How does Acts 11:2 connect with Matthew 18:15 on addressing disagreements? Setting the Scene in Acts 11 • Peter has just returned to Jerusalem after preaching in Caesarea, where the Holy Spirit fell on uncircumcised Gentiles (Acts 10). • Acts 11:2–3: “So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers contended with him and said, ‘You went to uncircumcised men and ate with them.’ ” • Jewish believers feel Peter has crossed a clear boundary of the Law. They approach him directly, not through rumors or public denouncement. Jesus’ Blueprint for Conflict • Matthew 18:15: “If your brother sins against you, go and confront him privately. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over.” • Three core steps in Jesus’ instruction: – Personal approach (“go”) – Clear confrontation (“confront him”) – Aim of restoration (“you have won your brother”) How Acts 11 Lives Out Matthew 18 • Direct contact: the circumcised believers “contended with” Peter themselves—no third-party gossip. • Specific issue named: “You went to uncircumcised men and ate with them.” • Listening and explanation: Peter recounts the vision, the Spirit’s work, and Scripture (“I remembered the word of the Lord,” v. 16). • Restoration: verse 18, “When they heard this, they fell silent and glorified God.” The fellowship is preserved, and praise replaces criticism. • The sequence mirrors Jesus’ teaching almost step-for-step. Principles We Can Apply • Go to the person, not around the person. • State the concern clearly and biblically. • Give space for a full explanation (James 1:19). • Measure everything by the Word and the Spirit’s observable work (Galatians 5:25). • Celebrate repentance or clarification; worship replaces tension. Motive Matters • The goal is winning a brother, not winning an argument (2 Timothy 2:24). • Love “covers a multitude of sins” (1 Peter 4:8); confrontation is an act of love, not suspicion. • Unity is precious (Psalm 133:1); protect it through honest, face-to-face dialogue. When Disagreement Leads to Deeper Understanding • Peter’s account expands their grasp of God’s plan: “So then, God has granted even the Gentiles repentance unto life” (Acts 11:18, paraphrase). • Honest confrontation often becomes a doorway to fresh revelation and wider ministry. Additional Echoes in Scripture • Proverbs 27:5–6 — “Better an open rebuke than hidden love.” • Galatians 2:11–14 — Paul confronts Peter publicly when the issue affects many. • Ephesians 4:15 — “Speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into Christ.” Putting It All Together Acts 11:2 shows the early church practicing the very method Jesus laid out in Matthew 18:15. Direct, loving confrontation preserved unity, clarified doctrine, and opened the door for the gospel to reach farther than anyone expected. The same pattern—face-to-face, Scripture-anchored, Spirit-guided, love-motivated—remains the Lord’s proven path for handling disagreements today. |
    |