Picking up where we left off, Chapter 9 ends with “Peter stayed in Joppa for some time with a tanner named Simon”.
Luke sees the importance of this act. John R.W. Scott says “since tanners worked with dead animals, in order to convert their skin into leather, they were regarded as ceremonially unclean. Peter disregarded this.” Peter was prepared in his heart and resolved “for the instructions to go and baptize the Gentile Cornelius.” Orthodox Jews would not have associated with a Gentile even a God-fearing one and yet Chapter Ten starts out with Peter being sent for by Cornelius a gentile man of God. Once in Caesarea Peter preaches a sermon in front of Cornelius and his family. Peter proclaims the Gospel message, that Christ is the Messiah. The Holy Spirit came to all that had heard Peter, Jew, and Gentile, the Gospel is for all man.
Chapter Eleven continues the pattern of some Jewish believers complaining about Peter preaching to the Gentiles. Peter shared with them the vision that he had while still in Joppa. Acts 11:9 “Do Not Call anything impure that God has made clean”…”So, then, even to Gentiles God has granted repentance that leads to life.” Now in Antioch, the church was growing and Barnabas was sent to assist them.
John Wesley starts his notes on Chapter Twelve with ”So wisely did God mix rest and persecution in due time and measure succeeding each other.” You see at this time James, brother of John was killed by Herod and Peter was subsequently arrested. On the eve of his trial, he was freed from prison by an angel of the Lord. He went to the house of Mary, where many had gathered to pray. During this time Herod had the guards executed and he traveled to Caesarea, where people had attempted to worship him as a god. Due to pride, the Lord struck him. “The persecutor perished, and the Gospel grew and multiplied.” (Wesley’s Notes on Acts)
Chapter Thirteen begins with the Holy Spirit declaring Paul and Barnabas as being set apart. And with this, they traveled to Cyprus and were well received. It is here where Saul’s journey comes full circle. He, being filled with the Holy Spirit blinds the sorcerer who is trying to deceive the proconsul. Further, on their journey, Pal speaks from three passages in the Old Testament. (Psalm 2:6-9 , Isaiah 53:3 and Psalm 16:10) as proof that Jesus did fulfill the prophecy. It is during their stay in Pisidia that Paul and Barnabas turn their focus to the Gentiles, who rejoice as they understand and believe that Salvation is for them also. In the face of persecution, they (Paul and Barnabas) continue on. Luke offers many applications for today but the simplest being that believers must find joy in the face of trials and continue on no matter what speaking the good news of Jesus Christ.
Chapter Fourteen sees new converts in Iconium but wherever there are many converts there are jealous Jews who divide the city. Thus Paul and Barnabas travel on. In Lystra Paul heals a crippled man. Being mistaken for Hermes and Zeus Paul and Barnabas point them to the one true God. Yet still, people were trying to kill them but they made it back to Antioch where they stayed for a time.
“God makes no distinction between men so why should we?” and with that, it was determined in Chapter Fifteen that no other requirements for salvation except abstinence from sin are needed for Salvation. After their announcement in Antioch Barnabas and Paul disagree about John joining them. In the end, Barnabas and John go to Cyprus while Paul and Silas go to Syria and Cilicia.
Paul, Silas, and Timothy set out in Chapter Sixteen directed by the Holy Spirit. Luke gives an accounting of their travels and sharing of people they met on the way. In Thyatira they baptize a woman named Lydia and a girl who Paul cast a demon out of. Because of this act, Paul and Silas were beaten and put in jail. During their imprisonment, Paul and Silas began to pray to and praise God from Jail. Then an earthquake happened and the cell opened. Paul spoke to the jailer who was about to kill himself. Thus saving the man and baptizing him.
John R.W. Scott states “It would be hard to imagine a more disparate group than the businesswoman, slave girl, and the gaoler. Racially, socially, and psychologically, they were worlds apart. Yet, all three were changed by the same gospel and welcomed into the same church.”
Of all the takeaways this is the key, we are all welcomed by the same gospel.
References:
John R.W. Scott, The Bible Speaks Today: The Message of Acts, IVP Academic, 1990.
John Wesley, Notes on the Acts of the Apostles, Wesley Center Online, http://wesley.nnu.edu/john-wesley/john-wesleys-notes-on-the-bible/notes-on-the-acts-of-the-apostles/#Chapter+I
Zondervan,. The Amplified Study Bible. Zondervan. Kindle Edition, 2016.