Bible Commentaries
Acts 10

Verses 1-16

Act 10:1-16

PETER’S VISION

Acts 10:1-16

1 Now there was a certain man in Caesarea,—Caesarea at this time was the most prominent city in Palestine, and was virtually the capital; it was built by Herod the Great as a seaport, which he had founded on the ruins of Samaria; it was named “Caesarea” after Caesar Augustus. “Cornelius” is a Roman name, and this “certain man” may have been a descendant of the great Cornelian family of Rome; however, there were many Romans bearing this name. He was “a centurion,” which means that he was a leader of a hundred soldiers; “centurion” comes from the Latin “centurio,” and means one hundred. “Of the band called the Italian band,” means that the soldiers that made or composed this “band” or “cohort” were from Italy; the Italian cohorts were sent to any part of the empire where they were needed. It is possible that the soldiers of this cohort could have been Roman citizens who lived in Caesarea.

2 A devout man who feared God---Cornelius is described as being “devout,” “one that feared God with all his house,” one “who gave much alms to the people,” and one who “prayed to God always.” It seems that he worshiped God with all earnestness and devotion, and taught his house to do the same; he was liberal in that the Jewish people among whom he was stationed needed help and he gave of his means to help them; he continued praying to God and seemed to be anxious for greater knowledge of God’s way. However, this good man, Cornelius, was an unsaved man; he was unconverted.

3 He saw in a vision openly,—Cornelius was not in a trance, but was engaged in prayer when an angel appeared to him. He was not in a dream, but “saw in a vision” the angel. The Greek “oramati” means “something seen”; it is not the same word as used for Peter’s “trance” in verse 10. The Jews had three regular hours of prayer; the hour when the evening sacrifice was offered in the temple was the hour also of prayer, and this was the time when Cornelius was praying. It was supposed to be about three o’clock in the afternoon. Cornelius did not call the messenger “an angel,” but the men sent to Peter spoke of an angel.

4 And he, fastening his eyes upon him,—Cornelius looked steadfastly at the angel, and became frightened and exclaimed: “What is it, Lord?” It seems that Cornelius recognized the angel of God as a messenger from God; hence, he addressed the angel as “Lord.” Such a messenger coming so unexpectedly frightened Cornelius. The angel responded and told Cornelius that his “prayers” and his “alms” had “gone up for a memorial before God.” “Memorial” means a remembrance; it comes from the Greek “mnemosuon,” and is used only one other time in the New Testament by Jesus concerning the act of Mary of Bethany. (Matthew 26:13; Mark 14:9.) The prayers of Cornelius had ascended like incense and were remembered by God; he had faith to pray to God that God would in some way answer his prayer.

5-6 And now send men to Joppa,—The angel gives Cornelius definite instruction as to what he should do; Peter was at Joppa, and the angel instructs Cornelius to send men to Joppa and “fetch one Simon, who is surnamed Peter.” The information that Cornelius is to receive must come through human agency. Note the several particulars mentioned by the angel; men are to go to Joppa; they are to bring a man by the name of Simon; this Simon was called Peter; he lodged with another Simon who was a tanner; Simon the tanner lived “by the sea side.” The Jewish name, “Simon,” is mentioned, and then the name “Peter,” which describes minutely the preacher for whom he should send. Next the city where he was sojourning, and the name and occupation of the man with whom Peter was dwelling; then the exact location of the house is given. With these minute and accurate directions the messengers of Cornelius could find Peter without any delay. Philip the evangelist was probably in Caesarea. (Acts 8:40.) Why was not Philip called ? We are not told; however, Peter had “the keys of the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 16:19), and he is to give by the Holy Spirit the conditions of salvation to the Gentiles; Peter is to open the door to the Gentiles.

7-8 And when the angel that spake unto him—So soon as the angel had finished his message to Cornelius, preparation began to be made to carry out in detail all that had been commanded. Cornelius selected “two of his household-servants, and a devout soldier” and dispatched them immediately. The angel “departed,” apparently as a man would walk away; it is not said that he “vanished” as Jesus did after his resurrection. (Luke 24:31.) Cornelius promptly selected men whom he could trust—two of his household servants and a devout soldier. Probably the two servants were to bear the message to Peter and the soldier was to act as guard for them. It seems that they started that evening, and would be able to arrive at Joppa, thirty miles away, the next day soon after midday. Cornelius “rehearsed all things” to these men before he dispatched them to Joppa. It seems that Cornelius put great faith in the message of the angels, and also equal faith in these three men whom he sent for Peter; he recited to them his vision and conversation with the angel; they reverently listened to him and hastened to obey his orders.

