Peter and the Eleven did not believe in the new manifestation of God's grace because God had not yet revealed it to them.
Faith is taking God at His Word, and no one can believe something God has never said. At that point in Acts, God had not told Peter that the law was ending or that a new age of grace had begun. Therefore, Peter and the Eleven were not expected to believe in something God had kept secret.
Romans 10:17 — Faith comes by hearing the word of God, so a person can only believe what God has actually spoken.
Romans 10:17 says, "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." This means faith is not based on assumptions or human reasoning, but on what God has actually revealed. The Bible also shows that God sometimes hides His purposes. In Luke 18:34, the disciples understood none of Jesus' words about His death and resurrection: "And they understood none of these things: and this saying was hid from them, neither knew they the things which were spoken." Thus, until God reveals something, it remains hidden from human understanding.
Les Feldick teaches that Peter and the other eleven apostles operated only on what God had revealed. They had no concept that God would turn to the Gentiles or that a new manifestation of grace had begun, because God had kept it a secret. Peter was in perfect accord with God by confining his message to Israel, and he could not go any further than what God had revealed. The Twelve were not remiss for not going to the ends of the earth, because under the covenant program the King had to come first. They were expecting the Kingdom, and their message was that the One Israel crucified was indeed their King.
Les Feldick explains that Peter and the other eleven were operating on the Old Testament program. They were so expectant of the King setting up His Kingdom that it filled every moment of their existence. After Pentecost, Peter preached to the nation of Israel that the One they crucified was indeed their King, and that if they would repent, the King could return and the Kingdom would be established. They had no concept of God turning to the Gentiles for 1900 plus years, and it was not their fault because God had kept it a secret.
No. Les Feldick points out that Peter and the Eleven were not remiss in failing to fulfill the Great Commission as we might think. They knew their theology better than most people today. Under the covenant, they were not to go to the ends of the earth preaching the gospel until they had the King. The Kingdom program was to be offered to Israel first, and then Israel would evangelize the Gentiles.
Les Feldick teaches that the saying was hid from them. It was not time for God to reveal it because He was still approaching Israel on that ground. Peter didn't have the foggiest notion of what the gospel of grace was all about. Even Peter's confession that Jesus was the Christ came by divine revelation, not human insight. The opening of their understanding was God's work.
Les Feldick explains that if Israel had repented, the King would have returned and the Kingdom would have been established. Then Israel could have evangelized the Gentiles. But God, in His foreknowledge, knew they wouldn't do it. Israel rejected it in unbelief, and so God turned to the Gentiles with the age of grace.
Les Feldick emphasizes that biblical faith is taking God at His Word. For a person to believe, God must first say or reveal it. You cannot place your faith in something He has never said. This is why Peter could not go any further than what God had revealed.
Faith Requires Revelation
Les teaches that faith is taking God at His Word, so God must first reveal something before anyone can believe it. Since God hadn't revealed grace, Peter couldn't preach it.
God Proved a New Work to Peter
God had to prove to Peter and the other Jews that He was doing something totally new—saving Gentiles—because they had no prior understanding of it.
Peter Operated on Old Testament Program
Peter and the eleven only operated on what God had revealed; they had no idea of God turning to the Gentiles, and God didn't expect them to know.
Israel Could Have Evangelized the Gentiles
If Israel had repented, the King would have come and Israel would have evangelized the Gentiles, but instead they rejected and God turned to grace.
The Twelve Were Not Remiss
Les teaches that the Twelve were not remiss for not going to the ends of the earth because under the covenant they had to have the King first.
Understanding Opened by God
Peter and the other ten recognized Jesus as Messiah only because God opened their understanding, not because of their own insight.
The Twelve Expected the Kingdom
The Twelve were so expectant of the Kingdom that Peter burned himself out preaching to Israel that their crucified King was still alive.
The Saying Was Hid
The disciples understood none of the things about Christ's death and resurrection because it was hid from them; it wasn't time for God to reveal it.
Romans 10:17: So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
This shows that faith is based on what God has spoken, not on human assumptions.
Luke 18:34: And they understood none of these things: and this saying was hid from them, neither knew they the things which were spoken.
This confirms that the disciples could not understand truths God had hidden from them.
No. Les Feldick says Peter was in perfect accord with God because God had not yet revealed that the law was ending or that a new grace age had begun. Peter could only preach what God had revealed.
No. Les teaches they were not remiss because they knew the covenant program required the King first. They were to stay with Israel until the Kingdom was offered, and then Israel would reach the Gentiles.
Les Feldick says the saying was hid from them. God had not yet revealed the church age or the gospel of grace. It wasn't time for God to reveal it, so even the apostles couldn't know it.
Watch the Teaching: What Peter Really Preached in Acts 3 — Israel's Call to Repent