If he thought Peter's heart was as avaricious as his own, he soon
learned better, for the indignant Apostle, looking straight into the
sordid soul of this mercenary hypocrite, answered:
"Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of
God may be purchased with money.
"Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not
right in the sight of God."
Outward show and hypocritical pretenses could not influence Peter
any more than they could win the favor of God. Only a sincere heart
was acceptable. Seeing that Simon's heart was set on making money at
the sacrifice of honor, and even the desecration of the word of God,
Peter told him to repent of his wickedness, and to pray to God for
forgiveness, "for" he added, "I perceive that thou art in the gall of
bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity."
Such a scathing rebuke, filled the sorcerer with fear, and he pleaded
with Peter to pray to God "that none of these things which ye have
spoken come upon me."
Peter continued for a short time to preach in other cities in Samaria
and then returned to Jerusalem.
LESSON 15
AT LYDDA AND JOPPA
[Sidenote: Church Established.]
Though only a few years had passed since the Apostles had received the
final commission to "Go into all the world and preach the Gospel," yet,
through their earnest and continuous labors, churches were established
in all Judea, Galilee and Samaria. As it was the duty of the Twelve
to look after the interests of the whole Church, it became necessary
for them to travel throughout all the land of the Jews. Peter visited
from place to place, organizing, ordaining, blessing, and preaching the
Gospel of Christ.
[Sidenote: Eneas the Cripple.]
On one of these tours, he visited the cities on the plain of Sharon,
which border on the Mediterranean Sea. One of these towns was Lydda,
in the southern part of the plain. While visiting the saints here, "he
found a certain man named Eneas who had kept his bed eight years, and
was sick of the palsy." This was a disease which affected the limbs of
those afflicted, and made it impossible for them to walk. This poor
cripple had not taken a step for eight years. Undoubtedly, he had heard
that Christ had healed men as sorely afflicted as he, and also, that
Peter, in the name of Christ, had bade the cripple at the Temple gate
to arise and walk. At any rate, when Peter found him he appealed to
Peter to give him the same blessing.
"And Peter said unto him, Eneas, Jesus Christ maketh thee whole: arise
and make thy bed." This meant for him to fold the rug on which he was
lying, and put away for the day. "He arose immediately. And all that
dwelt at Lydda and Sharon saw him, and turned to the Lord."
[Sidenote: Tabitha.]
Not far distant from Lydda was another city named Joppa. One reason
why we read of Joppa is because it was the home of a very good woman
whom everybody loved. Her name in Hebrew was Tabitha, and in Greek was
Dorcas. Both these words mean "Gazelle," the name of a very beautiful
animal like a deer. Tabitha seems to have been as beautiful as she was
good, and her whole time evidently was spent in giving comfort and
happiness to others. She benefited the poor by presenting them with
coats and garments that she made with her own hands. But one day she
was taken sick, and all her many friends became very anxious about her.
When her sickness grew worse and she died, all their hearts were filled
with gloom. Among these sad mourners were some widows to whom Tabitha
had given comfort. They were truly bowed in grief, as, indeed, was the
entire Church at Joppa. After the body was tenderly washed, it was
carried to an upper room.
But there was no funeral service held; for some of the disciples had
heard that Peter was over at Lydda, and "They sent unto him two men,
desiring him that he would not delay to come unto them."
Peter granted their request and went at once to Joppa. "When he was
come, they brought him into the upper chamber: and all the widows stood
by him weeping;" and, undoubtedly between their sobs, praising the
virtues of their departed sister.
Following the example of his Master when the little daughter of Jairus
was restored to life, Peter asked everybody in the room to leave. He
then knelt down, and prayed. Turning toward the body, he said:
"Tabitha, arise."
[Sidenote: Tabitha Restored.]
As the first manifestation of life, we are told that "she opened
her eyes." What her surprise upon seeing the Chief Apostle by her
side instead of her nearer friends--what exchange of greetings were
made--what expressions of gratitude, we cannot tell; but "he gave her
his hand, and lifted her up, and when he had called the saints and
widows, presented her alive."
As a result of this miracle, which became known throughout all Joppa,
"many believed in the Lord."
[Sidenote: Preached Only to Jews.]
