Acts
10
1 “There was a certain man in
band called the
Italian band,” Now there was (two last words in italics) for
there was (in roman), Authorized Version and Textus Receptus; Cornelius by
name for called
Cornelius, Authorized Version. A glance at the map will show
that
from Joppa. It was doubtless with a view to Peter’s momentous errand to
Joppa, consequent upon the restoring of Dorcas to life: the origines of Gentile
Christianity being the
prime object of the Acts. The
Italian band;
(σπείρα – speira – band;
cohort). The σπείρα was used in two senses.
When spoken of strictly Roman troops, it meant the tenth
part of a legion,
and consisted of from four hundred and twenty-five to five
hundred or six
hundred men, according to the strength of the legion. Its
commander was
called a chiliarch, and it was
divided into centuries, each commanded by a
centurion. But when spoken of auxiliary provincial troops,
it meant a
regiment of about a thousand men (Josephus, ‘
last sense probably that it is used here. Josephus, in the
passage above
quoted, speaks of five such auxiliary cohorts coming from
Vespasian’s army, and he tells us in another place (‘
that the principal portion of the Roman army at
is pretty certain, therefore, that the Italian cohort here
spoken of were
auxiliaries, so called as being made up in whole or in part
of Italians,
probably volunteers or velones
(Farrar, vol. 1:278, note). Another reason
for this conclusion is that it does not seem likely that
one of the divisions
of a legion should have a name (though it was very common
for the legions
themselves to be distinguished, in addition to their
number, prima, secunda,
decima, etc., by such names as Italics, Parthica,
separate regiments would naturally have appropriate names
for the same
reason that the legions had. Thus, besides the Italian
cohort here named,
we have the Augustan cohort in ch.
27:1. It might be important for
the security of the procurator, in so turbulent a province
as
at least one cohort of Italian soldiers at the seat of
government. Renan
(‘Apotres,’ p. 202) thinks the
full name of the cohort may have been
“Cohors prima Augusta Italica civium Romanorum;” and adds that there
were in the whole empire not fewer than thirty-two cohorts
bearing the
name of Italian.
2 “A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house,
which gave
much alms to the
people, and prayed to God alway.” Who for which,
Authorized Version. A
devout man (εὐσεβής – eusebaes); and in v. 7.
It is an interesting question as to what was the precise
religions status of
Cornelius, whether he was a proselyte in any technical
sense. But the
whole narrative, in which he is spoken of simply as a
Gentile and
uncircumcised, seems to indicate that, though he had
learned from the Jews
to worship the true God, and from the Jewish Scriptures
read or heard in
the synagogue to practice those virtues which went up for a
memorial
before God, yet he was in no sense a proselyte. It is
pleasant to think that
there may have been many such in the different countries
where the Jews
were dispersed (compare ch.13:16, and probably ch. 11:20).
3 “He saw in a vision evidently about the ninth hour of the
day an
angel of God
coming in to him, and saying unto him, Cornelius.”
Openly for evidently,
Authorized Version; as it were about for about,
Authorized Version and Textus Receptus; unto for to, and to for unto,
Authorized Version. Openly;
or, evidently (φανερῶς – phaneros – evidently;
clearly; mainfestly), indicates the distinctness and certainty of the
vision. It
was a clear angelic appearance; there was no indistinctness
or confusion about
it, and consequently it left no kind of doubt in the mind
of Cornelius. An
angel; or rather, the angel; the addition of God defines it (see ch. 5:19, note).
4 “And when he looked on him, he was afraid, and said, What
is it,
Lord? And he said
unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are come
up for a memorial
before God.” He, fastening his eyes upon for when he
looked on, Authorized
Version (ἀτενίσας – atenisas – looking
intensely, as
ch.
3:4, etc.); and being affrighted for he was afraid and, Authorized Version;
gone for come, Authorized
Version. For a memorial;
i.e. thy prayers and thine
alms are set in the sight of God, and are the cause of His
now remembering
thee and sending this message to thee. Cornelius’s good
works were the
fruit of his faith in God as revealed in the Old Testament.
5 “And now send men to Joppa, and call for one Simon, whose
surname
is Peter:” Fetch
for call for, Authorized Version; one
(in italics) for one
(in roman), Authorized Version and Textus Receptus;
who is surnamed for
whose surname is, Authorized
Version. Peter is always used by Luke, rather
than Cephas.
6 “He lodgeth with one Simon a
tanner, whose house is by the sea
side: he shall
tell thee what thou oughtest to do.” The last
clause in the
Authorized Version and Textus Receptus, “he shall tell thee,” etc., is
omitted in the Revised Version.
The Intimacy of Divine Knowledge (vs. 5-6)
This is a striking passage when thoughtfully considered.
The doctrine of
Divine omniscience
we may accept without having any adequate
conception of it, or feeling any practical impression
attending on our faith.
The ease with which a general truth or principle may be
held, while it yet
remains ineffective on the life, has often been urged on
us. The skilful
teacher seeks to set forth the general truth in some
particular instance, and
expects that the truth will thus be seen clearly and
grasped firmly. We have
an instance in the passage before us. Cornelius had some
appropriate ideas
concerning God’s omniscience and omnipresence, yet we may
be sure that
they had never been practical, real, and searching thoughts
to him, until the
angel showed that God knew all about him and all about
Peter, his name,
lodging, host, etc. In our childish days we were often
frightened by being
reminded of the words, “Thou God seest
me.” It is well if in our manhood
we can have such a revelation of the
marvelous minuteness, yet more
marvelous tenderness and graciousness, of the Divine
inspection. David’s
joy in the omniscience and omnipresence of God, as
indicated in Psalm 139,
may be referred to. “The Lord knoweth
them that are His.” (II Timothy 2:19)
We may notice the points in the passage which suggest
the intimacy and
exactness of God’s daily knowledge of us.
