Peter vs. Herod

Acts 12:1-24 

Good morning! We’re going to go through almost all of chapter 12 in Acts today. There’s one verse at the end of the chapter which connects better with chapter 13, so it will be a part of next week’s passage.

 

In the previous two and half chapters following the conversion of Saul, the church has experienced a time of peace. Acts 9:30 says that the Holy Spirit strengthened and encouraged the church and that it grew in numbers during this time.

 

Today, we will see that opposition will arise again. The chapter opens with a terrible and shocking event, the martyrdom of one of the twelve disciples. James, the son of Zebedee, the brother of John, will be executed by Herod.

 

James is not the first martyr. Chapter 7 tells how Stephen confronted the Sanhedrin and was stoned. And while we don’t have a record of more, it is quite possible that others died for their faith in the time following Stephen’s death. The persecution of believers has followed the church wherever it has gone and wherever it has grown.

 

At the same time, James has a unique role, a unique position. I pulled this event into the introduction because it’s going to be easy to fly past it and lose the magnitude of what is going to happen. This is the James whom Jesus called from his nets as a fisherman. This James walked with Jesus throughout His earthly ministry. He was at the transfiguration. Together with only Peter and John, he saw the resurrection of the little girl. Jesus had called Peter, James and John to come and pray with Him in the garden before His arrest and crucifixion.

 

James’ death shatters any illusion that the twelve enjoyed some special protection. I don’t think we can answer the question of why James or why at this moment. Only God knows this. We can say that Jesus didn’t tell His disciples that there was any such special protection.

 

Specifically, when James and John asked Jesus if they could sit at His right and left in glory, Jesus told them that they didn’t understand what they were asking. He then asked if they could drink from the cup He would drink, to which they both said, “We can.” Jesus then said that they would.

 

Jesus said on multiple occasions that persecution would follow them all. (See Matthew 10:16-26.) John 16:33 is a familiar and clear statement from Jesus about all sorts of difficulties:

 

I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world. – John 16:33

 

James’ death is tragic, but keep in mind that he has eternal life. As Paul would later write, “…To live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21). James, just like anyone who dies in the Lord, has gained even in death because Jesus has overcome death for everyone who believes in Him.

 

Let’s pray and go ahead with Acts chapter 12.

 

Father God, teach us today from Your Word. Help us to have a right understanding of difficulty and even suffering. I pray for deliverance for Your people who are facing persecution, uncertainty and death. I also pray for hope and endurance in the midst of those circumstances when it is not Your will to remove them. In all situations, we look to You, Jesus. Amen.

 

It was about this time that King Herod arrested some who belonged to the church, intending to persecute them. He had James, the brother of John, put to death with the sword. – Acts 12:1-2

 

We’ve talked a good bit about James. The only point I will add is that James’ death occurred 10 years after the resurrection. Now, let me say a few things about Herod.

 

Whenever you see the name Herod, you have to ask, “Which Herod?” In this case, it was Herod Agrippa. Herod Agrippa I (the first) was the grandson of Herod the Great and nephew of Herod Antipas, who had beheaded John the Baptist and had tried Jesus. Antipas had been exiled in a stunning back-and-forth series of betrayals by Agrippa and Antipas against one another. Agrippa received Antipas’ tetrarchy and those of Philip and Lysanias such that Judea and Samaria were united under the rule of Herod Agrippa in a period of 4-5 years (37-41 BC).

 

I don’t want to go into great detail about the Herod dynasty other than to say it is disturbingly messed up. This graphic gives you only a slight idea of how bad it was: Herod the Great and the Herodian Family Tree - Biblical Archaeology Society.

 

There is some similarity to how James was put to death and John the Baptist was put to death. They were both in prison, but then from one day to the next, they were executed by the sword.

 

When he saw that this met with approval among the Jews, he proceeded to seize Peter also. This happened during the Festival of Unleavened Bread. After arresting him, he put him in prison, handing him over to be guarded by four squads of four soldiers each. Herod intended to bring him out for public trial after the Passover.

