Acts 11 · The Lantern

The apostles and the followers throughout Judea heard that even the Gentiles had welcomed God’s message.

"And the Apostles and brethren that were in Judea heard that the Gentiles had also received the word of God. And when Peter was come up to Jerusalem, they that were of the circumcision contended with him, saying, Thou wentest in to men uncircumcised, and didst eat with them." After such great things, "they of the circumcision contended:" not the Apostles; God forbid.

Peter showed in his defense that he had by no means been the cause, but God everywhere. For he said, he himself set me in the excess of mind, he himself pointed out the sheet, and I indeed even contradicted; again the same he himself said, and I did not hear therefore. The Spirit commanded that I should join them, and having joined I did not even run on therefore.

You see what zeal they had concerning the law. They were not ashamed before Peter's dignity, nor the miracles that had taken place, nor that wonderful preparation that had been made for the reception of the word, but began to dispute about such trifles. Those of the circumcision disputed, not the apostles.

But, when Peter went up to Jerusalem, those who were converts from Judaism began to attack him,

on the ground that he had visited people who were not circumcised, and had taken meals with them.

So Peter began to relate the facts to them as they had occurred.

Observe his freedom from all elation and vainglory. For it says, "But Peter rehearsed the matter from the beginning, and expounded it by order unto them, saying, I was in the city of Joppa, praying:" he does not say why, nor on what occasion: "and in a trance I saw a vision, a certain vessel descend, as it had been a great sheet, let down from heaven by four corners; and it cam…

Peter did not dwell on this trifle, but based himself on what was of great importance. If, he says, they received the Spirit, then how could one not impart this to them? By this defense he shows that he is in no way at fault, but the author of everything and in all things is God, to Whom he attributes all. Because, he says, He showed the vessel, and I objected to Him.

“I was in the town of Jaffa,” he said, “and was praying; and, while in a trance, I saw a vision. There was something like a great sail descending, let down by its four corners out of the heavens; and it came right down to me.

Looking intently at it, I began to distinguish quadrupeds, wild beasts, reptiles, and birds;

and I also heard a voice saying to me — ‘Stand up, Peter, kill something and eat.’

‘No, Lord, I cannot,’ I answered, ‘for nothing ‘defiled’ or ‘unclean’ has ever passed my lips.’

Then a second time there came a voice from the heavens. “What God has pronounced ‘clean’,” it said, “you must not call ‘defiled’.”

This happened three times, and then all was drawn up again into the heavens.

At that moment three men, who had been sent from Caesarea to see me, came up to the house in which we were.

The Spirit told me to go with them without hesitation. These six companions also went with me. And, when we came into the man’s house,

"And the Spirit bade me go with them, nothing doubting." Do you mark that it is to the Spirit the enacting of laws belongs!

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.

He could have said nothing that would have revealed his humility more than his appeal to the testimony of the brethren. He does not speak of what the Angel said to Cornelius: "your prayers and your alms" (Acts 10:14), nor does he recount the righteousness of this man, nor does he report that he did so because the Spirit sent him, that God commanded him, having called him from t…

he told us how he had seen the angel standing in his house, and how the angel had said to him — ‘Send to Jaffa and fetch the Simon, who is also known as Peter;

for he will tell you truths, which will prove the means of salvation to you and all your household.’

I had but just begun to speak,” continued Peter, “when the Holy Spirit fell on them, exactly as on us at the first;

"And as I began to speak," etc. Then why did not this happen alone? Of superabundance this is wrought by God, that it might be shown that the beginning too was not from the Apostle. But had he set out of his own motion, without any of these things having taken place, they would have been very much hurt: so that from the beginning he disposes their minds in his favor.

But he is not content even with what was said above, and recalls also the saying of the Lord: "You shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit." Nothing new happened, he says, but only what He had foretold. But, they will say, there was no need even to baptize; yet baptism was performed. And he does not say "I commanded them to be baptized," but shows that he did nothing new.

and I recalled the saying of the Master — ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’

Since then, God had given them the very same gift as he gave us when we became believers in Jesus Christ the Master — who was I that I could thwart God?”

