The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1902-04-25

Lesson n the Intersatioasj Series
for April ~. IDO2-CesttI~s Rs-
ceised Iato the Church.
THE LESSON TEXT.


the beginning. and expounded II by orcer
unto them. saying.
.. was IN the city Of Joppa praying; and
IN trance saw "A vision. A certain vessel
descend. as IL had been a great sheet let
down from heaven by four corners: and II
came even to me:
6. Upon the which when | had fastened
mine eyes. considered. and saw four
footed beasts OF the earth. and w.id beasts.
and creeping things. and fowls Of the air.
4 AND heard voice saying unto me-
Arse. Peter. STAY and eat.
e. Blu, l said. Not So Lord: for noth!ns
common or unclean hath at any time en-
tered into my mouth.
y but the voice answered me again from
Heaven. What God hath oleansec, that call
not thou common.
10 And this was done three times; and all
were crawn up again into Heaven.
IL. And, behold. imme diately there were
three men already come unto the house
wnere ] was. sent from caesarea unto me.
y. And the spirit bade me go with them.
nothing doubling Moreover these six
brethren accompanied me. and We entered
Into the mans house
", 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:
a. Who shall tell thee words. whereby
aHoN rAo All my mouse sIdll De saved
- And as / began 10 speak. the Holy
Ghost fel on them. as on US at the begin
nirg
GOLDEN TExT.-Whosoev~r beAiev-
eth In Him shall receive remission
of sins.
OUTLINE OF scRlPTCRAL SECTION.
Pster arraigned -................Acts II: j.
Peter sSplalrs................ IL: Ali.
Peter approved. .................Acts Has
Time.-A. ID. 81.
Place.-Jerusalem.
NOTES AND COMMENTS.
The Gentiles Acknowledged Preju-
diced as he was. Peter had been unable
10 resist the evidence that God made
no distinction between Gentiles and
Jews. and hence baptized Cornelius and
his companions. But he had to face the
church, possessed Of the same Jewish
bigotry. for associating and eating
with those who were uncircumcised.
The question had TO come up as to
whether Gentiles could become Chris
iians without first becoming Jewish
proselytes. The incident at CAesarea
brought il up. and though the decision
was Just. Yet. as we shall find. the mat
Ter was not finally disposed o.
Peter Arraigned.-The visit 10 Cor
nelius was probably the last incident
~ Peters journey, and he went back
soon TO Jerusalem. The news Of his
action went before him and caused
sensation. Some. no doubt, rejoiced
at the step forward which had been
taken. but others were disturbed at
Peters action. OF course. in the strict
sense If the words. all the members
Of the church in Jerusalem were "of
the circumcision" but the phrase Is
used as result Of the later discussions
with which Luke was familiar when he
wrote ltrefers to those who regarded
the law Of Moses as part OF the Cos
pei rather than as an introduction to
1t. They believed that no uncircum-
ciscd man was questioned. and the way
in which he had TO defend himself
proved that he had no personal or Of
fetal authority TO act as he pleased.
Peter Explains.-The history Of the
way in which Peter was led TO go TO
Caesarea carried his justification on
the face Of it, The fact that he was
praying when he saw his vision was an
Indication that he was actually di-
rected by God through il. The vessel
which he saw was very large. its cor
ners being held in the sky. while its
center reached the earth. The animals
which ii contained were apparently all
Of the class Of creatures forbidden for
food by the Jewish law. Peter was
hungry at the time. and the in
vitation to eat must have been pleas
ant. but he was unwilling to eat I'M
clean beasts. Gods answer 10 his re-
Spouse was an intimation that hhere
/ Is law higher than that If the out
ward form. God cannot. without maxi
I ing the world over. cause two and two
70 be FIVE. but God can change al His
Measure laws about food. As n mat
ter 81 fact. the Jewish unwillingness
" from the fear lest. in such associa-
ton. they might. unwittingly. eat I'M
clean or defiled food. The meaning Of
the symbol was made apparent when
Cornelius messengers came and the
Spirit especially instructed him TO go
with them. overlooking his Jewish
preiudices. The six disciples from
Joppa who went with him TO Caesarea
and to Jerusalem stood as witnesses
10 the propriety Of Peters action and
10 the genuineness of the outpourinc
~ the Spirit upon the Gentiles. But
the greatest witness was the Holy Spir.
II. Peters concluding question ". ~
was unanswerable. rs his strongest op.
ponents perceived.
Peter Approyed.-The people who
"held their peace" were those who AT
first blamed Peter for going TO n Gen
tiles house. Nor could any genuine
Christian. however loyal to the Jew.
ish law and however strong in his jew.
ish pre- JUDGE. fail TO glorify and praise
God for His mercy To the Gentiles. The
decision thus reached was not acted
upon heartily by most OF the disciples
~ q -