The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1902-04-25


NOTES AND COMMENTS.
The Gentiles Acknowledged Preiu-
diced as he was, Peter had been unable
to resist the evidence that God made
no distinction between Gentiles and
Jews, Audience 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
tians without first becoming Jewish
proselytes. The incident at Caesarea
brought it up, and though the decision
was just, yet, as we shall find, the mat
ter was not finally disposed of,
Peter Arraigned.-Th visit to Cor
nelius was probably the last incident
of Peters journey, and he went back
soon to Jerusalem. The news of his
action went before him and caused
sensation. Some, no doubt, reioiced
at the step forward which had been
taken, but others were disturbed at
Peters action. Of course, in the strict
sense of the words, all the members
of the church in Jerusalem were "of
the circumcision" but the phrase is
used as a result of the later discussions
with which Luke was familiar when he
wrote. 1t refers to those who regarded
the law of Moses as part of the Cos
pei rather than as an introduction to
it. They believed that no uncircum-
cised 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 be was actually d.
rected by God through it. 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 it 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 to his re-
Spouse was an intimation that there
is law higher than that of the out
ward form. God cannot, without maxi
ing the world over, cause two and two
to be five; but God can change at His
pleasure laws about food. AS a mat
ter of fact, the Jewish unwillingness
to associate with Gentiles arose large
ly from the fear lest, in such associa-
ton, they might, unwittingly, eat un-
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
prejudices. The six disciples from
Joppa who went with him to Caesarea
and to Jerusalem stood as witnesses
to the propriety of Peters action and
to the genuineness of the outpouring
of the Spirit upon the Gentiles But
the greatest witness was the Holy Spir-
It. Peters concluding question ~ 17)
was unanswerable, as his strongest op-
ponents perceived,
Peter Approved.-The people who
''held their peace" were those who at
| first blamed Peter for going to Gen.
tiles house Nor could any genuine
Christian, however loyal to the Jew
| ish law and however strong in his jew
ish prejudice, 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
for good many years. But it formed
n precedent to which appeal was after.
wards made; and it made it possible for
those who were disposed to preach to
the Gentiles to do so from that time in
| 4 III