Verses 1-3 And the apostles and brethren that were in Judaea heard that the Gentiles had also received the word of God. 2 And when Peter was come up to Jerusalem, they that were of the circumcision contended with him, 3 Saying, Thou wentest in to men uncircumcised, and didst eat with them.
Remember that Jesus gave Peter the keys to the Kingdom which meant that Peter would open the door for the preaching of the Gospel to the Jews, the Samaritans, and the Gentiles. “And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church: and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth hall be loosed in heaven.” Matthew 16:18-19 This Peter did by preaching the first sermon to the Jews on the day of Pentecost, by going to Samaria with the Apostle John as recorded in chapter 8 of this book, and by going to the house of Cornelius and his Gentile family and friends. Yet the Jewish converts in Jerusalem were upset with him for being obedient to the LORD Jesus Christ.
Verses 4-6 But Peter rehearsed the matter from the beginning, and expounded it by order unto them, saying, 5 I was in the city of Joppa praying: and in a trance I saw a vision, A certain vessel descend, as it had been a great sheet, let down from heaven by four corners; and it came even to me: 6 Upon the which when I had fastened mine eyes, I considered, and saw fourfooted beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air.
The Apostle Peter did not criticize the Jewish believers in Jerusalem for their attitude and he did not argue with them. He merely told to them the events that lead up to his going to the house of Cornelius so that they would have the facts. Apparently their understanding of the situation was sourced from other believers in Judea who were relaying the news to each other.
Application: It is mankind’s nature to want to defend oneself when criticized by others whether for doing good or for doing evil. In the situation above, the Jewish converts still believed Gentiles to be defiled and not to be socialized with. They were allowing their cultural indoctrination to cloud their Christian charity. They were baby Christians and still learning how to be more like Jesus and how to walk in the Spirit. The Apostle Peter knew that he had done the right thing by obeying the leading of the Holy Ghost and the vision sent by the LORD so he had nothing that needed to be defended.
Verses 7-10 And I heard a voice saying unto me, Arise, Peter; slay and eat. 8 But I said, Not so, Lord: for nothing common or unclean hath at any time entered into my mouth. 9 But the voice answered me again from heaven, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common. 10 And this was done three times: and all were drawn up again into heaven.
The Apostle Peter now understood that when God washes away the sins of anyone, regardless of their race, they were cleansed from sin, death and Hell and were to be added to the Church of the LORD Jesus Christ. There were no longer any lines of division between the Jews and the Gentiles. Peter wanted his brethren in the Faith to understand this too. And Peter remembered Jesus asking him three times when they were on the lake shore if he loved Him. “So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs. He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep. He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.” John 21:15-17 So Peter would have understood that the repetition in the vision three times of the voice from Heaven was directly from Jesus. He had been ordered to “feed my sheep” and anyone converting to the Faith whether Jew, Samaritan, or Gentile was a lamb and part of the sheep of the LORD Jesus Christ and the disciples were to “feed” them with the teachings of Jesus and with the introduction of water baptism and the infilling of the Holy Ghost/Spirit.
Application: Today and during the last century pastors and seminaries have taught that the Jews get to Heaven a different way than the Gentiles and that God has a separate covenant for them. This is a lie from the pit of Hell and from Satan. This is also harmful to the Jews as without Jesus, their eternity is in Hell. The verses above disprove this false teaching. The death, burial and resurrection of Jesus ended the Old Covenant and brought in the New Covenant where all people must accept the Gospel and the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Jesus said He was the way, the truth, and the life and that no one could get to the Father in Heaven except by going through Him which means being covered by the blood of Jesus spiritually and by believing that He is God, very God. Ask yourself why these so called Christian leaders have tried very hard to bring back a division between Jew and Gentile when the Apostle Peter clearly explained that no one was to be excluded from the salvation provided by Jesus Christ.
Verses 11-14 And, behold, immediately there were three men already come unto the house where I was, sent from Caesarea unto me. 12 And the Spirit bade me go with them, nothing doubting. Moreover these six brethren accompanied me, and we entered into the man’s house: 13 And he shewed us how he had seen an angel in his house, which stood and said unto him, Send men to Joppa, and call for Simon, whose surname is Peter; 14 Who shall tell thee words, whereby thou and all thy house shall be saved.
The Apostle Peter makes sure that the brethren in Jerusalem understand that it was the Holy Spirit that told him to go and that he had witnesses as to what transpired in Caesarea.
