Acts 11

"\nAnd when Peter was come up to Jerusalem,.... From Caesarea, after he had stayed some certain days in Cornelius's house; so a journey from Caesarea to Jerusalem is called an ascending from the one to the other, Ac 25:1 because Jerusalem stood on higher ground, as well as was the metropolis of the country; and this was a journey of six hundred furlongs, or seventy five miles, for so far, according to Josephus {t}, was Caesarea distant from Jerusalem:\n\nthey that were of the circumcision, which phrase designs not only the circumcised Jews that believed in Christ, for such were all they of the church at Jerusalem, or at least proselytes that had been circumcised, for as yet there were no uncircumcised Gentiles among them; but those of them, who were most strenuous for circumcision, and made it not only a bar of church communion, but even of civil conversation:\n\nthese contended with him; litigated the point, disputed the matter with him, complained against him, and quarrelled with him. Epiphanius says {u}, that Cerinthus, that arch-heretic, was at the head of this contention.\n\n{t} De Bello Jud. l. 1. c. 3. sect. 5. {u} Contr. Haeres. l. 1. Haeres. 28.\n\n\n "

11:1-18 The imperfect state of human nature strongly appears, when godly persons are displeased even to hear that the word of God has been received, because their own system has not been attended to. And we are too apt to despair of doing good to those who yet, when tried, prove very teachable. It is the bane and damage of the church, to shut out those from it, and from the benefit of the means of grace, who are not in every thing as we are. Peter stated the whole affair. We should at all times bear with the infirmities of our brethren; and instead of taking offence, or answering with warmth, we should explain our motives, and show the nature of our proceedings. That preaching is certainly right, with which the Holy Ghost is given. While men are very zealous for their own regulations, they should take care that they do not withstand God; and those who love the Lord will glorify him, when made sure that he has given repentance to life to any fellow-sinners. Repentance is God's gift; not only his free grace accepts it, but his mighty grace works it in us, grace takes away the heart of stone, and gives us a heart of flesh. The sacrifice of God is a broken spirit.

"\nSaying, thou wentest into men uncircumcised,.... Into the houses of such, and lodged with them, and familiarly conversed with them:\n\nand didst eat with them; which, according to the traditions of the Jews, were unlawful; [See comments on Ac 10:28] they say nothing about his preaching to them, and baptizing them, because these were so manifestly agreeable to the commission of Christ, in Mt 28:19 and yet how these could be without the other, is not easy to say.\n\n\n "

2. they … of the circumcision—not the Jewish Christians generally, for here there were no other, but such as, from their jealousy for "the middle wall of partition" which circumcision raised between Jew and Gentile, were afterwards known as "they of the circumcision." They doubtless embraced apostles as well as others.

3, 4. Thou wentest in … But Peter rehearsed the matter, &c.—These objectors scruple not to demand from Peter, though the first among the apostles, an explanation of his conduct; nor is there any insinuation on Peter's part of disrespect towards his authority in that demand—a manifest proof that such authority was unknown both to the complainers and to himself.

"\nBut Peter rehearsed the matter from the beginning,.... Of the vision at Joppa;\n\nand expounded it by order unto them; or related every particular, in a very methodical and orderly manner: he did not insist upon his authority as an apostle, and much less pretended to a primacy to the rest of the apostles; but submitted to have his case heard, examined, and judged of by the body of the brethren.\n\n\n "

"\nI was in the city of Joppa,.... And so it is called by Josephus {w}, and in the Apocrypha:\n\n"And he pitched his tents against Joppa: but; they of Joppa shut him out of the city, because Apollonius had a garrison there.'' (1 Maccabees 10:75)\n\n"The men of Joppa also did such an ungodly deed: they prayed the Jews that dwelt among them to go with their wives and children into the boats which they had prepared, as though they had meant them no hurt.'' (2 Maccabees 12:3)\n\nhere he was praying in an house of Simon the tanner, upon the top of it, and about the sixth hour of the day, or twelve o'clock at noon, which was one of the times of prayer with the Jews; [See comments on Ac 10:9],\n\nand in a trance I saw a vision; with the eyes of his understanding; for the organs of his body were quite senseless and useless, which was as follows:\n\na certain vessel descend, as it had been a great sheet; a vessel which looked like a great sheet,\n\nlet down from heaven by four corners; to the earth, which four corners were knit, and perhaps were held and let down by angels, and in this visionary way were seen by Peter, though not expressed:\n\nand it came even to me; descended upon the housetop where Peter was praying; and which was necessary, that he might see what was upon it, and receive instruction from it; and that it was very near him is evident from what is after said to him, when he was bid to arise, and kill and eat what was upon it; and therefore it could not be hanging in the air, but must be let down upon the very spot where he was.\n\n{w} Antiqu. l. 9. c. 10. sect. 2.\n\n\n "

"\nUpon the which when I had fastened mine eyes,....