1817 Sept. 21

Not Paul

Ch Period between Visits 2 & 3

Peter’s Exploits

§. 5. Cause of offence eating with Gentiles

§. 5. Cause of the offence given by Peter to Jews[?] in eating with Gentiles though converted.

In regard to Peter a question that will naturally be presenting itself is - in his endeavours to convert the Gentiles to the religion of Jesus /Christianity/ the Gentiles what was there that /to the Jews[?]/ gave such implacable /unpardonable/ /intolerable/ offence not merely to the Jews at large, but even to those by whom that same religion had been embraced?

The answer will /question may/ be seen /delivered/ /answered/ in several passages in the Epistles as well as in /of/ the Acts: and /but/ in some more impressively than in this vision about the meats of Peter’s. Was it /the ultimate result[?] […?]/ in his making converts among the Gentiles? Not so: taken singly and by itself that would have rather have been a work of merit in all eyes. But, for the application of the powers /force/ of persuasion all other /the […?] lots/ opportunities put together are /is/ but weak is but inconsiderable in comparison of that which is afforded by convivial intercourse. Was it then the holding such intercourse? Nor that neither: for with such restrictions /under certain conditions/ even those opportunities might have been obtained /created/ without any infringement of the Mosaic law. But if not that, what then was it? Answer: it was the taking /consenting to take/ the houses of those same Gentiles for the field /theatre/ of this same convivial intercourse: the consenting to visit them at meal times and partaking with them of whatsoever food they partook of and that food prepared by their unhallowed hands: flesh, of various forbidden kinds: flesh of all kinds without its having in the orthodox Mosaic stile been drained of the blood that had belonged to it.