9 Now on the morrow, as they were on their journey,—The roofs of the houses in that country were built flat, and there was a stairway on the outside that led to the roof. The roof of the house was the place where worship and conversation were usually had. Samuel chose this place for his conference with Saul before he anointed him king. (1 Samuel 9:25-26.) The housetop was used for religious purposes also. (Jeremiah 19:13; Zephaniah 1:5.) We see from verses 23 and 24 that the journey from Joppa to Caesarea occupied more than one day, so that the vision of Cornelius took place on the day before the trance of Peter, and the messengers had time almost to accomplish their journey before Peter was prepared to receive them; the distance between Caesarea and Joppa was thirty Roman miles. Peter had gone upon the housetop to pray; it was about the sixth hour, or about noon. The Jews had three periods in the day for prayer—third hour or nine o’clock, sixth hour or noon, and the ninth hour or three. o’clock in the afternoon.

10 and he became hungry,—“Hungry” comes from the Greek “prospeinos,” and means “very hungry”; that is, exceedingly hungry. His appetite for food was very strong; he “desired to eat.” His hunger and longing for food was so strong that it was beyond his control; it was about noon and they were making ready the noon meal in Simon the tanner’s house. While in this extremely hungry condition, “he fell into a trance.” “Trance” here comes from the Greek “ekstasis,” which means that “an ectasy came upon him,” in which trance he passed out of himself and from which one came to himself. (Acts 11:5 Acts 12:11 Acts 22:17.) A trance is dif-ferent from a vision. In a “trance” the bodily senses are dormant or inactive, while in a “vision” the bodily senses are active and awake. Peter had a mental vision, but not a dream, for the trance differs from the dream.

11-12 and he beholdeth the heaven opened,—In this trance Peter saw as it were “a certain vessel descending” like a great sheet, which was let down through the opened heaven by four corners to the earth. What Peter saw was an extended sheet, the four corners of which were held up, as it were, by cords let down from the four extremities of the opened sky. Enclosed as it were in this great sheet were “all manner of fourfooted beasts and creeping things of the earth and birds of the heaven.” The classification here included sheep, oxen, swine, and all other “fourfooted beasts” and creeping things of all kinds and all kinds of birds; there was a mixture of both clean and unclean animals. The vision represented the whole animal creation, yet fish are not mentioned; perhaps fish are not mentioned because the sheet had no water, though they were clean and unclean. (Leviticus 11:9; Deuteronomy 14:9.) It will be noted that there are three groups named: fourfooted beasts, creeping things, and birds; these three great groups were in the sheet, and “all kinds” of each group. “Wild beasts” is omitted in the best texts.

13 And there came a voice to him,—As Peter was hungry before he fell into the trance, here is presented the means of satisfying his hunger, and by the command in which he is directed to kill without distinction among all that he sees, this would indicate that the law of Moses concerning the choice among living creatures, or the distinction between clean and unclean animals, had been abrogated. Peter was told to “rise”; that is, from his knees in prayer, or his reclining posture. The animals were clean and unclean, but the clean animals had become unclean by contact with the unclean, and Peter is told by a voice from heaven to break the Mosaic law, and in his eating do away with the distinction between Jew and Gentile.

14 But Peter said, Not so, Lord;—Peter refused to ease his hunger by violating the law by which he had been governed as a Jew; he had never “eaten anything that is common and unclean.” This was one of the distinctions which separated the Jews from the Gentiles; but Peter is to learn that there is a better, truer distinction between God’s people than that of choosing diferent kinds of animals for food. Peter showed his usual abrupt determination by the answer that he gave; he is polite but firm in his refusal; he gives his reason for his firm decision. He had never violated this law and he firmly declares that he will not do so now.

15-16 And a voice came unto him again the second time,—After Peter’s clear and emphatic refusal, the voice stated, “What God hath cleansed, make not thou common.” The lesson for Peter was clear; he should not make “common” that which God had “cleansed.” “And this was done thrice.” Does this mean that the whole vision was repeated three times, or that the voice gave the command three times? Some claim that the whole scene was repeated three times; but many others understand that the voice came three times to emphasize the one lesson: Peter was not to call the Gentiles “common” or “unclean” when God had arranged to give to them the blessings of salvation through Christ. It seems that the vessel was let down from heaven only once, and then taken back “up into heaven.” Peter was to learn that all nations might be admitted to the kingdom of God upon the same terms of the gospel.

Verses 1-48

Act 10:1-48

THE PROMISE IS FOR ALL:

LESSONS FROM THE BOOK OF ACTS

Notes For Lesson Ten: The Good News Comes to the Gentiles

(Acts 10:1 to Acts 11:18)

Even before the ascension, Jesus had indicated that the gospel would be taken to "the ends of the earth", and yet in the early years of the church its membership consisted almost exclusively of Jews and Samaritans. In chapters 10 and 11 we finally see the breakthrough, as Peter is led by God to proclaim the gospel to a group of Gentiles, and to accept those who believe.

God Makes Preparations (Acts 10:1-23)

The two narratives in this passage show us God at work on both ends of what would be a momentous meeting. God selects the centurion Cornelius to be Peter’s first Gentile audience, and sends an angel to make sure that Cornelius is ready. At the same time, he teaches Peter a vital lesson, in order to ensure that Peter is ready to take advantage of the opportunity when it comes.

