ECT In spite of Gal 2, Peter considered himself apostle to the Gentiles

andyc

New member
Acts 15 is quite clear. There seems to be no fuss about it, either.

Peter's vision of the unclean animals shows us that he was no longer under the law, but the mads won't have it.

Acts 10:9-16
The next day, as they went on their journey and drew near the city, Peter went up on the housetop to pray, about the sixth hour. Then he became very hungry and wanted to eat; but while they made ready, he fell into a trance and saw heaven opened and an object like a great sheet bound at the four corners, descending to him and let down to the earth. In it were all kinds of four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, creeping things, and birds of the air. And a voice came to him, "Rise, Peter; kill and eat." But Peter said, "Not so, Lord! For I have never eaten anything common or unclean." And a voice spoke to him again the second time, "What God has cleansed you must not call common." This was done three times.


So the short of it is, God tells Peter to tuck into some unlawful grub, but Peter objects because the animals are unlcean. God says, "don't call unclean what I have cleansed". So.....if Peter can eat what the law says is unclean, he's not under the law, is he?

Now that is about as straightforward as it gets.
 

way 2 go

Well-known member
Peter's vision of the unclean animals shows us that he was no longer under the law, but the mads won't have it.

Acts 10:9-16
The next day, as they went on their journey and drew near the city, Peter went up on the housetop to pray, about the sixth hour. Then he became very hungry and wanted to eat; but while they made ready, he fell into a trance and saw heaven opened and an object like a great sheet bound at the four corners, descending to him and let down to the earth. In it were all kinds of four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, creeping things, and birds of the air. And a voice came to him, "Rise, Peter; kill and eat." But Peter said, "Not so, Lord! For I have never eaten anything common or unclean." And a voice spoke to him again the second time, "What God has cleansed you must not call common." This was done three times.


So the short of it is, God tells Peter to tuck into some unlawful grub, but Peter objects because the animals are unlcean. God says, "don't call unclean what I have cleansed". So.....if Peter can eat what the law says is unclean, he's not under the law, is he?

Now that is about as straightforward as it gets.
Peter never assumed that
Act 10:17 Now while Peter was inwardly perplexed as to what the vision that he had seen might mean

what it says is from this point on gentiles are no longer unclean
just because they are gentiles

can you show Jesus or Peter declaring gentiles
no longer enemies or clean
before this
Act 10:15 And the voice spoke to him again the second time, What God has made clean, you do not call common.
 

andyc

New member
Peter never assumed that
Act 10:17 Now while Peter was inwardly perplexed as to what the vision that he had seen might mean

what it says is from this point on gentiles are no longer unclean
just because they are gentiles

can you show Jesus or Peter declaring gentiles
no longer enemies or clean
before this
Act 10:15 And the voice spoke to him again the second time, What God has made clean, you do not call common.

The simple point is, God told Peter to kill and eat. Peter is the one who would not be ceremonially unclean if he ate what the law forbade.
God had cleansed what was unclean. If Peter couldn't become unclean in the presence of gentiles, there would be no distinctions between Jews and gentiles (Acts 10:34).

Now here's the dilemma. If Peter was still under the law, and went to eat with the gentiles, he could become unclean. So you'd have a person who God hasn't accepted by faith, preaching to people who God wants to accept by faith. The gentiles would regard themselves as unclean to Peter, yet not unclean where God is concerned. The man God uses to deliver the message of freedom, is not actually free himself.

Can't you see how absurd this is?
 

beameup

New member
There's far more to "the Law" than just what kind of meat you eat.
Orthodox Jews today are appalled because "Gentiles" eat a ham sandwich with a glass of milk.

Psalm 69:22 Let their table become a snare before them: and that which should have been for their welfare, let it become a trap.
Romans 11:9 And David saith, Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, and a stumblingblock, and a recompence [retribution] unto them:

They are trapped by their own dietary commandments to this very day. :(
 

Sonnet

New member
Peter's trance was God showing him that a door had been opened to certain Gentiles. This would prove crucial later (Acts 15:7 KJV declaration by Peter) as it would validate Paul's early ministry going through said door to certain Gentiles.

v.11 No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are.”

Same Gospel, obviously.
 

musterion

Well-known member
v.11 No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are.”

Same Gospel, obviously.

Does the Bible show any of the circumcision apostles telling Jewish believers that circumcision is no longer required?
 

Sonnet

New member
Does the Bible show any of the circumcision apostles telling Jewish believers that circumcision is no longer required?

We infer that since Peter was free to eat unclean animals, then neither was circumcision required.

Jews were preached the same Gospel as Gentiles weren't they?

Galatians 12:1-2
Then after fourteen years, I went up again to Jerusalem, this time with Barnabas. I took Titus along also. I went in response to a revelation and, meeting privately with those esteemed as leaders, I presented to them the gospel that I preach among the Gentiles.
 

Sonnet

New member
Galatians 5:1-2
It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.

Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all.

Galatians 1:1-2
Paul, an apostle—sent not from men nor by a man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead— and all the brothers and sisters with me, To the churches in Galatia:
 

Interplanner

Well-known member
Peter never assumed that
Act 10:17 Now while Peter was inwardly perplexed as to what the vision that he had seen might mean

what it says is from this point on gentiles are no longer unclean
just because they are gentiles

can you show Jesus or Peter declaring gentiles
no longer enemies or clean
before this
Act 10:15 And the voice spoke to him again the second time, What God has made clean, you do not call common.


As for your last question, the vision is about things not people. Things had been shown clean vs. unclean back in Mt 15.
 

Sonnet

New member
Peter never considered himself to be the Apostle to the Gentiles and neither does anybody else.

Acts 15:6-11
The apostles and elders met to consider this question. After much discussion, Peter got up and addressed them: “Brothers, you know that some time ago God made a choice among you that the Gentiles might hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believe. God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us. He did not discriminate between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith. Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of Gentiles a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors have been able to bear? No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are.”
 
Top