Saturday, August 16, 2025
“On the morrow, as they went on their journey, and drew nigh unto the city, Peter went up upon the housetop to pray about the sixth hour: And he became very hungry, and would have eaten: but while they made ready, he fell into a trance,…” (Acts 10:9,10 KJV).
What can we really learn from this Bible passage?
Read Acts 11:1-3: “And the apostles and brethren that were in Judaea 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.” Once Peter left Cornelius’ house in Caesarea and returned to Jerusalem, the other Jewish Apostles and the rest of the Little Flock castigated or fussed him. They knew their commission about Israel first (Acts 1:8) and they understood how they were not to reach Gentiles until Christ came back to reign (Matthew 28:18-20). How dare Peter minister to those uncircumcised non-Jews!!
In Acts 11:4-17, Peter narrates the account in great detail—starting all the way back with the “unclean animals” vision he received in Joppa, to the words of God he heard about not calling anything “unclean,” to the visitation of the three men Cornelius had sent from Caesarea to him, to what he learned from Cornelius face-to-face about what Cornelius saw and heard from the angel, to what confirmation Peter and the other believing Jews witnessed in Caesarea (the Gentiles being baptized with the Holy Ghost).
On the defensive, all Peter can say in conclusion is (verse 17): “Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift as he did unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ; what was I, that I could withstand [prevent, hinder] God?” Now, verse 18: “When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.” Like Peter, the Little Flock cannot make sense of what happened—but they cannot deny it either. They rejoice. Indeed, though national Israel is unbelieving, Gentiles have believed under Peter’s ministry.
Several years will pass before it is clear to all of them….
333 Words of Grace 