Acts Chapter 11
Defending Ministry to the Gentiles
A. A controversy in Jerusalem regarding ministry to the Gentiles.
1. (Acts 11:1–3) Peter hears objections to his association with Gentiles.
“Now the apostles and brethren who were in Judea heard that the Gentiles had also received the word of God. And when Peter came up to Jerusalem, those of the circumcision contended with him, saying, ‘You went in to uncircumcised men and ate with them!’”
The work of the Holy Spirit among the Gentiles at Caesarea, as recorded in Acts 10, was so significant that it could not remain hidden. Luke records that the apostles and brethren in Judea heard the report that Gentiles had received the word of God. The expression “received the word of God” shows that salvation had truly come to the Gentiles, for faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God (Romans 10:17). This reality was both astonishing and offensive to many Jewish believers who were steeped in the traditions of the Law.
When Peter returned to Jerusalem, “those of the circumcision contended with him.” These were Jewish Christians who still held tightly to the Mosaic Law and the cultural boundaries of Judaism. They did not deny that Gentiles could be saved, but they objected to the manner in which Peter had fellowship with them. Their specific charge was, “You went in to uncircumcised men and ate with them!” In the Jewish worldview, to eat with Gentiles was to break fellowship purity, for table fellowship signified intimate acceptance.
This was not a light matter. In that culture, eating together symbolized deep fellowship and covenantal unity. To these Jewish Christians, Peter’s actions seemed to compromise his loyalty to the covenant people and the Law. Their initial concern was not the miraculous work of God among the Gentiles, but the social barrier Peter had crossed. This shows how deeply ingrained cultural and religious traditions can cloud spiritual perception, even among sincere believers.
Theologically, this moment highlights the radical shift God was orchestrating. In Acts 10, God demonstrated through Cornelius and his household that salvation comes apart from the Law of Moses, apart from circumcision, and apart from becoming Jewish. Gentiles were accepted by grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone. This was a fulfillment of God’s promise to Abraham: “And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed” (Genesis 12:3).
Yet, as we see here, this truth was not easily received. The issue was not whether Gentiles could be saved, but whether they could be received into full fellowship with Jewish believers without first becoming proselytes. The objection was not against God’s saving work but against Peter’s fellowship practices, which revealed that their true concern was cultural and traditional, not doctrinal.
Peter’s wisdom in Acts 10 becomes evident here. He had taken six Jewish witnesses with him to the house of Cornelius (Acts 10:23, Acts 11:12), knowing the controversy that would arise. Their testimony would confirm his account, showing that the Spirit of God had truly been poured out on the Gentiles without distinction.
This moment in Acts is critical for the unfolding narrative of the church. It sets the stage for the Jerusalem Council in Acts 15, where the question of Gentile inclusion would be formally addressed. For now, it reveals the tension between tradition and the gospel of grace, between cultural boundaries and God’s plan of salvation for all nations.
2. (Acts 11:4–15) Peter explains his ministry to the Gentiles.
“But Peter explained it to them in order from the beginning, saying: ‘I was in the city of Joppa praying; and in a trance I saw a vision, an object descending like a great sheet, let down from heaven by four corners; and it came to me. When I observed it intently and considered, I saw four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, creeping things, and birds of the air. And I heard a voice saying to me, “Rise, Peter; kill and eat.” But I said, “Not so, Lord! For nothing common or unclean has at any time entered my mouth.” But the voice answered me again from heaven, “What God has cleansed you must not call common.” Now this was done three times, and all were drawn up again into heaven. At that very moment, three men stood before the house where I was, having been sent to me from Caesarea. Then the Spirit told me to go with them, doubting nothing. Moreover these six brethren accompanied me, and we entered the man’s house. And he told us how he had seen an angel standing in his house, who said to him, “Send men to Joppa, and call for Simon whose surname is Peter, who will tell you words by which you and all your household will be saved.” And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them, as upon us at the beginning.’”
Peter begins his defense with careful humility, not asserting apostolic authority but instead giving a straightforward account of what happened. Luke records that Peter “explained it to them in order from the beginning,” which underscores the seriousness of the controversy. The phrase suggests a detailed and orderly account, ensuring that nothing could be dismissed as exaggeration or misunderstanding. Peter’s measured tone reveals his pastoral sensitivity—he knew the objections were rooted in deep cultural tradition, and so he patiently recounted God’s work rather than rebuking them.