Up to this time the Apostles preached only to the Jews because being
Jews themselves, they thought the Messiah was their Savior but not the
Savior of other nations, especially of those nations who worshiped
idols. All peoples nor Jews were called Gentiles and were considered by
the Jews to be "common" or "unclean."
[Sidenote: Cornelius.]
Although the Lord had commanded to "teach all nations," yet the
Apostles did not seem to have comprehended their commission, until
Peter received a special vision.
While he was staying in Joppa with a man named Simon who was a
tanner, there was a Roman officer stationed at Caesarea, thirty
miles northward. His name was Cornelius. He was captain of a hundred
soldiers, and was therefore called a "Centurion." Although a "Gentile,"
Cornelius did not worship idols as did most of the Gentiles.
[Sidenote: A Devout Man.]
Undoubtedly, he had heard of Christ, and knew that many of the Jews
accepted Him as their Savior; and he wondered why the true Gospel could
not save him as well as the Jews. "He was a devout man, and one that
feared God" and taught all in his house to do likewise. Not only this,
but he lived a righteous life, which is best of all, and gave also to
the poor.
One afternoon, he was praying in his house when an angel appeared to
him, and said, "Cornelius."
The suddenness of the angel's appearance filled the Centurion with
fear; but he answered,
"What is it, Lord?"
[Sidenote: His Prayers Answered.]
"Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God,"
said the angel; "and now send men to Joppa, and call for one Simon,
whose surname is Peter. He is staying with one Simon the tanner, whose
house is by the seaside: he shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do."
As soon as the angel had gone, Cornelius called two servants and a
soldier who also worshiped the Lord, and telling them what the angel
had said, sent them to Joppa. They followed the seashore southward all
night, and reached Joppa about noon the next day.
[Sidenote: A Midday Vision.]
Just about the hour that these messengers entered the city, Peter, as
was his custom, went upon the housetop to pray. While there, waiting
for the preparation of his noonday meal, he "fell into a trance," in
which he saw coming down from heaven a vessel resembling "a great sheet
knit at the four corners, and let down to earth, wherein were all
manner of four-footed beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the
air."
While Peter beheld these animals, thinking they were unfit to eat, a
voice said: "Rise, Peter; kill and eat."
"Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common and
unclean."
"What God hath cleansed," continued the voice, "that call not thou
common."
This was repeated three times, and then the sheet was taken up again to
heaven.
[Sidenote: Peter Perplexed.]
Peter was perplexed, and sat wondering what the vision might mean.
However, he was not left long in doubt; for while he was thinking on
the vision, "the Spirit said unto him, Behold three men seek thee.
Arise, therefore, and get thee down, and go with them, doubting
nothing: for I have sent them."
Now it happened that just while Peter was given his vision the three
messengers from Cornelius knocked at Simon's door, and were admitted
into his house. As Peter entered, and saw them, he said,
"Behold, I am he whom ye seek: what is the cause wherefore ye have
come?"
"Cornelius, the centurion, * * * was warned from God by an holy angel,"
they answered, "to send for thee into his house, and to hear words of
thee."
The messengers stayed that night with Peter in Simon's house; and next
morning, conducted him and "certain brethren from Joppa," to Caesarea.
On the following day, as they came to the Centurion's house, they found
Cornelius and all his household, kinsmen, and friends gathered to
receive them. As Peter neared the door, Cornelius stepped out to meet
him, fell, down at his feet, and began to worship him. But Peter raised
him up, saying gently:
"Stand up; I myself also am a man."
As the two men entered the house, Peter, seeing a number of people
present, said:
[Sidenote: Peter Communes With Gentiles.]
"Ye know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to
keep company, or come unto one of another nation; but God hath showed
me that I should not call any man common or unclean. * * * Now for what
intent have ye sent for me?"
Cornelius then told all about his fasting and prayer, the visit of the
angel, and the angel's instructions. [1]
The prejudice that had prevented Peter from comprehending the full
meaning of the command to "Teach all nations," began to lift from his
soul, his eyes began to see more clearly the mercy of our Heavenly
Father; and as Cornelius ceased speaking, he exclaimed:
"Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of per sons: but
in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is
accepted with him." [2]
Then to this first meeting of Gentiles in the early Church, Peter
told the story of the Redeemer, testifying of the Savior's death and
resurrection.