 

So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him. – Acts 2:3-5

 

This time the persecution has arisen from the political leader rather than from the Jewish religious leaders. There is definitely a populist vibe in Herod’s decision making. He saw that the Jews approved, so he decided to go after Peter.

 

There is a significant guard placed over Peter. Sixteen soldiers to guard one guy who is locked up in a prison cell. What did Herod think might happen? Of course, the apostles had already been arrested once and then mysteriously escaped the Jews (that is, they were released from the jail by an angel) in Acts 5.

 

Herod Agrippa’s plan for Peter was centered on the Passover, but it was a bit different than what was carried out against Jesus. Herod was waiting to hold the trial after the Passover, which would be after the crowds went home. He also likely wanted the people’s full attention in order to improve their support of him.

 

The believers knew the situation was serious, and they were praying. It says they were praying earnestly. That word only appears a couple of times in Scripture. The second time is in I Peter, when Peter writes that we should love each other earnestly, fervently, deeply. I think the believers were praying for Peter in deep and sincere love. And no matter how many guards or gates there might be, we can always pray.

 

The night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries stood guard at the entrance. Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up. "Quick, get up!" he said, and the chains fell off Peter's wrists.

 

Then the angel said to him, "Put on your clothes and sandals." And Peter did so. "Wrap your cloak around you and follow me," the angel told him. Peter followed him out of the prison, but he had no idea that what the angel was doing was really happening; he thought he was seeing a vision. – Acts 12:6-9

 

This situation is deadly serious, and yet there is humor in the passage, too. Peter is sleeping between two soldiers. He’s bound with two chains. At the same time, he’s in his PJs or whatever their equivalent was because the angel tells him specifically how to get dressed. Then, why did the angel have to strike Peter? Maybe Peter really was that deeply asleep?

 

Peter did as the angel had told him. All the while, he’s thinking, “There’s no way this is really happening. It has to be a vision.” But it was real, and Peter walked out of his cell from between the two guards with him and then past the sentries standing guard at the entrance.

 

They passed the first and second guards and came to the iron gate leading to the city. It opened for them by itself, and they went through it. When they had walked the length of one street, suddenly the angel left him.

 

Then Peter came to himself and said, “Now I know without a doubt that the Lord has sent His angel and rescued me from Herod's clutches and from everything the Jewish people were hoping would happen.” – Acts 12:10-11

 

They passed two different groups of guards. I don’t think they were sleeping; at least, it doesn’t say that they were. I think they must have been invisible. I mean, the gate opens by itself, so what’s a little invisibility on top of what else has happened? Finally now, a block or two away from the prison, Peter realizes that this is really happening.

 

Peter has a pretty complex thought. He’s rescued from Herod’s clutches, the political schemer, and from everything the Jewish people were hoping would happen, their desire to disgrace Peter and destroy the church.

 

When this had dawned on him, he went to the house of Mary the mother of John, also called Mark, where many people had gathered and were praying. Peter knocked at the outer entrance, and a servant named Rhoda came to answer the door. When she recognized Peter's voice, she was so overjoyed she ran back without opening it and exclaimed, "Peter is at the door!"

 

"You're out of your mind," they told her. When she kept insisting that it was so, they said, "It must be his angel."

 

But Peter kept on knocking, and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astonished. – Acts 12:12-16

 

This Mark or John Mark is the author of the Gospel of Mark. So, an interesting connection here between Peter and Mark. His family’s house is where Peter decided to go first.

 

And yes, some more fun here. Before we are too hard on poor Rhoda, remember that Peter didn’t think his escape was real until well after he had gotten out of the prison. Sometimes, we can get so excited by good news that we forget what to do. Likewise, we should be compassionate toward the believers who are praying, as they are no doubt afraid. Herod hadn’t just arrested James and Peter. Verse 1 said that some in the church had been arrested. I’m sure they feel at risk, too.