When Peter described the vision at Joppa, he explained how he saw the great sheet lowered from heaven, filled with creatures deemed unclean under Jewish law: four-footed animals, creeping things, and birds of the air. The divine command was clear: “Rise, Peter; kill and eat.” Yet Peter responded, “Not so, Lord! For nothing common or unclean has at any time entered my mouth.” His protest shows how deeply ingrained the dietary laws were in Jewish identity. For Peter, eating unclean food was unthinkable, even when commanded by the Lord in vision.
But the heavenly response corrected him: “What God has cleansed you must not call common.” The repetition of this vision three times indicated both certainty and finality. At first, Peter thought this concerned only food, but as he later explained in Acts 10:28, God revealed that it referred to people: “God has shown me that I should not call any man common or unclean.” The sheet symbolized the church, holding together both Jews and Gentiles, with no distinction between “kosher” and “unkosher.” This aligns with Paul’s later teaching: “Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh—who are called Uncircumcision by what is called the Circumcision made in the flesh by hands—that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation” (Ephesians 2:11–14).
Peter continued by recalling that “at that very moment” three men from Caesarea arrived, sent by Cornelius. The Spirit instructed him to go “doubting nothing,” and Peter was careful to emphasize that six brethren accompanied him. This detail is crucial: in Jewish law, two or three witnesses were required to confirm a matter (Deuteronomy 19:15). Peter brought double that number, showing foresight and wisdom. These witnesses could testify that his actions were not impulsive but divinely led.
Peter then recounted how Cornelius himself had seen an angel, who instructed him to send for Peter, promising that through his message both he and his household would be saved. This shows that salvation is not given through visions or angelic encounters alone but through the hearing of the gospel of Christ (Romans 10:14–15). God used supernatural means to direct Cornelius to the preacher of the gospel, but it was the Word of God that brought salvation.
Finally, Peter declared that as soon as he began to speak, “the Holy Spirit fell upon them, as upon us at the beginning.” This reference to Pentecost (Acts 2) is critical. It meant that the Gentiles experienced the same Spirit baptism as the Jews did at the foundation of the church. This was not a lesser outpouring but identical in power and manifestation. God Himself had testified to their acceptance by granting them the Spirit apart from circumcision, apart from the Law, and apart from Jewish tradition.
This account removed all doubt: if God poured out His Spirit upon Gentiles in the same way He did upon Jewish believers, then the church had no right to deny them fellowship. What mattered was not Jewish identity but faith in Jesus Christ and the reception of the Holy Spirit.
3. (Acts 11:16–18) Peter interprets these events by remembering the words of Jesus.
“Then I remembered the word of the Lord, how He said, ‘John indeed baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ If therefore God gave them the same gift as He gave us when we believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could withstand God? When they heard these things they became silent; and they glorified God, saying, ‘Then God has also granted to the Gentiles repentance to life.’”
Peter concluded his defense by appealing directly to the words of Jesus. He recalled the Lord’s promise: “John indeed baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit” (cf. Acts 1:5). Just as the disciples experienced Spirit baptism at Pentecost, so too had Cornelius and his household received the same gift. Peter rightly reasoned, “If therefore God gave them the same gift as He gave us when we believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could withstand God?” His point was simple yet profound: no human authority, not even an apostle, had the right to oppose what God had clearly established.
This moment highlights an important principle for all believers: true spiritual discernment requires aligning ourselves with God’s direction rather than attempting to bring God into conformity with our own expectations. Peter had learned this earlier when he first resisted the Lord’s command in the vision at Joppa, saying, “Not so, Lord!” (Acts 11:8). Here he demonstrates growth, humbly acknowledging that resisting God’s will is futile.
This interpretation also connects the event to the promises of Scripture. The Lord’s words about Spirit baptism confirm its authenticity, while the Old Testament repeatedly anticipated Gentile inclusion in God’s plan of salvation. The Lord declared through Isaiah, “Indeed He says, ‘It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved ones of Israel; I will also give You as a light to the Gentiles, that You should be My salvation to the ends of the earth’” (Isaiah 49:6). Thus, Peter’s defense is not built only on experience but firmly rooted in the authority of God’s Word. True works of God always bear this double witness: the confirmation of the Spirit and the agreement of Scripture.
Luke records the powerful reaction of the Jerusalem believers: “When they heard these things they became silent.” Their initial objections were silenced, not by Peter’s personality or persuasion, but by the undeniable testimony of God’s Word and God’s work. Silence here reflects conviction and submission. After that pause, they moved beyond silence to worship, for they “glorified God, saying, ‘Then God has also granted to the Gentiles repentance to life.’”
