These are the original teaching notes from this passage.
- No Partiality…
- Obeying the Lord…
- At this point in the book of Acts everyone in the church was Jewish…
- The assumption was to be saved – someone first had to become part of Israel…
- Having been given a VISION from the LORD – instructed by the HOLY spirit to go – Acts 10:20
- Peter reluctantly left Joppa from Caesarea – but brought brothers from the CHURCH with him…
- When he arrived at the house of Cornelius – it was PACKED with people…
- Peter kept saying [imperfect] it was NOT lawful – for a JEW to enter the house of a GENTILE…
- But God had told him NOT to call anyone UNCLEAN!
- Gentiles Pentecost…
- When he heard the story of the ANGEL who visited CORNELIUS…
- He made realized the God has NO partiality – but that ANYONE could be saved…
- So he gave the GOSPEL [death and resurrection of Jesus] – and the CHOICE…
- God would JUDGE the LIVING and the DEAD [spiritually] – and only FAITH in Jesus could save…
- While he was still PREACHING [ῥῆμα] – they heard the WORD [λόγος]
- And the HOLY Spirit fell upon them – a Gentile PENTECOST…
- Therefore – Peter commanded that they be BAPTIZED in the name of Jesus!
- Obeying the Lord…
- 1st – Not happy… vs. 1-3
- 1st – Breaking the rule… vs. 1
- Rumors…
- Now the apostles and brethren who were in Judea heard.
- The Gentiles had also received the word of God!
- It did NOT take long for the news to SPREAD [κατά] about GENTILES being baptized…
- And all the APOSTLES and BROTHERS in Judea heard about it…
- Because it should come as no SURPRISE that BAD news travels VERY fast!
- Ever notice how GOSSIP always seems to be about BAD things…
- You will never see people whispering in corners about how GREAT someone is…
- But the moment someone makes a MISTAKE – it spreads like WILD fire!
- People GOSSIP about others – to make themselves look better…
- Thinking they are more righteous – because at least they did NOT to that…
- But we must remember the word for GOSSIP – comes from the word DEVIL [διάβολος]
- So when we go around spreading RUMORS – we are working for the ENEMY…
- Because the only thing GOSSIP does – is cause DIVISION!
- Leviticus 19:16 – “Do not spread… gossip among your people.” [NLT]
- Religion…
- The question must be asked – why was this BAD news…
- We know that GENTILES getting saved was a reason to REJOICE…
- But that was NOT the case for the JEWS in the early church [THREE reasons]
- FIRST – their RELIGION led them to believe they should be SEPARATE…
- Everything about how they lived their lives made them DIFFERENT from GENTILES!
- They could NOT work on SATURDAYS [sabbath] – Exodus 20:8
- They could NOT eat certain FOODS [pork – shrimp] – Leviticus 11
- They were NOT allowed to marry outsiders [gentiles] – Deuteronomy 7:3
- God did all of this to make them HOLY [set apart] – as an EXAMPLE to the world….
- But the Jews used these LAWS to create a WALL of separation between them and the world!
- History…
- SECOND – the GENTILES had NOT been kind to Jews!
- Going all the way back to EGYPT – the GENTILES had enslaved the JEWS – Exodus 1:11
- They were SCATTERED by the ASSYRIANS [diaspora] – II Kings 17:6
- Carried into CAPTIVITY [and the temple destroyed] by the BABYLONIANS – Jeremiah 25:11
- Faced GENOCIDE at the hands of the PERSIANS [Haman] – Esther 3:13
- Had their temple DESECRATED by the GRECIANS [Antiochus] – Daniel 11:31
- And were currently under the OCCUPATION of the ROMAN empire…
- With a HISTORY like that – there was understandable MISTRUST between the TWO peoples!
- Faith…
- THIRD – the JEW believed [rightly so] they had the TRUTH…
- They were the CHOSEN people of God – who had been given the WORD of God!
- Deuteronomy 7:6 – “You are a holy people to the LORD your God. The LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for Himself – a special treasure above all the peoples on the face of the earth.”
- But rather than seeing this as an opportunity to be an EXAMPLE to others…
- The Jews [because of their Religion and History] became RECLUSIVE…
- They saw their position as the CHOSEN people as EXCLUSIVE…
- And therefore came to believe that God did NOT want to save GENTILES…
- Because it THREATENED their – RELIGION – HISTORY – and their understanding of FAITH!
