SUGGESTIVE QUESTIONS

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Apr 16, 1902

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 28, No. 16.

SUGGESTIVE QUESTIONS

LESSON 4.—APRIL 27.—GENTILES RECEIVED INTO THE CHURCH.

Lesson Scripture, Acts 11:1-18, R.V. 1 "Now the apostles and the brethren that were in Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the Word of God. 2 And when Peter was come up to Jerusalem, they that were of the circumcision contended with him, saying, 3 Thou wentest in to men uncircumcised, and didst eat with them. But 4 Peter began, and expounded the matter unto them in order, 5 saying, I was in the city of Joppa praying; and in a trance I saw a vision, a certain vessel descending, as it were a great 6 sheet let down from heaven by four corners; and it came even 7 unto me; upon the which when I had fastened mine eyes, I considered, and saw the four-footed beasts of the earth and 8 wild beasts and creeping things and fowls of the heaven. And 9 I heard also a voice saying unto me, Rise, Peter; kill and eat. 10 But I said, Not so, Lord; for nothing common or unclean hath 9 ever entered into my mouth. But a voice answered the second 10 time out of heaven, What God hath cleansed, make not 11 thou common. And this was done thrice; and all were drawn 12 up again into heaven. And behold, forthwith three men 12 stood before the house in which we were, having been sent 13 from Cæsarea unto me. And the Spirit bade me go with 13 them, making no distinction. And these six brethren also 14 accompanied me; and we entered into the man's house; and 14 he told us how he had seen the angel standing in his house, 15 and saying, Send to Joppa, and fetch Simon, whose surname 15 is Peter; who shall speak unto thee words whereby thou shalt 16 be saved, thou and all thy house. And as I began to speak, 16 the Holy Ghost fell on them, even as on us at the beginning. 17 And I remembered the word of the Lord, how that He said, 17 John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized 18 with the Holy Ghost. If then God gave unto them the like 18 gift, as He did also unto us when we believed on the Lord 18 Jesus Christ, who was I, that I could withstand God? And 18 when they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then to the Gentiles also hath God granted repentance unto life." Golden Text.—"Whosoever believeth in Him shall receive remission of sins." Acts 10:43.

SUGGESTIVE QUESTIONS.

(1) What strange word had been spread abroad in Judea? Verse 1. Note 1. (2) How was Peter received when he came to Jerusalem? Verses 2, 3. Note 2. (3) What did Peter say in defense of his action? Verse 4. (4) In what city was he when he saw the vision? What did he see in vision? Verses 5, 6. (5) What voice did he hear? Verse 7. (6) What was Peter's reply? Verse 8. (7) What did the voice say? Verse 9. Note 5. (8) How often was the scene repeated? Verse 10. (9) After this vision, who came to the house where Peter was? Verse 11. (10) What command did Peter then receive from the Spirit? Who accompanied him? Verse 12. Note 4. (11) What did Peter say was shown to him by Cornelius? Verses 13, 14. (12) What did he say occurred as he began to speak? Verse 15. (13) What was brought to his mind? Verse 16. (14) When Peter had finished his rehearsal, what conclusive appeal did he make to the brethren? Verse 17. (15) How did the company receive his report? Verse 18. Note 5. Besides the notes, read the article of the same title as the lesson, in the fore part of paper.

NOTES.

1. "In Judea" means, literally, "throughout Judea." The news of Peter's experience at the house of Cornelius, as presented in our last lesson, had spread rapidly, because it was a strange and unexpected event, even to the Christian Jews.

2. This accusation shows how difficult it is to throw off a deeply rooted prejudice. Notwithstanding the Lord's commission to "go into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature," even the apostles were slow to understand that the Gentiles were to be included in the call. And even at a later date Peter and Barnabas were influenced by this prejudice. See Gal. 2:11-14. And the evil of prejudice—national, sectional, and individual—is to this day an effectual hindrance to Gospel work.

3. The vision which Peter saw at Cæsarea was not given for him alone, nor for that occasion alone. The whole church, as then constituted, stood in need of a special manifestation to convince them that the Lord's Word meant what it said. The lesson is also for our learning; for there is about as much inclination on the part of the church to ignore certain despised races and classes to-day, as there was on the part of the Jews to ignore the Gentiles in that day.

4. Witnesses.—We are not told that Peter was called to Jerusalem to answer the charge of going in among the Gentiles, and eating with them, but it is clear that he expected a discussion of the matter when he took with him the six witnesses who had accompanied him to the house of Cornelius at Cæsarea. The contention over the matter was evidently a warm one; the word translated "contended" in verse 2 is the same as in Jude 9, in the reference to Michael contending with the devil about the body of Moses.

5. What They Learned.—On the occasion of the vision, Peter did not learn that he was thereafter to eat all manner of beasts and fowls and creeping things; but that he was not to call any man common or unclean. In other words, he was to give the Gospel to all classes of men; they could all be cleansed by faith in Christ. And when the matter was rehearsed to the apostles and brethren at Jerusalem, they understood it just as Peter did. The lesson was a spiritual one, with no reference whatever to the question of physical diet. There is nothing in it for people who seek proof that every vile creature is a proper article of diet. The lesson is that "to the Gentiles [all sinners] also hath God granted repentance unto life." And it is the Christian's privilege and duty to tell them so.