This acknowledgment is monumental. The Jewish believers recognized that salvation is not merely a Jewish possession but God’s gift to the nations. They confessed that repentance leading to life—the turning from sin and embracing faith in Christ—was now granted freely to Gentiles. This fulfilled Jesus’ Great Commission, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations” (Matthew 28:19), and affirmed that salvation is by grace through faith, apart from works of the Law (Ephesians 2:8–9).
Yet, while they glorified God in this moment, the struggle was far from over. Later conflicts (Acts 15, Galatians 2) reveal that the question of Gentile inclusion would remain contentious. Nevertheless, Acts 11:18 stands as a testimony that God’s people, though initially resistant, can yield to the authority of His Word and the undeniable evidence of His Spirit. This passage demonstrates the beauty of humility in the church: traditions and prejudices must bow before the truth of God’s revealed plan.
B. The Church in Antioch
1. (Acts 11:19–21) The church in Antioch grows as Gentiles turn to the Lord.
“Now those who were scattered after the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to no one but the Jews only. But some of them were men from Cyprus and Cyrene, who, when they had come to Antioch, spoke to the Hellenists, preaching the Lord Jesus. And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number believed and turned to the Lord.”
After the martyrdom of Stephen (Acts 7), intense persecution broke out in Jerusalem, scattering the early believers (Acts 8:1). This scattering, though tragic on the surface, was sovereignly used by God to advance the gospel into new regions. These believers traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and the great city of Antioch, but at first they shared the message only with Jews. This reflects the deeply ingrained mindset of many Jewish Christians, who still saw the gospel as primarily for their own people.
However, some believers—men from Cyprus and Cyrene—took a bold and historic step. Luke records that they “spoke to the Hellenists, preaching the Lord Jesus.” These unnamed disciples are unsung heroes of church history. They were the first to deliberately evangelize Gentiles, not just Jews or God-fearers like Cornelius. This was the beginning of a new era in missions: intentional outreach to the pagan world. Unlike Cornelius, who already feared God, the Gentiles of Antioch were immersed in idolatry and immorality. Yet these believers proclaimed to them “the Lord Jesus,” emphasizing His lordship, not merely His role as Israel’s Messiah.
This effort bore tremendous fruit. Luke notes, “And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number believed and turned to the Lord.” This phrase underscores the essential truth that all true gospel success comes from God’s power, not human effort. Preaching methods or missionary zeal alone cannot bring souls to Christ. Only when “the hand of the Lord” is present will hearts be convicted, faith be born, and lives be transformed. This was not simply a transfer of allegiance to a religion or institution, but genuine salvation evidenced by faith and repentance: “believed and turned to the Lord.”
The location of this breakthrough—Antioch—was profoundly strategic. Founded in 300 B.C. by Seleucus I, a general of Alexander the Great, Antioch became one of the major cities of the Roman world. Known as “Syrian Antioch” or “Antioch on the Orontes,” it had a population of more than half a million in the first century, making it the third greatest city of the empire, behind Rome and Alexandria. It was a commercial hub, cosmopolitan and culturally influential, but also notoriously immoral. Roman historians recorded its decadence, particularly at the nearby suburb of Daphne, where pagan worship combined with ritual prostitution. The satirist Juvenal described Antioch’s corrupting influence with the phrase, “The Orontes has flowed into the Tiber,” meaning that the filth of Antioch had polluted Rome itself.
In the providence of God, this very city became the launching point for Gentile missions. Where immorality abounded, grace abounded much more. If Jerusalem symbolized religion, Rome power, Alexandria intellect, and Athens philosophy, Antioch symbolized commerce and corruption. Yet it was here that God chose to establish one of the most important churches in the New Testament, one that would soon send Paul and Barnabas to the ends of the earth (Acts 13). This reminds us that the gospel thrives not only in religiously receptive places like Cornelius’ home but also in the darkest pagan cities.
The statement that “a great number believed and turned to the Lord” is a concise definition of conversion. Faith and repentance are inseparable aspects of salvation. To “believe” is to rest in the finished work of Christ; to “turn” is to repent, abandoning idols and sin for the living God. Both must occur for true salvation to take place. This was not the creation of a social club, an institution, or a cultural movement, but the transformation of souls who turned to Christ as Savior and Lord.
2. (Acts 11:22–24) The ministry of Barnabas in Antioch.
“Then news of these things came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent out Barnabas to go as far as Antioch. When he came and had seen the grace of God, he was glad, and encouraged them all that with purpose of heart they should continue with the Lord. For he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were added to the Lord.”
