ACTS ON THE TWELVE APOSTLES:
They Worked Only In Israel!
ACTS ON THE TWELVE APOSTLES:
THEY WORKED ONLY IN ISRAEL!
JAN LILLEBY
This article is my summing up of what I have already written in several other articles. So making a concentrated issue centered around the whereabouts of the twelve. It is quite a revelation to see, reading Acts story, that the twelve never went into any kind of ‘World-wide Mission’ – like often anticipated by the so-called ‘Great Commission’ in Mat. 28 and Mark 16.
Check out my article ‘The Twelve Apostles: Were Sent Only to Israel!’ – which will line up very well with this present article.
ACTS HISTORY SHOWS NONE OF THE TWELVE
IN MINISTRY OUTSIDE OF ISRAEL
How, on God’s green earth, has Christianity managed to overlook this fact? How can they so gullibly conclude that they went ‘Into all the world’ preaching the Gospel?
Acts 1 and 2 are placing the twelve in Jerusalem. The year was 28 CE. In Acts 2 as we read of the feast of Pentecost, the fiftieth day from Passover, it was June 20, which was a Sunday.
Acts 5, especially the great healing-wave – verses 12-16, was probably in Passover 32-33 CE, NASB,
«12 At the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were taking place among the people; and they were all with one accord in Solomon's portico.
13 But none of the rest dared to associate with them; however, the people held them in high esteem.
14 And all the more believers in the Lord, multitudes of men and women, were constantly added to their number,
15 to such an extent that they even carried the sick out into the streets and laid them on cots and pallets, so that when Peter came by at least his shadow might fall on any one of them.
16 Also the people from the cities in the vicinity of Jerusalem were coming together, bringing people who were sick or afflicted with unclean spirits, and they were all being healed.”
So, still we find the twelve working inside Israel only, and in the very same place as when the Holy Spirit came upon them in 28 CE at Pentecost! After five years passing.
Not only did they minister in Jerusalem, but actually right next to the ‘Lion’s Den’ – the temple. Using the space under the portico of Solomon. Verse 14 is a very important one: The situation is described occurring within MULTITUDES of men and women. There certainly was not an ordinary week-day. It had to have been during one of the feasts, and I believe it was either Passover or Pentecost. That is when – in the times of the apostles – we found multitudes present in Jerusalem.
Acts 7-9, including the appearance of Saul (Paul) after his participation in Stephen’s death, gives us the year 36 CE, which was 8 years after Acts 2 Pentecost. Paul’s conversion was a separate drama inside Jewry, Acts 9:15-18, NASB, - and we notice that none of the twelve are involved in it, since it happened in Syria, near Damascus,
«15 But the Lord said to him, "Go, for he is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel;
16 for I will show him how much he must suffer for My name's sake."
17 So Ananias departed and entered the house, and after laying his hands on him said, "Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road by which you were coming, has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit."
18 And immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he regained his sight, and he got up and was baptized;
and he took food and was strengthened.”
Then we are taken back into Israel, as we find Acts 10-11 telling of Peter’s incident regarding the Roman Captain Cornelius.
This happening is a very heavy and hard evidence of the twelve, in the year 36-37 CE, STILL MINISTERING IN ISRAEL ONLY, and had up until this time not been in fellowship with Gentiles. Not for a second! Acts 10:1-33, NASB,
«1 Now there was a man at Caesarea named Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian cohort,
2 a devout man and one who feared God with all his household, and gave many alms to the Jewish people and prayed to God continually *.
3 About * the ninth hour of the day he clearly saw in a vision an angel of God who had just come in and said to him, "Cornelius!"
4 And fixing his gaze on him and being much alarmed, he said, "What is it, Lord?" And he said to him, "Your prayers and alms have ascended as a memorial before God.
5 "Now dispatch some men to Joppa and send for a man named Simon, who is also called Peter;
6 he is staying with a tanner named Simon, whose house is by the sea."
7 When the angel who was speaking to him had left, he summoned two of his servants and a devout soldier of those who were his personal attendants,
8 and after he had explained everything to them, he sent them to Joppa.
9 On the next day, as they were on their way and approaching the city, Peter went up on the housetop about the sixth hour to pray.
10 But he became hungry and was desiring to eat; but while they were making preparations, he fell into a trance;
11 and he saw the sky opened up, and an object like a great sheet coming down, lowered by four corners to the ground,
12 and there were in it all kinds of four-footed animals and crawling creatures of the earth and birds of the air.