[Sidenote: Holy Ghost Given.]
As final proof to the chief Apostles that the Lord would accept the
Gentiles as well as the Jews into His Church, "the Holy Ghost fell on
all them which heard the word."
Accepting this as a direct manifestation from God, Peter declared.
"Can any man forbid water, that these may be baptized, who have
received the Holy Ghost as well as we?"
Footnotes:
1. See Acts 10:30-34.
2. See Acts 10:34-43.
LESSON 16
THE THIRD IMPRISONMENT
"They never sought in vain that sought the Lord aright."
"If you cannot pray over a thing, and cannot ask God to bless you in
it, don't do that thing. A secret that you would keep from God is a
secret that you should keep from your own heart."
After having completed his labors at Lydda, Joppa, and the adjacent
towns, Peter returned to Jerusalem and continued his earnest work in
the ministry.
[Sidenote: A Wicked King.]
But there was a wicked king ruling over Judea at that time, named Herod
Agrippa, who "stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the Church."
He was a grandson of Herod the Great, who, you remember, slaughtered
all the little children in Bethlehem in his effort to kill the little
baby Jesus. He was also a nephew of Herod Antipas, the wicked king
who had John the Baptist beheaded. Herod Agrippa possessed the same
wicked passions as his grandfather and his uncle; so, of course, he
hated and despised the righteous men who, in preaching the Gospel, were
condemning sin and wickedness.
[Sidenote: Peter Thrust Into Prison.]
The first apostle to suffer from King Agrippa's wickedness was James
the brother of John whom he killed "with the sword." When he found
that this murderous act pleased the haughty and stiff-necked Jews, he
thought he would kill some others of the apostolic band. Accordingly,
he arrested Simon Peter; but, fortunately, concluded not to kill him
until after Easter, so thrust him in prison until a more favorable time
for a public execution.
[Sidenote: Strongly Guarded.]
As if to make sure that Peter would not escape this time, he "delivered
him to four quarternions of soldiers to keep him." "This meant four
distinct pickets of four guards each, sixteen in all. Each picket was
to keep watch three hours and then be relieved by another during the
night watches. Two officers must guard at the outer gate of the prison,
and two be in the cell, one on each side of the prisoner, with his arms
chained to them." Thus firmly guarded and chained, Peter lay down to
sleep "between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and the keepers
before the door." [1]
James' cruel death and the report of Peter's imprisonment spread
consternation among the saints in Judea. Some, perhaps, were fearful;
all were prayerful.
[Sidenote: Special Assemblies in Prayer.]
It seems that groups of earnest saints met in different places, and
pleaded in sincere prayer to God to spare their leader's life. Indeed,
"prayer was made without ceasing of the Church unto God for him." It is
thought by some historians that among those who were thus supplicating
the Lord were Paul and Barnabas who were probably in Jerusalem at that
time.
[Sidenote: At Mary's House.]
One of the principal meetings was held at the house of Mary the mother
of John Mark, who many years after, wrote the Gospel, according to St.
Mark.
[IMAGE: ST. PETER IN PRISON. "The angel of the Lord came upon him, and a
light shined in the prison."]
While we leave them in solemn prayer on the night before Peter was to
be killed, let us go back to the prison, and see what is happening
there.
[Sidenote: An Angel Appears to Peter.]
While Peter lay sleeping on his pallet of straw, "behold, the angel of
the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison." Evidently,
the guards were asleep, and neither saw nor heard anything for the
angel touched Peter on the side, and raised him up saying, "Arise up
quickly."
As Peter complied, his chains fell off his hands. Then the angel said
to him: "Tie your girdle around your waist, and put on your sandals."
Peter, scarcely knowing what he was doing, did as he was told. Then the
angel continued:
"Cast thy garment about thee, and follow me."
Still thinking that he was dreaming, Peter followed the angel.
[Sidenote: Peter Delivered From Prison.]
