BIBLE STUDY MANUALS: ACTS CHAPTER 11

ACTS CHAPTER ELEVEN

OBSERVATION STAGE

The purpose of the observation stage is to maintain focus on the text at hand within the normative rules of language, context and logic .which largely limits the observer to the content offered by the books of Luke and Acts. Other passages must have a relationship with the context at hand, such as a Scriptural quotation or reference in the passage at hand. This will serve to avoid going on unnecessary tangents elsewhere; and more importantly, it will provide the framework for a proper and objective comparison with passages located elsewhere in Scripture.

Remember that something elsewhere may be true, but in the text at hand it may not be in view.

****** EXCERPT FROM ACTS CHAPTER 10 ******

OR SKIP TO THE BEGINNING OF CHAPTER 11

(Acts 10:44-48) WHILE PETER WAS YET SPEAKING THE WORD OF THE GOSPEL OF ETERNAL LIFE, THE HOLY SPIRIT FELL UPON ALL THOSE HEARING THE WORD. ALL THE JEWISH BELIEVERS WHO CAME WITH PETER WERE ASTONISHED BECAUSE THE GIFT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT HAD BEEN POURED OUT ON THE GENTILES ALSO. FOR THEY WERE SPEAKING WITH TONGUES AND EXALTING GOD JUST AS THE DISCIPLES HAD DONE AT PENTECOST AS EVIDENCE OF THEIR HOLY SPIRIT BAPTISM. THEN PETER ANSWERED, "CAN ANYONE FORBID WATER BAPTISM, THAT THESE SHOULD NOT BE BAPTIZED WHO HAVE RECEIVED THE HOLY SPIRIT JUST AS WE HAVE?" - REFERRING TO HOLY SPIRIT BAPTISM; AND HE ORDERED THEM TO BE WATER BAPTIZED IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST. FOR THE GENTILE BELIEVERS WERE EVIDENTLY ONE WITH THE JEWISH BELIEVERS IN CHRIST. THEN THE NEW GENTILE BELIEVERS ASKED PETER TO STAY ON FOR A FEW DAYS, EVIDENTLY FOR INSTRUCTION AND FELLOWSHIP

(Acts 10:44 YLT) "While Peter is yet speaking these [words], the Holy spirit fell upon all those hearing the word, (Acts 10:45 NASB) All the circumcised believers [lit. believers from among the circumcision, i.e., Jewish believers in Christ] who came with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. (Acts 10:46 NASB) For they were hearing them speaking with tongues and exalting God. Then Peter answered, (Acts 10:47 NKJV) 'Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?' (Acts 10:48 NASB) And he ordered them to be baptized *in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to stay on for a few days.' "

Note far less weighty evidence for "in the name of the LORD", "LORD Jesus" or "LORD Jesus Christ." =

While Peter was speaking the words of his message of the gospel, (verse 43), to Cornelius and those in his household, author Luke stipulated that the Holy Spirit fell upon all those hearing his words - in the sense of receiving the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in ones human spirit, (cf. Eph 1:13-14, 17; Gal 6:18; 2 Ti 1:6-7).

[Compare Eph 1:13-17]:

(Eph 1:13 NASB) "In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation - having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise,

(Eph 1:14 NASB) who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God's own possession, to the praise of His glory.

(Eph 1:15 NASB) For this reason I too, having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which exists among you and your love for all the saints,

(Eph 1:16 NASB) do not cease giving thanks for you, while making mention of you in my prayers;

(Eph 1:17 NASB) that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him."

[Compare Ro 8:9-10]:

(Ro 8:9 NASB) "However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him.

(Ro 8:9 NASB) If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness."

Notice that the Holy Spirit indwells and acts within the dead spirit of man to give him a born again, alive human spirit, (cf. Jn 3:1-16) - "a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him [Jesus Christ], (Eph 1:17)." This is an operation within the believer's mind. It does not occur within the organ of the heart of the believer, as some contend; for the heart of man in the sense of the organ and as opposed to the mind - only pumps blood. But it is the Holy Spirit Who indwells the human spirit of the believer, making his dead spirit come to life - the spirit of man which is located in his mind - the center of wisdom, knowledge and his decisions. Note that poetically speaking the operation of the mind is often described as that of the heart .

