Volume

14
SALT
Servant and Leadership Training

Acts of the
Apostles
1 - 12
October 2002
 Table of Contents
Introduction .............................................................................................................. 4
An outline of the Acts 1-12 .............................................................................. 5
Theme ............................................................................................................. 5
The Church in Acts .......................................................................................... 7
The Holy Spirit in Acts ..................................................................................... 7
Baptism in Acts................................................................................................ 8

“The Ministry of Peter: A Mission to Israel” ............................................. 8

I. Peter and the Jews - Acts 1 – 7.......................................................................... 8

A. “Preparation for Pentecost” - ACTS 1 ................................................................ 8

1. A New Book (1:1 – 2)......................................................................................... 8
2. A New Experience (1:3 – 8) ................................................................................ 9
3. A New Assurance (1:9 – 11) ............................................................................. 10
4. A New Apostle (1:12 – 25)................................................................................ 10

B. “Peter’s First Message” - ACTS 2..................................................................... 11

1. The Miracles (2:1 – 13)..................................................................................... 11
2. The First Message of Peter (2:14 – 41) ............................................................ 12
a. Introduction (verses 14 - 21)...................................................................... 12
b. The Explanation (verses 22 - 36)............................................................... 12
c. The application (verses 37 - 40) ................................................................ 12
3. The Multitude (2:42 – 47).................................................................................. 13

C. “Peter’s Second Message” - ACTS 3................................................................ 13

1. Power (3:1 – 11) ............................................................................................... 13
2. Preaching (3:12 – 26) ....................................................................................... 13

D. “The First Persecution” - ACTS 4 ..................................................................... 15

1. The Arrest (4:1 – 4)........................................................................................... 15
2. The Trial (4:5 – 22) ........................................................................................... 15
3. The Victory (4:23 – 37) ..................................................................................... 16

E. “The Second Persecution” - ACTS 5 ................................................................ 17

1. Opposition from Within (5:1 – 16) ..................................................................... 17
a. The deception (verses 1 – 2) ..................................................................... 17
b. The discovery (verses 3 – 4) ..................................................................... 17
c. The deaths (verses 5 – 11) ........................................................................ 17
d. The testimony (verses 12 – 16) ................................................................. 18
2. Opposition from Without (5:17 – 34) ................................................................. 18

F. “Israel’s Final Rejection: Stephen Slain” - ACTS 6 – 7................................... 19

1. A Family Difficulty (6:1 – 7)............................................................................... 19
2. Faithful Deacon (6:8 – 15) ................................................................................ 20

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“Israel’s Final Rejection: Stephen Slain” – ACTS 7 (continued) ........................ 21
3. God’s Covenant with Abraham (7:1 – 8).......................................................... 21
4. Israel’s Rejection of Joseph (7:9 – 16).............................................................. 22
5. Israel’s Rejection of Moses (7:7 – 41)............................................................... 22
6. Israel’s Rejection of the Prophets (7:42 – 50) ................................................... 23
7. Israel’s Judgment Sealed (7:51 – 60) ............................................................... 23

II. “Peter and the Samaritans” - ACTS 8 ............................................................... 24

A. Philip the Evangelist (8:1 – 25)......................................................................... 24
B. Philip the Personal Worker (8:26 – 40)............................................................. 25
1. The man of God......................................................................................... 25
2. The Spirit of God ....................................................................................... 26
3. The Word of God ....................................................................................... 26

III. “The Conversion of Paul” - ACTS 9 ................................................................. 26

A. Paul and the Lord (9:1 – 9)............................................................................... 27
B. Paul and Ananias (9:10 – 19)........................................................................... 28
C. Paul and the Jews (9:20 – 31) ......................................................................... 28
D. Peter and the Saints (9:32 – 43) ...................................................................... 29

IV. “Peter and the Conversion of the Gentiles” - ACTS 10.................................. 30

A. Preparation by the Spirit of God (10:1 – 22)..................................................... 30
1. The Spirit prepares Cornelius (verses 1 – 8). ............................................ 30
2. The Spirit prepares Peter (verses 9 – 22).................................................. 31
B. Obedience of the Man of God (10:23 – 33) ...................................................... 31
C. The Preaching of the Word of God (10:34 – 48) .............................................. 32

V. “Peter and the Gentiles” - ACTS 11 .................................................................. 33

A. The Jerusalem Church Accepts the Gentiles (11:1 – 18) ................................. 34
B. The Jerusalem Church Encourages the Gentiles (11:19 – 26)......................... 34
C. The Jerusalem Church Gets Aid from the Gentiles (11:27 – 30)...................... 35

VI. “Peter’s Arrest and Deliverance” - ACTS 12 ................................................... 35

A. The Power of Satan (12:1 – 4) ........................................................................ 36
B. The Power of Prayer (12:5 – 19) ..................................................................... 36
C. The Power of God’s Wrath (12:20 – 23)........................................................... 37
D. The Power of God’s Hand (12:24 – 25)............................................................ 37

Appendix A – A Jewish Proselyte......................................................................... 39

Appendix B – The Nations at Pentecost.............................................................. 40

Appendix C - The Herods ...................................................................................... 42

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 Introduction

It was the year 33 AD in the month of March or April, depending on the moon.
The Passover was ended. The crowds that gathered for the crucifixion had left.
Jerusalem had now returned to normal.

Some people were puzzled, however, by unusual circumstances surrounding the

crucifixion of a certain Jesus of Nazareth. He had appeared to be a revolutionary
because He talked about setting up a Kingdom of His own.

At that time, many were looking for their political Messiah. They knew he would
perform signs and wonders. He would deliver them from Rome. He would meet
their physical needs and He would live forever. Had not this Galilean fed 4000
people and another time 5000 people? He had healed and delivered many of evil
spirits and sicknesses. And now, a rumor had spread concerning His resurrection
from the dead. But certainly the Jewish leaders thought that was an impossibility.
After all, the soldiers who guarded His tomb reported the theft of His body by His
followers.

As years passed, believers who had put their hope and faith in Jesus as the leader
of the Way had grown in number. The message of their Messiah had spread to
many towns and villages in Palestine and throughout the Roman Empire.

A doctor named Luke from Antioch of Syria, had written his friend, Theophilus, [a
high Roman official], in 59-61 AD, a letter about Jesus the Messiah and His life. In
that letter, Luke wanted Theophilus to know that Jesus is the Savior of all the world.
Now, he writes him again in 63 AD.

His first letter may have been written from his own personal experience and available
written documents, such as the apostolic decrees from Jerusalem. Other oral
sources may have been Mary, Paul, Philip the evangelist and James the Lord’s
brother. Luke was a dependable historian who had carefully researched and studied
the material before composing his two letters (Luke 1:1 – 4)---the Gospel of Luke
and Acts of the Apostles.

The second letter, Acts of the Apostles, dealt with the history of the church since
Jesus was taken up to heaven. This letter spanned a period about 30 years. The
main thrust of the letter to Theophilus was to tell him of God’s plan of salvation
through Jesus and the establishment and growth of the Kingdom of God. He
especially wanted him to understand what the risen Savior was doing from heaven
through His church---the body of the Messiah.

As we study Luke’s second letter, we will, in this book focus on the first half of the
letter --- chapters 1 – 12. We will study the second half at a later date.

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 An outline of the Acts 1-12

The Ministry of Peter: A Mission to Israel (1 – 12)

I. Peter and the Jews (1 – 7)
A. Preparation for Pentecost (1)
B. Peter’s first message (2)
C. Peter’s second message (3)
D. The first persecution (4)
E. The second persecution (5)
F. Israel’s final rejection: Stephen slain (6 – 7)
II. Peter and the Samaritans (8)
III. The Conversion of Paul (9)
IV. Peter and the Gentiles (10 –11)
V. Peter’s arrest and deliverance (12)

Theme

It is vitally important that we understand the basic message of the Book of Acts. To
do this we must survey the book in a general way to grasp its message. In this book
we see the Kingdom message and the setting aside of Israel’s status. We witness
also the expansion of the church and the message of the grace of God. In chapters
1 – 7 we are definitely speaking of God offering His Kingdom to the Jews first.

Remember, Acts is really a continuation of the Gospel of Luke. Reflect on Luke

24:46, and thus we see why the disciples began in Jerusalem --- the Messiah
commanded them to stay there until the Spirit should come. Their ministry was to
begin in Jerusalem, “to the Jew first” (Romans 1:16). Even when we get to Acts 8:1,
we find the apostles courageously remaining in Jerusalem while others were fleeing.
They were not disobeying the Lord but following the orders He gave them. Here are
but a few of the many evidences in Acts 1 – 7 that the ministry of the apostles was to
the Jews and still was the message of the Kingdom:

(a) The disciples expected the establishment of the Kingdom (1:6), and the Messiah
did not rebuke them for their request. He had promised that they would sit on twelve
thrones (Matthew 19:28).

(b) It was necessary that they elect a twelfth apostle (1:22) to take Judas’ place so
that the Messiah’s promise might be fulfilled. Paul was not supposed to be that new
apostle, for his ministry was primarily to the Gentiles. Paul’s ministry had to do with
the one body, the church.

(c) Peter preached to the men of Judah, Jerusalem and Israel in his message at
Pentecost (2:14, 22). He did not address his words to Gentiles. It was primarily a
Jewish message to a Jewish congregation on a Jewish religious holiday.

(d) The prophecy of Joel (2:16) relates primarily to Israel, not the church.

(e) Peter portrayed the cross as an instrument of crime, not as God’s gracious
remedy for sin (2:22 – 23). Compare this with Paul’s message in 2 Corinthians 5.

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(f) Peter’s theme at Pentecost is the resurrection. The Messiah had promised to give
Israel a sign — the sign of the prophet Jonah — which is death, burial, and
resurrection (Matthew 12:38). This was the sign Peter preached. God was now
giving Israel another chance to accept the Messiah and be saved.

(g) The apostles and first converts worshiped in the temple (2:46 and 3:1) and
maintained contact with the temple ministry until they were thrown out.

(h) Peter said that the days of blessing, which were experienced in Acts, had been
prophesied by the Old Testament prophets (3:21, 24). However, the Church was a
mystery hidden by God and was not fully made known until Paul’s ministry (read
Ephesians 3 carefully). The prophets spoke of the Jewish kingdom, not of the
church. To confuse these two creates problems.

(i) Jerusalem was the center for blessing. Everyone came there (5:16).

(j) Peter clearly told the Jewish Sanhedrin council that the message was one of
repentance for Israel (5:31).

(k) In chapter 7, Stephen reviewed the history of Israel and showed how the nation
had rejected the truth down through the years. From the above statements, we see
that the first seven chapters of Acts are concerned with the Jewish nation. It is a
message meant primarily for the kingdom, not the church. It is important that we
understand why.

There are three murders in Israel’s history that mark out her rejection of God’s will.

First, John the Baptist came preaching the Kingdom (Matthew 3:1) and the
Jews allowed him to be slain. In this way, they rejected the Father who had
sent him.
Second, Jesus came preaching the same message (Matthew 4:12 – 17), and
they crucified Him. Thus, they rejected God the Son.
Third, the religious leaders murdered Stephen. Remember that while on the
cross, Jesus prayed for the Jews --- “Father, forgive them for they do not
know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34). This prayer, again spoken by
Stephen in Acts 7:60, made possible a third offer of the kingdom through the
apostles. The result was the murder of Stephen. This was the sin of resisting
the Holy Spirit (Acts 7:51), the “unpardonable sin” that Jesus had spoken of in
Matthew 12:31 – 32.

The death of Stephen marks the close of God’s offer of the Kingdom of God to the
Jews.

In chapters 8 – 12, we have a transition. In chapter 8, the Gospel goes from the
Jews to the Samaritans. In chapter 9, Paul is saved in an unusual and miraculous
manner, and God prepares His apostle for ministry to the church. In chapter 10, the
Gospel goes to the Gentiles and Peter defends this new departure in chapter 11. In
chapter 12, we see Peter for the last time as the leader among the believers. In
chapter 13, it is Paul who takes the lead, here and through the rest of the book.
[Chapters 13 – 28 will be discussed in another SALT book, “The Journeys of Paul.”]

