Acts 11:1-18

Peter Defends his Action at Jerusalem. As Philip's action at Samaria (Acts 8:14), so here Peter's doings at Cæ sarea are reported at Jerusalem. The Samaritans were, in many respects, Jews, but Cornelius and his friends were not. Would the Mother Church agree to the offering of the Gospel to Gentiles? A variant in Acts 11:2 puts quite a different colour on the course of events. D, with ancient Syriac and Latin versions, reads: Now Peter wished for a considerable time to go to Jerusalem, and he called the brethren to him and confirmed them, speaking at length and teaching them from district to district, and he met them and announced to them the grace of God (cf. Acts 11:23) and the brethren of the circumcision disputed with him, etc. According to this text Peter had given up living at Jerusalem, but conceived a desire to go there; he did what he could for the new churches before he left them, and when he met certain people on his way told them how matters stood in the province. The place of the following discussion is changed to one not named, where the meeting took place; and it is made plain that those who disputed with Peter were not people outside but Christians of the Jewish sort. EV really points to the same conclusion. It was intolerable to the Jews in the Church that the chief of the apostles should treat the Jewish position of separateness so lightly, that he should enter the houses of Gentiles and share their food (Acts 10:28). Peter tells the story of his vision.

Acts 11:15. as on us at the beginning (i.e. Acts 11:21 ff.): in Cornelius there is a new beginning of the Gospel.

Acts 11:16. the word of the Lord: contrasting the baptism of John with the Christian rite, is quoted (Acts 1:5 *).

Acts 11:18. For repentance as a Divine gift cf. Acts 5:31.