CONTEXT IS THE KEY TO CORRECT UNDERSTANDING OF ACTS 10 !
- THE TIMING OF EVENTS REVEALS GOD INTENTIONS Events in Acts Chapter Ten reveal the message that God is presenting to Peter. Peter was one of the Apostles who was not pro gentile therefore his witness would be strong in regards to the direction God was leading the church.
Acts 11:2-18 NKJV 2 And when Peter came up to Jerusalem, those of the circumcision contended with him, 3 saying, "You went in to uncircumcised men ….' 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."
The more likely conservative branch of the church attacked Peter for baptizing gentiles. Peter's defense was not that this is a good event, but who was I to withstand God. Peter says it was not my idea. Peter reviews the timing of events as they are recorded first in Acts Ten. Further Gal 2:11-14 reveals that Peter's natural tendency is to be a bit wary of gentile believers. A look at the timing as Peter gave in his defense in Acts 11 is too strong to ignore. The very first event in Acts 10 is:
Acts 10:1-6 NKJV 1 There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian Regiment, 2 a devout man and one who feared God... in a vision an angel of God coming in and saying to him, "Cornelius!" 4 And when he observed him, he was afraid, ... 5 "Now send men to Joppa, and send for Simon whose surname is Peter. 6 ... He will tell you what you must do."
Event number one is the message to a God believing uncircumcised gentile. He is told to contact the Apostle Peter. He sends men to Peter and exactly as they arrive, Peter receives a vision regarding the invitation to preach to this gentile. Perfect timing.
Acts 10:17-20 NKJV 17 Now while Peter wondered within himself what this vision which he had seen meant, behold, the men who had been sent from Cornelius had made inquiry for Simon's house, and stood before the gate.... 19 While Peter thought about the vision, the Spirit said to him, "Behold, three men are seeking you. 20 "Arise therefore, go down and go with them, doubting nothing; for I have sent them."
God through the Holy Spirit told Peter not to question going to visit these gentiles but to go and deliver the Gospel Message to them. The contextual timing is obvious to any unbiased reader.
- THE APOSTLE PETER'S FOUNDATIONAL UNDERSTANDING What perspective did Peter take after seeing the vision? Did He rush to assume as many teachers do today that the sheet vision was God canceling his laws regarding what meats were clean and eatable? No! Peter knew better. God Laws are not capricious and arbitrary.
Acts 10:13-14 NKJV 13 And a voice came to him, "Rise, Peter; kill and eat." 14 But Peter said, "Not so, Lord! For I have never eaten anything common or unclean."
If Jesus had canceled the laws in the OT at his resurrection certainly Peter should if anyone have known this fact. Needless to say no such cancellation ever happened. Jesus did not enter the world to cancel what He accomplished and had given to Israel in the past.
Matthew 5:17-19 NKJV 17 "Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. 18 "For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. 19 "Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
Some say well, grace and faith changed all that in spite of what our Savior stated.
Romans 3:30-31 NKJV 30 since there is one God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith. 31 Do we then make void the law through faith? Certainly not! On the contrary, we establish the law.
Peter understood all these things clearly and never doubted the laws of clean eatable meats. God has not removed the ban on eating mice, bats, rats and pigs and scavengers of the ocean and land. Therefore Peter wondered what the vision meant.
- PETER REALIZED THE TRUE MEANING The true message Christ sent to his Apostle and the church was that all believers were welcomed into the church, even raw, uncircumcised gentiles.
Acts 10:28 NKJV 28 Then he said to them, "You know how unlawful it is for a Jewish man to keep company with or go to one of another nation. But God has shown me that I should not call any man common or unclean.
Peter correctly interpreted this vision. We can ignore messages in Bible commentaries quoting the sheet vision of Acts 10 as proof that we now can eat anything we give thanks for because it is now OK with God. There are so many dangerous items on the land and in the sea that are poisonous that this is a ridiculous statement. Peter further elaborates on the consequences of this new revelation.
Acts 10:34-35 NKJV 34 Then Peter opened his mouth and said: "In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. 35 "But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him.
ACTS TEN IS STEP ONE IN SENDING THE GOSPEL TO THE WORLD
Peter recognized that the Good News or gospel was now no longer limited to just the Jewish world. Remember in the first century, Christianity was for a long time, only seen as a sect within Judaism. Jesus used the vision in Acts Ten to signal the preaching of the gospel beyond those limits. God would soon bring about a new Apostle to deliver this message to the outside world. A man who grew up in both the gentile world and the Jewish world - the Apostle Paul. Right after Peter convinced the church that God was giving the Holy Spirit to gentiles in Acts 11 notice what happens.
Acts 11:25-26 NKJV 25 Then Barnabas departed for Tarsus to seek Saul (Paul). 26 And when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. So it was that for a whole year they assembled with the church and taught a great many people. And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.
The church was still seen as a sect within Judaism for many more years but some outsiders could see a clear difference between believers in Jesus of Nazareth and the other Jews.
Acts 24:5 NKJV 5 "For we have found this man a plague, a creator of dissension among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes.
Acts 28:22 NKJV 22 "But we desire to hear from you what you think; for concerning this sect, we know that it is spoken against everywhere."
The Apostle Paul took this sect within Judaism to the entire gentile world and turned the world upside down theologically.
Acts 17:6 NKJV 6 But when they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some brethren to the rulers of the city, crying out, "These who have turned the world upside down have come here too.
Paul took the gospel to much of the Roman Empire and turned the world upside down with the truth of the Bible. We can see that Acts 10 and 11 were signals to the church that it was time for the leadership to send the message to rest of the world.
Matthew 28:19-20 KJV 19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: {teach...: or, make disciples, or, Christians of all nations} 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
Israel was to be a shining light to the rest of the world and the true church has a role to play in this mission to all nations ( gentiles).
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
- WHY DOESN'T EVERYONE KNOW TO CHECK THE CONTEXT FOR ALL THINGS READ OR VIEWED FOR ACCURACY? POOR EDUCATION?
- WHY DO PEOPLE THINK THAT RELIGION SHOULD NOT MAKE SENSE?
- WHY DO PEOPLE DOUBT THAT GOD HAS A GOOD REASON TO FORBID CERTAIN THINGS?
- WILL THE INTERNET HELP THE GOSPEL GO TO ALL NATIONS?
