Lectionary Calendar
Friday, July 18th, 2025
the Week of Proper 10 / Ordinary 15
the Week of Proper 10 / Ordinary 15
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Bible Commentaries
Alford's Greek Testament Critical Exegetical Commentary Alford's Greek Testament Commentary
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These files are public domain.
Text Courtesy of BibleSupport.com. Used by Permission.
Bibliographical Information
Alford, Henry. "Commentary on Acts 10". Alford's Greek Testament Critical Exegetical Commentary. https://studylight.org/commentaries/eng/hac/acts-10.html. 1863-1878.
Alford, Henry. "Commentary on Acts 10". Alford's Greek Testament Critical Exegetical Commentary. https://studylight.org/
Whole Bible (49)New Testament (18)Gospels Only (1)Individual Books (9)
Verse 1
1. ÎαιÏαÏείᾳ ] As this town bears an important part in early Christian history, it will be well to give here a full account of it. CÃSAREA (Palestinæ, ÎαιÏάÏεια Ïá¿Ï ΠαλαιÏÏÎ¯Î½Î·Ï , called ÏαÏÎ¬Î»Î¹Î¿Ï , Jos. B. J. iii. 9. 1; vii. 2. 2; Antt. xiii. 11. 2, or ἡ á¼Ïá½¶ θαλάÏÏá¿ K., Jos. B. J. vii. 1. 3; 2. 1, or Stratonis (see below), distinguished from Cæsarea. Philippi, see note Mat 16:13 ) is between Joppa and Dora, 68 Rom. miles from Jerusalem according to the Jerus. Itinerary, 75 according to Josephus (i.e. 600 stadia, Antt. xiii. 11. 2. B. J. i. 3. 5), 36. miles (Abulfeda) from Ptolemais (a day’s journey, ch. Act 21:8 ), 30 from Joppa (Edrisi); one of the largest towns in Palestine (Jos. B. J. iii. 9. 1), with an excellent haven (Jos. Antt. xvii. 5. 1, ΣεβαÏÏá½¸Ï Î»Î¹Î¼Î®Î½ , ὠν καÏαÏÎºÎµÏ Î¬ÏÎ±Ï á¼©ÏÏÎ´Î·Ï Ïολλῶν ÏÏημάÏÏν á¼Ïá½¶ ÏιμῠÏá¿ ÎαίÏαÏÎ¿Ï ÎºÎ±Î»Îµá¿ Î£ÎµÎ²Î±ÏÏÏν . It was, even before the destruction of Jerusalem, the seat of the Roman Procurators (see ch. Acts 23:23 ff.; Acts 24:27 ; Act 25:1 ), and called by Tacitus (Hist. ii. 79) ‘Judææ caput.’ It was chiefly inhabited by Gentiles (Jos. B. J. iii. 9. 1; ii. 14.4), but there were also many thousand Jewish inhabitants (Jos. B. J. ii. 18. 1; Antt. xx. 8.7; Life, 11). It was built by Herod the Great (Amm [56] Marcell [57] xiv. 8; p. 29, Bipont. Beforetime there was only a fort there, called ΣÏÏάÏÏÎ½Î¿Ï ÏÏÏÎ³Î¿Ï , Jos. Antt. xv. 9. 6 al.; Strabo, xvi. 758; Plin. v.14) fortified, provided with a haven (see ch. Acts 9:30 ; Acts 18:22 ; Joseph. above), and in honour of Cæsar Augustus named Cæsarea (at length ÎαιÏάÏεια ΣεβαÏÏή , Jos. Antt. xvi. 5. 1). Vespasian made it a Roman colony (Plin. Act 10:13 ). Abulfeda (Syr. p. 80) speaks of it as in ruins in his time (A.D. 1300). At present there are a few ruins only, and some fishers’ huts. (From Winer, Realw.)
[56] Ammonius of Alexandria, 220
[57] Marcellus, cited by Eus.
á¼ÎºÎ±ÏονÏάÏÏÎ·Ï ] The subordinate officer commanding the sixth part of a cohort = half a maniple. See Dict. of Gr. and Roman Antt.
ÏÏ . Ï . καλ . ἸÏαλ . ] A cohort ( ÏÏ .) levied in Italy, not in Syria . Mr. Humphry quotes from Gruter, Inscr. i. p. 434, ‘Cohors militum Italicorum voluntaria, quæ est in Syria.’ Biscoe (Hist. of the Acts, pp. 217 221) maintains that this was an independent cohort, not one attached to a legion. The legio Italica (Tacit. Hist. i. 59, 64; ii. 100; iii. 22) was not raised till Nero’s time.
Verses 1-48
1 48 .] CONVERSION (BY SPECIAL DIVINE PREARRANGEMENT) AND BAPTISM OF THE GENTILE CORNELIUS AND HIS PARTY. We may remark, that the conversion of the Gentiles was no new idea to Jews or Christians, but that it had been universally regarded as to take place by their reception into Judaism . Of late, however, since the Ascension, we see the truth that the Gospel was to be a Gospel of the uncircumcision , beginning to be recognized by some. Stephen, carrying out the principles of his own apology, could hardly have failed to recognize it: and the Cyprian and Cyrenæan missionaries of ch. Act 11:20 preached the word ÏÏá½¸Ï ÏÎ¿á½ºÏ á¼Î»Î»Î·Î½Î±Ï (not - ιÏÏÎ¬Ï ), certainly before the conversion of Cornelius . This state of things might have given rise to a permanent schism in the infant church. The Hellenists, and perhaps Saul, with his definite mission to the Gentiles, might have formed one party, and the Hebrews, with Peter at their head, the other. But, as Neander admirably observes (Pfl. u. Leit. p. 111), ‘The pernicious influence with which, from the first, the self-seeking and one-sided prejudices of human nature threatened the divine work, was counteracted by the superior influence of the Holy Spirit, which did not allow the differences of men to reach such a point of antagonism, but enabled them to retain unity in variety. We recognize the preventing wisdom of God, which, while giving scope to the free agency of man, knows how to interpose His immediate revelation just at the moment when it is requisite for the success of the divine work, by noticing, that when the Apostles needed this wider development of their Christian knowledge for the exercise of their vocation, and when the lack of it would have been exceedingly detrimental, at that very moment , by a remarkable coincidence of inward revelation with a chain of outward circumstances, the illumination hitherto wanting was imparted to them.’
