Lesson 2754

(Lesson 2754)(07-09-19) Acts 10:44-48
    “While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word. And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter, Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we? And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days.”

   Today we will attempt to clarify what is going on in the part of today’s quote wherein Peter is said to have asked “Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized.”, and commanded them to be baptized “in the name of the Lord”.
    Seeing that there is no New Testament record of water baptism having been incorporated into Christian Doctrine in the form of a command, It makes no sense that Peter, the first Christian, would ask that Cornelius and his household, who were Gentiles, should be subjected to the purely Jewish pre-repentance, cleansing ritual of water baptism; UNLESS Peter was trying to impose the old law upon the Gentile converts, such as he did when he and *Paul were at odds because , James, Peter and the other apostles wanted Paul to require that all Gentile proslytes be bound by the rules of the old law; OR, as I said in an earlier commentary, Peter’s intent was they be further educated in the doctrine of Jesus Christ crucified.
    With all that in mind, and with the knowledge that the phrase “the name of” is expressed, in the Greek language of that day, as something that could be preached and therefore learned. It is my belief that at some point in history the intent was altered through misunderstanding of the original text and the transliteration of those misunderstandings. 
    We can all rest assured that in any rendering, the word of God is still pure and still standing for generations to come; However it is our charge, as the children of God, to study to show ourselves approved, and to rightly divide the word of truth.~
*Paul appeared to have tensions concerning water baptism in that he said, in essence, that he was not sent to baptize but rather to preach Jesus. He also said he thanked God that he had baptized none but a few.  
If anyone has questions or comments, please post them.