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 The Church in Acts

If the first seven chapters describe a message that is being offered to the Jews, then
where does the church, the body of the Messiah, fit in? The answer: the church
began at Pentecost but was not fully revealed by God until later, primarily through
the writings of Paul. Jesus had promised to build His church (Matthew 16:18).
However, almost in the same breath, He gave Peter the “keys of the kingdom of
heaven” (Matthew 16:19). Peter used these “keys” in opening the door of faith to the
Jews at Pentecost (Acts 2), to the Samaritans (Acts 8), and to the Gentiles (Acts 10).
In other words, there is a transition in these first seven chapters of Acts, with Israel
and the kingdom moving off the scene, and the church and the Gospel of God’s
grace moving onto the scene.

The Messiah promised the apostles a baptism of the Spirit (Acts 1:5). This took
place at Pentecost (Acts 2 and 1 Corinthians 12:13) and in the home of Cornelius
(Acts 10:45, and 11:15-17). These two events included both Jews and Gentiles, and
thus the body of the Messiah was formed. The apostles did not know whether or not
Israel would receive their kingdom offer (Acts 1:6 – 7), but Jesus did know. Thus, the
church was about to take over God’s purpose because of Israel’s failure.

It is easy to see that as the action of the church begins to fill the pages of Acts, Israel
becomes less and less significant in God’s program on earth. In the final chapter
(28:17), Paul pronounced God’s judgment on the nation. As Romans 9 – 11
explains, God had set aside Israel “until the full number of the Gentiles has come in”
(Romans 11:25) so that God’s kingdom might be realized through the ministry of the
church.

This kingdom emphasis in the first seven chapters of Acts must be recognized.
Otherwise, one may apply certain practices to the church today that really do not
pertain anymore. For example, some well-meaning believers go “back to Pentecost”
for their spiritual ideal. In the light of the above analysis, Pentecost (a Jewish feast)
involved signs for the Jews that do not necessarily have relevance to the church
today. The “believers’ communism” of Acts 4:31 also is not for us today. It was a
temporary evidence of the gracious working of the Spirit, a picture of kingdom
blessing to come. Of course, the spiritual principles given in these chapters apply to
believers in all ages. We must beware of mixing the kingdom truth of the Old
Testament with church truth and thus confusing the message and the ministry.

The Holy Spirit in Acts

This book could well be called, “The Acts of the Holy Spirit.” It is important to note
the progress in the believers’ experience as the book moves from Jewish
background to church background.

Acts 2:38 — Peter tells the Jews to repent, believe, and be baptized to receive the
Spirit.

Acts 8:14 –15 — Peter prays for the Samaritans to receive the Spirit, lays hands on
them, and they receive the gift of the Spirit.

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Acts 10:44 — The Holy Spirit comes on the Gentiles when they believe, and Peter
can only stand by in amazement. Acts 10:44 is God’s pattern for today: hear the
Word, believe, receive the Spirit, and then be baptized as evidence of your faith.

Baptism in Acts

When Peter was offering the kingdom to the Jews, baptism was essential for their
receiving the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38). Baptism in the name of the rejected Messiah
identified them with Him and separated them from the other Jews whom Peter
termed “this perverse generation” (2:40). The Samaritans’ baptism did not grant
them the Spirit (Acts 8:12 –17). They had to call on Peter and John, two Jews, who
prayed for the new believers and laid hands on them. Then they received the Spirit.
This was Peter’s second use of the “keys of the kingdom.” However, the pattern of
baptism for this age is found in Acts 10:44 – 48 — these believers were baptized
after they had already received the gift of the Spirit.

“The Ministry of Peter: A Mission to Israel”

I. Peter and the Jews - Acts 1 – 7

A. “Preparation for Pentecost” - ACTS 1

1. A New Book (1:1 – 2)

Luke opens this letter by mentioning the “former book” referred to as the Gospel of
Luke (Luke 1:1 – 4) in which Luke told the story of what Jesus began to do and teach
while He was on earth. The Book of Acts picks up the account by telling what Jesus
continued to do and teach through the church on earth. The Gospel of Luke tells of
Jesus’ ministry on earth in a physical body, while Acts tells of His ministry from
heaven through His spiritual body, the church.

For example:
In 1:24, the believers ask the ascended Messiah to show them which man to
elect as apostle.
In 2:47, it is the Lord who adds believers to the assembly.
In 13:1 – 3, it is the Lord, through His Spirit, who sends out the first
missionaries.
In 14:27, Paul and Barnabas relate what God did through them.

Every believer needs to move out of Luke’s Gospel into the Book of Acts. Knowing
about the birth, life, death and resurrection of Jesus the Messiah is enough for
salvation but not for Spirit - empowered service. We must identify ourselves with
Jesus as our ascended Lord and allow Him to work through us in the world. The
church is not simply an organization engaged in religious work. It is a divine
organism, the body of Jesus on earth, through which His life and power must
operate. He died for the lost world. We must live to bring that world to Jesus the
Messiah.

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2. A New Experience (1:3 – 8)

Sequence of Events:

29 AD 3 days later 40 days 50 days

after after
Resurrection Resurrection
Crucifixion Resurrection Ascension Pentecost
“Passover” “First Fruits” Luke 24:50 - Acts 2 -
[First born 51 and The coming
from the Acts 1:9 -11 of the Holy
dead in Spirit to the
I Corinthians believers.
15:12 – 58
and
Colossians
1:18]

Jesus ministered to the apostles during the forty days He was on earth after His
resurrection. Luke 24:36 should be read in connection with these verses. In both
places, Jesus instructed the apostles to remain in Jerusalem and wait for the coming
of the Spirit. They were to begin their ministry in Jerusalem.

This baptism of the Spirit had been announced by John the Baptist (Matthew 3:11,
Mark 1:8, Luke 3:16 and John 1:33). [Note that Jesus said nothing about a baptism
with fire, for the fire of baptism refers to judgment.] The coming of the Spirit would:

Unite all the believers into one body --- to be known as the church (1
Corinthians 12:13)
Give the believers power to witness to the lost
Enable the believers to speak in tongues and perform other miraculous deeds
to awaken the Jews (1 Corinthians 1:22 --- the Jews require a sign).

There are actually two occurrences of this Spirit baptism in Acts --- in chapter 2,
when He baptized the Jews and in chapter 10, when He came upon the Gentile
believers. According to Ephesians 2:11, the body of Jesus is composed of Jews and
Gentiles, all baptized into this spiritual body. It is wrong to pray for a baptism of the
Spirit. We may ask God to fill us (Ephesians 5:18) or empower us for special service
(Acts 10:38), but we should not pray for His baptism. It has already occurred at the
time of our salvation.

Were the apostles correct in asking Jesus about the kingdom (Acts 1:6-8)? Yes. In
Matthew 22:1 – 10, Jesus had promised to give the nation of Israel another
opportunity to receive Him and the kingdom. In Matthew 19:28, Jesus promised that
the apostles would sit on twelve thrones (Luke 22:28 – 30). In Matthew 12:31 – 45,
Jesus stated that Israel would have another opportunity to be saved even after
sinning against the Son, and He promised to give them a sign to encourage them. It
was the sign of Jonah: death, burial and resurrection. The apostles knew that their
ministry would begin with Israel. Now, they wanted to know what Israel would do.

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Would the nation accept or reject their message? Jesus had not told them whether it
would or would not. If He had told the apostles that Israel would reject this good
news, they would not have given their people an honest offer. Their ministry would
have been false. What He did tell them was that they would be witnesses, starting in
Jerusalem, and eventually reaching across the world.

3. A New Assurance (1:9 – 11)

Do not confuse the promise of verse 11 with that of the rapture of the church as
given through Paul in 1 Thessalonians 4. The angels here are promising that Jesus
will return to Mount Olivet visibly and in glory. Luke 21:27 and Zechariah 14:4 give
the same promise. Had Israel accepted the apostles’ message, Jesus would have
returned to Mount Olivet (see Acts 3:19 –21) and established His kingdom on earth.
The Jewish missionaries would have spread His Gospel to the ends of the earth, and
Israel would have been the center of blessing for all mankind as promised in Isaiah
35:1 – 6 and 65:19 – 23.

4. A New Apostle (1:12 – 25)

Were the apostles correct in selecting this new man to take the place of Judas
Iscariot? Of course! There had to be twelve men to sit on the twelve promised
thrones (Matthew 19:28 and Luke 22:28 – 30) should Israel repent and receive the
kingdom. Their decision was based on the Word of God (Psalms 109:8 and 69:25)
and on continued prayer (verses 14 and 24). God ratified the new choice, Matthias,
since he, with the others, was filled with the Spirit on the Day of Pentecost.

Note that Peter took charge of the meeting. This is perhaps another use of his
“binding and loosing” powers given by Jesus in Matthew 16:19. Heaven directed
them in their decision and ratified their decision after it was made.

Paul could not have been the twelfth apostle. For one thing, he did not meet the
qualifications laid down in verses 21 - 22 and furthermore, his special ministry had to
do with the church, not the Kingdom.

Everything was now in readiness for the coming of the Spirit. It was now a matter of
time. As the believers waited for the Day of Pentecost to arrive, they spent their
hours in prayer and fellowship in the Upper Room.

Questions:

1. Compare Acts 1:5 and Acts 1:8. To baptize (Greek – baptizo) means to dip,
immerse, overwhelm or saturate. When the apostles were baptized with the
Holy Spirit, what would the Holy Spirit do through them?
2. According to Acts 1:8, what would the apostles receive and be, when the Holy
Spirit came upon them?
3. Where were the disciples to wait for the promise from God the Father?
4. Where were they to go once they received the baptism of the Holy Spirit?
5. In 1 Corinthians 15:1 – 11, Paul preached the essence of the gospel
message. What were the points Paul listed in these verses?
6. In 1 Corinthians 15:1 –11, what does the burial of Jesus confirm?

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 7. What does the fact that many saw Jesus confirm?
8. Should you discuss “sin” when presenting the gospel? (See 1 Corinthians
15:3.)
9. What if believers say not to mention the word “sin” to lost people? What
would you say?
10. What part of witnessing is hardest for you? Do you witness very often?
Why? Why not?
11. In Acts 1:21 – 22, what were the qualifications of an apostle? Why was it
necessary for the apostle to be a witness of the resurrection of the Messiah?

B. “Peter’s First Message” - ACTS 2

The Feast of Pentecost took place fifty days after the Feast of Firstfruits. (The word
“Pentecost” means “fiftieth.”) This feast is described in Leviticus 23:15 – 21. Just as
Passover is a picture of the death of the Messiah (1 Corinthians 5:7), and Firstfruits a
picture of the resurrection of the Messiah (1 Corinthians 15:20 – 23), so Pentecost
pictures the coming of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:13). The loaves of bread with
leaven were presented that day, a picture of the church composed of Jews and
Gentiles. [The priest presented two loaves as a wave offering to the Lord. In
1 Corinthians 10:17, the church is pictured as a loaf of bread.] The leaven in the
bread speaks of sin yet in the church. There are two occurrences of the Spirit’s
baptism in Acts: upon the Jews in Acts 2, and upon the Gentiles in Acts 10. The two
loaves presented at Pentecost foreshadow these events.

1. The Miracles (2:1 – 13)

The believers were waiting and praying as Jesus had commanded (Luke 24:49), and
at the proper time, the Spirit descended. When He did, He baptized them into one
spiritual body in the Messiah (see Acts 1:4 – 5 and 1 Corinthians 12:13), and He
filled them with power for witnessing (2:4). The sound of rushing wind reminds us of
John 3:8 and of Ezekiel’s prophecy about the dry bones (Ezekiel 37). The tongues of
fire symbolize the divine power that would speak for God. Do not confuse these
tongues of fire with the baptism of fire mentioned in Matthew 3:11. The baptism of
fire mentioned there refers to the time of Israel’s tribulation. Since every believer is
baptized by the Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:13), it is not proper to pray for a baptism of
the Holy Spirit and of fire.

The believers spoke in tongues. They did not preach in tongues, but rather praised
God in languages they did not naturally know (2:11). Apparently, they were in the
Upper Room when the Spirit descended (2:2), but must have moved out to the
temple courts where a great crowd gathered. The purpose of the gift of tongues was
to impress the Jews with the fact that a miracle was taking place. In 10:46, the
Gentiles spoke with tongues as proof to the apostles that they had received the
Spirit. In 19:6, the Ephesian followers of John the Baptist spoke in tongues for the
same reason.

