Peter and the Gentiles

Then Peter said to them, Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call (Acts 2:38-39, NKJV).

(Overview and commentary on: Peter and the Gentiles - Lesson 9)

Karakia Timatanga | Opening Prayer

He hōnore, he korōria ki te atua

All honour and glory to our maker

He maungārongo ki te whenua

Let there be peace and tranquillity on earth

He whakaaro pai ki ngā tangata katoa

Goodwill to mankind

Āmine.                                  

Amen

Saturday | Sabbath | Hātarei

We are in the category of “all who are afar off” – on the very edges of hope. We are afar off on three counts: we are removed in time by almost two millennia, we are just over 16,000 km away from where these events took place and we are barely conceptualised in Peter’s mind. However, we are all in the category “as many as the Lord our God will call”. I say we are all in this category, and also on the very edges of hope because Peter (2 Pe 3:9) explains that everyone is called to repentance and that the time lag to His appearance is in fact evidence of His patience. We are also on the very edges of hope because there is a general concern that the condition of our planet is deteriorating (http://www.clubofrome.org) and in the mean-time, as far as God is concerned there is also a corresponding decline in faith (Lk 18:8) and love (Mt 24:12). The time lag from the human perspective (2 Pe 3:4) is daunting because our lives are so short and our need for God’s restored heaven and earth so great. From the perspective of one who is eternal, four thousand years or so, to the incarnation of Jesus was as nothing.

Sunday | Rātapu

Peter at Pentecost

Schantz and Thompson (2015) give a good overview of Peter’s role at Pentecost. This event was perhaps one of the most significant events in Peter’s life and in the history of the church. How did it come about? It came about because Peter was reinstated by Christ and this reinstatement was recognised by his fellow apostles. I suppose today (slightly facetiously), Peter’s role in the church might be akin to a repentant telly evangelist of which there seem to be all too many. A key difference between Peter and the modern equivalents is that we can be assured that Peter was genuine because of his direct endorsement by Christ. Sometimes doing the wrong stuff does not prevent us from taking leadership roles and at other times it can. The question for the church is how can we know the difference?

Monday | Rāhina

The Conversion of Cornelius: Part 1

This passage describes a godly man who lives in accordance with what he understands. Cornelius is prayerful and demonstrates mercy and kindness to those less fortunate than himself. This story is indeed key to the gospel being taken to the gentiles. Interestingly enough many of the Gentiles we meet in the gospels and the book of Acts are outstanding in their faith and attitude towards their fellow man.

The gospel, being taken to the gentiles is a divine act. It required direct intervention by God because the barriers between Jews and Gentiles were so great. Two verses that are very instructive in this passage are Acts 10:34-35:

Then Peter began to speak: ‘I now realise how true it is that God does not show favouritism 35 but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right.

As Shantz and Thompson (2015) point out this man has a lot to learn with regard to Christian doctrine and practise. More importantly God accepts this man as being on an equal footing to someone who “knows the truth” on two counts: first he fears God (respects God, worships God, prioritises Him) and second he does what is right. On these two counts many of us would fall short. What flows from this, is that as Adventists we must not assume any privilege, sense of entitlement, or claim above any other Christian (or monotheist) on the basis of what we believe, because God in the first instance, looks at only two fundamentals. Perhaps this idea can be taken further also towards those who are also ignorant of belief. This is a little bit more tenuous but God, thank goodness is judge, and that He does under certain circumstances overlook things (Ac 17:30)

Tuesday | Rātū

The Conversion of Cornelius: Part 2

As an aside the lesson brings up the point (Schantz & Thompson, 2015) that the angel did not bring the gospel to Cornelius. The angel could have but didn’t. Why not? Probably for the same reason that God sent Jesus into the world i.e., only humanity can carry out this task. In the world of men God intervenes supernaturally only as a matter of last resort. When something has been revealed there is a responsibility placed on the person to whom it has been revealed to act (Dt. 29:29). In carrying out the tasks assigned by God, in this case the presentation of the gospel to Cornelius the Gentile, God is not only liberating Gentiles, He is also liberating the Jews. The blessing of passing on the message of salvation is as much benefit to the person giving it as receiving it. It is a reminder of our own need and God’s graciousness to us also.

