Thoughts on Study Questions from Acts Ch 10 on 1/6
My Sunday school class/Life Group is studying the book of Acts. I posted these questions this Monday and encouraged you to jot your thoughts down.
It's Wednesday. This post consists of some comments from the class discussion.
If you’d like a PDF file of the questions, email me at crd.author@gmail.com
Chapter 10
Vv1-8
Who is Cornelius?
Centurion on of a cohort/regiment (100 soldiers).
An officer in the Roman army.
Had to be an excellent solider to become a Centurion.
What do we know about him?
God-fearing.
A believer in God. (Although one footnote he was not a believer.)
He gave generously.
He prayed regularly.What is significant about the time of day of Cornelius' vision?
It was the Third Hour, the traditional Jewish prayer time.
Also, the angel doesn't start with "Fear not."
It was the Third Hour, the traditional Jewish prayer time.
Also, the angel doesn't start with "Fear not."
Why do you think God sent an angel and not just a voice?
Impact.
It was multi-sensory so it could not be explained away as delusion.
(One footnote compared this situation to the Eunuch in Ch 8.)One commentary said, this situation involved Peter for Peter's sake.)
10: 9-23a
Why do you think Peter went up on the roof to pray?
It was his custom.
Privacy.What is significant about Peter’s physical state during his prayer?
He was hungry.
He ended up in a trance.
He was hungry.
He ended up in a trance.
What is Peter doing when he sees his vision?
Praying/Sleeping?/In a trance
Praying/Sleeping?/In a trance
What comes from heaven?
A blanket/sheet filled with animals.Describe the vision.
This happens three times.
- A blanket comes down.
- Peter is commanded to "Arise. Kill. Eat."
- He refuses.
This happens three times.
What does the voice say to do?
Tells Peter to "Arise. Kill. Eat."
What is Peter's response? [see Leviticus 11]
He argues that he doesn't eat unclean animals.
One commentary said that dietary laws were intended to emphasize the distinction between the Jews and those people living around them.
We also felt that the dietary laws were significant because they kept Jews from many parasites found in carnivores/scavengers.
Leviticus 11 World English Bible (WEB) This is in Public Domain.
11 Yahweh spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying to them, 2 “Speak to the children of Israel, saying, ‘These are the living things which you may eat among all the animals that are on the earth. 3 Whatever parts the hoof, and is cloven-footed, and chews the cud among the animals, that you may eat.
4 “‘Nevertheless these you shall not eat of those that chew the cud, or of those who part the hoof: the camel, because he chews the cud but doesn’t have a parted hoof, he is unclean to you. 5 The cony,[a] because he chews the cud but doesn’t have a parted hoof, he is unclean to you. 6 The hare, because she chews the cud but doesn’t part the hoof, she is unclean to you. 7 The pig, because he has a split hoof, and is cloven-footed, but doesn’t chew the cud, he is unclean to you. 8 Of their flesh you shall not eat, and their carcasses you shall not touch; they are unclean to you.
9 “‘These you may eat of all that are in the waters: whatever has fins and scales in the waters, in the seas, and in the rivers, that you may eat. 10 All that don’t have fins and scales in the seas, and in the rivers, of all that move in the waters, and of all the living creatures that are in the waters, they are an abomination to you, 11 and you detest them. You shall not eat of their flesh, and you shall detest their carcasses. 12 Whatever has no fins nor scales in the waters, that is an abomination to you.
13 “‘These you shall detest among the birds; they shall not be eaten, they are an abomination: the eagle, and the vulture, and the black vulture, 14 and the red kite, any kind of black kite, 15 any kind of raven, 16 the horned owl, the screech owl, and the gull, any kind of hawk, 17 the little owl, the cormorant, the great owl, 18 the white owl, the desert owl, the osprey, 19 the stork, any kind of heron, the hoopoe, and the bat.
20 “‘All flying insects that walk on all fours are an abomination to you. 21 Yet you may eat these: of all winged creeping things that go on all fours, which have legs above their feet, with which to hop on the earth. 22 Even of these you may eat: any kind of locust, any kind of katydid, any kind of cricket, and any kind of grasshopper. 23 But all winged creeping things which have four feet, are an abomination to you.
24 “‘By these you will become unclean: whoever touches their carcass shall be unclean until the evening. 25 Whoever carries any part of their carcass shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the evening.
26 “‘Every animal which parts the hoof, and is not cloven-footed, nor chews the cud, is unclean to you. Everyone who touches them shall be unclean. 27 Whatever goes on its paws, among all animals that go on all fours, they are unclean to you. Whoever touches their carcass shall be unclean until the evening. 28 He who carries their carcass shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the evening. They are unclean to you.