Verse 2
2. εá½Ï . κ . Ïοβ . Ï . θ . ] i.e. he had abandoned polytheism, and was a worshipper of the true God: whether a proselyte of the gate, or not, seems uncertain. That he may have been such, there is nothing in the narrative to preclude: nor does Meyer’s objection apply, that it is not probable that, among the many thousand converts, no Greek proselyte had yet been admitted by baptism into the church. Many such cases may have occurred, and some no doubt had: but the object of this providential interference seems to have been, to give solemn sanction to such reception, by the agency of him who was both the chief of the Apostles, and the strong upholder of pure Judaism. It is hardly possible that μαÏÏÏ ÏοÏÎ¼ÎµÎ½Î¿Ï á½Ïὸ á½ Î»Î¿Ï Ïοῦ á¼Î¸Î½Î¿Ï Ï Ïῶν á¼¸Î¿Ï Î´Î±Î¯Ïν ( Act 10:22 ) should have been said of a Gentile not in any way conformed to the Jewish faith and worship. The great point (ch. Act 11:3 ) which made the present event so important, was, that Cornelius was á¼Î½á½´Ï á¼ÎºÏÎ¿Î²Ï ÏÏίαν á¼ÏÏν . Doubtless also among his company ( Act 10:24 ) there must have been many who were not proselytes .
Ïá¿· λαῷ ] The Jewish inhabitants, see ch. Acts 26:17 ; Acts 26:23 ; Acts 28:17 ; John 11:50 ; Joh 18:14 al.
δεÏÎ¼ÎµÎ½Î¿Ï Ï. θεοῦ διὰ Ï. ] From Cornelius’s own narrative, Acts 10:31 , as well as from the analogy of God’s dealings, we are certainly justified in inferring, with Neander, that the subject of his prayers was that he might be guided into truth, and if so, hardly without reference to that faith which was now spreading so widely over Judæa. This is not matter of conjecture, but is implied by Peter’s οἴδαÏε Ïὸ γενÏμ . δá¿Î¼Î± καθ ʼ á½ Î»Î·Ï Ïá¿Ï á¼¸Î¿Ï Î´Î±Î¯Î±Ï . Further than this, we cannot infer with certainty; but, if the particular difficulty present in his mind be sought, we can hardly avoid the conclusion that it was connected with the apparent necessity of embracing Judaism and circumcision in order to become a believer on Christ.
Verse 3
3. á¼Î½ á½Ïάμ . ÏανεÏá¿¶Ï ] not in a trance , as Acts 10:10 , and ch. Acts 22:17 , but with his bodily eyes : thus asserting the objective truth of the appearance.
ὡÏεὶ ÏεÏá½¶ á½¥Ï . á¼Î½ . ] It here appears that C. observed the Jewish hours of prayer.
Verse 4
4. Îµá¼°Ï Î¼Î½Î·Î¼ . ] Not instar sacrificii ( Psa 141:2 ) as Grot.: but, as E. V., for a memorial , ‘ so as to be a memorial .’
There has been found a difficulty by some in the fact that Cornelius’s works were received as well pleasing to God, before he had justifying faith in Christ. But it is surely easy to answer, with Calvin and Augustine, ‘non potuisse orare Cornelium, nisi fidelis esset.’ His faith was all that he could then attain to, and brought forth its fruits abundantly in his life: one of which fruits, and the best of them, was, the earnest seeking by prayer for a better and more perfect faith.
Verse 7
7. á¼Ïá¿Î»Î¸ÎµÎ½ ] So in Luke 1:38 : another token of the objective reality of the vision: εἰÏελθÏνÏα ( Act 10:3 ) and á¼Ïá¿Î»Î¸ . denoting the real acts of the angel, not the mere deemings of Cornelius.
λαλῶν must be regarded as the imperfect participle, as in John 9:8 .
Verse 9
9 .] By δῶμα , Jerome, Luther, Erasm., al., understand an upper chamber. But why not then á½ÏεÏῷον , a word which Luke so frequently uses? It was the flat roof, much frequented in the East for purposes of exercise (2 Samuel 11:2 ; Daniel 4:29 , marg.), of sleeping in summer (1 Samuel 9:26 , by inference, and as expressed in LXX), of conversation (ib. 1Sa 10:25 ), of mourning (Isaiah 15:8 ; Jer 48:38 ), of erecting booths at the feast of tabernacles ( Neh 8:16 ), of other religious celebrations (2 Kings 23:12 ; Jeremiah 19:13 ; Zep 1:5 ), of publicity (2 Samuel 16:22 ; Matthew 10:27 ; Luke 12:3 . Jos. B. J. ii. 21. 5), of observation (Judges 16:27 ; Isa 22:1 ), and for any process requiring fresh air and sun ( Jos 2:6 ). (Winer, Realw., art. Dach.)