Peter indicated that all of them had become believers in Jesus Christ and had become part of the body of believers baptized in the Holy Spirit into Jesus Christ, the Church.

[Compare 1 Cor 12:13]:

(1 Cor 12:13 NASB) "For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit."

Notice that in Acts 10:44 Peter spoke what was referred to in the Greek as "rhEma" rendered "words" which message contained therein was the gospel of Jesus Christ. And what Peter's audience heard from Peter is referred to by author Luke as "logos" in the Greek. Hence it is clear that the two Greek words are used interchangeably.

The new believers were evidently demonstrating their new found faith - their salvation unto eternal life - via spiritual gifts, specifically by speaking continuously [present participle] in tongues - in actual previously unknown languages - while they were continuously exalting God - just like the new Jewish believers did in Acts 2:17-33. Note that the Holy Spirit is spoken of here in Acts 10:44 as "falling upon" the new Gentile believers, (cf. Acts 8:16 re: new Samaritan believers), or "poured out upon," (Acts 10:45), or "poured forth" upon the new Jewish believers at Pentecost, (cf. Acts 2:17-33), in the sense of receiving the Holy Spirit in a "baptism," an indwelling of them in order to receive the power of spiritual gifts from God to exercise for the sake of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

And those of the circumcision believing, [lit. believers from among the circumcision, i.e., Jewish believers in Christ] became astonished when they observed these new Gentile believers demonstrating the miraculous spiritual gift of speaking in tongues - making them equal with themselves spiritually speaking. Their astonishment was nearly incredible, for they had lived their lives under the Mosaic Law as if the Gentiles were unclean and unacceptable to have fellowship with. Now the Gentile believers were part of the same fellowship with God. The six Jewish believers that Peter brought with him as witnesses were learning the lesson that Peter had learned - that Jew and Gentile believers were now joined together "in Christ," into one body - that God indeed shows no partiality.

................................................................ (Acts 10:44-46).

Whereupon Peter said, 'Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?' And he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ - without requiring them to be circumcized. Peter remained with Cornelius a few days, most likely to instruct him in his newfound faith.

Peter saw that the evidence of the Gentiles being baptized by the Holy Spirit, speaking in tongues as had the disciples in Jerusalem at Pentecost was sufficient for the Church to accept these believers, so no one could forbid baptism in water. Peter recognized that these Gentiles were not only accepted by God but were also a part of the Church. The Holy Spirit was poured out on believers who were already identified as the Church and as the temple of the Holy Spirit in chapter 2. Thus, their experience was the same as that of the Jewish believers at Pentecost.

[Compare Acts 11:18]:

(Acts 11:18 NASB) "When they heard this, they quieted down and glorified God, saying, 'Well then, God has granted to the Gentiles also the repentance that leads to life."

Notice the phrase in Acts 11:18 rendered, "God has granted to the Gentiles also the repentance that leads to life - in the sense of eternal life. Since Acts 10:43 indicates that believing in Jesus Christ results in remission of sins unto eternal life, then the repentance of Acts 11:18 is likewise a matter of a change of mind from not believing to one of believing in Christ for forgiveness of sins implying that Christ made provision for their sins as well as that that forgiveness of sins was unto eternal life in the Eternal Kingdom of God. So the word repentance here cannot mean a change of ones ungodly behavior to godly.

And later, in Acts 15:8-9, Peter said as follows:

[Compare Acts 15:8-9]:

(Acts 15:8 NASB) "And God, who knows the heart, testified to them giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He also did to us;

(Acts 15:9 NASB) and He made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by faith."