On hearing this statement, they said no more, but broke out into praise of God. “So even to the Gentiles,” they exclaimed, “God has granted the repentance which leads to life!”

"When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life." Do you mark that it all came of Peter's discourse, by his admirably skilful way of relating the facts? They glorified God that He had given repentance to themselves also: they were humbled by these words.

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.

"Who was I to be able to hinder God?" Defending himself against his accusers, he strongly and harshly puts them to shame. I could not, he says, forbid this. From these words they became meek and fell silent. Do you see that thanks to Peter's speech to the people, everything turned out well when he recounted what had happened?

Now those who had been scattered in different directions, in consequence of the persecution that followed the death of Stephen, went as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, telling the message — but only to Jews.

"Now they which were scattered abroad," etc. and not as we who pass our time in lamentations and tears, in our calamities; but with more fearlessness they passed their time, as having got to a distance from those hindering them, and as being among men not afraid of the Jews: which also helped.

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.

No small service to Christianity was rendered by the persecution against Christians, because "all things work together for good to them that love God" (Rom. 8:28). For when Stephen was being killed, when Paul was twice in danger, when the apostles were scourged, then the Gentiles were being received into the Church.

Some of them, however, who were men of Cyprus and Cyrene, on coming to Antioch, addressed themselves also to the Jews of foreign birth, telling them the good news about that Lord Jesus.

The power of the Lord was with them, so that a great number who had learned to believe came over to the Lord’s side.

The news about them reached the ears of the church at Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch.

On coming there he saw to his great joy these tokens of the loving kindness of God, and encouraged them all to make up their minds to be faithful to the Lord —

For Barnabas was a good man and full of the Holy Spirit and of faith — and a large number of people took their stand on the Lord’s side.

Afterwards Barnabas left for Tarsus to look for Saul;

and, when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. And so it came about that, for a whole year, they attended the meetings of the church there, and taught a large number of people; and it was in Antioch that the disciples were first called ‘Christians.’

During this time, some prophets came to Antioch from Jerusalem.

"And in these days came prophets from Jerusalem unto Antioch." It was need that the fruit of alms should also be planted there. And see how of necessity none of the men of note becomes their teacher. They got for their teachers, men of Cyprus, and Cyrene, and Paul - though he indeed surpassed the Apostles themselves - since Paul also had for teachers Ananias and Barnabas.

There is nothing contrary to this in what the Lord said, "The law and the prophets" up to John. (Matt. 2:12) For this concerns those prophets who proclaimed his coming beforehand. So that they would not think the famine occurred because of this, that Christianity had arrived, the Holy Spirit foretold it beforehand. And Christ himself also said this (see Matt.

In what sense does Christ say that "all the prophets and the law prophesied until John" (Matt. 11:13)? He speaks of those prophets who foretold His coming.

One of them, named Agabus, came forward and, under the influence of the Spirit, foretold a great famine that was to spread over all the world — a famine which occurred in the reign of Claudius.

"And there stood up one of them named Agabus, and signified by the spirit that there would be great dearth throughout the world, which also came to pass in the days of Claudius Caesar." "By the Spirit," it says: for, that they may not imagine that this was the reason why the famine came, namely, because Christianity was come in, because the demons were departed, the Holy Ghost…

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.

"He foretold by the Spirit." Lest they think that the famine occurred because Christianity had appeared, the Holy Spirit also predicts this, because Christ too had predicted it.

So the disciples, without exception, determined, in proportion to their means, to send something to help the followers living in Judea.

"Then the disciples, every man according to his ability, determined to send relief unto the brethren which dwelt in Judea." Mark how the famine becomes to them the means of salvation, an occasion of alms-giving, a harbinger of many blessings. And so it might have been to you, one may say, if you were so minded, but ye would not.

Now the disciples, each according to what they had, decided to send aid to the brothers living in Judea. And they did so, sending it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Paul.

"Then the disciples determined, each according to his ability." Look: for them even famine becomes an occasion for salvation, an opportunity for mercy. Look: they become believers and bring forth fruits worthy of faith – they show mercy not only to those near, but also to those far away.

And this they did, sending it to the officers of the church by the hands of Barnabas and Saul.

Acts11