á¼ÎºÏην ] The second hour of prayer : also of the mid-day meal.
The distance was thirty Roman miles, part of which they performed on the preceding evening, perhaps to Apollonia, and the rest that morning.
Verse 10
10. γεÏÏ . ] see reff. á¼ÎºÎµÎ¯Î½Ïν is more likely to have been a correction of αá½Ïῶν as applying better to the people of the house, than the converse.
á¼ÎºÏÏαÏÎ¹Ï ] The distinction of this appearance from the á½ Ïαμα above (though the usage is not always strictly observed) is, that in this case that which was seen was a revelation shewn to the eye of the beholder when rapt into a supernatural state, having, as is the case in a dream, no objective reality : whereas, in the other case, the thing seen actually happened , and was beheld by the person as an ordinary spectator, in the possession of his natural senses.
Verse 11
11. ÏÎÏÏ . á¼ÏÏ . ] not, ‘ by the four corners ,’ which would certainly require the article, as in reff., but by four rope-ends . This meaning of á¼ÏÏή justified by Diod. Sic. i. p. 104, who, speaking of harpooning the hippopotamus, says, εἶθ ʼ á¼Î½á½¶ Ïῶν á¼Î¼ÏαγÎνÏÏν á¼Î½Î¬ÏÏονÏÎµÏ á¼ÏÏá½°Ï ÏÏÏ ÏÎ¯Î½Î±Ï á¼ÏίαÏι μÎÏÏÎ¹Ï á¼Î½ ÏαÏÎ±Î»Ï Î¸á¿ . The ends of the ropes were attached to the sheet, and, in the vision, they only were seen .
At all events, as Neander observes (Pfl. u. L. p. 126, note), these four á¼ÏÏαί (whether ends of ropes attached to the corners, or those corners themselves) are not without meaning, directed as they are to the four parts of heaven, and intimating that men from the North, South, East, and West, now were accounted clean before God, and were called to a share in his kingdom: see Luke 13:29 . The symbolism is, as usual, fancifully exaggerated by Wordsw. in his note. The four á¼ÏÏαί are the four gospels, because the word á¼ÏÏή occurs somewhere near the beginning of each, &c., &c. Who can wonder, after this, at the distrust of all Scripture symbolism by intelligent, but unspiritual minds?
I have retained the words δεδ . καί doubtfully, because it seems difficult to account for their insertion, but they may have been omitted to assimilate our text to ch. Acts 11:5 .
Verse 12
12. ÏάνÏα Ïá½° ÏÎµÏ . ] literally: not ‘many of each kind,’ nor ‘some of all kinds,’ in which case the art., the sense of which is carried on from Ïá½° ÏεÏÏ . to the subsequent words (see ch. Act 11:6 ), would be omitted: in the vision it seemed to Peter to be an assemblage of all creation .
ÏεÏÏ . , á¼ÏÏ . , ÏÎµÏ . ] In ch. Acts 11:6 , from which our text has been corrected, Peter follows the more strictly Jewish division: see there.
Verse 14
14. ] Peter rightly understands the command as giving him free choice of all the creatures shewn to him. We cannot infer hence that the sheet contained unclean animals only . It was a mixture of clean and unclean, the aggregate, therefore, being unclean .
κÏÏιε ] So Cornelius to the angel, Acts 10:4 . It is here addressed to the unknown heavenly speaker.
On the clean and unclean beasts, &c., see Leviticus 11:0 .
Verse 15
15. ] These weighty words have more than one application. They reveal what was needed for the occasion, in a figure: God letting down from heaven clean and unclean alike, Jew and Gentile, represented that He had made of one blood all nations to dwell on the face of all the earth: God having purified these, signified that the distinction was now abolished which was ‘added because of transgressions’ ( Gal 3:19 ), and all regarded in his eyes as pure for the sake of His dear Son . But the literal truth of the representation was also implied; that the same distinctions between the animals intended for use as food were now done away, and free range allowed to men, as their lawful wants and desires invite them, over the whole creation of God: that creation itself having been purified and rendered clean for use by the satisfaction of Christ . The same truth which is asserted by the heavenly voice in Peter’s vision, is declared Ephesians 1:10 ; Col 1:20 ; 1 Timothy 4:4-5 . Only we must be careful not to confound this restitution with the á¼ÏοκαÏάÏÏαÏÎ¹Ï ÏάνÏÏν of ch. Acts 3:21 ; see notes there.
Verse 16
16. á¼Ïá½¶ ÏÏÎ¯Ï ] denoting the certainty of the thing revealed: see Genesis 41:32 .
Verse 17
17. Valcknaer and Stier understand á¼Î½ á¼Î±Ï Ïá¿· , as ch. Acts 12:11 , where γενÏÎ¼ÎµÎ½Î¿Ï is expressed (see D in var. readd. here), ‘when he came to himself,’ but without γενÏÎ¼ÎµÎ½Î¿Ï this is very harsh, and it surely is better not to force from its obvious meaning so natural a conjunction of words as á¼Î½ á¼Î±Ï Ïá¿· διηÏÏÏει .
Verse 18
18. ÏÏνήÏανÏÎµÏ having called out (some one), they were enquiring .
The present , ξενίζεÏαι is a common mixed construction between the direct and the indirect interrogation.
Verse 19
19. ] See ch. Acts 8:29 , note.
Verse 20
20. á¼Î»Î»Î¬ ] ‘ make no question as to who or what they are, but :’ so also ch. Acts 9:6 .
á¼Î³Ï ] The Holy Spirit, shed down upon the Church to lead it into all the truth, had in His divine arrangements brought about, by the angel sent to Cornelius, their coming.
