CHAPTER 10

(A.D. 41)

CORNELIUS

¹There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius (presents the beginning of one of the great turning points of history), a centurion of the band called the Italian band(in charge of about a hundred men),

²A devout man(but unsaved!), and one who feared God with all his house (but unsaved!), which gave much alms to the people (but unsaved!), and prayed to God always (but unsaved! all of these things were wonderful, and certainly noticed by the Lord; but they did not save the man, even as they do not save anyone now; being religious does not constitute Salvation; there must be an acceptance of Christ and His Finished Work, if one is to be saved [Jn. 3:16; Rom. 10:9-10, 13]).

³He saw in a vision evidently about the ninth hour of the day (but which did not save him) an Angel of God coming in to him (this as well did not save him!), and saying unto him, Cornelius (the Angel knowing his name did not save him!).

⁴And when he (Cornelius) looked on him (the Angel), he was afraid, and said, What is it, Lord? (The title Lord, in the manner in which Cornelius used it, does not refer to Deity, but rather refers to respect or honor.) And he (the Angel) said unto him, Your prayers and your alms are come up for a memorial before God (a seeking heart will find the Lord).

⁵And now send men to Joppa (proclaims the Angel telling Cornelius what to do in order to hear the Gospel, but not presenting the Gospel himself; that privilege is given to man and not to Angels), and call for one Simon, whose surname is Peter (through Peter, the Lord will open the door to the Gentile world, for whom Christ died):

⁶He lodges with one Simon a tanner, whose house is by the sea side (presents, as should be obvious, the Lord knowing at all times exactly where His People are): he shall tell you what you ought to do (all he had previously done, as commendable as it was, did not save him).

⁷And when the Angel which spoke unto Cornelius was departed (signals the beginning of this scenario which will shake the world), he called two of his household servants, and a devout soldier of them who waited on him continually (concerns the three who would go to fetch Peter; it was about thirty-five miles from Caesarea to Joppa);

⁸And when he had declared all these things unto them (no doubt referred to the visitation by the Angel, and what the Angelhad said), he sent them to Joppa.

THE VISION

⁹On the morrow, as they went on their journey, and drew near unto the city (probably means that they left Caesarea very shortly after being given instructions by Cornelius the day before), Peter went up on the housetop to pray about the sixth hour (12 noon):

¹⁰And he became very hungry, and would have eaten (proclaims that he was about to quit praying and have lunch): but while they made ready, he fell into a trance (a state in which one ceases to be aware of surroundings, but sees only what is portrayed to him),

¹¹And saw Heaven opened (before Jesus, Heaven had been closed; due to the Cross, it is now open!), and a certain vessel descending unto him, as it had been a great sheet knit at the four corners, and let down to the Earth (an object lesson):

¹²Wherein were all manner of fourfooted beasts of the Earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air (they all seemed to be unclean animals and fowls as listed in Lev., Chpt. 11).

¹³And there came a Voice to him (proclaims the Lord now speaking to Peter), Rise, Peter; kill, and eat (literally says in the Greek Text, sacrifice and eat).

¹⁴But Peter said, Not so, Lord (Peter will now have to be taught a lesson); for I have never eaten any thing that is common or unclean (refers to that which is defiled and forbidden by the Law of Moses [Lev. 11; Deut. 14; Mk. 7:2]).

¹⁵And the voice spoke unto him again the second time (proclaims a correction tended toward Peter by the Lord), What God has cleansed, that call not thou common (struck at the very heart of present Jewish beliefs; a s stated, the Lord is giving Peter an object lesson, proclaiming the fact that what He did on the Cross was for the Gentile world as well as the Jewish world, with Gentiles being symbolized by the unclean animals).

¹⁶This was done thrice (meant to impress the significance of what is being said): and the vessel was received up again into Heaven (the Vision ended).