 

Still, I think Luke did include the detail of the story because it is funny and that’s how it really happened. Even after Rhoda tells everyone, they don’t hop up to go see if Peter is there. It’s like they’re too busy praying for Peter. “Rhoda, can’t you see we’re busy praying here.” Even when she persists in telling them that Peter is really there, they figure it must be his angel. The prayers were in earnest (verse 5), but their faith was not great

 

After reading these verses, I was thinking the message title could be “Keep Knocking.” Peter doesn’t go away. He keeps knocking until they open the door. It’s an illustration of Matthew 7:7-8, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you” (Matthew 7:7). The verbs in that verse are in the active 2^nd person imperative: keep asking, keep seeking, and keep knocking, because “everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened” (Matthew 7:8).

 

Peter motioned with his hand for them to be quiet and described how the Lord had brought him out of prison. "Tell James and the other brothers and sisters about this," he said, and then he left for another place. – Acts 12:17

 

Now that they’re at the door, and they recognize that Peter is really there, there’s a celebration. So, Peter ends up being the one trying to settle them down. He gives them the good news and then encourages them to share it.

 

Most likely the James whom Peter mentions is the brother of Jesus. He became a key leader in the early church and is the author of the book of James. Peter disappears into the night. In Matthew 10, Jesus told the twelve that when they were persecuted in one place, they should flee to another (verse 23).

 

Now, the consequences of Peter’s escape:

 

In the morning, there was no small commotion among the soldiers as to what had become of Peter. After Herod had a thorough search made for him and did not find him, he cross-examined the guards and ordered that they be executed.

 

Then Herod went from Judea to Caesarea and stayed there. – Acts 12:18-19

 

The soldiers recognize the severity of the situation that they are in. What a disaster! Herod made the cross-examination himself. Not surprisingly, the guards are faced with capital charges. This was the normal course when a soldier or guard lost a prisoner, and none of the Herods were known for having compassion.

 

We don’t know with certainty why Herod left for Caesarea (a port city on the Mediterranean well north of Jerusalem but not quite as far as the Sea of Galilee). As we will see in the next verses, he had business in that region. At the same time, it seems that Herod has lost interest in his attack on the church. If only Herod had been willing to humble himself at this point, perhaps things would have turned out differently for him.

 

He [Herod] had been quarreling with the people of Tyre and Sidon; they now joined together and sought an audience with him. After securing the support of Blastus, a trusted personal servant of the king, they asked for peace, because they depended on the king's country for their food supply.

 

On the appointed day Herod, wearing his royal robes, sat on his throne and delivered a public address to the people. They shouted, "This is the voice of a god, not of a man." Immediately, because Herod did not give praise to God, an angel of the Lord struck him down, and he was eaten by worms and died. – Acts 12:20-23

 

Well, Herod pretty much quarreled with anyone who didn’t agree with him, particularly when he was in a more powerful position. It’s interesting that Luke includes a bit of the political maneuvering here. The people of Tyre and Sidon sought an ally within Herod’s court. Throughout antiquity, the region of Israel and Judea was known as an exporter of food to their neighbors, particularly olive oil, wine, and grains.

 

Tyre and Sidon were mainly trading towns of the ancient Phoenicians. According to the distribution of land in the book of Joshua, the area of Tyre and Sidon should have been occupied by the tribe of Asher. The land away from the coast of the Mediterranean near Tyre and Sidon is quite mountainous. It’s where the cedars of Lebanon come from. It’s not where you can grow enough grain to support a sizeable population.

 

Herod’s end is also recorded by Flavius Josephus. He wrote:

 

Now when Agrippa had reigned three years over all Judea, he came to the city Caesarea [...] [T]here he exhibited shows in honor of the emperor [….] On the second day of the festival, Herod put on a garment made wholly of silver, and of a truly wonderful contexture, and came into the theater early in the morning; at which time the silver of his garment was illuminated by the fresh reflection of the sun's rays upon it. It shone out after a surprising manner, and was so resplendent as to spread a horror over those that looked intently upon him. At that moment, his flatterers cried out [...] that he was a god; and they added, "Be thou merciful to us; for although we have hitherto reverenced thee only as a man, yet shall we henceforth own thee as superior to mortal nature."

