Acts Chapter Eleven

Read Acts 11:1-18

v1. “AND THE APOSTLES AND BRETHREN THAT WERE IN JUDAEA HEARD THAT THE GENTILES HAD ALSO RECEIVED THE WORD OF GOD.”

Good news travels fast, bad news and gossip a lot faster. The Jews at Jerusalem now have heard that, of all things, they’ve let Gentiles into the church; they’ve received the Word of God. Some might even have wondered what this world was coming to. I’m being facetious, of course, but this is the response that many people would have, even today.

v2. “AND WHEN PETER WAS COME UP TO JERUSALEM, THEY THAT WERE OF THE CIRCUMCISION CONTENDED WITH HIM,”

Just as those of the circumcision that were at Caesarea were astonished:

Acts 10:45 “AND THEY OF THE CIRCUMCISION WHICH BELIEVED WERE ASTONISHED, AS MANY AS CAME WITH PETER, BECAUSE THAT ON THE GENTILES ALSO WAS POURED OUT THE GIFT OF THE HOLY GHOST.”

those at Jerusalem, when they heard what had happened, were astonished as well. Their astonishment, however, seems to have taken the course of doubting what was done and contending with Peter about it. They take Peter to task, they want to know what he’s doing and by what authority. Maybe this incident is what made Peter so sensitive later when he was in a situation where there were both Gentile Christians and Jewish Christians of the circumcision party from Jerusalem.

Galatians 2:12 “FOR BEFORE THAT CERTAIN CAME FROM JAMES, HE DID EAT WITH THE GENTILES: BUT WHEN THEY WERE COME, HE WITHDREW AND SEPARATED HIMSELF, FEARING THEM WHICH WERE OF THE CIRCUMCISION.”

v3. “SAYING, THOU WENTEST IN TO MEN UNCIRCUMCISED, AND DIDST EAT WITH THEM.”

Peter understood the result of his actions when he went into Cornelius’ house didn’t he? But the old traditions and prejudices die hard or not at all in many cases.

Acts 10:28 “AND HE SAID UNTO THEM, YE KNOW HOW THAT IT IS AN UNLAWFUL THING FOR A MAN THAT IS A JEW TO KEEP COMPANY, OR COME INTO ONE OF ANOTHER NATION, BUT GOD HATH SHOWED ME THAT I SHOULD NOT CALL ANY MAN COMMON OR UNCLEAN.”

But God’s messenger had just appeared unto him in a trance and, at that time at least, he understood the God didn’t make such distinctions.

v4. “BUT PETER REHEARSED the matter FROM THE BEGINNING, AND EXPOUNDED it BY ORDER UNTO THEM, SAYING,”

What is meant by him rehearsing and expounding on this subject? He told them all that happened, in detail, starting at the beginning and then taking them through it in order as things happened. Why do you think that this event was considered so important that it is recorded twice in consecutive chapters? It is to highlight, underscore, emphasize that God considers all men to be equal in value. All mankind was created in the image of God and Jesus Christ (Genesis 1:26-27).

v5. “I WAS IN THE CITY OF JOPPA PRAYING: AND IN A TRANCE I SAW A VISION, A CERTAIN VESSEL DESCEND, AS IT HAD BEEN A GREAT SHEET, LET DOWN FROM HEAVEN BY FOUR CORNERS; AND IT CAME EVEN TO ME:”

Peter starts to tell his story. He was in Joppa, on the rooftop as we studied earlier, praying and in a trance when a vessel, like a sheet held up at the four corners was let down from heaven and it came even with him.

v6. “UPON THE WHICH WHEN I HAD FASTENED MINE EYES, I CONSIDERED, AND SAW FOURFOOTED BEASTS OF THE EARTH, AND WILD BEASTS AND CREEPING THINGS, AND FOWLS OF THE AIR.”

It has all these animals on it, both domestic and wild, creeping things and fowls of the air or those that fly; both those that were approved under the Mosaic Law and those that were forbidden.

v7. “AND I HEARD A VOICE SAYING UNTO ME, PETER: SLAY AND EAT.”

As you will remember from our earlier study, Peter is hungry, even to the point of being famished. The messenger tells him to rise, slay and eat of those animals, fowls and creeping things including those that, under the Mosaic Law, were unclean and forbidden.

v8. “BUT I SAID, NOT SO, LORD: FOR NOTHING COMMON OR UNCLEAN HATH AT ANY TIME ENTERED INTO MY MOUTH.”

