Acts 11:12
And the Spirit bade me go with them, nothing doubting. Moreover these six brethren accompanied me, and we entered into the man’s house: And the Spirit bade me go with them, nothing doubting. Moreover these six brethren accompanied me, and we entered into the man’s house:
The Spirit directed Peter to go with the messengers Cornelius had sent, without doubting or hesitating, because God Himself had sent them. He obeyed even though the command ran against his feelings, prejudices, and reluctance to cross the Jewish boundary against visiting Gentiles, and he set out for Caesarea the next morning. Six believing Jewish brethren accompanied him and entered the house as witnesses of all he would say and do, since he knew his going in to uncircumcised men would be challenged as contrary to Jewish faith and teaching. The command rested on the revelation that what God has cleansed must not be called common, so Peter was not to treat Gentiles as unclean or keep the ceremonial separation between Jew and Gentile. The visit marked a new phase in which Gentile believers were accepted as equals to Jewish disciples without circumcision, showing God is no respecter of persons and opening the way for the gospel and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the Gentiles.
Obedience and Witnessed Visit
The Spirit told Peter to go with the men sent from Caesarea by Cornelius to his house, doubting nothing and hesitating nothing, because God Himself had sent them. It was a direct command to accompany the messengers to a Gentile house in obedience to the Holy Spirit. He was to go without hesitation, without doubting the direction given him.
The command tested him, running against his feelings, prejudices, reservations, and reluctance to cross the Jewish boundary against visiting Gentiles. Rather than following his own feelings he obeyed, welcomed the messengers, agreed to accompany them to Caesarea, and set out the next morning. In doing so he followed God's direction while carefully accounting for his actions.
Six brethren, believing Jewish disciples and fellow believers, accompanied him and entered the man's house with him. They went as witnesses of all he would say and do there, able to witness his words and actions among the Gentiles. That caution showed his going in to uncircumcised men and eating with them was by divine direction and not presumption. He took them because he knew his visit would be challenged as contrary to Jewish faith and teaching, and that caution afterward proved his course to the offended brethren in Judea.
Gentiles Accepted as Equals
The command to go without doubting rested on the vision that what God has cleansed must not be called common. For that reason Gentiles were no longer to be looked upon as unclean, and the ceremonial separation between Jew and Gentile was not to be preserved. God's direction thus overcame the boundary Peter had been taught to keep between Jews and Gentiles. It ended the ceremonial distinction of circumcision and uncircumcision.
The visit to the household at Caesarea marked a new phase in the church. Gentile believers were to be accepted as equals with Jewish disciples, without requiring circumcision. This showed God is no respecter of persons. The opening of the gospel to Gentiles on this equal footing made clear that the distinction between circumcision and uncircumcision was not to be maintained.
God used the mission to break down Jewish Christian prejudice and to teach those willing to follow the Spirit. The Spirit's direction and the presence of the six believing brothers as witnesses confirmed that God was leading Peter to bring the gospel to Gentiles. Their witness confirmed that the gospel was to be carried beyond the Jews and opened the way for the Gentile mission. There God poured out the Holy Spirit upon Gentiles.