Peter’s Testimony
Then Peter told them exactly what had happened. “I was in the town of Joppa,” he said, “and while I was praying, I went into a trance and saw a vision. Something like a large sheet was let down by its four corners from the sky. And it came right down to me. When I looked inside the sheet, I saw all sorts of small animals, wild animals, reptiles, and birds. And I heard a voice say, ‘Get up, Peter; kill and eat them.’ “‘No, Lord,’ I replied. ‘I have never eaten anything that our Jewish laws have declared impure or unclean. ‘ “But the voice from heaven spoke again: ‘Do not call something unclean if God has made it clean.’ This happened three times before the sheet and all it contained was pulled back up to heaven. Just then three men who had been sent from Caesarea arrived at the house where we were staying. The Holy Spirit told me to go with them and not to worry that they were Gentiles. These six brothers here accompanied me, and we soon entered the home of the man who had sent for us. He told us how an angel had appeared to him in his home and had told him, ‘Send messengers to Joppa, and summon a man named Simon Peter. He will tell you how you and everyone in your household can be saved!’ “As I began to speak,” Peter continued, “the Holy Spirit fell on them, just as He fell on us at the beginning. Then I thought of the Lord’s words when He said, ‘John baptised with water, but you will be baptised with the Holy Spirit.‘ And since God gave these Gentiles the same gift He gave us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to stand in God’s way?” [NLT]Acts 11:4-17
Now what we have left from what Peter told those of the Circumcision (Party) are the yellow bits above. These are the additions that Peter added especially for those who confronted him about what he had done. Notice that not only do we have personal, firsthand experience related by Peter but he includes the six Jewish believers who were with him in the action and makes those of the Circumcision Party aware that these six too were witnesses to what happened. (Although he doesn’t state that fact specifically the inference is there – I.e. Ask them if you don’t believe me.) Notice in the early green segment I dealt with in the previous Gem how there are also little God touches included:
- while I was praying
- I went into a trance
- saw a vision – something like a large sheet was let down by its four corners from the sky and it came right down to me.
- When I looked inside the sheet – I saw all sorts of small animals, wild animals, reptiles, and birds.
- I heard a voice say – ‘Get up, Peter; kill and eat them.’
- “‘No, Lord,’ I replied. ‘I have never eaten anything that our Jewish laws have declared impure or unclean. ‘
- “But the voice from heaven spoke again: ‘Do not call something unclean if God has made it clean.’
- This happened three times before the sheet and all it contained was pulled back up to heaven.
That was enough to convince them that this thing he experienced was from God. But there is more to come in what Peter added specifically as his defence to their accusations:
- Just then three men from Caesarea arrived
- at the house where we were staying.
- The Holy Spirit told me to go with them – not to worry that they were Gentiles.
- These six brothers here accompanied me – we entered the home of the man who had sent for us.
- He told us how an angel had appeared to him in his home
- and told him – send messengers to Joppa
- summon a man named Simon Peter – he will tell you how you and everyone in your household can be saved!
- As I began to speak – the Holy Spirit fell on them,
- just as He fell on us at the beginning.
- Then I thought of the Lord’s words – John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.
- since God gave these Gentiles the same gift He gave us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ
- who was I to stand in God’s way?”
Everything Peter has added was included to convince them that Peter did not do this as a result of his own will or ideas. He makes it very clear to them that God has been behind all of what happened from the beginning. Everything about what happened has God’s stamp all over it. I have emboldened the pieces which need particular attention. Read them over a number of times and let them soak into your spirit. Catch the full impact of what Peter was telling them, line upon line, precept upon precept. I will deal with it piece by piece in subsequent Gems. As one Gems reader wrote a number of weeks ago this was a momentous moment, a major pivot point in Jewish – much prejudice and many preconceived ideas had to be overcome for the Good News to be taken and shared with Gentiles.
So soak in the text before us for a while longer before we unpack it.
God doesn’t waste a hurt if we let Him write the story.
Nate Saint
Likewise God doesn’t let one word fall to ground void as He unfolds His plan.
Ian Vail
Make sure you pay careful attention to everything He tells you.
Ian Vail
After all this wasn’t just for the six and Judaisers before them.
Ian Vail
I have given them Your Word . . . and I do not pray concerning these only, but also concerning those who will believe in Me through their word.
John 17:20, 24
God always has a bigger picture in mind.
Ian Vail