Acts 11:1-18
What was the wrong crowd to hang out with when you were in school? Did you anyway?
Peter Reports to the Church
- God is ... What do we learn about God in this passage?
- We are ... What do we learn about people in this passage?
- Why did Luke take the time and space to record the events of Acts 10:9-46 all over again?
- Of what importance is the gift of the Holy Spirit in Peter's argument? Why would this have such a strong effect on the Jerusalem believers? Why is this gift misunderstood (Acts 11:5-8)?
- Why do you think God chose Peter to be the first to go to the Gentiles? Would any other disciple have been as successful in both Caesarea and Jerusalem? Why or why not?
- How do you explain the change in attitudes from Acts 11:2 to Acts 11:18? How does this story relate to Acts 1:8?
- I will ... What has the Holy Spirit revealed to us in this passage? How can I apply it to my life this week?
- How can the principle of God bestowing his Spirit on non-Jews affect the way you treat unacceptable people you meet?
- When God blesses someone else, do you celebrate or complain?
- How have you been criticized for breaking religious traditions? What did you feel was at stake?
- The lesson of Acts 10:34-35 and Acts 11:18 was not easily learned, even by Peter (see Gal 2:11-14). What might have happened if the early church ignored this principle?
- You can ... Who do you know who needs to hear this? Feel free to share with others by social media links at the bottom of this.
Acts 11:1-18
# Gentiles #Gospel #Cornelius | ||
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Peter’s report of Gentile conversions before the Jerusalem church (11:1-18) Major Events· Barnabas strengthens the Antioch church, who give a gift to Judean church for the coming famine.
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Synopsis: 11:1–18 While much of this narrative mirrors Acts 10, it focuses on God’s intervention on behalf of the Gentiles (non-Jewish people), showing that Peter has not just accepted the Gentiles as Christians but has become their advocate. Word was received in Jerusalem about Peter's conversion of the Gentiles. They were alarmed because Peter had eaten with them. Peter answered them by citing the evidence of God's approval of the actions he took. These signs convinced his critics. Christians ought to cite God's word for any actions they take to show the rightness of that action. | ||
HIGHLIGHT: Acts 11:1 Earthshaking Change Nearly 2,000 years later, the decision to accept Gentiles into the church on equal footing with Jews may seem minor, but at the time it was a hotly debated issue of enormous consequence. Antioch, the first church with a large number of Gentile members, sparked a major controversy with the Jewish-dominated church in Jerusalem (see Acts 15). The third largest city in the Roman empire, Antioch was a crossroads between the Mediterranean and the eastern world, and from here the first missionaries went out to other nations and cultures. | ||
Approval Process (11:1-18) – From the space Luke gives to the process of Peter’s receiving the approval for what he had done, we can see how important these events are. Many facts are repeated. … While this passage teaches that criticism from Christians is inevitable in creative ministry, it also teaches that we should regard the wider community, especially our critics, with utmost seriousness and work hard to win their approval for what we are doing. … Given the individualism of our age, people place less emphasis on community ministry today. We are often too impatient to involve the Christian community in our ventures. We find it too time consuming to explain everything to them and to spend hours trying to get their support. Everyone seems to be so busy, and there are so many things to get done in the short time available to us. As a result, we have evolved a structure taken more from the secular business model, where leaders are put at the top of the organizational chart and are given the freedom to lead creatively, using others as consultants, but not having to submit to the rest of the body in spiritual accountability for their actions. People have got used to this structure, and they usually do not question a leader unless some serious problem emerges. If they do not like the leader’s philosophy, they can simple go somewhere else. In Acts, by contrast, we find the church grappling with issues until they reach agreement. The community orientation of the church in Acts, then, provides a huge challenge to the church in the twenty-first century. The individualism of the society in which we live has influenced our thinking so much that we have jettisoned some of the principles of community solidarity seen in Acts. It may be possible to get quicker results from the individualistic method of ministry. But whether such success is success in God’s sight is another matter. God’s way of doing ministry is surely the way that involves the rest of the body to which we belong. And we must learn to do our work in God’s way, however inefficient it may initially seem. (NIVAC, 342, 345-346)
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1 | Now the apostles and the brethren that were in Judaea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God. | |
| 1Now the apostles and the brothers who were throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God. | |
| Soon the news reached the apostles and other believers in Judea that the Gentiles had received the word of God.NLT | |
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| The church in Judaea heard the news concerning the conversion of the Gentiles in Caesarea before Peter arrived in Jerusalem. It caused alarm among the brethren.
