Was Peter still the leading apostle when he spoke in Acts 15?
Yes. At that council, Peter remained the chief apostle. The context states that he rose up and spoke, and when he did, his hearers listened. His authority is shown by his appeal to the earlier Cornelius episode, where God chose that Gentiles hear the gospel by his mouth and believe.
Les explains that Peter had been sitting nonchalant, taking it all in and not all that interested, until the Holy Spirit nudged him and told him to get up and speak. Peter rose up and said that a good while ago God made choice among us that the Gentiles by his mouth should hear the word of the gospel and believe. Les emphasizes that Peter is still the chief apostle, and when Peter spoke, they listened. The reference is to Acts 10 and the house of Cornelius, where Peter and six other Jewish believers went to the Gentile home of the Roman officer. Before Peter even finished preaching, before saying anything about repenting or being baptized, the Holy Spirit came down and signified to those seven Jews that these Gentiles had become believers. Without an invitation, without walking an aisle, without repenting, without baptizing, Peter was stopped in his tracks, and these men evidenced salvation by faith, and faith alone—not yet Paul's gospel, only that Jesus was the Christ.
And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe.
More Questions
What made Peter finally speak up in Acts 15?
Peter remained silent through the first part of the Acts 15 controversy until God sovereignly reminded him of what had happened at Cornelius's house.