¹⁷Now while Peter doubted in himself what this vision which he had seen should mean (proclaims that, at this stage, Peter did not actually know what the Lord was telling him), behold, the men which were sent from Cornelius had made enquiry for Simons house, and stood before the gate (he will soon know what the Vision meant, and will understand perfectly what the Lord is telling him),

¹⁸And called, and asked whether Simon, which was surnamed Peter, were lodged there (specifies emphatically, so that only Peter would do!).

¹⁹While Peter thought on the Vision (trying to understand what the Lord had told him), the Spirit (Holy Spirit) said unto him, Behold, three men seek you.

²⁰Arise therefore, and get thee down (pertains to Peter being on the housetop, which in those days, as now, in that area are flat), and go with them, doubting nothing (do not waver or hesitate to obey): for I have sent them (now he will begin to understand what the Lord was telling him).

²¹Then Peter went down to the men which were sent unto him from Cornelius; and said, Behold, I am he whom you seek: what is the cause wherefore you are come? (The Holy Spirit didnt tell Peter what they wanted or the reason for their coming. He just told Peter to go with them, doubting nothing.)

²²And they said, Cornelius the Centurion (portrays to Peter immediately that this man is a Gentile), a just man, and one who fears God, and of good report among all the Nation of the Jews, was warned from God by an Holy Angel to send for you into his house, and to hear words of you (what Cornelius must hear in order to be saved; Peter had been chosen to deliver to those Words, and now it was up to Cornelius to hear them).

²³Then called he them in, and lodged them(tells us that Peter now knows what the Vision meant, or at least has a good idea). And on the morrow Peter went away with them, and certain brethren from Joppa accompanied him (six Jewish brethren accompanied him [Acts 11:1-18; 15:7]).

PETER

²⁴And the morrow after they entered into Caesarea (they probably had spent the night at Apollonia, which was about halfway along on the coast road). And Cornelius waited for them, and had called together his kinsmen and near friends (probably was quite a crowd).

²⁵And as Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him (this meeting probably took place outside the house, at the gate), and fell down at his feet, and worshipped him(does not necessarily mean that Cornelius was worshipping Peter, but was merely worshipping, inasmuch as the pronoun him was added by the translators).

²⁶But Peter took him up (better translated, but Peter raised him up), saying, Stand up; I myself also am a man (he is not to be bowed before or worshipped).

²⁷And as he (Peter) talked with him (portrays Peter putting himself on the same level as Cornelius), he went in, and found many who were come together (implies that they were awe-struck when they saw him).

²⁸And he said unto them, You know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man who is a Jew to keep company, or come unto one of another nation (proclaims him relating something that was quite well-known by all Gentiles who had resided in Israel for any length of time); but God has showed me that I should not call any man common or unclean (tells us that Peter now fully understands what the Vision was all about, concerning the sheet let down from Heaven).

²⁹Therefore came I unto you without gainsaying, as soon as I was sent for (means he questioned nothing, but obeyed as the Holy Spirit had told him to): I ask therefore for what intent you have sent for me? (This actually pertains to that which he already knew, but wanted to hear from Cornelius.)

³⁰And Cornelius said, Four days ago I was fasting until this hour; and at the ninth hour I prayed in my house (3 p.m.), and, behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing (the Angel who radiated with the Presence of God),

³¹And said, Cornelius, your prayer is heard, and your alms are had in remembrance in the sight of God (Godremembers both the bad and the good; in His Time, He rewards both accordingly!).

³²Send therefore to Joppa, and call hither Simon, whose surname is Peter (second time related, which tells us how important all of this is); he is lodged in the house of one Simon a tanner by the sea side: who, when he comes, shall speak unto you (refers to the Way of Salvation made clear by Peter; this signifies that God uses men in this capacity, and not Angels).

³³Immediately therefore I sent to you (implies that such was done within the hour); and you have well done that you are come (means that they are so very pleased that Peter has come, and that he came as soon as possible). Now therefore are we all here present before God, to hear all things that are Commanded you of God (they were ready!).

