The Pulpit Commentary — Acts — Volume 1 — Section 357

Pctcr's vi~ion, ob~erving. how it affected t~e :mind of one who was so thoroughly imbuod with Jewish not10ns. In our Lords time the laws of the clean &nd unclean wcro scrupulously observed, and the apostles had not yet realized how the new spirit of Christ's kingdom wa.s to set them free from the bonda"es and the limitationg of the Jewish ceremonial. God would, by this vision, correct t;o of the prevailin(J' mistakes. 1. '!'hat his favour was granted only to certain defined classes and individuals of mankind. He "86 loved the world." 2. That his service was found in the obedience of merely external regulations, that once had their usefulness and their meaning but were not necessarily expressions of heart-love and devotion. 'l'he first mistake' was corrected, in the vision, by the outstretched sheet, which was a fio-ure of the wide world, and the four corneru as the directions into which the gosp~l was now to be borne forth into all the world. The second mistake was corrected by the obliteration of all formal distinctions in the announcement that what God has cleansed man may not call common, for God will receive the love and trust and worship of "whosoever will." Dean I'lumptre says, "In the interpretation of the vision, all that belon"s to humanity had been taken up into heaven, (1) when man's nature was assumed by the eternal Word in the Incarnation (John i. 14), and (2) when that nature had been raised in the Ascension to the heaven of heavens." ,ve may consider- !. THE fil'IVERSAL TRUTH AS HERE STATED AND ILLUSTRATED. "What God bath cleansed, that call not. thou common." God affirms that the whole earth is free to receive the message of the gospel, all disabilities and barriers a.re for ever removed, and he recognizes no longer the distinctions of elect and non-elect; "To the Gentiles also is granted repentance unto life." It may be shown (1) that God, as Creator and Pre.server, cares for his whole world; (2) that, as the fatherly Ruler, he is concerned for the moral well-being of the whole world; (3) that, as dealing with wilful and rebellious children, we must conceive that he seeks to nccomplish the salvation of all. This truth is the very life of our missionary labour. We are bidden to preach the gospel "to every creature," with a perfect assurance that God would have" all men to be saved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth." 'l.'his truth is often embraced with difficulty, after strong conflict with limiting prejudices; it is often held as mere sentiment; and perhaps on few men '3 it the inspiration to noble labours and sacrifices that it was designed to he. How it would urge us to missionary work, if we really believed that Christ wants every man to come to him, and would have us bring them! II. THE LIMITATIONS OF Tms TRUTH FOUND IN JUDAISM. Special favour to one particular race-or, as we may better express it, the special ca.11 of one race to a particular work or witness-does not assume or involve the Divine indiffe:ence to the rest; we might more wisely say that all special calls of the few were made for the sake of the whole, and God's love to the world ma.de him commit a special revelation to the trust of the Jew. The distinction between "clean and unclean'' in the food represented a distinction of clean and unclean between Jew nnd Gentile. But " unclean" things were still God's, and used by him for other purposes, though not just for food. 'l.'hey were not despised or rejected things, but each had its mission. And so Gentiles were not out of God's care and favour because Jews were in. They too occupied the places he assigned and did the work he willed. It may further be shown that the Jewish limitations were designedly (1) temporary, (2) educational- prepa.ra.tory to the advent of Christ, in whom and by whom the Divine thought for the whole race could be fully revealed. Ill. THE REMOVAL OF THE LIMITATIONS UNDER THE CHRISTIAN SYST!i:llf. Which deals with man as man, apart from any local and temporary distinctions of (1) nationality, (2) class, (3) genius, (4) location, or (5) ceremonial cleanness. 'l'be gospel is for the" sons of men." Jew and Gentile, Greek and Roman, bond and free, meet as sinners at the feet of Christ, to receive the forgiveness of sins and the life everlasting. Now there is nothing common in God's sight. Every soul is a priceless 60ul, fur it has been bought with prt1cious blood, the infi.nite sacrifice of the Sou of God.-R. 'f. Vers. 17, 18.-Providences may translate revelation,. The effect of the vision on the mind of St. Peter is indicated in the simple expression," doubted in himself what this vision which he had 1ecn should mean." He was puzzled and set aru.iously .wn. 2A 854 THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLEa [ea. lL 1-48.