Peter's role in the early church was to minister to the circumcision, the Jewish people, with his visit to Cornelius's household being a singular exception that later equipped him to defend Paul's Gentile ministry.
Les Feldick shows from Acts and Galatians that Peter remained centered on Israel. After witnessing the Gentile household of Cornelius, Peter went straight back to Jerusalem and continued dealing with his own people. The ministry division recognized by the apostles gave the Gentiles to Paul and the circumcision to Peter, James, and John.
Acts 15:7 — Peter's own testimony at the Jerusalem council directly defines his role: God chose that through his mouth the Gentiles would hear the gospel.
Galatians 2:8 — Paul states Peter's apostleship was to the circumcision, while Paul's was toward the Gentiles.
Galatians 2:9 — The Jerusalem leaders formalized the division: Paul to the heathen, Peter and the pillars to the circumcision.
In the book of Acts, Peter is identified with the Jewish people and the circumcision. At the Jerusalem council he rose and declared: "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" (Acts 15:7). In Galatians 2, Paul describes the ministry division that was recognized by the church leaders: the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto Paul, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter (Galatians 2:7). When James, Cephas, and John perceived the grace given to Paul, they gave the right hand of fellowship, agreeing that Paul and Barnabas should go to the heathen while they went to the circumcision (Galatians 2:8-9). Acts 10:28 also records Peter's own Jewish perspective: he knew it was unlawful for a Jew to keep company with or come unto one of another nation.
Les Feldick teaches that Peter's assigned role was to Israel, not to the Gentiles. He repeatedly stresses that after Peter saw Cornelius's household saved, Peter returned to Jerusalem and continued his ministry among the Jewish people; for the next thirteen years he did not undertake a Gentile ministry. Les says plainly that Peter never had a Gentile ministry except that one time at Cornelius's house.
Les directly teaches that Peter never had a Gentile ministry except the one time at the house of Cornelius. After that event, Peter went back to Jerusalem and kept dealing only with the nation of Israel. This matches the scriptural division in Galatians 2:8, where Paul says Peter was entrusted with the apostleship of the circumcision.
Les points out that there is no indication Peter's eyes were opened to a Gentile ministry after Cornelius. He returned to Jerusalem and confined his ministry to his own people. In the thirteen-year interval between Acts 10 and Acts 15, Peter was still dealing only with Israel.
Les teaches that God forced Peter to go to Cornelius, contrary to Peter's own desires. At the time, Peter did not understand why he was preaching to Gentiles. The sovereign purpose became clear in Acts 15: because Peter had already seen Gentiles saved, he could testify in defense of Paul's Gentile work. Les even says that had Peter not come to Paul's defense, Christianity would have stopped in its tracks.
Using Galatians 2:7-9, Les explains that the apostleship of the circumcision was effectual in Peter, while Paul was mighty toward the Gentiles. The pillars gave the right hand of fellowship to Paul and Barnabas, agreeing that Paul and Barnabas would go to the heathen while they went to the circumcision. Les notes this was decided in 51 A.D., thirteen years after Peter's visit to Cornelius.
Why the First Christians Were NOT in Jerusalem (Acts 11)
Hello and welcome to Through the Bible with Les Feldick. An Oklahoma rancher and farmer, Les Feldick has been teaching homestyle Bible classes for 20 years in Iowa, Oklahoma, and Texas. Les Feldick's unique style of Bible teaching has made the books of the Bible come to life. When Les is teaching, it's so interesting that people say time just seems to fly by. And now, here is Les Feldick.
Peter's Return to Jerusalem
Les shows that after Peter saw Cornelius's household saved, he went straight back to Jerusalem and gave no indication he had now been opened to a Gentile ministry. Twelve years later he defended Paul at the Jerusalem council.
The Jerusalem Division of Ministries
Les walks through Galatians 2, where Peter is entrusted with the apostleship of the circumcision while Paul is mighty toward the Gentiles, and the pillars agree Paul and Barnabas go to the heathen.
God Forces Peter to Cornelius
Les explains that Peter went to Cornelius against his own Jewish desires and had no idea the gospel was about to move to the Gentile world.
Thirteen Years Without a Gentile Ministry
Les emphasizes the 13-year gap between Cornelius and Acts 15: in that entire interval Peter still dealt only with his own people, Israel.
The Scene Shifts from Paul to Peter
Les sets the historical context, noting Saul had already been converted and was the leader of Gentile converts as Acts turns back to Peter and Cornelius.
Peter's Ministry Confined to the Jews
Les states flatly that Peter never had a ministry to Gentiles, except the one time at Cornelius; after that he confined his ministry to the Jews.
Peter's Sovereign Preparation for Acts 15
Les explains that God forced Peter to see Gentiles saved in Acts 10 so that he would defend Paul in Acts 15; without that defense Christianity would have stopped in its tracks.
Acts 15:7: 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.
Peter's own words at the Jerusalem council describe his singular role in taking the gospel to the Gentiles.
Galatians 2:7: But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter;
Paul records the recognized division: the gospel of the circumcision was committed to Peter.
Galatians 2:8: (For he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles:)
This verse directly states Peter's apostleship was to the circumcision, while Paul's was toward the Gentiles.
Galatians 2:9: And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision.
The pillars confirmed the ministry division: Paul and Barnabas to the heathen, Peter and the others to the circumcision.
Acts 10:28: And he said unto them, Ye know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company, or come unto one of another nation; but God hath shewed me that I should not call any man common or unclean.
Peter's own words show his Jewish perspective and why the trip to Cornelius was extraordinary.
John 21:17: He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.
Les links Jesus' command to feed the sheep to Peter's continued ministry to Israel in Acts.
Yes, once at Cornelius's household in Acts 10. But Les stresses that this was a one-time, God-forced event; afterward Peter returned to Jerusalem and continued with the nation of Israel.
Peter testified that God had chosen by his mouth for the Gentiles to hear the gospel. Les teaches that this defense spared Paul's Gentile ministry and kept Christianity from stopping in its tracks.
According to Galatians 2:9, the pillars gave Paul and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, agreeing that Paul and Barnabas would go to the heathen while they went to the circumcision.
Watch the Teaching: Why the First Christians Were NOT in Jerusalem (Acts 11)