The Relationship of Jewish and Gentile Believers to the Law Between A.D. 30 and 70 in the Scripture

98 While Peter was still speaking the Holy Spirit was poured out on the Gentiles who began to speak in tongues . This has rightly been called the Gentile pentecost , as Peter says , they "have received the Holy Spirit just as we" (10:47) . 124 Peter then resides in the house of Cornelius for a few days , presumably to instruct them in the faith . The news of this soon reached and rocked Jerusalem. Peter ' s explanation before the Jerusalem leaders The first point to be clarified here is the nature of the group which "took issue with Peter" (11 :2). The RSV translates ot EK m:pLToµfj c; (11 :2) as "the circumcision party" as though only a particularly strict sect of the leadership was concerned . 125 When a situation does arise , though, which involves a conservative section of the Church (Acts 15) Luke knows how to identify a conservative group and calls them "Pharisees " (15 :5). In this context (especially: 10:45 ; 11 :2, 3) where the main concern is the difference between those who are circumcised ·and those who are not , it seems likely that Luke is simply identify ing the whole congregation in terms which point to the issue of the moment. 126 Haenchen says "this appella– tion (cf. 10.45) explains the attitude of the primitive congregation towards the ' uncircumci ed ' 124 Krister Stendahl , " It Took a Miracle to Launch the Mi ion to the Gentile : The orneliu tory , Acts 10:11- 11 :18," Faith in the Midst of Faiths ed . . amartha (1977) 12 - 24. 125 everal follow this lead, for example , Neil refer to o i f TT pLToµfj c; a 'th ultra– , and con ervative element in the mother church," Neil , Act , 141. f . al o Len ki, t. , 4 lhott , "Replication Pattern in Luke-Act , " 106 . 126 , th h re of J bur h at th1 'th ir um ii n', i.e. th d finit part ' in th ' r Luk o i t n p LToµfjc;, ti n; th