The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1902-04-16
THE SABBATH SCHOOL
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COMMENTS
FoR APRIL 10

A8.0olden Text: Acts Il, 34-MonoTy
Verses, la-lA . Coininsntsry On tho
Days Lesson.
"a. Opened his mouth" This suggests
a regular discourse. a. distinguishsd from
q simple conversation. See Matt. B: 2.
II perceive" What had always been true
though through Jewish. prejudice he had
never before realized IL. That Cod.
Who knoweth the hearts Of men, and con-
cerning whose decision there can be no dis.
cussion. NO respecter Of persons" That
is, He shows no faror to one above an
other on account Of his outward condition
color, education. His only test 10 what
person really il in moral character. An
must be saved in the same way, on the
same conditions, subject to the same PEN
alties il they refuse, and open to the same
blessings II they repent and believe. Pre-
vious 70 his vision Iva. 0l6), Peter had BE-.
lieve6 no ono could be saved but they of
the cir fcumcision-,Jews and proseiytes.
Contrary to his former opinion be now ID.
mits there il no favoritism with God. He
does not esteem Jew because be 10 q
Jew, nor detest Gentle because be u .
Gentle. God has respect Only for eharae:
distinctions are Of no account.
IS. Ea every .nation.". Jew or Gentle.
THAT feareth Him" Not o slayish, of
seliish, but fIial fear. Job. 2s: y; Prov.
| 0: 10; Psa. 2: II; Eccl. II: l3; Nal. 4: 2.
worked Righteousness" Abstains from slI
! evil and does good. These two particulars
include mans duty Ia, God, and 20 his fel.
bowman. He keeps all the law. Cornelius
was accepted because he measured up 70
the light given him. He watched. fasted.
prayed and gave aims. he evidenced his
sincerity BY accepting Christ a. soon a.
He was preached. "Is accepted" BE was
but because he had an honest heart, and
that led him to perform good deeds.
80. "The word" The message Of the
gospel. The record of the work Of Jesus
OF Nazareth. Unto Israel" The de.
scendants Of Jacob, the chosen people q
God. To them il was first preached, and
through them salvation came to the race.
John 4: .; Rom. 1: lB. Preaching
peace" Preaching the good tidine Of sal:
vation. This included the whole OF gospel
truth. l. Peace with God. 2 Peace
Peace filing the soul. Rom; II: y. by
medium Of peace. Lake .: Il; John ll:
n; Eph. 3: Il; Col. /: %. Lord Of all"
Peter here announces Christ's Universal
a.. THAT vord-ye know" They were
not unacquainted with this message OF
peace. Il had been proclaimed through.
out all Jrdea and Gahlee, from the time
John began to preach. Luke 4: "a, 81,
a; o: 6; q: s. They in Caessrea had
heard Of ito being preached 10 Israel By
the preaching Of Philip the evangelist.
Acts 8: 70.
| II ..k@ ,(5 n
Apostle and High Priest Of the Christian
profession. Heb. I: 0; 3: I. According 70
the prophets the Messiah was to work
miracles as proof Of His Mesishship.
"Holy Ghost and with power" This pro-
claimed Him to be the Christ luke Z: lS.
2l), and invested Him with the insignia OF
His Messianic Office. When tho Holy
| Ghost 10 mentioned q word u generally
added to emphasize his adaptation to tho
90. We are witnesses" Because Peter
and the other apostles had been with
Jesus from the beginning Of His ministe.
rial l:fe. Luke "a: 4s. They were not OBJ
jects Of superstitious reverence, but $ ann.
OS wses xies';is IS. 70 GOSPEL sns ss's oaaa
Of the Jews" The countries Of Judea,
Galilee and Perea. - v
40. Raised up." According to the re-
peated predictions Of the prophets and Of
Christ Himself. The resurrection OF
Christ was the seal OF His Messiahship.
"Shoved Him" See r. v. The evidences
OF the resurrection Of Christ are indisputa.
bic. By many proofs it was made clear TO
Those who saw Him that it was the same
body, even though now glori6d, which
had been wounded on the cross. .
Al. witnesses chosen" Those selected
for the purpose. l Cor. Is: 4-S. Had BE
shown Himself to all the people He might
have had q second rejection. We have
no evidence that Jesus showed Himself
after His resurrection to any but y, HIS Per. ss.
40. Commanded" he shows Corne.
lius his commission from Christ. Matt.
2s: 10. "Preach-testify" They were not
only to expound the truth concerning
these fundamental facts, but also to bear
witness to what they had seen. heard and
experienced. ! John ]: l-3; Peter j: 10.
IS. Gods true ministers both teach and
testify. Judge Of quick and dead" N
the living and dead. By this we are to un.
derstand that Christ would judge all who
had lived, or were, then living. or who
would live.
43. ITO Him." etc. Not any particular
prophet, but all directly or indirectly 6ors 2
testimony to Christ as the Saviour OF all
men. Isa. Q: 6; So: 5, 6; Jer. 81: "a; Dan.
O. Ii: Micah !: Is; Zech. Is: /. "Remis-
sion of sins" The taking away not only
the guilt, but also the power, nature ana
conseouences of sin. This is mans great.
a. .The Holy Ghost fell" They were
endowed with miraculous powers, and en-.
able to speak in languages which they had
never learned. Compare chap. IL: Is with
2: l.l3. At this time their hearts were pm.
riied BY faith; see chap. Is: 8 where Peter
himself says distinctly that such was the
case. The church needs the same baptash
IS. "They OF the circumcision" The
Jews who vs,s had ,aapn.Ss Were
amazed that Gentiles should be admitted
10 the same favor as themselves.
70. Magnify God" Praise and gior'fy
4T. Forbid water" etc. Though the
cift Of the Spirit had been made so appar.
ent, yet St. Peter did not omit the out
ss. Commanded" 1t seems that Peter
did not perform the baptism himself, but
gave directions that the Christians VINO
had come with hiha from Joppa should st.
tend to It. It was not the practice OF the
apostles themselves to baptize very ex.
tensive. prayed them him" They en-
treated Peter. ITO tarry."' No doubt hs
remained to more fully indoctrinate them
! in the new faith, and to show them that he
was ready to act according to the teachings
given him in the vision (7s. 0: l6l. and est
with Gcntiles.
Water In the Libyan Dssers,