The apostles and the brothers. At times "brothers" is used to refer to those of common Jewish lineage (2:29; 7:2), but in Christian contexts it denotes those united in Christ (6:3; 10:23). In matters of deep concern, the apostles did not act alone. The divine will gave guidance, and the apostles interpreted and exhorted, but the consent of the whole church was sought ("the whole group," 6:5; "apostles and the brothers," 11:1; "the church," 11:22; "the church and the apostles and elders," 15:4; cf. 15:22). |
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2 | And when Peter was come up to Jerusalem, they that were of the circumcision contended with him, | |
| 2So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcision party criticized him, saying, | |
| But when Peter arrived back in Jerusalem, some of the Jewish believers criticized him. NLT | |
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| Luke does not relate how long it was from the conversion of Cornelius until Peter came to Jerusalem. When he did come, he was confronted by Jewish Christians, they that were of the circumcision. From their contention, it can be seen that they felt the Gentiles not only should be baptized for the remission of their sins, but they also should be circumcised. They sought to bind the law of Moses on Gentile Christians. Circumcised believers (11:2) – circumcised believers. Jewish Christians. Strictly speaking…the whole church at this time could be described in this way, since there were no Christians who were not also Jews. But Luke’s narrative was compiled at a time when “those of the circumcision” had become a more or less distinct group who wished to maintain the Jewish traditions exemplified by this rite (cf. Gal. 2:12; Titus 1:10). So Luke used the expression as significant to his readers, though it only had its origin in the events that he was narrating. (NIBC, 199) those of the circumcision Likely refers to those in the Christian community who wanted to require Gentiles to first become Jews—including requiring the men to be circumcised—in order to be considered true Christians (compare Gal 2:3 and note).
Criticized (11:2) – Peter’s colleagues do not object that the members of Cornelius’ household are not God-fearing (10:2); the problem is that they are not fully Jewish—Gentiles had to be circumcised to convert fully to Judaism. (This requirement is a natural inference from the law and continues to be an issue as late as 15:1, 5.) Nor do they object that Peter preached Christ to Gentiles; the issue is that he ate with them even though as Gentiles they were ritually unclean (10:28; cf. Gal 2:12). (BBC)
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3 | saying, Thou wentest in to men uncircumcised, and didst eat with them. | |
| 3“You went to uncircumcised men and ate with them.” | |
| "You entered the home of Gentiles and even ate with them!" they said.NLT | |
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| It did not matter to these Jewish Christians that Cornelius was now a Christian. Peter had eaten with the uncircumcised. Uncircumcised men (11:3) – Something of the bitterness of their feelings comes out in the phrase… This description was the greatest reproach that Jews had of Gentiles, for it emphasized their exclusion from the covenant. (NIBC, 199) The Gentiles who would not observe the laws of clean and unclean food and would violate Jewish regulations concerning food preparation.
