Peter’s Vision: Breaking Down Prejudice — Acts 11:1-18 Daily Word

Peter’s vision at Joppa breaks down racial barriers as he defends the salvation of Gentiles to Jewish believers, demonstrating that God cleanses all people regardless of background or tradition.

Peter’s Vision: Breaking Down Prejudic

When the apostles and brothers in Judea hear that the Gentiles have also received the word of God and raise objections, Peter explains the vision he received at Joppa and the event of the Holy Spirit falling upon Cornelius’s household, demonstrating the legitimacy of salvation for the Gentiles.

[Scripture]

[1] Now the apostles and the brothers who were throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God. [2] So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcision party criticized him, saying, [3] “You went to uncircumcised men and ate with them.” [4] But Peter began and explained it to them in order: [5] “I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision, something like a great sheet descending, being let down from heaven by its four corners, and it came down to me. [6] Looking at it closely, I observed animals and beasts of prey and reptiles and birds of the air. (Acts 11:1-6, ESV)

[7] And I heard a voice saying to me, ‘Rise, Peter; kill and eat.’ [8] But I said, ‘By no means, Lord; for nothing common or unclean has ever entered my mouth.’ [9] But the voice answered a second time from heaven, ‘What God has made clean, do not call common.’ [10] This happened three times, and all was drawn up again into heaven. [11] And behold, at that very moment three men arrived at the house in which we were, sent to me from Caesarea. [12] And the Spirit told me to go with them, making no distinction. These six brothers also accompanied me, and we entered the man’s house. [13] And he told us how he had seen the angel stand in his house and say, ‘Send to Joppa and bring Simon who is called Peter; (Acts 11:7-13, ESV)

[14] he will declare to you a message by which you will be saved, you and all your household.’ [15] As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them just as on us at the beginning. [16] And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he said, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ [17] If then God gave the same gift to them as he gave to us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could stand in God’s way?” [18] When they heard these things they fell silent. And they glorified God, saying, “Then to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance that leads to life.” (Acts 11:14-18, ESV)

[Daily Word]

News had spread to the apostles and brothers in Judea that the Gentiles had received the word of God and been baptized. Yet in response to this good news, the circumcised believers criticized Peter. The reason was that he had eaten with the Gentiles.(3) For Jewish people, sharing a meal carried deep social and spiritual significance — it meant becoming one with another. Since Gentiles were regarded as idolaters, the Jewish believers assumed that Peter had, in effect, participated in idolatry by eating with them.

In response to this criticism, Peter defended himself by recounting the vision he had seen at the house of Simon the tanner in Joppa. While the earlier account in chapter 10 was narrated by Luke, this retelling is described in greater detail from Peter’s own perspective as the one who experienced it firsthand.

Acts 11, Peter’s Defense, Salvation of the Gentiles, Descent of the Holy Spirit, God’s Will

Originally published in Korean at bible2u.com