After being baptized in water, the new born Gentile believers asked Peter to remain with them a few days. Evidently they wanted more instruction in the truths of the gospel and desired to share spiritual fellowship with him, just as the 3,000 who were saved, baptized in water, and baptized and filled with the Spirit on the Day of Pentecost wanted to continue in the teaching and fellowship of the apostles (2:42).

......................................................................................................................... (Acts 10:47-48).

****** END OF EXCERPT FROM ACTS CHAPTER 10 ******

I) [Acts 11:1-777]:

(Acts 11:1 YLT) "And the apostles and the brethren who are in Judea heard that also the [Gentiles] [received] the word of God,

(Acts 11:2 YLT) and when Peter came up to Jerusalem, those of the circumcision were contending with him,

(Acts 11:3 NKJV) saying, 'You went in to [in the sense of going into the house of] uncircumcised men and ate with them!'

[Re: Acts 11:2, New Testament Text and Translation Commentary, Philip W. Comfort, Tyndale House, Carol Stream, Ill., 2008]:

"In Acts 11:2, the Western D, it and syr texts add '[Peter] therefore for a considerable time wanted to journey to Jerusalem, and he called to himself the brothers, and established them - speaking much throughout the country side and teaching them. He also went to meet with them, and he reported to them the grace of God. But the brothers of [the circumcision were contending with him....].'

The circumcision sector of the Jerusalem church - the Jewish believers in Christ - was very strong, and they would confront anyone that offended their Jewish predilections - including the leading apostle, Peter. This was but the beginning of problems that would come from the circumcision party. Paul's missionary activity to the Gentiles would be forever harassed and hindered by these zealots. So the introduction of it at this point in Acts is critical because chapter 11 commences the greater missionary journey to the Gentiles by the gospel going out to the Greeks (11:20) and by connecting Paul with Antioch (11:25-26), the headquarters for the mission to the Gentiles. Peter led the way for Paul in bringing the gospel to the Gentiles, and both were persecuted for it by the Jewish Christians who adhered to their Judaism"]

(Acts 11:4 YLT) And Peter having begun, did expound to them in order [in the sense of from the beginning he explained to them] saying,

(Acts 11:5 YLT 'I was in the city of Joppa praying, and I saw in a trance a vision, a certain vessel coming down, as a great sheet by four corners being let down out of the heaven, and it came unto me;

(Acts 11:6 YLT) at which having looked stedfastly, I was considering, and I saw the four-footed beasts of the earth, and the wild beasts, and the creeping things, and the fowls of heaven;

(Acts 11:7 YLT) and I heard a voice saying to me, Having risen, Peter, [kill] and eat;

(Acts 11:8 NKJV) But I said, 'Not so, Lord! For nothing common [in the sense of unholy] or unclean has at any time entered my mouth.'

(Acts 11:9 NASB) But a voice from heaven answered a second time, 'What God has cleansed, no longer consider unholy [lit. make common].'

(Acts 11:10 YLT) And this happened [three times], and again was all drawn up to the heaven,

(Acts 11:11 NASB) And behold, at that moment three men appeared at the house in which *I was staying, having been sent to me from Caesarea.

*"I was" P45, E. Psi, 33, 1739, Maj, syr cop. Var. "we were" P74, Sinaiticus, A, B, D. Either is possible since the Greek words are pronounced the same, with a slight difference in spelling. Both are equally applicable - neither being inaccurate. See 11:5 which has "I was."

(Acts 11:12 NKJV) Then the Spirit told me to go with them, doubting nothing. Moreover these six brethren accompanied me, and we entered the man's house.

(Acts 11:13 NKJV) And he told us how he had seen an angel standing in his house, who said to him, 'Send men to Joppa, and call for Simon whose surname is Peter,

(Acts 11:14 NASB) and he will speak words to you by which you will be saved, you and all your household.'

A) (Acts 11:1-?? 777) [SUMMARY IN CAPS]:

"~" =

Chapter 11 continues the context of chapter 10 - of Peter's evangelistic encounter with Gentiles at the house of Cornelius in Caesarea. Verse one stipulated that the apostles and brethren in the sense of fellow believers in Christ in Judea heard that the Gentiles received the word of God, i.e., they became fellow believers in Jesus Christ with the believers in Judea. .................................................................................................................................. (Acts 11:1).

