In these and
previous chapters, we see how the Apostles and disciples initially
struggled to grasp how radically different the Gospel is from the old Jewish
ways. In chapter 8 we
noted the care with which the Apostles assessed the spiritual authenticity of
those Samaritans who had come to believe in the Gospel. They concluded that the
Gospel transcends racial and ethnic boundaries for even the mixed-race
Samaritans had become Christians. But now, in chapters 10-11, we read that the
Gospel boundary is pushed back even further: is it possible that, in God's
plan, even Gentile people can trust in Jesus, the Jewish Messiah, and be fully
welcomed and accepted into the family of God? Could it be that
"whosoever" really means that 'anybody' who "believes in Jesus will
not perish but have everlasting life"?
For the Apostles to
be faithful witnesses to Gentile people, they needed to be convinced that this
was God's plan. God has to dramatically grab Peter's attention and underline
that, through the Gospel, the old Jewish 'clean-unclean' markers (10:14) that
kept Jews and Gentiles apart had all disappeared. Hence the vision, and hence
the command to visit a Gentile's home. Did you note - in passing - that Peter's
old ways still haven't been fully overcome (v14a), giving encouragement to us
all…
Cornelius was a
'God-fearer' (10:1-2: see also 13:16), a
Gentile who had embraced the Jewish faith in hope of salvation, but who had not
yet become a full Jew by being circumcised.
He was religious, but not yet saved. This was the focus of his prayers
(10:4b) which were about to be answered (11:14). Cornelius had gathered in
family and friends to hear the Apostle's message (10:33). Finally, Peter gets
it right (does 10:29 suggest Peter was still unsure as to why he was there?), tells
them about Jesus, and many are converted.
Conclusion: Gentile people don't have to become Jews in order to become Christians, members of the Church. It's by faith in Christ alone. However, as we shall see shortly, some people
are slow to catch on…
In the face of understandable criticism from some (11:2), we are told the whole story
again, perhaps so that our own lingering doubts and suspicions about this new,
non-boundary Gospel might be eased (v4-18).
How is Peter sure that the Gentiles' faith is real? Because of the
vision of God (v5-11), the witness of the Spirit (v12-15, 17) and the witness
of the Word (v18). No doubt about it.
This is God at work.
And as the Gospel
mission continues to spread throughout the Gentile world (v19), so a new
sending base emerges as a spiritual bridgehead for the work to expand into
unreached areas, Antioch, the third largest city in the Roman Empire
(v20,22,25,26,27). It is here that the
believers are first called "Christians" - by outsiders (v26). Why so?
Probably because they heeded Barnabas' exhortations to the faithful to
the Lord and to be actively engaged in evangelism, sharing the good news about
'the Christ' to many (v20, 24-25); probably also because they gave themselves
wholeheartedly to drinking in the teaching of the Word which impacted their
lives to conform then to the image of Christ (v26; cf Romans 8:29); and probably also because their selfless,
Christlike generosity for those in need did not go unnoticed by the surrounding
observers (v29-30).
"Christians" - because they were totally taken up with
Jesus. How might the watching world
describe us?
No comments:
Post a Comment