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| Table Fellowship (11:3) – Is the “table fellowship” issue a matter of who shall eat at the Lord’s Supper? Luke leaves it ambiguous, probably because Luke’s church would know no distinction between “religious” meals and “nonreligious meals.” Who shall be admitted to the church’s table is a thoroughly religious question. Peter now says that “the Spirit told me to go with them, making no distinction” (11:12). The church’s silence and then response shows that it realizes a bold (and perhaps frightening) chapter has opened in the saga of the People of God. To gentiles also has God granted the ability to turn toward life. The real “hero” of the story, the “star” of the drama is not Peter nor Cornelius but the gracious and prodding One who makes bold promises and keeps them, who finds a way even in the midst of human distinctions and partiality between persons. (IBCTP, 99)
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4 | But Peter began, and expounded the matter unto them in order, saying, | |
| 4But Peter began and explained it to them in order: | |
| Then Peter began to explain it to them, step by step, saying, NRSV | |
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| Peter now explained to them his actions showing by the four miracles involved that he was doing God's will and that his actions were right. Peter very wisely had taken witnesses with him for this historic visit to Caesarea. Peter began… (11:4ff) – Peter made a compelling argument in support of the inclusion of the Gentiles in Christ. He did not make himself the focus of the argument. He hinged everything on divine activity. It had been the Holy Spirit who told Peter to have “no hesitation” about going with Cornelius’s messengers. Then, upon his arrival at Caesarea and as he was starting to speak, “the Holy Spirit came on them as he had come on us at the beginning.” (Shelly, 134)
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| Careful Communication (11:4) – A surprising turn of events. A volatile issue. Confused people. Here were all the ingredients for a major misunderstanding—possibly leading to a giant rift in the church. Notice what Peter did: he explained what had happened to him “step by step.” This detailed recounting required effort, energy, and time. He might have said, “Look, I know what happened to me. I know what God said. I don’t have to explain myself to you.” But Peter worked hard to keep the peace and promote understanding. Often, good communication and peacemaking takes time. When peacemaking is needed, don’t rush or skip essential conversations with others (even when it’s hard or inconvenient). (LABC)
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5 | I was in the city of Joppa praying: and in a trance I saw a vision, a certain vessel descending, as it were a great sheet let down from heaven by four corners; and it came even unto me: | |
| 5“I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision, something like a great sheet descending, being let down from heaven by its four corners, and it came down to me. | |
| "I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision. There was something like a large sheet coming down from heaven, being lowered by its four corners; and it came close to me. NRSV | |
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| Peter recounted the events that are covered in chapter 10. For a fuller discussion of these and what they meant, the reader should turn back to the similar account in chapter 10. See notes on 10:1-23,28-33.
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6 | upon which when I had fastened mine eyes, I considered, and saw the four footed beasts of the earth and wild beasts and creeping things and birds of the heaven. | |
| 6Looking at it closely, I observed animals and beasts of prey and reptiles and birds of the air. | |
| As I looked at it closely, I saw four-footed animals, beasts of prey, reptiles, and birds of the air. NRSV | |
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| This is the second of the four miracles in the story. The first was the angel appearing to Cornelius, but Peter did not recount this until verse 13, as he did not know of the angel appearing to Cornelius when he received the vision of the clean and unclean animals. |
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7 | And I heard also a voice saying unto me, Rise, Peter; kill and eat. | |
| 7And I heard a voice saying to me, ‘Rise, Peter; kill and eat.’ | |
| I also heard a voice saying to me, 'Get up, Peter; kill and eat. NRSV | |
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| Peter understood the problem of those to whom he spoke because before this vision he seemingly had the same problem. |
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8 | But I said, Not so, Lord: for nothing common or unclean hath ever entered into my mouth. | |
| 8But I said, ‘By no means, Lord; for nothing common or unclean has ever entered my mouth.’ | |
| "I replied, 'Surely not, Lord! Nothing impure or unclean has ever entered my mouth.' NIV | |
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| Peter explained that when the Lord commanded him to rise, kill and eat, he told the Lord, "No." He could not do it. His objectors could not have asked for more. |
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9 | But a voice answered the second time out of heaven, What God hath cleansed make not thou common. | |
| 9But the voice answered a second time from heaven, ‘What God has made clean, do not call common.’ | |
| The voice spoke from heaven a second time, 'Do not call anything impure that God has made clean. NIV | |
