_CORNELIUS, A DEVOUT MAN, BEING COMMANDED BY AN ANGEL, SENDETH FOR PETER: WHO, BY A VISION, IS TAUGHT NOT TO DESPISE THE GENTILES. AS HE PREACHETH CHRIST TO CORNELIUS AND HIS COMPANY, THE HOLY GHOST FALLETH ON THEM, AND THEY ARE BAPTIZED._ _Anno Domini 41._... [ Continue Reading ]
CORNELIUS, A CENTURION, &C.— A Roman _cohort_ or _band_ was a company of soldiers commanded by a tribune, consisting generally of about a thousand. It is probable that this was called _the Italian cohort,_ because most of the soldiers belonging to it were Italians. It might perhaps be the life-guard... [ Continue Reading ]
A DEVOUT MAN, &C.— Cornelius had distinguished himself by his great virtue, piety, and charity, and was well prepared for the reception of the gospel, as the proselytes of the gate were in general above all sorts of people. The ceremonial law most grievously entangled the minds of the Jews; and, by... [ Continue Reading ]
ABOUT THE NINTH HOUR OF THE DAY— That is, about three o'clock in the afternoon, at the time of theevening sacrifice. See Daniel 9:21; Daniel 9:27. Perhaps Cornelius might be praying for the coming of the kingdom of the Messiah, when the Gentiles were to be accepted as the people of God; for there wa... [ Continue Reading ]
WHAT IS IT, LORD— That is, "Protect me from all danger, and let me know the meaning of this vision." The expression _thy prayers,_ &c. _are come up for a memorial,_ has reference to the incense offered under the law, which ascended in fumes, when burned; and implies that the prayers and alms of Corn... [ Continue Reading ]
ON THE MORROW, &C.— As the messengers of Cornelius were upon the road, and just entering the town, St. Peter went up to the top of the house, to spend some time in retirement and devotion; for the Jews had stated hours of prayer in the day, namely, the times of the morning and evening sacrifices. Se... [ Continue Reading ]
WOULD HAVE EATEN— "Would have taken a little refreshment" seems the proper import of the word γευσασθαι. The word γευσασθαι, rendered _trance,_ properly signifies such a rapture of mind, as gives the person who falls into it a look of astonishment, and renders him insensible to external objects; whi... [ Continue Reading ]
AND A CERTAIN VESSEL, &C.— _And something descending in the form of a great sheet._ As we do not in English call sheets _vessels,_ the general word here used, more properly answers to the word Σκευος, concerning which, see on chap. Acts 9:15. We have no word in our language exactly answering to it.... [ Continue Reading ]
RISE, PETER; KILL, AND EAT— This appears a general intimation that the Jewish Christians were by the gospel absolved from the ceremonial law, in which the distinction between clean and unclean meats made so considerable a part. L'Enfant, and some other critics, have observed, that the Jews looked on... [ Continue Reading ]
WHAT GOD HATH CLEANSED, &C.— The single proposition is, "That which God hath cleansed, is notcommon or impure." But no one who reads this history, can doubt of its having this double sense; first, that the distinction between clean and unclean meats was to be abolished: secondly, that the Gentiles w... [ Continue Reading ]
THIS WAS DONE THRICE— In order to confirm the matter: see Genesis 41:32.—Before we proceed in the history, it may not be amiss to reflect upon the propriety and decorum with which things were managed in erecting Christ's spiritual kingdom. The Lord Jesus Christ himself appeared to Saul, and granted... [ Continue Reading ]
DOUBTING NOTHING— "Without any hesitation or scruple on account of the messengers being Gentiles, and coming from one of the same denomination; for I have shewn you, that the great ceremonial distinction between Jew and Gentile, clean and unclean, is now to be abolished." See Matthew 21:21.Mark 11:2... [ Continue Reading ]
TO HEAR WORDS OF THEE— _To hear thee discourse._ Heylin. "To receive orders and instructions from thee." Benson.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND LODGED THEM— Or _hospitably entertained_ them that night, εξενισε. The next day St. Peter went along with them, and six Jewish Christians from Joppa accompanied him. It is probable that the apostle himself desired them to go along with him, that they might be witnesses of what happened, as this... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE MORROW AFTER— When St. Peter came nigh Caesarea, one of the servants ran before, and signified to Cornelius that he was approaching. (See the reading in the Cambridge manuscript, Greek and Latin.) Cornelius was almost impatient for his coming, andbig with expectation of some signal event: an... [ Continue Reading ]