Verse 23
23. á¼Î¾ÎνιÏεν ] This was his first consorting with men uncircumcised and eating with them (ch. Act 11:3 ): though perhaps this latter is not necessarily implied.
ÏÎ¹Î½ÎµÏ Ïῶν á¼Î´ . ] Six , ch. Acts 11:12 ; in expectation of some weighty event to which hereafter their testimony might be required, as indeed it was, ib.
Verse 24
24. á¼Î½Î±Î³ÎºÎ±Î¯Î¿Ï Ï ] his intimate friends . So Jos. Antt. xi. 6. 4, ÏÎ¯Î»Î¿Ï á¼Î½Î±Î³ÎºÎ±Î¹ÏÏαÏÎ¿Ï Ïá¿· βαÏιλεῠand Xen. Mem. ii. 1. 14, ÏÎ¯Î»Î¿Ï Ï ÏÏá½¸Ï Ïοá¿Ï á¼Î½Î±Î³ÎºÎ±Î¯Î¿Î¹Ï ÎºÎ±Î»Î¿Ï Î¼ÎÎ½Î¿Î¹Ï á¼Î»Î»Î¿Ï Ï ÎºÏῶνÏαι βοηθοÏÏ . These, like himself, must have been fearers of the true God, or at all events must have been influenced by his vision to wait for the teaching of Peter.
Verse 25
25. Ïοῦ εἰÏελθ . ] This, the most difficult and best supported reading, is a harshness of construction hardly explicable (see Winer, edn. 6, § 44. 4) on any principles. It probably arose from taking the so frequent Ïοῦ with the infin. almost as one word , and equivalent to the infin. itself.
ÏÎ¿á½ºÏ ÏÏÎ´Î±Ï ] viz. those of Peter. Kuinoel’s rendering ‘in genua provolutus’ is clearly inadmissible.
ÏÏοÏεκÏν . ] “Adoravit; non addidit Lucas, ‘ eum .’ Euphmia.” (Bengel.)
May not the same reason have occasioned the omission of αá½Ïοῦ after ÏÏÎ´Î±Ï ? the one αá½Ï . would almost require the other. It was natural for Cornelius to think that one so pointed out by an angel must be deserving of the highest respect; and this respect he shewed in a way which proves him not to have altogether lost the heathen training of his childhood. He must have witnessed the rise of the custom of paying divine honours first to those who were clothed with the delegated power of the senate (Suet., Octav.52, mentions, “templa etiam proconsulibus decerni solere”), and then ÎºÎ±Ï Ê¼ á¼Î¾Î¿Ïήν to him in whom the imperial majesty centered.
Verse 26
26. καὶ á¼Î³á½¼ αá½Ï . á¼Î½Î¸Ï . εἰμι ] This was the lesson which Peter’s vision had taught him, and he now begins to practise it: the common honour and equality of all mankind in God’s sight .
Those who claim to have succeeded Peter, have not imitated this part of his conduct. See Revelation 19:10 ; Revelation 22:8 , in both which cases it is á¼Î¼ÏÏοÏθ . Ïῶν Ïοδῶν Ïοῦ á¼Î³Î³ ., supporting the above rendering of á¼Ïá½¶ Ï . ÏÏÎ´Î±Ï . (See the gloss in D, Acts 10:25 , digest.)
Verse 27
27. ] The second εἰÏá¿Î»Î¸ÎµÎ½ [see Act 10:25 ] betokens the completion of his entering in; or (as De W. and Meyer) the former, his entering the house , this latter, the chamber .
Verse 28
28. á½Î¼Îµá¿Ï , you, of all men, (best) know: being those immediately concerned in the obstruction to intercourse which the rule occasioned.
á½¡Ï á¼Î¸ÎμιÏον ⦠] that it is unlawful , ⦠or ‘how unlawful it is:’ better the former, because in the order of the words, á¼Î¸ÎμιÏον has the stress on it: the other rendering would more naturally represent á½¡Ï á¼ÏÏιν á¼Î¸ÎμιÏον . In both the reff. the ambiguity is the same.
There is some difficulty about this unlawfulness of consorting with those á¼Î»Î»ÏÏÏ Î»Î¿Î¹ who, like Cornelius, worshipped the true God. It rests upon no legal prohibition, and seems, at first sight, hardly consistent with the zeal to gain proselytes predicated of the Pharisees, Matthew 23:15 , with Jos. Antt. xx. 2. 3 ( á¼¸Î¿Ï Î´Î±á¿ÏÏ ÏÎ¹Ï á¼Î¼ÏοÏÎ¿Ï , á¼Î½Î±Î½Î¯Î±Ï á½Î½Î¿Î¼Î± , ÏÏá½¸Ï Ïá½°Ï Î³Ï Î½Î±á¿ÎºÎ±Ï εἰÏιὼν Ïοῦ βαÏιλÎÏÏ (Monobazus, of Adiabene) á¼Î´Î¯Î´Î±Ïκεν αá½Ïá½°Ï Ïὸν θεὸν εá½Ïεβεá¿Î½ ), and with the Rabbinical comment Schemoth Rabba on Exodus 12:4 , “Hoc idem est quod scriptum dicit Jes. Leviticus 3:0 . Et non dicet filius advenæ qui adhæsit Domino, dicendo: separando separavit me Dominus a populo suo.” But whatever exceptions there may have been, it was unquestionably the general practice of the Jews to separate themselves in common life from uncircumcised persons. We have Juvenal testifying to this at Rome, Sat. xiv. 103, ‘non monstrare vias, eadem nisi sacra colenti: Quæsitum ad fontem solos deducere verpos.’ And Tacitus, Hist. Acts 10:5 , ‘adversus omnes alios hostile odium, separati epulis, discreti cubilibus,’ &c.â¦
κá¼Î¼Î¿Î¯ ], not, ‘ but God hath shewed me,’ as E. V.: καί can never have this meaning, and in all cases where it is so rendered we may trace the significance of the simple copula if we examine. Here, for instance: the two parties concerned are á½Î¼Îµá¿Ï , κá¼Î³Ï . ‘ Ye , though ye see me here, know, how strong the prejudice is which would have kept me away: and I , though entertaining fully this prejudice myself, yet have been taught &c.’
