Acts · chapter 11 of 28
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Acts 11 tells how Peter explains to the believers in Jerusalem what happened at Cornelius's house, and they glorify God because he has granted repentance to the Gentiles too. Meanwhile, scattered believers preach to Greeks in Antioch, Barnabas is sent, brings Saul, and there the disciples are first called Christians. The church in Antioch sends relief to Judea because of a famine.
After Cornelius's conversion in Acts 10, the news reaches Jerusalem and causes controversy. This chapter shows how the church processes the change and, at the same time, introduces Antioch, the city from which the gospel will go out to the Gentile world. It is a key transition in the story of the mission.
The apostles and the brothers throughout Judea hear that the Gentiles also have received the word of God. When Peter goes up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers criticize him for going to uncircumcised men and eating with them. Peter explains everything in order: the vision of the sheet, the arrival of the three men, the angel who appeared to Cornelius and how the Holy Spirit fell on the Gentiles just as on them at the beginning. He recalled Jesus's word about baptism with the Spirit and concluded that he could not stand in God's way. On hearing this they fall silent and glorify God, saying that God has granted repentance that leads to life even to the Gentiles.
Those scattered by the persecution over Stephen travel as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word only to Jews, but some men of Cyprus and Cyrene also speak to the Greeks, telling the good news of the Lord Jesus. The hand of the Lord is with them and a great number believe and turn to the Lord. The church in Jerusalem sends Barnabas, a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith, who rejoices when he sees the grace of God and urges them all to remain faithful to the Lord; a great many are added.
Barnabas goes to Tarsus to look for Saul and brings him to Antioch. For a whole year they teach a great many people, and in Antioch the disciples are first called Christians. Then prophets come down from Jerusalem, and one of them, Agabus, predicts by the Spirit that a great famine will spread over the world, which happens in the days of Claudius. The disciples in Antioch determine to send relief, each according to his ability, to the brothers in Judea, and they send it to the elders by the hand of Barnabas and Saul.
References follow ESV book names and verse numbers. Read each verse in your Bible before the explanation.
Peter concludes that if God gave the Gentiles the same gift he gave them when they believed in Jesus, he could not stand in God's way. His argument is God's visible work, not a theory.
The believers fall silent and glorify God because he has granted repentance leading to life even to the Gentiles. Their initial resistance turns into praise as they recognize what God has done.
Barnabas sees the grace of God in Antioch, rejoices and urges everyone to remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast purpose. He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith, and through his ministry many were added to the Lord.
In Antioch the disciples were first called Christians. The name, which probably began as a label from outsiders, expresses that their identity was centered on Christ.
6 questions with answers and references, ready for Sunday school, small group or a Bible quiz night.
Answer: For going to uncircumcised men and eating with them. — Acts 11:2-3
Answer: He explained in order the vision, Cornelius's angel and how the Holy Spirit fell on the Gentiles just as on them. — Acts 11:4-17
Answer: They fell silent and glorified God because he had granted repentance leading to life even to the Gentiles. — Acts 11:18
Answer: Barnabas. — Acts 11:22
Answer: In Antioch. — Acts 11:26
Answer: They determined to send relief, each according to his ability, to the brothers in Judea. — Acts 11:28-30
Peter teaches us to answer criticism with humility and order: he tells the facts, does not defend himself with pride and lets God's work speak. In your group you can think of a recent conflict in your church and how to listen calmly before judging.
The church in Antioch inspires as well. It was a diverse community that did not wait to have everything before helping distant brothers and sisters. Ask which church or family needs concrete help and what each person can give according to their ability, as those disciples did.
Acts 11 ends with Barnabas and Saul carrying Antioch's relief to Jerusalem. In Acts 12 the church in Jerusalem faces violent persecution under Herod, and Peter is imprisoned.
The name showed that the disciples of Jesus were no longer seen as a sect within Judaism, since they included Jews and Gentiles. Some think it began as a mocking nickname from outsiders; in any case, the church embraced it as identification with Christ.
A Christian prophet who predicted by the Spirit a great famine over the whole world. He will appear again in Acts 21 with another warning for Paul.
Barnabas, whose name means son of encouragement, was the one who brought Saul from Tarsus to Antioch and introduced him to the ministry among the Gentiles. He had already presented him to the apostles in Jerusalem, and he will be his companion on the first missionary journey.