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2. The First Message of Peter (2:14 – 41)

a. Introduction (verses 14 - 21)

Peter first answered their charge that the men were drunk. No Jew would eat or drink
anything before 9:00 am on a Sabbath or feast day. It was then the third hour, or
9:00 am Note that throughout this sermon, Peter addresses Jews only (verses 14,
22, 29 and 36). Pentecost was a Jewish feast and there were no Gentiles involved.
In this sermon, Peter addressed the Jewish nation and proved to them that their
Messiah had been raised from the dead. In verses 16 – 21, Peter referred the men to
Joel 2:28 – 32 (read that passage carefully). He did not say that this was a fulfillment
of the prophecy, for Joel’s words will not be fulfilled until the end of the Tribulation
when Jesus returns to earth. Peter does say that this is that same Spirit spoken of by
Joel. Verses 17 and 18 took place at Pentecost, but verses 19 - 21 did not, and will
not until the end times. Between verses 18 and 19 unfold the entire church age.

b. The Explanation (verses 22 - 36)

Peter now proved to the Jews that Jesus was alive. He used five very convincing
proofs of the living Messiah:

(1) Jesus’ Person and life demand that He be raised from the dead (verses 22 – 24
and John 10:17 – 18). He who raised others could not remain dead himself.

(2) Psalm 16:8 – 11 predicted the resurrection (verses 25-31).

(3) The apostles themselves were witnesses and had seen the risen Lord Jesus
(verse 32).

(4) The coming of the Spirit is proof that Jesus is alive (verse 33).

(5) Psalm 110:1 promised His resurrection (verses 33 - 35). Keep in mind that Peter
was not preaching the Gospel of the cross as we preach it today. He was accusing
Israel of a great crime (verse 23) and warning them that they had rejected and
crucified their own Messiah (verse 36). Peter was giving Israel one more opportunity
to receive the Messiah. They had slain John the Baptist and Jesus, but God was
now giving them another chance. The resurrection of Jesus the promised “sign of
Jonah” that proved He was the Messiah (Matthew 12:38 – 40).

c. The application (verses 37 - 40)

The men were convicted and asked Peter for counsel. Peter told them to repent,
believe and be baptized. In that way they would be identifying themselves with Jesus
as the Messiah. This is the same message John the Baptist (Mark 1:4) and Jesus
(Matthew 4:17) preached. To make baptism essential for salvation and the receiving
of the Spirit is to deny the experience of the Gentiles in Acts 10:44 –48, which is
God’s pattern for today. The Jews in Acts 2 received the Spirit when they repented
and were baptized. The Samaritans in Acts 8 received the Spirit by the laying on of
the apostles’ hands. However, believers today receive the Spirit when they believe,

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as did the Gentiles in Acts 10. There is no salvation in the waters of baptism, for
salvation is by faith in Jesus.

Peter stated that the promise of the Spirit was not only for the Jews present in
Jerusalem, but also for the Jews scattered abroad (verse 39 and Daniel 9:7). This
verse cannot refer to Gentiles because the Gentiles did not receive any promises
(Ephesians 2:11-12).

3. The Multitude (2:42 – 47)

Note that the believers remained in the temple and gave their witness and worship.
The Spirit gave them unity of heart and mind and added believers to the assembly
day by day. These verses are a beautiful description of what life will be like during
the kingdom age. While the church (as we know it) was then in existence in the mind
of God, the full revelation of it was not given until later by Paul. Acts 2 is a message
to the Jewish people, so do not read into these verses truths that were not revealed
until later. The church today does not meet in the Jewish temple, nor is it required to
practice communal living. The kingdom offer was still open and would continue to be
open until the events of Acts 7, when the leaders of the nation resisted the Spirit one
more time and killed Stephen.

C. “Peter’s Second Message” - ACTS 3

1. Power (3:1 – 11)

The fact that Peter and John still attended the temple and kept the Jewish customs is
evidence that these first seven chapters of Acts are Jewish in emphasis. No believer
today who understands Galatians and Hebrews would participate in Old Testament
practices.

The crippled man of Acts 3 is a vivid illustration of the lost sinner in that:
He was born lame, and all are born sinners.
He could not walk, and no sinner can walk so as to please God.
He was outside the temple, and sinners are outside God’s temple, the church.
He was begging, for sinners are beggars, searching for satisfaction.

Peter performed this miracle, not only to relieve the man’s handicap and save his
soul, but also to prove to the Jews that the Holy Spirit had come with promised
blessings. Isaiah 35:6 promises the Jews that Israel would enjoy such miracles when
their Messiah was received. The man’s conduct after the miracle shows how every
believer ought to act: he entered the temple in fellowship with God’s servants and
praised God. His walk was new and different and he did not run from persecution.
His was such a testimony that the officers had no explanation for what had
happened.

2. Preaching (3:12 – 26)

Peter used this healing as an opportunity to present the Messiah and offer
forgiveness to the nation. Note that he addressed the “Men of Israel” as he did in
2:14 and 2:22. He preached Jesus to them and accused them of denying their own

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Messiah. Just a few weeks before, Peter himself had denied Jesus three times. Yet,
because he confessed his sin and made things right with the Lord (John 21), Peter
was able to forget his failure (Romans 8:32 – 34).

Verse 17 is most important, for there Peter stated that Israel’s ignorance caused
them to commit this awful crime. Ignorance is no excuse, but it does affect the
penalty handed out. This is why Jesus prayed --- “Father, forgive them, for they do
not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34). God was now giving Israel one more
opportunity to receive their Messiah. Peter promised in verses 19 - 20 that if the
nation would repent and receive the Lord, He would blot out their sins (Isaiah 43:25
and 44:22 – 23). He would send the Messiah to them, and give them “times of
refreshing.” These “times” were described in Jeremiah 23:5, Micah 4:3 and Isaiah
11:2 – 9, 35:1-6 and 65:19 – 23. Peter was not describing individual salvation here
so much as the blessing that would come to the nation if they would but repent and
believe. Of course, national salvation depended on personal faith.

Heaven would receive and hold the Messiah until Israel would repent. Then the
“times of restitution” would come. This refers to the kingdom Jesus will set up when
Israel turns to Him and believes. Peter states in verse 21 that this event was spoken
of by the prophets. This proved that he was not talking about events of the church.
The “mystery” of the church was not revealed to the Old Testament prophets. The
prophets spoke of Israel’s future kingdom, and that kingdom would have been set up
had the rulers and the people believed Peter’s message and repented.

What about the Gentiles? Peter answered this in verse 25. The Jews were children
of Abraham and of God’s covenant, and God would keep His promise to Abraham
and bless the Gentiles through Israel. “And all the peoples of the earth shall be
blessed through you” (Genesis 12:3 and 22:18). God’s program in the Old
Testament was to bless the Gentiles through a restored Israel and Peter and the
other Jewish apostles knew this. They realized that God promised to bless the
Gentiles when Israel was established in its kingdom. This is why the apostles could
not understand why Paul went to the Gentiles after Israel had been set aside. They
did not realize then the “mystery program” that God would reveal to Paul. This
“mystery program” was that through Israel’s fall the Gentiles would be saved
(Romans 11:11 – 12). This program was a “mystery” hidden in Old Testament days,
but revealed through Paul (Ephesians 3). When the nation killed Stephen and
committed that “unpardonable sin” against the Holy Spirit, God’s prophetic program
for the Jews ended. From that day, Israel was set aside, and the church took center
stage.

How did the nation respond to Peter’s invitation? Many of the common people
believed and were saved, but the rulers had the apostles arrested. The Sadducees,
of course, did not believe in the resurrection and rejected Peter’s message that
Jesus had been raised from the dead. The Pharisees hated Jesus because He had
condemned them (Matthew 23). The persecution that Jesus promised the apostles in
John 15:18 – 16:4 began to take place as we will see in the next chapter.

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Questions:

1. When did the Feast of Pentecost take place?

2. What Old Testament prophecy did the sound of the rushing wind (Acts 2:2) remind
us?
3. On Pentecost Day, what was the purpose of the gift of tongues?
4. What were Peter’s five convincing proofs of the living Messiah?
5. In his sermon of Acts 2, was preaching the Gospel of the Cross?
6. Is Acts 2 a message to Jews or Gentiles?
7. In Acts 3, are Peter and John still keeping the Jewish customs?
8. What is the promise of Isaiah 35:6?
9. Was the “mystery of the church,” revealed to the Old Testament prophets?
10. Why did the Pharisees hate Jesus?

D. “The First Persecution” - ACTS 4

1. The Arrest (4:1 – 4)

This is the beginning of the persecution of the church. The Sadducees did not
believe in the resurrection of the dead and were opposed to Peter’s preaching. The
priests, of course, did not want to be indicted for the crucifixion of Jesus. Little did
Israel’s religious leaders realize that Peter’s message was the one thing that could
save their nation. Had they admitted their sin and received the Messiah, He would
have bestowed the promises that the prophets had proclaimed centuries before.

2. The Trial (4:5 – 22)

The court assembled here, composed primarily of the high priest’s family, had
become corrupted over the years. This was an official meeting of the Sanhedrin, the
highest Jewish council. Some of these very men had assisted in the “trial” of Jesus
the Messiah not many weeks before. In fact, their question in verse 7 reminds us of
Jesus’ trial (read again Matthew 26:57). Jesus had promised the disciples that the
world would treat them the same way it had treated Him (John 15:17). Note, too, that
in Matthew 21:23 - 44 these same leaders had questioned Jesus about His authority.

Peter’s reply starting in verse 8 was directed by the Holy Spirit, in fulfillment of the
promise in Luke 21:12 – 15 and Matthew 10:20. Believers today should never claim
this promise as an excuse for neglecting to study or prepare for teaching or
preaching. The Holy Spirit assists us in those emergency hours when preparation is
impossible, if we have been faithful at other times. In verse 10, Peter boldly stated
that Jesus the Messiah, the crucified and now living Lord, performed the miracle
through His apostles. How those Jews must have trembled to come face-to-face with
their awful crime. Yet, it did no good, because their hearts had become calloused.

Verse 11 identifies Jesus as the Stone and the Jewish leaders as the builders. This
is a quotation from Psalm 118:22 – 23. Jesus Himself used this passage in debating
with these very leaders (Matthew 21:43). The Jews rejected Jesus as the Chosen
Stone on whom the kingdom would be established. That Rejected Stone became
the Chief Cornerstone of the church (Ephesians 2:20). Note that Peter stated clearly

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that Israel had rejected their Messiah. However, in verse 12, he invited them to
believe on Jesus and be saved. While this verse certainly applies to all sinners of
every age, it had a special meaning for the nation in Peter’s day. Had the leaders
repented and received Jesus, He would have saved the nation from the awful
tragedy that came in just a few years when Rome destroyed the temple and the city.

In verses 13 – 17 the disciples were told to leave the council of the Sanhedrin while
they considered the case. They were impressed with the boldness of the apostles.
This is significant inasmuch as Peter had denied his Lord in fear just a few weeks
before. The phrase “unschooled and ordinary” (verse 13) literally means “untaught
and unlettered”. That is, the apostles had not been instructed in the official schools
of the rabbis. Yet, they knew so much more about the Scriptures than did the
religious leaders. The leaders also realized that these men “had been with Jesus”
(verse 13) in the Garden and during His last week in Jerusalem before His death.
However, they faced an even greater problem: how could they explain the healing of
the beggar? They could not deny the miracle, so they decided to silence the
messengers.

The apostles did not accept this verdict. Their loyalty to Jesus, their Lord meant
more than any protection from the government. The judges finally had to let them go.
The boldness of the disciples, the power of the Word, and the testimony of the
healed beggar were too good a “case” and the judges had no answer.

3. The Victory (4:23 – 37)

True believers always return “to their own people” (1 John 2:19). The assembly did
not lament because persecution had begun. Rather, the believers rejoiced and
prayed! Note that in verses 25 - 26 they referred to Psalm 2, which is a Messianic
Psalm, speaking about the day when the Messiah shall return to rule with power.
Believers today ought to imitate the first believers in their praying, for they tied their
praying to the Word of God (John 15:7).

