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10

“Can any one forgid water for baptizing these people
who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?”
–Acts 10:47, RSV

"Can Any One Forbid?"
A Biblical Analogy

After speaking with the voice of a storyteller, I cannot resist turning “preacher” in
this last chapter and the conclusion. Review with me, if you will, the account recorded
in Acts 10 and 11 and reflect on its relevance to the present situation. This segment of
early church history gave me courage as I entered the ministry in 1973.
Peter, waiting for lunch on the housetop in Caesarea, fell into a trance. He saw a great
sheet of sailcloth being lowered from heaven by the corners; in it he saw beasts, reptiles,
and birds excluded from the diet according to Biblical laws. At the same time a voice
instructed, “Rise, Peter; kill and eat.” (Acts 10:13, RSV. Scripture quotations in the
remainder of the chapter are from Acts 10 and 11, the RSV, unless otherwise indicated).
Peter protested, “No, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean.”
“What God has cleansed,” came the immediate response, “you must not call
common.” The exchange was repeated three times; then the sheet with animals was
lifted into the sky.
While Peter puzzled over the meaning of the vision, men sent to him from a Gentile
centurion by the name of Cornelius knocked at the gate of the house. They requested
that Peter visit the centurion, who they assured him was a man of exceptional character.
Considering the message of the trance to be relevant to this unusual invitation, Peter
accompanied the messengers to the Gentile's home.
To Cornelius and those whom he had assembled Peter stated, “You yourselves know
how unlawful it is for a Jew to associate with or to visit any one of another nation.” So
strong was the prohibition against this kind of mixing of Jew with Gentile that Peter had
considered it to be unlawful.
Convinced as he was now of the Spirit's direction, Peter nevertheless anticipated problems with church leadership when he returned; for this reason he had brought along
peers to witness whatever might take place.
As Peter told of Christ's teachings and works—attested to as well by his companions—and preached of judgment and remission from sins, he was astonished to see the
Holy Spirit falling upon his listeners. They were eagerly accepting his words, and God
was visibly accepting them.