We will now proceed to state,]
2. What they do mean —
[The Jews imagined themselves to be the only people whom God would ever admit to his favour. As for the Gen- tile world, the Jews regarded them as dogs, and as accursed of the Lord. Some of them went so far as to think, that no Jew, however wicked, would be condemned, nor any Gentile, however righteous, would be saved. Against this kind of error both the Baptist and our Lord bore testimony d. And even the Apostles themselves were far from having a correct judgment respecting it : they supposed that God would favour the Jews, because they were Jews ; and that he would not look upon the Gentiles, because they were Gentiles. But God had now shewn to Peter, that this was an error : he had shewn to him, that the partition-wall between Jews and Gentiles was broken down ; that no man was henceforth to be accounted unclean ; that his Gospel was to be freely preached to all without any distinction ; and that all, of whatever nation they might be, should be accepted with him, provided they really feared him, and wrought righteousness ; that is, that God would not regard any thing in man, but his moral and religious character : if any man possessed ever so many privileges, they should avail nothing to his eternal welfare, unless they were accompanied with such dispositions and actions as characterized the elect of God : but, if any man sought him humbly, and served him faithfully, he should be brought to the knowledge of salvation, and his feet be guided into the way of peace.
That this is the real meaning of the passage, appears from the whole context. Peter no sooner came to Cornelius, than he reminded him of the barrier which had been placed between Jews and Gentiles, so as to cut off all friendly intercourse between them; and told him how that barrier had been removed: and, when he found the account which the mes- sengers had given him, confirmed by Cornelius himself, and that God had interposed as much to direct Cornelius to send for Peter, as to direct Peter to go to him, " he opened his mouth" with a solemnity suited to the occasion, and pro- claimed God as the common Father of all mankind, equally accessible to all, and equally gracious unto all, who should seek and serve him in his appointed waye.]
The words thus explained are very instructive. Let us consider,
II. The truths to be deduced from them — They shew us,
d Matt. iii. 9, 10. John viii. 39, 44. e Rom. x. 11, 12.
bb2