They prayed for boldness, and God answered by filling them with the Spirit. This was
not a “second Pentecost,” for the Spirit came to fill with power and not to baptize the
believers. The Holy Spirit also gave them a wonderful unity, so much so that they
sold their goods and shared with those in need. This “believers’ communal living”
was another proof of the presence of the Spirit, a sample of what will happen in the
Kingdom age when all nations have the Spirit and unselfishly love one another. This
“communal living” has no relation to Marxist communism. Please note that this
sharing of goods was a temporary occurrence and is not required by the church of
Jesus today.

While believers today are to have the same spirit of love, they are not expected to
sell their goods and form a separate community. In 11:27 – 30, the believers at
Antioch sent an offering to the Jerusalem believers (Romans 15:26,
1 Corinthians 16:1 – 3, 2 Corinthians 8:1 – 4 and 9:2). When Israel rejected the
message, this gracious working of the Spirit gradually disappeared. The pattern for
New Testament church giving is found in 2 Corinthians 8 – 9, 1 Timothy 5:8 and
2 Thessalonians 3:7 – 13.

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“Boldness” seems to be a key thought in this chapter. See how the early believers
received this boldness:

They were filled with the Spirit (verses 8 and 31)

They prayed (verse 29)
They relied on the Word of God (verses 25 – 28).

You and I may have boldness in our walk and witness if we feed on the Word, pray
and surrender to the Spirit. We may have boldness on earth because Jesus gives us
boldness in heaven (Hebrews 4:16 and 10:19).

E. “The Second Persecution” - ACTS 5

Satan is still attacking the believers, and as he does, he uses a dual plan: deception
from within and persecution from without. Satan is a liar and a murderer, and we see
him operating in both spheres in this chapter.

1. Opposition from Within (5:1 – 16)

Here we see satan operating as the serpent, using believers within the assembly to
hinder the work of the Lord.

a. The deception (verses 1 – 2)

Ananias and Sapphira wanted to gain the reputation for being more spiritual than
they actually were. When the others brought their donations (4:34 – 37), these two
were jealous and wanted the same recognition. Please keep in mind that their sin
was not stealing money from God, because Peter stated in verse 4 that it was in their
own power to use the money as they wished. Their sin was hypocrisy, trying to
appear more spiritual than they really were. They had wanted others to believe they
had sacrificed everything when they had only given a portion.

b. The discovery (verses 3 – 4)

Peter was a man with Spirit - given discernment. Sin is always discovered in one
way or another. This couple had not mentioned anything openly, but the terrible sin
was in their hearts. They had lied to the Spirit of God who was graciously working in
the hearts of the believers, leading them to sell their belongings and share with
others.

c. The deaths (verses 5 – 11)

This was not a case of “church discipline” since God dealt with the sinners directly.
The two deaths illustrate the kind of judgment the Messiah will exercise during the
kingdom (Jeremiah 23:5 and Revelation 19:15). Unlike local church discipline, where
the pastor and the church investigate a matter, give opportunity for repentance and
forgiveness, and seek to restore the erring ones, this was a definite case of divine
judgment. It is interesting to compare this chapter to Joshua 7, where the covetous
Achan tried to hide sin from God and was killed. Great fear fell on the church
(verse 11) as people saw the hand of God at work.

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 d. The testimony (verses 12 – 16)

The assembly was now unified and magnified, and it therefore multiplied. This will
always happen when an assembly is purged of sin. Satan works inside the church
and tries to divide it, disgrace it and destroy it. But if we let the Spirit work, we will
detect the devil’s operation and avoid church problems. A local church must have
standards and must let the Spirit lead. Note that Peter is the key man at this period
of church history. Even his shadow was thought to bring healing.

Satan still opposes the work of the church from within. Paul warned the elders that
wolves would come in from the outside to attack the flock. Also, men would arise
“from among you” to harm the church (Acts 20:29 – 30). The greatest danger the
church faces today is not so much opposition from without, but sin from within. Thus,
it is important to seek God’s guidance in receiving new members and in disciplining
those who stray.

2. Opposition from Without (5:17 – 34)

The Jewish leaders (incited by the unbelieving Sadducees) were filled with jealousy
at the success and popularity of the apostles. This time the entire apostolic band was
probably put in prison. Most likely it was a public prison and not a special ward. An
angel of the Lord (this may have been Jesus Himself) delivered them, and thus
graciously God gave the nation another chance to hear the message of salvation.
Note that the men went straight to the temple. Here they would find the people who
needed their message. Imagine the surprise of the leaders when they discovered the
prisoners gone! Keep in mind that deliverance is not always God’s plan. He allowed
Peter to be delivered but James [the brother of John not the brother of Jesus] to be
slain (Acts 12) because each event worked out for His glory.

The leaders refused to pronounce the name of Jesus (verse 28). “This man’s blood”
reminds us of what the nation had said in Matthew 27:25. The Jewish nation will not
be cleansed until they see their Messiah and are purged from their sin (Zechariah
12:9 – 13:1).

Peter and the apostles would not give in. Again, they announced that God would
save Israel if the leaders repented (verse 31). If the leaders turned from their sin, the
people would follow their example (John 7:48). The Word, like a sharp sword
(Hebrews 4:12), cut the rulers to the heart, and they wanted to murder the apostles,
just as they murdered Jesus.

Gamaliel then gave his advice to the council: stay neutral and find out whether God
was in this movement or not. This appeared to be wise counsel, but actually, it was
not. No one can be neutral about Jesus. To delay making a decision is to bring
disaster. God had given every evidence through signs and miracles that He was at
work. There was no reason to put off a decision. It is interesting to note that
Gamaliel was a Pharisee, and not a part of the Sadducee group that led the arrest.
He is also the great Jewish rabbi who taught the Apostle Paul (Acts 22:3). His pupil
made a better decision than he did.

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The apostles were beaten (Deuteronomy 25:2 –3) and released, but they went away
in joy, not defeat. They counted it a privilege to suffer for Jesus their Messiah (see
Philippians 1:27 – 30). Note that the ministry of the church continued:

(1) Daily, and

(2) In public, and
(3) In private homes.

Thus, the apostles continued to teach and preach Jesus the Messiah. This must be
the ministry of the church today.

Questions:

1. What did you learn about Peter and John in Acts 4:13?
2. What made them effective in their work for the Lord?
3. What was the message they proclaimed?
4. What were the points of their message?
5. Of what were they convinced?
6. How did they handle the Word of God?
7. What place did prayer have in their lives?
8. How do you know (about prayer in their lives)?
9. How did they handle opposition?
10. Where did their opposition come from?
11.To what degree did they suffer? How did they handle their suffering?
12. What was the cause of their suffering?
13. In Acts 5:1 – 11, how zealous were God and the leaders of the church for the
purity of the church?
14. What effect did this have on other people in the church?
15. What effect does sin have on the church? Should sin be purged from the
church? Why?

F. “Israel’s Final Rejection: Stephen Slain” - ACTS 6 – 7

We meet now a second problem within the assembly. In chapter 5, it was deceit in
the hearts of Ananias and Sapphira. Here it is complaining in the ranks of the
believers.

1. A Family Difficulty (6:1 – 7)

In one sense, the complaining was an evidence of blessing. The assembly had
increased so rapidly that the apostles were not able to handle the daily distribution of
food. As a result, some of the Grecian Jews had been neglected.

It is encouraging to trace the growth of the church:

3000 believed (2:41)

then believers were added daily (2:47)
then the church grew to 5000 men (4:4)
then this number multiplied (6:1)
and then the number multiplied again greatly (6:7).

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What was the secret of this amazing growth? Read 5:41 – 42 for the answer: the
leaders were willing to pay any price to serve Jesus, and the people lived their faith
daily. Acts 5:42 is a good pattern for us to follow:

Service in God’s house

Service from house to house
Work from every member
Continuous service
Teaching and preaching the Word
Exalting Jesus the Messiah.

Godly pastors and officers alone cannot make a church grow --- every member must
do his or her part.

Putting first things first solved the food problem. The apostles knew that their primary
ministry was prayer and the Word of God. If local churches would allow their pastors
to obey Acts 6:4, they would see increase in spiritual power and in numbers. Prayer
and the Word go together (John 15:7 and Proverbs 28:9). Samuel ministered in this
way (1 Samuel 12:23). So did Jesus (Mark 1:35 – 39) and Paul (Colossians 1:9 –10).
In Acts 1, through prayer and the Word the apostles found God’s will. Ephesians
6:17 – 18 states that prayer and the Word will overcome the devil. Second
Corinthians 9:9 – 15 indicates that the ministry of prayer and the Word will provide
the financial resources a church needs. Prayer and the Word will build a church in
every way (Acts 20:32 – 36).

These seven men are not actually called “deacons” --- although the word is diakonia
in the Greek. The word simply means “servant.” In 6:2, it is translated as “serve”
and in 6:4 as “ministry.” Note that the assembly did the choosing while the apostles
did the actual appointing. The apostles also, led by the Spirit, laid down the
requirements which the believers gladly accepted. This is a picture of unity and
harmony between spiritual leaders and the members of the flock. It is possible that
this early appointment grew into the office of deacon (1 Timothy 3:8). The deacons’
main task was to take care of material needs and thus relieve the apostles for their
spiritual ministry. Today, the deacon assists the pastor in counsel and service,
helping him get as much work done as possible.

Note that the men selected (verse 5) had Greek names. This shows the love of the
early believers. In honor, they preferred one another (Romans 12:10). Philip later
became an evangelist (8:5, 26 and 21:8). Every church officer ought to be an
evangelist. See how God blessed the people when they faced their problem honestly
and solved it (verse 7).

2. Faithful Deacon (6:8 – 15)

The name Stephen means “victor’s crown,” and certainly he earned a crown by
being faithful unto death (Revelation 2:10). According to verse 3, Stephen had a
good reputation among the believers, was Spirit-filled, and had practical wisdom. He
had a two-fold witness: his words (verse 10) and his deeds (verse 8).

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There were hundreds of synagogues in Jerusalem, many of them established by
Jews from other lands. Roman Jews who were descendants of Hebrew slaves who
had been set free made up the synagogue of the Freedmen. It is interesting to note
that Stephen testified in the place where there were Jews from Cilicia. Paul was
from that place (21:39) and might well have faced Stephen in debate there in the
synagogue.

The enemy is always at work, and before long, Stephen was arrested. They accused
him of blaspheming Moses and the Law and charged him with saying that the temple
would be destroyed. This may be a reference to Jesus’ words in John 2:19 – 21.
The Jews treated Stephen the way they treated Jesus: they hired false witnesses,
made dubious accusations, and did not give him the benefit of a fair trial (Mark
14:58, 64). God gave witness to Stephen’s faith by radiating His glory from his face
(2 Corinthians 3:18).

In the next chapter, we will consider Stephen’s great address, showing Israel’s
failure down through the centuries. Chapter seven, will be the turning point in Acts,
as Israel finally rejected Jesus their Messiah and persecuted the church. After this
event, the message went out of Jerusalem to the Gentiles.

“Israel’s Final Rejection: Stephen Slain” – ACTS 7 (continued)

This chapter records the longest single speech in the Book of Acts as well as the
turning point in Israel’s spiritual history. It records the nation’s third important murder
(John the Baptist, the Messiah and now Stephen) and their final rejection of the
message of salvation. In his address, Stephen reviewed the history of Israel and
pointed out that the nation always rejected God’s chosen leaders when they first
appeared, but received them the second time. Both Moses and Joseph were
examples of this pattern (7:13, 35). This is the very way Israel treated the Messiah:
He was presented to the nation on earth by John the Baptist and the apostles, but it
refused Him. Israel will receive the Messiah when He appears the second time.

3. God’s Covenant with Abraham (7:1 – 8)

The covenant with Abraham is recorded in Genesis 13:14 – 18, as well as in

Genesis 15 and 17. It included the ownership by Abraham’s seed of the land of
promise, and the promise of a multiplied seed in the years to come. The seal of this
covenant was circumcision. This covenant with Abraham was the foundation of the
Jewish nation. God did not make this covenant with the Gentiles, nor does it apply to
the church. To “spiritualize” these promises and apply them to the church is to
misunderstand and twist Scripture.