 

Upon this the king did neither rebuke them, nor reject their impious flattery. But as he presently afterward looked up, […] he fell into the deepest sorrow. A severe pain also arose in his belly, and began in a most violent manner. […]

 

Accordingly, he was carried into the palace, and the rumor went abroad that he would certainly die in a little time. […] And when he had been quite worn out by the pain in his belly for five days, he departed this life, being in the fifty-fourth year of his age, and in the seventh year of his reign. [Flavius Josephus, Jewish Antiquities 19.343-350.]

 

Herod wasn’t condemned until he took the praise that should have been directed toward God upon himself. Due to the extended relationship between the Herod dynasty and the Jews, Herod ought to have known better than to think that God would ignore such a blatant act of blasphemy, especially after what had happened with Peter.

 

And yet, I think Herod missed it completely. He probably didn’t think that Peter had been helped by God. He thought that the guards were incompetent or that Peter had some other kind of help. Maybe he didn’t think about it much at all and had thoughts only for himself.

 

I said earlier that the message could be titled “Keep Knocking.” Another title could have been “Herod vs God.” “Herod vs Peter” is what Herod thought. Herod was this powerful king with the favor of the Roman imperial family, particularly the emperor Caligula. How could Peter, the backwater fisherman from Galilee, stand against Herod, the king of all the territory of ancient Israel?

 

The answer is the Lord. “…If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31)

 

He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all—how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. – Romans 8:32-34

 

And that flows into the last verse of today’s passage from Acts 12. God delivered Peter and Herod died. More importantly, God delivered His church.

 

But the word of God continued to spread and flourish. – Acts 12:24

 

Let’s pray.

 

We certainly pray that You would continue to deliver Your church today. Please encourage the saints who face persecution for calling on Your Name. Rescue them from their persecutors, we pray. Thank You that You are for Your people and not against us. I pray for each one who is listening, that they would know that You are the One who justifies. We are not condemned when we belong to Jesus. Thank You for interceding for us continually. We need it. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Jerusalem and Antioch

Acts 11 

Good morning! Today we are going to explore the eleventh chapter of the book of Acts. Last week, we looked at chapter 10. We saw the story of Cornelius, a Gentile centurion whom Scripture describes as “God-fearing,” along with his family. From other writings, we know that there were other Gentiles who could be described in this way. The historian Josephus wrote only a few decades after the fall of the Temple in AD 70 that there were a good number of Gentiles attracted to Jewish ceremonies and incorporated with Jews in some measure.

 

Now these Gentile God-lovers or God-worshipers were not Jewish, and even though there was a way for Gentiles to be fully converted into Judaism, most of these people chose not to do so. There were multiple reasons for this, including the fact that Jews were stigmatized in Greek and Roman society. There was also the burden of having to perform all the Jewish laws, including the rules Pharisees had placed on top of the Law, and there were special tax requirements. There was also the need for adult circumcision, which few would want to do. There was no way to be a “closet Jew” in that culture, as the Jews kept their hair in identifying ways and had special clothing. There was also the issue of identification through circumcision in the public baths and gymnasiums, places the Jews generally avoided because the Greeks and Romans considered this to be abhorrent. For all these reasons, most of these God-loving Gentiles instead chose to remain Gentiles and simply worship the Jewish God in their own way. But some of these Gentiles went further, although still not to the point of becoming Jews themselves. They would help out the local Jewish congregations in whatever way they could and whatever way their help was accepted. Luke describes one such man, another Gentile centurion, in his gospel: 

 

When Jesus had finished saying all this to the people who were listening, He entered Capernaum. 

 

There a centurion’s servant, whom his master valued highly, was sick and about to die. The centurion heard of Jesus and sent some elders of the Jews to Him, asking Him to come and heal his servant. When they came to Jesus, they pleaded earnestly with Him, “This man deserves to have You do this, because he loves our nation and has built our synagogue.” So Jesus went with them. 

 

He was not far from the house when the centurion sent friends to say to Him: “Lord, don’t trouble Yourself, for I do not deserve to have You come under my roof. That is why I did not even consider myself worthy to come to You. But say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” 

 

When Jesus heard this, He was amazed at him, and turning to the crowd following Him, He said, “I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel.” Then the men who had been sent returned to the house and found the servant well. – Luke 7:1-10 

 

Note that the centurion “loves the nation [that is, the Jewish nation of Israel] and had built their synagogue.” I don’t think this means he built it single-handedly, but that he had played an important role. 

