half-Jew/half-Gentile offspring in that the Promise of God to give His Spirit as prophesied by Joel is a prophetic Promise of God given to Israel and NOT to non-Hebrew Gentiles who are NOT under the Law and have no promises of the Holy Spirit to be given to them. God did not promise to give His Spirit to non-Hebrew Gentiles and no Jew at the time ever taught otherwise. All the Promised blessings given to Abraham and his Hebrew seed including salvation/redemption and the Holy Spirit of Promise PROMISED TO ISRAEL belong to Abraham and his Hebrew seed, and as long as these "Gentiles" being taught by Judaizers they had to be circumcised in order to be saved identifies them as mixed heritage Jew-Gentile offspring possessing Abraham's DNA. NO JEW of the time and beyond would ever think to circumcise any non-Hebrew Gentile for this would "break" Scripture and violate the Law of Moses given of God to and for Abraham and Abraham's seed, a people also known as the children of Israel.
These "Gentiles" of Acts 15 are Jew-Gentile mixed heritage Jews who as Jews would be candidates for circumcision for no Jew would ever think to circumcise a non-Hebrew Gentile male.

Rightly dividing the Word of Truth.

 

[JoshebB]

It's important to note that the decision in Acts 15 wasn't simply a restatement of existing Mosaic Law, but rather a clarification of how these laws applied to mixed heritage Gentiles who were becoming Christians. The council concluded that while mixed heritage Gentiles were not required to follow all the Mosaic Law, they needed to adhere to these specific prohibitions as a way of demonstrating their commitment to following Jesus Christ who obeyed the Law and fulfilled the Law in every aspect given of God in the desert at the time of the Tabernacle.

If that is the case, then the apostles broke the Law they sought to uphold when they made those changes .

Exodus 12:43-49
The LORD said to Moses and Aaron, "This is the ordinance of the Passover: no foreigner is to eat of it; but every man's slave purchased with money, after you have circumcised him, then he may eat of it. sojourner or a hired servant shall not eat of it. It is to be eaten in a single house; you are not to bring forth any of the flesh outside of the house, nor are you to break any bone of it. All the congregation of Israel are to celebrate this. But if a stranger sojourns with you, and celebrates the Passover to the LORD, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near to celebrate it; and he shall be like a native of the land. But no uncircumcised person may eat of it. The same law shall apply to the native as to the stranger who sojourns among you."

Leviticus 18:46
But as for you, you are to keep My statutes and My judgments, and you shall not do any of these abominations, neither the native, nor the stranger who resides among you.

Leviticus 19:33-34
When a stranger resides with you in your land, you shall not do him wrong. The stranger who resides with you shall be to you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt; I am the LORD your God.

Leviticus 24:22
There shall be only one standard for you; it shall be for the stranger as well as the native, for I am the LORD your God.

Number 9:14
And if a stranger resides among you and celebrates the Passover to the LORD, according to the statute of the Passover and its ordinance, so he shall celebrate it; you shall have the same statute, both for the stranger and for the native of the land.

Numbers 15:14-16
If an alien sojourns with you, or one who may be among you throughout your generations, and he wishes to make an offering by fire, as a soothing aroma to the LORD, just as you do so he shall do. As for the assembly, there shall be one statute for you and for the alien who sojourns with you, a perpetual statute throughout your generations; as you are, so shall the alien be before the LORD. There is to be one law and one ordinance for you and for the alien who sojourns with you.

That's just a sample. The list would be much longer of all the exhortations pertaining to unjust treatment of the stranger, the sojourner, alien, and Gentile are included. Paul brought these laws of the Law forward into the New Testament and applied them to Gentile converts because he understood the Christological nature of the Law.

Ephesians 2:14-22
For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. So, then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.

The Gentile is no longer a stranger in the land (literal or figurative), and the "stranger" is no longer the Jew versus the Gentile, but the Christian versus the non-Christian. There is no Jew or Gentile in Christ. The Christian, whether Jew or Gentile convert to Christ, must apply the laws of God, the Law of the Spirit, equally to all, not showing favoritism or prejudice to any.

