That he might give them further instruction in the Christian doctrine. REFLECTIONS. THIS portion of history contains an account of one of the most memorable and interesting events which occur in the sacred wrtings, the communication of the gospel of Christ, and of miraculous powers to the Gentile world, without their being required to conform to the observances of the Mosaic law; an event which astonished all who heard of it, whether Jews or Gentiles, which gave new views to Christian teachers, and exhibited their religion in a new light. The mystery hidden from ages is now revealed; the purposes of God from before the foundation of the world are accomplished; those who were once treated as despised outcasts, are taken into the kingdom and family of God, and hold the same honourable station which the Jews once occupied, but from which they had now fallen by transgression. In this event we see, 1. The unbounded goodness of the great Father of mankind, who extends his gracious regards to the most ignorant, the most depraved, and wretched of his offspring, the idolatrous heathens, loves them notwithstanding their follies and their crimes, and adopts the most efficacious measures for their recovery to knowledge, virtue, and happiness. If these measures were long delayed, it was not because his children were overlooked or forgotten, but because the proper time for executing them was not yet arrived; if only a small portion of the Gentiles have hitherto partaken of this blessing, it is for a like reason. When Christianity has been purified from those corruptions which have sullied its beauty and destroyed its efficacy, it shall spread throughout the world. The favour which has already been shown to a few, is a pledge and security for the benefit which shall hereafter be bestowed upon the many. How grateful, then, should we be to God for bestowing upon our ancestors of the heathen race this important favour, and, through them, upon us! The apostle Paul and other early Christians, seem to be at a loss for words to express the greatness of the divine goodness in the present instance. They speak of the breadth and length, of the depth and height of the love of God in Christ, manifested to the Gentiles, as passing knowledge; but we, alas, who are educated in the principles of Christianity, and know nothing of the evils of idolatry but from report, are scarcely sensible of our obligations. 2. We see in this event, also, secondly, the impartiality of the divine character: what is bestowed upon the Jews is given to the Gentiles also; one being as dear to God as the other, and equally the object of his benevolent regards. If, in former times, more favour has been shown to one part of the human race than to another, it is not for their own sake, or from blind partiality to them, but from a regard to the interest of all, which has been promoted in this manner. 3. Lastly, we behold in this event plain marks of the hand of God. To conceive the idea of extending the kingdom of God to the Gentiles, who were regarded with so much hatred and contempt, and of raising them to a state of equality with themselves, was a scheme far too liberal and comprehensive for narrow-minded and bigoted Jews. It was totally opposite to the principles of their education. This story ascribes it wholly to God; and it bears evident marks of coming from him: it resembles his conduct in other instances, since he causes the sun to shine, and the rain to descend upon one part of the earth as well as another; and the most valuable blessings of life are the most common. The early design of communicating the gospel of Christ to the heathens, which appeared amongst the first teachers, is itself no inconsiderable proof of the divine origin of our religion. 1. AND the apostles and brethren that were in Judæa heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God. The gospel of Christ is here called the word of God, because it contained an account of a revelation from heaven; and in the same sense the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament may be called the word of God likewise, because they contain authentic accounts of such revelations, although not themselves inspired. 2. And when Peter was come up to Jerusalem, they that were of the circumcision contended, or, "expostulated," with him, 3. Thou wentest in to men uncircumcised, and didst eat with them. This, the maxims of the elders, but not the law of Moses, declared to be unlawful. From the conduct of these Jewish Christians, it is plain that they did not consider Peter as under the direction of inspiration in all his actions: otherwise they would not have ventured to censure his conduct in this instance; nor does Peter himself seem to be conscious of having such inspiration; for he appeals not to his authority as an apostle, but to the particular instructions which he had received on this subject. 4. But Peter rehearsed the matter from the beginning, and expounded it by order unto them, "then Peter began and laid the matter before them in order," saying, 5. I was in the city of Joppa praying; and in a trance I saw a vision, a certain vessel descend, as it had been a great sheet, let down from heaven by four corners, "by four strings," and it came even to me. 6. Upon the which, when I had fastened my eyes, I considered, and saw four-footed beasts of the earth, and creeping things and fowls of the air. 7. And I heard a voice, saying unto me, Arise, Peter, slay and eat. 8. But I said, Not so, Lord; for nothing common or unclean hath at any time entered into my mouth. 9. But the voice answered me again from heaven, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common. 10. And this was done three times, and all were drawn up again into heaven. 11. And, behold, immediately there were three men already come unto the house where I was, sent from Cæsarea unto me. 12. And the Spirit bade me go with them, nothing doubting; moreover, these six brethren accompanied me, and we entered into the man's house. 