Verse 29
29. Ïίνι λÏγῳ ] on what account : the dative of the cause : see reff.: and cf. Hes. Theog. 626: Î³Î±Î¯Î·Ï ÏÏαδμοÏÏνá¿Ïιν á¼Î½Î®Î³Î±Î³ÎµÎ½ , Winer, edn. 6, § 31. 6. c, and Bernhardy, Syntax, ch. iii. 14.
Verse 30
30. á¼Ïὸ ÏÎµÏ . ἡμ . ] The rendering of Meyer and others, ‘From the fourth day (reckoned back) down to this hour have I been fasting,’ is ungrammatical; for (1) this would require Ïá¿Ïδε Ïá¿Ï á½¥ÏÎ±Ï , and (2) ἤμην cannot possibly reach to the present time , but is the historical past: I was fasting . This being so, á¼Ïὸ ÏεÏάÏÏÎ·Ï á¼¡Î¼ÎÏÎ±Ï must indicate the time denoted by ἤμην ‘quarto abhinc die’ four days ago ; see reff. (2), which fully justify this rendering. De Wette’s and Neander’s rendering, ‘For four (whole) days was I (i.e. had I been) fasting up to this hour (i.e. the hour in which he saw the vision),’ does not satisfy ÏαÏÏÎ·Ï Ïá¿Ï á½¥ÏÎ±Ï , which must in that case be á¼ÎºÎµÎ¯Î½Î·Ï , if indeed such an expression could be at all used of ‘the time when the following incident took place.’ The only legitimate meaning of ÏαÏÏ . Ï . á½¥Ï . I take to be this hour of the day : and this meaning is further established by the omission of á½¥Ïαν after á¼Î½Î¬Ïην .
The hour alluded to is probably the sixth , the hour of the mid-day meal, which was the only one partaken by the Jews on their solemn days. (Lightf.)
λαμÏÏá¾· ] bright . In Luke (ref.) the brightness was in the colour: here, probably, in some supernatural splendour. The garment might have been white (as in ch. Act 1:10 ), or not, but at all events, it was radiant with brightness.
Verse 31
31 .] The two are separated here, which were placed together in Acts 10:4 , and each has its proper verb: εἰÏηκ ⦠ἡ ÏÏοÏÎµÏ Ïá½´ κ . αἱ á¼Î» ⦠á¼Î¼Î½Î®Ïθ .
Verse 33
33 .] The reading á¼Î½ÏÏ . ÏÎ¿Ï , for á¼Î½ÏÏ . Ïοῦ θεοῦ , is remarkable, and had it more manuscript authority, would seem as if it might have been genuine. It was much more likely to have been altered into Ï . θεοῦ (as making the expression more solemn), than the converse: and the sense, ‘We are all here present before thee ,’ follows better on the two preceding verses.
Ïá½° ÏÏοÏÏ . ] Not doubting that God, who had directed him to Peter, had also directed Peter what to speak to him.
Verse 34
34. á¼Î½Î¿Î¯Î¾Î±Ï Ïὸ ÏÏ . ] Used (see reff.) on occasions of more than ordinary solemnity.
á¼Ï ʼ á¼Î»Î·Î¸ÎµÎ¯Î±Ï ÎºÎ±Ï . ] ‘For the first time I now clearly, in its fulness and at a living fact , apprehend (grasp by experience the truth of) what I read in the Scripture (Deuteronomy 10:17 ; 2 Chronicles 19:7 ; Job 34:19 ).’
Verse 35
35. ] á¼Î»Î»Î¬ gives the explanation, what it is that Peter now fully apprehends: but as opposed to ÏÏοÏÏÏολήμÏÏÎ·Ï in its now apparent sense.
á¼Î½ ÏανÏá½¶ á¼Î¸Î½ÎµÎ¹ κ.Ï.λ. ] It is very important that we should hold the right clue to guide us in understanding this saying. The question which recent events had solved in Peter’s mind, was that of the admissibility of men of all nations into the church of Christ. In this tense only , had he received any information as to the acceptableness of men of all nations before God. He saw, that in every nation, men who seek after God, who receive His witness of Himself without which He has left no man, and humbly follow His will as far as they know it, these have no extraneous hindrance , such as uncircumcision, placed in their way to Christ, but are capable of being admitted into God’s church though Gentiles, and as Gentiles. That only such are spoken of, is agreeable to the nature of the case; for men who do not fear God, and work unrighteousness, are out of the question, not being likely to seek such admission. It is clearly unreasonable to suppose Peter to have meant, that each heathen’s natural light and moral purity would render him acceptable in the sight of God : for, if so, why should he have proceeded to preach Christ to Cornelius, or indeed any more at all ? And it is equally unreasonable to find any verbal or doctrinal difficulty in á¼Ïγ . δικαιοÏÏνην , or to suppose that δικ . must be taken in its forensic sense, and therefore that he alludes to the state of men after becoming believers. He speaks popularly , and certainly not without reference to the character he had heard of Cornelius, which consisted of these very two parts, that he feared God , and abounded in good works .