First we see God’s instructions to Cornelius in Caesarea (Acts 10:1-8). This centurion and his family are described as all being devout and God-fearing. The second term is somewhat of a technical reference, in that it was commonly used by Jews to refer to Gentiles who believed in the living God. Cornelius and his family were thus chosen for a special purpose because their beliefs and character would make them the ideal hearers for Peter, whom God was preparing to send to them. Cornelius is visited by an angel, who assures him that he has nothing to fear, and directs him as to how to contact Peter and ask him to come. Cornelius wastes no time in sending messengers to Peter.

Meanwhile, God is working in Joppa by giving Peter a significant vision (Acts 10:9-16). As Peter prayed on the rooftop while awaiting preparation of a meal, God gave him a rather peculiar sight, in the form of a large sheet filled with animals that appeared to descend from heaven. Peter is exhorted to eat them, although he saw that they were all unclean animals. Three times the same command is given, with Peter each time objecting that he has never eaten anything declared by the law to be impure. The message, which became gradually clear to Peter as subsequent events unfolded, was both symbolic and practical. The obvious symbolism is that the Jewish believers in Jesus will soon be expected by God to accept Gentiles as their brothers in Christ, despite formerly considering them "unclean". Under the levitical laws, there was no ritual, sacrifice, or any other means by which one could make an unclean animal become clean. Only by a declaration from God himself could this have happened. The implication is that God is likewise declaring his readiness to cleanse the Gentiles, in order to bring them into a relationship with him. Further, the specific exhortation to Peter to go ahead and eat "unclean" food will prove to be of great practical importance, as in practice this was the most significant social barrier between Jews and Gentiles*.

See also Acts 11:2-3 below, where one of the main charges against Peter is that he ate with Gentiles. Though such restrictions were not part of the (divinely inspired) law of Moses, there were many such strict regulations that the Jewish leaders had made up themselves.

These preparations set the stage for Peter and Cornelius’s messengers to meet (Acts 10:17-23). The messengers arrive even as Peter is still pondering the meaning of the vision. No doubt their arrival helped him to begin to understand much better what God had called him to do. This meeting is covered in a few short verses, but it is a significant encounter. Peter welcomes them, hears their story, and plans to come with them at once, realizing that God’s hand is at work. He and the other apostles have long since become used to responding to the opportunities the God provided them for ministry, but this one would prove to be something new and special.

For Discussion or Study: As far as is possible for us to understand from a human perspective, what were some of the reasons why God set up this meeting the way that he did? Why was it necessary for preparations to be made on both ends? What might Cornelius and Peter have understood at the time, and what would they be likely to have understood only later, after further events clarified God’s plans?

The Lesson At Cornelius’s House (Acts 10:24-48)

With everything prepared, Peter arrives at Cornelius’s house and finds an eager audience. He recites some of the familiar facts about Jesus and his ministry, but for a much different audience than he is accustomed to. His gospel lesson is accompanied with an outpouring of the Holy Spirit, emphasizing God’s acceptance of the Gentiles who believed. This will also be an important point when Peter returns to Jerusalem and explains what has happened (see next section).

First we have the description of Peter meeting Cornelius (Acts 10:24-33). Whether out of awkwardness or misunderstanding, Cornelius begins by bowing down to Peter, but Peter gently corrects him with the statement that "I am only a man myself". Peter is well aware that this is a big step, since simply entering a Gentile’s home would be viewed by many Jews with grave displeasure. He is there only because he is convinced that it is God’s will for him to be there. He soon also finds that the zealous Cornelius has assembled many of his relatives and friends to hear Peter. Then Cornelius tells his own side of the story, making it clear to all that God has worked to bring this meeting about.

With this in mind, Peter then begins to teach his audience about Jesus (Acts 10:34-43). Seeing the crowd of eager listeners, and having heard Cornelius’s account of how God initiated the contact with Peter, the apostle is now convinced that God does not show favoritism, but that he has determined that the time has come for the Gentiles to learn about Jesus. As a witness to Jesus and his ministry, Peter thus tells them the gospel of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection, along with the promise of forgiveness that came through Jesus.

Even as Peter reached the point where he spoke of the forgiveness of sins, the lesson is climaxed by an outpouring of the Holy Spirit (Acts 10:44-48). As Peter will later recount (see 11:15), the event was very similar to the Spirit’s descent on Pentecost, still vivid in Peter’s memory. Peter at once grasped the message that God was demonstrating his acceptance of the Gentiles on the same basis that he had already accepted the Jews. Peter thus orders that Cornelius and the others be baptized with water into Jesus*, that they may receive the other promises made to believers, and that they might fully be joined to the fellowship of believers in Christ.