There's a better explanation for Acts 15 than the apostles wanting to uphold a Law that had been fulfilled and a Law that could not bring salvation, righteousness, or justification. That explanation lies in their understanding of the inherent Christological nature of the Law, and they were just beginning to fathom and apply that new revelation.

 

[JoshebB]

What is the Jerusalem Council of Acts 15 and who was it that Judaizers wanted to circumcise?
The answer of course is found in Scripture. So, let's take a look at who the council was all about.................


Acts 15:1–29.

1. Abstain from meats offered to idols: This is related to the concept of idols and false gods, which is strongly condemned throughout the Old Testament.
2. From blood: The prohibition against consuming blood is found in Leviticus 7:26-27 and Deuteronomy 12:23-25.
3. From things strangled: The prohibition against eating strangled animals is found in Deuteronomy 14:21-22.
4. From fornication: While the term "fornication" is not used directly in the Old Testament, the laws against sexual immorality are prevalent, including prohibitions against adultery, incest, and other sexual sins.

It's important to note that the decision in Acts 15 wasn't simply a restatement of existing Mosaic Law, but rather a clarification of how these laws applied to mixed heritage Gentiles who were becoming Christians. The council concluded that while mixed heritage Gentiles were not required to follow all the Mosaic Law, they needed to adhere to these specific prohibitions as a way of demonstrating their commitment to following Jesus Christ who obeyed the Law and fulfilled the Law in every aspect given of God in the desert at the time of the Tabernacle.

The epistolary, especially Paul's letters, makes it clear the first three bullet points was later allowed.

1 Corinthians 8:1-13
Now concerning things sacrificed to idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge makes arrogant, but love edifies. If anyone supposes that he knows anything, he has not yet known as he ought to know; but if anyone loves God, he is known by Him. Therefore concerning the eating of things sacrificed to idols, we know that there is no such thing as an idol in the world, and that there is no God but one. For even if there are so-called gods whether in heaven or on earth, as indeed there are many gods and many lords, yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom are all things and we exist for Him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we exist through Him. However not all men have this knowledge; but some, being accustomed to the idol until now, eat food as if it were sacrificed to an idol; and their conscience being weak is defiled. But food will not commend us to God; we are neither the worse if we do not eat, nor the better if we do eat. But take care that this liberty of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. For if someone sees you, who have knowledge, dining in an idol's temple, will not his conscience, if he is weak, be strengthened to eat things sacrificed to idols? For through your knowledge he who is weak is ruined, the brother for whose sake Christ died. And so, by sinning against the brethren and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. Therefore, if food causes my brother to stumble, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause my brother to stumble.

An idol is nothing. The implication is that the food had been offered to nothing and was, therefore, acceptable to eat without violating one's conscience or the Law. The only caveat was the prospective effect any poor witness might have on the less mature, those who don't understand their liberty in Christ. Paul could not have reason to write about Christians eating in the temple of an idol if that conduct did not exist. Paul addressed this in greater detail to the same readership two chapters later...

1 Corinthians 10:23-33
All things are lawful, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful, but not all things edify. Let no one seek his own good, but that of his neighbor. Eat anything that is sold in the meat market without asking questions for conscience' sake; for the earth is the LORD's, and all it contains. If one of the unbelievers invites you and you want to go, eat anything that is set before you without asking questions for conscience' sake. But if anyone says to you, "This is meat sacrificed to idols," do not eat it, for the sake of the one who informed you, and for conscience' sake; I mean not your own conscience, but the other man's; for why is my freedom judged by another's conscience? If I partake with thankfulness, why am I slandered concerning that for which I give thanks? Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. Give no offense either to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God; just as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit but the profit of the many, so that they may be saved.

This is very important. EVERYTHING is God's, even the meat offered to idols (which are nothing). The saints in Corinth were directed to eat any meat sold in the market. Those meats were invariably ritually slaughtered according to the prescriptions of the various religions, most of which were pagan and not kosher. Most of those meats had been offered to idols and most of those meats still had blood in them. It did not matter because the Christological significance of the Law and its many rituals had been fulfilled in the life, death, and blood of Christ...... and the fact an idol is nothing. Christians could eat in good faith, whether Jewish or Gentile converts to Christ, while the conscience of the pagan was seared from any such understanding and the conscience of Jews still held to an idolization of the Law.