The deeper truth, that the preparation of the heart itself in such men comes from God’s preventing grace , is not in question here, nor touched upon.
Verse 36
36. Ïὸν λÏγον ] The construction is very difficult. Several ways have been proposed of connecting and rendering this accusative. (1) Erasm., Wolf, Heinrichs, Kuin., &c., Ïὸν λÏγον with οἴδαÏε , and understand Ïὸ γεν . á¿¥á¿Î¼ . κ . Ï . λ . as in apposition with it. “ The word which , &c., ye know, viz. the γεν . á¿¥ .” But this immediate connexion of λÏγ . and οἴδ . is hardly consistent with the interruption of the sense by οá½ÏÎ¿Ï â¦ ÎºÏÏÎ¹Î¿Ï . (2) Meyer, and Winer, edn. 6, § 62. 3 end, adopt virtually the same construction, but understand á½Î¼ . οἴδ . to be a taking up of the sense which was broken by (in this case) the two parentheses εá½Î±Î³Î³ ⦠ÏÏιÏÏοῦ , and οá½ÏÎ¿Ï â¦ ÎºÏÏÎ¹Î¿Ï . This also is the rendering of E. V. But it does not sufficiently account for the two clauses parenthesized. Besides, it is an objection to both these, that the hearers did not know the λÏÎ³Î¿Ï ‘noverant auditores historiam de qua mox, non item rationes interiores, de quibus hoc versu.’ Bengel. (3) Rosenm. and others understand καÏά , ‘secundum eam doctrinam quam Deus tradi jussit Israelitis,’ or (4) take it as an accusativus pendens, ‘ad sermonem filiis Israel missum quod attinet’.⦠But an accusative is never found thus standing alone, unless there be an anacoluthon, which (3) precludes, and which would, if assumed in (4), give us a construction of unexampled harshness. (5) Grot. and Beza take Ïὸν λÏγον ὠν , for á½Î½ λÏγον ‘quem nuncium,’ justifying it by Matthew 21:42 , and so nearly (6) Kypke, ‘verbum quod misit ⦠illud in omnes habet potestatem,’ a rendering altogether out of all N. T. analogy, as is also (7) that of Heinsius, who understands λÏÎ³Î¿Ï as personal, ‘Verbum quod misit Deus, omnium est Dominus,’ a usage confined in the N. T. to the writings of St. John, and, even if admissible, most harsh and improbable here. (8) I agree in the main with De Wette, who joins Ïὸν λÏγον with καÏαλαμβάνομαι , and regards Act 10:36 as exegetic of á½ Ïι ⦠δεκÏá½¸Ï Î±á½Ïá¿· á¼ÏÏι . Of a truth I perceive , &c.⦠(and recognize this as) the word which God sent to the children of Israel, preaching peace (see reff.) through Jesus Christ : (then, for the first time, á¼Ï ʼ á¼Î»Î·Î¸ÎµÎ¯Î±Ï καÏαλαμβανÏÎ¼ÎµÎ½Î¿Ï this also , on the mention of Jesus Christ, he adds οá½ÏÏÏ á¼ÏÏιν ÏάνÏÏν κÏÏÎ¹Î¿Ï ,) He is Lord of ALL MEN; with a strong emphasis on ÏάνÏÏν . I the more incline to this, the simplest and most forcible rendering, from observing that so far from á½Î¼Îµá¿Ï οἴδαÏε being (Meyer’s objection) a harsh beginning to a new sentence, it is the very form in which Peter began his address to them Acts 10:28 , á½Î¼Îµá¿Ï á¼ÏίÏÏαÏθε , &c.: and, as there it answers to κá¼Î¼Î¿Î¯ , so here also ( Act 10:39 ) to καὶ ἡμεá¿Ï .
διὰ á¼¸Î·Ï . ÏÏ . belongs to εá½Î±Î³Î³ÎµÎ» ., not to εἰÏήνην .
Verse 37
37. Ïὸ á¿¥á¿Î¼Î± ] the matter : not the thing , here or any where else: but the thing said , the ‘materies’ of the proclamation, in this case perhaps best ‘ the history .’
γενÏμενον ] Not ‘ which took place ,’ but, which was spoken , ‘published,’ as E. V. See reff. This meaning, which á¿¥á¿Î¼Î± itself renders necessary, is further supported by καθ ʼ á½ Î»Î·Ï Ï . á¼¸Î¿Ï Î´ ., which can only be properly said, and is used by Luke (only, see reff.) of a publication , or spreading of a rumour, not of the happening of an event or series of events relating to one person.
á¼Ïξ . á¼Ï . Ï . Îαλ . ] It was from Galilee first that the fame of Jesus went abroad, as Luke himself relates, Luke 4:14 ; Luke 4:37 (44 v. r.); Acts 7:17 ; Acts 9:6 ( Act 23:5 ). Galilee also was the nearest to Cæsarea, and may have been for this reason expressly mentioned. á¼ÏÎ¾Î¬Î¼ÎµÎ½Î¿Ï is an unexpected transference of the case and gender into that of the prime agent, a construction common enough in the Apocalypse ( Act 4:1 reff.), but surprising in St. Luke.
μεÏá½° Ïὸ βάÏÏ . ] So also Peter dates the ministry of our Lord in ch. Acts 1:22 . (See note there.)