- 2nd – The Attack… vs. 2
- The Circumcision…
- When Peter came up to Jerusalem those of the circumcision contended with him!
- In light of their BIAS – and dislike of the GENTILES…
- WHEN [ὅτε] Peter came back to Jerusalem [you know he was dreading coming home]
- Immediately – he faced constant [imperfect] ATTACK [διακρίνω] from the CIRCUMCISION…
- ATTACK [διακρίνω] – thorough [διά] condemnation [κρίνω]!
- The promise…
- It is worth noting that those who ATTACKED were called the CIRCUMCISION…
- When Abraham was NINETY years old – God gave him a PROMISE…
- He would be the FATHER of MANY nations [Isaac had NOT been born] – Genesis 17:4
- The PROOF of that PROMISE – was the covenant of CIRCUMCISION…
- It was meant to show how the JEWS were NOT to follow the FLESH [sinful nature]
- From then on – every JEW – would be circumcised on the EIGHTH day – Genesis 17:12
- This became the SYMBOL for the JEWS – of who were allowed to be SAVED!
- The Symbol…
- But CIRCUMCISION was never meant to SAVE anyone…
- There is NO ritual [baptism] – or RELIGION that can get us to heaven…
- It was meant to be a SYMBOL – of cutting off our sinful life!
- There is a reason why sins bother us NOW when it did NOT used to…
- It used to be if we lied – or cheated – or were mean to others – it did NOT matter…
- Yet now these things bother us – because we have been CIRCUMCISED in our heart…
- That change of heart – CIRCUMCISION of the heart – is the SIGN that we are SAVED!
- Colossians 2:11 – “When you came to Christ you were circumcised – but not by a physical procedure. Christ performed a spiritual circumcision – the cutting away of your sinful nature.” [NLT]
- 3rd – The Complaint… vs. 3
- Eating…
- Saying: You went in to uncircumcised men and ate with them!
- The one COMPLAINT of the CIRCUMCISION [Jews] had of Peter…
- He ATE [aorist] with men who are [present] NOT circumcised…
- Although there is NO law in the Bible that forbids eating with GENTILES…
- The MISHNAH [oral teachings] does state it is forbidden [bishul akum]
- Because GENTILES might use non-KOSHER ingredients [unclean animals]
- And the GENTILES themselves were considered UNCLEAN!
- The Law called the Jews to be HOLY – separate from sinners – Leviticus 19:2
- And in those days everyone would eat from a COMMON bowl…
- There were NO rules about DOUBLE dipping – so you really shared the meal…
- So in the EYES of the JEWS – Peter had become ONE with UNCLEAN gentiles…
- But their RULES [Mishnah] – kept them SEPARATED – rather than being an EXAMPLE!
- Variety…
- Sadly – many still have this sense of SEPARATION today…
- People cling to their DENOMINATION – and decry everyone else as WRONG…
- Yet God has allowed there to be many DENOMINATIONS within His Church…
- Each with a slightly different FLAVOR – all with the same Lord…
- The reason is so that the church can minister to all different kinds of people!
- I Corinthians 9:22 – “All things to all men that I might by all means save some.”
- Christ is NOT divided – so therefore the Church of Christ should NOT be divided…
- There is only ONE Jesus – ONE cross – ONE salvation – ONE heaven – Ephesians 4:4-6
- We are going to spend eternity together – we should start getting along now!
- Maturity…
- I Corinthians 3:4 – “When one of you says – I am a follower of Paul and another says I follow Apollos – are you not acting just like people of the world?” [NLT]
- People in the world love to DIVIDE – they have their groups…
- In the world it is all about our family – our town – our county!
- When people argue over being Catholic – Baptist [religions]
- They reveal they are either NOT saved – or have NEVER grown in the Lord…
- Because they are acting NO differently than BEFORE they knew Jesus…
- There is nothing wrong with enjoying a particular CHURCH…
- The problem comes when we make that CHURCH our identity…
- It causes division within the BODY of Christ – hindering the power of the Gospel…
- We wonder why more people do NOT believe in Jesus – why churches are EMPTY…
- It is because the CHURCH of God is DIVIDED – busy fighting itself…
- No wonder God included this story THREE times in the Bible [important]
- Just like the Jews – we love to DIVIDE – and God has called us to break down the walls!
- John 13:35 – “All will know you are My disciples – if you have love for one another.”
- 1st – Breaking the rule… vs. 1
- 2nd – Plan of God… vs. 4-14
- 1st – The Explanation… vs. 4
- But Peter explained it to them in order from the beginning!
