Peter was being called to account. His critics said, "Thou wentest in to men uncircumcised, and didst eat with them" (Acts 11:3). Rather than argue, Peter told the story in order: the vision, the Spirit's command, the angel's message to Cornelius, and the Holy Ghost falling on the Gentiles "as on us at the beginning" (Acts 11:4-15). His question then puts the decision where it belongs. God had already given the same gift, so to refuse these Gentiles would be to resist God Himself. Barnes paraphrases Peter's meaning: "What power or right had I to oppose the manifest will of God". Matthew Henry puts it this way: "Could I refuse to baptize them with water, whom God had baptized with the Holy Ghost?"

The question needed no answer, and the critics raised no further objection. "When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God" (Acts 11:18). Their complaint turned into praise: "Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life." Matthew Henry says they "laid their hand upon their mouth, because now they perceived that God did it."

"They that were of the circumcision" (Acts 11:2) were Jewish believers. Barnes calls them "Christians who had been converted from among the Jews," and Gill says the phrase points to "those of them, who were most strenuous for circumcision." Peter himself had told Cornelius that it was "an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company, or come unto one of another nation" (Acts 10:28).

The KJV "like gift" is isen dorean in Greek, an equal or identical gift. "Withstand" is kolusai, to hinder or prevent. Peter used the same idea at Caesarea when he asked, "Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized?" (Acts 10:47).

Behind this question is a simple fact: God Himself opened the door to the Gentiles. He sent the vision, sent the men from Caesarea, and poured out the Holy Ghost before Peter had finished speaking (Acts 11:5-15). Peter's part was not to decide but to recognize what God had done, remembering the Lord's word, "John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost" (Acts 11:16; Acts 1:5).

The church's response shows that God's work can correct even sincere believers. Those who came to argue ended up worshiping, because they saw that the same God who saved them was saving Gentiles on the same terms. Peter would return to this very argument at the council in Jerusalem (Acts 15:7-11).