Who was astonished when the Gentiles believed, and what astonished them?
The believing Jews of the circumcision—the six men who accompanied Peter, seven in total—were astonished that Gentiles heard a salvation message and believed it. They were utterly amazed because the Holy Spirit fell on the house full of Gentiles as Peter preached.
Les explains that those astonished were “they of the circumcision,” meaning the Jews who believed. They were like Peter in that they had recognized that Jesus was the Christ. These believing Jews were astonished, and Les points out that the six men who came with Peter, for a total of seven, were just utterly astonished that these Gentiles were hearing a salvation message and believing it. Les further teaches that in order for God to prove to these seven Jews that He was doing something totally different than had ever been done before, He proved it with these Gentiles speaking other languages. This occurred in the house of Cornelius, a Roman officer, not in a great Colosseum, and as Peter was preaching, the Holy Spirit fell on that house full of Gentiles.
And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost.
More Questions
How many Jews went with Peter to Cornelius, and who were the ones astonished?
According to Acts 11, six Jews went with Peter, so the seven Jews of the circumcision who believed were astonished at what happened.