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| 1 Heard and the apostles and the brethren those being in the Judea, that also the gentiles received the word of the God. |
And the apostles – Though prejudiced as Jews, they were enabled to see that while their nation would be blessed, all the families of the earth should be blessed also. A59
They had different degrees of insight into God's plan. A26, A27
The chief representatives of the Church still resided at Jerusalem. R1455:2
The writings of the Apostles were divinely inspired. R1584:4
Gentiles had also received – The New Testament writers realized the fulfillment of the prophecies. A59
They realized that a change of dispensation was upon them. R2996:1
Word of God – The Scriptures do claim to be the Word of God. R1584:3
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| 2 And when went up Peter into Jerusalem, disputed with him those of circumcision, |
Peter – The eldest, and in some respects the strongest, of the apostles. R2995:3
Jerusalem – The church at Jerusalem was the first local New Testament church. R1087:2*
Contended with him – Doing their duty, to make sure that no liberty was taken with the Lord's direction, to circumvent his arrangements. R2996:1
Not that he had recognized Cornelius as a Christian, but had eaten bread with him. R2996:2
Believers unprepared for this great change in the operation of divine favor. HG354:5
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| 3 saying: That to men uncircumcision having thou wentest in, and thou didst eat with them. |
Didst eat with them – Contrary to Jewish custom. R2996:2
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| 4 Having begun and the Peter set forth to them in order, saying: |
Rehearsed the matter – He considered the evidence which had convinced him. R2996:3
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| 5 I was in city of Joppa praying; and I saw in a trance a vision, coming down a vessel certain like a sheet great, four ends being lowered out of the heaven, and came as far as me; |
I saw a vision – Greek, horama, not real but a vision. R4142:4*
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| 6 into which having looked I observed and saw the four-footed beasts of the earth and wild beasts and the reptiles and the birds of the heaven. |
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| 7 I heard and a voice saying to me: Having arisen, O Peter, sacrifice and eat. |
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| 8 I said but: But no means, O Lord; because common or unclean never entered into the mouth of me. |
I said, Not so, Lord – He told them of his surprise when the Lord manifested his favor toward the Gentiles. R2996:6
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| 9 Answered but to me a voice a second time out of the heaven: What the God cleansed, thou not pollute. |
Answered me again – It was some time before the apostles had a clear understanding of the work being done, and the blessings which were to go to the Gentiles. A59, A80, A81
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| 10 This and was done for three times; and again was drawn up all into the heaven. |
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| 11 And lo, immediately three men stood at the house in which I was, having been sent from Caesarea to me. |
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| 12 Said and to me the spirit, to go with them, nothing doubting; went and with me also the six brethren these, and we entered into the house of the man. |
Six brethren – Peter took with him the six of the Joppa brethren who had accompanied him to the house of Cornelius. R2995:3
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| 13 He related and to us, how he saw the messenger in the house of himself standing and saying to him: Send into Joppa, and send after Simon that having been surnamed Peter; |
Peter – In some respects the eldest and strongest of the apostles, guided in judgment in taking with him six other brethren. R2995:3 11:14
Tell thee words – That he might be brought to a condition of harmony and sonship. F680, F681
Words of life. R4345:1
Necessary instructions; that God had provided a great sin-offering, Jesus, who had tasted death for every man; and that for the blessing of the world a Little Flock was being selected to reign with Christ. R5833:1, 2989:6
"The old, old story." R2989:6
The blessing could not come to him except through a knowledge of the truth. R4344:6
Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God--the simple story of the cross. R4345:1
He obeyed, he heard the words of eternal life, "the truth"; he was sealed with the spirit of adoption. R2071:4
Peter explained facts in harmony with the prophets. R1451:6
He used the "key" which introduced the Gentiles to the Pentecostal blessings. NS803:5
Cornelius, as well as every other one who experiences the great blessing of this age, must first of all by justified. HG354:6
Shall be saved – Brought into covenant relationship with God. R5833:1
Delivered from condemnation and alienation. F681; R2989:6, 1451:6
Not permitted to have communion with God in the full proper sense, even through he led a righteous life. F680, F681
It is a false idea that "lost" means condemned to eternal torment, and "saved" means released from such a calamity. R1451:5
