Acts 11:1-18

It was too great an intervention of God for Jesus to save only the Jews. Jesus was sent to save the world! All who would choose to believe in the salvation He provided would be granted life. An eternal, abundant life in Him, with Him and in the unity of the Holy Spirit. A precious gift from God so that no man could boast.

 Jesus came to earth with shouts of peace and grace for all of mankind.

Once we have received this precious gift what are we to do with it? We are not to hide our faith or keep it only for ourself but to let everyone around us know that “Jesus Christ saves”.

While much of this narrative mirrors Acts 10, it focuses on God’s intervention on behalf of the Gentiles (non-Jewish people), showing that Peter has not just accepted the Gentiles as Christians but has become their advocate. There were those in the Christian community who wanted to require Gentiles to first become Jews—including requiring the men to be circumcised—in order to be considered true Christians. Faithlife Bible.

The Jews were not fond of the Gentiles. In some rabbinical writings, the Gentiles were considered to have been created by God to kindle the fires of hell. They were called dogs and unclean. The Jewish Christians had been circumcised as a seal of the Mosaic covenant and had kept the Jewish laws. They were not pleased that the Gentiles were considered equal to them in the eyes of God, based on nothing more than their faith in Christ. They wanted the Gentiles to be circumcised and to keep the Law of Moses in order to become Christians. This was not a polite discussion, but an intense quarrel. The Jewish Christians were upset because Peter had broken Jewish law by going into the home of a Gentile and eating with him. The Jewish Christians justified their prejudice by claiming that it was God who had forbidden eating with Gentiles. However, the Levitical laws were not intended to teach ostracism. Because of the importance of the issue of personal prejudice, Luke repeats the account of the vision of the sheet and the unclean animals that God used to free Peter from his racial bigotry. The manifestation of the Holy Spirit was the same to the Gentiles at Caesarea as it was to the Jews at Jerusalem. The Samaritans were part Jewish; the Ethiopian eunuch and Cornelius were Jewish proselytes. Finally the Jewish Christians that made up the early church understood Jesus’ commission to them: they were to bring the gospel message to the Gentile too. 

Acts 11:1-18

11 Now the apostles and brethren who were in Judea heard that the Gentiles had also received the word of God. 2 And when Peter came up to Jerusalem, those of the circumcision contended with him, 3 saying, “You went in to uncircumcised men and ate with them!”

4 But Peter explained it to them in order from the beginning, saying: 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; and it came to me. 6 When I observed it intently and considered, I saw four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, creeping things, and birds of the air. 7 And I heard a voice saying to me, ‘Rise, Peter; kill and eat.’ 8 But I said, ‘Not so, Lord! For nothing common or unclean has at any time entered my mouth.’ 9 But the voice answered me again from heaven, ‘What God has cleansed you must not call common.’ 10 Now this was done three times, and all were drawn up again into heaven. 11 At that very moment, three men stood before the house where I was, having been sent to me from Caesarea. 12 Then the Spirit told me to go with them, doubting nothing. Moreover these six brethren accompanied me, and we entered the man’s house. 13 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, 14 who will tell you words by which you and all your household will be saved.’ 15 And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them, as upon us at the beginning. 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.’ 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?”

18 When they heard these things they became silent; and they glorified God, saying, “Then God has also granted to the Gentiles repentance to life.”

Isaiah 42:1 | “Behold! My Servant whom I uphold, My Elect One in whom My soul delights!I have put My Spirit upon Him; He will bring forth justice to the Gentiles.

Acts 15:7 | And when there had been much dispute, Peter rose up and said to them: “Men and brethren, you know that a good while ago God chose among us, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe.

Acts 15:8 | So God, who knows the heart, acknowledged them by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He did to us,

Acts 15:9 | and made no distinction between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.

Galatians 2:12 | for before certain men came from James, he would eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing those who were of the circumcision.