THE GENTILES

³⁴Then Peter opened his mouth, and said (proclaims a profound truth, as simple as it was; the Gospel will now break the bounds of Judaism, despite the efforts of man to do otherwise), Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons (not meant to be implied by Peter that this Truth is new, for it is not [II Sam. 14:14], but up to this time Peter had applied it to Jews only, not Gentiles):

³⁵But in every Nation (the Gospel is for all) he who fears Him, and works righteousness, is accepted with Him (the pronoun Him refers to Christ; God accepted the Sacrifice of Christ on the Cross, and all who accept Christ and the Cross are accepted with Him).

³⁶The Word which God sent unto the Children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ (this is justifying Peace, which comes instantly upon the acceptance of Christ): (He is Lord of all:) (Jesus Christ is Lord because He has made Salvation possible for all who will believe [Phil. 2:11]).

³⁷That word, I say, you know (refers to the Life, Ministry, Death, Resurrection, and Ascension of Christ), which was published throughout all Judaea, and began from Galilee, after the Baptism which John preached (John introduced Christ);

³⁸How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with Power (as a Man, Christ needed the Holy Spirit, as we certainly do as well! in fact, everything He did was by the Power of the Spirit): who went about doing good (everything He did was good), and healing all who were oppressed of the Devil (only Christ could do this, and Believers can do such only as Christ empowers them by the Spirit); for God was with Him (God is with us only as we are with Him).

³⁹And we (the Apostles and others) are witnesses of all things which He did both in the land of the Jews, and in Jerusalem (Jerusalem is inferred because it was the center of religious authority; so they were without excuse); Whom they slew and hanged on a tree (they referred to the Sanhedrin, the religious leaders of Israel):

⁴⁰Him God raised up the third day (Peter is affirming the Resurrection of Christ), and show ed Him openly (Jesus revealed Himself after the Resurrection to quite a number of people);

⁴¹Not to all the people (not to all of Israel), but unto witnesses chosen before of God (refers to those who had Faith in Him and Believed), even to us, who did eat and drink with Him after He rose from the dead (proclaims that Jesus was not a spirit, or mere apparition, but rather real, physical, and alive).

⁴²And He Commanded us to preach unto the people (presents Gods Way of spreading the Gospel), and to testify that it is He which was ordained of God to be the Judge of the quick (living) and dead (today Jesus is the Saviour, tomorrow He will be the Judge).

⁴³To Him give all the Prophets witness (means that He fulfilled all of the Prophecies), that through His Name (His Name Alone) whosoever (anyone in the world) believes in Him (Believes in Who and What He has done, referring to the Cross) shall receive remission of sins (freedom, deliverance, forgiveness).

THE HOLY SPIRIT

⁴⁴While Peter yet spoke these words (concerning Believing in Him), the Holy Spirit fell on all them which heard the Word (even though we are given very little information here, this is the moment when Cornelius and his household accepted Christ, and were saved).

⁴⁵And they of the Circumcision (Jews) which believed (Believed in Christ) were ast onished (at what they saw the Lord doing, which could not be denied), as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the Gift of the Holy Spirit (Cornelius and his household were saved, and then moments later Baptized with the Holy Spirit; it was quite a meeting!).

⁴⁶For they heard them speak with tongues (this is the initial, physical evidence that one has been baptized with the Holy Spirit; it always and without exception accompanies the Spirit Baptism), and magnify God (means that some of them would stop speaking in tongues momentarily, and then begin to praise God in their natural language, magnifying His Name). Then answered Peter (presents the Apostle about to take another step),

⁴⁷Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized (they had accepted Christ and had been Baptized with the Spirit, so now they should be Baptized in Water, which they were), which have received the Holy Spirit as well as we? (Multiple millions of Gentiles since that day have been Baptized with the Holy Spirit.)

⁴⁸And he Commanded them to be baptized in the Name of the Lord (simply means, by the Authority of the Lord). Then prayed they him to tarry certain days (which he possibly did!).