| Peter explains what happened |
Act 11:2 And when Peter went up to Jerusalem, those of the circumcision contended with him,
Act 11:3 saying, You went in to uncircumcised men and ate with them.
Notes: The Leaders, the Apostles; and the brothers in Judea heard what had happened at the house of Cornelius in Caesurea. “So extraordinary an occurrence as this, the descent of the Holy Spirit on the Gentiles, and their reception into the church, would excite attention, and be likely to produce much sensitiveness in regard to the conduct of Peter and those with him. It was so contrary to all the ideas of the Jews, that it is not to be wondered at that it led to contention.Barnes Notes
Act 11:2 And when Peter went up to Jerusalem, those of the circumcision contended with him,
They that were of the circumcision (hoi ek peritomēs).
Literally, those of circumcision (on the side of circumcision, of the circumcision party). The phrase in Act_10:46 is confined to the six brethren with Peter in Caesarea (Act_11:12)That can hardly be the meaning here for it would mean that they were the ones who brought the charge against Peter though Hort takes this view. All the disciples in Jerusalem were Jews so that it can hardly mean the whole body. In Gal_2:12 the phrase has the narrower sense of the Judaizing or Pharisaic wing of the disciples (Act_15:5) who made circumcision necessary for all Gentile converts. Probably here by anticipation Luke so describes the beginning of that great controversy. The objectors probably did not know of Peter’s vision at Joppa, but only of the revolutionary conduct of Peter in Caesarea. These extremists who spoke probably had abundant sympathy in their protest. The apostles are mentioned in Act_11:1, but are not referred to in Act_11:2. Apparently they are in contrast with the circumcision party in the church. RWP
to contend diakrinō Thayer’s Dictionary : to separate one’s self in a hostile spirit, to oppose, strive with dispute, contend.
(diekrinonto).Contended: Imperfect middle of the common verb diakrinō, to separate. Here to separate oneself apart (dia), to take sides against, to make a cleavage (dia, two, in two) as in Jud_1:9. So Peter is at once put on the defensive as the contention went on. It is plain that Peter was not regarded as any kind of pope or overlord.
Act 11:3 "You went into the houses of men who are not Jews (uncircumcised)," they said, "and you ate with them." WNT
Notes : Men uncircumcised (andras akrobustian echontas). “Men having uncircumcision.” It is a contemptuous expression. They did not object to Peter’s preaching to the Gentiles, but to his going into the house of Cornelius and eating with them, violating his supposed obligations as a Jew (Hackett). It was the same complaint in principle that the Pharisees had made against Jesus when he ate with publicans and sinners (Luk_15:12). The Jews had not merely the Mosaic regulations about clean and unclean food, but also the fact that at a Gentile table some of the meat may have been an idol sacrifice. And Peter himself had similar scruples when the vision came to him at Joppa and when he entered the house of Cornelius in Caesarea Act_10:28). Peter had been led beyond the circumcision party.RWP
So it had been accepted that Peter could preach the Gospel to the Uncircumcised but to actually b enter their house and eat with them and sleep with them was against the Jewish scruples and regulations.
Act 11:4 Peter, however, explained the whole matter to them from the beginning.
Act 11:5 "While I was in the town of Jaffa, offering prayer," he said, "in a trance I saw a vision. There descended what seemed to be an enormous sail, being let down from the sky by ropes at the four corners, and it came close to me.
Act 11:6 Fixing my eyes on it, I examined it closely, and saw various kinds of quadrupeds, wild beasts, reptiles and birds.
Act 11:7 I also heard a voice saying to me, "'Rise, Peter, kill and eat.'
Act 11:8 "'On no account, Lord,' I replied, 'for nothing unholy or impure has ever gone into my mouth.'
Act 11:9 "But a voice answered, speaking a second time from the sky, "'What God has purified, you must not regard as unholy.'
Act 11:10 "This was said three times, and then everything was drawn up again out of sight.
Notes: v.4 explained and expounded the whole matter in order,Imperfect middle of ektithēmi, to set forth, old verb, but in the N.T. only in Acts (Act_7:21; Act_11:4; Act_18:26; Act_28:23), a deliberate and detailed narrative “in order” (kathexēs). Old word for in succession.
Acts 11: 5-10 he explains the vision at Joppa as it happened. “A simple and unvarnished statement of facts is usually the best way of disarming prejudice and silencing opposition. Opposition most commonly arises from prejudice, or from false and exaggerated statements, and such opposition can be best removed, not by angry contention, but by an unvarnished relation of facts. In most cases prejudice will thus be disarmed, and opposition will die away, as was the case in regard to the admission of the Gentiles to the church.
And expounded it - Explained it; stated it as it actually occurred.
Act 11:11 "Now at that very moment three men came to the house where we were, having been sent from Caesarea to find me. i.e Peter and his assistants
Act 11:12 And the Spirit told me to accompany them without any misgivings. There also went with me these six brethren who are now present, and we reached the Centurion's house.
Act 11:13 Then he described to us how he had seen the angel come and enter his house and say, "'Send to Jaffa and fetch Simon, surnamed Peter.
Act 11:14 He will teach you truths by which you and all your family will be saved.'"
The Holy Spirit falling upon the Gentiles
Act 11:15 "And," said Peter, "no sooner had I begun to speak than the Holy Spirit fell upon them, just as He fell upon us at the first.
Act 11:16 Then I remembered the Lord's words, how He used to say, "'John baptized with water, but you shall be baptized in the Holy Spirit.'
Act 11:17 "If therefore God gave them the same gift as He gave us when we first believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, why, who was I to be able to thwart God?"
Act 11:18 This statement of Peter's silenced his opponents. They extolled the goodness of God, and said, "So, then, to the Gentiles also God has given the repentance which leads to Life."
Acts 11:15: Notes : "no sooner had I begun to speak than the Holy Spirit fell upon them, just as He fell upon us at the first. “ God is no respecter of persons. He shows no partiality. He has no favourites. The blessing of the outpuoring of the Holy Spirit is for all.
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