[:en]Peter Explains His Actions (vs. 1-18)
After the conversion of Cornelius, Peter went back to Jerusalem. The believers were shocked that Peter had eaten with the Gentiles. But Peter explained everything to them. So they had no further objections and praised God.
We must not judge the behavior of fellow believers before hearing them out. Instead, we must handle disagreement with understanding.
It is very difficult for the Jewish believers to accept that the gospel is also for the Gentiles. The Jewish believers understood certain prophecies were fulfilled in Christ but they overlooked other Old Testament teachings. Peter quoted what Jesus said: “John baptized you with water but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit (v. 16). The coming of the Holy Spirit to the Gentiles had proven that His message was also for the Gentiles. The changed lives of Gentiles were evident to other believers.
God’s truth is absolute. We must accept God’s word in whole and not in parts. Sometimes, were are inclined to select only the part of scriptures that support our own thinking and ignore those teachings that do not appeal to us.
The Church in Antioch (vs. 19-30)
When the church accepted Peter’s testimony that the good news was also for the Gentiles, Christianity spread into the Gentiles ares and many became believers. After Stephen’s death, the missionary work had grown very fast. It started in Antioch and the good news was shared both to the Jews and the Gentiles.
Antioch was the largest city in the Roman empire. The first Gentile church was found in Antioch and the believers were first called Christians (or Christ-ones) because all they had in common is Christ. Antioch was also the center of worship for pagan cities and a vital commercial center – the gateway for the eastern world.
Barnabas ministered to them with gladness and encouraged them to be faithful to the Lord. He was able to bring a great number of people to the Lord. He went to Tarsus to look for Saul and brought him to Antioch. They stayed there for a full year teaching and encouraging people.
A prophet named Agabus through the Spirit predicted that a severe famine would spread over the entire Roman world during the reign of Emperor Claudius. The church of Antioch assisted the church in Jerusalem. They gave generously and cheerfully and sent the gifts to the elders appointed to manage the affairs of the congregation.[:]