Peter tells them that he refused the offering, even though he knew it came from the Lord. He upheld the Jewish tradition, followed the Jewish law as taught by those of the circumcision to the point of even refusing God’s invitation.

v9. “BUT THE VOICE ANSWERED ME AGAIN FROM HEAVEN, WHAT GOD HATH CLEANSED, that CALL NOT THOU COMMON.”

Peter’s refusal gets God to admonish him, correct him, convey to him that he needs to change his thinking. He is not to call anything common or unclean that God has prepared.

v10. “AND THIS WAS DONE THREE TIMES: AND ALL WERE DRAWN UP AGAIN UNTO HEAVEN.”

Three times Peter was offered the contents of the vessel that appears as a sheet drawn up by the four corners. Three times he refuses to do as God’s messenger instructs him.

v11. “AND, BEHOLD, IMMEDIATELY THERE WERE THREE MEN ALREADY COME UNTO THE HOUSE WHERE I WAS, SENT FROM CAESAREA UNTO ME.”

Peter relates the close relationship between the offering by God of those animals to eat that were considered common or unclean and the arrival of the Gentile messengers from Caesarea. This helps us draw the conclusion that the Holy Spirit wishes us to draw from this experience. God is in control, as usual, and things are happening in the proper order and at the proper time. The time has come for redemption from sin to be offered unto all mankind, not just the descendants of Israel.

v12. “AND THE SPIRIT BADE ME GO WITH THEM, NOTHING DOUBTING. MOREOVER THESE SIX BRETHREN ACCOMPANIED ME, AND WE ENTERED INTO THE MAN’S HOUSE.”

He leaves no doubt. The Holy Spirit gave him direction to go unto the house of Cornelius. These six witnesses from Joppa went with him, so the events he is relating are not just his observations but there are those standing by that can verify and validate what he’s saying.

v13. “AND HE SHOWED US HOW HE HAD SEEN AN ANGEL IN HIS HOUSE, WHICH STOOD AND SAID UNTO HIM, SEND MEN TO JOPPA, AND CALL FOR SIMON, WHOSE SURNAME IS PETER;

He relates how that Cornelius had seen an angel, a messenger from God, who had come to him. This messenger told Cornelius to send to Joppa for Simon Peter.

v14. “WHO SHALL TELL THEE WORDS, WHEREBY THOU AND ALL THY HOUSE SHALL BE SAVED.”

This is new information. In chapter ten we’re told that:

Acts 10:32 “….WHO, WHEN HE COMETH, SHALL SPEAK UNTO THEE.”

but Peter says when he tells the Jews about these events that Cornelius would be told “WORDS, WHEREBY THOU AND ALL THY HOUSE SHALL BE SAVED.” We might say, no wonder the entire household was gathered along with near friends as well. Redemption from sin and eternal salvation is being preached throughout the land but only to the descendants of Israel. Now that same message is to come to the Gentiles. As believers in God, anyone that Cornelius knew would be interested in hearing these things.

v15. “AND AS I BEGAN TO SPEAK, THE HOLY GHOST FELL ON THEM, AS ON US AT THE BEGINNING.”

Peter had no more than begun to speak when Cornelius and his household received the power of the Holy Spirit, “AS ON US (the apostles) AT THE BEGINNING.” What beginning?

Acts 2:4 “AND THEY WERE ALL FILLED WITH THE HOLY GHOST, AND BEGAN TO SPEAK WITH OTHER TONGUES, AS THE SPIRIT GAVE THEM UTTERANCE.”

The day of Pentecost; that beginning. The Holy Spirit fell on these unsaved Gentiles in the same manner as on the apostles at Pentecost. God has shown without any shadow of doubt his acceptance of these people into His kingdom, His family.

v16. “THEN REMEMBERED I THE WORD OF THE LORD, HOW THAT HE SAID, JOHN INDEED BAPITZED WITH WATER; BUT YE SHALL BE BAPTIZED WITH THE HOLY GHOST.”

We have this event foretold in prophecy by Joel:

Joel 2:28 “AND IT SHALL COME TO PASS AFTERWARD, that I WILL POUR OUT MY SPIRIT UPON ALL FLESH; AND YOUR SONS AND YOUR DAUGHTERS SHALL PROPHESY, YOUR OLD MEN SHALL DREAM DREAMS, YOUR YOUNG MEN SHALL SEE VISIONS:”

Again by John the Bapitzer:

Matthew 3:11 “I INDEED BAPTIZE YOU WITH WATER UNTO REPENTANCE: BUT HE THAT COMETH AFTER ME IS MIGHTIER THAN I, WHOSE SHOES I AM NOT WORTHY TO BEAR: HE SHALL BAPITZE YOU WITH THE HOLY GHOST, AND with FIRE.”