·
GOD KNOWS OUR NAMES.
Our surname, by which we are
commonly known to the world, and
even our Christian name, by which we
are known to our intimate friends.
He knew Peter the fisherman, but he
knew him as Simon. This includes
God’s knowledge of all that our fellow
men, with whom we have to do in
daily business, know of us; and His
further knowledge of all that
our most intimate relatives could tell of our
character and disposition. There
may be some things of private thought or
conduct which we would gladly
keep from God; even these are “naked and
open unto the eyes
of him with whom we have to do.” (Hebrews
4:13)
·
OUR EMPLOYMENT. God
knew that this other Simon was a tanner
by trade. We somehow dissociate
the common occupations of life from the
thought of God, but He watches us in daily work. And we may surely feel
that He judges day by day the
spirit in which our daily work is done.
“Whereunto a man
is called, therein let him abide with God.”
(I Corinthians 7:24)
·
THE SITUATION OF OUR HOUSE. God knew that this tanner’s
house was “by the seaside,”
placed there, probably, for the conveniences of
his trade. So God knows our precise circumstances and surrounding, and
the exact
influence which these things bear upon us. And if He knows all
this, we may confidently rest
assured that He is ready and willing to be the
power that helps us to overcome
our disabilities, and master our
difficulties, and live for Him “even
where Satan’s seat is,” if our lot should
be cast in such scenes. (Revelation 2:13)
·
OUR RELATION TO THE FAMILY. Bringing His inspections to bear
on the family circle, He knows
the place of each one. He knew that Peter
was only a lodger. Then He
can give each one the needed grace for
worthily occupying his place,
and faithfully maintaining his relations and
doing the consequent duties.
Apart from the revelation of the humanity and
sympathetic brotherhood of
Christ, as “God manifest in the flesh,” so
minute a Divine knowledge would
only appall us, crushing down energy,
effort, and hope. Now we glory
in the thought of the perfect knowledge,
for He who besets us behind and
before is our Father, whom we know well
through His Son and our Brother,
the “Man Christ Jesus.”
7 “And when the angel which spake
unto Cornelius was departed, he
called two of his
household servants, and a devout soldier of them
that waited on
him continually;” That for which, Authorized
Version;
him for Cornelius, Authorized
Version and Textus Receptus.
Two of
his household
servants (see ch.9:38, note).
Cornelius’s faith and
piety were like Abraham’s — he taught his household to keep
the way of
the Lord, and to do justice and judgment (Genesis 18:19).
8 “And when he had declared all these things unto them, he
sent them to Joppa.”
Having rehearsed for when
he had declared, Authorized Version; all things
for all these things, Authorized Version.
Piety, Its Place, Its Associations, and Its
Reward (vs. 1-8)
look for piety in certain
quarters where it may be supposed to flourish; in
others we do not look to see it;
yet in these latter it may be found. Who
would have expected that a
centurion in a Roman regiment would prove to
be a worshipper of God — one
that “feared God with all his house”?
He
and his family must have been
living in a way that contrasted strangely with
the great majority of those in a
similar position. We must never conclude
that men are irreligious because
of the class to which they belong or of the
occupation in which they are
engaged. Sometimes, in spite of the most
uncongenial surroundings, and
sometimes taking part in avocations which
few godly men could possibly
embrace, there are found simple-hearted and
sincere Christian men. Christ
has His servants, not only on the exposed
hillside and the open plain, but
in the most secluded glen, hidden where no
eye can see them, living in the
very last place where we should go to find
them.
In certain lands and at
certain times, as in the country and at the period to
which our text belongs,
devotion and almsgiving were very closely conjoined
in the public mind. It is quite
possible, as was then too painfully evident, that
these may be found existing
together in outward form, with no acceptableness
to God. But it is not the less
true that God demands of us that reverent thought
directed toward Him should be
found in close connection with generous
thought directed toward our
brother (see I John 4:20). Christian charity
should be both deep and broad.
Ø
It should spring from
a deep sense of the worth of human souls whom
Christ pities and seeks to save.
Ø
It should extend
beyond occasional gifts to those who are in extremity
of want. It should include
an intelligent endeavor to do that which is
really best for the lasting
well-being of the people.
GENUINENESS IN RELIGION.
Taking the expression, “Thy prayers…
are come up for a
memorial” (v. 4) with “he
shall tell thee what thou
oughtest to do” (v. 6), we
conclude that Cornelius was deeply conscious
that he needed to know more of
God than he knew, and that he was
prayerfully endeavoring to find
his way into the path of truth and heavenly
wisdom. This is a mark of
reality. Those who complacently conclude that
they know all that is to be
known, that wisdom dwells with them as in its
chief home, that they have no
need for spiritual solicitude as to themselves,
— these are they whose piety we
may distrust. But the humble and earnest
seeker after more light and
truth is the man about whose moral integrity
there cannot be two opinions. He
bears the stamp of sincerity on his brow.
SEEKING AND STRIVING.
God gave to this devout inquirer that which
he sought. He granted him a
vision, and instructed him how to obtain the
further truth he needed that he
might find rest unto his soul (vs. 3-6).
Thus He will treat us also. Only
we must fulfill His Divine and constant
conditions, viz.:
Ø
Earnest, repeated,
patient inquiry (Matthew 7:7-8).