The growth of the church in Antioch soon reached the ears of the leaders in Jerusalem. This shows how closely the early believers were connected; even though separated by 300 miles, the mother church in Jerusalem was aware of developments elsewhere. The Jerusalem church wisely sent Barnabas, a man of proven character, to investigate and to encourage the new believers. Barnabas was well-suited for this mission, for he had already shown generosity by selling his land to support the brethren (Acts 4:36–37) and had demonstrated courage by standing with Saul of Tarsus after his conversion when others doubted him (Acts 9:26–28). His very name, “Barnabas,” means “Son of Encouragement,” and his ministry here in Antioch reflected that calling.
When Barnabas arrived, Luke records that “he came and had seen the grace of God, [and] he was glad.” This is a beautiful description of a church that truly magnified Christ. The “grace of God” was not an abstract doctrine but something visible in their fellowship, unity, and transformed lives. Barnabas recognized that the Spirit of God was genuinely at work, and he rejoiced. This is a reminder that the true evidence of God’s work in any congregation is not external rituals, rigid traditions, or mere numbers, but the unmistakable mark of grace in the lives of believers. Where grace is present, there is joy, humility, and transformation.
Barnabas then “encouraged them all that with purpose of heart they should continue with the Lord.” His exhortation went beyond urging them to merely begin well in the faith; he pressed them to persevere with steadfast devotion. The phrase “with purpose of heart” emphasizes intentional commitment. Christian discipleship is not a casual association but a lifelong pursuit of Christ. This reflects Paul’s later admonition: “As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith” (Colossians 2:6–7). Barnabas knew that the strength of the church depended not merely on enthusiastic beginnings but on enduring devotion.
Luke then gives a rare but significant character description: “For he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith.” Few individuals in Scripture are described this way. His goodness was not mere natural kindness, but a Spirit-produced character. He was filled with the Holy Spirit, indicating that his ministry was empowered by God rather than self, and he was marked by great faith, trusting in God’s promises and purposes. This combination made him a man of integrity and influence, able to both discern and nurture God’s work in others.
The fruit of Barnabas’ ministry was evident: “And a great many people were added to the Lord.” Notice the phrasing—these believers were not added to an institution or to Barnabas’ reputation, but “to the Lord.” This underscores the central truth of church growth: leaders are merely instruments, but it is Christ who builds His church (Matthew 16:18). As Ephesians 4:11–16 later teaches, the role of leaders is to equip the saints for the work of ministry, so that the whole body grows in maturity and love. Barnabas modeled this by strengthening the believers in Antioch, leading to both spiritual depth and numerical growth.
3. (Acts 11:25–26) Barnabas and Saul work together in Antioch.
“Then Barnabas departed for Tarsus to seek Saul. And when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. So it was that for a whole year they assembled with the church and taught a great many people. And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.”
Barnabas, discerning the enormity of the work in Antioch, remembered his fellow laborer Saul of Tarsus. Years earlier, Saul had been sent to Tarsus for his own safety when persecution flared in Jerusalem (Acts 9:28–30). Now Barnabas set out to locate him. The text says Barnabas went “to seek Saul,” and the original wording indicates a deliberate and even laborious search. Saul was not waiting in plain sight; Barnabas had to track him down. This shows how much Barnabas valued Saul’s gifts and calling. He knew the work in Antioch demanded more than one man could bear, and he humbly sought out a partner in ministry rather than attempt to retain leadership alone.
For nearly twelve years, Saul had been in relative obscurity since his dramatic conversion. These were not wasted years; they were years of preparation in which God refined his character, deepened his faith, and shaped his theology. When Barnabas found him, Saul was ready for greater service. Together, Barnabas and Saul labored in Antioch for a full year, teaching and discipling “a great many people.” Their ministry established Antioch as a strong, thriving church—a church that would soon become the great missionary hub of the New Testament world.
Antioch was not just blessed with great formal teachers like Barnabas and Saul, but it was also marked by the faithful witness of ordinary believers. Luke had already noted that the unnamed men from Cyprus and Cyrene evangelized the Gentiles (Acts 11:20). This combination of strong biblical teaching and vibrant informal testimony made the Antioch church powerful and influential. As history shows, Antioch became home to some of the greatest preachers across the centuries—Barnabas, Paul, and Peter in the first century; Ignatius and Theophilus in the second; Lucian, Theodore, Chrysostom, and Theodoret in the centuries following. Antioch was, in every sense, a teaching church.