God promised the Jews a land and a kingdom. Because of their disobedience, they
lost possession of the land and failed to receive their kingdom. This covenant with
Abraham still stands, however, and will be fulfilled when Jesus returns to set up His
kingdom on earth.

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4. Israel’s Rejection of Joseph (7:9 – 16)

Joseph bears a wonderful resemblance to Jesus in many ways:

He was loved of his father (Genesis 37:3, Matthew 3:17)

He was hated by his brothers (Genesis 37: 4 – 8, John 15:25)
He was envied by his brothers (Genesis 37:11, Mark 15:10)
He was sold for the price of a slave (Genesis 37:28, Matthew 26:15)
He was humbled as a servant (Genesis 39:1, Philippians 2:5)
He was falsely accused (Genesis 39:16 – 18, Matthew 26:59 – 60)
He was exalted to honor (Genesis 41:14, Philippians 2:9 – 10)
He was not recognized by his brothers the first time (Genesis 42:8, Acts 3:17)
He revealed himself to them the second time (Genesis 45:1, Acts 7:13 and
Zechariah 12:10)

Stephen’s argument here is that the Jews had treated Jesus the way the patriarchs
treated Joseph, but he did not bring this accusation out until the end. Just as Joseph
suffered to save his people, so Jesus suffered to save Israel and all humankind. Yet,
the Jews did not receive Him.

5. Israel’s Rejection of Moses (7:7 – 41)

Like Joseph, Moses was strikingly similar to Jesus:

He was persecuted and almost slain when a child (Exodus 1:22 and 4:19;
Matthew 2:13 – 20)
He refused the world that he might save his people (Hebrews 11:24 – 26,
Matthew 4:8 – 10, 2 Corinthians 8:9)
He was rejected the first time he tried to help Israel (Exodus 2:11 – 14 and
Isaiah 53:3)
He became a shepherd (Exodus 3:1, John 10)
He was received by his brothers the second time (Exodus 4:29 – 31, Acts 7:5)
He delivered the people from slavery through the blood of the lamb
(Exodus 12, 1 Peter 2:24).
Moses was a prophet (Deuteronomy 18:15 – 19, Acts 3:22)
He was a priest according to Psalm 99:6
He was a king according to Deuteronomy 33:4 – 5.

A comment may be needed on verse 38, where Israel is called “the church in the
wilderness.” This word ekklesia means “a called-out assembly” and does not
suggest that Israel was the “church” in the Old Testament. We do not find prophecies
about the church in the Old Testament. Israel (an earthly people) was not in the
same relationship to God in the Old Testament as believers (a heavenly people)
were in the New Testament.

Though Israel had a godly leader and God Himself in their presence (verse 38), they
still rebelled and rejected God’s will. “They rejected Him and in their hearts turned
back to Egypt” (verse 39). They turned to idolatry and God gave them up. Had they
not done the same thing while Jesus was with them on earth? Moses performed
miracles, met their needs in the wilderness, and gave them the Word of God. Jesus

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also had performed mighty works, fed the people, and had given them God’s Word—
yet they turned away!

6. Israel’s Rejection of the Prophets (7:42 – 50)

In these verses, Stephen refers to Amos 5:25 – 27 and Isaiah 66:1 – 2. The Jews
thought that because they had their temple, they were safe from harm and God had
to bless them. The prophets all warned them that the temple would not assure them
of blessing if their hearts were not right. How can God --- who fills all heaven and
earth --- be confined to a temple made with hands? Israel’s religious life was a
formality. They had the outward forms of religion but their hearts were not right with
God. They rejected the voice of the prophets, even persecuting and killing them (see
Matthew 23:29 – 39). When the Prophet (the Messiah) appeared (verse 37), they
rejected His Words and crucified Him.

7. Israel’s Judgment Sealed (7:51 – 60)

Israel had committed two murders and was about to commit the third. In allowing
John the Baptist to be slain, they rejected the Father who had sent John to prepare
the way for the Messiah. When they crucified Jesus, they rejected the Son.

Now, in slaying Stephen, they were committing the final “unpardonable sin” (Matthew
12:31 – 32) of resisting the Holy Spirit. God would have forgiven the nation of its
treatment of His Son, but He could not forgive the Jews once they resisted the Spirit
who witnessed so mightily to His Son. God had given every evidence to the nation
that Jesus was their Messiah, but they preferred to harden their necks and hearts
(7:51). Is this like unbelievers today?

Stephen used the Word, and this “sword of the spirit” (Ephesians 6:17 and Hebrews
4:12) convicted their hearts. About to be slain, Stephen lifted his eyes to heaven and
saw the glory of God. “Ichabod—the glory has departed” (1 Samuel 4:19 – 22) could
now be said of the nation of Israel. However, Stephen saw that glory in the Messiah,
where we see it today (2 Corinthians 4:1).

Verses like Psalm 110:1, Mark 16:19, Hebrews 1:3 and 1Hebrews 10:12 indicate
that Jesus the Messiah “sat down” because of His finished work. But verse 55
speaks of Him standing. Some have suggested that He stood to receive His martyr,
Stephen, as he came to glory. Others think Jesus stood as a witness, the usual
posture of witnesses in the Jewish court, testifying to His servant’s message and
ministry.

Another fact we want to note is that Stephen’s death closed the offer of the Kingdom
to the Jews and was the turning point in Acts. For now, the church as the body of
the Lord Jesus the Messiah begins to assume chief importance. It is to the church
that Jesus has His ministry at the right hand of God. Perhaps Luke 22:69 should be
kept in mind. The Jewish leaders would certainly recall Jesus’ testimony.

Stephen’s prayer shows his own love for his people and reminds us of Jesus’
intercession on the cross. Perhaps Stephen thought, seeing Him standing, that He
was going to bring judgment on the nation for their repeated sin (see Psalm 7:6).

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So he prayed for grace and a postponement of wrath. “He fell asleep” is a beautiful
picture of what death means to a believer.

Israel’s judgment was sealed. In the next chapters, we will see the Gospel of grace
(not the message of the kingdom) moving from the Jews to the Samaritans and the
Gentiles.

Questions in Acts 6:1 – 7:

1. What is the situation?

2. Who is involved?
3. How is the situation resolved?
4. Why is the situation resolved that way?
5. Who selects the seven men?
6. What qualifications are they looking for in the selection of the men?

Questions in Acts 6:8 – 7:60:

1. What happens to Stephen and how does he handle himself?

2. What does Stephen’s prayer show? What does this prayer remind you of?
3. What is to become of Israel after the stoning of Stephen?

II. “Peter and the Samaritans” - ACTS 8

Chapters 1-7 have described the “Period of Testing,” during which the kingdom was
offered to Israel for the third time. Chapters 8 – 12 describe the “Period of Transition”
during which the following changes take place:

The center of activity moves from Jerusalem to Antioch.

The message goes from the Jews to the Samaritans and then to the Gentiles.
Peter’s activities assume less importance as Paul becomes the leader.
The sharing of personal possessions of the “kingdom economy” is replaced by
the activity of the church. The church had been in existence since Pentecost,
but its meaning and place in God’s program were now revealed through
Paul’s ministry of grace.
The Gospel of the kingdom is replaced by the Gospel of the grace of God.

If the Ethiopian eunuch was black (as some say he was), then in chapters 8 –10 you
have three remarkable conversions paralleling Noah’s three sons in Genesis 10:18.

The Ethiopian would have descended from Ham. Paul, a Jew, descended from
Shem. And Cornelius, a Gentile, descended from Japheth. Thus, we have a picture
of the Gospel going to the whole of humankind.

A. Philip the Evangelist (8:1 – 25)

Satan again attacked as a lion, seeking to devour the believers. Paul was the chief
leader in this great persecution and admitted it later several times, such as in:

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 Acts 22:4 – 5, 18 – 20 and Acts 26:10 –11
1 Corinthians 15:9
Galatians 1:13
1 Timothy 1:13

Note that Paul definitely stated that he persecuted the church of God, which proves
that the church was in existence before Paul’s conversion. However, its place in
God’s plan had yet to be revealed. Some teach that God had to send persecution to
force the apostles to leave Jerusalem and fulfill His commission, but this is entirely
wrong. To begin with, the apostles did not leave the city, but courageously remained
to give their message to the Jewish leaders and to witness to the lost. The apostles
were hoping against hope that Israel would repent and be saved. They could have
had this ministry only in Jerusalem. Jesus’ commandment to them was to remain
there. It was Paul who would take the Gospel “to the ends of the earth.”

Persecution is an opportunity for service, and Philip is given here as an example of

an evangelist (Ephesians 4:11). Though first called to be a deacon (6:5) like Stephen
before him, Philip later became a mighty evangelist. He took the Gospel to Samaria,
just as Jesus had done in John 4. Thus, for the first time in Acts we see the ministry
of the Word moved from Jewish territory. Persecution only opened the door for
sharing the gospel. What began as “great persecution” (verse 1) became “great joy”
(verse 8).

What Satan could not accomplish through destruction, he sought to accomplish

through deception. The lion becomes the serpent (John 8:44). Simon the sorcerer
made a profession of faith in the Messiah and was even baptized. But subsequent
events proved that his heart was never changed. His “faith” was like that described in
John 2:23 –25. It is evident that Simon was never saved:

Peter said --- “May your money perish with you” (verse 20)
Peter also said --- “You have no part or share in this ministry (verse21)
Verse 23 indicates that Simon was in captivity to sin. Simon was a satanic
counterfeit, a “child of the devil.” Wherever the true seed (believers—see
Matthew 13:36 – 40) is sown, satan sows his counterfeits seed.

B. Philip the Personal Worker (8:26 – 40)

Any believer would enjoy a revival such as that which God gave in Samaria, but not
everyone would leave such a meeting to lead one soul to Jesus. Philip obeyed the
Lord and found an Ethiopian. He was undoubtedly a proselyte to the Jewish faith, a
man who was a high officer in his land. We see in this event the factors necessary
for effective personal work and sharing the gospel with the lost.

1. The man of God

Philip was obedient to the Spirit, going where God led him. He knew Jesus as his
own Savior. God’s method for sharing with others does not use organizational
machinery, worldly attractions or high-powered promotion. God uses people —
dedicated men and women who will obey the Spirit. Philip was the kind of evangelist

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who was willing to leave the public meeting with its excitement to help a person find
peace in a private place where only God could see.

2. The Spirit of God

The Holy Spirit is the Lord of the Harvest, and it is through Him that we have the
power to witness (Acts 1:8). The Spirit opened the way for Philip to come to the man.
He opened the Scriptures to the seeking sinner. And He opened the sinner’s heart
to the Savior. A man cannot be saved who does not understand what he is doing.
Only the Spirit can teach the sinner the truths of the Gospel. When the Spirit brings a
prepared servant and a contrite sinner together, there will be a harvest.

3. The Word of God

“Faith comes from hearing the message and the message is heard through the word
of the Messiah” says Romans 10:17. Isaiah 53 was the chapter Philip used (verses
32 –33). It is wonderful picture of the Lamb of God. From that chapter Philip
preached Jesus. He began where the man was and took him through the Scriptures,
explaining who Jesus was and what He had done. There can be no real conversion
apart from the Word of God. The personal witness that finally bears fruit is the
witness that plants the seed of the Word and exalts Jesus the Messiah.

The Ethiopian proved his faith by his baptism, in obedience to the Word of God.
Philip was caught away for a ministry elsewhere. However, the Ethiopian went on
his way rejoicing. When Philip preached Jesus in the city, there was great joy (verse
8). When he presented Jesus in the desert, he sent the new believer on his way
rejoicing. Joy is one of the evidences of true conversion. See Luke 15:5 – 7, 9 – 10,
23 – 24 and 32.

Questions:

1. Why did persecution come to the church?

2. What opportunity came to the disciples as a result of persecution?
3. Who was Simon? Was he a believer? Why?
4. Name the 3 factors necessary for effective personal work and sharing the Gospel
with the lost.
5. What Old Testament passage was the Ethiopian reading?
6. How did the Ethiopian prove his faith?
7. What is one of the evidences of true conversion?