Ø
Living up to the light
we have (John 7:17). Half-hearted or impatient
prayer will wait in vain for the
door to be opened into the kingdom.
Inconsistent piety will never
know the doctrine which is of God. But
let a man seek with his whole
soul and let him live according to the
known will of God, and then let
him “rest
in the Lord, and wait
patiently for Him,” and God will give him his heart’s desires
(Psalm 37:4, 7).
The Pious Centurion (vs. 1-8)
\
heard of Judaea,
descended, and here the martyrs
had sealed their testimony in blood. Now
the second part
of the early Church history begins,
and the great thought of
the gospel, the
conversion of the Gentiles to Christ, begins to be an
accomplished fact.
Ø A centurion; a captain; a soldier. An old proverb says that “There is no
faith and piety
with men who follow the camp.” Not always so, and
Cornelius is an
early type of those who have united the calling of the
soldier with
simple faith and loyalty to a Divine Master. Whatever view be
taken of the
military profession, such an example makes it clear that God
has His chosen
in places, as it may seem to us, the most unlikely, in callings
the most
unfavorable, as we may think, to the growth of piety. But in
reality, religion shows its power in transmuting
the raw material of external
circumstance.
Were piety dependent
on happy external circumstances, it
would be merely
a matter of grace of manners. We cannot expect elegance
of the boor,
refinement of savages and roughs, but the sparks of Divine
love may be struck from the roughest flint of human nature. Those
characters
which present naturally the greatest resistance to the gospel
become often
its brightest illustrations when subdued by the power of the
truth.
Ø Moral preparation for the gospel. He was pious, recognizing the reality
of religion,
reverencing God in the life of the household, and practicing
known duties
with diligence and zeal. Almsgiving, it is well known, was
commended and
enjoined by the rabbis as the chief duty in religion. And
this was
connected with the habit of constant devotion. Not to self-neglected
hearts does God
come; not on eyes unused to watch does the vision of
heavenly forms
beam. The oratory is the reception-room for God,
and the heart
is the true oratory.
Ø Fulfillment of secret yearnings. He sees and hears that which satisfies
deep desires of
his heart. He beholds an angel of the Lord coming in to
him, and hears
his name pronounced, “Cornelius!”
Let us not distract
ourselves by
considering whether this was a dream. The point is not how
the centurion
saw and heard, but what he saw and heard; not the mode but
the matter of
the revelation. Evidently here was a
Divine visit — a
personal
and particular
visit — a visit of Divine recognition, sympathy, and blessing.
We may notice:
o
The invariable
fear excited in the soul by Divine revelations. The brave
soldier feels
it, no less than Moses the stern leader of men, or Isaiah the
leal-hearted
prophet, or Peter the rock-like and bold. “Woe is me; for
I
am a man of unclean lips;” “Hide thy face, or I die” — such is the
language of those
to whom God appears and speaks.
o
This
is followed by inquiry, “What may God’s will with one so
selected
and singled out be? What is it, Lord?” So Isaiah, after
the vision
in the temple, expresses his readiness for service,
“Here
am I; send me.”
o
Clear directions of providences. “Send men to Joppa, and cause
Simon Peter to be fetched.” Here, again, is the ministry of man to
man. That
Cornelius is bidden to send for Peter, and that Peter is
bound to
follow him, shows, not that Cornelius is turning to
Judaism,
but that the
Cornelius,
with prompt and soldier-like dispatch, sends two
servants
under the escort of a soldier to Joppa. We should be
ready to
meet our mercies half-way, as unhappily we are too
ready to
meet our troubles.
9 “On the morrow, as they went on their journey, and drew
nigh unto
the city, Peter
went up upon the housetop to pray about the sixth hour:”
Now on for on, Authorized
Version; were for went, Authorized Version.
The house top; the quietest and most retired place in an Eastern house
(compare I Samuel 9:25-26). It is not inconsistent with
this that the house-top
could also be made a place of special publicity, from its
height and open space
(see Luke 12:3). About
the sixth hour. Noon, the second of the three
hours of prayer among the Jews, called “the midday prayer.”
The last was
the ninth hour (ch. 3:1) and the
first the third hour, nine in the morning
(ch. 2:15). See Psalm 55:17.
10 “And he became very hungry, and would have eaten: but while
they
made ready, he
fell into a trance,” Hungry for very hungry, Authorized Version;
desired to eat for would
have eaten, Authorized
Version. Hungry. The word so
rendered (πρόσπεινος – prospeinos – ravenous;
hungry) occurs nowhere else either
in the New Testament or in any other writer. Possibly he, like Cornelius (v. 30),
had been fasting till the time of prayer. A trance (ἔκστασις – ekstasis – ecstasy;
trance) expresses a state of transition from the ordinary state into a new or
different state. Applied to a man, it denotes that state in which the external
senses and the volition are suspended, and all his impressions are derived from
within (see ch.11:5; 22:17). It is also used to express great astonishment
(3:10; Luke 5:26; Mark
5:42). In the Septuagint of Genesis 2:21 it is spoken of
Adam’s deep
sleep, and in 27:33 of Isaac’s exceeding trembling, and elsewhere
of strong emotions.
11 “And saw heaven opened, and a certain vessel descending
upon him,
as it had been a
great sheet knit at the four corners, and let down to
the earth:” He beholdeth the for saw,
Authorized Version; descending for
descending unto him, Authorized Version and Textus Receptus; were for had been,
Authorized Version; let down by four corners upon the earth for knit
at the four
corners and let down to the earth,
Authorized Version and Textus
Receptus.