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| In this command, it was clear that God no longer bound the food laws of the Old Testament. They had been done away with. The meaning is, of course, that the Gentiles were also acceptable unto God if they believed and obeyed the gospel. The law of Moses was not binding upon the Gentiles, only the will of Christ, the New Testament. |
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10 | And this was done thrice: and all were drawn up again into heaven. | |
| 10This happened three times, and all was drawn up again into heaven. | |
| This happened three times, and then it was all pulled up to heaven again. NIV | |
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| The three times was for emphasis. |
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11 | And behold, forthwith three men stood before the house in which we were, having been sent from Caesarea unto me. | |
| 11And behold, at that very moment three men arrived at the house in which we were, sent to me from Caesarea. | |
| "Just then three men who had been sent from Caesarea arrived at the house where I was staying. NLT | |
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| These were the men sent by Cornelius in obedience to the directions given by the angel. |
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12 | And the Spirit bade me go with them, making no distinction. And these six brethren also accompanied me; and we entered into the man's house: | |
| 12And the Spirit told me to go with them, making no distinction. These six brothers also accompanied me, and we entered the man’s house. | |
| The Holy Spirit told me to go with them and not to worry about their being Gentiles. These six brothers here accompanied me, and we soon arrived at the home of the man who had sent for us. NLT | |
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| not hesitating The phrasing here could suggest either that Peter should not delay in going with the men to see Cornelius, or that Peter should go without discriminating against them (since they were Gentiles). This was the third miracle. The Spirit told Peter to go. Had he not gone, he would have been in disobedience to God's command. He went in obedience unto God's command because it was God's will that the Jews and the Gentiles both come into the church upon obedience to the gospel. The law of Moses had been nailed to the cross (Colossians 2:14-17). God told Peter to make no distinction. It should be noted that Peter and the other apostles had not preached to the Gentiles up to this time. It took an act of God to clarify this point. |
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| The Whole Counsel of God (11:12) – Throughout Scripture, God had promised that he would reach the nations. This began with his general promise to Abraham (Genesis 12:3;
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13 | and he told us how he had seen the angel standing in his house, and saying, Send to Joppa, and fetch one Simon, whose surname is Peter; | |
| 13And he told us how he had seen the angel stand in his house and say, ‘Send to Joppa and bring Simon who is called Peter; | |
| "He told us how an angel had appeared to him in his home and had told him, 'Send messengers to Joppa to find Simon Peter. NLT | |
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| God was the author of this situation. The angel had commanded Cornelius to send for Peter. It was God's will that Peter go to the house of Cornelius. It was not Peter who took the initiative. |
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14 | who shall speak unto thee words, whereby thou shalt be saved, thou and all thy house. | |
| 14he will declare to you a message by which you will be saved, you and all your household.’ | |
| He will tell you how you and all your household will be saved! NLT | |
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| Chapter 10:1-2 shows that Cornelius was a good moral man, even a religious man, but he was lost. · Peter’s report of what Cornelius had said to him now includes a new element: that the angel had said to Cornelius that Peter’s message would result in him and his household ‘being saved’ (verse 14). Luke clearly does not suppose that Cornelius was ‘saved’ already and needed merely to be informed of the message about Jesus as an interesting addendum to a ‘salvation’ he already possessed. (AFE-1, 173) you will be saved It appears Cornelius had not communicated to Peter this part of the angel’s message before Peter began speaking to those gathered at his house (Acts 10:33). He was not saved when the angel appeared. The angel told him to send for Peter who would tell him words, whereby You will be saved. In the Christian Age God does not save men directly or in mysterious ways. Every account where men were saved, they were saved when they heard the gospel, believed it and obeyed it. Peter was to bring words, whereby you will be saved. It must be concluded that God is no respecter of persons. He wants all men to be saved. He saves them all the same way - by words (the gospel) which are preached. All your household (11:14) – Peter added a significant statement that had been excluded from the other accounts of Cornelius’s experience: the angel had told Cornelius that he and all his household will be saved. In other words, God’s intent from the start was to bring this Gentile soldier, along with his friends and family, to Christ. Perhaps Cornelius had told this to Peter when they first met (10:27). (LABC) The expression all your house refers to his immediate family, his servants, his slaves and his kinsmen. To say this includes infants is to read into the text something that is not there. Those who were saved were those who believed, repented, confessed and were baptized. This will not stand up as a text for infant baptism. you and all your household. Not only the family but also slaves and employed individuals under Cornelius's authority (see note on Ge 6:18).