It was in Antioch that the disciples were first called Christians. Before this, believers were known by various names: disciples (Acts 1:15), saints (Acts 9:13), believers (Acts 5:14), brothers (Acts 6:3), witnesses (Acts 5:32), followers of the Way (Acts 9:2), or even Nazarenes (Acts 24:5). The term “Christian” came to designate those who belonged to Christ. In Latin, the suffix -ian meant “the party of.” Just as a soldier under Caesar would call himself a “Caesarian,” so those who followed Christ were called “Christians,” or “Christ’s ones.” Though it likely began as a term of mockery in Antioch, a city known for its biting wit and satire, believers embraced the name as a badge of honor.
Being called a Christian meant being identified with Christ above all other loyalties. As Paul would later write, “For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21). A Christian is not primarily identified by denominational affiliation, cultural ties, or national identity, but by belonging to Christ. This is illustrated in the story of Sanctus, a believer from Lyons in the second century. When asked repeatedly under torture to state his name, his city, or his social standing, he would only reply, “I am a Christian.” His torturers could not break his resolve, and he died with that confession on his lips.
Thus, the title “Christian” is both a privilege and a responsibility. Believers must live in a way that honors Christ, so that the name is not blasphemed but glorified. As Peter exhorts, “Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter” (1 Peter 4:16). Antioch gave the church this name, and from that city the gospel would soon spread to the nations with renewed power.
4. (Acts 11:27–30) A prophetic word announces a famine.
“And in these days prophets came from Jerusalem to Antioch. Then one of them, named Agabus, stood up and showed by the Spirit that there was going to be a great famine throughout all the world, which also happened in the days of Claudius Caesar. Then the disciples, each according to his ability, determined to send relief to the brethren dwelling in Judea. This they also did, and sent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul.”
Luke records that during this time “prophets came from Jerusalem to Antioch.” In the New Testament, prophets were men specially gifted by the Spirit to speak forth God’s truth, often in direct revelation regarding present circumstances or future events (cf. Ephesians 4:11). Among them was Agabus, who, by the Spirit, predicted a great famine that would strike the known world. Luke, writing as a historian, confirms the fulfillment of this prophecy, noting that it occurred “in the days of Claudius Caesar.” Extra-biblical sources affirm this, as multiple famines and food shortages marked the reign of Claudius (A.D. 41–54), including severe conditions in Judea around A.D. 45–46. This alignment of biblical prophecy with recorded history strengthens confidence in the reliability of Scripture.
The Christians in Antioch took the prophecy seriously. They did not dismiss it as unlikely or exaggeration, but responded with faith and action. Luke tells us, “Then the disciples, each according to his ability, determined to send relief to the brethren dwelling in Judea.” This is the first recorded instance in church history of one congregation intentionally sending financial aid to believers in another region. Their generosity was both practical and sacrificial. They gave “each according to his ability,” which implies proportional giving: those with greater means gave more, and those with less still gave willingly according to their resources. This principle echoes Paul’s later teaching: “For if there is first a willing mind, it is accepted according to what one has, and not according to what he does not have” (2 Corinthians 8:12).
Furthermore, their giving was not merely spontaneous but determined. They made a conscious decision, a deliberate act of discipleship. This reflects the teaching of Paul in 2 Corinthians 9:7: “So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.” True Christian giving is not driven by compulsion or guilt but by love, faith, and obedience to God.
The Antioch believers also displayed humility and unity in their generosity. Though Antioch was a thriving, Gentile-majority church, they saw themselves as spiritually indebted to the Jewish believers in Judea, from whom the gospel had first gone forth. Later Paul would teach this same principle, saying, “For if the Gentiles have been partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is also to minister to them in material things” (Romans 15:27). Their financial support was not charity alone; it was an expression of fellowship in the body of Christ.
The offering was sent “to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul.” This demonstrates both organization and accountability. The money was entrusted to respected leaders, men of integrity, ensuring its proper use. It also marks the first mention of “elders” in the New Testament church outside of Jerusalem, highlighting that the early church already had established leadership structures to shepherd God’s people.
One commentator has observed that this may be the first charitable act of its kind in all recorded history: one ethnic group voluntarily sending financial aid to another without political or economic obligation, but purely out of Christian love. Indeed, this act of generosity shows why the disciples in Antioch were first called “Christians.” Their faith was not only a matter of doctrine but of visible love in action. Jesus had said, “By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35), and Antioch lived that truth out in a profound way.
