Jerusalem was the metropolis of the Jews, and there were found the greatest exclusiveness and bigotry. The Jewish Christians who lived in sight of the temple would naturally allow their minds to revert to the peculiar privileges of the Jews as a nation. As they saw Christianity departing from the ceremonies and traditions of Judaism, and perceived that the peculiar sacredness with which the Jewish customs had been invested would soon be lost sight of in the light of the new faith, many grew indignant against Paul, as one who had, in a great measure, caused this change. Even the disciples were not all prepared to willingly accept the decision of the council. Some were zealous for the ceremonial law, and regarded Paul with jealousy, because they thought his principles were lax in regard to the obligation of the Jewish law.{LP 71.1}

Jerusalem var jødernes hovedsæde, og der kunne findes den største tilbageholdenhed og binde tro. Jødisk kristne som boede op til templet, havde naturligt ladet deres tanker vende tilbage til jødernes særlige privilegier som et folk. Idet de så kristendommen forlade jødedommens ceremonier og traditioner, og indså at den særlige hellighed der var i de jødiske skikke der var kommet ind, snart ville mistes af syne i den nye tro, blev mange vrede på Paulus, som en der i stort omgang havde skabt denne forandring. Endog ikke alle disciplene var helt forberedte til at villigt acceptere denne rådsbeslutning. Nogle var ivrige for ceremoniloven, og så med skinsyge på Paulus, fordi de mente at hans principper var løsslupne for overholdelsen af den jødiske lov.