Verses 15-17 And as I began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell on them, as on us at the beginning. 16 Then remembered I the word of the Lord, how that he said, John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost. 17 Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift as he did unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ; what was I, that I could withstand God?
Just as the Holy Ghost had fallen on the disciples on the day of Pentecost when they were in the upper room in Jerusalem, the Holy Ghost fell on Cornelius and all that were gathered with him in his house. The evidence of the baptism of the Holy Ghost could not be denied and so the brethren in Jerusalem had no choice but to accept the testimony of Simon Peter and the witness of the men that had gone with him to Caesarea. The Spirit of Jesus, the Comforter, was now dwelling in Gentile believers.
Verse 18 When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.
The conflict was resolved and the disciples in Jerusalem could now rest in the knowledge that the Gospel was to be shared with all people from all nations and that just as God was no respecter of persons, neither could they of the Church be respecters of people that were not Jews.
Verses 19-21 Now they which were scattered abroad upon the persecution that arose about Stephen travelled as far as Phenice, and Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to none but unto the Jews only. 20 And some of them were men of Cyprus and Cyrene, which, when they were come to Antioch, spake unto the Grecians, preaching the Lord Jesus. 21 And the hand of the Lord was with them: and a great number believed, and turned unto the Lord.
Phenice was a territory in Syria. Cyprus was an island in the Mediterranean Sea. Antioch was the capital of Syria and many Greek Jews lived there. So initially the Jewish followers of Jesus who fled Jerusalem and Judea because of persecution by the Jewish leadership only preached the Gospel to fellow Jews.
Verses 22-24 Then tidings of these things came unto the ears of the church which was in Jerusalem: and they sent forth Barnabas, that he should go as far as Antioch. 23 Who, when he came, and had seen the grace of God, was glad, and exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord. 24 For he was a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith: and much people was added unto the Lord.
The home church in Jerusalem sent out a missionary, Barnabas, to followup with the ministry and outreach in Antioch. He encouraged and helped to build the Church in Antioch which became large and strong and one of the largest Christian centers in that part of the world.
Verses 25-26 Then departed Barnabas to Tarsus, for to seek Saul: 26 And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.
Scripture does not reveal why Barnabas went looking for Saul, but he must have been following the leading of the Holy Ghost. So Saul and Barnabas teamed up and worked together for an entire year teaching the converts in Antioch the Word of the LORD. They were so effective that people began calling these men of the Faith or the Way “Christians”, which means Christ-like. Over time the names of the Faith and the Way were discarded and Christians became the dominant name given to believers in the LORD Jesus Christ.
Verses 27-30 And in these days came prophets from Jerusalem unto Antioch. 28 And there stood up one of them named Agabus, and signified by the Spirit that there should be great dearth throughout all the world: which came to pass in the days of Claudius Caesar. 29 Then the disciples, every man according to his ability, determined to send relief unto the brethren which dwelt in Judaea: 30 Which also they did, and sent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul. (Acts 11)
The name, Agabus, means “locust”. This prophet said there would be a world wide famine. Since the majority of people in the days of the early Church were involved in agriculture in some form or other, this was a serious situation. But the Christian believers living outside of Judaea planned to send what they could to their brethren in Judaea. Judaea was basically the southern portion of Palestine as opposed to Samaria. Barnabas and Saul were to be the carriers of this relief.
Application: Are there prophets in the Church today? Yes, but they are few and far between. Why? Because churches have abandoned the Apostle Paul’s teachings regarding the gifts of the Spirit and the baptism of the Holy Ghost. “And God hath set some in the church, first apostles (sent forth ones), secondarily prophets (those moved by the Spirit of God to declare what has been received by inspiration as it relates to the kingdom of God and to salvation), teachers (those who teach the things of God), after that miracles (those who through the power of God do that which is impossible in the natural world), then gifts of healings (those who through the power of God heal the sick and set spiritual captives free from devils), helps (those who aid others), governments (those who lead the various churches according to the will of God), diversities of tongues (those who speak in a language given to them by the Holy Ghost and who use that language to praise God and to give divine messages to the body of Christ). 1 Corinthians 12:28 God does not change. He set up this system in the early Church and it is still there today if the people in the various churches would be baptized in the name of the LORD Jesus Christ and be filled with the Holy Ghost and with His power. Then the churches would be effective in spreading the Gospel just as the early Church was effective and prophets would arise and help Christian believers to navigate this evil, devil filled world.