The vessel coming down from the open heavens implied that the command to
eat what was contained in it was given by revelation. The things sent were
from God, and the command to eat was from God. Peter’s hunger had prepared
the way for the particular form of the vision.
12 “Wherein were all manner of fourfooted
beasts of the earth, and wild
beasts, and
creeping things, and fowls of the air.” 13 “And there came a
voice to him,
Rise, Peter; kill, and eat.” Beasts and creeping things of the
earth for beasts of
the earth, and wild beasts,
and creeping things, Authorized
Version and Textus Receptus; heaven for air, Authorized Version.
The distinction between clean and unclean was very sharply
drawn in the
Levitical Law (Leviticus 11; see especially vs. 41-44 and 20:25;
Deuteronomy 14:3-20). Peter’s astonishment must, therefore,
have
been exceeding great at the command to slay and eat. And so
his answer in
v. 14 shows. And yet our Lord had taught him the same truth
(Matthew 15:10-20, or still more distinctly Mark 8:14-23).
14 “But Peter said, Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten any
thing that
is common or
unclean.” And unclean for or unclean,
Authorized Version
and Textus Receptus.
It is rather a striking testimony to
Peter’s religious
character as a Jew before his call to the apostolate, that, poor Galilaean
fisherman as he was, unlearned and ignorant, he had yet always conscientiously
obeyed the Law of Moses in regard to things clean and unclean (compare Daniel
1:8-15). The address, Lord (Κύριε - Kurie), seems certainly to recognize the voice
as that of Christ, which also agrees with the descent of the vessel from heaven.
The answer is very similar
to the refusals in Matthew 16:22; John 13:8.
15 “And the voice spake unto him
again the second time, What God
hath cleansed, that
call not thou common.” A voice for the voice, Authorized
Version; came for spake,
Authorized Version and Textus Receptus;
make not
for that call not, Authorized Version. What God hath cleansed, etc. “The Law
was our
schoolmaster [‘tutor,’ Revised Version] to bring us to Christ.” (Galatians
3:24) But now, under
the gospel of faith, we are no longer
under a schoolmaster.
There is neither Jew nor Greek. “Old things are passed away, and
all things are
become new.” (II Corinthians 5:17)
16 “This was done thrice: and the vessel was received up again
into
heaven.” And this for this, Authorized
Version; straightway the vessel for the
vessel…again, Authorized
Version and Textus Receptus.
This was done thrice;
i.e. as is clear from
the previous “the second time” (v.
15); the same voice
addressed to him the third time a direction to eat. The repetition three times of
the same injunction was to give certainty (compare Genesis 41:32). For the
repetition of the same words, compare Matthew 26:44. The receiving of the
vessel again into heaven merely indicated the
termination of the vision. The
interpretation of it was to follow v. 19 and following verses (see especially v. 28),
and was further
emphasized by what is related in vs. 44-46 and ch.11:15-17.
17 “Now while Peter doubted in himself what this vision which
he had
seen should mean,
behold, the men which were sent from Cornelius
had made inquiry
for Simon’s house, and stood before the gate,”
Was much perplexed for
doubted, Authorized Version; the for this, Authorized
Version; might for should, Authorized
Version; that for which, Authorized Version;
by for from, Authorized
Version; having made inquiry, stood for had made enquiry,
and stood., Authorized
Version. The gate (πυλώνα – pulona – gate;
protal); the
porch or gate into the court of an Eastern house. In ch. 12:13 we have “the
door
of the gate” (see Matthew 26:71; Luke 16:20,
etc.).
The Ecstasy and Vision of Peter (vs. 9-17)
habit of prayer mentioned in the
course of this history — on the part of the
community and on the part of
individuals! Peter and Cornelius, the Jew and
the Gentile, are
in communion with God at the same moment; and it is thus
shown that true fellowship
between man and man on earth is conditioned
by fellowship with God. Souls far apart in space are near and at one by
means of this mystic tie.
It was the calm noonday hour, when, as the
ancients were wont to say, “Pan
sleeps.” All the mighty heart of nature is at
rest, and the very houses of
Joppa at His feet might seem to be asleep. But
the living God slumbers not;
watching over His faithful ones and listening
to their prayers. Fixed hours of
prayer may be useful and blessed. The
thought of uniting with others
at the same hour may strengthen devotion.
But it is an abuse if the fixed
hour only is employed in prayer, so as to
make devotion outside it
superfluous.
Ø Its character is
determined both by the physical and the natural state of
the apostle. The
rapture of his spirit in devotion causes a drain on the
forces of the
body, and, like the Lord in the desert, he is hungry. The
noonday meal is
preparing. At this moment the ecstasy comes upon him,
and the earthly
need is stilled by the heavenly revelation. The food of the
spiritual man
is to know and do God’s will, and he can learn, with Paul,
how to be full
and to be hungry, how to abound and to suffer need.
(Philippians
4:12)
Ø Its particular features. The
vast vessel, like a sheet let down by its four
corners from
heaven, contains a miscellaneous collection of quadrupeds,
reptiles, and
birds. Thus the first impression is shocking to a strict believer
in and observer
of the Mosaic ritual. The confusion of the clean with the
unclean, the
profane with the holy, is that which he abhors with all his soul.
