Why did Peter face criticism from the circumcised believers in Acts 11:2? Text “So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers took issue with him” (Acts 11:2). Immediate Context: Peter’S Return From Caesarea Peter has just witnessed the Holy Spirit fall upon Cornelius and his household (Acts 10:44-48). He baptized them, stayed with them several days, and then traveled the sixty-plus miles to Jerusalem. News of “the Gentiles also receiving the word of God” (Acts 11:1) preceded him, setting the stage for sharp scrutiny. Historical Background: Circumcision As Covenant Identity From Genesis 17:9-14 Yahweh marked Abraham’s descendants by circumcision “as a sign of the covenant.” Second-Temple literature (e.g., Jubilees 15:26-27; Josephus, Antiquities 20.2.4) equated uncircumcision with covenant outsiders. To faithful Jews of the first century, physical circumcision remained the non-negotiable badge of belonging to the people of God. Jewish Table Fellowship And Ritual Purity Laws Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14 outlined food laws that created daily social barriers. The Mishnah (m. Demai 2:2; m. Oholot 18:7) warned against entering Gentile houses lest one incur impurity. Qumran text 4QMMT stresses separation from “the Gentiles concerning purity.” For many Jewish believers, Peter’s eating in a Gentile home (Acts 11:3) threatened covenant fidelity. Cornelius Episode: Divine Revelation Overriding Barriers God, not Peter, initiated this breakthrough. A triple vision (Acts 10:11-16) declared, “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean” (v. 15). The Spirit commanded Peter to accompany Gentile messengers “making no distinction” (v. 20). Parallel angelic visitation (v. 3-6, 30-32) and Spirit outpouring (v. 44) validated heaven’s intent. Why The Circumcision Party Objected 1. Covenant Concern: They feared Peter betrayed ancestral identity (cf. Galatians 2:12). 2. Scriptural Misapplication: They clung to Mosaic boundary markers without recognizing prophetic promises of worldwide blessing (Isaiah 49:6; Amos 9:11-12, cited in Acts 15:16-17). 3. Social Pressure: Maintaining distinctiveness in a Roman milieu protected Jewish communities from assimilation; Peter’s action seemed reckless. Peter’S Defense Anchored In Revelation And Resurrection Power Peter offered sequential evidence (Acts 11:4-17): • Vision affirmed by heaven three times. • Spirit’s explicit directive. • Six Jewish witnesses (v. 12) corroborating events—legal sufficiency per Deuteronomy 19:15. • Spirit baptism on Gentiles identical to Pentecost, fulfilling Christ’s promise (Acts 1:5). Invoking the risen Lord’s own words, Peter concluded, “Who was I to hinder God?” (Acts 11:17). Confronted with unmistakable divine initiative, the critics “fell silent and glorified God” (v. 18). Theological Implications: One New Humanity In Christ Acts 11 signals the irreversible expansion of the Abrahamic blessing to “all families of the earth” (Genesis 12:3). Circumcision of the heart by the Spirit (Romans 2:28-29) supersedes fleshly marks. Peter’s experience anticipates the Jerusalem Council (Acts 15) where Scripture (Genesis 15:6) and Spirit testimony settle the question. Archaeological And Cultural Data Supporting Acts’ Setting 1. Caesarea’s 1st-century harbor and inscription naming “Pontius Pilate Prefect of Judea” confirm Luke’s geographical precision. 2. First-century mikvaʾot (ritual baths) unearthed in Jerusalem display Jewish preoccupation with purity, illuminating the circumcision party’s anxiety. 3. Household frescoes and imported tableware in Caesarea’s villas match Cornelius’s Gentile milieu. Application: Unity In The Body And The Mission To The Nations Peter’s critics illustrate how sincere believers can resist divine expansion. Scriptural authority and Spirit activity converged to correct them. Today, any barrier—ethnic, cultural, ideological—that blocks gospel fellowship must yield to the same authoritative Word and resurrected Christ who declared, “You will be My witnesses … to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8). Summary Peter faced criticism because circumcised believers, steeped in covenantal and purity traditions, perceived his table fellowship with uncircumcised Gentiles as a violation of divine law. Through visions, Spirit outpouring, and apostolic testimony, God demonstrated continuity, not contradiction, with Scripture, revealing the gospel’s global scope and silencing opposition. |
    |