III. “The Conversion of Paul” - ACTS 9

The conversion of Paul is the great “turning-point” in God’s dealings with Israel.
His whole program for the evangelization of the world depended on this unusual
man. If we are to correctly handle the Word of Truth, we must keep in mind that
Peter and Paul in the Book of Acts represent two different ministries. Note these
contrasts:

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 Peter Paul
1. One of the twelve apostles 1. Called apart from the Twelve
2. Centered in Jerusalem 2. Centered in Antioch
3. Ministered mainly to Israel 3. Ministered to the Gentiles
4. Called on earth by Jesus 4. Called by the Messiah from
the Messiah heaven
5. Saw the Messiah’s glory on 5. Saw the Messiah’s glory in
earth heaven

Believers confuse these two ministries and thus turn the local church into a mixture
of “kingdom truth” and “church truth.” Paul is God’s spokesman to the local
assembly. Peter admits this (2 Peter 3:15 – 16). To follow the practices of the local
assembly in Acts 1 – 7, and thus ignore God’s instructions to the church through
Paul, is to disobey the Word. Even Peter did not fully understand God’s new program
revealed through Paul and had to be instructed further (see Galatians 2).

What was Peter’s mistaken idea of the church as expressed through his actions?

A. Paul and the Lord (9:1 – 9)

Paul’s conversion was all of grace. God suddenly interrupted him on his murderous
mission and by grace transformed him into a new person. Just as the church is one
body composed of Jews and Gentiles, so Paul was one man with both Jewish and
Gentile relationships. He was a Jew by birth, but a Gentile by citizenship. He was
God’s choice servant (verse 15) to announce the message of the church. God had
kept this “mystery” secret from ages past. Now, through Paul and the apostles, it
was being revealed. Paul was associated with both Jews and Gentiles and was
trained in the Old Testament Scriptures as well as the Greek philosophies and
Roman laws. He was the ideal man to give this new message that there is no
difference between Jew and Gentile in the Messiah.

His conversion experience can be summarized in these statements:

He saw the light.

He heard the voice.
He obeyed the call.

Every sinner is in the dark until the light of the Gospel shines on him. Paul heard the
voice of the Lord through the Word of God. He heard Jesus speak audibly. (The
men with him heard sounds, but did not hear the words.) How Jesus the Messiah
humbled Paul. He “fell” not only physically but in his heart as well. Unless we fall in
humility, we cannot be saved.

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B. Paul and Ananias (9:10 – 19)

Paul had seen in a vision that Ananias would visit him, for as God worked, He
worked with both at the same time. Ananias’ fears were answered by God’s promise
that Paul would have a special ministry to the Gentiles. Those words must have
shocked this faithful Jewish believer (Acts 22:12 – 13).

Paul’s ministry was primarily to the Gentiles --- see Acts 13:46 – 47, 18:6 and 22:21.
The fact that Paul was already saved when Ananias arrived is seen in Ananias’
greeting --- “Brother Saul.” Some misunderstand Paul’s baptismal experience as
recorded in Acts 22:16: “Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his
Name.’” The tenses of the Greek verbs are important here: “….be baptized and wash
away your sins, having previously called upon His Name.”

When sinners call on God’s name, they are saved (Acts 2:21 and 9:14). Acts 10
illustrates this: sinners hear the Word, believe in Jesus the Messiah, receive the
Spirit and then are baptized. The Greek word for “baptized” [apolou] means “to
wash off,” or, “to wash away.” This “washing away” was not in itself the actual
remission of his sins, which had already taken place at his conversion.

C. Paul and the Jews (9:20 – 31)

Two evidences are given of Paul’s conversion:

He prayed (verse 11).

He preached (verse 20).

Talking to God for men and to men for God are good proofs of conversion. Paul
started where he was and preached what he knew --- another good policy for new
believers to follow.

His conversion was probably in the year AD 37. He spent time in Damascus
preaching. He then went to Arabia (Galatians 1:15 – 18), the desert region
southeast of Damascus. There he lived for three years.

It is unclear whether this three-year period occurred between verses 22 and 23, or
between verses 25 and 26. Some commentators say that “many days” (verse 23)
could mean a long period of time, possibly three years. They suggest that when
Paul returned to Damascus, the governor under King Aretas ordered Paul’s arrest
(2 Corinthians 11:32). The governor did this in order to keep the peace with
influential Jews.

The other possibility of his three – year stay is that it occurred just after his
conversion. Paul’s night escape occurred during his first stay in Damascus, when
the Pharisees were especially upset over his defection from their ranks. He then
would have fled to Arabia to spend time alone with God and to let the Jewish
religious leaders cool down.

Regardless of which theory is correct, there was a period of at least three years
between Paul’s conversion (9:3 – 6) and his trip to Jerusalem (9:26). This three year

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period was a time in which Paul was being taught the truths of God’s “mystery of the
church” and other deep spiritual truths from God.

This takes us from AD 37 to AD 39, at which time he went to Jerusalem, where he

met the apostles (Acts 9:26 – 29, 22:15 – 21 and Galatians 1:17 – 20). The apostles
were afraid of Paul. However, Barnabas (“son of encouragement” – Acts 4:36)
introduced Paul to the group. It is difficult to change your reputation and Saul had a
terrible reputation with the believers. However, Barnabas, a Jewish convert, became
the bridge between Saul and the apostles. New believers (especially those with
tarnished reputations) need sponsors. They need people who will come alongside
them and encourage them. These sponsors can teach and introduce them to other
believers. Find ways that you can become a “Barnabas” to new believers.

The fact that Paul was a stranger (and even an enemy) to the apostles is
important. It proves that he received his message of grace from Jesus Himself and
not from men (Galatians 1:15 – 18). God took every precaution to keep separate the
ministries of Paul and the twelve apostles. For example:

Paul stayed with Peter for fifteen days (Galatians 1:18), but he did not
see any other apostle (Galatians 1:19).
Paul visited James, the Lord’s brother (Galatians 1:19), who later took
Peter’s place as the spiritual leader in Jerusalem (Acts 15).
Paul wanted to minister to the Jews in Jerusalem, but God commanded
him to depart from the city (Acts 22:17 – 21).

God’s Kingdom program at Jerusalem was now at a close, and Paul had a ministry to
fulfill among the Gentiles.

Further persecution made it necessary for Paul to leave Jerusalem, so he returned to

his home at Tarsus. Paul’s visit to Tarsus helped quiet conflicts with the Jews and
allowed him time to prove his commitment. After Paul was converted, the church
enjoyed a brief time of peace. “Brothers” (verse 30) refers to fellow believers,
members of God’s family.

Galatians 1:21 suggests that Paul preached in the region of Cilicia (Tarsus was a city
in that region), and Acts 15:23 indicates that there were churches in that area. It is
possible that during his stay of four or five years, Paul preached the Gospel of the
grace of God and established Gentile churches. When the center of ministry moved
from Jerusalem to Antioch (a Gentile city in Syria), Barnabas went and sought for
Paul and brought him back to minister with him (see Acts 11:19 – 30).

D. Peter and the Saints (9:32 – 43)

At this time, Peter traveled to Lydda and then on to Joppa. At both places, God
worked miracles through him. For example, verses 36 – 42 tell of a woman called
Dorcas. Dorcas made an enormous impact on her community by “always doing
good and helping the poor.” She made robes and other clothing (verse 39). When
she died, the room was filled with mourners. They were very likely many of the
people she had helped. When she was brought back to life, the news raced through
the town. God uses great preachers like Peter and Paul, but he also uses those who

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have gifts of kindness like Dorcas. Rather than wishing you had other gifts, make
good use of the gifts that God has given you.

Why does Luke discuss Peter at this point? The answer may have to do with the city
he mentions: Joppa (verses 36 and 43). This city reminds us at once of the prophet
Jonah, who went down to Joppa to flee to Tarshish (Jonah 1:1 – 3). Previously, God
called Jonah to carry His message to the Gentiles. Now, God was about to call
Peter to do the same thing (Acts 10).

Peter lived in Joppa with Simon, a tanner. Tanners made animal hides into leather.
It is significant that Peter was at Simon’s house, because tanning involved contact
with dead animals, and Jewish law considered it an “unclean” job. Peter was already
beginning to break down his prejudice against people who were not “his kind” and
his prejudice against customs that did not adhere to Jewish religious traditions.
Peter was about to discover that nothing is unclean that God has sanctified.

IV. “Peter and the Conversion of the Gentiles” - ACTS 10

This chapter is one of the most important in the entire Book of Acts, for it records the
opening of the door of faith to the Gentiles.

Peter had used “the keys of the kingdom” to open the door of faith to the Jews
(Acts 2) and the Samaritans (Acts 8:14).
Now he would complete his special ministry by opening the door to the
Gentiles (see Acts 15:6 –11). You should also read Acts 11:1 – 18 to get
Peter’s picture of this momentous event.

We noted in Acts 8 that, when God wants to do a work, He calls a man of God,
empowers him with the Spirit of God, and enables him to preach the Word of God.
This same process is seen in operation in this chapter.

A. Preparation by the Spirit of God (10:1 – 22)

1. The Spirit prepares Cornelius (verses 1 – 8).

Caesarea was a Roman city, the Roman capital of Palestine. It was about 53
kilometers north of Joppa. This was the first city to have Gentile believers and a non
– Jewish assembly. Cornelius, a Roman officer, was a centurion [a commander of
100 soldiers]. Although stationed in Caesarea, Cornelius would probably return soon
to Rome. Thus, his conversion was a major stepping – stone for spreading the
gospel to the empire’s capital city.

Cornelius was a God-fearing Gentile who did not know the truth of the Gospel. He
was devout, honest, generous and sincere. He, however, was not a saved man. It is
possible to be very religious but still be lost. Were it not for the fact that God in His
grace spoke to Cornelius, he would never have become a believer. We see here the
fulfillment of Jesus’ promise in John 7:17--- “If anyone chooses to do God’s will, he
will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own.”
An angel spoke to Cornelius and told him to send for Peter.

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Why didn’t the angel give Cornelius the message himself? Simply, God has not
given angels the ministry of sharing the Gospel with sinners. What a privilege we
have in telling the Gospel to the lost, a privilege angels cannot have. We believers
have experienced God’s salvation. Peter was in Joppa, but with soldier-like
obedience, Cornelius called for two servants and a guard and sent them on this
important mission. The Spirit was leading all of this activity (verses 19 – 20).

2. The Spirit prepares Peter (verses 9 – 22).

Peter fell into a trance (see note below) and saw all kinds of creatures, both clean
and unclean (Leviticus 11). He was commanded to kill and eat. He said -- “Surely
not, Lord!” This reminds us of Matthew 16:22, where he told Jesus not to go to the
cross.

[Note: The Greek word ekstasis denotes “a trance” in Acts 10:10, 11:5 and 22:17.
Experts say that this “trance” is a condition in which ordinary consciousness and the
perception of natural circumstances cease, and the soul is subject only to the vision
imparted by God.]

Keep in mind that the Jewish law said that certain foods were forbidden to be eaten
(Leviticus 11). The food laws made it difficult for Jews to eat with Gentiles without
risking defilement. In fact, the Gentiles themselves were often seen as “unclean.”
Peter’s vision meant that he should not look upon the Gentiles as inferior people
whom God would not redeem. Before having the vision, Peter would have thought
that a Gentile Roman officer could not accept Jesus as the Messiah. .

While Peter thought about this vision, which occurred three times, the Spirit spoke to
him directly and told him --- “Do not hesitate to go with them!” Peter did not go to the
Gentiles because he understood the vision, but because the Holy Spirit Himself told
him to go (see 11:11 – 16). Later, he fully understood the meaning of the vision.
God had broken down, through the cross, all divisions between Jews and Gentiles.

B. Obedience of the Man of God (10:23 – 33)

Keep in mind that, up to this time, the Apostles had not preached to the Gentiles.
Even the Samaritans (Acts 8) were “half-blooded” Jews with reverence for the
Mosaic law. Peter did not go to the Gentiles because he was obeying the Great
Commission, but because the Spirit had distinctly commanded him to go. In fact,
when he arrived at Cornelius’ house, he asked, --- “May I ask why you sent for me”
(verse 29)? When he preached, God had to interrupt him in order to accomplish His
purpose (verse 44 and 11:15 – 16).