 

[jeremiah1five]

If that is the case, then the apostles broke the Law they sought to uphold when they made those changes .

Exodus 12:43-49
The LORD said to Moses and Aaron, "This is the ordinance of the Passover: no foreigner is to eat of it; but every man's slave purchased with money, after you have circumcised him, then he may eat of it. sojourner or a hired servant shall not eat of it. It is to be eaten in a single house; you are not to bring forth any of the flesh outside of the house, nor are you to break any bone of it. All the congregation of Israel are to celebrate this. But if a stranger sojourns with you, and celebrates the Passover to the LORD, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near to celebrate it; and he shall be like a native of the land. But no uncircumcised person may eat of it. The same law shall apply to the native as to the stranger who sojourns among you."

Leviticus 18:46
But as for you, you are to keep My statutes and My judgments, and you shall not do any of these abominations, neither the native, nor the stranger who resides among you.

Leviticus 19:33-34
When a stranger resides with you in your land, you shall not do him wrong. The stranger who resides with you shall be to you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt; I am the LORD your God.

Leviticus 24:22
There shall be only one standard for you; it shall be for the stranger as well as the native, for I am the LORD your God.

Number 9:14
And if a stranger resides among you and celebrates the Passover to the LORD, according to the statute of the Passover and its ordinance, so he shall celebrate it; you shall have the same statute, both for the stranger and for the native of the land.

Numbers 15:14-16
If an alien sojourns with you, or one who may be among you throughout your generations, and he wishes to make an offering by fire, as a soothing aroma to the LORD, just as you do so he shall do. As for the assembly, there shall be one statute for you and for the alien who sojourns with you, a perpetual statute throughout your generations; as you are, so shall the alien be before the LORD. There is to be one law and one ordinance for you and for the alien who sojourns with you.

That's just a sample. The list would be much longer of all the exhortations pertaining to unjust treatment of the stranger, the sojourner, alien, and Gentile are included. Paul brought these laws of the Law forward into the New Testament and applied them to Gentile converts because he understood the Christological nature of the Law.

Ephesians 2:14-22
For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. So, then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.

The Gentile is no longer a stranger in the land (literal or figurative), and the "stranger" is no longer the Jew versus the Gentile, but the Christian versus the non-Christian. There is no Jew or Gentile in Christ. The Christian, whether Jew or Gentile convert to Christ, must apply the laws of God, the Law of the Spirit, equally to all, not showing favoritism or prejudice to any.

There's a better explanation for Acts 15 than the apostles wanting to uphold a Law that had been fulfilled and a Law that could not bring salvation, righteousness, or justification. That explanation lies in their understanding of the inherent Christological nature of the Law, and they were just beginning to fathom and apply that new revelation.

The apostles made no changes to the Law of Moses. Any change to the Law would break the Law of Moses and that is impossible to do. Not even God can break His Law. It lives and abides forever.

 

[JoshebB]

The apostles made no changes to the Law of Moses.

Did I say they did? Then I misspoke. The apostles changed the application of the Law because 1) Judaism had messed it up and 2) the Law had been fulfilled in Christ.

Any change to the Law would break the Law of Moses and that is impossible to do.

Then you had best re-evaluate your view of Judaism because they changed the Law. A lot.

Not even God can break His Law. It lives and abides forever.

False equivalence. God is not subject to the laws He has for sinful men. God is extra-law, not subject to law.

 

[jeremiah1five]

Did I say they did? Then I misspoke. The apostles changed the application of the Law because 1) Judaism had messed it up and 2) the Law had been fulfilled in Christ.

