2:7 the uncircumcised. See note 1:16.

Peter . . . circumcised. Peter was apparently the chief spokesman of the early Jerusalem church (Acts 1–12). Only with great reluctance did he respond to God’s command to associate with the Gentile Cornelius (Acts 10). Although Peter recognized the necessity of including Gentiles within God’s people (Acts 10:34, 35; 11:17; 15:7–11), he evidently felt God’s call to preach the gospel specifically to Jews.