The Yale expositor., 1909-04-02
PETER AND
CORNELIUS
Sunday School Lesson for April 4, 1909
Specially Arranged for This Paper

that feareth him, and worketh righteous
ness, is accepted with him."-Acts. 1875.
| TIME.-3S-40 A. ID.
| PLACES.-Joppa and Caesarea. "Tbe
traditional house of Simon the tanner
is typical eastern dwelling. with heavy
barred gateways and a forbidding, win
dowless exterior. The waves OF the Medi-
terranean beat against thu low outer
wall, while in the courtyard Is a spring
of pure water which tradition tells us
was used by Simon."-Rev. Francis
+. Clark, d. ID.
RULERS.-Herod Agrippa, king of Jul
dea and Samaria. Caligula. emperor of
Rome.
Comment and Suggestive Thought.
1.-THE main purpose of the book OF
the Acts is to untold the broadening
spirit and form of the church of God"
Theodore T.. Munger, ID. ID. This
chapter (Acts 10) is parallel In i'm
portance with that which depicted the
scenes of Penticost. David o. Mears,
ID. d.
Cornelius was a centurion, CORE
spending to our captain, the head OF
a company of soldiers numbering 100
when full. This company was part OF
the cohort called the Italian band"
because made up of Romans born in
Italy.
% He was "a devout man, and one
that feared God" The words have
technical sense" says McGiffert, and
indicate that Cornelius worshiped the
God of the Jews, but was not formally
a proselyte. (2) He was a good hus
band and father, and led "all hiL
house" in his own righteous ways. (3)
He was liberal, and gave much aims
to the people" (4) He was not only
outwardly devout, but inwardly pious.
and prayed to God always" In these
secret prayers we may be sure, from
the sequel, that he sought for better
knowledge of God and of Gods will,
for that is what was given him ". ~.
| (5) Moreover (Acts 10: 22), Cornelius
carried his religion into practical af-
fairs, where he was just and fair deal
ing; and (6) as the result Of it all, he
was held In high honor by the Jews
themselves (Acts 10: 22). as well as
by the Gentiles. 1t would nave been
impossible to find better man for
Gods purpose, or one who would have
appealed more strongly to Peter.
1.-The sixth hour" (noon) was "a set
time of devotion with pious Jews" y
Geikie. Peter had retired from his
comrades in toll, for perhaps he helped
Simon in his tannery, and nowhere
better than upon the housetop" could
he find privacy and quiet fer prayer.
The roofs of eastern houses are fiat,
and often surrounded with a parapet
three or four feet high, which would
screen Peter from observation as he
knelt. He was very hungry" for he
probably had not yet broken his fast"
-Rackham. They were preparing
food below, and perhaps the SAVIOR of
it rose to the housetop, nut before
1t was ready Peter fell into trance"
The Greek word for trance is different
from the word for Cornelius vision.
A vision is something seen outside
ones self; trance is the condition of
ones mind, that sees inner visions.
One is not asleep, and II is not a
dream, but a peculiar exaitation of
the spirit. In this trance Peter saw,
let down from the sky, a great sheet.
like 1.-The wind-stretched canvas of the
craft on the Lake of Galilee. "-Lumby.
1t was full of animals, many of them
The wild beasts and reptiles which the
Jews considered unclean. Three times
mysterious voice babe Peter rise
from his knees and Stay and eat the
shocking food, three times he refused
n horror, three times he was hidden
20 make nothing unclean that God
nad cleansed by bidding him partake
Of it. and then the great sheet was
lifted and disappeared in the shy.
| The messengers from Cornelius
had made inquiry for Simon's house"
| (the Greek word implies a careful
search through the streets), and while
Peter was meditating on his vision,
they were even then at the gate, and
calling for him. Before word OF his
visitor could reach him, the Holy
Spirit in some way made Peter con-
scious of their coming, and babe him
go with them.
| The outstretched sheet which Peter
saw in his vision signified the whole
world, and the four corners symbol
feed the directions. north. south. east
and west, in which the gospel was to
be carried. The contents OF the sheet
showed that all men were to be
reached, the lowest races as we'll as
the highest, savage and civilized. poor
and rich, ignorant and wise. II was a
perfect symbol of foreign missions.
From every nation on earth immi-
grants are pouring into the United
States at the rate Of more than mill
ion a year America is the modern
equivalent of the sheet of Peters
vision. full of clean and unclean. men
of all languages, beliefs, customs, help
full and hurtful, blessings and
scourges. The work of home missions
is to believe in all these. love them all.
and win them all for Jesus Christ
Peter obeyed promptly and gladly.
taking one step toward fellowship
with the Gentiles by entertaining the