No one has any power or authority to change the Law of God. Whether His Word came from the mouths of His prophets or their writings. What some of the apostles did if they had access to the Hebrew Scripture was to search those Scripture to understand the New Covenant era Israel found itself in. This is why Saul 'disappeared' for 14-17 years after He met Jesus on the road. Individuals like Aquila and Priscilla and Apollos and Saul, who remained a rabbi and Pharisee knew the Hebrew Scripture, but it appears Saul had scrolls and parchments of the Scripture as well as rabbinical writings at his disposal in which to search out those writings in order to understand the New Covenant era Israel found herself in. Judaism did not mess up. People messed up. And it took some time before anyone understood how Israel's Messiah had fulfilled the Law. Saul may have been at the forefront of these investigations, but he was not the only one. Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus may have done their own searching of Scripture among others less notable or publicized. One major concern of these Jewish Christians was whether or not they were still under the Abraham Covenant, which Saul addressed in his Galatian letter (chap. 3.) There were other issues that needed clarity, such as whether or not Samaritans and other mixed heritage Hebrews/Jew who grew up in Gentile lands and heavily influenced by Greek culture (Hellenized) and who were not circumcised needed to be circumcised after being born-again. These are the "Gentiles" in the New Covenant writings who were called "Gentiles" and not called "Jews" in the same attitude Samaritans were called Samaritans and not called Jew (Hebrew.) This is because there are no non-Hebrew Gentiles in any of the three Hebrew covenants and since Scripture cannot be broken, the attempts at placing non-Hebrews into any of the three Hebrew covenants is a violation of the Word of God where these three covenants are recorded. There can be no adding non-Hebrews into the Hebrew covenants after the fact since none of these three covenants do not mention or name non-Hebrew Gentiles as being in these three Hebrew covenants where they are recorded in Scripture when they were made.
The Abrahamic Covenant is between God, Abram the Hebrew, and Abram's Hebrew seed.
The Mosaic Covenant is between God and Abram's Hebrew seed, a people also known as the children of Israel.
The New Covenant prophesied by Jeremiah is between God and both Houses of Israel and Judah (northern and southern kingdoms, respectively.)
God made no salvation covenant with non-Hebrew Gentiles. None.

Then you had best re-evaluate your view of Judaism because they changed the Law. A lot.

If the Son of God could not change the Law, neither could puny, sinful humans change God's Law. Any change in the Law destroys the Law and it is impossible to change God's Word (Law included.)

False equivalence. God is not subject to the laws He has for sinful men. God is extra-law, not subject to law.

The Son of God was subject to the Law(s) of God. The Son of God did not live by bread alone but by every Word that proceeded from the mouth of God and written on scrolls of vellum or parchment or stone. The Son of God did not lean on His own understanding in the vanity of His own mind. He was subject as a Jewish man to the Law, the Psalms, and the Prophets like everyone else except without sin.

 

[JoshebB]

No one has any power or authority to change the Law of God.

And yet that is exactly what happened in the New Testament. You are not addressing the facts in evidence of Post #2. If that's not going to happen then just let me know and I'll move on because I have absolutely no interest in repeating the patterns of prior attempts in other forums. Jesus repeatedly told the Jews they'd screwed up the Law. The New Testament writers repeatedly applied the Law to both Jewish and Gentile converts to Christ but they also discarded much of it because it had been fulfilled. The history of the Church, which includes both Jews and Gentile converts to Christ, is reported throughout Acts and the epistolary to have either discarded or differently applied the Law of Moses.

And you are not addressing any of that.


What you're doing is post red herrings. Would you please now address the facts of the New Testament's application of the Law as posted in my op-reply?

 

[jeremiah1five]

And yet that is exactly what happened in the New Testament. You are not addressing the facts in evidence of Post #2. If that's not going to happen then just let me know and I'll move on because I have absolutely no interest in repeating the patterns of prior attempts in other forums. Jesus repeatedly told the Jews they'd screwed up the Law. The New Testament writers repeatedly applied the Law to both Jewish and Gentile converts to Christ but they also discarded much of it because it had been fulfilled. The history of the Church, which includes both Jews and Gentile converts to Christ, is reported throughout Acts and the epistolary to have either discarded or differently applied the Law of Moses.