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| 14 who will speak words to thee, by which mayest be saved thou and all the house of thee. |
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| 15 In and the to have begun me to speak, fell the spirit the holy on them, as also on us in beginning. |
The Holy Spirit fell on them – From both Jews and Gentiles, found worthy to be made joint-heirs. A59
They received the gifts of the holy Spirit, similar to Jewish believers. R2996:6
All with Peter were "astonished." ( Acts 10:45) R199:1
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| 16 I remembered and the words of the Lord, how he said: John indeed dipped in water, you but shall be dipped in spirit holy. |
With the Holy Spirit – He understood clearly that the holy Spirit baptism was of much greater importance than the water baptism. R2996:6
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| 17 If then the like gift gave to them the God as even to us, having believed on the Lord Jesus Anointed, I and who was, having power to restrain the God? |
I could withstand God – He understood that in the Lord's estimation Gentiles must be reckoned as members of the Body of Christ. R2996:6
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| 18 Having heard and these, they were silent, and glorified the God, saying: Then also to the Gentiles the God the reformation gave into life. |
Heard these things – Because of their prejudices, it was slow for them to grasp the recognition of Gentiles. Peter had to be taught by a special vision. R1727:6, 1728:1; 972:1
Were glad to learn of the good works, took steps to help the new believers by sending Barnabas. R1455:2
Glorified God – Their difficulty was not due to meanness of heart, but to conscientious conviction respecting the divine program. R2996:4
Also to the Gentiles – To be heirs of the Abrahamic promise. R919:4, 658:2, 414:2
Repentance unto life – Granted unto the Gentiles as well as to the Jews. R2997:1
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| 19 Those indeed therefore having been scattered from the affliction that having happened about Stephen, went through to Phenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, not speaking the word if not alone to Jews. |
Scattered abroad – Scattered the believers everywhere, to preach the Gospel. D480
The divine purpose, that thus messengers of the Gospel might be in every quarter. R4357:2
They did not put their lights under a bushel (Matt. 5:15) but "showed forth the praarkness." (1 Pet. 2:9) R2133:3
Communism is not the Lord's arrangement now. D478, D480; R2102:3, 1862:2, 1390:5
The persecution – The persecution scattered the light instead of extinguishing it. R1455:1, 1862:6
Should persecution come again, let all continue to preach, on authority of the Lord. R992:6
Another parallel to the harvest of the Jewish age. B263
Resulted from the persecution at the time of Stephen's death. R2997:2
And Antioch – A city of 500,000 population, 300 miles north of Jerusalem, at that time the third largest city in the world, and the first city outside of Palestine in which a church was formed. R2997:2, 4357:1, 2133:3, 1455:1
It was the capital of the province of Syria. R2133:3
Preaching the word – All the brethren were to exhort one another and stir up each other's pure minds in remembrance. R984:4
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| 20 Were and some of them men Cyprians and Cyrenians, who having come into Antioch, spoke to the Greeks, announcing glad tidings of the Lord Jesus. |
Men of Cyprus and Cyrene – Jews, converts to Christianity, more familiar with the Greek and less familiar with the Hebrew. R4357:2
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| 21 And was hand of Lord with them, great and number having believed turned to the Lord. |
Hand of the Lord – The true secret of all successful Christian work. R4357:2
Hand signifies power and direction. Each individual Christian is a finger of the Lord. (Luke 11:20) R4357:2
We see how the Lord led others to preach the Gospel. R1455:1
A great number believed – A testimony to their efficient work. R2134:1
We are not to gauge the success of our endeavors by the "great numbers." R4357:3
And turned – Believing is one thing, and "turning" every sentiment, hope, ambition and desire to the Lord is quite another. R2134:1
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| 22 Was reported and the word into the ears of the congregation that in Jerusalem concerning them; and they sent out Barnabas to go through to Antioch. |
Ears of the church – The apostles at Jerusalem were on the lookout to help, encourage, assist in forwarding the Gospel in every quarter. R4357:3
God uses human means so far as possible. R4357:4
Sent forth – To forewarn them of dangers and to assist to a clearer knowledge of the divine plan. R4357:4
That he might see and judge of the true condition of things. R2997:6
Barnabas – Chief representatives residing at Jerusalem, glad to learn of the good work being done, took steps to send Barnabas. R1455:2
A faithful servant. With a loving and kind disposition. R2134:3
A native of Cyprus, an island in the Mediterranean, near Antioch. He was a Levite, well learned in the Law, "a son of consolation," a "helper." R2998:1