It is, in fact,
the visible presentment of the feelings of repugnance with
which Peter
must secretly have viewed the drawing of the Gentiles with the
Jews into the
3. The Divine voice. “Slay
and eat.” Here the
Divine resistance to natural
and acquired
prejudice reaches its height. If we would be followers of the
Truth, and make
progress in the knowledge of God, we must be prepared
to meet with
such rebuffs. Prejudices we have thought to be a clear and
integral part
of our faith must be overcome when the call comes to us to
emerge into
larger views and clearer light. The most mysterious elements in
such struggles
is that we seem to be placed in strife with the holiest
traditions and best
associations of our earlier life. But it is when the fight
begins within
the man that he becomes worth nothing. And never do ideas
become clear,
never is the higher generalization grasped, except as the
result of such
struggles. As Saul, in the zeal of the old faith, kicked against
the goads of
his new convictions, so was Peter now repugnant to that new
truth which was
breaking in with so much power upon his mind. In both
cases it was a wider view of the
interpretation
of his purposes to mankind, which was struggling for
admission to
the intellect and heart. Never let us fear the generalization of
our ideas and
feelings of the truth. The change, in uprooting the old, gives
us something
far better to put in its place. The resistance of Peter on this
occasion is so
like him — sharp, stubborn, peremptory. “Never, Lord!”
When Peter
spoke thus it was a sign that he was about to give way, either
on the side of
good or evil. So had he said on former occasions: “I will
never forsake thee.” “Thou shalt never wash my feet!” And we know what
followed. So in
this instance. In each case there was a right feeling
combined with a
wrong or ignorant thought.
o
Ignorance
of self precipitates into rash resolves;
o
ignorance
of the grace of Christ and of the power of
truth
leads to mistaken obstinacy
and
resistance.
Ø The repeated voice. This time
in explanation of the command. What
God has
cleansed, men are not to deem common. This is a deep and
pregnant word. The
distinction of clean and unclean animals was:
o
a
sanitary distinction;
o
a
ceremonial distinction founded upon that;
o
therefore
a relative and temporary distinction.
Apart from the
special purposes for which the distinction holds good, the
general truth of
universal and eternal application obtains — that all
creatures
of God are good and to be received with thanksgiving. So deeply
important is
this truth, it is repeated over and over again, that it may not
possibly be
forgotten, that it cannot henceforth be ignored.
o
Ceremonial,
local, national distinctions are for a time; truth and love
are
universal.
o
The
local must give way gradually before the universal; the truth
which
reveals differences before the truth which reconciles.
o
The
truth for which a sect contends, once clearly established,
cannot be
lost. But the universal truth of the gospel absorbs
both it
and all partial definitions of truth with itself.
18 “And called, and asked whether Simon, which was surnamed
Peter,
were lodged
there.” Lodging for lodged, Authorized Version.
19 “While Peter thought on the vision, the Spirit said unto
him, Behold,
three men seek
thee.” And while for while, Authorized Version. Thought
(διενθυμουμένου – dienthumoumenou
– brooding; consider deeply, Received
Text),
stronger than the ἐνθυμουμένου – enthumoumenou – reflecting
on; ponderin - of
the Textus Receptus;
thought over through and through; considered in all its
bearings. It only
occurs here and two or three times in Cyril and other Church
writers. The
Spirit (so ch.11:12). In ch.13:2 it is τὸ πνεῦμα
τὸ ἄγιον
to pneuma
to hagion – the Holy Spirit.
20 “Arise therefore, and get thee down, and go with them,
doubting
nothing: for I
have sent them.” But arise for arise
therefore, Authorized Version;
nothing doubting for doubting
nothing, Authorized Version. But
arise. The but
answers the unexpressed idea — Do not hesitate, do not delay, but go at once.
For I have sent
them. This is one of the many passages which distinctly mark
the personality of the Holy Spirit (compare ch.8:29;
13:2; 20:28, etc.). Here, too,
we may notice the
working of God’s providence, under whose
direction Peter’s
thoughts and Cornelius’s message meet at the same point, like men
working from opposite ends of a tunnel and meeting at the
same spot.
21 “Then Peter went down to the men which were sent unto him
from
Cornelius; and
said, Behold, I am he whom ye seek: what is the
cause wherefore
ye are come?” And for then, Authorized Version; the men
for the men which were sent unto him from Cornelius, Authorized Version and
Textus Receptus.
22 “And they said, Cornelius the centurion, a just man, and
one that
feareth God, and of good
report among all the nation of the Jews,
was warned from God
by an holy angel to send for thee into his
house, and to
hear words of thee.” A centurion for the centurion,
Authorized Version; righteous for just, Authorized
Version;
well reported of for of
good report among, Authorized Version; of God
(in italics) for from God (in roman), Authorized
Version; a holy for an holy,
Authorized Version; from thee for of thee,
Authorized Version. Righteous;
as Matthew 1:19 (compare the description of Cornelius in v.
10). The mention
here of his being well
reported of by all the nation
of the Jews is an additional
trait (compare Luke 7:2-5). For the expression, “of good report” (μαρτυρούμενος –
marturoumenos – being
attested; good report), see ch. 6:3, note. Of God.
The
rendering, “warned from God,” however, fairly represents ἐχρηματίσθη –
echraematisthae – is apprized, because χρηματίζομαι chraematizomai –
does not mean “to be warned,” but “to be divinely warned.” See the frequent
use of the word in the New Testament (Matthew 2:12; Luke 2:26; Hebrews 8:5;
11:7, etc.). Josephus
frequently uses the verb in the active voice in the same
sense. To hear words from thee. A Hebrew
turn of expression.
Devout Heathen (vs. 2-22)
To correct the tendency to limit the operations of Divine
grace to
particular sections, classes, or nations, the Scriptures
record instances of
true devoutness and sincere piety both before and outside
the Abrahamic
covenant. The comforting and inspiring truth of the Divine
call and election
man has too often changed into a doctrine of Divine
favoritism, involving
the sovereign and groundless choice of some, and the
consequent
repudiation and hopeless condition of many. We should ever
seek to hold
the truth which God is pleased to reveal with a jealousy of
ourselves, lest
we should unduly apply it to the disadvantage of others.