Wednesday  | Rāapa

Peter’s Vision

Schantz and Thompson (2015) cover this section in accordance with the context of the passage and I think rightfully ignore the controversial aspect of the vision. In my view they have interpreted the meaning of this passage correctly. God in giving Peter this vision of unclean animals is presenting Peter with a concept that he finds religiously and culturally abhorrent. The lesson that the Lord is trying to teach the early (and later) Christians is that people from other cultures are God’s children also. Visiting a Gentile was as abhorrent to Peter and his fellow Jews as was eating unclean foods.

Perhaps I am not as circumspect as Schantz and Thompson (2015) because I intend to briefly attend to the elephant in the room regarding unclean food. Along with Jews, Moslems and a few other small, non-conformist Christian groups (e.g. British Israelites, United Church of God), Adventists as a whole do not eat unclean food. The primary argument against eating such food has been along the lines that: the body is the temple of the Holy Spirit and that this food is unhealthy; therefore I will not eat it because of its unhealthy effect on my body. This is a legitimate argument, but in practise, we, very often, won’t eat this food but will eat cake, chocolate, puddings etc. which may have a similar effect on the body, or perhaps not engage in exercise. Another argument is that the eating of such food was forbidden because it was part of a holiness code. We are not to eat such food because God wants us to be undefiled and holy. In this argument there is still an emphasis on the body as being sacred to God but the reason for abstention is not health but holiness.

In this post I don’t want to spend any more time reflecting on this but I do wish to draw attention to the misuse of this passage. Some Christians, perhaps unwittingly, take this passage out of context and try and debunk the view that Christians should abstain from eating such foods. This is not the passage to argue from. Peter clearly states the reason and interpretation of the dream and it has nothing to do with whether a Christian should or shouldn’t eat unclean food. The passage is about the breaking down of cultural barriers associated with race.

The question that Schantz and Thompson (2015) ask at the end of this section is worth more consideration.

How do we show respect for people whose faith we believe is wrong without giving the impression that we respect those beliefs ourselves? What is the difference between respecting people as opposed to respecting their beliefs?

Personally, I think we need to be very careful in this area of respect. People are deeply connected to their systems of belief and it is often a part of their identity as people. All too often I have seen Christians attempt to debunk the beliefs of others with little consideration of the impact on the person. In doing this the Christian, alienates the non-believer and comes out of the process looking very smug and arrogant. This can happen with many issues but it can at times become particularly sharp over an issue such as evolution. At the very least Christians must refrain from making personal attacks. We all for a multitude of reasons, hold a variety of fallacious views, about the world and our place in it.

Paul, the most successful early missionary, shockingly abandoned some Jewish beliefs in order to build bridges with other cultures. Also in his address in Athens he focussed his initial arguments from what was believed in common. His final approach however, did not centre at all in debunking the beliefs or arguments of others – it rested on the primacy and universal appeal of Christ’s death for us all.

Thursday | Rāpare

The Jerusalem Decree

1 Co 7:19 probably says it all:

Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing. Keeping God's commands is what counts. 

This statement by Paul boils down the arguments to there essential components for Jews and Gentiles. There are some things that don't matter but obeying God does. Gentiles, if you are going to follow Christ you must do this.

Considerations for practise

These two lists are from the United Church of God based on Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14. 

What do you think of their interpretation of clean and unclean food?

Unclean Animals

1. Swine: Boar, Peccary, Pig (hog, bacon, ham, lard, pork, most sausage and pepperoni)

2. Canines: Coyote, Dog, Fox, Hyena, Jackal, Wolf

3. Felines: Cat, Cheetah, Leopard, Lion, Panther, Tiger

4. Equines: Donkey (ass), Horse, Mule, Onager, Zebra (quagga)

5. Other Animals: Armadillo, Badger, Bat, Bear, Beaver, Camel, Elephant, Gorilla Groundhog, Hippopotamus, Kangaroo, Llama (alpaca, vicuña), Mole, Monkey, Mouse, Muskrat, Opossum, Porcupine, Rabbit (hare), Raccoon, Rat, Rhinoceros, Skunk, Slug, Snail (escargot), Squirrel, Wallaby, Weasel, Wolverine, Worm, All insects except some in the locust family