29 “‘These are they which are unclean to you among the creeping things that creep on the earth: the weasel, the rat, any kind of great lizard, 30 the gecko, and the monitor lizard, the wall lizard, the skink, and the chameleon. 31 These are they which are unclean to you among all that creep. Whoever touches them when they are dead, shall be unclean until the evening. 32 On whatever any of them falls when they are dead, it shall be unclean; whether it is any vessel of wood, or clothing, or skin, or sack, whatever vessel it is, with which any work is done, it must be put into water, and it shall be unclean until the evening; then it will be clean. 33 Every earthen vessel, into which any of them falls, all that is in it shall be unclean, and you shall break it. 34 All food which may be eaten, that on which water comes, shall be unclean; and all drink that may be drunk in every such vessel shall be unclean. 35 Everything whereupon part of their carcass falls shall be unclean; whether oven, or range for pots, it shall be broken in pieces: they are unclean, and shall be unclean to you. 36 Nevertheless a spring or a cistern in which water is gathered shall be clean: but that which touches their carcass shall be unclean. 37 If part of their carcass falls on any sowing seed which is to be sown, it is clean. 38 But if water is put on the seed, and part of their carcass falls on it, it is unclean to you.
39 “‘If any animal, of which you may eat, dies; he who touches its carcass shall be unclean until the evening. 40 He who eats of its carcass shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the evening. He also who carries its carcass shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the evening.
41 “‘Every creeping thing that creeps on the earth is an abomination. It shall not be eaten. 42 Whatever goes on its belly, and whatever goes on all fours, or whatever has many feet, even all creeping things that creep on the earth, them you shall not eat; for they are an abomination. 43 You shall not make yourselves abominable with any creeping thing that creeps. You shall not make yourselves unclean with them, that you should be defiled thereby. 44 For I am Yahweh your God. Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be holy; for I am holy. You shall not defile yourselves with any kind of creeping thing that moves on the earth. 45 For I am Yahweh who brought you up out of the land of Egypt, to be your God. You shall therefore be holy, for I am holy.
46 “‘This is the law of the animal, and of the bird, and of every living creature that moves in the waters, and of every creature that creeps on the earth, 47 to make a distinction between the unclean and the clean, and between the living thing that may be eaten and the living thing that may not be eaten.’”
Footnotes:
- Leviticus 11:5 or hyrax, or rock badger
We got this far this week.
How does the voice respond to Peter?
What significance do you think there is to Peter seeing the vision 3 times?
What is Peter's mental state after the third vision?
Who shows up? Are they invited in?
Why aren’t they invited in?
Why does Peter go down off the roof?
What does Peter do when he gets down?
23b-33
When do they head to Caesarea? What is implied by this?
What is Cornelius doing?
How does this show the depth of Cornelius' faith?
Why would Cornelius "fall at [Peter's] feet"?
How does Peter respond to this act of Cornelius?
What does Peter do then?
How does he explain this non-Jewish action?
What is Peter's question to the group?
Cornelius' answer is straight-forward. He adds one thing, what? Why do you think he adds this?
34-48
How does Peter's sermon here differ from his previous sermons?
What happens before the end of the sermon?
Who came with Peter? What is their reaction?
What is Peter's reaction?
How does Peter’s reaction fit into Jesus command of Acts 1?
Chapter 11
1-18
When Peter returns to Jerusalem, he is on the hot seat. Why?
Describe a possible parallel situation that might happen in our church in this century.
Compare Peter's account to the brothers in Jerusalem to Luke's account in Chapter 10. What is different?
Why do you think that it’s different?
What happens to the objections of the Jerusalem believers?
19-26
How does the church get its start in Antioch?
Who might these “evangelists” be?
Who is given "first shot" at the Gospel by the evangelists?
Who are "the Greeks"?
What is the secret of the evangelist's success?
Why is Barnabas sent to Antioch?
What is the effect of his visit?
Where else does he go? Why?
How long do Saul and Barnabas "pastor" the church at Antioch?
What significant terminology arises from this church?
27-30
Who is Agabus?
What does he do?
About what year is this?
What is the Antioch church response to this?
In Jesus time, Jews were looking for a wrong type of Messiah rather than the One God provided in Jesus.If you are interested in Messianic prophecies, my blog December 26 is a "fill in the blanks" table for 37 messianic prophecies. On December 27, the blog post provides the answers.Feel free to spread the word about this.
In Jesus time, Jews were looking for a wrong type of Messiah rather than the One God provided in Jesus.
If you are interested in Messianic prophecies, my blog December 26 is a "fill in the blanks" table for 37 messianic prophecies. On December 27, the blog post provides the answers.
Feel free to spread the word about this.
This week's Expressions of Faith is Even Gentiles
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