And confirmed by Jesus Christ just before Pentecost:

Acts 1:5 “FOR JOHN TRULY BAPITIZED WITH WATER; BUT YE SHALL BE BAPTIZED WITH THE HOLY GHOST NOT MANY DAYS HENCE.”

And when the Gentiles received the Holy Spirit the same way that the apostles had received it in Jerusalem; it was a sign from God that could not be denied.

v17. “FORASMUCH THEN AS GOD GAVE THEM THE LIKE GIFT AS he did UNTO US, WHO BELIEVED ON THE LORD JESUS CHRIST; WHAT WAS I THAT I COULD WITHSTAND GOD?”

Peter says, I can’t stand in the way of God. It is God’s will that these people should be accepted into the church. It is God’s will that these people be considered brethren, it is God’s will that they should be baptized for remission of their sins, is it God’s will… He was but the instrument chosen by Jesus to carry out that will. Why? Again, because Peter was given the keys to the kingdom:

Matthew 16:19 “¹⁹And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”

v18. “WHEN THEY HEARD THESE THINGS, THEY HELD THEIR PEACE, AND GLORIFIED GOD, SAYING, THEN HATH GOD ALSO TO THE GENTILES GRANTED REPENTANCE UNTO LIFE.”

They recognized and accepted God’s decision in the matter. I would that some of our brethren would show the same kind of spirit today regarding other matters. Paul writes:

Romans 10:12-13 “FOR THERE IS NO DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE JEW AND THE GREEK: FOR THE SAME LORD OVER ALL IS RICH UNTO ALL THAT CALL UPON HIM. FOR WHOSOEVER SHALL CALL UPON THE NAME OF THE LORD SHALL BE SAVED.”

What do we mean by the term “CALL UPON THE NAME OF THE LORD”? Seek His favor, obey His commandments, humble yourself before him;

Romans 15:9 “AND THAT THE GENTILES MIGHT GLORIFY GOD FOR his MERCY; AS IT IS WRITTEN, FOR THIS CAUSE I WILL CONFESS TO THEE AMONG THE GENTILES, AND SING UNTO THY NAME.”

It is written! Do we know where? At Psalm of David:

Psalms 18:49 “THEREFORE WILL I GIVE THANKS UNTO THEE, O LORD, AMONG THE HEATHEN, AND SING PRAISES UNTO THY NAME.”

Read Acts 11:19-21

v19. “NOW THEY WHICH WERE SCATTERED ABROAD UPON THE PERSECUTION THAT AROSE ABOUT STEPHEN TRAVELLED AS FAR AS PHENICE, AND CYPRUS, AND ANTIOCH, PREACHING THE WORD TO NONE BUT UNTO JEWS ONLY.”

Luke, the historian, now goes back to the time that would be represented by chapter eight. After the death of Stephen and the lack of Roman reaction, the Jews became bolder in their persecution of Christians and as a result they were dispersed from Jerusalem and the region of Judaea. Where is Phenice? This is the country of Phoenicia, north of Galilee, today called Lebanon and included the cities of Tyre and Sidon. Cyprus is an island in the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Syria and only a short sail from Antioch of Syria and it’s seaport of Selecuia. This is the region that Luke is talking about, north of Galilee, Samaria and Judaea. They went preaching the Word but unto Jews only.

v20. “AND SOME OF THEM WERE MEN OF CYPRUS AND CYRENE, WHICH, WHEN THEY WERE COME TO ANTIOCH, SPAKE UNTO THE GRECIANS, PREACHING THE LORD JESUS.”

Now some of these men were from Cyprus and Cyrene. Where is Cyrene? It’s mentioned in Acts 2:10 as one of the places the Jews were from when Peter preached to the multitude in Jerusalem on Pentecost. It is in North Africa, eastern Libya. Now these Jews from Cyprus and Cyrene were probably Hellenists, Greek speaking Jews, who had been converted to Christ, probably the liberals of their day, at least in the eyes of the Pharisees and Hebrew elders in Jerusalem. They were present at Pentecost, were the Grecians whose widows were being neglected in Acts 6 and had been converted out of those whom Stephen disputed with in Acts 9. Most commentators will agree that they started in Antioch to preach Jesus to the Gentiles, (Greeks as Luke describes them here), though some would contend that they were converting other Greek speaking Jews.

v21. “AND THE HAND OF THE LORD WAS WITH THEM: AND A GREAT NUMBER BELIEVED, AND TURNED UNTO THE LORD.”

