BK ST Sep 12 song 80

Chapter 9
“God Is Not Partial”

“Peter Was in Great Perplexity” (Acts 10:9-23a)
     8 Still on the rooftop, “Peter was in great perplexity” over the meaning of the vision when messengers from Cornelius approached the house. (Acts 10:17) Would Peter, who had three times said that he would refuse to eat foods considered unclean according to the Law, be willing to go with these men and enter into the home of a Gentile? In some way holy spirit made God’s will known in this matter. Peter was told: “Look! Three men are seeking you. However, rise, go downstairs and be on your way with them, not doubting at all, because I have dispatched them.” (Acts 10:19, 20) The vision of the sheetlike vessel that Peter had received no doubt prepared him to yield to the leadings of the holy spirit.
    9 Learning that Cornelius had been divinely instructed to send for him, Peter invited the Gentile messengers into the house “and entertained them.” (Acts 10:23a) The obedient apostle was already adjusting to new developments in the outworking of God’s will.
8, 9. What did the spirit make known to Peter, and how did he respond?

(Acts 10:17) Now while Peter was in great perplexity inwardly over what the vision he had seen might mean, look! the men dispatched by Cornelius had made inquiries for Simon’s house and stood there at the gate.
(Acts 10:19-20) As Peter was going over in his mind about the vision, the spirit said: “Look! Three men are seeking you. 20 However, rise, go downstairs and be on your way with them, not doubting at all, because I have dispatched them.”
(Acts 10:23) Therefore he invited them in and entertained them. The next day he rose and went off with them, and some of the brothers that were from Jop′pa went with him.

     10 To this day, Jehovah leads his people progressively. (Prov. 4:18) By means of his holy spirit, he is guiding “the faithful and discreet slave” and its Governing Body. (Matt. 24:45) At times, we may receive clarifications in our understanding of God’s Word or changes in certain organizational procedures. We do well to ask ourselves: ‘How do I respond to such refinements? Do I submit to the leadings of God’s spirit in these matters?’
10. How does Jehovah lead his people, and what questions may we need to ask ourselves?

(Proverbs 4:18) But the path of the righteous ones is like the bright light that is getting lighter and lighter until the day is firmly established.
(Matthew 24:45) “Who really is the faithful and discreet slave whom his master appointed over his domestics, to give them their food at the proper time?

Peter “Commanded Them to Be Baptized” (Acts 10:23b-48)
     11 The day after his vision, Peter and nine others—the three messengers sent by Cornelius and “six [Jewish] brothers” from Joppa—headed up to Caesarea. (Acts 11:12) Expecting Peter, Cornelius had assembled “his relatives and intimate friends”—evidently all Gentiles. (Acts 10:24) Upon arriving, Peter did something once unthinkable for him: He entered the home of an uncircumcised Gentile! Peter explained: “You well know how unlawful it is for a Jew to join himself to or approach a man of another race; and yet God has shown me I should call no man defiled or unclean.” (Acts 10:28) By now Peter had come to discern that the vision he had received was intended to teach a lesson that was not limited to the types of foods one should eat. He should “call no man [not even a Gentile] defiled.”

     12 A receptive audience awaited Peter. “We are all present before God to hear all the things you have been commanded by Jehovah to say,” explained Cornelius. (Acts 10:33) Imagine how you would feel if you heard such words from an interested person! Peter began with this powerful statement: “For a certainty I perceive that God is not partial, but in every nation the man that fears him and works righteousness is acceptable to him.” (Acts 10:34, 35) Peter had learned that God’s view of people is not determined by race, nationality, or any other external factors. Peter proceeded to bear witness about Jesus’ ministry, death, and resurrection.
11, 12. What did Peter do upon arriving in Caesarea, and what had he learned?

(Acts 11:12) So the spirit told me to go with them, not doubting at all. But these six brothers also went with me, and we entered into the house of the man.
(Acts 10:24) On the day after that he entered into Caes·a·re′a. Cornelius, of course, was expecting them and had called together his relatives and intimate friends.
(Acts 10:28) and he said to them: “YOU well know how unlawful it is for a Jew to join himself to or approach a man of another race; and yet God has shown me I should call no man defiled or unclean.
(Acts 10:33) Therefore I at once sent to you, and you did well in coming here. And so at this time we are all present before God to hear all the things you have been commanded by Jehovah to say.”
(Acts 10:34-35) At this Peter opened his mouth and said: “For a certainty I perceive that God is not partial, 35 but in every nation the man that fears him and works righteousness is acceptable to him.

