16 November

Bible in 365 Days

Acts 9-10

Acts 9

Opposition, the leader of which seems to have been Saul, continued. Armed with letters from the high priest, he attempted to put an end to the Nazarene heresy. It was on his journey with this intent that he was arrested by Christ. The action of Ananias stands out as a revelation of a man ready for his Lord's command, and carrying it out without any hesitation and with all brotherly love.

How important was the apprehension of Saul is evident at once. He completely devoted himself to the service of his new Lord. This change of attitude in the man necessarily issued in a change of attitude toward him. The persecutor became the persecuted. When, after a lapse of time, Paul came to Jerusalem, the Christian disciples were afraid of him, but Barnabas stood by him.

At this point the book returns to Peter. Two incidents are recorded, one at Lydda, where Eneas was healed; the other at Joppa, where Dorcas was raised from the dead. This paragraph ends with a significant announcement. Peter abode many days in Joppa with one Simon, a tanner. The calling of the tanner was absolutely repugnant to the Jew, and the fact that Peter was willing to tarry in his house is a sign that in spirit he was already learning the lesson of how mere national exclusivism was at an end in the economy of Christ.

Acts 10

The story of Cornelius is remarkable. In himself, as Luke tells us, he was "a devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, who gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway." This man received a direct communication in an open vision.

While God was thus drawing Cornelius toward the Evangel, He was preparing the messenger to declare that Evangel. Peter was astonished, and made his astonishment known, but yielded ready obedience to the prompting of the Spirit, and came to the house of Cornelius.

His discourse there opened with a declaration of a new perception of things which had come to him, a perception breaking down his prejudices and broadening his outlook. In dealing with Cornelius he recognized that the preaching which he and the rest had already heard, the proclamation concerning the Lordship of Jesus according to the herald John, was not enough, and he proceeded to testify to the great facts of the Evangel. The result was that a company of new believers were baptized by the Holy Spirit. After this, and as a sign of the essential baptism, they were baptized with water.