Soap Box 30 Peter and Paul : Apostles in Contrast- Part II

Peter Problems

If Peter has one calling to Apostleship as found in Matt. 10, and if this can be considered as stage one, ( which had not been brought to a fullness, that is, bringing the nation Israel to a place of repentance and recognition of their Messiah ) and stage two (Matt. 28:19-20) therefore, was not yet, at that time and moment, ready to be executed, why does God send Peter to the Gentiles ? If Peter was called to reach the lost world through a transformed Israel, why was he sent to the Gentiles before Israel was transformed ?

To ask another related question, in the context of Peter Problems, why does the Lord give Matt. 28 to Peter and the others, when there was this still, unfinished task concerning a transformed Israel ? The reasons given at the close of part I, could come into play here. With growing knowledge, comes greater understanding and larger responsibility along with cleared vision. Have you heard 'that God doesn't do for us, what we can do for ourselves ? There is a an interplay between revelation and illumination for people within the text during this period of time and our ability to interpret, to balance this inter play and to find the true meaning that is to be brought out of that text and context.

We need to consider 'the Samaria ministry' which precedes Peter's Gentile ministry and the 'uttermost part of the earth' as they are found in Acts 1:8. Many teach that Acts 1:8 is an outline, with geographical development that Christ gave Peter and the Apostles to follow. These same teachers then, refer back to the Book of Acts to give evidence and demonstration that indeed, this is how the Acts historically unfolds. The sequence of orderly witnessing begins with Jerusalem, enlarges and encompasses Judaea, then there is the witness to 'Samaria' and finally the continuing witness 'to the uttermost part of the earth'.

But, thoughtful and reflective consideration shows that this is not how it happens and unfolds at all!! There was a deep and devilish rejection of the message and witness given by Stephen. So much so, that it develops ( it would seem ) into a blaspheming of the Holy Spirit ( even the committing of the unpardonable sin.) Paul mentions his part in this, stating in I Tim. 1:12,13 :

And I thank Christ Jesus, our Lord, who hath enabled me, in that he
counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry, Who was before
a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious;

We know that Paul was not charged with committing any 'unpardonable sin' at that time, for the text continues and says, 'but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.' Cf. Acts 3:17. Peter here, states that Israel was ignorant of what they did as also their rulers of the preceding actions of delivering up the Lord Jesus (to Pilate ) denied him (Jesus) in Pilate's presence and desired a murderer to be granted to them (Acts 3:13-15) But, when Peter fills their minds with the facts, they become informed, responsible and are offered the opportunity to repent and be converted, Acts 3:19.

This deep rejection becomes a massive persecution, scattering the messianic believers to the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles. We want to emphasize and contrast this 'happening at Acts 8:1with Acts 1:8. There was no evangelistic team with Peter as the leader 'praying and planning' new territories to win to Christ. This was not, nor did it look like, a new progressive, advance of a master plan to conquer the world. There was an assault on the message and the messengers. ( For the critical student, check and see if this persecution was an action that included persecution by 'Grecians Jews' upon 'Grecian Jewish believers' upon whom Luke focuses . Cf. Acts 6:1; 6:5; 6:9; 8:1-3; 8:4,5;9:1; 11:19 ) This is not a development of Acts 1:8, as seen by many teachers.

Peter becomes a member of a 'team' with John, who are sent to Samaria as official observers from Jerusalem. From the mouth of these two witnesses, the apostles at Jerusalem would/could find out what is actually happening, since these apostles in Jerusalem now knew "that Samaria had received the word of God", Acts 8:14 –25 Peter and John found that these Samaritans had indeed, received the word of God, that they were baptized but also found that they had not received the Holy Spirit, he had not fallen on none of these believing Samaritans. 8:15-16

This was somewhat of an irregularity, when compared to Acts 2:37-39. Why ? Could it be that is how a believing part of Samaria and Jerusalem, believing Jews and believing Samaritans were now able to come together under the leadership of a common Messiah ? Was this a time when the unclean( Samaritans) became clean, the 'clean' (believers out of Israel) could now touch those who were separated ? Was this is the occasion when believing Samaritans, together with believing Jews both were submitting to the Saviorhood, Lordship and Messianic claims of Jesus Christ? Was the action of Peter and John to become an endorsement of what had started with Philip's ministry? Samaria was submitting to Jerusalem theologically. Could this be the report that Peter and John would give to those who had sent them to Samaria ?

