The Plea of Peter (Acts 11:1-18) By Rev.Katherine Liu Bruce

The Plea of Peter (Acts 11:1-18)

By Rev.Katherine Liu Bruce   

Christian Arts Ministries: Biblical Precepts & Gospel music 

Scriptures reading Acts 11:1-18

¹The  apostles and the brothers throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God.  ² So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers criticized him ³ and said, “ You went into thehouse of uncircumcised men and ate with them.” ⁴ Peter began and explained everything to them precisely as it had happened;⁵ “I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision. I saw something like a large sheet being let down from heaven by its four corners, and it came down to where I was. ⁶ I looked into it and saw four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, reptiles, and birds of the air. ⁷ Then I heard a voice telling me, ‘Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.” ⁸ I replied, “Surely not, Lord! nothing, impure or unclean has ever entered my mouth.” ⁹ The voice spoke from  heaven a second time, “ Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.” ¹⁰ This happened three times, and then it was all pulled up to heaven again.

 ¹¹ Right then three men who had been sent to me from Caesarea stopped at the house where I was staying. ¹² The Spirit told me to have no hesitation about going with them. These six brothers also went with me, and we entered the man’s house. ¹³ He told us how he had seen an angel appear in his house and say, “Send to Joppa for Simon who is called Peter.¹⁴ He will bring you a message through which you and your household will be saved.

^{15  “}As I began to speak the Holy Spirit came on them as he had come on us at the beginning.¹⁶ then I remembered what the Lord had said: “John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit. ¹⁷So it 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?”¹⁸ When they heard this, they had no further objections and praised God, saying, “So then, God has granted even the Gentiles repentance unto life.”

 

 Verse 2 circumcised believers. I.e., Jewish Christians, the so-called “circumcision party,” who were unhappy at the report that Gentiles were being saved without ritual induction into Judaism. Arfter Peter’s review of what happened, they were satisfied that this was God’s doing. (v.18). Circumcision was an outward ordinance inherited by the Jews from their forefathers, beginning from Abraham (Gen.17:9-14) . It made them distinct  and separate from the Gentiles. It became a dead, traditional formality, a mere mark on the flesh without any spiritual significance, and became a great obstacle to the spread of God’s gospel according to His New Testament economy (15:1;Gal.2:3-4;6:12-17;Phil3:2)

Verse 12 The six brothers were present while Peter was speaking as witnesses to his word.

Verse 15 at the beginning. I.e., on the day of Pentecost. Since God had done for the Gentiles in Cornelius’ house the same as He had done for the Jews at Pentecost, to refuse to accept these Gentile converts would be to resist the work of God(v.17).

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. Greek zoe, referring to the life of God (Eph.4:18), the eternal life (1John1:2), the uncreated, indestructible life (Heb.7:16), which is Christ Himself (John14:6; 11:25:Col.3:4)) as the life-giving Spirit (1Cor.15:45) of which life the Spirit is (Rom.8:2). This life is received by the believers through their believing into Christ (John3:1516) after repentance, and issues in their full salvation (Rom.5:10).The gospel preached by Peter comprises the divine blessings not only of forgiveness (5:31; 10:43) and salvation (2:21; 4:12) but also of the Spirit (2:38) and life. Forgiveness deal with people’s sins, and life, with people’s death (John5:24; 1John3:14; 2Cor.5:4) .

 

Bibliography,

King James, The Holy Bible (KJV), Cleveland, OH: The world publishing company

Lee, Witness. The New Testament (R.V.) Anaheim, CA: Living Stream Ministry, 1985.

 Ryrie, Charles C. The Ryrie study Bible (NIV).Chicago, IL: The Moody Bible Institute, 1986.