Gentiles were never under the Law and the Jewish Christians never brought any uncircumcised Gentile under the Law. The covenant was between God and the children of Israel and Gentiles are not Hebrew nor do Gentiles come from the seed of Abraham. They come from Ham and Japheth. And the apostles - especially Saul - knew better than to bring Gentiles into the Jewish Church. Gentiles got nothing coming to them of God. Any "Gentile" mentioned in the New Covenant writings from Matthew to Revelation are Hebrews or mixed heritage who are the seed of Abraham and who grew up in Gentile lands heavily influenced by Greek culture. These mixed heritage Hebrews were at the center of the controversy of whether they should be circumcised now that they were Christian and part of the Jewish Church. If these were non-Hebrew Gentiles, it made no sense to want them circumcised as the Way was seen as a sect of Judaism and no Jew or Jewish Christians would even think to try to circumcised a non-Hebrew Gentile since all Israel knew that their covenants were between God, Abraham, and Abraham's seed and Gentiles do not come from Abraham's seed. If these were non-Hebrew Gentiles that the Judaizers wanted to circumcise, number one, they knew better than to do such a thing, and, second, such a move would cause an uproar among the Jews but there is nothing in Scripture about this. But if these were mixed heritage Hebrews who became born-again who were never circumcised as Hellenized Hebrews, the natural course would be to offer them to be circumcised for it would merely be Hebrews of mixed heritage that were offered to be circumcised who weren't circumcised to begin with. The reason was that according to God's instruction to Abraham the command to circumcise all Hebrew males was a natural conclusion in order to avoid being "cut off" from God's covenant with Abraham. It was about bringing in uncircumcised mixed heritage Hebrews and not attempts to bring in uncircumcised non-Hebrew Gentiles. No Jew or Jewish Christians would do such a thing for that would be forbidden by God and they knew it. The Jerusalem Council dealt with mixed heritage Hebrews that became born-again but were not circumcised. Notice the covenant with Abraham:

13 He that is born in thy house, and he that is bought with thy money, must needs be circumcised: and my covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant.
14 And the uncircumcised man child whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, that soul shall be cut off from his people; he hath broken my covenant.
Gen. 17:13–14.

"Cut off" from his people means the Hebrew people. God identified Abraham at first as Abram the Hebrew, so this family line which began with Eber was the beginning of the Hebrew people. Abraham married his niece meaning she was also a descendant of Eber since Abraham's father and her father were brothers. Two Hebrew parents can only birth Hebrew offspring and the Abraham Covenant is "in his (Abraham's) flesh." There are no non-Hebrew Gentiles in the Abraham Covenant. None. And no Hebrew/Jew would even think about circumcising a non-Hebrew Gentile to include them in the Abraham Covenant because such a move would break Scripture and violate the Word of God.

And you are not addressing any of that.
What you're doing is post red herrings. Would you please now address the facts of the New Testament's application of the Law as posted in my op-reply?

The Church Christ promised to build is built upon the born-again Hebrew people - not Gentiles. Christ came to atone for the sins of the children of Israel and did this as the lamb of God who was substituted for the animal sacrifice which sacrifice was done yearly to atone for the sins of the children of Israel. Christ fulfilled the Law and His sacrifice - just as the animal sacrifice - was made to atone finally and eternally the sins of the children of Israel. This fact is supported by Saul in his letter to Jewish Christians in the Galatian region:

4 But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,
5 To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. Gal. 4:4–5.

It cannot be any clearer. There are no non-Hebrew Gentiles in any of the three Hebrew Covenants. None. And no Jew would even think about trying to include Gentiles into the Hebrew covenants God made with the Hebrew people, and any interpretation of the New Covenant writings which says Gentiles can be or will be or are in the Hebrew covenants is only a lie. Saul was a rabbi and a Pharisee. If he was to try to circumcise Gentiles or bring Gentiles into any of the three Hebrew covenants would face opposition from not only the religious leaders but the people as well. It's a no-brainer. None of the apostles or prophets or evangelists or the elders would even think about treating non-Hebrew Gentiles as though they were in one of the twelve tribes of Israel. It's just false Gentile theology that is in error. What was James attitude?

1 JAMES, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting.
James 1:1.

None of the apostles would think to try to circumcise or bring Gentiles into the Hebrew covenants. The Jerusalem Council dealt with mixed heritage Hebrews who were uncircumcised and were born-again. That is what that council was all about.

The Hebrew Scripture and the New Covenant writings were written by Hebrews and Jews to and for the Hebrew people. None of these writings were ever addressed to non-Hebrew Gentiles.