As another indication that Acts 1:8 is not an outline of the Book of Acts, concerns an interruption of the 'flow' of continuity in Acts 8-11, by seeing the focus change from the persecution at Jerusalem to a preaching ministry of Phillip, one of the persecuted, at Samaria, then to Saul on his way to Damascus, then to Peter and his ministry in Caesarea with Cornelius the Gentile, then with Peter back at Jerusalem explaining this departure from 'normal' practice and then, finally the thread in Acts 8:4 is picked up again in Acts 11:19.

All the events in between are important happenings that impact the ministry of the twelve Apostles and their authority.

These Apostles do not originate the ministry to Samaria, Phillip does.
These Apostles do not minister a conversion gospel to Saul, Christ does.
These Apostles do not minister to Cornelius according to Acts 1:8.
Peter is chosen/selected/elected separate from the other
Apostles and separate from any 'great commission'. Acts 15:7

Then, as the persecution continues and intensifies, the scattered disciples are recorded as fleeing as far ( from Jerusalem and the Stephen 'event' ) as to Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, preaching the word to none but unto the Jews only. Acts 11:19 The next verse, Acts 11:20, speaks about another seemingly irregularity ( a deviation from past practice, as found in 11:19) Consideration should be given as to how this harmonizes with Peter's ministry to Cornelius in Acts 10.

We should be able to see that when Peter goes to see Cornelius, the Gentile, he does not do this as part of a 'packaged' program that has been preceded by previous destinations that have now been successfully completed, such as Jerusalem, then all of Judaea, followed by Samaria, all in 'order' and sequence as some contend follows Acts 1:8.

Peter does not initiate this move, based upon knowledge of revelation received from the Lord ( as Matt. 28:19-20 & Acts 1:8 ). Peter travels to see Cornelius because of special revelation given to him by the Holy Spirit, through a vision. Acts 10:19-20 Peter retells this story in Acts 11:2-17 and Acts 15:7-9. This becomes an important happening, being recorded by Luke three times as the conversion stories of Paul, Acts 9, 22, 26

Based upon Peter's past understanding (rather than present assumed prejudices) he at first resists the voice in the vision to, 'rise, Peter; kill and eat.'. Acts 10:13 Here Peter learns three lessons. First one does not instruct the Lord as to what is to be done or what is now true. Then, he learned that to say, 'Not so Lord' is a contradiction of terms. The Lord is Lord of all or not Lord at all. Finally, he learned how gracious God was : 'This was done thrice'. 10:16 Here is the lesson of longsuffering. The Lord gives Peter time to digest, not the 'food' coming down from heaven, but the meaning of the vision. 10:17 Cf. II Peter 3:9 We too, need to learn this lesson with our family, fellow believers and fellow members of mankind.

We need to notice, that as the Lord ministered to Peter through the lowered sheet, the lesson to be learned was : 'God hath shown me that I should not call any man common or unclean'. Acts 10:28 Up this time and through this vision, the knowledge and truth that the Law of Moses was now annulled had not been revealed. That is, Peter did not have any instruction or revealed truth that through the cross, the Law of Moses, with the teachings of clean and unclean 'foods' had now been removed.

Even so, when Peter explained his actions to those back at Jerusalem, Acts 11:1-18, there came to that group at Jerusalem, who did not have a vision like Peter, the realization, that 'Then ( but not before Acts 10) hath God also ( as with Israel, Acts 5:31 ) granted/given to the nations/Gentiles repentance unto life." Acts 11:18. The ministry of Peter to the Gentile Cornelius lays the ground work for the beginning ministry of Paul, who becomes the distinct, Apostle of nations, Rom. 11:13 and/even (God) operating in me (Paul) ( the apostleship) toward the Gentiles' Gal. 2:8. ( More dealing with Paul, later.)

The next verse, Acts 11:19, as stated above, now picks up the thread of persecution begun in Acts 8:4

To be continued...

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