God opened Peter’s eyes to the need of the Gentiles for the gospel, but he was not primarily the messenger God had chosen. Saul had been chosen for that task. Yet as leader of the apostles, Peter had the authority and the respect of the believers to condone outreach to the Gentiles. Therefore, it was accepted more readily when he was the one to declare that God had given him a vision of acceptance of the Gentiles into the kingdom of God. There were some brave men that began to preach the gospel to the Gentiles around the same time that God was speaking to Peter. We are not sure if what they were doing was taking place prior to Peter’s vision, simultaneously, or shortly after. What we do know is that they were unafraid to step out in faith to teach the good news of Jesus to the Gentiles. These unnamed heroes are as much to thank for salvation coming to those of us who are not Jewish as Peter or Paul.
Acts 8:4
4 So those who were scattered went on their way preaching the word.
Acts 11:19-26
19 Now those who had been scattered as a result of the persecution that started because of Stephen made their way as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except Jews. 20 But there were some of them, men from Cyprus and Cyrene, who came to Antioch and began speaking to the Greeks also, proclaiming the good news about the Lord Jesus. 21 The Lord’s hand was with them, and a large number who believed turned to the Lord. 22 News about them reached the church in Jerusalem, and they sent out Barnabas to travel as far as Antioch. 23 When he arrived and saw the grace of God, he was glad and encouraged all of them to remain true to the Lord with devoted hearts, 24 for he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And large numbers of people were added to the Lord.
25 Then he went to Tarsus to search for Saul, 26 and when he found him he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the church and taught large numbers. The disciples were first called Christians at Antioch.
At the same time God was speaking to Peter regarding the Gentiles, He had apparently spoken to some Grecian Jewish men from Cyprus and Cyrene as well. While most of the believers scattered from Jerusalem preached Jesus only to the Jews, these men preached Him to the Gentiles. As a result, many non-Jews began to believe in Jesus. A church was established in Antioch, a major trade center in the Roman Empire. Antioch was the third largest city of the Roman Empire. It would later become a strategic center of Christianity. This church was primarily composed of non-Jews, so they became known by the Latinized “Christians.”
The church in Jerusalem sent Barnabas to Antioch to investigate. What he found there was “the grace of God.” While he encouraged them, he knew that they would need good leadership. He also knew the Saul had been appointed by God to lead the Gentiles, so he went to get Saul. He and Saul stayed and taught the believers for a year.
Let’s note that this all was not without contention in the church. The “circumcision party” (later known as the Judiazers) were not happy about the acceptance of non-Jewish people into the faith. They wanted the Gentiles to become Jews in order to become followers of Christ. The Apostle Paul would have to address these Judiazers many times. They did not want to accept equality with the Gentile believers. Their condemnation of Peter eating with Cornelius (11:3) was like how many in the church treat others who are not like them.
Many in our churches do not want to reach out to people that are not like them. They don’t want to have “those people” sit with them around the table of fellowship. They don’t want the people with diseases, the drug addicts, the alcoholics, the prostitute, or the homeless to sit next to them in the pew. Maybe it’s the color of the person’s skin or maybe it’s something else, but most of us have people that we don’t want to associate with.
The Jews didn’t want to associate with the Gentiles, but salvation was for the Gentiles as much as it was for the Jews. They had to accept them, and we must accept those that we don’t want to associate with. There is no room for favoritism at the cross. There is no room for favoritism in the church. We must learn to love with God’s heart. We must display love to all.
Joel McReynolds 
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