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15 | And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them even as on us at the beginning. | |
| 15As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them just as on us at the beginning. | |
| As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit came on them as he had come on us at the beginning. NIV | |
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| The baptism of the Holy Spirit was a sign to signify the beginning of the Christian Age. In Acts 2 it was for the Jews. In Acts 10 it was for the Gentiles. God used the same sign to show that the Christian Age had begun and the gospel was for all. There are only two cases of the baptism of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2 and 10). A careful study of the scriptures will show that other instances of miraculous power of the Holy Spirit are different from these and should not be confused with the baptism of the Holy Spirit. |
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| Beginning (11:15) – [This] is the day of Pentecost, Acts 2:2-4; and the “us” is limited to the apostles. It is strongly implied that there had been no common reception of the baptism with the Holy Spirit since Pentecost, for if it were something that all Christians were expected to and did receive, Peter could have simply pointed to the numerous other incidents and not have had to go back to Pentecost for an example. The inference also can be drawn that the “baptism of the Holy Spirit” was not the thing that converted people, for Peter could have shown that the conversion of Cornelius was like the case of any other person who came to Christ to prove his point. (Reese, 410-411) |
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16 | And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he said, John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized in the Holy Spirit. | |
| 16And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he said, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ | |
| Then I remembered what the Lord had said: 'John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit. NIV | |
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| Peter referred to this out pouring of the Holy Spirit as the baptism of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2 and 10). This should not be confused with the power of the Holy Spirit the apostles had, or the spiritual gifts given by the laying on of the apostles hands (Acts 8:17-18), or the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38). These are all different measures of the Spirit which are discussed where they occur. That which happened on the Day of Pentecost and at the house of Cornelius was in fulfillment of the promise of Jesus in Acts 1:5. |
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| Baptized (11:16) – Jesus’ promise concerning this, cited again in this verse, must be taken to mean that Spirit baptism would be given in addition to baptism with water, not to replace it, so Peter had ordered that rite once he had seen that God had given the other. (NIBC, 200) the word of the Lord See 1:5. |
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17 | If then God gave unto them the like gift as he did also unto us, when we believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I, that I could withstand God? | |
| 17If then God gave the same gift to them as he gave to us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could stand in God’s way?” | |
| So if God gave them the same gift as he gave us, who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to think that I could oppose God?"NIV | |
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| Peter said God signified the beginning of the Christian Age by the same sign in Acts 10 as in Acts 2. This was God's act and God's sign that the Gentiles were to be accepted into the church. It was not up to Peter to question, but simply to accept and to obey. |
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| Who was I… (11:17) – with so much evidence of God’s work, Peter dared not resist as he had done when he was told to eat unclean flesh in Joppa. … The evidence was too great for further objections. (NIVAC, 338) who was I to be able to hinder God Peter’s language and reasoning here seem to echo Gamaliel’s argument to the Sanhedrin that if God is indeed behind the Church’s message and mission, then no one will be able to stop it (5:38–39). |
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| oppose God. Peter could not deny the Gentiles the invitation to be baptized (10:47) and to enjoy full fellowship in Christ with all believers. The Jewish believers were compelled to recognize that God was going to save Gentiles on equal terms with Jews. By divine action rather than by human choice, the door was being opened to Gentiles. |
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18 | And when they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then to the Gentiles also hath God granted repentance unto life. | |
| 18When they heard these things they fell silent. And they glorified God, saying, “Then to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance that leads to life.” | |
| When the others heard this, all their objections were answered and they began praising God. They said, "God has also given the Gentiles the privilege of turning from sin and receiving eternal life."NLT | |
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| They had contended because they thought Peter had done wrong; however, when Peter explained to them that he did not do it on his own initiative, but it was in obedience to God's will, they not only accepted it, but they glorified God saying, "He has granted salvation to the Gentiles as well." This shows great character in these Jewish Christians. They were not as contentious as they had appeared to be. The door had been opened to the Gentiles, but it was not until Antioch as described in the following verses that mass evangelism of the Gentiles really began. repentance unto life. A change of one's attitude toward sin, which leads to a turning from sin to God and results in eternal life (see note on 2:38). |
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| No further objections (11:18) – For the moment the circumcision party is silenced. They will emerge again in chapter 15 when they see that large numbers of Gentiles have come into the church. Not everyone has undergone the permanent change of conviction that Peter has. They join in the praise now, but as they see the wider implications of this step, they will rise up again in protest. (NIVAC, 339) No Favorites with God (11:18) – The gift of the Spirit on the Gentiles was a stunning revelation to Peter. It was positive proof that God does not play favorites ( Celebrating for the Right Reasons (
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