PETER AND CORNELIUS by J. O. Corliss

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Apr 9, 1902

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 28, No. 15.

PETER AND CORNELIUS.

By J. O. Corliss

At every step God leads His witnesses into just the experience that is best for the accomplishment of His purpose. Peter encountered one phase at Lydda, and another, entirely different, at Joppa. But each of these was well designed to meet the needs of the locality in which it was found. While the apostle was tarrying at Joppa, God was preparing still another experience for him, well calculated to meet the needs of the people among whom he would go, and also to enlarge his own view of the scope of the Gospel.

Between forty and fifty miles north of Joppa, on the sea-coast, lay Cæsarea. In this city was a very devout man, a Roman officer, who, with all his family, revered God, and desired to know the truth. His sincerity was rewarded with a vision from God, in which he was first commended for his integrity, and was then told to send messengers to Joppa to bring Peter thence, who would be able to tell him something of great importance. Two trusty men, with a guard, were therefore despatched southward, with exact information as to the name and lodging-place of the man wanted, and the message to be borne to him.

But to insure the success of the mission of Cornelius’ servants, prior to their arrival God instructed Peter also about their coming. Just before they reached the town, Peter went as usual to the housetop to pray. While there he became very hungry, and desired to eat. He gave his order for food; but while it was being prepared in the room below, in vision he saw a great sheet descend from heaven, held together by the four corners, and filled with all kinds of living beasts, birds, and insects. While viewing this singular spectacle, a voice came distinctly to Peter, telling him to arise, “kill, and eat.” The thought of this was repulsive to Peter, who, as a Jew, had never eaten unclean meats, so he objected to the order. Three times, however, in the vision, this command to partake of the creatures seen in the sheet was repeated to the apostle. On returning to his normal state, Peter doubted as to the meaning of the vision; and while he was conjecturing about it, the messengers from Cornelius came to the house where Peter was. Just then the Spirit said to him, “Three men seek thee. Arise therefore, and get thee down, and go with them, doubting nothing; for I have sent them.”

Thus warned against hesitation, Peter met the men, and upon hearing their message, decided to return with them to the north. The next day Peter, with a select company from Joppa, set out with the messengers of Cornelius, and in due time arrived in Cæsarea, where mutual explanations between Peter and Cornelius made it evident that God had been preparing Cornelius to receive more truth, and working a change of mind in Peter that would enable him to carry advanced light to a Gentile.

Accordingly, Peter began teaching the company he found gathered by Cornelius in his own house. But the first thing he communicated to them was the new light that had come to his own mind,—that he should never again call any man “common or unclean.” Acts 10: 28. The vision of the sheet filled with all sorts of animals, both clean and unclean, had taught Peter the truth that “God is no respecter of persons.”

After thus prefacing his remarks, Peter went on to tell the simple story of the cross. Beginning with the preaching of John, he introduced Jesus, and the wonderful manifestation of the Spirit’s descent, witnessing to His Sonship, and anointing Him to the work for which He had come into the world. Then in a sentence or two were told the good deeds of His life, the cruel death He met at the hands of the Jews, and the proof of His resurrection by the power of God. Next came the rehearsal of the Gospel commission, by virtue of which the apostle himself was then proclaiming the good news that by the power of Jesus’ name every believer in Him should receive remission of sins.

As these gracious words fell from the apostle’s lips, the Holy Ghost rested on every one present, confirming the statements being made before them. The effect of this was not the same upon all present. The Gentiles rejoiced greatly, and spoke in new, and to them unknown languages, as they attempted to praise God. Those of Peter’s company—Jews by birth—were not thus moved. They did little else but stand in mute astonishment, as they witnessed the undoubted working of God’s power upon Gentiles. All their long-cherished theory, that the Gentiles were but dogs whom God could not deign to notice, was by this manifestation entirely dissipated, and so their conversion to an enlargement of vision was accomplished by the same means through which the Gentiles came to know Christ.

There is a moral in this study well worth the consideration of modern evangelists. In that case but a few moments were needed for the necessary work to be accomplished. The simple story of Christ’s pure life and tragic death, unadorned by anecdotes of death-bed scenes, was sufficient, and the Spirit could bear witness to it all in a way not known in our day. Yet the same conditions of sin and darkness are in the world, and ought to be just as fully met now as they were then. It is folly to reason that the Gospel is not now what it then was,—the power of God unto salvation; for that would virtually be to admit that now salvation power has been lost from the Gospel. Would it not be well, therefore, to inquire seriously as to the disparity between our time and that of the immediate disciples of Christ? We surely have the same truth that they had, and this is fortified by the same promise that it then carried. Where, then, is the difficulty?

J. O. CORLISS.