Acts 11:2 - Printer Friendly

ESV: So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcision party criticized him, saying,

NIV: So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers criticized him

NASB: And when Peter came up to Jerusalem, the Jewish believers took issue with him,

CSB: When Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcision party criticized him,

NLT: But when Peter arrived back in Jerusalem, the Jewish believers criticized him.

KJV: And when Peter was come up to Jerusalem, they that were of the circumcision contended with him,

NKJV: And when Peter came up to Jerusalem, those of the circumcision contended with him,

Until this point, probably less than ten years after Jesus ascended into heaven, the church has been comprised of almost all Jews and proselytes. Philip did evangelize a town in Samaria, and Peter and John validated their salvation (Acts 8:4–25). And Philip converted an Ethiopian official on his way home (Acts 8:26–40). Yet these were mostly examples of Gentiles seeking out the gospel, rather than Jewish Christians introducing them to it. For the most part, the church members practice Judaism. They believe Jesus is the Messiah and see Jesus-worship as a natural extension of their native faith.

Of the two major Jewish sects, Pharisees had an easier time accepting Jesus because the Sadducees categorically denied the resurrection of the dead. However, they maintained their rigid legalism and adherence to the Mosaic law. Those known as the "circumcision party" were probably originally Pharisees. They had a hard time accepting that Gentiles could be accepted into the church without also converting fully to Judaism—that is, the males would have to be circumcised. They held these beliefs so tightly, they dared to attack Peter, the preeminent apostle of the church. Later, they will have even more trouble with Paul (Galatians 2:11–14; Philippians 3:2; Titus 1:10).

The "circumcision party's" hesitancy in accepting that salvation is by grace, through faith, and not from works (Ephesians 2:8–9) causes major disruptions in the early church (Acts 15). But their resistance also gives the early church leaders the opportunity to solidify the importance of grace in Christian theology. Considering Jesus' harsh words and warnings to the Pharisees during His public ministry (Matthew 23:1–36), it's only by the grace of God any of them were saved to begin with.

Acts 11:1–18 describes Peter defending his actions in Acts 10. The Holy Spirit led him to share Jesus' story with a house filled with Gentiles. As he had barely started, the Holy Spirit fell on the Gentiles and Peter had them baptized into the church. Now, he has returned to the church in Jerusalem and has some explaining to do. Despite Peter being the most prominent of Jesus' twelve disciples, the legalistic Jews have already gained significant influence in the church. It's a good reminder we must always follow God and be ready to defend our response to His leading.

Acts 11 accelerates the journey of the message of Jesus into the Gentile world. Peter returns to Jerusalem and explains to the church leaders how the Holy Spirit has fallen on a group of Gentiles in Caesarea Maritima (Acts 11:1–18). Then the church hears how Gentiles are coming to faith far north in Syrian Antioch; they send Barnabas to investigate and Barnabas brings in Saul (Acts 11:19–26). Finally, prophets travel from Jerusalem to Antioch to request aid for the Jerusalem church (Acts 11:27–30). The scene is almost set for Paul's extensive evangelism career to begin.

Until the martyrdom of Stephen (Acts 7:54–60), the story of Jesus' followers remained mostly in Jerusalem. Saul started persecuting the church and the members fled, taking Jesus' story with them. This included Philip who shared Jesus' story with Samaritans and an Ethiopian official (Acts 8). Saul's persecution even led to his own conversion (Acts 9). And Peter brought the gospel to a group of Gentiles (Acts 10). After one more story about Peter and rising persecution by the Roman government, the book of Acts will turn to Saul, who will use the Greek variation of his name, Paul, and his missionary journeys to southeast Europe.

The summary of the book of Acts is provided in Jesus' words in Acts 1:8: ''But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.'' In Acts 2:1–13, the Christ-followers receive the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:14—7:60 describes the rapid growth of the church in Jerusalem. Chapters 8—12 find Jewish persecution inadvertently spreading the gospel throughout Judea and Samaria. And in chapters 13—28, Paul and his companions spread the good news throughout the Roman Empire.