 

Why did the centurion not consider himself worthy to have Jesus come under his roof? Well, in part it was because he had some inkling, some idea, of who this person was: certainly someone very strongly favored by God. But I think perhaps also part of the reason was because of the Jewish rules about separation between Jew and Gentile, along with the fact that this centurion felt guilty for not going all the way and becoming a convert to Judaism.  

 

In any case, Cornelius, the centurion of Acts 10, is also a God-fearer, and one day he has a vision in which he sees an angel of God, who tells him to send men to Joppa to bring back someone named Simon Peter, who is staying with someone named Simon the tanner. 

 

They left the next day, and that same day, Peter also had a vision. He saw a sheet being let down to earth from heaven containing all kinds of animals, and a voice told Peter to get up and eat. Peter in the vision objected, because the animals included those that were prohibited under Jewish law as described in Leviticus 11. But the voice told Peter not to declare unclean something which God had declared clean. 

 

What does this mean? Well, it is indeed true that Leviticus 11 prohibits eating certain animals as part of the Mosaic Law. But these laws were specifically given to the Jewish people. An older “law,” as it were, made no such prohibition. From Genesis 9: 

 

Then God blessed Noah and his sons, saying to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the earth. The fear and dread of you will fall on all the beasts of the earth, and on all the birds in the sky, on every creature that moves along the ground, and on all the fish in the sea; they are given into your hands. Everything that lives and moves about will be food for you. Just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you everything. – Genesis 9:1-3 

 

And so the law given to the Jews goes further than the “law” given to Noah and his sons. Now, returning to Peter’s vision, which occurs two more times: Peter is left to ponder what it means, when Cornelius’ men find Peter. At this point the Spirit spoke to Peter and told him to go with them. It is interesting that the men describe Cornelius to Peter in terms similar to what we saw in Luke: 

 

We have come from Cornelius the centurion. He is a righteous and God-fearing man, who is respected by all the Jewish people. – Acts 10:22a 

 

When Peter gets to Cornelius’ house, he finds there not only Cornelius and his immediate family, but also his relatives and friends, all of whom presumably are God-fearers. Peter interprets his vision to mean that he should break the traditional rule about not associating with or visiting a Gentile, because “who is he to declare unclean what God declares clean?” He asks why he was sent for, and Cornelius explains his vision instructing him to do so. 

 

I find a great deal of humor in this situation. It reminds me of some old movies where someone is trying to get two people back together by implying that each person sent for the other. Then they meet, fall back in love, and live happily ever after. Actually, that sounds more like a Hallmark movie. 

 

Anyways, Peter explained the gospel to them, they received the message gladly, and the Holy Spirit came upon them. They were baptized, and then Peter stayed with them a few days to instruct them and build them up further. This takes us to Acts 11: 

 

The apostles and the believers throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God. So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers criticized him and said, “You went into the house of uncircumcised men and ate with them.” – Acts 11:1-3 

 

Usually we reserve the application of a message for the end, but I want to give you the application I have been thinking about right now. Has something like this ever happened to you? Do you do something good, something people should be overjoyed about, only to receive criticism for your actions? At work, this has happened to me many times. What is my natural inclination? To be angry. What is my natural temptation in terms of how to respond? To attack my criticizers. Peter here has done nothing wrong; indeed, he has followed the direct leading of the Holy Spirit. Why are the believers here criticizing him? Why are they focusing on a Pharisaic law? Don’t they understand how monumental this is? Don’t they remember Jesus’ own words about bringing the gospel to Judea, Samaria, and then even the ends of the earth? It’s time for a fiery response, isn’t it? Let’s look at what Peter actually does.  

 

Starting from the beginning, Peter told them the whole story: “I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision. I saw something like a large sheet being let down from heaven by its four corners, and it came down to where I was. I looked into it and saw four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, reptiles and birds. Then I heard a voice telling me, ‘Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.’  