Verse 38
38. ἸηÏοῦν Ï . á¼Ïὸ Îαζ . ] The personal subject of the γενÏμενον á¿¥á¿Î¼Î± , q. d. ‘Ye know the subject which was preached ⦠viz. Jesus of Nazareth.’
á½¡Ï á¼ÏÏ . αá½Ï . ] how that God anointed him â¦, not as Kuin. and Kypke, ‘how that God anointed Jesus of N.,’ taking αá½ÏÏν as redundant by a Hebraism. See a construction very similar in Luke 24:19-20 .
The fact of the anointing with the Holy Spirit, in His baptism by John, was the historical opening of the ministry of Jesus: this anointing however was not His first unction with the Spirit, but only symbolic of that which He had in His incarnation: so Cyril in Johan. lib. xi. vol. vii. p. 993, οὠδήÏÎ¿Ï Ïάλιν á¼ÎºÎµá¿Î½Ï Ïαμεν á½ Ïι ÏÏÏε γÎγονεν á¼ Î³Î¹Î¿Ï á½ ÎºÎ±Ïá½° ÏάÏκα ÏÏιÏÏÏÏ , á½ Ïε Ïὸ Ïνεῦμα ÏεθÎαÏαι καÏαβαá¿Î½Î¿Î½ ὠβαÏÏιÏÏÎ®Ï Â· á¼ Î³Î¹Î¿Ï Î³á½°Ï á¼¦Î½ καὶ á¼Î½ á¼Î¼Î²ÏÏῳ καὶ μήÏÏá¾³ ⦠á¼Î»Î»á½° δÎδοÏαι μὲν Îµá¼°Ï Ïημεá¿Î¿Î½ Ïá¿· βαÏÏιÏÏá¿ Ïὸ θÎαμα : which unction abode upon Him, John 1:32-33 , and is alleged here as the continuing anointing which was upon Him from God.
Stier well remarks, how entirely all personal address to the hearers and all doctrinal announcements are thrown into the background in this speech, and the Person and Work and Office of Christ put forward as the sole subject of apostolic preaching.
καÏÎ±Î´Ï Î½Î±ÏÏ . ] Subdued, so that he is their Î´Ï Î½Î¬ÏÏÏ , and this power used for their oppression. Here, it alludes to physical oppression by disease (see Luk 13:16 ) and possession: in 2 Timothy 2:26 , a very similar description is given of those who are spiritually bound by the devil.
á½ Î¸Îµá½¸Ï á¼¦Î½ Î¼ÎµÏ Ê¼ αá½Ï . ] So Nicodemus had spoken, John 3:2 ; and probably Peter here used the words as well known and indicative of the presence of divine power and co-operation (see Jdg 6:16 ): beginning as he does with the outer and lower circle of the things regarding Christ, as they would be matter of observation and inference to his hearers , and gradually ascending to those higher truths regarding His Person and Office, which were matter of apostolic testimony and demonstration from Scripture, His resurrection ( Act 10:40 ), His being appointed Judge of living and dead ( Act 10:42 ), and the predestined Author of salvation to all who believe on Him ( Act 10:43 ).
Verse 39
39. καὶ ἡμεá¿Ï ] Answering to á½Î¼Îµá¿Ï οἴδαÏε , Acts 10:37 . ‘ You know the history as matter of universal rumour: and we are witnesses of the facts.’ By this ἡμεá¿Ï Peter at once takes away the ground from the exaggerated reverence for himself individually, shewn by Cornelius, Acts 10:25 (Stier): and puts himself and the rest of the Apostles in the strictly subordinate place of witnesses for Another.
á½Î½ καὶ á¼Î½Îµá¿Î» . ] Whom also they killed . καί is not ‘ yet ,’ as Kuinoel, but merely introduces, in this case passing over it without emphasis, a new fact in this history. He even omits all mention of the actors in the murder, speaking as he did to Gentiles: a striking contrast to ch. Acts 2:23 ; Acts 3:14 ; Acts 4:10 ; Acts 5:30 , when he was working conviction in the minds of those actors themselves .
κÏεμ . á¼Ïá½¶ ξ . ] So also ch. Acts 5:30 , where see note.
Verse 41
41 .] Bengel would understand ÏÏ Î½ÎµÏ . κ . ÏÏ Î½ÎµÏ . of previous intercourse during His ministry , and parenthesize οὠÏανÏá½¶ ⦠αá½Ïá¿· , finding a difficulty in their having eaten and drunk with Him after His Resurrection . But this would make the significant οἵÏÎ¹Î½ÎµÏ (“people who”).⦠αá½Ïá¿· very flat and unmeaning, especially after Acts 10:39 ; whereas the fact of their having eaten and drunk with Him after His Resurrection gives most important testimony to the reality and identity of His risen Body. And there is no real difficulty in it: Luke 24:41 ; Luk 24:43 and Joh 21:12 give us instances; and, even if ÏÏ Î½ÎµÏίομεν is to be pressed, it is no contradiction to Luke 22:18 , which only refers to one particular kind of drinking.
ÏÏÎ¿ÎºÎµÏ . á½Ï . Ï . θεοῦ ] Had not Peter in his mind the Lord’s own solemn words, οá½Ï δÎδÏÎºÎ¬Ï Î¼Î¿Î¹ á¼Îº Ïοῦ κÏÏÎ¼Î¿Ï , Joh 17:6 ?
Verse 42
42. Ïá¿· λαῷ ] Here as elsewhere (Acts 10:2 ; Joh 11:50 al. fr.), the Jewish people : that was all which, in the apostolic mind, up to this time, the command had absolutely enjoined. The further unfolding of the Gospel had all been brought about over and above this first injunction. Ch. Act 1:8 is no obstacle to this interpretation; for although literally fulfilled by the leadings of Providence, as related in this book, they did not so understand it when spoken.
