WHEN PETER WENT UP TO JERUSALEM. The Jewish Christians who made up the "group" at Jerusalem [who still "kept" the Tradition (Acts 21:20)] and the Samaritan Christians were all _circumcised._ Cornelius and the other Christians at Caesarea were the first _uncircumcised_ Christians. Some thought Gentil... [ Continue Reading ]
IN THE HOME OF UNCIRCUMCISED GENTILES. This violated their Tradition! Notice that in the case of Peter himself, it took: (1) the vision; (2) God's command; (3) Cornelius' request; (4) the "coming down" of the Holy Spirit - to convince him that God did intend the Gentiles to come into the kingdom. No... [ Continue Reading ]
SO PETER GAVE THEM A FULL ACCOUNT. To show that he had done what God has authorized him to do. Compare notes on _chapter 10._... [ Continue Reading ]
THESE SIX BROTHERS FROM JOPPA. Peter had taken them with him to Jerusalem to be "witnesses" of all that had happened. This shows Peter expected to be criticized.... [ Continue Reading ]
HE WILL SPEAK WORDS TO YOU. Cornelius could not have _faith_ until he heard the message about Christ and believed it (Romans 10:17). WILL BE SAVED. (1) Cornelius, a religious man, was not yet _saved._ (2) God's _grace_ brought the Good News of Jesus Christ to him _through_ a human agent, Peter. (3)... [ Continue Reading ]
JUST AS ON US AT THE BEGINNING. Peter refers back to the birth-day of the church.... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT YOU WILL BE BAPTIZED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT. Acts 1:5_ and note._ Peter calls this: "baptism with the Holy Spirit." Every Christian has the "Holy Spirit as a gift," along with the _fruits_ of this gift (Galatians 5:22-23). The gifts of the Spirit (baptism with the Holy Spirit) were unusual and not... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEN THEY HEARD THIS. "Facts are stubborn things." Notice they are willing to stop their criticism and praise God!... [ Continue Reading ]
THE BELIEVERS WERE SCATTERED. Acts 8:4-5. PHOENICIA. A long, fertile area between the mountains of Lebanon and the sea. Tyre and Sidon were cities of this area. CYPRUS. A large island in the Mediterranean Sea. ANTIOCH. Capital of the entire province of Syria, including Palestine. Only Rome and Alexa... [ Continue Reading ]
CYRENE. A Greek city in North Africa, which had a large Jewish population. PROCLAIMED THE MESSAGE TO GENTILES ALSO. ["Greek" often means "Gentile."] These _preachers_ were Jews who spoke the Greek language. Led by the Spirit, they preached the Good News to these Gentiles (_see notes on_ Acts 10:2);... [ Continue Reading ]
SO THEY SENT BARNABAS TO ANTIOCH. Barnabas was a "Greek-speaking Jew" (Acts 4:36), who was the friend of another "Greek-speaking Jew" named Paul (Acts 9:27). He was sent to _evaluate_ what was happening there. AND SAW HOW GOD HAD BLESSED THE PEOPLE. This is the first "group" [messianic community, ch... [ Continue Reading ]
TO LOOK FOR SAUL. _Compare note on_ Acts 9:30. Paul is thought to have come to Antioch in 43 A.D. [by the corrected calendar]. An "apostle" was needed at Antioch to "pass on" spiritual gifts and bring "instant maturity" to the community of believers there. Compare notes on 1 Corinthians 12:27-31. FI... [ Continue Reading ]
ABOUT THAT TIME SOME PROPHETS. See note on Acts 2:17. NAMED AGABUS. We meet him again in Acts 21:10. A GREAT FAMINE. _Eusebius_ writes: "In his reign there was a famine that prevailed over the whole world; an event, indeed, which has been handed down by historians very far from our doctrine; and by... [ Continue Reading ]
TO HELP THEIR BROTHERS WHO LIVED IN JUDEA. This marks the beginning of a new "spirit" which was to radically change the Gentile world! The _Gentiles_ of Antioch "reach out in love" to their _Jewish_ brothers in Judea!... [ Continue Reading ]