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9. The Beginning of Preaching to the Gentiles through the Conversion of Cornelius the Centurion (Acts 10:1 - 11:18)
ACTS 11:1-18
1 Now the apostles and the brothers who were in Judea heard that the Gentiles had also received the word of God. 2 When Peter had come up to Jerusalem, those who were of the circumcision contended with him, 3 saying, “You went in to uncircumcised men, and ate with them!” 4 But Peter began, and explained to them in order, saying, 5 “I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision: a certain container descending, like it was a great sheet let down from heaven by four corners. It came as far as me. 6 When I had looked intently at it, I considered, and saw the four-footed animals of the earth, wild animals, creeping things, and birds of the sky. 7 I also heard a voice saying to me, ‘Rise, Peter, kill and eat!’ 8 But I said, ‘Not so, Lord, for nothing unholy or unclean has ever entered into my mouth.’ 9 But a voice answered me the second time out of heaven, ‘What God has cleansed, don’t you call unclean.’ 10 This was done three times, and all were drawn up again into heaven. 11 Behold, immediately three men stood before the house where I was, having been sent from Caesarea to me. 12 The Spirit told me to go with them, without discriminating. These six brothers also accompanied me, and we entered into the man’s house. 13 He told us how he had seen the angel standing in his house, and saying to him, ‘Send to Joppa, and get Simon, whose surname is Peter, 14 who will speak to you words by which you will be saved, you and all your house.’ 15 As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them, even as on us at the beginning. 16 I remembered the word of the Lord, how he said, ‘John indeed baptized in water, but you will be baptized in the Holy Spirit.’ 17 If then God gave to them the same gift as us, when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I, that I could withstand God?” 18 When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, “Then God has also granted to the Gentiles repentance to life!”
The Spirit of God brought about remarkable miracles through Peter, the first of which was the healing of the lame man in Lydda. The second was the raising of the dead girl in Joppa. Were there any more? Yes, for great and miraculous was the salvation of the despised Gentiles through grace alone. This represented the apex of the power of God, for in His grace He had opened the door for the Gentiles through this miracle in Caesarea. He was admitting into the kingdom of God without circumcision, teaching about the law, relationship to other tribes, or subjection to the rites of the temple. The Spirit of Christ liberated and saved people, fulfilling in them the salvation of the cross publicly. This event in Caesarea was the ceremonial beginning of preaching to the world. It also marked the final separation of histories of the Old Testament and the New.
This was why many Christians of Jewish origin were shaken. Their hearts were hardened and they flared up, thinking that Peter had hastened to sell the privilege of Israel to the members of the occupation force. Where was circumcision, as the symbol of their covenant with God? Where was the confirmation that God had chosen only the seed of the twelve tribes? Where were the numerous requirements of the law towards God? If the chief priests and Pharisees heard that they had admitted lawless idolaters into covenant and communion with God, they would curse and persecute them once again. Thus the brothers grew agitated and became incensed in the early Church at Jerusalem.
When Peter returned to Jerusalem, a violent disagreement broke out among the believers. They were divided into two parties: First, there were the lawyers, who insisted on a literal interpretation of the law; second, there were Peter and the six witnesses who accompanied him from Joppa to Caesarea. The traditional legalists did not complain that Peter had preached to the Gentiles, nor did they feel bitter about admitting them into the church through the symbol of baptism. Their complaint against him was for not having circumcised or Judaized those who were regenerated. He had eaten and associated with the uncircumcised, as if they were the chosen instead of the circumcised, who lived under the covenant with God.
Peter did not struggle against his fanatic brothers, for he, too, had been hard and stubborn like them. He had opposed God’s command in the trance saying: “Not so, Lord! For I have never eaten anything common or unclean.” But the command, which was repeated thrice: “What God has cleansed you must not call common” disolved Peter’s understanding of the law, and crushed his haughty opposition. At last, Peter saw how the unclean animals were not cast down to the earth or to the sea. They were taken up into heaven in droves, as a token of God’s considering many unclean to have been made clean in Christ. Peter came to realize the meaning of this vision through his experiences with Cornelius. He understood clearly, testifying to his brothers that God chose, saved, and sanctified all men, and not only the members of the Old Testament. The Holy One cleansed every man by the blood of Christ. His grace is greater than our minds, wider than our law, and more merciful than our hearts.
Peter gave an account of his actions to anyone who asked him for it. He wanted them to know that he was not the absolute authority, and did not have supremacy over the church to do as he wished. He answered the zealous with humility, and told them how the Holy Spirit had impressed it upon him to go to Cornelius, and that the angel of the Lord had commanded the centurion to send for Peter, the apostle of salvation, to come to his house.
Peter did not do anything which he was not commanded to do. He spoke and preached to those he was sent to. Following that the wonderful thing happened: the Holy Spirit was poured out on the listening Gentiles, just as he had previously been poured out on the praying and expectant Jews. In his defense Peter emphasized that, like in Caesarea, the gift of God was given for faith in Christ, in exactly the same way as the apostles had experienced it. Thus the deeds of the law and circumcision were worthless to bring salvation, for the reception of the Holy Spirit comes by grace and nothing else.
Peter confirmed his ministry in a powerful way, saying he could not withstand God if He chose to give His Spirit to those who believed in Christ. Had he wished to distort God’s designs, it would have been impossible. Thus Peter’s confirmation also involved a form of making fun of the fanatic lawyers. He, the most forthright of all the apostles, had, through his sermon, successfully brought about the salvation of Gentiles. Those who complained grew silent for some time before the great of love of God.
Following that, most of the apostles began to praise God. The elders gave thanks for this new development. People could now be saved without keeping the conditions of the Jewish law, by faith in the Savior alone. They could receive the Holy Spirit through hearing the gospel alone. The magnification of God was great, for the Lord Himself had opened the door for preaching to the world, and that through Peter - the most courageous of the apostles.
PRAYER: O Lord Jesus Christ, we thank You for Your interference in the course of church history through Your glorious revelations to Stephen, Paul, and Peter. Your grace prepared and carried out the way for preaching to the Gentiles. You will complete Your glorious work. You will call innumerable people from among all the nations, sanctify them, and keep them until the day of Your coming. Come Lord Jesus, and teach us to preach until that time, guided and empowered by Your Holy Spirit, with prudence and diligence, to glorify Your holy name. Amen.
QUESTION:
- Why did the lawyers of the Jewish Christians quarrel with Peter?