κÏÎ¹Ï . ζ . κ . Î½ÎµÎºÏ . ] So also Paul, ch. Acts 17:31 , preaching to Gentiles, brings forward the appointment of a Judge over all men as the central point of his teaching. This expression gives at once a universality to the office and mission of Christ, which prepares the way for the great truth declared in the next verse.
It is impossible that the living and dead here can mean (as the Augsburg Catechism, and Olshausen) the righteous and sinners : a canon of interpretation which should constantly be borne in mind is, that a figurative sense of words is never admissible , EXCEPT WHEN REQUIRED BY THE CONTEXT. Thus, in the passage of John 5:25 (where see notes), the sense of νεκÏοί is determined to be figurative by the addition of καὶ νῦν á¼ÏÏιν after á½¥Ïα , no such addition occurring in Acts 10:28 , where the literally dead, οἱ á¼Î½ Ïοá¿Ï Î¼Î½Î·Î¼ÎµÎ¯Î¿Î¹Ï , are mentioned.
Verse 43
43. ÏάνÏÎµÏ Î¿á¼± ÏÏÎ¿Ï . ] All the prophets, generically: not that every one positively asserted this, but that the whole bulk of prophetic testimony announced it. To press such expressions to literal exactness is mere trifling. See ch. Acts 3:21 ; Acts 3:24 .
á¼Ï . á¼Î¼ . λαβ . κ . Ï . λ .] The legal sacrifices , as well as the declarations of the prophets, all pointed to the remission of sins by faith in Him. And the universality of this proclamation, ÏάνÏα Ïὸν ÏιÏÏ ., is set forth by the prophets in many places, and was recognized even by the Jews themselves, in their expositions of Scripture, though not in their practice.
Verse 44
44 .] Peter had spoken up to this point: and was probably proceeding (cf. á¼Î½ Ïá¿· á¼ÏξαÏθαί με λαλεá¿Î½ , ch. Act 11:15 ) to include his present hearers and all nations in the number to whom this blessing was laid open, or perhaps beyond this point his own mind may as yet have been not sufficiently enlightened to set forth the full liberty of the Gospel of Christ, when the fire of the Lord fell, approving the sacrifice of the Gentiles (see Rom 15:16 ): conferring on them the substance before the symbol , the baptism with the Holy Ghost before the baptism with water: and teaching us, that as the Holy Spirit dispensed once and for all with the necessity of circumcision in the flesh, so can He also, when it pleases him, with the necessity of water baptism: and warning the Christian church not to put baptism itself in the place which circumcision once held. See further in note on Peter’s important words, ch. Acts 11:16 .
The outpouring of the Spirit on the Gentiles was strictly analogous to that in the day of Pentecost; Peter himself describes it by adding (ch. Act 11:15 ), á½¥ÏÏÎµÏ ÎºÎ±á½¶ á¼Ï ʼ á¼¡Î¼á¾¶Ï á¼Î½ á¼ÏÏá¿ . Whether there was any visible appearance in this case, cannot be determined: perhaps from Act 10:46 it would appear not .
Verse 45
45 .] We do not read that Peter himself was astonished. He had been specially prepared by the vision: they had not .
The λαλεá¿Î½ γλÏÏÏÎ±Î¹Ï here is identified with the λ . á¼ÏÎÏÎ±Î¹Ï Î³Î» . of ch. Acts 2:4 , by the assertion of ch. Acts 11:15 , just cited; and this again with the á¼Î»Î¬Î»Î¿Ï ν γλÏÏÏÎ±Î¹Ï of ch. Acts 19:6 : so that the gift was one and the same throughout . On the whole subject, see note, ch. Acts 2:4 .
Verse 47
47 .] One great end of the unexpected effusion of the Holy Spirit was entirely to preclude the question which otherwise could not but have arisen, ‘Must not these men be circumcised before baptism ?’
Ïὸ á½Î´ÏÏ â¦ Ïὸ Ïνεῦμα ] The TWO great PARTS of full and complete baptism : the latter infinitely greater than, but not superseding the necessity of, the former. The article should here certainly be expressed: Can any forbid THE WATER to these who have received THE SPIRIT?
The expression κÏλῦÏαι , used with Ïὸ á½Î´ ., is interesting, as shewing that the practice was to bring the water to the candidates, not the candidates to the water . This, which would be implied by the word under any circumstances, is rendered certain, when we remember that they were assembled in the house .
Verse 48
48. ÏÏοÏÎÏαξεν ] As the Lord Himself when on earth did not baptize ( Joh 4:2 ), so did not ordinarily the Apostles (see 1 Corinthians 1:13-17 , and note). Perhaps the same reason may have operated in both cases, lest those baptized by our Lord, or by the chief Apostles, should arrogate to themselves pre-eminence on that account. Also, which is implied in 1 Corinthians 1:17 , as compared with Acts 6:2 , the ministry of the Word was esteemed by them their higher and paramount duty and office, whereas the subordinate ministration of the ordinances was committed to those who διηκÏÎ½Î¿Ï Î½ ÏÏαÏÎÎ¶Î±Î¹Ï .
á¼Î½ Ïá¿· á½Î½ . ] = á¼Ïá½¶ Ïá¿· á½Î½ ., ch. Acts 2:38 , where see note. Wahl compares á¼ÏοκÏείνειν á¼Î½ Ïá¿ ÏÏοÏάÏει ÏαÏÏá¿ , Lysias, p. 452.