What would have happened to Paul at the Jerusalem council if Peter had not brought up Cornelius?
Paul would not have been allowed to return to Antioch with freedom to preach his Gospel; the Jerusalem council would have opposed him, chased him, and plagued him every inch of the way, because Peter’s testimony about Cornelius convinced them God could save Gentiles without their demanded requirements.
Les teaches that the bigger purpose of the house of Cornelius was to come to Paul’s defense in the Jerusalem council. If Peter had not remembered what happened at the house of Cornelius, they never would have let Paul go back to Antioch with freedom to preach his Gospel. They would have chased him, as they even did anyway, and would have plagued him every inch of the way. But they did not, because Peter realized that twelve years earlier God had shown him He could save Gentiles without going through all that they demanded. Peter rose up at the council and reminded them of what God had done, since for twelve years there had not been another mention of those Gentiles being saved until then.