Big Picture: “Jesus’ genealogy in 3:23–38 ties all humankind into one unit. Their fate is wrapped up in Jesus. His ministry, as seen from heaven, represents the focal point of history. The introduction of the genealogy right before the commencement of his public ministry serves to highlight the scope of Jesus’ concern for all humans. It points to his universal perspective.  Jesus is not some isolated minister to Israel; he does not merely minister to a tiny nation of subjected people seeking political deliverance from a dominating Rome.  Rather, he is the culmination of a line of descendants stretching back through the great men of promise like Adam, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and David. The lineage confirms his position and suggests his ministry’s comprehensive character. In him, the entire hope of the OT is inseparably and eternally bound. In him, as well, the fate of all divinely created humans is bound together.”  (D.L. Bock)

Acts 10:1-11:18

Big Picture: Christian Jews and Christian Gentiles are one people. Both have the Spirit. The Law Covenant of Moses is now obsolete, fulfilled in the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Old Testament Background to Peter’s Vision:  The Old Covenant food laws expressed an understanding of Israel’s special status as the elect, holy people of God. The division into clean, edible foods and unclean, inedible foods correspond to the division between holy Israel and the Gentile world (Leviticus 11; Deuteronomy. 7:7-8; 14:2ff).

Seven Scenes

1.     The vision of Cornelius (10:1-8)

2.     The vision of Peter (10:9-16)

3.     The messengers of Cornelius meet Peter (10:17-23b)

4.     The encounter of Peter and Cornelius (10:23c-33)

5.     Peter’s sermon (10:34-43)

6.     The conversion of the first gentiles (10:44-48)

7.     Peter’s justification in Jerusalem of his acceptance of Gentile believers: God gave them the same gift of the Spirit  (11:1-18)