13. And he showed us how he had seen an angel in his house, which stood, and said unto him, Send men to Joppa, and call for Simon, whose surname is Peter; 14. Who shall tell thee words, or, "tell thee things," whereby thou and all thy house shall be saved, "may be saved." The salvation here promised to Cornelius, from hearing the words of Peter, could not be final salvation, or the happiness of a future life for that he might, no doubt, have secured, by persevering in the prayers, and the alms which had already recommended him to the divine notice; but it must be something which, in his present condition, he was not in the way to obtain; and, therefore, to be saved, must signify here deliverance from his heathen state, a state of great disadvantage and danger, and introduction to the privileges of the gospel dispensation. This salvation he could not obtain without the knowledge of the gospel; the other might be secured without it, although, no doubt, it would be highly conducive to that end. 15. And as I began to speak, or, "after I had begun to speak," the Holy Spirit fell on them, as on us at the beginning. That is, in flames of fire, as on the day of Pentecost, intended to represent the approach of God to perform a miracle, by bestowing the gift of tongues. 16. Then remembered I the word of the Lord, how that he said, John, indeed, baptized with water, but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit. This was the language of Jesus to his apostles after his resurrection; and if this baptism with the Spirit, or pouring out of the Spirit, was a proof of their being accepted as disciples of Christ, in the first instance, it was equally so on the present occasion. 17. Forasmuch, then, as God gave them the like gift as he did unto us who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, what was I, that I could withstand God? To have refused to receive as brethre those upon whom God bestowed the same marks of favour, would have been to oppose the designs of God, and an instance of great presumption. 18. When they heard these things, they held their peace, "they had no more to say," and glorified God, saying, then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life. Repentance does not here signify reformation of conduct, but merely a change of opinion from heathenism to Christianity. These Jews bless God for inclining the Gentiles, contrary to their expectations, to such a change. The words, "unto life," have generally been supposed to refer unto eternal life, to the prospect of which Gentiles were raised by the profession of Christianity; but as the Jews spoke of the Gentiles as dead, they would naturally express a recovery from that state by a restoration to life. Repentance unto life, then, will mean no more than a change of mind which produces life. Agreeably to this interpretation, the apostle Paul exhorts Gentiles to yield themselves to God, as those who are alive from the dead. REFLECTIONS. THE Conduct of those Jews who so readily acquiesced in the admission of the Gentiles to the same privileges as themselves, is highly worthy of commendation. They had been taught to conceive of themselves as a peculiar people; standing high in the favour of God, and alone worthy of divine revelation; the Gentiles they were taught to regard with contempt and abhorrence, as a people abandoned by God, as a nation of sinners, unclean and unholy. This opinion had been inculcated upon them from their earliest years, and was one of the strongest of their prejudices; they hear, therefore, with surprise and indignation of Peter's visit to them, and of his receiving Gentiles by baptism into the Christian church; they blame him for his conduct, and resolve to discountenance what he had done, by refusing to associate with this people. But no sooner are they satisfied that what he did was agreeable to the will, and by the express direction of God, than they resign their prejudices at once, and submit to the decisions of infinite wisdom. Nay, in this measure of admitting the Gentiles to embrace the gospel, they discover a new proof of the goodness of the universal Parent, and fresh motives for thanksgiving and praise. They glorify God for granting repentance unto the Gentiles. If, after having fallen into error, we have discovered our mistake, let us not be backward to acknowledge the truth, but imitate the conduct of those devout Jews: if we find that it is the plan of Providence that mankind be saved by one of the human race, and not by a pre-existent being or by a God; that man should possess a natural capacity of doing the divine will, independently of supernatural aid, and that we should be restored to God's favour upon repentance and reformation alone, without the intervention of a third person; whatever our pre-conceived opinions may have been, and however long established, let us learn to submit our judgments to superior authority, and to admire the wisdom which can produce such great effects by such simple means. SECTION XVII. Mission of Barnabas and Saul to Antioch. Jerusalem. ACTS xi. 19-30. They return to 19. Now they which were scattered abroad upon the persecution that arose about Stephen, travelled as far as Phenice, and Cyprus, and Antioch, (in Syria,) preaching the word to none but unto the Jews only. This was the practice of the first teachers of Christianity; but what had lately occured at Cæsarea, induced them to extend their labours. Phenice was a country which lay to the north-west of Judæa: Cyprus was a large island in the Levant or Mediterranean Sea. 20. And some of them were men of Cyprus and Cyrene, a region of Africa; which, when they were come to Antioch, spake unto the Grecians, or, "Greeks," preaching the Lord Jesus, i. e. the gospel of the Lord Jesus. The inhabitants of Antioch and of these parts of Asia were called Greeks, because they spoke the Greek language. To them, although Gentiles, these disciples ventured to preach the gospel, after having heard, probably, what Peter had done in Judæa. See Griesbach. |