     13 Something unprecedented now happened: “While Peter was yet speaking,” the holy spirit was poured out upon those “people of the nations.” (Acts 10:44, 45) This is the only reported case in the Scriptures of the spirit’s being poured out before baptism. Recognizing this sign of God’s approval, Peter “commanded them [that group of Gentiles] to be baptized.” (Acts 10:48) The conversion of these Gentiles in 36 C.E. marked the end of the period of special favor to the Jews. (Dan. 9:24-27) Taking the lead on this occasion, Peter used the third and final ‘key of the kingdom.’ (Matt. 16:19) This key opened the door for uncircumcised Gentiles to become spirit-anointed Christians.
     14 As Kingdom proclaimers today, we recognize that “there is no partiality with God.” (Rom. 2:11) It is his will that “all sorts of men should be saved.” (1 Tim. 2:4) So we must never judge people on the basis of external characteristics. Our commission is to bear thorough witness about God’s Kingdom, and that involves preaching to all people, regardless of their race, nationality, appearance, or religious background.
13, 14. (a) What was significant about the conversion of Cornelius and other Gentiles in 36 C.E.? (b) Why should we not judge people on the basis of external characteristics?

(Acts 10:44-45) While Peter was yet speaking about these matters the holy spirit fell upon all those hearing the word. 45 And the faithful ones that had come with Peter who were of those circumcised were amazed, because the free gift of the holy spirit was being poured out also upon people of the nations.
(Acts 10:48) With that he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they requested him to remain for some days.
(Daniel 9:24-27) “There are seventy weeks that have been determined upon your people and upon your holy city, in order to terminate the transgression, and to finish off sin, and to make atonement for error, and to bring in righteousness for times indefinite, and to imprint a seal upon vision and prophet, and to anoint the Holy of Holies. 25 And you should know and have the insight [that] from the going forth of [the] word to restore and to rebuild Jerusalem until Mes·si′ah [the] Leader, there will be seven weeks, also sixty-two weeks. She will return and be actually rebuilt, with a public square and moat, but in the straits of the times. 26 “And after the sixty-two weeks Mes·si′ah will be cut off, with nothing for himself. “And the city and the holy place the people of a leader that is coming will bring to their ruin. And the end of it will be by the flood. And until [the] end there will be war; what is decided upon is desolations. 27 “And he must keep [the] covenant in force for the many for one week; and at the half of the week he will cause sacrifice and gift offering to cease. “And upon the wing of disgusting things there will be the one causing desolation; and until an extermination, the very thing decided upon will go pouring out also upon the one lying desolate.”
(Matthew 16:19) I will give you the keys of the kingdom of the heavens, and whatever you may bind on earth will be the thing bound in the heavens, and whatever you may loose on earth will be the thing loosed in the heavens.”
(Romans 2:11) For there is no partiality with God.
(1 Timothy 2:4) whose will is that all sorts of men should be saved and come to an accurate knowledge of truth.

“They Acquiesced, and They Glorified God” (Acts 11:1-18)
     15 No doubt eager to report what had happened, Peter headed for Jerusalem. Evidently, the news that uncircumcised Gentiles had “received the word of God” preceded him. Soon after Peter arrived, “the supporters of circumcision began to contend with him.” They were disturbed because he had entered “the house of men that were not circumcised and had eaten with them.” (Acts 11:1-3) The issue was not whether Gentiles could become followers of Christ. Rather, those Jewish disciples were really insisting that Gentiles needed to observe the Law—including circumcision—in order to worship Jehovah acceptably. Clearly, some Jewish disciples had difficulty letting go of the Mosaic Law.
     16 How did Peter explain his actions? According to Acts 11:4-16, he recounted four evidences of heavenly direction: (1) the divine vision he had received (Verses 4-10); (2) the spirit’s command (Verses 11, 12); (3) the angel’s visit to Cornelius (Verses 13, 14); and (4) the pouring out of the holy spirit upon the Gentiles. (Verses 15, 16) Peter concluded with a most compelling question: “If, therefore, God gave the same free gift [of holy spirit] to them [believing Gentiles] as he also did to us [Jews] who have believed upon the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I should be able to hinder God?”—Acts 11:17.
15, 16. Why did some Jewish Christians contend with Peter, and how did he explain his actions?