Notice that in Acts there are examples of the Holy Spirit descending and bestowing miraculous gifts both before (here) and after (e.g. Acts 8) water baptism. This is one of the indications that this type of miraculous display is a different manifestation of the Spirit than that which Peter promised to all who repent and are baptized in Acts 2.

For Discussion or Study: What is significant about the first interactions between Peter and Cornelius? What lessons has Peter learned that have brought him this far? What message was God sending by having the Holy Spirit descend with power on Cornelius and the other Gentiles? Is there a significance to this message for us now?

Peter Explains In Jerusalem (Acts 11:1-18)

As exciting as the events of chapter 10 are, there was some initial concern back in Jerusalem about what had happened. The Jewish believers were critical of what Peter had done, and insisted on an explanation. Peter thus tells his side of what we have just read in the previous chapter. To their credit, the Jewish believers understand what God had done as soon as they hear all of the details, and they change their criticism of Peter into praise for God and his grace.

Despite having just been part of a great victory for the gospel, Peter returns to Jerusalem to find himself criticized (Acts 11:1-3). Although they had learned about the Gentiles receiving salvation, and the vast new opportunities now open to the good news, their chief concern was that Peter, a leader of the church, had gone into the home of Gentiles and might even have actually shared a meal with them. Although this was not in itself contrary to God’s laws, it was a serious matter in the eyes of the Jewish leaders, and even the Jewish Christians had not yet begun to change their feelings on the subject. Lest we criticize them too harshly, we should think about all the things that disturb or displease us despite not being contrary to any law of God or of Scripture.

Peter therefore reviews what happened in Caesarea, giving an account of the reasons for going there, and of what happened as a result (Acts 11:4-17). Peter’s approach is worth noting and emulating. He does not respond with his own criticisms of their attitude, nor does he reproach them for not being as active as he has been in his ministry. He understands their concern, treats it as genuine, and patiently explains how he himself came to change his perspective. He tells of the message that God gave him through the vision, and of meeting Cornelius and seeing his faith. The climax of Peter’s account is his witness to the Spirit’s having been poured out on the Gentiles. Just as Peter realized at the time, his current audience also at once realizes that this was an emphatic demonstration of God’s acceptance of the Gentiles.

They thus raise no further objections to what Peter has done (Acts 11:18). They join him in celebrating God’s gift of repentance unto life, and God’s grace in truly making this gift available to all, both Jew and Gentile. This account is encouraging both as a recap of the great advance the gospel has made in reaching the Gentiles, and also in demonstrating how to overcome barriers in one another’s thinking by faith, love, and patience.

For Discussion or Study: Why were the Jews in Jerusalem so concerned about what Peter had done? What might be some equivalent sources of concern for contemporary Christians? What are the noteworthy features of Peter’s response? What other, less constructive, approaches might he have taken? What lessons can we learn from the way that this discussion had such a positive result?

- Mark W. Garner, May 2002

Verses 17-48

Act 10:17-48

CORNELIUS CONVERTED

Acts 10:17-48

17-18 Now while Peter was much perplexed—It seems that Peter came out of “the trance” and was disturbed or confused as to what was meant by the vision. He seems to have understood the vision, but did not know the application or spiritual significance of it. While he was in this “perplexed” state, the three men who had come from Caesarea were at the gate of Simon the tanner’s house, and making inquiry as to whether “Simon, who was surnamed Peter,” was stopping there. The messengers from Cornelius, by inquiry, had found the lodging place of Peter and were making inquiry for him. Luke, the writer, takes pains to make clear the close connection of providential guidance in the successive steps that have brought the messengers of Cornelius from Caesarea to Peter in Joppa. Peter saw a little later very clearly that these were all providential and designed coincidences controlled by the hand of God.

19 And while Peter thought on the vision,—As Peter was trying to solve the mystery, the Holy Spirit said to him: “Behold, three men seek thee.” Peter was turning over the vision in his mind and seeking for its significance, and the Holy Spirit now intercedes and directs him. The “voice” no longer seemed to come from heaven to the outward ear, but was heard as not less divine in the secret recesses of his soul, and he is further directed as to what he should do.

20 But arise, and get thee down,—Peter is told that he should not hesitate or doubt as to the meaning of the strange vision; he is to understand that it came from God and that he should follow it. He was to walk, as it were, blindfold, but he should trust in the assurance of faith in the hand that was guiding him. As once before (John 13:7) Peter knew not yet what his Lord was doing, but was to know hereafter; Peter and the messengers from Cornelius were alike acting under the guidance of God. We see here the divine hand in bringing the preacher of the gospel into the presence of the unsaved. The two visions of Cornelius in Caesarea and of Peter in Joppa occurred in teaching the same truth: God calls Jews and Gentiles to salvation through the same gospel.

