Repeat Peter's introduction. 34, 35. When [58] had Peter learned that God was no respecter of persons? 28. According to verse 35, what is he a respecter of?

      What does Peter say of the knowledge which his hearers already had of the word of God? 37. Where does he locate the beginning of Christ's preaching? 37. How does he describe the good works of Jesus? 38. What does he assert of himself and others? 39. What does he say of the death and resurrection of Jesus? 39, 40. What of the witnesses of his resurrection? 41.

      Is it not an argument against the resurrection, that Jesus appeared only to chosen witnesses? Ans.--It would be if the witnesses were chosen because they would be inclined to bear false testimony; but they were chosen because they knew Jesus perfectly, and could not be deceived as to his person. Others who did not know him so well would not have been so competent witnesses.

      What is the next point in Peter's speech? 42. What command of Jesus is here referred to? Mark xvi: 15, 16.

      What does he then state as the condition of remission of sins? 43. Whose testimony to this does he give besides his own? 43. What is the force of "through his name" in this verse? Ans.--In stating that the believer shall receive remission of sins through his name, Peter means that he shall receive it when he comes into connection with his name, and this is done when one is baptized into his name. Comp. 48.

      What occurred to interrupt Peter's speech? 44. What did the six companions of Peter think of this? 45. How did they know the [59] Holy Spirit had fallen on them? 46. What did Peter say? 47, 48. Did Peter think that the Holy Spirit baptism made water baptism unnecessary?

      As Cornelius received the Holy Spirit before baptism, ought not this to be the case now? Ans.--No: for it was the miraculous gift of the Spirit which he received, and this is not now given; the gift of the Spirit promised to all comes after baptism. See Acts ii: 38.

      Does not the fact that he received the Holy Spirit before baptism prove that his sins were forgiven before baptism? Ans.--It does not, because the miraculous gift of the Spirit has no connection with the forgiveness of sins.

      For what purpose was this miraculous gift imparted to Cornelius and his friends? Ans.--We are to learn this from the use which Peter made of it: he used it at first to prove to the Jewish brethren with him that Gentile believers ought to be baptized, verse 47; and he used it afterward to convince the Jewish brethren in Jerusalem of the same thing. xi: 15-17.

      Why was this baptism in the Spirit not repeated? Ans.--Because when Christians were once convinced that Gentiles were to be baptized on the same conditions as Jews, they never needed to be convinced again, and therefore there was no need of repeating the miracle.

      Did any one besides Cornelius and his friends ever receive the Holy Spirit before baptism so far as we read in Acts of the Apostles? If it had been necessary to salvation would it not have occurred in every case of conversion? [60]

[FBL 58-60]