Chapter 11
[Acts 11:6] -- And I saw the four-footed animals of the earth, and beasts, and reptiles, and birds of the sky, etc. I am amazed how these things are interpreted concerning certain foods prohibited by the old law but now allowed to be eaten, when neither serpents nor reptiles can be eaten, nor did Peter understand it this way, but that all people are equally called to the Gospel of Christ, and no one is impure by nature. For he was not rebuked for eating beasts but for associating with Gentiles, he explained the mystery of this vision.
[Acts 11:12] -- But these six brothers also came with me. Beautifully, the testimony of the seven-fold number of brothers is the outpouring of the sevenfold grace of the Holy Spirit. Elsewhere. Because the world was formed in six days, the works are shown to be complete by the six brothers. They well accompany the teacher when they demonstrate to their listeners examples of perfect operation during words of exhortation.
[Acts 11:18] -- And they glorified God, saying: So then, God has given even the Gentiles repentance unto life. This is what we read in the book of blessed Job: From the north comes gold, and terrifying praise to God (Job 37:22). Because first the splendor of faith arises from the cold heart of the Gentiles, and for this unexpected faith, Judea glorifies God with fearful praise.
[Acts 11:19] -- They traveled as far as Phoenicia, and Cyprus, and Antioch, etc. Here already, after the revelation of the Gospel sheet, in which the holy animals rested softly in hope from above, the affairs of the Church began to increase, with the Gospel being preached through foreign provinces, islands, and cities, not only to the Jews but also to the Gentiles.
[Acts 11:25] -- But he set out for Tarsus to search for Saul. For it was said earlier that Saul would be secretly sent from Jerusalem to Tarsus.
[Acts 11:28] -- And one of them named Agabus, rising up, signified by the Spirit that there would be a great famine. Agabus can be interpreted as a messenger of tribulation, who, according to his name, both predicts the general famine here and later the bonds to the apostle Paul.
[Acts 11:29] -- They decided to send relief to the brethren dwelling in Judea. They knew that in Judea, and especially in Jerusalem, the famine would rage more fiercely. There, the poor saints, who, having sold their possessions, houses, and fields, brought the prices to the apostles, did not engage much further in acquiring wealth. But some were also deprived of their property by the incredulous Jews because of their confession of faith. To these, the Apostle says: "And you joyfully accepted the plundering of your property" (Hebrews 10). Among these charitable acts, the religious deed of Helena, queen of Adiabene, is remembered, who, having bought grain from Egypt, generously ministered to the needs of the Jerusalemites. Hence, she also earned an honorable burial before the gates of the same city.