News of what had happened in Cornelius' house spread quickly throughout Judea. "The brethren"(v. 1) and "those who were circumcised"(v. 2) refer to Jewish Christians, not unsaved Jews. Peter's response to their criticism of him makes this clear (e.g., v. 15). They objected to his having had contact with uncircumcised Gentiles, particularly eating with them (v. 3). Apparently Peter ate with his host while he was with him for several days (10:48), though Luke did not record this. The same taboo that had bothered Peter was bothering his Jewish brethren (cf. 10:28). They undoubtedly would have felt concern over the non-Christian Jews' reaction to themselves. Peter's actions in Caesarea could only bring more persecution on the Jewish Christians from the unsaved Jews (cf. 7:54-8:3).
"It is possible to hear a subtile echo of Jesus' critics in 11:3. Jesus was also accused of eating with or lodging with the wrong kind of people. . . . Now Peter must face the kind of criticism that Jesus faced, arising this time from the circle of Jesus' disciples."466