I ASK THEREFORE, &C.— St. Peter knew this by revelation, and by the messengers who were sent from Cornelius; but he puts him on giving the account, that the company might be more fully informed, and Cornelius himself awakened and impressed by the narration; the repetition of which, even as we here r... [ Continue Reading ]
THY PRAYER IS HEARD, &C.— The case of Cornelius before St. Peter was sent to him, was, I have no doubt, the case of many, who were far from being in any degree _Jewish proselytes,_ and had never heard of the Jews and their religion; as it was most certainly the case of many before the peculiarities... [ Continue Reading ]
OF A TRUTH I PERCEIVE, &C.— See on Deuteronomy 10:17. The phrase _no respecter of persons,_ has principally, if not always, a judicial meaning. It is used in this sense, Leviticus 19:15. Deuteronomy 1:17 and, in the 16th verse of that chapter, this is expressly said to be a charge given to the _judg... [ Continue Reading ]
THE WORD WHICH GOD SENT, &C.— The critics have exceedingly puzzled themselves about this passage, the simple meaning of which, according to my apprehension, is as follows: "Even that gospel, which God has sent by the ministrations of his servants, in the first place, and hitherto only, to the Jews,... [ Continue Reading ]
HOW GOD ANOINTED JESUS OF NAZARETH— It was a proverb among the Jews, _Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth?_ John 1:46. And yet the apostles very frequently call our Lord by the name of _Jesus of Nazareth._ They seemed to have mentioned this as one circumstance of his humiliation; and yet t... [ Continue Reading ]
NOT TO ALL THE PEOPLE, &C.— It has frequently been asked, Why Christ did not shew himself to all the people, but to his disciples only? Now it may be sufficient to reply, that where there are witnesses enough, no judge or jury complains for want of more; and therefore, if the witnesses that we have... [ Continue Reading ]
IT IS HE WHICH WAS ORDAINED OF GOD— _Pointed out,_ and _determined:_— ωρισμενος. This was declaring, in the strongest terms, how entirely their happiness depended on a timely and humble subjection to him who was to be their final judge.... [ Continue Reading ]
TO HIM GIVE ALL THE PROPHETS WITNESS,— It is observable, that in this discourse to an audience of Gentiles, the apostle first mentions Christ's person, miracles, and resurrection, and then contents himself with telling them in the general, that there were many prophets in former ages who bore witnes... [ Continue Reading ]
THE HOLY GHOST FELL ON ALL THEM, &C.— Probably this effusion of the Holy Spirit was attended with a glory, as when it fell upon the apostles and their company on the famous day of Pentecost: and it is most likely, that a glory always attended the immediate effusion of the Spirit, from the day of Pen... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY OF THE CIRCUMCISION—WERE ASTONISHED, &C.— The Jews had a proverb among them, that the Holy Spirit would not dwell upon any heathen, nor even upon any Jew in a prophetic or miraculous manner in a heathen country. The Jewish Christians, therefore, who camewith St. Peter from Joppa, to be eye-witn... [ Continue Reading ]
CAN ANY MAN FORBID WATER, &C.— That is, according to Whitby and Doddridge, "Who can forbid that water should be brought?" In which view of the clause one would obviously conclude, that they were baptized by _pouring_ water upon them, rather than by_plunging_ them in it. "Can any man, how strongly so... [ Continue Reading ]
BAPTIZED IN THE NAME OF THE LORD.— That is, the Lord Jesus. As these devout Gentiles had before believed in God the Father, and could not nowbut believe in the Holy Ghost under whose powerful influence they were at this very time, there was the less need of taking notice that they were baptized into... [ Continue Reading ]