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| 1 And the apostles and the brethren who are in Judea heard that also the nations did receive the word of 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 Peter came up to Jerusalem, those of the circumcision were contending with him, |
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 'Unto men uncircumcised thou didst go in, and didst eat with them!' |
Didst eat with them – Contrary to Jewish custom. R2996:2
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| 4 And Peter having begun, did expound 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 the city of Joppa praying, and I saw in a trance a vision, a certain vessel coming down, as a great sheet by four corners being let down out of the heaven, and it came unto me; |
I saw a vision – Greek, horama, not real but a vision. R4142:4*
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| 6 at which having looked stedfastly, I was considering, and I saw the four-footed beasts of the earth, and the wild beasts, and the creeping things, and the fowls of heaven; |
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| 7 and I heard a voice saying to me, Having risen, Peter, slay and eat; |
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| 8 and I said, Not so, Lord; because anything common or unclean hath at no time entered into my mouth; |
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 and a voice did answer me a second time out of the heaven, What God did cleanse, thou declare not thou common. |
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 'And this happened thrice, and again was all drawn up to the heaven, |
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| 11 and, lo, immediately, three men stood at the house in which I was, having been sent from Cesarea unto me, |
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| 12 and the Spirit said to me to go with them, nothing doubting, and these six brethren also went with me, and we did enter 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 declared also to us how he saw the messenger in his house standing, and saying to him, Send men to Joppa, and call for Simon, who is 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 shall speak sayings by which thou shalt be saved, thou and all thy house. |
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| 15 'And in my beginning to speak, the Holy Spirit did fall upon them, even as also upon us in the 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 and I remembered the saying of the Lord, how he said, John indeed did baptize with water, and ye shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit; |
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 equal gift God did give to them as also to us, having believed upon the Lord Jesus Christ, I how was I able to withstand 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 And they, having heard these things, were silent, and were glorifying God, saying, 'Then, indeed, also to the nations did God give the reformation to 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 abroad, from the tribulation that came after Stephen, went through unto Phenice, and Cyprus, and Antioch, speaking the word to none except to Jews only; |
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 and there were certain of them men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who having entered into Antioch, were speaking unto the Hellenists, proclaiming good news 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 the hand of the Lord was with them, a great number also, having believed, did turn unto 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 And the account was heard in the ears of the assembly that [is] in Jerusalem concerning them, and they sent forth Barnabas to go through unto 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 grace of God, was glad, and was exhorting all with purpose of heart to cleave 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 because he was a good man, and full of the Holy Spirit, and of faith, and a great multitude was added 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 And Barnabas went forth to Tarsus, to seek for Saul, |
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 and having found him, he brought him to Antioch, and it came to pass that they a whole year did assemble together in the assembly, and taught a great multitude, the disciples also were divinely called first in Antioch 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 And in those days there came from Jerusalem prophets to 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 and one of them, by name Agabus, having stood up, did signify through the Spirit a great dearth is about to be throughout all the world which also came to pass in the time of Claudius Caesar |
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 and the disciples, according as any one was prospering, determined each of them to send for ministration to the brethren dwelling in Judea, |
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, having sent unto the elders by the hand of Barnabas and Saul. |
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