Acts 10:34

Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: THEN PETER OPENED HIS MOUTH (see the note at ), AND SAID, OF A TRUTH I PERCEIVE - `The events of these days past, and the scene I now behold, have made it evident to me,' THAT GOD IS NO RESPECTER OF PERSONS - not, 'I see that there is no capricious favouritism with God,' for Peter would never imbue such a thing; but (as the next clause plainly shows to be the meaning) 'I see that God has respect only to personal character in His acceptance of men, and that national and ecclesiastical distinctions are of no account with Him.'...

34._Opening his mouth. _We have already said, that the Scripture useth this phrase when it doth signify that there was any grave or weighty oration or speech made. In the fifth of Matthew, (Matthew 5:1,) it is said that Jesus opened his mouth when he would preach to his disciples, and intreat of most weighty matters, as if a man should say in Latin, he began to speak, having first well bethought himself what he would speak. _In truth I find. _ Καταλαμβανεσθαι is to apprehend, or to gather by reasons, signs, and conjectures. Cornelius was a Gentile born, yet God heareth his prayers; he vouchsafeth to show him the light of the gospel; he appointed and sendeth an angel to him particularly; thereby doth Peter know that, without respect of persons, those do please God which live godly and innocently. For before, (being wholly possessed with this

34-43 Acceptance cannot be obtained on any other ground than that of the covenant of mercy, through the atonement of Christ; but wherever true religion is found, God will accept it without regarding names or sects. The fear of God and works of righteousness are the substance of true religion, the effects of special grace. Though these are not the cause of a man's acceptance, yet they show it; and whatever may be wanting in knowledge or faith, will in due time be given by Him who has begun it. They knew in general the word, that is, the gospel, which God sent to the children of Israel. The purport of this word was, that God by it published the good tidings of peace by Jesus Christ. They knew the several matters of fact relating to the gospel. They knew the baptism of repentance which John preached. Let them know that this Jesus Christ, by whom peace is made between God and man, is Lord o...

Verse 34. _GOD IS NO RESPECTER OF PERSONS_] He does God esteem a _Jew_, because he is a _Jew_; nor does he detest a _Gentile_ because he is a _Gentile_. It was a long and deeply rooted opinion among the Jews, that God never would extend his favour to the _Gentiles_; and that the descendants of Jacob only should enjoy his peculiar favour and benediction. Of this opinion was St. Peter, previously to the heavenly vision mentioned in this chapter. He was now convinced that _God was no respecter of persons_; that as all must stand before his judgment seat, to be judged according to the deeds done in the body, so no one nation, or people, or individual, could expect to find a more favourable decision than another who was precisely in the _same_ moral state; for the phrase, _respect of persons_, is used in reference to _unjust decisions_ in a _court_ of _justice_, where, through favour, or int...

THEN PETER OPENED HIS MOUTH - Began to speak, Matthew 5:2. OF A TRUTH - Truly, evidently. That is, I have evidence here that God is no respecter of persons. IS NO RESPECTER OF PERSONS - The word used here denotes “the act of showing favor to one on account of rank, family, wealth, or partiality arising from any cause.” It is explained in James 2:1. A judge is a respecter of persons when he favors one of the parties on account of private friendship, or because he is a man of rank, influence, or power, or because he belongs to the same political party, etc. The Jews supposed that they were especially favored by God. and that salvation was not extended to other nations, and that the fact of being a Jew e

EXPOSITION ACTS 10:1 Now _there was _(two last words in italics) for _there was _(in roman), A.V. and T.R.; _Cornelius by name _for _called Cornelius, _A.V. A glance at the map will show that Caesarea (see note to Acts 9:30) was but a short distance, some thirty miles, from Joppa. It was doubtless with a view to Peter's momentous errand to Caesarea that Luke recorded his previous visit to Lydda and his residence at Joppa, consequent upon the restoring of Dorcas to life: the _origines _of Gentile Christianity being the prime object of the Acts (see Introduction to the Acts). THE ITALIAN BAND; or, _cohort _(σπείρα). The σπείρα, or cohort, was used in two _senses. _When spoken of strictly Roman troops, it meant the ten

THEN PETER OPENED HIS MOUTH,.... Acts 8:35 AND SAID, OF A TRUTH I PERCEIVE THAT GOD IS NO RESPECTER OF PERSONS; which is to be understood, not of the substances of men, but of the outward state and condition, circumstances and qualities of men; he respects the proper persons of men themselves, but not because of their outward appearances; he does not prefer or despise men, because of their being of this or the other nation, as Jews or Gentiles; or because they are circumcised, or not circumcised; or because they are high or low, rich or poor, free or bound, or the like: the true sense here is, that God valued no man the more, because he was a Jew and circumcised, nor anyone the less, because he was a Gentile and uncircumcised; and this the apostle found to be a most certain truth, of which he was fully persuaded; partly by the vision which he himself saw, and partly by that whic

CHAPTER 10 _ 1. Cornelius of Caesarea and his Preparation (Acts 10:1)._ 2. The Trance-vision of Peter (Acts 10:9). 3. Peter with Cornelius at Caesarea (Acts 10:17). 4. Peter Preaching to the Gentiles (Acts 10:34). 5. The Interrupted Message (Acts 10:44). The ending of the preceding chapter tells us that Peter tarried in Joppa in the house of Simon the tanner. Was he breaking with his Jewish law and customs? Tanning as a trade was considered unclean by the Jews. In...

PETER'S SPEECH. Acts 10:34 f. declares that Peter regards the persons before him, though not Jews, as fit to enter the Church and share in the promises. The word for respecter of persons is a new one; for the notion, see Luke 20:21; Romans 2:11; Galatians 2:6; James 2:1. God does not judge of men by their outward appearance (1 Samuel 16:7), and their nationality belongs to the outward part of them which God disregards. It is implied that those before Peter belong to a nation which o

A DEVOUT SOLDIER (Acts 10:1-8)...