21 And Peter went down to the men,—Peter at once went down from the housetop and said to the messengers from Cornelius, “I am he whom ye seek: what is the cause wherefore ye are come?” Peter was as yet ignorant of the reason of their coming. He had learned three things:

(1) that God was about to teach him some new truth, but the precise character of it was dimly seen;

(2)that the Holy Spirit had sent these three messengers to him;

(3)that he was to go with them.

The reason for their coming Peter could learn from the men; the light they would throw upon the vision was gradually to appear clearer and clearer to him.

22 And they said, Cornelius a centurion,—The messengers from Cornelius began at once and very briefly and pointedly told Peter the full message that they had brought from Cornelius. They described Cornelius as a “centurion, a righteous man and one that feareth God, and well reported of by all the nation of the Jews.” After describing Cornelius they then told Peter that God had warned him “by a holy angel to send” for Peter that he might “hear words” from him. Very likely this reminded Peter of another centurion whose name is not recorded, who was stationed at Capernaum, and had built a synagogue for the Jews. (Luke 7:5.) There was a message from God that Peter had that Cornelius needed to hear; Peter had the gospel as God’s power to save, and Cornelius was an unsaved man; hence, he needed to hear the words that Peter had for him.

23 So he called them in and lodged them.—Here, according to the translators of the Standard Version, should close the twenty-second verse. The New Testament was divided into verses by Robert Stephen in A.D. 1551, and his division into verses has been observed since that time; but it would have been better to have included the words here in verse 22, and that division would have corresponded to the paragraph division.

And on the morrow he arose—Peter had lodged the three men overnight and was ready the next morning to start on the journey from Joppa to Caesarea. He selected six Jewish brethren to go with him. (Acts 11:12.) These six brethren are called “they of the circumcision that believed.” Peter took them for his companions that he might, if need be, afterwards appeal to them for testimony of what was done, and to explain why he had acted as he did. Probably he informed them of the message which the ser-vants of Cornelius had brought, and of the vision that he had seen in the trance, as well as what the Holy Spirit had said to him.

24 And on the morrow they entered into Caesarea.—After keeping the three men overnight Peter arranged with six Jewish brethren to go with him to Caesarea; they arrived in Caesarea the second day about three o’clock after they left Joppa. It seems that it took Peter and his company longer to make the journey from Joppa to Caesarea than it had taken the three men from Caesarea to arrive in Joppa. Cornelius was waiting for them to arrive; he did not know just what time Peter and his company would arrive, but he had “called together his kinsmen and his near friends” to hear what Peter had to say. They returned to Caesarea the fourth day after Cornelius sent the messengers. (Verse 30.) It is very probable that Peter and his company did not leave Joppa so early and promptly as we might expect, since they did not arrive in Caesarea until about three o’clock the following day. It will be noted that only the kinsmen of Cornelius “and his near friends” were present when Peter arrived.

25 And when it came to pass that Peter entered,—When Peter entered the house of Cornelius, Cornelius graciously met him, “and fell down at his feet, and worshipped him.” Cornelius regarded Peter as a messenger from God and sought to do honor to him; “worshipped” is from the Greek “prosekunesen,” and means a high degree of reverence and not actual worship, for Cornelius was not an idolator, and would not have worshipped Peter as a god. However, it seems that Peter understood Cornelius to be worshiping him.

26 But Peter raised him up,—It seems clear that Peter understood that Cornelius was not merely doing him homage, but that his acts were intended as worship; hence, he corrected Cornelius and told him to “stand up,” and then added, “I myself also am a man.” Peter did not want to receive the homage that Cornelius was offering, for such belonged not to man, but to God alone.

27 And as he talked with him,—The introduction and conversation began without, for they talked together and then Peter went in. When he came in he found “many come together”; the conversation without had taken some time as the term “talked with him” implies a long conversation; the “many” who were in the house shows the influence and prominence of Cornelius.

28 and he said unto them, Ye yourselves know—Peter now gives an explanation for his entering the house of Cornelius, a Gentile; he appeals to the knowledge of Cornelius and his friends, and they thus knew the strict regulations that the Jews observed in their association with the Gentiles. Peter says that “it is an unlawful thing” for a Jew “to join himself or come unto one of another nation.” “Unlawful” comes from “athemitos,” which means contrary to law or custom; it is used in this form only twice in the New Testament; Peter uses the term both times, here and in 1 Peter 4:3; it means a violation of established order. The position in which Peter found himself was strangely unfamiliar, so much so that he can scarcely help apologizing, even to Romans, for his conduct. The separative ceremonial law, partly Mosaic, and partly traditional with the Jews, had built up a barrier which was difficult to overcome. However, God had showed Peter by the vision on the housetop that he should call no “man common or unclean.” Perhaps Peter saw this clearer now than he had done before.