“While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the
message.” (Acts 10:44)

“As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit came on them as he had come on us at the beginning.
Then I remembered what the Lord had said: ‘John baptized with water, but you will be
baptized with the Holy Spirit.’” (Acts 11:15 – 16)

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Like the other apostles, Peter was still clinging to the Jewish thinking --- which was
that the Gentiles could not be saved until the Jews had accepted their Messiah and
He had set up His kingdom. But now, Peter was going to learn that God was
introducing a new program — the church. Please do not assume that Peter
understood all about this new program. In fact, Paul later had to rebuke Peter for his
inconsistency (see Galatians 2).

During this period of transition (Acts 8 – 12), we see Peter disappearing from the
story of the founding of the church. The Kingdom message to Israel also
disappeared.

C. The Preaching of the Word of God (10:34 – 48)

In verse 35, Peter did not say that all who “do good” are saved. He began with the
message of the Messiah to Israel, starting with the ministry of John the Baptist. He
stated that Cornelius and his friends knew already the message about Jesus’
miracles, His death and His resurrection. He also said that these events were
related especially to Israel. In verse 42 he said --- “And He commanded us [Jewish
witnesses] to preach to the people” (meaning the Jews). This is what the apostles
did up to that time.

What Peter had said was simply that Jesus the Messiah came to save the nation of
Israel, but now he realized that with God there is no difference between Jews and
Gentiles. He spoke the key truth in verse 43 when he said, “everyone who believes
in Him receives forgiveness of sins through His Name.”

At this point, the Spirit interrupted Peter and brought a miracle in the hearts of these
Gentiles. They believed the Word. And when they believed, the Spirit was
poured out upon them, the evidence being that they spoke with tongues. The Jews
with Peter were astonished that God would save the Gentiles without first making
them Jewish proselytes. Led by the Spirit, Peter commanded that they be baptized.
Peter and his friends stayed and ate with these new believers (11:3).

[Note: The Spirit’s coming was actually a baptism, as Peter explained in Acts 11:15-
16. Only two times is the word “baptism” used in Acts with reference to the Spirit: in
Acts 2, when the Spirit came upon the believing Jews, and in Acts 10, when He
came upon the believing Gentiles.]

This fulfills what Paul describes in 1 Corinthians 12:13 --- “For we were all baptized
by one Spirit into one body---whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free---and we were
all given the one Spirit to drink.” This “one body” is the church (Ephesians 2:11 – 22).

In fact, in 11:15, Peter stated that the baptism in the home of Cornelius was identical
to the one at Pentecost. Today, when sinners accept Jesus, the Spirit comes into
their lives and they are baptized into the body of Jesus the Messiah.

As we will see in Acts 11 and 15, the conversion of the Gentiles created a great
problem for the Jewish believers. Their problem was not so much their prejudice,
but that they did not fully understand “the mystery” of the church (Ephesians 3).

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They thought that the Gentiles could be saved only through Israel’s rise as a
kingdom. However, God revealed through Paul that through Israel’s fall the Gentiles
were saved (Romans 11:11 – 25). The message of the kingdom given through the
prophets (Acts 3:18 – 26) was replaced by the message of the grace of God,
revealed in its fullness through Paul (Acts 13:38 – 43). Israel was set aside and will
not be prominent in God’s program on earth again until after the church has been
raptured. (Read carefully Acts 15:13 – 18.)

The church’s commission today is found in Matthew 28:19 – 20. We are to make
disciples, which calls for evangelism. We are to baptize, which implies fellowship in
a local assembly. And we are to teach the Word, which the Spirit uses to convict the
lost. Let us be busy sowing the seed of the Word, watering it with our prayers and
tears (Psalm 126:5 – 6 and Acts 20:19) and patiently waiting for the harvest.

Questions:

1. What was the great turning point in God’s dealing with Israel?
2. Peter and Paul had two different ministries in the book of Acts. Contrast their two
ministries.
3. How would you summarize Paul’s conversion?
4. What are the verses that tell us that Paul’s ministry was primarily to the Gentiles?
5. What are the two evidences of Paul’s conversion as seen in 10:11 and 10:20?
6. How long did Paul spend in Arabia? Why did God lead him there?
7. Why is it important to be like Barnabas to new believers?
8. During Paul’s time back in Tarsus what was he doing?
9. What is significant about Peter staying at Simon’s house in Joppa?
10. Why was the salvation of Cornelius a major stepping – stone in the spread of the
gospel?
11. What is the meaning of the Greek word ekstasis?
12. The Spirit had prepared Peter to go to Cornelius’ house. He obeyed, but did he
fully understand why he was going?
13. What happened when Peter started preaching the gospel to Cornelius and his
family?
14. What is a proselyte? Why was Peter surprised that the Holy Spirit had been
given to the Gentiles?

V. “Peter and the Gentiles” - ACTS 11

In this chapter, we learn of the relationship between believers in Jerusalem (a Jewish

church) and the new Gentile disciples. Keep in mind that the Jerusalem church’s
problem is not prejudice but rather a misunderstanding of the purposes of God. The
Old Testament understanding of God’s program was that of an earthly kingdom
which would bless the Gentiles through the reign of Israel’s Messiah. However, the
nation had rejected their Messiah and His kingdom.

Did this mean that the Gentiles could not be saved?

Must they first become Jewish proselytes?

Peter’s experience at Caesarea (Acts 10) and Paul’s revelation of “the mystery of the
church” (Ephesians 3) helped to answer these questions. Both experiences proved

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that both Jew and Gentile stand condemned before God and can be saved only
through faith in Jesus the Messiah.

A. The Jerusalem Church Accepts the Gentiles (11:1 – 18)

The faithful Jews challenged Peter because he had fellowship with Gentiles and ate
with them. God’s message was “to the Jew first” (Acts 1 – 7). Jesus had commanded
the disciples to start in Jerusalem (Luke 24:47 and Acts 1:8), and when Jerusalem
believed, the nation would receive the Messiah and the kingdom would be
established (Acts 3:25 – 26). Peter did not go to Cornelius’ house because he
understood God’s new program, but because he had been commanded personally
by the Holy Spirit (11:12). These believing Jews who criticized Peter did so not
because they hated the Gentiles, but because they wanted to be faithful to God’s
revealed will.

When Peter told them how the Spirit had guided him and sealed his ministry by
coming upon the believing Gentiles, the Jewish believers rejoiced and glorified God.
Note that Peter proved what he did was God’s will by appealing to:

His own personal experience (verses 5-11)

The leading of the Spirit (verse 12)
The Word of God (verse 16).

Three essentials are always necessary if we are to do God’s will: personal testimony,
the leading of the Spirit in our hearts, and the clear teaching of the Word of God.

B. The Jerusalem Church Encourages the Gentiles (11:19 – 26)

Now the Gospel goes into new Gentile territory --- Antioch, a key city in Syria. (Do
not confuse this with Antioch in Pisidia, which is mentioned in Acts 13:14.) The
persecution described in 8:1 had scattered the believers as far as Antioch, about 480
kilometers north of Jerusalem. True to their commission, they had preached to Jews
only. [This was before the events of Acts 10, of course.] But some disciples began
to preach to the Gentiles. The word “Greeks” in 11:20 is not the same as the word in
6:1, where it means “Hellenized Jews.” Here, the word actually means “Greeks”—in
other words, Gentiles. Many Gentiles came to know Jesus as their Savior.
Therefore, the Jerusalem church sent Barnabas to investigate the situation.
However, his mission was unlike that of Peter and John’s in 8:14 – 17, for these
believers had already received the Spirit and experienced the grace of God.

In verse 23, we see for the first time the word “grace” is used in Acts with reference
to salvation. (Acts 4:33 refers to the grace of God assisting believers.) Grace was to
become Paul’s great message in years to come. Note that these Gentiles were
saved by grace (verse 23) through faith (verse 21). This is what Ephesians 2:8 –9
teaches.

Barnabas rejoiced at finding this Gentile assembly and exhorted them to continue in
their faith. Then he did a strange thing: he left the church and went to find Paul.
Why did he do this? Because Barnabas, filled with the Spirit, knew that God had
given Paul a commission to preach the Gospel to the Gentiles (Acts 9:15, 27).

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Peter’s importance was diminishing, as was God’s kingdom program, and Barnabas
knew that Paul was to be the next leader, preaching the message of God’s grace.

For an entire year, Paul and Barnabas taught the Gentiles the Word of God. From
this church, they went out on their first missionary journey. The church at Antioch
assumed greater importance than the church at Jerusalem when Paul replaced
Peter as God’s apostle who brought the revelation of the mystery of the church.

C. The Jerusalem Church Gets Aid from the Gentiles (11:27 – 30)

These “prophets” (verse 27) were believers who ministered in the local assemblies
and revealed the Word of God. That they came to Antioch from Jerusalem indicates
that there was close fellowship between these two churches. “All the world” in verse
28 can mean either all the Roman world or possibly only the land ofJudea. The
Gentile believers immediately sent material aid to the believers in Judea as an
expression of their love.

This famine is important, for if we read Acts 2:44 – 45 and Acts 4:31 – 35, we see
that a vital change has taken place in the Jerusalem church.

In Acts 2 – 7, the church at Jerusalem had no needs at all.

In 11:27 – 30, we read that these same people were in need of outside help.
What had happened?

The “kingdom program” with its special blessings had passed away. As long as the
kingdom was being offered to the Jews, the Spirit conferred special blessings on the
believers, and “there were no needy persons among them” (4:34). However, when
the kingdom was finally rejected with the stoning of Stephen, these unusual
blessings were withdrawn. It left the Jewish believers in need. Several times in the
Word we read of special aid sent to the “poor saints at Jerusalem” (Romans 15:26,
1 Corinthians 16:1 and 2 Corinthians 8 – 9).

The pattern of giving in Acts 2:44 – 45 and 4:31 – 35 does not apply to the local
church today, although the attitude manifested is certainly to be desired. Note that
the believers in Antioch did not have “all things in common” but rather gave
personal contributions according to their ability (11:29 and 2 Corinthians 9:7).
Paul instructs us to provide for our own (1 Timothy 5:8), warning that if we do not, we
are worse than unbelievers. God’s pattern for giving is that each believer give
tithes and offerings to the Lord, starting with the local church. Barnabas and
Saul (Paul) were chosen to take the offering to Jerusalem. They later returned to
Antioch, bringing John Mark with them (12:25).

VI. “Peter’s Arrest and Deliverance” - ACTS 12

Here we read one of the last instances of Peter’s ministry among the early believers.
In chapter 13, Paul assumes center stage and we do not meet Peter again until he
gives his testimony (in support of Paul) in chapter 15. Here in chapter 12, we see
several different powers at work.

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A. The Power of Satan (12:1 – 4)

Herod Agrippa, the grandson of Herod the Great, was, like his forefathers, a
murderer. The Herods were Edomites, descendants of Esau. In one sense, we see
Esau persecuting Jacob again--- for “James” is simply another form of the name
Jacob. Read again Matthew 20:20 – 23 where James and John were promised a
baptism of suffering. James was the first of the apostles slain. John, who lived a
long life, endured great suffering (Revelation 1:9). Jesus had told the apostles that
they would suffer persecution. So will all believers who seek to obey God’s Word.

It is interesting to note that the apostles did not replace James as they had replaced
Judas in chapter 1. Why? Because the promised kingdom had been rejected, the
apostles would not “sit on twelve thrones” in that kingdom (Matthew 19:28). This is
another indication that a new plan had been revealed. There is a practical lesson
here: when satan wanted to hinder the work of the church, he went after Peter and
James. He goes after the best believers and seeks to hinder their work. Are we the
kind of believers that satan wants to attack? It is significant that Peter was delivered
while James was permitted to die. God has a unique purpose for each of His own.

B. The Power of Prayer (12:5 – 19)

In verse 4, the “Passover” is mentioned. This ceremony would last eight days, after
which Herod promised to kill Peter in order to please the Jews. For safety’s sake, he
assigned four relays of four guards each to watch Peter. Two were at his side and
two at the cell door. “But the church was earnestly praying to God for him” (verse 5).

How could Peter be so peaceful when he knew that he had only a short time to live?
The prayer of the church certainly helped him, but Jesus’ promise in John 21:18 – 19
must have sustained him. Peter knew that he would not die until he was older, and
that his death would not be by the sword, but by crucifixion. Faith in the Word of God
gave him peace. If we will but trust Jesus’ promises, we will have that same peace in
the midst of tribulation.

