Original- Repeated to the servants-Servants repeated to Peter at the gate-repeated when Peter arrives at Cornielus’s house. Repeated again here in Chapter 11:1-18.
The news of what happened at Cornelius’ house got around, but instead of scenes of celebrations at the conversion of the Gentiles, we see confrontation/conflict. For the Jewish believers what Peter did was unacceptable. He should never have met with or gone into the house of gentiles.
Our understanding of the context here is so important because these Jewish believers have been brought up under the law– practicing Judaism and believing the Messiah to be a Jewish Messiah, but that foreigners would have no part in what He would accomplish.
If a gentile wanted to believe in their God, they would have to become proselytes, that is, convert to Judaism and observe the Mosaic Law and Jewish customs.
So, up until now, no Jew associated themselves with a gentile in such a way. I want to remind you of what Jesus said in Matthew 28 & Acts 1 because Jesus laid the groundwork for what is happening here: Matthew 28:19 “..go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,..” Jesus said in Acts 1:8 “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
So clearly the Jew’s thinking was still very much “to the Jewish people in all the nations” and to the Jewish people in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the ends of the earth. (We can become hardened-staunch in our hearing)
That’s why the Lord had to prepare Peter’s heart with a vision, repeat it 3 times, nudge him via the Holy Spirit,.…And that’s why the miraculous sign, of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the Gentile believers. It validated their faith and proved God’s acceptance of them. (10:23)Peter took 6 brothers from Joppa(11:12)
God received the Gentiles, believers into the church the same way he received the Jews in Acts 2 or the Samaritans in Acts 8, and the same way He received us because they heard the gospel/truth and they understood it accepted it, and chose to put their faith in Jesus.
Vs4 Starting from the beginning, Peter told them the whole story:
Peter explained his vision from God and even his own initial opposition to it, how God challenged him, and how the Holy Spirit instructed him to go with the Gentiles.
He shared how Cornelius had received a message from an angel of God directing him to find Peter.
Then Peter preached the Gospel/Truth and the Holy Spirit was poured out.
As Peter testified/witnessed, Peter led them to see the works of God from the beginning to the end.
Who could possibly deny this? God Prepared, orchestrated, and then authenticated His own works. And when that happens the only thing left is for man to submit.
(They both needed something) Learn and Unlearn
Vs17 So if God gave them the same GIFT he gave us who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to think that I could stand in God’s way?”
Get out of God’s way
Gift: Holy Spirit-Salvation-Eternal Life
Vs18a (NIV) “When they heard this, they had no further objections..”
(ESV) “When they heard these things they fell silent…”
(NASB), “They quieted down..”
(KJV) “..they held their peace”
(They all just put themselves in Peters’s position) They Learned and Unlearned and then Relearned in that moment.
Acts 4:12 No other name given under heaven Romans 14:11 & Philippians 2:9-11 At the name of Jesus every knee bow John 14:6
Vs18b ..“praised God, saying, “So then, even to Gentiles God has granted repentance that leads to life.”
This story tells us what to do when the revealed WORD OF GOD, revealed WILL OF GOD, and the WITNESS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT points us to a different path/thinking from what we have been doing.
It tells us when the truth of God and our own understanding differs, drop the false notions/humble ourselves, and take up/accept what God says.
The good ending here does not mean that everything will be smooth going forward because there are theological and practical issues that need to be addressed.
Jewish and Gentile believers are now going to co-exist together in the same church, having the same faith but with very different traditions and customs.
We will see these issues surfacing and being addressed in Acts 15 and 21.
There are truths that you and I need to LEARN, and there are false assumptions we need to UNLEARN, and some things to RELEARN.
(On a scale of 1-10 How firm is Peter in His belief that the Gentiles have been given equal standing in the Kingdom of Heaven?
Peter would need to be reminded about the truth of the Gentiles when he is reprimanded by Paul.
Paul said in Gal 2:11-14 When Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. 12 For before certain men came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself from the Gentiles because he was afraid of those who belonged to the circumcision group. 13 The other Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy even Barnabas was led astray.
LEARN-UNLEARN-RELEARN
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People—Relationships—Marriage–Truth
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