29 wherefore also I came without gainsaying,—Peter had been deeply impressed with the lesson that had been taught him, and so soon as he learned what God wanted him to do without “gainsaying,” or “without answering back,” or doubting he obeyed and came at once. “I ask therefore with what intent ye sent for me.” No time is wasted, no delay is had; Peter at once inquires why Cornelius, a Gentile, had sent for him. Perhaps Peter had not been instructed by the Holy Spirit; it was left for Cornelius to re-veal his vision to Peter. In this way Peter could take his own vision and that of Cornelius and put them together and learn what God wanted him to do.

30-31 And Cornelius said, Four days ago,—This statement, “four days ago,” has been interpreted several ways, partly due to different readings of the Greek text; some read, “From the fourth day until this very hour, the ninth, I was praying in my house; and behold a man stood in my presence in bright garments.” The Greek text appears to mean that four days before Cornelius was praying until the ninth hour, the very hour of the day which it was when he was talking to Peter. This makes the time of Peter’s arrival to be after the ninth hour of the day. Cornelius relates his experience to Peter, the six Jewish brethren, and the kinsmen and near friends who had assembled. These verses can best be understood and studied in connection with the other accounts given together in verse 3. There is no new point emphasized in the rehearsal given here by Cornelius.

32 Send therefore to Joppa,—Here also Cornelius repeats what is stated in verses 5 and 6 with no additional thought. The Authorized Version adds: “Who, when he cometh, shall speak unto thee.” However, this phrase does not appear in the best Greek texts.

33 Forthwith therefore I sent to thee;—Cornelius had been instructed to send for Peter and he did not delay, but sent the three men the same afternoon that he had received the instruction. He commends Peter for coming so promptly by saying: “Thou hast well done that thou art come.” He thus commends Peter and encourages him in the task that is now before Peter by saying: “We are all here present in the sight of God, to hear all things that have been commanded thee of the Lord.” Cornelius not only commends Peter for his courage in breaking away from Jewish customs, but he takes no offense at the implied superiority of the Jews over the Gentiles; he tells Peter that his circle of close friends are present to hear the message from God that Peter has. This audience was fertile soil for the preaching of the gospel to the Gentiles. They were not only “present in the sight of God,” but they were there “to hear all things” that God commanded to be done. Cornelius recognizes Peter as being a messenger of God, and hence he has a message from God.

34-35 And Peter opened his mouth, and said,—“Opened his mouth” is a solemn form of beginning an address, and is used frequently in the New Testament. (Matthew 5:2 Matthew 13:35; Acts 8:35 Acts 18:14.) “Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons.” Peter now is fully convinced that God had sent an angel to Cornelius and had given him the vision on the housetop that he might know that God was no respecter of persons; that the barrier between Jew and Gentile had been removed in Christ. God is no “respecter of persons/’ but he is a respecter of character. A “respecter of persons” is one who receives or treats others, not according to what they are, but according to their outward circumstances, such as wealth or social position, nationality, or color. All men alike need salvation; God loves all men and Christ died for all; there is one and the same plan of salvation for all; hence, those who faithfully comply with the terms of salvation receive it. Peter now understands that the Gentiles are to enjoy salvation in Christ as are the Jews. God had sent him among the Gentiles and had prepared him by a vision for the venture, and he had learned that he, a Jew, had not defiled himself in God’s sight by association with the Gentiles. Peter had also learned that the Gentile was the same in the sight of God as the Jew, and that God would treat him in the same way.

36 The word which he sent unto the children of Israel,—Peter further learns that the gospel which came to the Jews was also intended to go to the Gentiles, for “he is Lord of all.” “The word” which was preached concerning Christ by John the Baptist, and then by Christ and his apostles, and now by the disciples of Christ, was the gospel or “good tidings of peace” which should be enjoyed in Christ. Since the gospel is a gospel of peace, obedience to it reconciles both Jew and Gentile in Christ. Christ is the Savior, not only of the Jews, but of Gentiles, of the entire world.

37 that saying ye yourselves know,—Peter affirms that Cornelius and his company knew something about Jesus of Nazareth; Caesarea was in Palestine and all Palestine had learned of Jesus. Cornelius may have been in Jerusalem during the personal ministry of Christ; at any rate, Peter affirms that Cornelius knew of him since it had been “published throughout all Judaea, beginning from Galilee.” During the personal ministry of Christ he had evangelized Judea and Galilee; since the death of Christ the apostles had preached in Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria, and those who were scattered from Jerusalem had gone everywhere preaching the word. (Acts 8:1 Acts 8:4.) Peter limits the publication of this gospel to the time of John’s baptism. The oral gospel of the apostles began with the baptism of John and ended with the death of Christ, so far as the limited commission was concerned. The works of Christ were so public and so widespread that some knowledge of them had come to Cornelius; hence, Peter has a foundation upon which to instruct Cornelius.

38 even Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed him—To distinguish which Jesus, Peter designates that it is “Jesus of Nazareth.” God had anointed him with the Holy Spirit and had given him power to work miracles. He was anointed with the Holy Spirit when he was baptized. (Luke 3:22.) After his baptism he “went about doing good,” and exercising the power that God had given him in “healing all that were oppressed of the devil.” Those who had evil spirits and demons were oppressed by the devil. Peter here recognized the reality of the devil. The reason assigned for his being able to do this was that “God was with him.” Nicodemus had confessed that “no one can do these signs that thou doest, except God be with him.” (John 3:2.)