 

“I replied, ‘Surely not, Lord! Nothing impure or unclean has ever entered my mouth.’ 

 

“The voice spoke from heaven a second time, ‘Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.’ This happened three times, and then it was all pulled up to heaven again.  

 

“Right then three men who had been sent to me from Caesarea stopped at the house where I was staying. The Spirit told me to have no hesitation about going with them. These six brothers also went with me, and we entered the man’s house. He told us how he had seen an angel appear in his house and say, ‘Send to Joppa for Simon who is called Peter. He will bring you a message through which you and all your household will be saved.’ 

 

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.’ So if God gave them the same gift He gave us who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to think that I could stand in God’s way?” – Acts 11:4-17 

 

So let’s analyze Peter’s response. Did he breathe fire on them? No. Did he tell them how stupid they were to focus on this? No. Does he accept where they are at and not express disappointment in them? Yes. Does he realize that they haven’t gone through the same experience as he has, so they of course have no idea what is going on? Yes. Does he patiently tell them what has happened, with details? Yes. Does he provide evidence that his account is true? Yes—by pointing out the six men who were with him. And note his final words. He asks a rhetorical question: what choice did I have? He doesn’t say, “Who are you to think that…” but instead says, “Who was I to think that…”  

 

He refuses to feel offended, and he assumes the best. I think of I Corinthians 13:5, which includes the words “Love is not easily angered,” and I Corinthians 13:7, which includes “Love always hopes.” 

 

So how did they respond? Did they respond like the Pharisees surely would have, saying that none of this matters, Jews are not to associate with Gentiles, blah blah blah? Let’s see: 

 

When they heard this, they had no further objections and praised God, saying, “So then, even to Gentiles God has granted repentance that leads to life.” – Acts 11:18 

 

Now I cannot promise that you will have such wonderful outcomes in situations in your own life, especially with unbelievers, but even with believers too, as we are all sinners, all at different stages of growth in Christ. But the imperfect actions of others we deal with does not gives us license to sin. In any case, I think Peter’s response to the accusation is beautiful, and I think the Jews’ response to Peter’s response is equally beautiful. 

 

It is hard for us to appreciate how radical a change this was. The story of God Himself speaking to Cornelius in a vision occurs three times: at the beginning of Acts 10 when it happens, in the middle of Acts 10 when Cornelius explains why he has sent for Peter, and here in Acts 11 as part of Peter’s explanation to the other Jews. Acts could have simply said, “Cornelius told them what happened.” And “Peter told them what happened.” But that was not the Holy Spirit’s plan. Any time something appears in triplicate, it is extremely important. God is the One behind the scenes (like in a Hallmark movie) bringing these two groups, Jews and Gentiles, together. He is the divine matchmaker. This was always His plan. The Israelites, the Jews, were His planned vehicle for bringing salvation to the ends of the earth. They were never the end point. They were only the beginning.  

 

I think of these verses from Ephesians 2: 

 

Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called “uncircumcised” by those who call themselves “the circumcision” (which is done in the body by human hands)— remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.  

 

For He Himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by setting aside in His flesh the Law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in Himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which He put to death their hostility. He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through Him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit. – Ephesians 2:11-18 

 

And I also think of these verses from Romans 10: 

 

As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in Him will never be put to shame.” For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on Him, for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” – Romans 10:11-13 

 

Praise God for His wonderful plan of salvation! 

 

I want to mention one more thing—this is about Peter. Consider what Jesus said to him when He gave him the name Peter: 

 

When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” 

 

They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 

 

“But what about you?” He asked. “Who do you say I am?”  