The angel delivered Peter, but note that the angel did not do for the apostle what
Peter could do for himself. The angel released him from the chains and led him out
of the prison, but he told Peter to put on his own shoes, dress and follow. When
Peter was safely on the outside, the angel left him to make his own decision. We can
expect God to do the impossible if we obey and do that which is possible.

We should never underestimate the power of a praying church. They prayed

earnestly (verse 5), definitely and courageously. In spite of their unbelief when Peter
did appear, God honored their prayers and drew glory to Himself.

The James mentioned in verse 17 is the brother of Jesus the Messiah, who, it
seems, became the chief elder of the Jerusalem assembly (see chapter 15). Do
not confuse him with the son of Alphaeus or the James who was slain by Herod.
(See also Acts 21:18, Galatians 1:19 and 2:9.) Peter’s departure remains a mystery:
he went out “into another place,” (verse 17) and what that place was, we do not
know. He moved off the scene (although continuing his preaching, of course) to
make room for Paul and his message of the church.

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C. The Power of God’s Wrath (12:20 – 23)

The relationship between the seaside cities of Tyre and Sidon and region of Galilee
stemmed from the days of Solomon (1 Kings 5:9). Herod, like the Antichrist who will
appear one day, exalted himself and took the place of God. The people worshiped
Herod and honored him strictly for their own gain. God struck him with a terrible
death. Note that the angel who “struck” Peter in verse 7 brought salvation.
However, when the angel “struck” Herod, he brought condemnation. God hates
pride and will not allow another to take His glory. (Read Daniel 11:36 and
2 Thessalonians 2:3 – 8 to see how Herod typifies the coming man of sin, the
antichrist.)

D. The Power of God’s Hand (12:24 – 25)

What a contrast! The great Herod was eaten with worms, “but the Word of God
continued to increase and spread.” Whether satan attacks as the murderer (as
slaying James) or the liar (as in verses 20 – 23), God’s Word can overcome and
bring victory. James was dead, but God’s work continued. Now we see Paul and
Barnabas, and their helper Mark, returning to Antioch after their ministry to the poor
saints in Jerusalem (see 11:27 – 30).

Mark had a godly home, for it was in his mother’s house that the believers had met
to pray (12:12). He was the cousin of Barnabas (Colossians 4:10) and was later to
be a cause of contention between Paul and Barnabas. He wrote the Gospel of Mark
and eventually won Paul’s approval (2 Timothy 4:11), although he had failed Paul in
earlier years (13:13).

Summation:

In chapter 12, we see the close of Peter’s special ministry. In chapter 13, we will see
the beginning of the ministry of Paul. These chapters close the period of transition:

When the message of the kingdom was replaced by the Gospel of the grace
of God
Jerusalem was replaced by Antioch in Syria as the center of ministry
Paul replaced Peter as the leader of God’s work.

Conclusion:

Beginning with a brief summary of Jesus’ last day on earth with His disciples, His
ascension and the selection of a replacement for Judas Iscariot, Luke moves quickly
to his main subject --- the spread of the gospel and the growth of the church.

Pentecost, highlighted by the baptism of the Holy Spirit (2:1 – 13) and Peter’s
powerful sermon (2: 14 – 42), was the beginning. Then the Jerusalem church grew
daily through the bold witness of Peter and John and the love of the believers (2:43 –
4:37). The infant church was not without problems, however, with the external
opposition (imprisonment, beatings and death) and internal deceit and complaining.
Greek-speaking Jewish believers were appointed to help with the administration of

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the church. This freed the apostles to preach the Word. Stephen and Philip were
among the first deacons, and Stephen became the church’s first martyr (5:1 – 8:3).

Instead of stopping Christianity, opposition and persecution served as catalysts for

its spread because the believers took the message with them wherever they fled.
Soon there were converts throughout Samaria and even Ethiopia (8:5 – 40).

At this point, Luke introduces us to a bright young Jew, zealous for the law and intent
on ridding Judaism of the “Jesus heresy.” But on the way to Damascus to capture
believers, Saul was converted when he was confronted in person by the risen
Messiah. Through the ministry of Ananias and the sponsorship of Barnabas, Saul
(later called Paul) was welcomed into the fellowship and then sent to Tarsus for
safety (9:10 – 30).

Meanwhile, the church continued to thrive throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria.
Luke recounts Peter’s preaching and how Peter healed Aeneas in Lydda and Dorcas
in Joppa. While in Joppa, Peter learned through a vision that he could take the
gospel even to the “unclean” Gentiles. Peter obeyed and he faithfully shared the
truth with Cornelius, whose entire household became believers (chapter 10).

This was startling news to the Jerusalem church. When Peter told his story, they
praised God for His wonderful plan for all people to hear the Good News (11:1 – 18).
This pushed the church into distant regions as the message of the risen Messiah
was preached to Greeks in Antioch. There, Barnabas went to encourage the
believers and find Saul (11:20 – 26).

To please the Jewish leaders, Herod joined the persecution of the Jerusalem church.
He killed James (John’s brother) and imprisoned Peter. However, God freed Peter,
and he walked from prison to a prayer meeting on his behalf at John Mark’s house
(chapter 12). This ends the account of Peter’s ministry to the Gentiles. In a later
SALT book --- “The Journeys of Paul”--- we will continue the story of Paul as he
shares the Gospel with the Gentiles throughout Asia and Europe.

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 Appendix A – A Jewish Proselyte

A Jewish proselyte was a convert from another religious belief to Judaism. In the
New Testament (Matthew 23:15), the term is used in a specific sense to designate
Gentile converts. These were people who had committed themselves to the
teachings of the Jewish faith or who were attracted to the teachings of Judaism. Full-
fledged proselytes, or converts, to Judaism underwent circumcision and baptism and
worshiped in the Jewish temple or synagogue. They also observed all rituals and
regulations concerning the Sabbath, clean and unclean foods, and all other matters
of Jewish custom.

By the New Testament period, when communities of Jews were widely scattered
over the Gentile world, many Gentiles came into contact with Judaism. They found
that the worship of one God and its wholesome ethical teaching was attractive. Tired
of pagan gods and heathen immorality, the Gentiles came to the synagogues to
learn of the one true God and of His call to holiness, justice and mercy. Many of
them accepted the religion, morality and life-style of the Jews though not all Gentile
sympathizers went so far as to be circumcised. However, by New Testament
times, proselytes were a significant part of Judaism, as the references to them in the
Book of Acts make clear (Acts 6:5 and 13:43).

These “halfway proselytes” (the uncircumcised proselytes) proved to be a rich

mission field for the early church. Unable to accept the binding requirements of the
Jewish law, many of them turned to the Way. This new faith welcomed all people,
regardless of their background, culture or religious tradition.

This universal appeal of the Way was largely the result of the pioneering work of the
apostle Paul. He taught that Gentiles did not have to become Jews or submit to
circumcision in order to believe the truths of the gospel. With this barrier removed,
many proselytes who were attracted to Judaism turned instead to faith in Jesus.

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 Appendix B – The Nations at Pentecost

The harvest feast of Pentecost brought together thousands of Jews (including

converts to Judaism) from all over the Roman Empire. This made it possible to bring
about at least a partial fulfillment of the promise of Acts 1:8 — that the gospel would
spread “to the ends of the earth”— much sooner than the apostles expected.

The 3000 persons who converted to “the Way” following Peter’s Pentecost sermon
(Acts 2:14 – 41) stayed for a while in Jerusalem. Eventually they returned to their
homelands, taking their newfound faith with them. The following is a list of these
homelands:

Parthia: This included parts of modern-day Iran, Iraq and Turkey. It was part of the
Persian Empire conquered by the Greeks in 330 AD. It broke away in 250 AD and
built an empire of its own. Even the Romans could not conquer it, and it became the
other first-century superpower.

Media: This was a mountainous region southwest of Parthia. It aligned itself with
either Assyria or Babylon to suit its interests. Like the Parthians, Medes were Indo-
European peoples whose religion was the dualistic Zoroastrianism.

Elam: This was home to an ancient people who struggled with the Babylonians,
Assyrians and Persians for control of Mesopotamia. After defeating the northern
kingdom of Israel in 722 AD, the Assyrians deported some Elamites to Samaria, and,
conversely, some Samaritan Jews to Elam.

Mesopotamia: This was the land between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers in
modern-day Iraq. It was the homeland of the Jewish patriarch Abram (Abraham) and
later of the feared Babylonians.

Judea: This was the Graeco-Roman name for the homeland of the Jews.

Cappadocia: This was a large Roman province in eastern Asia Minor, now Turkey.

Pontus: This was a Roman province in northern Asia Minor on the Black Sea coast.
A mountainous region, it produced olives, grain and timber.

Asia: This was a strategic Roman province that included the cities of Ephesus,
Smyrna and Pergamos. It vied for domination of the region. Its wealth and culture
were legendary, and positions in its government were among the most prized in all
the Roman Empire.

Phrygia: This was a large, mountainous, inland region divided by the Romans
between Galatia in the east and Asia in the west.

Pamphylia: This was the southern coast of Asia Minor. Its name means “a region of
every tribe.”

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Egypt: This was the homeland of the ancient North African Empire. By the time of
Jesus an estimated one million Jews lived in Alexandria, Egypt.

Libya and Cyrene: This was the same region as modern-day Libya on the northern
coast of Africa. It was founded by the Greeks. Cyrene was established by the
Romans as the provincial capital of Libya. In New Testament times, it was an
intellectual center with a large Jewish population.

Rome: This was the capital of the empire, and therefore the symbolic center of
Luke’s world.

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 Appendix C - The Herods

Backed by Roman authority, the family of the Herods exerted ruthless control over
Palestine during the time of Jesus the Messiah and the founding of the church.
Although they built many splendid edifices and strengthened Judea militarily, they
are remembered scandalously for a family history full of violence, incest and political
intrigue. The following is a brief description of each Herod in the New Testament:

Antipater

• He was cunning, wealthy and ambitious.

• During Jewish civil unrest, he took control (47 AD).

• He installed his son Herod (“the Great”) as governor of Judea.

• He died of poisoning.

Herod the Great

• He was intelligent, charming in manners, a master politician, and like his

father, highly ambitious.

• He survived Jewish challenges to his rule through skillful politicking with

Roman authorities, hard fighting and extermination of his enemies. He killed
one of his wives and three of his sons.

• He was proclaimed “king of the Jews” by the Romans. He held that position at
the time of the birth of Jesus the Anointed One (Matthew 2:1).

• He married ten women who bore him at least 15 children.

• He rebuilt the temple to regain the Jews’ favor. He also built temples to pagan
gods.

• He deteriorated mentally and physically in later years, but before dying

divided his kingdom among three sons.

Herod Archelaus

• He was the oldest of Herod’s sons, with the worst reputation.

• His father gave him Judea (Matthew 2:22).

• He angered the Jews by marrying his half brother’s widow.

• He was deposed and banished in AD 6, leaving Judea a Roman province.

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Herod Antipas

• He is depicted in Scripture as totally immoral.

• His father (Herod the Great) gave him Galilee and Perea. He inherited the title
of tetrarch (ruler of a fourth part).

• He was the childhood companion of Manaen, who was a leader in the church
at Antioch (Acts 13:1).

• He divorced his first wife to marry Herodias, wife of his half-brother. She was
also his niece.

• Herodias manipulated him into executing John the Baptist (Matthew 14:1 – 12
and Mark 6:17 – 28).

• Caligula exiled him after Herodias’ brother Agrippa accused him of plotting
against Rome.

Herod Philip II

• He was the one bright spot in the family — dignified, modest and just.

• His father Herod the Great gave him the northeastern territories of Iturea and
the region of Trachonitis (Luke 3:1).

Herod Agrippa I

• He was the grandson of Herod the Great.

• Installed by Caligula, he eventually ruled all of Jewish Palestine.

• He executed the apostle James (the brother of John) and persecuted the
early church (Acts 12:1 – 2).

• God struck him down for his arrogance (Acts 12:21 – 23).

Herod Agrippa II

• He was the son of Agrippa I.

• He had an incestuous relationship with his sister, Bernice.

• He heard Paul’s defense of his ministry (Acts 25:13 – 26:32).

• He fled to Rome during the Jewish revolts, where he died in AD 100.

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