39 And we are witnesses of all things which he did—Jesus had made his apostles his witnesses. (Acts 1:8.) The apostles had followed him from his early ministry to his crucifixion; they had seen him after his resurrection and saw him ascend to the Father; hence, they could be his witnesses “both in the country of the Jews, and in Jerusalem.” They had borne witness of him in Jerusalem and in Judea. Peter could say to Cornelius that he had heard of these things, but his apostles had seen them; Peter knew them at firsthand, so he was a competent witness. He could say that he knew when, where, to whom, and under what circumstances all these things which Cornelius had heard about were done. The Jews, in whose country and chief city these good things were done, slew this Jesus of Nazareth, “hanging him on a tree.” Peter had used this expression once before. (Acts 5:30.) Peter represented in Acts 2:23 the crucifixion as an act of the rulers and people of Jerusalem, and not of the Roman governor.

40-41 Him God raised up the third day,—Again Peter brings in contrast what the people did for Jesus of Nazareth and what God did for him—the people crucified him, but God raised him from the dead; the people were working contrary to God. Not only were the apostles witnesses, but God himself bore witness of Jesus by raising him from the dead. The Jews thought that they had destroyed Jesus by crucifying him, but this only gave God the occasion to prove more conclusively that Jesus was the Messiah, his Son. Peter makes it clear that Jesus appeared to the apostles, and not to “all the people,” but just to chosen witnesses; these witnesses were not deceived, for they “ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead.” It is difficult for us to understand how Jesus could eat and drink after the resurrection as is stated here by Peter and also in Luke 24:41-43; yet Peter makes it clear that there was no possible way by which these witnesses could be deceived.

42 And he charged us to preach unto the people,—Not only were Peter and others to be witnesses for Christ, but they were to preach him to others; in fact, they were to preach the gospel to the whole creation. (Mark 16:15.) Here Peter shows Cornelius his commission from Christ to preach what he had seen and heard and experienced. Among the things that he should preach was that Christ died for the sins of the world, that he was buried and raised from the dead and made his ascension back to the Father, and that he was “ordained of God to be the Judge of the living and the dead.” Christ is now the Judge; his life and character are the standard by which every man is to judge himself; he shows the ideal way to live; he is also to be the Judge at the last day. “Judge of the living and the dead” covers all past, present, and future.

43 To him bear 3II the prophets witness,—All the prophets pointed to Jesus. Peter had declared “all the prophets from Samuel and them that followed after, as many as have spoken, they also told of these days.” (Acts 3:24.) The important thing that the prophets bore witness to, and that the apostles were witnesses of, is “that through his name every one that believeth on him shall receive remission of sins.” Peter has made the claim that the entire Old Testament prophecy bore witness to the universality of the gospel, and that the condition of salvation was through obedience to Christ. The remission of sins is through the name of Jesus and belongs to those who believe on him; Peter had preached before that there is no “other name under heaven, that is given among men, wherein we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12.) On the day of Pentecost Peter had told believers, when they asked what to do, that they should “repent ye, and be baptized ... in the name of Jesus Christ unto the remission of your sins.” (Acts 2:38.)

44 While Peter yet spake these words,—We may know that Cornelius and his company were listening with deep interest to Peter, with emotions as intense as those which possessed anyone, and suddenly “the Holy Spirit fell on all them that heard the word.” He did not come by the laying on of hands, but came on these Gentiles as he did on the day of Pentecost on the Jews. (Acts 11:15.) Peter had not formally finished his address when the interruption of the Holy Spirit came. Joel had prophesied that God would “pour forth of my Spirit upon all flesh” (Acts 2:17), and the Jews had received the Holy Spirit on Pentecost, and now he comes upon the Gentiles; hence, “all flesh” had now received the Holy Spirit, for the race of man was divided at that time into Jew and Gentile.

45 And they of the circumcision that believed—Peter had taken six Jewish brethren with him; they are spoken of here as “they of the circumcision.” From this point on Luke refers to the two classes of disciples, Jewish and Gentile. The Jewish disciples who had accompanied Peter from Joppa were amazed because the Gentiles had received the gift of the Holy Spirit. The miracle proved what Peter had said with a fullness of proof for which Peter himself perhaps was not prepared; these Gentiles had faith and the miraculous manifestation of the Holy Spirit may be called a baptism of the Holy Spirit.

