In particular he would never have as a guest nor ever be the guest of a man who did not observe the Law. This was God, in … Peter allowed the Holy Spirit to interrupt his sermon. In Acts 10:1-8, a man called Cornelius, a Roman — so somebody who was a gentile, not a Jew — was spoken to by an angel who told him to make contact with Peter. Perhaps as yet he did not clearly know the God to whom he prayed; but, according to the light that he had, he lived close to God. e. Whoeverbelieves in Him will receive remission of sins: The brief sermon concluded with an understanding of the broadness of God’s promise of salvation. He did many an act of charity to the people and he was constant in prayer to God. However, it still took an exta miracle to totally prove the point to Peter and the other Jewish Christians: God caused the gentiles to receive the Holy Spirit so that they spoke in tounges [Acts 10:44-46]. Peter was a Jew, and Jews saw gentiles (i.e. (i) These Gentile converts, as always in Acts, were baptized there and then. Now then we are all present before God to hear all that God has enjoined you to tell.". Cornelius was expecting them and had invited along his kinsmen and his closest friends. v. We should also see that Cornelius was an undoubtedly good man; yet he needed Jesus. Acts 10:1-23 ¶“ 1 In Caesarea, there was a man named Cornelius, who was a centurion of the Italian Battalion as it was known. Because these cookies are strictly necessary to deliver the website, refuseing them will have impact how our site functions. Click to enable/disable _gid - Google Analytics Cookie. Commentary on Acts 10:19-33 (Read Acts 10:19-33) Click on the different category headings to find out more. But this will always prompt you to accept/refuse cookies when revisiting our site. The Holy Spirit was doing the greater work in the hearts of those listening, and Peter went with the flow. Then Peter answered, “Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?”And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. In the Roman military set-up there was first of all the legion (see legeon, Greek #3003). These were likely not the first Gentiles to trust in Jesus and be born again. After this, Peter declares: “Can anyone withhold water for baptizing these people, who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” [Acts 10:47]. Go to, To report dead links, typos, or html errors or suggestions about making these resources more useful use our convenient, Commentary Critical and Explanatory - Unabridged, Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible, Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures. A tanner worked with the dead bodies of animals and therefore he was permanently unclean (Numbers 19:11-13). In itself, Acts 10:11-15 doesn’t tell us much about dietary laws — the lesson is about the need for the Christian community to accept people, regardless of their nationality or race, who fear God and do what is right (v35). A cohort therefore had six hundred men and comes near to being the equivalent of a battalion. 1956-1959. To him Jesus is not a figure in a book or about whom he has heard. In the first days it was characteristic of Christianity that it broke the barriers down; and it can still do that when given the chance. © Copyright - Enduring Word | . So Peter came down to the men and said, "Look you, I am the man you are looking for. Maybe on the roof Peter was looking out on the blue waters of the Mediterranean and saw the ships' sails in the distance and they wove themselves into his vision. (ii) The very last phrase is significant. https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/dsb/acts-10.html. Perhaps above the flat roof there stretched an awning to ward off the heat of the sun; and maybe the awning became in Peter's trance the great sheet. And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. “Oh that the Spirit of God would in the same manner interrupt us!” (Spurgeon). Since these providers may collect personal data like your IP address we allow you to block them here. (vi) The result of all this is forgiveness of sins and a new relationship with God. The taking upon ourselves of church membership is not so much the end of the road as the beginning. But those Gentiles were saved as they embraced Judaism as well as Christianity. iii. Strict Jews believed that God had no use for the Gentiles. We may request cookies to be set on your device. iv. They would wear certain coverings for their head in church, they would eat only kosher foods, they would make pilgrimages to Jerusalem for the feasts, and they would observe dozens of ceremonial laws and rituals. That is typical of the work of Christ. Jew or Gentile; slave or free; white or black; good or wicked; rich or poor – whoever believes. The moment of a person’s salvation isn’t necessarily when they raise a hand or come forward at an evangelistic invitation. The house-roofs were flat and, since the houses were small and crowded, people often went up to the roof for privacy. When Peter was still thinking about the vision, the Spirit said to him, "Look you, three men are looking for you. We would do well to remember that in baptism today it is not the minister who is receiving a child; it is the Church which is receiving the child on behalf of Jesus Christ and accepting responsibility for him. On it there were all four-footed animals, all animals that creep on the earth and all that fly in the air. Yet in doing so, he would first have to become a Jew – and then continue on in the Jewish ritual law. His search for God had made him love men, and he who loves his fellow men is not far from the kingdom. He gave generous gifts to the needy among the people, and he prayed to God often.” (Acts 10:1-2). Peter’s vision comes part way through Acts 10. Jesus is the one foretold by the prophets. Send therefore to Joppa and send for Simon who is also called Peter. You can check these in your browser security settings. Cornelius therefore was a man who first and foremost knew what courage and loyalty were. : Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink… [Col. 2:16], …whatever goes into a person from outside cannot defile him, since it enters not his heart but his stomach, and is expelled… (Thus he [Jesus] declared all foods clean.) iv. A DEVOUT SOLDIER (Acts 10:1-8) 10:1-8 There was a man in Caesarea called Cornelius. (Isaiah 60:1-3). Yet it was good and even necessary on this occasion, to show that they received the exact same Spirit, the exact same blessing as the apostles and first followers of Jesus did on the morning of Pentecost (Acts 2). We fully respect if you want to refuse cookies but to avoid asking you again and again kindly allow us to store a cookie for that. Even as Peter was speaking things began to happen against which even the Jewish Christians could not argue; the Spirit came upon Cornelius and his friends. It was like a great sheet and it was let down by the four corners to the earth. Jesus therefore is God's gift to men. Why have you come?" 10:1-8 There was a man in Caesarea called Cornelius. And he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus. At midday Peter went to the roof to pray. Why? God knows what services are before us, and how to prepare us; and we know the meaning of what he has taught us, when we find what occasion we have to make use of it. They asked Peter to wait with them for some days. And they took him and hanged him on a tree. That is what human sin can do. Even to us who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead: “Peter stresses eating and drinking with Christ because that is a way of saying that Christ’s was a real resurrection.” (Boice), iv. Our website uses cookies to store user preferences. On the next day he rose and went with them and some of the brethren from Joppa came with him. In Acts 10:1-8, a man called Cornelius, a Roman — so somebody who was a gentile, not a Jew — was spoken to by an angel who told him to make contact with Peter. We need 2 cookies to store this setting. While Peter was still speaking these words: Salvation came when each one of these Gentiles responded to Peter’s message with believing faith in their hearts, so that they were actually born again as they listened and believed.