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| 23 Who having come and having seen the favor of the God, rejoiced, and called on all, with the purpose of the heart to adhere to the Lord; |
The grace of God – Manifested in faith and conduct. R2997:6
Was glad – He himself received a blessing. R4357:6
Quickly discerned the cleansing and sanctifying power of the truth amongst the believers at Antioch. R2997:6
Exhorted – That they should abide, separated from further affiliations and bound unto the Lord. They had already separated themselves from heathenism and Judaism and had been joined unto the Lord. R4357:6
In Greek, signifies comfort, stimulation, assistance. R2998:1
They would cleave – The word signifies to glue, to adhere. To see that their consecration was complete. R2998:2
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| 24 for he was a man good, and full of spirit holy and faith. And was added a crowd great to the Lord. |
He was a good man – Moral, upright, reverential, full of faith and the holy Spirit. R2998:3
What more could be said to the credit of any child of God? R4357:6
Of the Holy Spirit – The holy Spirit guiding all his efforts. R2998:3
Much people was added – The work was one of proclaiming Christ and turning the hearts of men from sin to righteousness. R4358:1
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| 25 Went out and into Tarsus the Barnabas, to seek Saul; and having found him, he brought him to Antioch. |
For to seek Saul – The time had come for Saul to be introduced into the Gospel work. Again God used an instrumentality. R4358:1
Went to see him personally, to urge upon him activities in the Lord's service. R4358:1
To his introduction as the great "Apostle to the Gentiles," (Rom. 11:13) to take the place of Juda R1455:2
The Lord had allowed Saul to rest in quietness for the development of humility, faith and obedience. R4358:1
Barnabas apparently discerned that they needed instruction as well as exhortation, and immediately he thought of Paul. R2134:3
His ideas were extremely broad in respect to the Gospel. The brethren would be profited. R2998:4
Thirteen years after returning from Arabia, Paul was chosen an elder of Antioch. Q697:4
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| 26 It happened and them a year whole to assemble in the congregation, and to teach a crowd great, to have been styled and first in Antioch the disciples Christians. |
Unto Antioch – The first church in which Gentiles seemed to predominate in numbers. PD76/90
Taught much people – Without waiting for anybody to "lay hands" on them. F285
Disciples – Pupils, learners. R2998:5
Called Christians – This was the name which believers adopted for themselves, by which they would be known to outsiders. R2134:4
They were first called it by others, but not by the Jews. R4358:2
Signifies a believer in and a follower of Jesus Christ, and is applicable only to the new creation. F494; R4358:2, 2998:5, 2134:6, 1455:4
One who trusts in Christ as the Messiah, the Redeemer. R2998:5
Implies he is our Head; our present share with him in the anointed sacrificing priesthood, and our association with him as anointed kings and joint-heirs in the Kingdom. R2134:6
The only ones who properly take Christ's name are those who really become his disciples--take up their cross, give up their life, surrender their will. R5404:6
It would be far better if many professed Christians did not take the name at all. R5404:6
The name Christian is borne by many as a heavenly livery to appease their own consciences and increase their opportunity for selfishness. R4988:2
The name that will stand will be Christians. R4358:4
By what name may the Church be called? By the name of its founder. The "Church of Christ" or "Church of God." R5848:3
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| 27 In these and the days came down from Jerusalem prophets into Antioch. |
Jerusalem – The center of influence in Palestine. The head-center of the Christian work, so to speak. R2997:2,5
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| 28 Having arisen and one of them, by name Agabus, signified through the spirit, a famine great about is going to be over whole the habitable; which also occurred under Claudius. |
Agabus – Spoke as a mouthpiece of the holy Spirit. R2223:4
Possessed of the spirit of prophecy, after the manner of the ancient prophets, so that he foretold future events. R4467:4
Be great dearth – A famine. R4526:1, 4358:5, 1455:5
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| 29 The and disciples as was able each, determined each one of them for a relief to send to the dwelling in the Judea brethren; |
To send relief – The only appeal for money recorded in the Bible, for the poor at Jerusalem, sorely pressed by the famine. R4526:1
When an opportunity comes to us for doing good, it should not be slighted, but reasonably investigated. R4358:5
The love of God shed abroad in our hearts overcomes much of our natural selfishness. R4358:5
It was a noble return in temporal matters for spiritual favors they had received. R1455:5
The blessing to the giver is far greater. R2999:1
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| 30 which also they did, sending to the elders through hand of Barnabas and Saul. |
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