4, 5. What insight from God’s prophetic Word did James bring into the discussion?

⁴ The disciple James, the half brother of Jesus, spoke up.a It seems that on this occasion he was acting as chairman of the meeting. His words crystallized the consensus that the body as a whole appears to have reached. To the assembled men, James said: “Symeon has related thoroughly how God for the first time turned his attention to the nations to take out of them a people for his name.

Acts 15:14,

⁵ The speech by Symeon, or Simon Peter, and the evidence submitted by Barnabas and Paul probably brought to James’ mind pertinent scriptures that shed light on the subject under discussion. (John 14:26)