CHAPTER 11 THE CHURCH AT CRISIS POINT. In chapter 1 we were told of Jesus command that His apostles go out as witnesses to Jerusalem, Judaea, Samaria and the uttermost part of the earth. Subsequently we have seen how this has partially been accomplished as first Jerusalem and then the surrounding a... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Now the apostles and the brethren who were in Judaea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God.' The news had reached the ears of the Apostles and their fellow-brethren in Judaea and Jerusalem of what Peter was purported to have done. Through him Gentiles had ‘received the word of... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And when Peter was come up to Jerusalem, those who were of the circumcision contended with him, saying, “You went in to men uncircumcised, and did eat with them.” ' So when Peter arrived back in Jerusalem ‘those of the circumcision' came to him to ‘contend' (or ‘make a distinction') with him. In Ac... [ Continue Reading ]
‘But Peter began, and expounded the matter to them in order, saying, “I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision, a certain container descending, as it were a great sheet let down from heaven by four corners, and it came even to me, on which when I had fixed my eyes, I consid... [ Continue Reading ]
And I heard also a voice saying to me, “Rise, Peter; kill and eat.” But I said, “Not so, Lord: for nothing common or unclean has ever entered into my mouth.” But a voice answered the second time out of heaven, “What God has cleansed, you must not make common.” And this was done three times, and all... [ Continue Reading ]
“And behold, forthwith three men stood before the house in which we were, having been sent from Caesarea to me, and the Spirit bade me go with them, making no distinction. And these six brethren also accompanied me, and we entered into the man's house.” Then he described how three men had arrived w... [ Continue Reading ]
“And he told us how he had seen the angel standing in his house, and saying, “Send to Joppa, and fetch Simon, whose surname is Peter, who will speak to you words, by which you will be saved, you and all your house.” He then explained how once they were in the house they had been told that the reaso... [ Continue Reading ]
“And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them, even as on us at the beginning. And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he said, “John indeed baptised with water; but you will be baptised in the Holy Spirit.” ' Consequently, Peter explained, he had begun to speak to them, but _even whil... [ Continue Reading ]
“If then God gave to them the like gift as he did also to us, when we believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I, that I could withstand God?” Thus, he asked, what should he have done? If God gave to the Gentiles the same gift as He had given at Pentecost to all who believed on the Lord Jesus Chr... [ Continue Reading ]
And when they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, “Then to the Gentiles also has God granted repentance unto life.” ' Those who heard his words could, given the circumstances, find nothing to say against what Peter had done. Thus they acknowledged that they had not... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Those therefore who were scattered abroad as a result of the tribulation which arose about Stephen, travelled as far as Phoenicia, and Cyprus, and Antioch, speaking the word to none save only to Jews.' As a result of the persecution following Stephen's words and death, a good number of Hellenistic... [ Continue Reading ]
CONTINUED EXPANSION AND GOD'S NEW WORK AMONG THE GREEKS (11:19-26). Meanwhile the work of God has been going on through many unnamed and unsung heroes, and a number of those who had been scattered as a result of the persecution resulting from the death of Stephen are now seen as having gone out thr... [ Continue Reading ]
‘But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who, when they were come to Antioch, spoke to the Greeks also, preaching the Lord Jesus.' But on their arrival in Syrian Antioch some of them who were men of Cyprus and of Cyrene (North Africa) spoke to ‘Greeks', proclaiming the Good News about... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number who believed turned to the Lord.' And ‘the hand of the Lord was with them'. Compare Acts 4:30. It may thus indicate signs and wonders. But it is a good Old Testament phrase (Ezra 9:7; Isaiah 66:14; compare Luke 1:66) and may simply (if we c... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And the report concerning them came to the ears of the church which was in Jerusalem, and they sent forth Barnabas as far as Antioch, who, when he was come, and had seen the grace of God, was glad, and he exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they would cleave to the Lord.' News of what had... [ Continue Reading ]
‘For he was a good man, and full of the Holy Spirit and of faith, and much people was added to the Lord.' No greater accolade could have been paid to Barnabas than this, that he was a good man, and that he was full of the Holy Spirit as was evidenced by his outstanding faith (compare Galatians 5:22... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And he went forth to Tarsus to seek for Saul, and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. And it came about that even for a whole year they were gathered together with the church, and taught much people, and that the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.' Barnabas was not onl... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Now in these days there came down prophets from Jerusalem to Antioch.' It began when prophets from Jerusalem came down to Antioch, presumably because they had heard of the work that was going on and wanted to assist. It was a further expression of the love and concern of the church in Jerusalem for... [ Continue Reading ]
GOD'S PEOPLE REACH OUT IN LOVE TO MEET EACH OTHER'S NEEDS (11:27-30). This is in a way similar to the summaries that had followed the early evangelism, demonstrating the spirituality and genuineness of those involved, and what a difference the word had made in their lives (Acts 2:42; Acts 4:32). Th... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And there stood up one of them named Agabus, and signified by the Spirit that there would be a great famine over all the world, which came about in the days of Claudius.' The prophets in the main expounded the Scriptures, but sometimes one or more would receive ‘a revelation' (1 Corinthians 14:26)... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And the disciples, every man according to his ability, determined to send relief to the brethren who dwelt in Judea, which also they did, sending it to the elders by the hand of Barnabas and Saul.' So the disciples in Antioch, who would be far less affected by such a famine, and some of whom had t... [ Continue Reading ]