 15-28

ACTS 11 – DEFENDING MINISTRY TO THE

GENTILES
Videos for Acts 11:
Acts 11:1-18 – Explaining a Work of God
Acts 11:19-30 – First Called Christians
A. A controversy in Jerusalem regarding ministry to
the Gentiles.
1. (1-3) Peter hears objections to his association
with Gentiles.
Now the apostles and brethren who were in Judea heard that
the Gentiles had also received the word of God. And when
Peter came up to Jerusalem, those of the circumcision
contended with him, saying, “You went in to uncircumcised
men and ate with them!”
a. Now the apostles and brethren who were in Judea heard
that the Gentiles had also received the word of God: The
greatness of the work among the Gentiles in Caesarea could
not be kept hidden. There was no desire to hide it, even
though many Jewish Christians (those of the circumcision)
would be confused and offended.
b. “You went in to uncircumcised men and ate with
them!” The charges against Peter were simple: “You, who
are supposed to be a faithful Jew, associated with Gentiles
and even ate with them.” This offended these Christian
Jews, so they contended with Peter.
i. And ate with them: Sharing a meal together was a special
sign of fellowship in that time and culture. This was
considered to be a significant compromise by these Jewish
Christians.
ii. This reaction of the Christian Jews shows how significant
the change was that God initiated in Acts 10. The change
said, to the Gentiles, “You don’t have to become Jews first,
and put yourself under the Law of Moses first. Repent and
believe, and you can come to Jesus.” But it also said to the
Jewish followers of Jesus, “Receive your Gentile brothers
and sisters as full members of the family of God. They aren’t
inferior to you in any way.”
iii. The objection of those of the circumcision was on the
second point, not the first. They complained, You went into
uncircumcised men and ate with them! At first, they were
more concerned with what Peter did than with what God
was doing with the Gentiles.
c. Those of the circumcision contended with him: When we
see the reaction of the Jewish Christians in Jerusalem, we
can see how wise it was of Peter to take six witnesses with
him to Caesarea and his meeting with Cornelius (Acts
10:23 and 11:12).

2. (4-15) Peter explains his ministry to the

Gentiles.
But Peter explained it to them in order from the beginning,
saying: “I was in the city of Joppa praying; and in a trance I
saw a vision, an object descending like a great sheet, let
down from heaven by four corners; and it came to me. When
I observed it intently and considered, I saw four-footed
animals of the earth, wild beasts, creeping things, and birds
of the air. And I heard a voice saying to me, ‘Rise, Peter; kill
and eat.’ But I said, ‘Not so, Lord! For nothing common or
unclean has at any time entered my mouth.’ But the voice
answered me again from heaven, ‘What God has cleansed
you must not call common.’ Now this was done three times,
and all were drawn up again into heaven. At that very
moment, three men stood before the house where I was,
having been sent to me from Caesarea. Then the Spirit told
me to go with them, doubting nothing. Moreover these six
brethren accompanied me, and we entered the man’s house.
And he told us how he had seen an angel standing in his
house, who said to him, ‘Send men to Joppa, and call for
Simon whose surname is Peter, who will tell you words by
which you and all your household will be saved.’ And as I
began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them, as upon us at
the beginning.”
a. Peter explained it to them in order from the beginning:
This account is an obvious condensation from Acts 10:9-43.
God emphasized the importance of these events by repeating
the story.
i. “Peter did not flaunt his apostolic authority. Instead he
began with a humble recitation of what happened. The
Greek makes this particularly clear. It indicates that Peter
began at the beginning and explained everything precisely –
a very strong word – as it happened.” (Boice)
b. What God has cleansed you must not call common: At
first, Peter thought God spoke this about food. But Peter
came to understand the vision of the sheet and kosher and
unkosher animals had to do with people, not food (Acts
10:28: God has shown me that I should not call any man
common or unclean).
i. There is a sense in which the sheet represents the church,
having both “kosher” (Jews) and “unkosher” (Gentiles) on
it, with no distinction or dividing line between the two
(Ephesians 2:11-18).
c. We entered the man’s house: This may have surprised
Peter’s questioners, because it seemed like an admission of
guilt – Peter admitted entering the home of a Gentile,
something prohibited by Jewish custom and tradition
(though not by the Law of Moses.). Yet Peter was careful to
add that before he ever entered the man’s house,
an angel had been standing in his house. If it was permitted
for an angel of God to go into Cornelius’ house, it must be
permitted for Peter also.
d. The Holy Spirit fell upon them, as upon us at the
beginning: This conclusion was important. It showed that
God’s stamp of approval was on this work towards the
Gentiles. Peter’s point to these Christian Jews (those of the
circumcision, Acts 11:2) was clear: they could not withhold
their acceptance when God had given His.

3. (16-18) Peter interprets these events by

remembering the words of Jesus.
“Then I remembered the word of the Lord, how He said,
‘John indeed baptized with water, but you shall be baptized
with the Holy Spirit.’ If therefore God gave them the same
gift as He gave us when we believed on the Lord Jesus
Christ, who was I that I could withstand God?” When they
heard these things they became silent; and they glorified
God, saying, “Then God has also granted to the Gentiles
repentance to life.”
a. If therefore God gave them the same gift as He gave us
when we believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I
could withstand God? If God was reaching out to the
Gentiles, who was Peter that he could withstand God? Peter
recognized the importance of sensing where God is going
and heading that same direction, instead of trying to
persuade God to go your direction.
i. It is important also to note these Christians would see this
was all in accord with the Scriptures. They had both
the word of the Lord Jesus, recorded in Mark 1:8, and the
Old Testament promises that Gentiles would come to the
Lord through the Messiah (in passages such as Isaiah 49:6).
ii. There are many today who look at some work or another
and say, “Look what God is doing.” But activity alone isn’t
enough to validate a work of God. It must also be in line
with God’s Word. This work among the Gentiles passed
both tests.
b. They became silent: The Jewish believers in Jerusalem
(those of the circumcision, Acts 11:2) first reacted with a
stunned silence. But then they glorified God, because they
saw He was now at work among the Gentiles, also.
i. This is a powerful passage, demonstrating that the hearts
of the Jewish Christians in Jerusalem were soft enough to be
guided and corrected by God. It is a glorious thing when
God’s people will allow their prejudices and traditions to be
overcome by God’s Word and God’s work.
ii. The church in Jerusalem embraced these Gentile believers
at first, but it would be a long time until all the objections
of those of the circumcision were answered.