13 A voice came to him, "Get up, Peter, kill and eat!"
14 But Peter said, "By no means, Lord, for I have never eaten anything unholy and unclean."
15 Again a voice came to him a second time, "What God has cleansed, no longer consider unholy."
16 This happened three times, and immediately the object was taken up into the sky.
17 Now while Peter was greatly perplexed in mind as to what the vision which he had seen might be, behold, the men who had been sent by Cornelius, having asked directions for Simon's house, appeared at the gate;
18 and calling out, they were asking whether Simon, who was also called Peter, was staying there.
19 While Peter was reflecting on the vision, the Spirit said to him, "Behold, three men are looking for you.
20 "But get up, go downstairs and accompany * them without misgivings, for I have sent them Myself."
21 Peter went down to the men and said, "Behold, I am the one you are looking for; what is the reason for which you have come?"
22 They said, "Cornelius, a centurion, a righteous and God-fearing man well spoken of by the entire nation of the Jews, was divinely directed by a holy angel to send for you to come to his house and hear a message from you."
So he invited them in and gave them lodging.”
23 And on the next day he got up and went away with them, and some of the brethren from Joppa accompanied him.
24 On the following day he entered Caesarea. Now Cornelius was waiting for them and had called together his relatives and close friends.
25 When Peter entered, Cornelius met him, and fell at his feet and worshiped him.
26 But Peter raised him up, saying, "Stand up; I too am just a man."
27 As he talked with him, he entered and found many people assembled.
28 And he said to them, "You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a man who is a Jew to associate with a foreigner or to visit him; and yet God has shown me that I should not call any man unholy or unclean.
29 "That is why I came without even raising any objection when I was sent for. So I ask for what reason you have sent for me."
30 Cornelius said, "Four days ago to this hour, I was praying in my house during the ninth hour; and behold, a man stood before me in shining garments,
31 and he said, 'Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and your alms have been remembered before God.
32 'Therefore send to Joppa and invite Simon, who is also called Peter, to come to you; he is staying at the house of Simon the tanner by the sea.'
33 "So I sent for you immediately, and you have been kind enough to come. Now then, we are all here present before God to hear all that you have been commanded by the Lord."
Peter at Caesarea in 36-37 CE gives us 8-9 years after Pentecost in 28 CE. And no record in the Bible of him or the eleven travelling outside of Israel in mission.
The verse 28 is contradicting the whole ‘Great commission’ – since it tells of Jews following the Law of Moses, were forbidden any near contact with Gentiles:
“And he said to them, "You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a man who is a Jew to associate with a foreigner or to visit him; and yet God has shown me that I should not call any man unholy or unclean.”
Peter’s whereabouts was in Joppa, in Simon’s house when he got the vision from the Lord. Before that, he had come from Lydda, where he healed Aeneas, so that people in Lydda and Sharon came to faith in Jesus.
32 Now as Peter was traveling through all those regions, he came down also to the saints who lived at Lydda.
33 There he found a man named Aeneas, who had been bedridden * * eight years, for he was paralyzed.
34 Peter said to him, "Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you; get up and make your bed." Immediately he got up.
35 And all who lived at Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord.
36 Now in Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (which translated in Greek is called Dorcas); this woman was abounding with deeds of kindness and charity which she continually did.
37 And it happened at that time that she fell sick and died; and when they had washed her body, they laid it in an upper room.
38 Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, having heard that Peter was there *, sent two men to him, imploring him, "Do not delay in coming to us."
39 So Peter arose and went with them. When he arrived, they brought him into the upper room; and all the widows stood beside him, weeping and showing all the tunics and garments that Dorcas used to make while she was with them.
40 But Peter sent them all out and knelt * down * and prayed, and turning to the body, he said, "Tabitha, arise." And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter, she sat up.
41 And he gave her his hand and raised her up; and calling the saints and widows, he presented her alive.”
The other apostles were in Judea and in Jerusalem it says, reading Acts 11 as they were astonished by Peter’s going to Gentiles and all, verses 1 and 2, NASB,
«1 Now the apostles and the brethren who were throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God.
2 And when Peter came up to Jerusalem, those who were circumcised took issue with him,”
Peter’s travel got him from Jerusalem, down to Lydda, then to Joppa, and then finally to Caesarea, the headquarters of the Roman rulers/procurator.
