NOTES for Act 15:1-35
On the way to Jerusalem, Paul and Barnabas, passing through Phoenicia and Samaria, brought great joy by telling the brothers about the conversion of the Gentiles. Those who lived among Gentiles and people of other faiths rejoiced; these brothers, without delving into legalistic subtleties, rejoiced that new people had joined in salvation. But other believers do not rejoice, those who had recently belonged to the Pharisaic sect and were now trying to bring their own familiar notions into the church. Christ warned His disciples in advance: "...beware of the leaven of the Pharisees" (Matt 16:6), and now it had begun to show itself.
Peter gives the Pharisees a rebuff. Some interpreters tried to separate Peter and Paul. For a time there even existed a theory that tried to divide "Petrinism" and "Paulinism" as different and supposedly contradictory currents in the early Church, but here we see that Peter and Paul are united. If there were differences between them, they were in their character, appearance, and certain personal traits that showed themselves in ministry; in the essence of their ministry there were no contradictions between them.
The council of the apostles decided that new converts from the Gentiles were obligated to keep the commandments, but not the entire law obligatory for Jews. In this the apostles did not contradict Jewish law, which did not require Gentiles to observe moral norms beyond the Noahide commandments. Therefore even that in the life of the early Church which many consider a break with the Old Testament corresponds to what is written on its pages.