‘And there was a certain man in Caesarea, Cornelius by name, a centurion of the band called the Italian band, a devout man, and one who feared God with all his house, who gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God always.' In contrast to Peter maintaining his ‘cleanness' at the tanner's house ... [ Continue Reading ]
‘He saw in a vision openly, as it were about the ninth hour of the day, an angel of God coming in to him, and saying to him, “Cornelius.” ' Cornelius was in his own home when he saw a vision. Cornelius was a common Roman name. And this man was praying at the regular time of prayer (the ninth hour),... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And he, fastening his eyes on him, and being afraid, said, “What is it, Lord?” And he said to him, “Your prayers and your charitable giving have gone up for a memorial before God. And now send men to Joppa, and fetch one Simon, who is surnamed Peter, he lodges with one Simon a tanner, whose house i... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And when the angel who spoke to him was departed, he called two of his household-servants, and a devout soldier of those who waited on him continually, and having rehearsed all things to them, he sent them to Joppa.' Accordingly once the angel had departed Cornelius called two of his closest serva... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Now on the morrow, as they were on their journey, and drew near to the city, Peter went up on the housetop to pray, about the sixth hour.' It took them a day to get to Joppa. Meanwhile in Joppa Peter went onto the rooftop of the house in order to pray at noon. The flat roofs of houses in Palestine... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And he became hungry, and desired to eat. But while they made ready, he fell into a trance, and he sees the heaven opened, and a certain container descending, as it were like a great sheet, let down by four corners on the earth, in which were all manner of fourfooted beasts and creeping things of t... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And there came a voice to him, “Rise, Peter; kill and eat.” ' Then a voice spoke to him, saying, “Rise, Peter; kill and eat.” Peter must have wondered what was happening, and even been appalled. How could the Lord tell him to partake of unclean animals, or even to go among that dreadful collection... [ Continue Reading ]
‘But Peter said, “Not so, Lord, for I have never eaten anything that is common and unclean.” ' Peter responded firmly, and possibly a little indignantly (being Peter). ‘Never, Lord,' he said, ‘for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean.' It was not something even to be considered. Th... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And a voice came to him again the second time, “What God has cleansed, do not treat as common.” ' But immediately there came a word of rebuke. (We might even paraphrase as, ‘What God has cleansed, how dare you call common?') What was before him had been given to him by God. Surely he would recogni... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And this was done three times, and immediately the container was received up into heaven.' The sheet was lowered three times. It would seem probable that three times Peter refused to eat. Whatever God said he could not bring himself to break the habits of a lifetime, especially in such an odious wa... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Now while Peter was much perplexed within himself what the vision which he had seen might mean, behold, the men who were sent by Cornelius, having made enquiry for Simon's house, stood before the gate, and called and asked whether Simon, who was surnamed Peter, was lodging there.' While Peter in g... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And while Peter thought on the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Behold, three men are looking for you. But arise, and get you down, and go with them, nothing doubting, for I have sent them.” Peter's mind was still on the vision and the Spirit then told him about the two servants and the soldier wh... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And Peter went down to the men, and said, “Look, I am he whom you seek. What is the reason why you are come?” ' No doubt curious, Peter went down to them, introduced himself and asked them why they had come.... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And they said, “Cornelius a centurion, a righteous man and one who fears God, and well reported of by all the nation of the Jews, was warned of God by a holy angel to send for you to his house, and to hear words from you.” ' They informed him that Cornelius, a Roman centurion, but one who was a Go... [ Continue Reading ]
‘So he called them in and lodged them. And on the morrow he arose and went forth with them, and certain of the brethren from Joppa accompanied him.' So Peter, still puzzling over his vision, and thinking that the two strange events may be connected, said that he would accompany them, meanwhile offe... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And on the morrow they entered into Caesarea. And Cornelius was waiting for them, having called together his kinsmen and his near friends.' Arriving in Caesarea after a days journey they found Cornelius waiting for them having gathered together a crowd made up of his kinsmen and near friends. Corn... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And when it came about that Peter entered, Cornelius met him, and fell down at his feet, and worshipped him.' When Peter entered the courtyard of the house Cornelius came forward and paid homage to him, falling at his feet, thinking of his visitor as a prophet, and possibly more. We note again tha... [ Continue Reading ]