 

Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” 

 

Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by My Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” – Mathew 16:13-19 

 

What are the keys of the kingdom of heaven? Keys unlock doors. These doors, symbolically, are the doors to the kingdom of heaven. Jesus is giving Peter the authority to open the doors, so to speak, and invite the world to enter through Jesus. And remember the verse about Judea, Samaria, and the ends of the earth? Peter unlocks the doors in each case. He unlocked the doors for Judea in Acts 2 when he preached in Jerusalem after the rushing wind, the tongues of fire, and the speaking in other languages. After Peter’s message, 3000 people came to faith. He, along with Philip and John, unlocked the doors for Samaria in Acts 8. And Peter unlocked the door for the first Gentile believers in Acts 10.  As for the binding and loosening, I believe the principle is that binding is declaring someone unrepentant as not fit for heaven, and loosening is declaring someone repentant and trusting in Christ as fit for heaven. And we see both actions in Peter. The binding, in particular, we see in Peter’s confrontations with Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5, and also with Simon the Sorcerer in Acts 8. I would say that the loosening refers to Peter’s role in both the Samaritans and the Gentiles coming to faith in Christ but more generally refers to Peter’s role in evangelism overall in the early church: giving people the gospel and giving them the opportunity to repent and believe. 

 

Now let’s continue on in Acts: 

 

Now those who had been scattered by the persecution that broke out when Stephen was killed traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, spreading the word only among Jews. Some of them, however, men from Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch and began to speak to Greeks also, telling them the good news about the Lord Jesus. The Lord’s hand was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord. – Acts 11:19-21 

 

We don’t get the same level of detail here that we did with Cornelius, but this too is a huge advancement of the kingdom of God. The Scripture gives no indication that these were people who were already God-fearing. Based on the verses to come, I believe that these are just general Gentiles, initially unfamiliar and unsupportive of Judaism or Israel. Yet they listened to the message, took it to heart, repented, and believed. And it is not just a few Gentiles, but a “great number.”  

 

Note that reaching out to those unfamiliar with Judaism and worshiping other gods (or who maybe were atheists) required a very different approach than reaching out to those who already are familiar with the Old Testament and who believe in the true God. We will see multiple examples of what this approach may look like later in Acts with Paul. 

 

News of this reached the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. When he arrived and saw what the grace of God had done, he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts. He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord. – Acts 11:22-24 

 

And so we see, once again, word of these things reaches Jerusalem. Barnabas is sent, and does he tell them not to associate with Gentiles? No, he does the opposite. He rejoices with them and builds up the new believers. Again, I think we struggle to realize how radical this really was for that time. 

 

Jesus hinted that this would happen. There are several parables that fit, but let me point out a parable in Mark: 

 

“A man planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a pit for the winepress and built a watchtower. Then he rented the vineyard to some farmers and moved to another place. At harvest time he sent a servant to the tenants to collect from them some of the fruit of the vineyard. But they seized him, beat him and sent him away empty-handed. Then he sent another servant to them; they struck this man on the head and treated him shamefully. He sent still another, and that one they killed. He sent many others; some of them they beat, others they killed. 

 

“He had one left to send, a son, whom he loved. He sent him last of all, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’  

 

“But the tenants said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ So they took him and killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard. 

 

“What then will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and kill those tenants and give the vineyard to others. Haven’t you read this passage of Scripture: “‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes’?” – Mark 12:1-11 

 

Notice that the bringing of the gospel to non-God-fearing Greeks only began when the persecution by the Jews broke out after Stephen was killed. It is important to not try to match the details of the parable to the sequential events in Acts, as that is not what a parable does. It simply comes “alongside” (which is what “parable” means) to present a truth through a story. And the truth here is that eventually, after the Jews continue to reject the gospel of Jesus Christ, the gospel will be presented to gentiles, to non-Jews. And the stone the builders rejected is Christ; and Christ is the cornerstone of the church. If Jews won’t recognize or accept this, then it will be presented to Gentiles, who will. 

 

Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people. The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch. – Acts 11:25-26 

 

There is a great irony here. Saul/Paul, now a saved believer in Christ, is helping Barnabas to build up the church in Antioch, a church of Gentile believers that only came to exist because of Paul’s persecution of the Jewish believers after the death of Stephen. Paul had to realize this. It must have been humbling to see how what Paul meant for evil God had turned into good. 

 

It’s not surprising to me that a new name for these early believers came up at Antioch. It makes sense because the believers at Antioch were primarily neither Jews nor God-fearers. It wouldn’t have made sense to call them any of the names that had been used previously, like Jewish followers of Christ, or followers of the Way, because these all had Jewish connotations. And it didn’t make sense to come up with a phrase that had the word “Gentile” in it, because, in Christ, there is neither Jew nor Gentile. And so “Christ followers” made sense, or the more compact “Christians” (“Christianos/Christiani” in Greek). 