Note that the Greek phrase "ohi ek peritomEs" rendered "those of the circumcision" literally means "the [ones] of circumcision" in verse 2. The phrase must be an emphatic one because the churches in Judea are nearly all Jewish - so the phrase evidently refers to those particular Jewish believers in the churches of Judea who insist on maintaining their Jewish tradition of keeping the Law of Moses as part of their lifestyle as believers in Jesus Christ; and they demand it of all other believers in Christ - even Gentile believers. Hence they were contending with Peter for violating the Law: they accused him of fellowshipping and eating with Gentiles, saying 'You went in to [in the sense of going into the house of] uncircumcised men and ate with them!' And this Peter indeed did do.

So when Peter came up to Jerusalem after his time in Caesarea evangelizing and spending a few days instructing the new Gentile believers, (Acts 10:48b); the particular Jewish believers in Judea who still held that all believers must still keep the Law of Moses were constantly contending with Peter over his violating that Law - despite the fact that he was one of their leaders. Note that Peter had brought six Jewish believers from Joppa with him, evidently as witnessed to his actions. ................................................... (Acts 11:2-3).

So Peter began his defense from the beginning with the vision the LORD brought down to him from heaven, whereupon he expounded his defense point for point.

The account of Peter's trance parallels the same account in Acts chapter 10 of his vision:

[Peter while in the city of Joppa, praying, saw a trance, in the sense of experiencing a vision from God. For the Greek word transliterated "ekstasis," rendered "trance" in the NKJV refers to a state where consciousness is wholly or partially suspended and the person feels himself to be outside of himself; and in the NT and especially in this context, it is implied that this state was brought about by God within Peter in order that a message might be vividly revealed to him relative to the inclusion of Gentiles into the body of believers, the church without imposing upon them the religion of Judaism, (cf. Acts 11:5; 12:11; 22:17). And in this trance / vision, Peter saw a certain vessel coming down, as a great sheet by four corners being let down out of the heaven, and it came toward him]

(Acts 11:6 YLT) at which having looked stedfastly, I was considering, and I saw the four-footed beasts of the earth, and the wild beasts, and the creeping things, and the fowls of heaven;

[And in this "sheet" Peter saw the four-footed beasts of the earth, and the wild beasts, and the creeping things, and the fowls of the air (lit., the heaven)].

(Acts 11:7 YLT) and I heard a voice saying to me, Having risen, Peter, [kill] and eat;

(Acts 11:8 NKJV) But I said, 'Not so, Lord! For nothing common [i.e., unholy because the foods, etc. were something that could be associated with Gentiles with their ungodly / unholy ways] or unclean has at any time entered my mouth.'

(Acts 11:9 NASB) But a voice from heaven answered a second time, 'What God has cleansed, no longer consider unholy [lit. make common i.e., unholy because the foods, etc. were something that could be associated with Gentiles with their ungodly / unholy ways].'

(Acts 11:10 YLT) And this happened [three times], and again was all drawn up to the heaven,"

1) [Compare Acts 10:9-16]:

(Acts 10:9 YLT) And on the [next day], as these are [journeying], and are drawing nigh to the city, Peter went up upon the house-top to pray, about the sixth hour [about noon],

(Acts 10:10 NKJV) Then he became very hungry and [was wishing] to eat; but while [those were making ready (the food)], he fell into a trance.

(Acts 10:11 YLT) and he [sees] the heaven [having been] opened, and descending unto him a certain vessel, as a great sheet, [having been] bound at the four corners, and [being] let down upon the earth,

(Acts 10:12 NASB) [in which] were ... all kinds of four-footed animals ... and crawling creatures of the earth and birds of the air [lit., heaven].