God gave the increase. They preached Jesus, the Word and God provided the numbers. It seems that the power of the Gospel is such that when it is preached to those who are willing to listen it will convert great numbers. What would you suppose is our problem today? We preach the same gospel but we’re not converting great numbers. Has the seed gone bad? Of course not, it’s God’s Word. Are the sowers incompetent? We would rather not think so but at the same time I wonder how much real sowing we’re doing. What other reasons could there be? Is the ground no good, not willing to receive the seed, not taking root when it does, is it like the example found in the parable of the soils? Seed won’t grow on rocks, or if it does grow, it gets choked out in the weeds and briars or just gets started and the devil snatches it away. A major part of the problem is that half baked gospel that the denominations peddle, deceiving people by the thousands and keeping them from hearing or accepting the true word of God.

Read Acts 11:22-27

v22. “THEN TIDINGS OF THESE THINGS CAME UNTO THE EARS OF THE CHURCH WHICH WAS IN JERUSALEM: AND THEY SENT FORTH BARNABAS THAT HE SHOULD GO AS FAR AS ANTIOCH.”

The church was established in Antioch and apparently included many Gentile Christians. This news came to the ears of those who were at Jerusalem so they send somebody to investigate. Barnabas, whom we have studied before, is sent; the same man who befriended Saul when he was in Jerusalem.

v23. “WHO, WHEN HE CAME, AND HAD SEEN THE GRACE OF GOD, WAS GLAD, AND EXHORTED THEM ALL, THAT WITH PURPOSE OF HEART THEY WOULD CLEAVE UNTO THE LORD.”

God’s grace has been given to all mankind hasn’t it? The opportunity to obey God, share the blessings of being a child of God, share the promise of a home in heaven in the hereafter is given to all mankind regardless of color, race, or national origin. And man thinks he invented integration doesn’t he? But in reality we are all one big family that became separated when? At the tower of Babel when God caused man’s languages to be confused.

This Barnabas goes to Antioch with a message of encouragement; he is gifted in exhorting the brethren; that is the reason for his surname. He builds up the church there, exhorting them that they should strengthen the purpose in their hearts to cling to God and God’s word always.

v24. “FOR HE WAS A GOOD MAN, AND FULL OF THE HOLY GHOST AND OF FAITH: AND MUCH PEOPLE WAS ADDED UNTO THE LORD.”

What is a good man?

Psalms 37:23 “THE STEPS OF A good MAN ARE ORDERED BY THE LORD: AND HE DELIGHTETH IN HIS WAY.”

Do we find very many men described in the Bible as a “good man?” Not many, in fact we find these specific words in the King James Version only 13 times. Only two or three of these 13 apply this term to a man, the others are telling us what a good man is.

But this Barnabas was a good man. God calls him a good man through the Holy Spirit so that pretty well tells us what we need to know about the man doesn’t it? But in addition he was full of the Holy Spirit and was more than willing to work in the Lord’s vineyard. Consequently he obviously had a reputation among his brethren as sound and solid in the faith, so one that they could readily send to another region to see about the church there. Knowing that they could trust him without hesitation and that he would do what God wanted him to do.

v25. “THEN DEPARTED BARNABAS TO TARSUS, FOR TO SEEK SAUL.”

Barnabas remembers Saul. It would seem that he’s needed for the work at Antioch. Perhaps the brethren at Antioch had heard about him and wanted him to come work with them but at any rate Barnabas goes to Saul’s home town to find him. You’ll remember from Acts chapter nine that Saul was converted in Damascus of Syria, lived there a while, went to Arabia, came back to Damascus and when went to Jerusalem. Left Jerusalem when the Jews sought to kill him and traveled back to his hometown of Tarsus.

v26. “AND WHEN HE HAD FOUND HIM, HE BROUGHT HIM TO ANTIOCH. AND IT CAME TO PASS, THAT A WHOLE YEAR THEY ASSEMBLED THEMSELVES WITH THE CHURCH, AND TAUGHT MUCH PEOPLE. AND THE DISCIPLES WERE CALLED CHRISTIANS FIRST IN ANTIOCH.”

