Word Pictures in the New Testament - David Cox

Word Pictures in the NT [Acts: Chapter 11]
what God did" (Furneaux).
11:16 {I remembered} (\emn•sth•n\). First aorist passive
indicative of the common verb \mimn•sk•\, to remind. Peter
recalls the very words of Jesus as reported in Ac 1:5. Peter
now understands this saying of Jesus as he had not done before.
That is a common experience with us all as new experiences of
grace open richer veins in God's truth (Joh 12:16). Peter
clearly sees that the water baptism is merely the symbol or
picture of the spiritual baptism in the heart.
11:17 {The like gift} (\t•n is•n d•rean\). The equal gift, equal
in quality, rank, or measure. Common word. {When we believed}
(\pisteusasin\). First aorist active participle of \pisteu•\ in
the dative case. It agrees both with \h•min\ (unto us) and with
\autois\ (unto them), "having believed on the Lord Jesus Christ."
Both classes (Gentiles and Jews) trusted in Christ, and both
received the Holy Spirit. {Who was I} (\eg• tis •m•n\). Note
order, "_I_, who was I." "{That I could withstand God}" (\dunatos
k•l–sai ton theon\). Literally, "able to withstand or hinder
God." It is a rhetorical question, really two questions. Who was
I ? Was I able to hinder God? Peter's statement of the facts made
an unanswerable defence. And yet Peter (Ga 2:11) will later in
Antioch play the coward before emissaries from Jerusalem on this
very point of eating with Gentile Christians.
11:18 {Held their peace} (\h•suchasan\). Ingressive aorist active
indicative of \h•suchaz•\, old verb to be quiet, to keep quiet.
The wrangling (verse 2) ceased. The critics even "glorified
God" (\edoxasan\, ingressive aorist again). {Then to the Gentiles
also} (\Ara kai tois ethnesin\). \Ergo\ as in Lu 11:20,48 and
like \ara oun\ in Ro 5:18. In ancient Greek inferential \ara\
cannot come at the beginning of a clause as here. It was
reluctant acquiescence in the undoubted fact that God had
"granted repentance unto life" to these Gentiles in Caesarea, but
the circumcision party undoubtedly looked on it as an exceptional
case and not to be regarded as a precedent to follow with other
Gentiles. Peter will see in this incident (Ac 15:8) the same
principle for which Paul contends at the Jerusalem Conference.
Furneaux suggests that this conduct of Peter in Caesarea, though
grudgingly acquiesced in after his skilful defence, decreased his
influence in Jerusalem where he had been leader and helped open
the way for the leadership of James the Lord's brother.
http://www.ccel.org/r/robertson_at/wordpictures/htm/AC11.RWP.html (4 of 10) [28/08/2004 09:06:43 a.m.]