They left the guards in the cell, passed the first guard of soldiers,
then the second; but no one tried to stop them. When they came to the
big "iron gate that leadeth to the city," it "opened to them of its own
accord." The angel continued to direct Peter through one of the streets
of the city, then left him as suddenly as he had appeared.
By this time, however, Peter fully realized that he was not dreaming,
but was actually out of prison. He said to himself:
[Sidenote: His Life Saved.]
"Now I know of a surety, that the Lord hath sent his angel, and hath
delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from all the expectation of
the Jews." By this last remark, he referred to the public execution
that Herod had promised to have taken place that very day. But faith
and prayers were more mighty in Peter's behalf than the decree of
kings, and the demands of the wicked Jews.
Wondering just a little where he should go, he turned to the house of
Mary, the mother of John Mark, where, you know, some of the saints were
even at that moment praying for his deliverance.
[Sidenote: Rhoda.]
"As Peter knocked at the door of the gate," a young girl named Rhoda
came, and asked who was there. When she heard Peter's voice, she was so
glad that she didn't stop to open the gate, but ran immediately into
the room saying:
"Peter is here--standing outside the door."
[Sidenote: Friends Astonished.]
So suddenly interrupted in their prayer, the people would not believe
her, but said she was beside herself. But Rhoda insisted that she was
right. She knew Peter's voice, and she knew he was at the door. They
finally concluded that "it was his angel."
In the meantime, Peter kept knocking until he was finally admitted.
It seems that the little group hardly expected their prayers to be
answered in just that literal way; so "when they opened the door and
saw him, they were astonished."
Peter, holding up his hand, and beckoning them to be quiet, told
them how the Lord had delivered him from prison. Then he added: "Go
explain all these things to James, and to the brethren." This James was
probably the brother of Jesus, who seems to have been appointed to take
charge of the Church at Jerusalem. [2]
[Sidenote: Peter Gets Away.]
Knowing that as soon as he would be missed in prison the soldiers of
old Herod would be searching for him, Peter went unto another place.
When morning came, there was a great stir among the soldiers because of
Peter's having escaped. Herod ordered a thorough search in vain.
Then, thinking the keepers of the prison had been careless and
negligent, this wicked ruler ordered them put to death.
[Sidenote: Guards Put to Death.]
Not long afterward he, himself, died so suddenly and so miserably,
that some said the wrath of God was visited upon him because of his
wickedness. Luke tells us that the "angel of the Lord smote him."
[Sidenote: Herod's Death.]
But Peter, whom Herod had sought to kill, was spared, through the
blessings of the Lord, to bless the Church, and to preach the Gospel
for many years afterward.
Footnotes:
1. Acts 12:6.
2. Gal. 1:19.
LESSON 17
CLOSING SCENES OF A RIGHTEOUS MINISTRY
"The Gospel is the fulfillment of all hopes, the perfection of all
philosophy, the interpreter of all revelations, and a key to all the
seeming contradictions of truth in the physical and moral world."
[Sidenote: Peter's Character.]
Many years have passed since Peter met Jesus, and was told that he
should be called "Cephas which is by interpretation, a Stone." Little
did Peter realize then, why the Lord desired to have this fisherman's
character become as a rock. Little did he realize what mighty
responsibility his Master desired to place upon him. But the years
that have intervened have been filled with wonderful experiences, all
of which tended to make Peter not only the Rock-man Christ had desired
him to become, but the great leader and chief apostle in the Church of
Christ.
Fearlessness, faithfulness, prayerfulness, humility, and an untiring
zeal in his efforts to instruct and to bless the people are traits of
Peter's character that shine out in his life.
We should be reminded, however, that this rock character was not formed
all at once. It grew gradually. You remember how Jesus, watching its
formation, reproved Peter's weaknesses, commended his strength, and
encouraged him, time after time, to remain true to the work as a
"fisher of men."
[Sidenote: A "Fisher of Men."]
We have now reached that period in his life when this man who at one
time pulled nets full of fishes from the sea of Galilee can look back
over his years of ministry and see numberless nets full of men, women,
and children drawn from the sea of ignorance and sin and put safely in
the Church of Christ.
There was this difference, however, between the results of his fishing
for fish and his fishing for men: The fish he dragged from the element
of life to physical death; the men he drew from the element of death to
eternal life.