Our God has said,
“All souls are mine;” He maketh “His sun to rise upon the evil
and upon the
good.” And if He
claims the right to judge all mankind, He must have given
them all knowledge, opportunities, and measures of grace.
While fully
realizing that the only book revelation has been made to
the Jew and the
Christian, and that the great revelation of God to man has
been made in the
person of the Lord Jesus Christ, and that this revelation
is the key to, and
the completion of, all others, we need not refuse to admit
that God has had
gracious access to the minds and hearts of heathen peoples,
and has
guided, in measures that seemed wise, their groping and
seeking after
Him. One of the remarkable cases is that of Cornelius the
Roman centurion,
a man declared to be of pious character, and to have won
the Divine
acceptance. As illustrating the above statements, mention
may be made of
Melchizedek, Balsam, Araunah,
etc. Accepting the fact that there may be
genuine religion among the heathen, we may ask by what
signs may we
hopefully recognize it, and then turn to the story of
Cornelius for aid in
making answer.
·
The first sign is BELIEF IN GOD, as distinguished from the gods. The
conception of one supreme Being
is more common among the heathen than
we are wont to admit. It is
often lost sight of by the prominence that is
given to subordinate divinities,
and the elaborate worship rendered to
them. It is often sadly limited
and deteriorated by the notion of a second
being, who is regarded as a
rival of the supreme Being, and energetically
destroying His work. Polytheism
and dualism represent the two evil
tendencies of man’s religious
nature; but we may reasonably hope that not
a few of the heathen have, like Cornelius,
risen above the prevailing
sentiments, and held firmly
their faith in one supreme God. And we must,
in all charity, assume that
there may be a personal trust of heart on the
living God, when the
intellectual conceptions of Him, and of His relations
with men, are very imperfect and
unworthy. To be acceptable, a man’s
religion must include faith in
one God; and we must remember that this
was the first great fact and
truth revealed to men, and, however men may
have blotted it over in their souls, BUT THEY HAVE NOT BLOTTED
IT OUT!
·
The second sign is SUCH APPREHENSION OF GOD AS BRINGS
FEAR. The Bible use of
the word “fear” should be carefully explained. It is
the word which most suitably
expresses the proper attitude of men towards
God. It includes:
Ø
awe,
Ø
reverence,
Ø
worship, and
Ø
obedience,
and may be best illustrated
by the feelings entertained by a good child towards
a good and noble parent.
The sense of Divine authority should make us fear to
do wrong, and the sense of Divine
holiness should make us fear to approach
unpreparedly His presence or to take His Name in vain. “Fear,”
as an
equivalent for “worship,” needs
explanation, and, rightly explained, it will
be seen that it is the very
essence of religion, so far as religion affects
man’s feeling. Wrong
senses of the term fear may be considered. Fear
which crushes hope and keeps us
from God must be wrong; as is also fear
that makes us
unwilling to accept THE GRACE HE OFFERS!
·
The third sign is SUCH
APPREHENSION OF GOD AS LEADS TO
PRAYER. Not merely
to prayer as a sudden act, forced on by calamity or
distress, but to prayer as the daily expression of the cherished spirit of
dependence on
God — a daily leaning on God and
waiting for Him, which
is indicated by the description
of Cornelius as a “devout man.” Miss Cobbe
strikingly says, “Our belief in
the personality of God is in a peculiar manner
allied to the moral side
of religion. In proportion as that moral side is
developed in us, so, we may
almost say, is the clearness of our conviction
that it is indeed a living God
who rules the world, and no mere creative
intelligence. Now, this moral side comes out only in its full
luminousness in
prayer. Prayer is in its essence the approach of the finite and
fallible moral
agent to its infinite moral
Lord, to whom it is conscious of erring
allegiance, and to whom it comes
for forgiveness and strength. In such
prayer all the moral life bursts
into vivid consciousness. In prayer there
comes to us the true revelation
of the personality of God.” This can be
illustrated by the
characteristic feature of the converted Saul of Tarsus,
“Behold, he prayeth!”
·
The fourth sign we may
speak of as the RESULTS OF TRUE
RELIGION IN PRACTICAL CHARITIES. These are signs, because they
are the natural and necessary fruitage and expression of true piety. Right
ideas of God tone our
relations with our fellow-men, so that we can be
“kind even to the unthankful and the unholy” Cornelius is marked as
one
who “gave much alms to the people.”
The more internal features of true
piety are, of necessity, beyond
our reading; but our Lord taught us that by
men’s fruits in conduct we might
know them, and that, if there is ever the
Divine life in
souls, it will force its way out into
practical charities and
goodness of
conduct. When, therefore, we find
those we call “heathen”
exhibiting Christian virtues, we
may reasonably hope that there is a
right-heartedness towards God of
which these are the expressions. By the
story of Cornelius we are taught
that God may make more or less open
responses to such devout and
prayerful souls by visions, revelations, or
inward communications,
witnessing thus their acceptance, and guiding the
open soul to righteousness and
truth. It is true for all the world that “if
any
man will do His will, he shall know of the
doctrine.” (John 7:17)
While
this subject needs to be treated
with great prudence, and strongly dogmatic
statements should be avoided, we
may gain from it some relief from the
pressure of our questioning as
to the salvability of the heathen, and we
may conceive how the heathen
state may become a moral preparation
for Christianity. It is an
important feature of modern missionary enterprise
that those who preach Christ’s
gospel seek to find points of contact in the
heathen mind and religious
sentiments, and expect to discover that God
has been
beforehand with them, preparing men’s hearts to receive the
wonderful message
of Divine salvation by A DIVINE SACRIFICE!