46-47 For they heard them speak with tongues,—“With tongues” means that they spoke with new and strange tongues as they did on the day of Pentecost. (Acts 2:4 Acts 2:11.) They were praising God with these new tongues. There was the same kind of need of the outward manifestation of the Holy Spirit at this time that there was on Pentecost. The speaking of tongues always accompanied the baptism of the Holy Spirit. This convinced Peter, and he asked who could forbid “the water, that these should not be baptized.” He gave as his reason that they had received the Holy Spirit as the Jews had; hence, they were entitled to all the privileges of the gospel. They had believed Peter’s testimony; hence, had believed on Jesus; it is evident that they were penitent of all their sins because they could not be saved with their sins; now they are to be baptized. Baptism was one of the prerequisites to remission of sins.

48 And he commanded them to be baptized—Peter was speaking by the authority of God; he was speaking by the Holy Spirit; hence, God through Peter commanded them to be baptized “in the name of Jesus Christ.” Peter and the six Jewish brethren who were present could baptize this company in a short time, but Peter commanded others to do the baptizing. Paul refrained from baptizing some, as may be inferred from his letters to the Corinthians. (1 Corinthians 1:14-17.) Peter may have acted from a similar motive. After they were baptized they earnestly requested that Peter and the Jewish brethren “tarry certain days” with them. The implication is that Peter remained with Cornelius some time.

Questions on Acts

By E.M. Zerr

Acts Chapter 10

• · In which Caesarea did Cornelius live?

• · What was his nationality?

• · State his official position.

• · What kind of man is he to piety?

• · Whom did he fear?

• · What shows his influence over his household?

• · State what service he rendered the people.

• · To whom and when did he pray?

• · Was he a saved man when the vision came?

• · What was he doing the ninth hour?

• · Who came to him?

• · How did the vision affect him?

• · State the credit given his past deeds.

• · To where and for whom must he send men?

• · At what place was he staying?

• · For what purpose does he need Peter?

• · Why did not the angel tell him these words?

• · Did Cornelius obey the angel?

• · When did he send the men?

• · Whom did he call and send?

• · Did they know why they were going to Joppa?

• · How many days to make the journey?

• · Who had a prayer service about this time?

• · Where did he have it?

• · At what time of day?

• · What was the condition of his body?

• · Tell what came over him.

• · What descended?

• · Describe its form.

• · State what it contained.

• · And the orders given Peter.

• · State his reasons for refusing?

• · To what law did he refer?

• · What lesson was God here teaching?

• · How often was the vessel let down?

• · How often did the voice speak to Peter?

• · In what frame of mind did the vision leave him?

• · Who had now arrived?

• · Tell who next spoke to Peter.

• · What assurance was given him?

• · When did he begin the journey?

• · Did he go alone?

• · In the mean time what had Cornelius done?

• · As Peter entered the house what did Cornelius do?

• · Repeat the statement of Peter at this time.

• · To what former law did Peter then refer?

• · But what had enlightened him in the matter?

• · What question did he then ask Cornelius?

• · After telling his story what did Cornelius say?

• · Peter then said he perceived what?

• · Who is accepted of God?

• · To what nation is this restricted?

• · Who was the theme of Peter’s discourse?

• · At what event had the story begun?

• · What had God done to Jesus of Nazareth?

• · What had the Jews done to him?

• · And what did God do then?

• · By whom is the great event witnessed ?

• · What had they been commanded to preach?

• · Tell what reference Peter made to the prophets.

• · While Peter spoke what happened?

• · On whom did it fall?

• · What astonished the Jews here?

• · Compare Holy Ghost V 44 with gift of H. G. in V 45.

• · What power was conferred by this gift?

• · What did Peter want with water now?

• · Why did he think the Gentiles entitled to it?

• · State the command he then gave.

• · What request was made of the apostle?

Acts Chapter Ten

Ralph Starling

Cornelius, a Centurion of the Italian band

Was a devout, prayerful God fearing man.

An angel appeared in the form of a vision

Saying, “Cornelius, God has been listening.”

He wants you to send to Joppa for Peter

Who will tell you how to do even better.

Peter was on the housetop in a trance,

They inquired, “Does Peter live here by chance?”

With the Spirit’s instruction Peter answered their plea.

“What is the reason you have come to see me?”

They told about Cornelius and his vision,

For Peter to visit him was their mission.

Peter, thinking about his own vision

To go with them must be his decision.

He invited them tomorrow to go with them

Cornelius was waiting with kinsmen and friends.

Cornelius met Peter and fell down to worship as planned.

Peter said, “Stand up! I myself am a man!”

Going inside he me many Gentiles,

But by Jewish las he would be vile.

Hearing from Cornelius about his vision,

Peter said, “Now I know God is no respecter of person.”

With that he told them the story of Jesus,

By believing their sins could be forgiven.

As Peter preached the word and amonished,

The Holy Spirit fell upon them and the Jews were astonished.

After hearing with their ears and seeing with their eyes

Can anyone say the could not be baptized?

They have received the Holy Spirit same as we,

Magnifying God with the tongues they speak.

They they were baptized in the name of the Lord.

Peter was invited to stay a few days more.