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Several important and interesting cases, taken from the old Scripture histories, may serve to illustrate this conviction which now came to St. Peter, and found suggestive expression in our text. The point of his testimony is that the one living and true God of the whole earth has been and is graciously concerned in the religious life of the human race as a whole, apart from any special revelations which he may be pleased to make to any portions of the race. From the religious point of view, the "God of the whole earth must he be called."

I. MELCHIZEDEK IN THE PATRIARCHAL PERIOD. We know very little about the religious condition of Palestine in the days of Abraham. Hastily we say that doubtless the Canaanite idolatries absolutely prevailed, for "the Canaanite was then in the land." But the figure of Melchizedek is, as it were, thrust into the Scripture narrative as if on purpose to correct such hastily formed notions. Abraham is clearly the elect of God, separated from his Chaldean surroundings in order to witness to the great truths of the Divine unity and spirituality. And yet, coming into the lard that was promised to his descendants, he finds believers in the Most High God, presided over by a king-priest, to whom Abraham feels that he must pay homage and give tithes. It has been well said that "when Abraham received the blessing of Melchizedek, and tendered to him his reverent homage, it is a likeness of the recognition which true historical faith will always humbly receive and gratefully render when it comes in contact with the older and everlasting instincts of that religion which the 'Most High God, Possessor of heaven and earth,' has implanted in nature and in the heart of man, in 'the power of an endless life.'" So, in the very starting of Judaism, in the very lifetime of its founder and father, we find God directing our attention to real and acceptable religious life outside the Abrahamic election.

II. BALAAM IN THE PERIOD OF THE JEWISH WANDERINGS. Without attempting to form a full judgment of Balaam's religious standing, we must admit that he was a prophet of God, to whom God made communications; and whatever may have been his religion, it was certainly distinct from Judaism. "In his career is seen that recognition of Divine inspiration outside the Jewish people, which the narrowness of modern times has been so eager to deny, but which the Scriptures are always ready to acknowledge, and, by acknowledging, admit within the pale of the universal Church the higher spirits of every age and of every nation."

III. JOB AT THE TIME OF THE NATIONAL CLIMAX. There is little room for doubting that, whenever Job himself may have lived, the book bearing his name was written in the Solomonic age, and represents the religious sentiments of that time, And the book represents the man Job as good, perfect, upright, fearing God, and eschewing evil; but he is not a Jew, he is an Arab chief or the wealthy prince of some city in distant Uz; the very selection of such a hero for the story plainly showing belief in vital godliness outside the Jewish limits. Not a trace of Mosaic religion has been found in the book, and therefore it is evident that the writer accepts the fact that true and acceptable piety may exist apart from the Mosaic covenant.

IV. NAAMAN AND NINEVEH IN THE TIME OF THE NATIONAL DECLINE. We place these two together, but they may be treated separately. Naaman is a Syrian, but God's prophet makes no difficulty about recognizing the sincerity of his religion, and he requires of him no conformity to Jewish regulations. The Ninevites are penitent before the one living God, and their repentance is even set on record as an example to the willful Jews. So again and again did God, in the olden times, correct the exclusiveness of his people's feeling, and force them to think of him as the God of the whole earth. And when our Lord Jesus came among men as the Divine teacher, we find him also correcting the same exclusive spirit by blessing Roman centurions, Samaritan villagers, and Syro-phoenician women; commanding that his gospel should be preached to the whole world; sending Paul "far hence unto the Gentiles;" calling Cornelius into the fellowship of the redeemed; saving the eunuch of an African queen; and moving Paul to witness for the universal redeeming love of God, in Athenian agora and before Roman tribunals. That the heathen had some religion God did not make a reason for withholding from them his fuller revelation; neither should we so argue. Our very sympathy with heathen souls groping for the light should increase our longing to give them what we have in our trust, the "light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ." - R.T.

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KJV: Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:

WEB: Peter opened his mouth and said, "Truly I perceive that God doesn't show favoritism;