23 “Then called he them in, and lodged them. And on the morrow
Peter
went away with
them, and certain brethren from Joppa accompanied him.”
So he called for then called he, Authorized
Version; he arose and went forth
for Peter went away, Authorized Version and Textus Receptus; certain of
the
brethren for certain
brethren, Authorized Version. And
lodged them is rather a
feeble rendering of ἐξένισεν – exenisen – he
lodges.
The same word is rendered
entertained in Hebrews
13:2, which is nearer the sense; “to entertain as a guest.”
The word carries with it that he showed them
hospitality, and thus broke down
the wall of partition between him and them. “He gave
them friendly treatment,
and made them at home with him” (Chrysostom).
(For ξενίζεται – xenizetai –
he lodges; is lodging, see v. 32.) He arose and went forth. This was on the
morrow of their arrival. It was two days’ journey
from
and two days’ journey back again, the distance being
thirty miles. They would
probably stop the night at Apollonia,
which was half-way, on the coast road.
Certain of the brethren. The ready missionary
spirit of the first disciples is
here apparent (compare ch.
20:4).
Peter’s Visit to
FAITH. Peter was in
perplexity at this astounding vision of the sheet let
down from heaven. Every Jewish
prejudice was confuted by it, and a new
view of the purpose of God in
the gospel, quite dazzling to his
unaccustomed sight, was opened. Well
might he hesitate. But when God
gives us a new view of truth and
duty, it is not long before He calls us to
act upon it. So in this case.
Often do feelings in the mind thus coincide with
outward occurrences. They join
hands and irresistibly indicate the will of
God. While Peter is inquiring
the meaning of what he had seen, he is being
inquired for by the strangers at
the door. Then comes the inward intimation
of the Spirit: “Lo,
three men are seeking for thee.”
“Arise, go down,
go with them, doubt nothing; I have sent them.” Happy
for us when the path of duty is
made equally clear. Let us remember that
the light is given to those who
are sincere, and serve God in simplicity of
heart. And when the clear call
is heard, unhesitatingly must be the
obedience. “Immediately I conferred not with
flesh and blood.”
(Galatians 1:16) The habit of conferring with flesh and blood,
i.e.
with inclination and
disinclination, obscures the conscience, and,
perhaps, destroys our hope of
future inspirations. “I never rise so high,”
said Cromwell, “as when I know
not whither I am going,” that is, in
obedience to the Divine call. So
Peter went forth to meet the men.
centurion, has sent for him. A
just and pious man is he, the servant says.
Here, then, the vision begins to
explain itself. What has the Roman to do
with the Jew? Everything, if God
brings them together. And that this was
here the case was too evident to
be ignored. For while God was revealing
His will in one way to Peter in
a vision, drawing the thought of the apostle
toward the Gentile, in another
way he was speaking to the Roman,
impelling him to send to the apostle,
that he might listen to his teaching.
What secret attractions of
sufficiently consider this? The
great lesson reflected both from the conduct
of Peter and that of Cornelius
is that we should be prompt to obey Divine
calls, whether
to do good or to seek good.
Willingness to receive and to
give is the great condition of
being rightly led. To speak good words to
others may be, for some, the
noblest function; to listen to them, for others,
the greatest means of blessing.
It is the Divine will to bring the speaker and
the hearer together, the teacher
and the disciple. Let each, then,
be true to
the voice within.
24 “And the morrow after they entered into
waited for them,
and he had called together his kinsmen and near
friends.” On
the morrow for the morrow after,
Authorized Version; was waiting
for waited, Authorized
Version; having called for and had called, Authorized
Version and his near for and near, Authorized Version. On the morrow. The
addition of after in Authorized Version makes the
sense clearer. They entered
into
by the soldiers of the cross. His near friends. We have hero a proof of the strong
faith of Cornelius. He did not doubt the angel’s promise (vs. 5 and 6). We see his
brotherly love. He invited his
friends to come and hear the message of salvation;
those whom, as Chrysostom suggests, he had himself brought to a better
mind.
25 “And as Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him, and fell
down at
his feet, and
worshipped him.” When it came to pass
that Peter entered for as
Peter was coming in, Authorized Version. The commentators all notice the
ungrammatical phrase,
ἐγένετο τοῦ εἰσελθεῖν
- egeneto tou eiselthein – became
to be entering, of the Received Text. It seems to be a mixture of two
constructions
ἐγένετο τοῦ
εἰσελθεῖν
τὸν Πέτρον
- egeneto tou eiselthein ton Petron - and ὡς δὲ
εἰσῆλθεν ὁ Πέτρος
– hos de eisaelthen ho Petros – and as Peter was comin
in. But
probably the Textus Receptus is right. Worshipped
him; not necessarily as a god,
because προσκυνεῖν – proskunein – worships
him (with a dative or an accusative,
or, as here, without any case, Hebrew הִשְׁתַחֲוֶה) is constantly used to
express that prostration which Orientals practiced before
those whom they
wished to honor; e.g. Genesis 23:7, 12; 33:3, 6-7,
etc. But Peter’s
answer shows that he saw in it greater honor than ought to
be paid by one
man to another (see ch.14:15).
26 “But Peter took him up, saying, Stand up; I myself also am
a man.”
Raised for took, Authorized
Version.
