What happened in Acts 15:12 after Peter spoke at the Jerusalem council?
In Acts 15:12, after Peter spoke, the entire multitude kept silence and gave audience to Barnabas and Paul, who declared what miracles and wonders God had wrought among the Gentiles by them. The assembly then held its peace, having moved past the earlier uproar over Gentile salvation.
Les explains that Paul had been called up to Jerusalem to answer these things, and Peter came to Paul's defense, remembering how God had sent him to the house of Cornelius and opened his eyes that God could save Gentiles without their becoming proselytes of Judaism. In Acts 15:12, after Peter shared with these Jews at Jerusalem—Les imagines this involved all 11 of the 12, as well as Peter and other leaders—the multitude kept silence and listened to Barnabas and Paul declaring the miracles and wonders God had wrought among the Gentiles by them. After they held their peace, the previous uproar subsided. That uproar arose because the Jews were jealous of their relationship with Jehovah and could not reconcile taking this to Gentiles. Les often says God does everything sovereignly: had Peter not had that eye-opening experience at Cornelius's house, Paul would never have gotten off the hook, and Christianity would never have gotten off the ground. But God opened Peter's eyes 12 years earlier to the fact that Gentiles could be saved by simply believing.
Then all the multitude kept silence, and gave audience to Barnabas and Paul, declaring what miracles and wonders God had wrought among the Gentiles by them.
More Questions
What did the multitude do when they kept silence in Acts 15:12?
In Acts 15:12, the multitude at Jerusalem kept silence and listened to Barnabas and Paul declare the miracles and wonders God had done among the Gentiles through them.
Why were the Jews at the Jerusalem council convinced by Paul and Barnabas?
If Paul and Barnabas could not have rehearsed miraculous signs and miracles from their ministry, the Jews at the Jerusalem council would never have accepted their report—but since they could, the Jews were convinced.
Why was Peter's defense at the Jerusalem council so critical for Paul?
At the Jerusalem conference in Acts 15:12, Peter came to Paul's rescue and defended him; if Peter had not done so, Paul's gospel would have died right then and there.