Jesus Creed

Jesus Creed

Acts and Mission 38

posted by Scot McKnight | 12:34pm Tuesday October 6, 2009

ApPeter.jpgThe following words of Peter are boundary-breaking theology, and as we have said a number of times, we are using Beverly Gaventa’s fine commentary on Acts for our conversation partner (The Acts of the Apostles (Abingdon New Testament Commentaries)
).

10:34 Then Peter started speaking: “I now truly understand that God does not show favoritism in dealing with people, 10:35 but in every nation the person who fears him and does what is right is welcomed before him. 10:36 You know the message he sent to the people of Israel, proclaiming the good news of peace through Jesus Christ (he is Lord of all) - 10:37 you know what happened throughout Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism that John announced: 10:38 with respect to Jesus from Nazareth, that God anointed him with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, because God was with him. 10:39We are witnesses of all the things he did both in Judea and in Jerusalem. They killed him by hanging him on a tree, 10:40 but God raised him up on the third day and caused him to be seen, 10:41 not by all the people, but by us, the witnesses God had already chosen, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. 10:42 He commanded us to preach to the people and to warn them that he is the one appointed by God as judge of the living and the dead. 10:43 About him all the prophets testify, that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”

For Peter to enter into the world of Gentile fellowship and mission, he needs to hear from God. Which he did. Now he explains to the Gentile audience the revelation:

I now truly understand that God does not show favoritism in dealing with people, but in every nation the person who fears him and does what is right is welcomed before him.

There is an inclusivism at work in these lines, and it shows that God speaks to those who fear God and who do what is right. There are no comments here about how such persons have heard or how they have learned to fear God or do what is right. What there is, however, is clear: a broadness in God’s mercy and a preemptive strike of grace. The so-called Israel privilege has been leveled (not eliminated): all are now on the same level as Israelites and now all can hear the oracles of God.


Furthermore, Peter’s gospel is about “peace” — and this might well mean peace between a human and God as well as between Jews and Gentiles.

Missional work recognizes the work of God in all places and it honors God’s mercy.





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Patrick Oden

posted October 6, 2009 at 1:20 pm


“who fears him and does what is right”
A fair bit of theological ambiguity here.
What does “fearing” God entail? What is doing right? Is this good works, good understanding of the cross, good participation with the Spirit?
Peter was a bit more radical than a lot of the church these days would be comfortable with, I think. Well, more radical than a lot of the church then was comfortable with as well. But, he wasn’t about to deny Christ a fourth time. So he had to testify to the Spirit’s work, where the Spirit worked.



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Ken Baker

posted October 6, 2009 at 1:52 pm


I want to propose an interpretive idea:
34Then Peter began to speak: “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism 35but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right.
Here Peter is responding to his revelation encounter (the vision–and its immediate application with Cornelius), but this openness in his gospel understanding is not yet complete. Note, Peter does not stop with ‘panti ethne’ “every nation,” [which would seem sufficient] but adds “who fear him and do what is right.” In the context, we learn that Cornelius is “devout and God-fearing,” meaning that he is not at ‘typical’ Gentile, but one who “fears God and does what is right.”
Compare, however, Peter’s response in Acts 15 [following the cataclysmic events at Antioch where "great numbers" of typical Gentiles came into the faith community and were called 'Christians'] 9He made no distinction between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith. This comment has different content; no qualifiers. Peter’s gospel openness, begun in Acts 10, and affirmed in 11:18, is now complete…with the full backing of the apostoles.
Blessings to all!
Ken



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Wayne Park

posted October 6, 2009 at 2:38 pm


I wonder about the words of Peter here and elsewhere and “The so-called Israel privilege”. Wondering how we might understand this leveling effect in places like Palestine, where many hold to an Israelite preeminence in entitlement to the land. I think nothing is more destructive to the NT vision of ethnicity than this Christian zionist programme.



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