 

As you can see, Antioch was becoming an important center for the church. It would be good to say a little bit about the city. Antioch at the time of Acts was a huge city, with about half a million inhabitants. It was about 300 miles north of Jerusalem. It was considered the number three city in the Roman world, behind Rome and Alexandria. Unlike these other two cities, it had a reputation for being filled with crude, violent, uncultured but commercially savvy people. It was on a trade route and had become very wealthy. 

 

(There is not much in the way of archaeology to discuss about Antioch from this time period. In limited excavations, major structures known to have existed have not been found. Because it was such a large city, it is easy to dig and not find what you are looking for. The modern government has focused on development over preservation of history.) 

 

This brings us to our final portion of the passage for today:   

 

During this time some prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. One of them, named Agabus, stood up and through the Spirit predicted that a severe famine would spread over the entire Roman world. (This happened during the reign of Claudius.) The disciples, as each one was able, decided to provide help for the brothers and sisters living in Judea. This they did, sending their gift to the elders by Barnabas and Saul. – Acts 11:27-30 

 

The Greek wording here is interesting – in particular, the idea of a famine “spreading.” What we find from the early historians is that indeed, there were a series of famines that affected the Roman world during the reign of Claudius region by region. Tacitus, Dio Cassius, Orosious, Suetonius, and Josephus all write of crop failures and famines. Josephus in particular mentions a severe famine that affected Judea in around AD 45-47. Suetonius explains that these continual famines meant that there was an ongoing shortage of grain in the Roman world. Based on all these accounts, it is safe to say that Agabus’ prophecy came true. Agabus will reappear later in Acts, giving another prophecy specifically to Paul. 

 

Do prophecies such as Agabus’ occur today? I’m not willing to say that it is impossible, but a lot of what passes for prophecy is so vague that it is impossible to deny that it hasn’t been fulfilled, at least in part. Agabus’ prophecy was pretty specific – and it was not given for the personal benefit of either Agabus or his listeners. It was on behalf of the Jerusalem church. And at this time, prophets were held accountable, at least in the spirit, if not the letter, of Old Testament law. In the Old Testament, if a prophet gave a false prophecy, not only would he be declared a false prophet, but he would be killed. The fact that Agabus was taken seriously implies that he had a history of making prophecies that later came true. And the fact that Agabus was still listened to much later in Acts implies that his prophecy in this chapter also came true. 

 

Now, the church in Jerusalem was very poor, in part due to the rejection of Christianity by the Jews and the ongoing persecution there. In contrast, Antioch was a very rich city, and so it made sense for the church there to take up an offering to help the Jerusalem church. Also, the Jerusalem church was where it all began, so to speak, and without the believers in Jerusalem, there would have never become a church in Antioch. Thus, there was extra motivation to give sacrificially to help meet the present and future needs of the church in Jerusalem. And this is what they did, sending Paul and Barnabas to deliver the gift. 

 

After this gift, it would be hard for anyone truly in the faith at Jerusalem to question whether the church in Antioch was a legitimate part of the kingdom of God. Clearly they were, giving to strangers in Jerusalem as if they were close family. And what a role reversal! In some ways, the very center of Christianity (which includes the very center of “true” Judaism) is moving from Jerusalem to Antioch!  

 

And here I see a second application of our passage. Do you remember the first application? It is to seek to preserve unity and the bonds of Christian love even when you are wrongly accused by someone. And here is the second application: We are not just Clemson Community Church. We are part of God’s worldwide church. I encourage you to be generous in your giving not only to CCC but also to the needs of the global church as the Spirit leads you to give, not under compulsion, but willingly (to roughly paraphrase 2 Corinthians 9:7-8). Note also that when you give to CCC, a portion of your gift goes internationally as well. And if you have questions about where to give, I encourage you to talk with one of our pastors.  May we all apply this passage and show grace to those who malign us as well as give generously to the Lord’s work around the world.