- [δὲ] But Peter – did NOT argue or debate…
- Instead he took the time to EXPLAIN to them WHY he ate with GENTILES…
- He did so by CALMLY going back to the BEGINNING [ἄρχομαι] of the story!
- When people ATTACK us – it is only natural to become DEFENSIVE…
- We want to react in KIND – and ATTACK back because we are UPSET…
- In the MOMENT we often are full of EMOTION – and need to COOL down before we speak…
- Because if we let HURTFUL words come out – they will NOT help …
- But if we respond instead in LOVE – then we will bring HEALING!
- Proverbs 15:1 – “A soft answer turns away wrath – BUT a harsh word stirs up anger.”
- 2nd – The Vision… vs. 5-10
- Details… vs. 5
- 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 – it came to me!
- As Peter begins to recount the EVENTS – he does alter a few details…
- While he EMPHASIZED that he was PRAYING [seeking God]
- And in response God gave him a VISION from the [τοῦ] HEAVEN [οὐρανοῦ]
- He conveniently leaves out the part where he was HUNGRY – Acts 10:10
- I can image this was to remove any questions about the validity of his VISION…
- Seeing FOOD when you are HUNGRY might lead some to question what he saw!
- Unclean… vs. 6-8
- 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!
- As Peter was FOCUSED [ἀτενίζω] on the sheet…
- He SAW that it was filled out ALL kinds of ANIMALS [clean and unclean]
- As he tried [imperfect] to FIGURE out [κατανοέω] what it meant [it confused him]
- A voice commanded [imperative] him to KILL and EAT!
- No doubt in the story – the CIRCUMCISION were looking very UPSET…
- So Peter makes sure to emphasize he had the right JEWISH response…
- He told the Lord [κύριος] – he could NEVER [μηδαμῶς] do that…
- Because nothing COMMON [κοινός] or UNCLEAN [ἀκάθαρτος] had EVER entered his mouth!
- Not common… vs. 9-10
- 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!
- The same voice from HEAVEN [the Lord] answered Peter…
- What God [θεός] has [indicative] CLEANSED [καθαρίζω] – is NOT common [κοινός]
- This was done THREE times – before the sheet was taken back up into heaven…
- In Jewish tradition – THREE is a very important number…
- It represented an ABSOLUTE confirmation of the TRUTH!
- Deuteronomy 19:15 – “By the mouth of… three witnesses the matter shall be established.”
- I have to wonder if telling the story again – further confirmed it for Peter…
- As he retold the story of what God had done – it established it in his heart!
- There is a benefit to sharing with others what God has shown us…
- As we recount His Word – it gives us a change to remember and reflect…
- We get to see things from a different perspective [looking back]
- And that often strengthens our resolve – makes us confident in the Lord!
- Psalm 105:5 – “Remember His marvelous works which He has done.”
- 3rd – Doubt nothing… vs. 11-12
- Three men… vs. 11
- At that very moment three men stood before the house where I was.
- Having been sent to me from Caesarea – the Spirit told me to go with them doubting nothing!
- And [καί] – IMMEDIATELY [ἐξαυτῆς] – behold [ἰδού]
- Peter did NOT want the CIRCUMCISION to miss the timing [not a coincidence]
- THREE men stood at the house – sent from Caesarea to find HIM [με]
- And [δέ] the SPIRIT then spoke to Peter – GO with them…
- He was NOT to DOUBT [διακρίνω] – why they had COME [ἦλθον]!
- There is a SUBTLE change here in the STORY…
- Where the SPIRIT commanded [imperative] Peter to GO [πορεύω] – Acts 10:20
- Peter here tells us the SPIRIT said [no command] to GO [συνέρχομαι]
- GO [συνέρχομαι] emphasizing they were to come [ἔρχομαι] together in UNITY [σύν]!
- Accountability… vs. 12
- Moreover these six brethren accompanied me!
- But [δέ] Peter took SIX brothers [ἀδελφός] with him…
- Presumably those same SIX men were still standing next to Peter confirming the story!
- Men should not be alone with women [unmarried]
- There are TWO teachers in every classroom…
- The reason – because we want to make sure there is ACCOUNTABILITY!
- I Thessalonians 5:22 – “Abstain from all appearance of evil.” [KJV]
- The problem with doing things without ACCOUNTABILITY…
- When [not if] something happens – it is our word against the other person…
- We have an ENEMY who loves to make false accusations – Revelation 12:10
- And we want to be READY with WITNESSES when those accusations come!