No report of Peter or any of the eleven travelling abroad. After about TEN YEARS after Pentecost in Acts 2.
ACTS 12 AND THE DEATH OF AGRIPPA I
Roman historical files, say that Herod Agrippa I died in 44 CE. And Peter is described as one of the believers who were jailed, after Agrippa I had executed James with his sword. Acts 12:1-17, NASB,
«1 Now about that time Herod the king laid hands on some who belonged to the church in order to mistreat them.
2 And he had James the brother of John put to death with a sword.
3 When he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also. Now it was during the days of Unleavened Bread.
4 When he had seized him, he put him in prison, delivering him to four squads of soldiers to guard him, intending after the Passover to bring him out before the people.
5 So Peter was kept in the prison, but prayer for him was being made fervently by the church to God.
6 On the very night when Herod was about to bring him forward, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and guards in front of the door were watching over the prison.
7 And behold, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared and a light shone in the cell; and he struck Peter's side and woke him up, saying, "Get up quickly." And his chains fell off his hands.
8 And the angel said to him, "Gird yourself and put on your sandals." And he did so. And he said to him, "Wrap your cloak around you and follow me."
9 And he went out and continued to follow, and he did not know that what was being done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision.
10 When they had passed the first and second guard, they came to the iron gate that leads into the city, which opened for them by itself; and they went out and went along one street, and immediately the angel departed from him.
11 When Peter came to himself, he said, "Now I know for sure that the Lord has sent forth His angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting."
12 And when he realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John who was also called Mark, where many were gathered together and were praying.
13 When he knocked at the door of the gate, a servant-girl named Rhoda came to answer.
14 When she recognized Peter's voice, because of her joy she did not open the gate, but ran in and announced that Peter was standing in front of the gate.
15 They said to her, "You are out of your mind!" But she kept insisting that it was so. They kept saying, "It is his angel."
16 But Peter continued knocking; and when they had opened the door, they saw him and were amazed.
17 But motioning to them with his hand to be silent, he described to them how the Lord had led him out of the prison. And he said, "Report these things to James and the brethren." Then he left and went to another place.»
Peter did not go abroad then, but he obviously took refuge in some place where he knew there were fellow believers who could lodge him for a while. After this Passover and the persecution by Agrippa I, Peter is not mentioned before he is seen at Jerusalem in Acts 15.
Acts 12:20-23, tells of Agrippa I being executed by an angel from the Lord, because of his ego and arrogance, NASB,
“ 20 Now he was very angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon; and with one accord they came to him, and having won over Blastus the king's chamberlain *, they were asking for peace, because their country was fed by the king's country.
21 On an appointed day Herod, having put on his royal apparel, took his seat on the rostrum and began delivering an address to them.
22 The people kept crying out, "The voice of a god and not of a man!"
23 And immediately an angel of the Lord struck him because * he did not give God the glory, and he was eaten by worms and died.”
As told above, this happened in 44 CE according to Roman records. Which gives us Peter and the apostles still inside Israel – 16 years after Pentecost in Acts 2, and the time of Jesus having told them to go to ‘All nations’ preaching the Gospel.
The incident in Acts 10 with the Gentiles in Cornelius’ house did obviously NOT alter Peter’s way of ministry in any manner. He still went on and preached to Jews only, - as did his fellow apostles. After Acts 15:7 and Peter lifting his voice, he disappear from Acts entirely. His reference to Gentiles was only that single incident in Cornelius’ house…and not regarding his ministry as such. He had been sent only to the circumciced…Israel with its Jews.
Paul’s conclusion on Peter’s ministry is clear, told in Gal. 2:7-9, NASB,
«7 But on the contrary, seeing that I had been entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been to the circumcised
8 (for He who effectually worked for Peter in his apostleship to the circumcised effectually worked for me also to the Gentiles ),
9 and recognizing the grace that had been given to me, James and Cephas and John, who were reputed to be pillars, gave to me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, so that we might go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised.”
Editor’s emphasize.
Only Paul was sent outside of Israel, and was the apostle to the Gentiles. Not Peter and the eleven! Acts 9:15.
The apostolic conference in Acts 15 was in the year 49-50 CE according to scholars and historians.
Peter was in Jerusalem 21-22 years after Pentecost in Acts 2. And Acts has no record of Peter and the eleven ever having been abroad in mission. Only Paul is reported as one who went several journeys into the Empire outside of Israel.
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