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What does Acts 11 mean?

Chapter Commentary:

Acts 11 continues the story of how the good news about Jesus came to the Gentiles and how the work of the apostle Paul begins. It's a difficult transition. Hundreds of years before, the Jewish exiles in Babylon had managed to return with their religion and cultural identity mostly intact. Since that time, their land had seen several foreign rulers, including Antiochus Epiphanes who tried to destroy Judaism and all Jewish culture. He banned observance of their religion and sacrificed unclean animals on their altar. This led to the Maccabean revolt and renewed passion for keeping the Jewish law—especially the parts that included separation from Gentiles.

In Acts 11:1–18, Peter recounts to the church leaders in Jerusalem the events of Acts 10. God led Peter to a Gentile in Caesarea Maritima, a devout God-follower, who was ready to hear the news about salvation through Jesus. Peter had barely gotten started explaining to the man and his houseful of guests about Jesus when the Holy Spirit fell on the Gentiles. Seeing no other option, Peter had them baptized into the church. The church leaders accept Peter's account and the witnesses of the six men with him. In the next few years (Acts 15:1–35), the church leaders will have to figure out exactly what it means to worship with Gentiles.

Acts 11:19–26 gives the account of even more Gentiles coming to faith. When Saul persecuted the church in Jerusalem, the Jesus-followers fled (Acts 8:1–4). Many of them took the story of Jesus with them. Some Jews from Cyprus, an island south of modern-day Turkey, and Cyrene, in Libya, shared the way of salvation with Gentiles in Syrian Antioch, a major city near the Mediterranean coast where Syria meets Turkey. When the leaders of the church in Jerusalem hear, they send Barnabas to find out more. He realizes that many Gentiles do have faith in Christ—so many he needs help to teach them. Tarsus, where the disciples sent Saul after he'd come to faith and others were seeking to kill him (Acts 9:26–30), is just west of Antioch. Barnabas sends for Saul, and Saul's work among the Gentiles begins.

Acts 11:27–30 seems like an unrelated addition, at first. Agabus, a prophet, travels from Jerusalem to Syrian Antioch and tells the young church there will be a major famine. The church in Antioch determines to support the church in Jerusalem. The story is more relevant than it appears. The chapter largely gives the origin story of Paul's ministry. In many of the churches he traveled to, he exhorted the people to raise funds for the originating church in Jerusalem. Not only did the Jesus-followers in Jerusalem face this famine, the members had already sold what they had (Acts 4:32–37), and the church leaders no longer worked their trades as they once had. This little story tells us why even though Paul worked to support himself if doing so helped spread the gospel (2 Corinthians 11:7–9), he often exhorted the churches to raise money for the church in Jerusalem (Romans 15:25–28; 2 Corinthians 8:1–6).

Acts 11 is the beginning of the transition of attention from the disciples, particularly Peter, to Paul. In Acts 12, James the brother of John is killed: the first of the twelve disciples to be martyred and the only one to have his death recorded in Scripture (Acts 12:1–2). Peter is arrested and an angel frees him (Acts 12:3–19) and Herod Agrippa I dies because he accepts worship appropriate only for God (Acts 12:20–25). From Acts 13 on, Peter is mentioned only once more, reiterating the story of the conversion of the Gentiles in Caesarea Maritima at a hearing requested by Barnabas and Paul (Acts 15:7–11). The rest of the book of Acts records Paul's evangelism to the Gentiles.

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 11:19–26 continues the inauguration of the international church. While Peter is in Caesarea Maritima leading a houseful of Gentiles to faith in Jesus (Acts 10) and then in Jerusalem explaining that Jesus has come to the Gentiles (Acts 11:1–18), the church has already spread far north to Syrian Antioch. The Jesus-followers who fled Saul's persecution in Jerusalem took Jesus' story with them (Acts 8:1–4). Some, from Cyprus and Cyrene, taught Gentiles. If they, Jews who lived within the Greco/Roman culture, could worship Jesus, why couldn't their Gentile friends? This is exactly what Jesus intended in Acts 1:8.

Acts 11:27–30 records a prophecy that great famine will affect the Roman Empire; the church in Jerusalem needs support. This is related to the narrative because it takes place in Syrian Antioch, as did the previous account. It's also about Jerusalem, as is the next chapter. But Luke is intentional, here. Acts 11:19–26 describes the origin of Paul's extensive evangelistic ministry. One of Paul's recurring themes is the responsibility of new churches to financially support the church in Jerusalem; this is where Paul's conviction starts.

Chapter Summary:

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.

Chapter Context:

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.

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