For five years after his deliverance from the third imprisonment,
Peter continued his visits from city to city, province to province,
preaching the Word of the Lord. During many of these travels, he was,
undoubtedly, accompanied by his faithful wife.
[Sidenote: Opened Door to Gentiles.]
It had been Peter's duty and privilege to preach the Gospel first to
the Gentiles. Please note that when the Lord desired the Gentiles to
hear His word, He instructed the Chief of the Twelve to turn the key
that opened the Gospel door to them. This is one of the special duties
of the Apostleship.
[Sidenote: Christians.]
Since that time, many Gentiles had become converted; and in some cities
they met and worshiped together with the Jews. This was particularly
true in Antioch, an important city of Syria where the followers of
Jesus were first called Christians.
But there were certain men from Judea who went to Antioch and caused
trouble. These were Jews who had accepted the Gospel, but who still
believed that the Gentiles would have to do everything the Jews did
before they could obtain salvation.
[Sidenote: Peter Justifies the Gentiles.]
The question as to whether the Gentiles might receive the Gospel and be
saved, without conforming to every Jewish rite, came before the Twelve
and other Church leaders in Jerusalem.
"And when there had been much disputing, Peter arose up, and said unto
them:
"Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice
among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the work of the
Gospel and believe.
"And God, who knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the
Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us;
"And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by
faith."
He then told them not to provoke God by passing some rule that would
compel the Gentiles to do what the Lord does not require of them. For,
he added, "We believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ,
we shall be saved, even as they."
[Sidenote: Upholds the Right.]
There was a time when Simon, the Jewish fisherman, with all his
Jewish prejudices, would have rather yielded to the Jewish side of
this question; but now, it was not Simon, the fisherman, who spoke,
but Peter, the chief apostle of the Lord. What were prejudices to him
in the light of the inspiration of truth! All that was necessary for
him to know was, whether the thing was right, and prejudice or no
prejudice, favor or no favor, he would defend it.
It is true that once after this council, so Paul says. [1] Peter
withdrew from the company of some Gentiles because some of the Jews
came down from Jerusalem. Paul says he rebuked Peter for his actions on
this occasion; but we have no record of what Peter said or did. Knowing
Peter as we do, we are safe in concluding that he did not intentionally
waver from the right. It seems more probable that Paul misunderstood
Peter's motives. At any rate, we may rest assured that what Peter said
and did was intended to help those who were influenced by his actions.
[Sidenote: Visits All Churches.]
From that time, we know very little of Peter's travels. By reading his
epistles, we get a little insight into the nature of his labors and
travels during the last years of his life. Undoubtedly, he visited
every country where there were organized branches of the Church, even
to the "seven churches in Asia."
[Sidenote: Thirty-five Years' Service.]
We do not know just where he died, nor the kind of death he suffered;
but it is evident that the end was not far off when he wrote his
second epistle to the churches. That was about thirty-five years after
he first met the Savior. He was in the ministry then, approximately
thirty-five years, perhaps longer.
Referring to the prophecy of the Lord on the shore of Galilee, the
aged apostle, writing to the Saints and urging them to be true to the
Gospel, said:
"Knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle, even as our
Lord Jesus Christ hath showed me. Moreover, I will endeavor that ye may
be able after my decease to have these things always in remembrance."
Some of the earliest Christian writers tell us that Peter and Paul were
both imprisoned in Rome during the terrible persecutions of the Saints
under the wicked King Nero.
[Sidenote: A Legend.]
There is a story told that before Nero had imprisoned Peter, the
Saints, perceiving the danger he was in, pleaded with him to leave Rome.
Very reluctantly, he yielded to their entreaties, and escaped from the
city, by night. As he was going away, he met the Lord carrying His
cross, and going toward Rome. "Master, whither art thou going?" asked
Peter. "To Rome, to be crucified a second time," was the reply.
Thinking that if his Lord could be crucified a second time for the
Truth, he too, would be willing to die for in, he returned to Rome, and
some time later, was condemned by the Emperor Nero to suffer death by
crucifixion. As he neared the place of execution, however, Peter asked
that he be permitted to hang on the cross with his head downwards,
which request was granted.