(Acts 11:1-3) Now the apostles and the brothers that were in Ju·de′a heard that people of the nations had also received the word of God. 2 So when Peter came up to Jerusalem, the [supporters] of circumcision began to contend with him, 3 saying he had gone into the house of men that were not circumcised and had eaten with them.
(Acts 11:4-16) At this Peter commenced and went on to explain the particulars to them, saying: 5 “I was in the city of Jop′pa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision, some sort of vessel descending like a great linen sheet being let down by its four extremities from heaven, and it came clear to me. 6 Gazing into it, I made observations and saw four-footed creatures of the earth and wild beasts and creeping things and birds of heaven. 7 I also heard a voice say to me, ‘Rise, Peter, slaughter and eat!’ 8 But I said, ‘Not at all, Lord, because a defiled or unclean thing has never entered into my mouth.’ 9 The second time the voice from heaven answered, ‘You stop calling defiled the things God has cleansed.’ 10 This occurred for a third time, and everything was pulled up again into heaven. 11 Also, look! at that instant there were three men standing at the house in which we were, they having been dispatched from Caes·a·re′a to me. 12 So the spirit told me to go with them, not doubting at all. But these six brothers also went with me, and we entered into the house of the man. 13 “He reported to us how he saw the angel stand in his house and say, ‘Dispatch men to Jop′pa and send for Simon who is surnamed Peter, 14 and he will speak those things to you by which you and all your household may get saved.’ 15 But when I started to speak, the holy spirit fell upon them just as it did also upon us in [the] beginning. 16 At this I called to mind the saying of the Lord, how he used to say, ‘John, for his part, baptized with water, but YOU will be baptized in holy spirit.’
(Acts 11:17) If, therefore, God gave the same free gift to them as he also did to us who have believed upon the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I should be able to hinder God?”

     17 Peter’s testimony posed a crucial test for those Jewish Christians. Would they be able to put aside any traces of prejudice and accept the newly baptized Gentiles as their fellow Christians? The account tells us: “Now when they [the apostles and other Jewish Christians] heard these things, they acquiesced, and they glorified God, saying: ‘Well, then, God has granted repentance for the purpose of life to people of the nations also.’” (Acts 11:18) That positive attitude preserved the unity of the congregation.
     18 Maintaining unity today can be challenging, for true worshippers have come “out of all nations and tribes and peoples and tongues.” (Rev. 7:9) We thus find a diversity of races, cultures, and backgrounds in many congregations. We do well to ask ourselves: ‘Have I rooted out of my heart any traces of prejudice? Am I determined never to let this world’s divisive traits—including nationalism, tribalism, pride in culture, and racism—influence the way I treat my Christian brothers?’ Recall what happened to Peter (Cephas) some years after the conversion of the first Gentiles. Yielding to the prejudice of others, he “went withdrawing and separating himself” from Gentile Christians and had to be corrected by Paul. (Gal. 2:11-14) Let us keep ever on guard against the snare of prejudice.
17, 18. (a) Peter’s testimony posed what test for Jewish Christians? (b) Why can it be a challenge to preserve the unity of the congregation, and what questions do we do well to ask ourselves?

(Acts 11:18) Now when they heard these things, they acquiesced, and they glorified God, saying: “Well, then, God has granted repentance for the purpose of life to people of the nations also.”
(Revelation 7:9) After these things I saw, and, look! a great crowd, which no man was able to number, out of all nations and tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, dressed in white robes; and there were palm branches in their hands.
(Galatians 2:11-14) However, when Ce′phas came to Antioch, I resisted him face to face, because he stood condemned. 12 For before the arrival of certain men from James, he used to eat with people of the nations; but when they arrived, he went withdrawing and separating himself, in fear of those of the circumcised class. 13 The rest of the Jews also joined him in putting on this pretense, so that even Bar′na·bas was led along with them in their pretense. 14 But when I saw they were not walking straight according to the truth of the good news, I said to Ce′phas before them all: “If you, though you are a Jew, live as the nations do, and not as Jews do, how is it that you are compelling people of the nations to live according to Jewish practice?”