When Barnabas found Saul he brought him to Antioch. Then they had a big gospel meeting. No? They had no special event. But as they assembled with these Christians at Antioch for a year, they taught continuously. We can be sure that they probably had to earn a living. We can surmise, just as Paul and Barnabas did on their first missionary journey; they taught in the synagogues, from house to house and even in the public places. They spent a year, teaching, preaching, assembling with the church there, taught much people and that these disciples were called Christians first there in this city.

Read Acts 11:27-30

v27. “AND IN THESE DAYS CAME PROPHETS FROM JERUSALEM UNTO ANTIOCH.”

There were prophets in the church during the first century weren’t there?

Ephesians 4:11 “AND HE GAVE SOME, APOSTLES; AND SOME, PROPHETS; AND SOME, EVANGELISTS; AND SOME, PASTORS AND TEACHERS.”

I Corinthians 12:28 “AND GOD HATH SET SOME IN THE CHURCH, FIRST APOSTLES, SECONDARILY PROPHETS, THIRDLY TEACHERS, AFTER THAT MIRACLES, THEN GIFTS OF HEALINGS, HELPS, GOVERNMENTS, DIVERSITIES OF TONGUES.”

We’re about to hear about one of those prophets but there were others:

Acts 13:1 “NOW THERE WERE IN THE CHURCH THAT WAS AT ANTIOCH CERTAIN PROPHETS AND TEACHERS; AS BARNABAS, AND SIMEON THAT WAS CALLED NIGER, AND LUCIUS OF CYRENE, AND MANAEN, WHICH HAD BEEN BROUGHT UP WITH HEROD THE TETARCH, AND SAUL.”

v28. “AND THERE STOOD UP ONE OF THEM NAMED AGABUS, AND SIGNIFIED BY THE SPIRIT THAT THERE SHOULD BE GREAT DEARTH THROUGHOUT ALL THE WORLD: WHICH CAME TO PASS IN THE DAYS OF CLAUDIUS CAESAR.”

One of these prophets, not mentioned in Acts 13:1, but here was a man called Agabus who came down from Jerusalem. Do we know anything else about this man?

Acts 21:10 “AND AS WE TARRIED there MANY DAYS, THERE CAME DOWN FROM JUDAEA A CERTAIN PROPHET, NAMED AGABUS.”

Yes, we meet him again in Caesarea, at the house of Philip, and he prophesies of Paul’s troubles to come when he goes to Jerusalem.

This also gives us an opportunity to date this portion of the book of Acts with some degree of accuracy. Claudius Caesar ruled the Roman empire from A.D. 41 to A.D. 54. Historians usually put this great famine at dates between A.D. 44 and A.D. 48 with most settling for A.D. 45 or about twelve - fifteen years after the death of Christ.

v29. “THEN THE DISCIPLES, EVERY MAN ACCORDING TO HIS ABILITY, DETERMINED TO SEND RELIEF UNTO THE BRETHREN WHICH DWELT IN JUDAEA:”

Paul continued this practice throughout his journeys didn’t he?

Romans 15:26 “FOR IT HATH PLEASED THEM OF MACEDONIA AND ACHAIA TO MAKE A CERTAIN CONTRIBUTION FOR THE POOR SAINTS WHICH ARE AT JERUSALEM.”

This activity lead to the instructions we have concerning our giving didn’t it?

I Corinthians 16:1-2 “NOW CONCERNING THE COLLECTION FOR THE SAINTS, AS I HAVE GIVEN ORDER TO THE CHURCHES OF GALATIA, EVEN SO DO YE. UPON THE FIRST day OF THE WEEK LET EVERY ONE OF YOU LAY BY HIM IN STORE, AS God HATH PROSPERED HIM, THAT THERE BE NO GATHERINGS WHEN I COME.”

v30. “WHICH ALSO THEY DID, AND SENT IT TO THE ELDERS BY THE HANDS OF BARNABAS AND SAUL.”

The church at Antioch had collected funds to send for the relief of the saints in Judaea. Since they couldn’t mail a check or send a wire transfer in those days somebody had to carry their contribution to whomever it was intended to be given. Barnabas and Saul were given this task. Barnabas had come down from Jerusalem and sought out Saul and both had been in that city for a year, and they were known in Jerusalem.

One other thing we might note here. This is the first time in the New Testament that we have the word “elders” mentioned in relationship to the church. All previous mention of elders has been in connection with the Jewish religion and the leadership of the Jews in Jerusalem. But here in the original language we have the Greek word “presbuterous”, the word from which we also get the word “presbyters”, and it is translated elders.