[Note that the manuscript evidence for the above posted reading of Acts 10:12 which is supported by WH, NU, P45, P74 Sinaiticus, A, B, C, cop, Lach, Treg, Alf, Tisc, Weis, Sod, Clement and Origen is superior to that for the variant reading which adds the phrase "and beasts." The phrase rendered "and beasts" is supported by TR, 020L, 025P, O44 Psi, 1241, and byz. The insertion of "and beasts" in the variant reading is the result of a scribal attempt at harmonization to Acts 11:6; and it does not serve the purpose of assuring accuracy since all accounts convey all of the creatures of the earth outside of man anyway]

(Acts 10:13 YLT) And there came a voice unto him: 'Having risen, Peter, slay and eat.'

(Acts 10:14 NKJV) But Peter said, 'Not so, Lord! For I have never eaten anything common [i.e., unholy because the foods, etc. were something that could be associated with Gentiles with their ungodly / unholy ways] [*and] unclean.'

(Acts 10:15 NKJV) And a voice spoke to him again the second time, 'What God ... cleansed you must not [consider] common [i.e., unholy because the foods, etc. were something that could be associated with Gentiles with their ungodly / unholy ways].'

(Acts 10:16 YLT) and this was done [three times], and [immediately] was the vessel received up to the heaven."

9999999999999999999 NASB 9999999999999999999999999999999999999999

Acts 11:1-30 (NASB) 1 Now the apostles and the brethren who were throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God. 2 And when Peter came up to Jerusalem, those who were circumcised took issue with him, 3 saying, "You went to uncircumcised men and ate with them." 4 But Peter began speaking and proceeded to explain to them in orderly sequence, saying, 5 "I was in the city of Joppa praying; and in a trance I saw a vision, an object coming down like a great sheet lowered by four corners from the sky; and it came right down to me, 6 and when I had fixed my gaze on it and was observing it I saw the four-footed animals of the earth and the wild beasts and the crawling creatures and the birds of the air. 7 "I also heard a voice saying to me, 'Get up, Peter; kill and eat.' 8 "But I said, 'By no means, Lord, for nothing unholy or unclean has ever entered my mouth.' 9 "But a voice from heaven answered a second time, 'What God has cleansed, no longer consider unholy.' 10 "This happened three times, and everything was drawn back up into the sky. 11 "And behold, at that moment three men appeared at the house in which we were staying, having been sent to me from Caesarea. 12 "The Spirit told me to go with them without misgivings. These six brethren also went with me and we entered the man's house. 13 "And he reported to us how he had seen the angel standing in his house, and saying, 'Send to Joppa and have Simon, who is also called Peter, brought here; 14 and he will speak words to you by which you will be saved, you and all your household.' 15 "And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them just as He did upon us at the beginning. 16 "And I remembered the word of the Lord, how He used to say, 'John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.' 17 "Therefore if God gave to them the same gift as He gave to us also after believing in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could stand in God's way?" 18 When they heard this, they quieted down and glorified God, saying, "Well then, God has granted to the Gentiles also the repentance that leads to life." 19 So then those who were scattered because of the persecution that occurred in connection with Stephen made their way to Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except to Jews alone. 20 But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who came to Antioch and began speaking to the Greeks also, preaching the Lord Jesus. 21 And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a large number who believed turned to the Lord. 22 The news about them reached the ears of the church at Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas off to Antioch. 23 Then when he arrived and witnessed the grace of God, he rejoiced and began to encourage them all with resolute heart to remain true to the Lord; 24 for he was a good man, and full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And considerable numbers were brought to the Lord. 25 And he left for Tarsus to look for Saul; 26 and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. And for an entire year they met with the church and taught considerable numbers; and the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch. 27 Now at this time some prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. 28 One of them named Agabus stood up and began to indicate by the Spirit that there would certainly be a great famine all over the world. And this took place in the reign of Claudius. 29 And in the proportion that any of the disciples had means, each of them determined to send a contribution for the relief of the brethren living in Judea. 30 And this they did, sending it in charge of Barnabas and Saul to the elders.