ANSWERING THE CRITICS

After witnessing the Holy Spirit manifested among Cornelius and his household, Peter said, “Surely no one can stand in the way of their being baptized with water” (Acts 10:47). He assumed it was a simple matter. But after spending a few days with them, Peter returned to face criticism from the “circumcised believers” in Jerusalem: “You went into the house of uncircumcised men and ate with them” (Acts 11:3). They were right; Peter had done what they accused him of, and he had to work hard to allay their fears. Peter did this by recounting his story—from his vision on the rooftop in Joppa to the Holy Spirit’s presence among the people.

The experience had been challenging for Peter, but it was even more difficult to explain and justify to his critics who were not there. Imagine the deflation that Peter would have felt. He had gone from buzzing about the experience at Caesarea to feeling that he had to defend and explain his actions. We can imagine him praying silently but urgently as he retold his story. He concluded with the question, “Who was I to think that I could stand in God’s way?” The implicit challenge he put to the Jerusalem believers was: “Who are you to think you can stand in God’s way?” They were wrong to criticize what Peter had done, but he probably held his breath as he waited for their response. “When they heard this, they had no further objections and praised God, saying, ‘So then, God has granted even the Gentiles repentance unto life’ ” (Acts 11:18). It was an important moment for the growing church. Not only had Peter witnessed the Holy Spirit anointing the first Gentile believers, but he was also able to answer his critics in such a way that they all could celebrate this new movement of God together.