- 4th – The command… vs. 12-14
- Generic… vs. 12
- And we entered the mans house!
- Peter conveniently leaves out a few details…
- He does NOT mention that Cornelius is a CENTURION…
- It was bad enough it was a GENTILE home – much less a solider from ROME…
- He also did NOT mention how FULL the house was [packed]
- Because he was trying to make a POINT – not PROVOKE the Jews!
- The Angel… vs. 13-14
- 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!
- The man [Cornelius] gave Peter the MESSAGE [ἀπαγγέλλω]
- Telling him about the ANGEL that stood in his home…
- And how he commanded [imperative] him to send to Joppa – for SIMON called PETER…
- Who said Peter would speak [λαλέω] to him – Acts 10:6
- The fact Cornelius knew both of his NAMES was proof the Angel had spoken to him…
- And Peter then interprets the SPEAK – as he was to tell [ῥῆμα] him how to be SAVED [σῴζω]
- Peter took the time to explain all of this – so the Jews could understand the PLAN of God…
- There ideas about who could be SAVED were wrong – the Gospel is for EVERYONE!
- I have known people who ATTACK the traditions of other denominations…
- But attacking their belief will likely only end up putting us into an argument…
- Like Peter – we need to be sensitive on how we share…
- Be sensitive to our listeners – gently giving them the Word of God!
- Ephesians 4:15 – “Speaking the truth in love.”
- 1st – The Explanation… vs. 4
- 3rd – Salvation for all… vs. 15-18
- 1st – Confirmation… vs. 15-17
- Began to speak… vs. 15
- As I began to speak the Holy Spirit fell upon them – as upon us at the beginning!
- Peter does NOT repeat his Gospel presentation to Cornelius – instead jumps to the END…
- Because no sooner had he started speaking [ἄρχομαι] – NOT his words that had the power…
- The HOLY Spirit fell upon the GENTILES – just as He had upon the Jews – Acts 2:4
- The Word… vs. 16
- 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!
- As Peter saw them SPEAKING in other languages [like Pentecost]
- It caused him to REMEMBER [passive] the words [ῥῆμα] of our Lord [κύριος]
- Acts 1:5 – “John truly baptized with water – but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”
- Peter was NOT just looking at one verse – he looked at the whole teaching…
- Jesus told the disciples the Spirit would come – so that they could be WITNESSES!
- Acts 1:8 – “You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you – and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem – and in all Judea and Samaria – and to the end of the earth.”
- Peter now understood the plan of God was to bring the GOOD news to everyone…
- The Gospel had gone to Jerusalem [Acts 2] – Judea [Acts 3-7] – and Samaria [Acts 8]
- Now God was fulfilling His Word and bringing the Jesus to the World!
- When we go to the Bible for answers – we need to look at the context…
- Not just taking a verse – or a part of a verse – and making it fit our interpretation…
- But instead letting the verse be interpreted by the surrounding passage!
- Will of God… vs. 17
- 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?
- SINCE [indicative] God gave the GENTILES the same GIFT [δωρεά] of the Spirit…
- How could Peter have [imperfect] the POWER [δυνατός] to stop [κωλύω] God!
- We may NOT like the idea that God can save WICKED people…
- We might think that MURDERERS – BAD people – deserve to be JUDGED…
- But in spite of what we THINK – who are we to ARGUE with God…
- The truth is there are NO levels with the LORD – we are ALL sinners – Romans 3:23
- And the same GRACE that saved us – can save ANYONE!
- 2nd – Silent… vs. 18
- When they heard these things they became silent!
- They glorified God saying: Then God has also granted to the Gentiles repentance to life!
- When the CIRCUMCISION heard the WORD [Jesus] and the EVIDENCE [Spirit]
- They chose [active] to stop ARGUING [ἡσυχάζω] with Peter…
- They did NOT like it – they still did NOT want the GENTILES to be saved…
- And this was NOT the end – the debate would come up again – Acts 15:1
- But for the moment there was NOTHING more they could say…
- Therefore [καὶ] they gave [imperfect] GLORY to God [τὸν θεὸν]
- Who had GIVEN [δίδωμι] the GENTILES [ἔθνος] repentance to life!
- It is NOT our responsibility to convince people…
- Or to try and make people from different denomination get along…
- All we need to do is follow Jesus – and stand on the Word – God does the rest!
- 1st – Confirmation… vs. 15-17