6. Marine Animals Without Fins and Scales: Bullhead, Catfish, Eel, European Turbot, Marlin, Paddlefish, Shark, Stickleback, Squid, Sturgeon (includes most caviar), Swordfish

7. Shellfish: Abalone (NZ paua), Clam, Conch, Crab, Crayfish (crawfish, crawdad), Lobster, Mussel, Oyster, Scallop, Shrimp (prawn)

8. Soft body: Cuttlefish, Jellyfish, Limpet, Octopus, Squid (calamari)

9. Sea mammals: Dolphin, Otter, Porpoise, Seal, Walrus, Whale

10. Birds of Prey, Scavengers and Others: Albatross, Bittern, Buzzard, Condor, Coot, Cormorant, Crane, Crow, Cuckoo, Eagle, Flamingo Grebe, Grosbeak, Gull, Hawk, Heron, Kite, Lapwing, Loon, Magpie, Osprey, Ostrich, Owl, Parrot, Pelican, Penguin, Plover, Rail, Raven, Roadrunner, Sandpiper, Seagull, Stork, Swallow, Swift, Vulture, Water hen, Woodpecker

11. Reptiles: Alligator, Caiman, Crocodile, Lizard, Snake, Turtle

12. Amphibians: Blindworm, Frog, Newt, Salamander, Toad

Clean Animals

1. Mammals That Chew the Cud and Part the Hoof: Antelope, Bison (buffalo), Caribou, Cattle (beef, veal), Deer (venison), Elk, Gazelle, Giraffe, Goat, Hart, Ibex, Moose, Ox, Reindeer, Sheep (lamb, mutton)

2. Fish With Fins and Scales: Anchovy, Barracuda, Bass, Black pomfret (or monchong), Bluefish, Bluegill, Carp, Cod, Crappie, Drum, Flounder, Grouper, Grunt, Haddock, Hake, Halibut, Hardhead, Herring (or alewife), Kingfish, Mackerel (or corbia), Mahimahi (or dorado, dolphinfish [not to be confused with the mammal dolphin]), Minnow, Mullet, Perch (or bream), Pike (or pickerel or jack), Pollack (or pollock or Boston bluefish), Rockfish, Salmon, Sardine (or pilchard), Shad, Silver hake (or whiting), Smelt (or frost fish or ice fish), Snapper (or ebu, jobfish, lehi, onaga, opakapaka or uku), Sole, Steelhead, Sucker, Sunfish, Tarpon, Trout (or weakfish), Tuna (or ahi, aku, albacore, bonito, or tombo), Turbot (except European turbot), Whitefish

3. Birds With Clean Characteristics: Chicken, Dove, Duck, Goose, Grouse, Guinea fowl, Partridge, Peafowl, Pheasant, Pigeon, Prairie chicken, Ptarmigan, Quail, Sagehen, Sparrow (and other songbirds), Swan*, Teal, Turkey

* In the King James Version, Leviticus 11:18 and Deuteronomy 14:16list “swan” among unclean birds. However, this seems to be a mistranslation. The original word apparently refers to a kind of owl and is so translated in most modern Bible versions.

4. Insects: Types of locusts that may include crickets and grasshoppers

Closing Prayer - Karakia Whakamutunga

2 Corinthians 13:14 (NIV)

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

Kia tau ki a tātou katoa te atawhai o tō tātou Ariki, a Ihu Karaiti me te aroha o te Atua, me te whiwhingatahitanga ki te wairua tapu, ake, ake, ake, āmine.


References

Schantz, B. & Thompson, S. (2015). Biblical Missionaries. Adult Sabbath School Quarterly 3Q. 2015. Silver Spring: MD: Pacific Press.

The club of Rome. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.clubofrome.org/

United Church of God. (2013, August). Which animals does the Bible designate as 'Clean' and 'Unclean'? In  Beyond Today. Retrieved from: http://www.ucg.org/bible-study-tools/booklets/what-does-the-bible-teach-about-clean-and-unclean-meats/which-animals