But, to enter into the true spirit of the words, we must notice in them,
II. The surprise manifested —
The Apostles, even after an interval of six years, had no idea of the extension of the Gospel to the Gentiles —
[They had, by the law of Moses, been taught to regard the uncircumcised Gentiles as unclean, and to avoid all need- less connexion with them. The whole ceremonial law was intended as a kind of partition wall between them and the Gentiles. And even the Lord Jesus Christ himself had de- clared, that " he was not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel;" and that " he could not take the children's bread, and cast it unto dogs," which was deemed the proper appellation of the heathen. And when he had sent out his seventy Disciples, he gave them an especial commandment, " Into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not." How then could Peter, with any propriety, go to a heathen family, and take up his abode with them? True, the circumstances, which he had related, justified his procedure: but still it was un- accountable, that God should so vary his dispensations, after having confined his revelation to the descendants of Abraham for two thousand years, and left all the heathen world in darkness and in the shadow of death during the whole of that period.]
But now, to their utter amazement, the wall of partition between them and the Gentiles was thrown down —
[That it was so, admitted of no doubt. But still, the reasons of this dispensation they could not yet see. True, the Lord Jesus had said to them, " Go into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature." But they supposed this could only refer to the Jews, who were dispersed among the Gentiles, it never could refer to the Gentiles themselves. They could never be placed on a level with the descendants of Abraham ; or be made to inherit the blessings of the Abrahamic covenant : they who were " strangers and foreigners could never be made fellow-citizens with the saints and of the household of God." Yet so it was ; and they could not con- tradict it: and therefore, in utter amazement, they cried, " Then hath God to the Gentiles also granted repentance unto life." How it is, we know not ; but that so it is, we are sure: since the account now given us has confirmed it, beyond a possibility of doubt.]