‘But Peter raised him up, saying, “Stand up. I myself also am a man.” ' But Peter would have none of it. He did not want the man to look to him. ‘Stand up,' he basically said. ‘I am only a man like you are. You must not give me honour to which I am not due.' It is always a tendency of man to hero-w... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And as he talked with him, he went in, and finds many come together,' Then he talked further with Cornelius and went up to the upper chamber with him, where he found a number of guests gathered. Normally a Jew would wait outside in such a situation, and the Gentile would come out to him, thus preve... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And he said to them, “You yourselves know how it is an unlawful thing for a man who is a Jew to join himself or come in to one of another nation, and yet God has shown me that I should not call any man common or unclean. That is the reason also that I came without saying anything against it, when I... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And Cornelius said, “Four days ago, until this hour, I was keeping the ninth hour of prayer in my house, and behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing, and says, “Cornelius, your prayer is heard, and your charitable giving is had in remembrance in the sight of God. Send therefore to Joppa, a... [ Continue Reading ]
“At once therefore I sent to you, and you have done well that you are come. Now therefore we are all here present in the sight of God, to hear all things that have been commanded you of the Lord.” He then explained that he had immediately done what the man had said, and that Peter had done well to... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And Peter opened his mouth and said,' The words that follow express his great dawning wonder at the new realisation that has come to him.... [ Continue Reading ]
“Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons, but in every nation he who fears him, and works righteousness, is acceptable to him.” His words are spoken in awe. He is almost speaking to himself as he looks at the people before him. How is it that he never knew? How could he not have re... [ Continue Reading ]
PETER'S SPEECH TO CORNELIUS AND HIS HOUSEHOLD AND FRIENDS (10:34-48).... [ Continue Reading ]
“The word which he sent to the children of Israel, preaching good news of peace by Jesus Christ - He is Lord of all! ” Peter's words follow the usual general pattern, although adapted to the circumstances. The Greek reflects the Aramaic background of the speaker, and its clumsiness may also reflect... [ Continue Reading ]
“That saying you yourselves know, which was published throughout all Judaea, beginning from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached, even Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed him with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good, and healing all who were oppressed of the devil. Fo... [ Continue Reading ]
“And we are witnesses of all things which he did both in the country of the Jews, and in Jerusalem.” He then points out that he and his fellow believers were witnesses of all that he did ‘in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem'. The country of the Jews presumably covers Judaea, Galilee and Per... [ Continue Reading ]
“Him God raised up the third day, and gave him to be made openly known, not to all the people, but to witnesses who were chosen beforehand of God, even to us, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead.” ‘Him God raised up the third day.' Compare 1 Corinthians 15:3. The fact that God ra... [ Continue Reading ]
“ And he charged us to preach to the people, and to testify that this is he who is ordained of God to be the Judge of the living and the dead.” Having risen He had then given a charge to His Apostles to preach to the people, testifying that God had ordained Jesus as Judge of the living and the dead... [ Continue Reading ]
“To him bear all the prophets witness, that through his name every one who believes on him shall receive remission of sins.” The whole is then confirmed by a reference to the prophets, who are God's witnesses, and who themselves promised that through His Name whoever would believe on Him should rec... [ Continue Reading ]
‘While Peter yet spoke these words, the Holy Spirit fell on all those who heard the word.' We do not know whether Peter would then have appealed for them to respond for, before he could do so, the Holy Spirit fell ‘on those who heard the word'. As he proclaimed that, “through his name every one who... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And they of the circumcision who were believers were amazed, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Spirit. For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God.' We do well to pause as we consider this verse. Those who had come with Pet... [ Continue Reading ]
Peter recognised this immediately, and seizing the moment asked ‘the circumcised' whether they could think of any reason why these uncircumcised Gentiles should not be baptised when they had received the Holy Spirit in exactly the same way as they had. The answer could only be that they could think... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And he commanded them to be baptised in the name of Jesus Christ.' Following up his question he gave command that those present be baptised in (en) ‘the Name of Jesus Christ'. They were being accepted on the same terms as Jews, and without circumcision. But it could not be refused, for these Genti... [ Continue Reading ]