Peter’s Report at Jerusalem
Jews traditionally kept themselves separate and did not...
Jews traditionally kept themselves separate and did not eat or associate socially with Gentiles (10:28; 22:21–22; see John 4:9, 27; 18:28; Gal 2:12–14). Therefore, when the Jewish believers in Jerusalem learned that Gentiles had received the word of God, they criticized Peter’s unconventional actions and wanted an explanation, which Peter provided.
1The apostles and brothers throughout Judea soon heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God. 2So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers† took issue with him 3and said, “You visited uncircumcised men and ate with them.”
Peter reviewed the sequence of events, explaining that...
Peter reviewed the sequence of events, explaining that the whole development was the result of God’s initiative (11:12). Peter had eaten with Gentiles because God had made it clear that he should (11:4–12). Peter had then observed the Holy Spirit’s definite action of coming upon Gentiles, and he realized that they were being accepted and blessed by God just as Jewish believers had been (11:15–17; see 1:5). Peter was submitting to God’s will in admitting Gentiles to the church.
4But Peter began and explained to them the whole sequence of events: 5“I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision of something like a large sheet being let down from heaven by its four corners, and it came right down to me. 6I looked at it closely and saw four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, reptiles, and birds of the air. 7Then I heard a voice saying to me, ‘Get up, Peter, kill and eat.’
8‘No, Lord,’ I said, ‘for nothing impure† or unclean has ever entered my mouth.’
9But the voice spoke from heaven a second time, ‘Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.’
10This happened three times, and everything was drawn back up into heaven.
11Just then three men sent to me from Caesarea stopped at the house where I was staying. 12The Spirit told me to accompany them without hesitation. These six brothers also went with me, and we entered the man’s home. 13He told us how he had seen an angel standing in his house and saying, ‘Send to Joppa for Simon who is called Peter. 14He will convey to you a message by which you and all your household will be saved.’
15As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them, just as He had fallen upon us at the beginning. 16Then I remembered the word of the Lord, how He said, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’† 17So if God gave them the same gift He gave us who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to hinder the work of God?”
18When they heard this, they had no further objections, and they glorified God, saying, “So then, God has granted even the Gentiles repentance unto life.”
The Church at Antioch
The persecution that followed Stephen’s death forced believers...
- The persecution that followed Stephen’s death forced believers into other areas (8:1–3), and they traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch.
- Antioch of Syria was a thriving cosmopolitan city, the third-largest in the Roman Empire after Rome and Alexandria. Antioch was of central importance in the spread of the Christian message to the Gentile world.
19Meanwhile those scattered by the persecution that began with Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, speaking the message only to Jews. 20But some of them, men from Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch and began speaking to the Greeks† as well, proclaiming the good news about the Lord Jesus.
Once again, as had happened in the household...
Once again, as had happened in the household of Cornelius, Gentiles turned to the Lord in considerable numbers. The explosion of Christian faith into the Gentile world had to remain in harmony with the church at Jerusalem, so the Jerusalem church sent Barnabas to Antioch to oversee developments there. He could see that God’s blessing was on what was happening, so he endorsed it with joy.
21The hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord.
22When news of this reached the ears of the church in Jerusalem, they sent Barnabas to Antioch. 23When he arrived and saw the grace of God, he rejoiced and encouraged them all to abide in the Lord with all their hearts. 24Barnabas was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord.
Barnabas recognized the special gifts that Saul possessed...
Barnabas recognized the special gifts that Saul possessed for preaching and teaching. His assessment of Saul’s gifts was wise, and it resulted in a fruitful team ministry in Antioch.
25Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, 26and when he found him, he brought him back to Antioch. So for a full year they met together with the church and taught large numbers of people. The disciples were first called Christians at Antioch.
some prophets: See “ The Gift of Prophecy...
- some prophets: See “The Gift of Prophecy” Theme Note.
- Agabus: See also 21:10–12.
27In those days some prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. 28One of them named Agabus stood up and predicted through the Spirit that a great famine would sweep across the whole world. († This happened under Claudius.)
The upshot of Agabus’s prophecy was that the...
The upshot of Agabus’s prophecy was that the believers in Antioch decided to make a contribution to the Jewish believers—the brothers and sisters—in Judea. The believers in Antioch gave as generously as they could and committed the responsibility for this financial aid to leaders they trusted, namely, to Barnabas and his fellow worker Saul. This unified love and support of Christians for one another was a tangible demonstration of the difference Christ had made in their lives. Paul describes this visit in his letter to the Galatians (Gal 2:1–10).
29So the disciples, each according to his ability, decided to send relief to the brothers living in Judea. 30This they did, sending their gifts to the elders with Barnabas and Saul.