27 “And as he talked with him, he went in, and found many that
were
come together.” Findeth for found, Authorized
Version; many come for many
that were come, Authorized
Version.
28 “And he said unto them, Ye know how that it is an unlawful
thing
for a man that is
a Jew to keep company, or come unto one of
another nation;
but God hath shewed me that I should not call any
man common or
unclean.” Ye yourselves for ye, Authorized Version; to
join
himself for to keep company, Authorized Version; and
yet unto me hath God
showed for but God
hath showed me, Authorized
Version. Ye yourselves know.
It was notorious among the Romans that the Jews kept themselves aloof from
other people. Hence the
accusation against them, in common with Christians,
of being haters of the
human race. Tacitus says of them that they hated
all people,
except their own
countrymen, as their enemies, and refused to eat or intermarry
with them (“Separati epulis discreti cubilibus;” ‘Hist.,’ 5:5). The word
ἀλλοφύλῳ - allophulo – another
tribe, one
of another nation, occurs only here
in the New Testament, but is common in the Septuagint often
as a synonym for
“Philistines” (see Judges 3:3, etc.).
29 “Therefore came I unto you without gainsaying, as soon as I
was
sent for: I ask
therefore for what intent ye have sent for me?”
Wherefore also I came for
therefore came I unto you, Authorized Version;
when for as soon as,
Authorized Version; with what for for
what, Authorized
Version; ye sent for ye have sent, Authorized
Version.
30 “And Cornelius said, Four days ago I was fasting until this
hour; and
at the ninth hour
I prayed in my house, and, behold, a man stood before
me in bright
clothing,” Until this hour, I was
keeping the ninth hour of prayer
for I was
fasting until this hour, and at the ninth hour I prayed, Authorized
Version and Textus Receptus; apparel
for clothing, Authorized Version.
Four days ago. This was the fourth day (see v. 23, note). Until this
hour, etc.
The reading of the Revised Version is unintelligible. The
Authorized Version
seems to give the meaning clearly and accurately. Until
this hour probably
denotes the sixth hour, midday, as in v. 9. Peter’s journey
would naturally have
been taken in the cool of the early morning. Starting at 5
or 6 a.m., five hours,
with perhaps an hour’s halt, would bring him to the end of
his fifteen miles’
journey by 11 or 12 a.m. Apparel. The same
phrase, ἐσθὴς λαμπρά
- esthaes
lampra – gorgeous
robe; garment shining, is used by Luke
(23:11). In the
description of the
transfiguration a stronger expression is used, ἐξαστράπτων –
exastrapton – glistening;
dazzling. (Luke 9:29)
31 “And said, Cornelius, thy prayer is heard, and thine alms are had in
remembrance in
the sight of God.” — Saith for said,.
32 “Send therefore to Joppa, and call hither Simon, whose
surname is
Peter; he is lodged
in the house of one Simon a tanner by the sea
side: who, when
he cometh, shall speak unto thee.” Unto
thee for hither,
Authorized Version; who is surnamed for whose surname is, Authorized Version;
lodgeth for is lodged, Authorized
Version. (ξενίζεται - xenizetai – is
lodging - in
the middle voice;
for the active, see above, v. 23); Simon for one Simon, Authorized
Version. The clause
which follows in the Authorized Version, “who when he cometh
shall speak unto thee,” is omitted in the Received Text and Revised Version.
33 “Immediately therefore I sent to thee; and thou hast well
done that
thou art come.
Now therefore are we all here present before God,
to hear all
things that are commanded thee of God.” —
Forthwith for
immediately, Authorized
Version; we are for are we, Authorized Version; in
the sight of for before,
Authorized Version; have been for are, Authorized
Version; the Lord for God, Authorized Version
and Textus Receptus.
The Indenture (vs. 1-33)
The meeting of Peter and Cornelius is one of those hinges
upon which,
small as they seem at the moment, vast interests turn. It
was one of those
moments when revolutions in the whole state of human
society are at the
birth; when that is being unconsciously enacted by the
doers which will
powerfully affect mankind to the end of time and beyond
it. From the call
of Abraham to the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus,
the
covenanted mercies of God had been restricted within the
narrow bounds
of the Hebrew race. The very ordinances which were
necessary to preserve
them as a separate people, able to have the custody of the
great truth of the
unity of God, and of the great promise of a Messiah which
should come,
erected an impassable barrier between them and the rest of
mankind. But
this state of things was designed to be only temporary, and
to pass away
when it had accomplished the purpose for which it was set
up. The time
was to come when that knowledge of God which had been
confined in the
narrow reservoir of the Jewish people was to burst its
embankment and
flood the whole world with truth. But the embankments were very strong.
The institutions which were intended to isolate the seed of
Abraham had
done their work well. The mind of the Jew was built in by a
wall of
prejudice, which it might have seemed impossible to break
down. But it
was to be broken down, and that by the hand of God. The
manner of doing
it was remarkable. Among the things which powerfully
persuade the human
mind coincidences occupy a foremost place. An event
which, happening
alone, might not have any very commanding power, happening
concurrently with another event which has distinct marks of
special relation
to it, acquires enormous influence. And when all
possibility of human
agency in producing the coincidence is removed, the sense of a Divine
purpose falls irresistibly upon the mind, and with a
peculiar energy of
conviction. The
edges of two events, wholly independent as far as the will
of man goes, fitting into one another with the precision of
the two edges of
an indenture, produce the absolute certainty that the two
events were
foreordained of God, and have their unity in His eternal
purpose. Such a
coincidence broke down the barrier in Peter’s mind between
Jew and
Gentile, and was the first beginning of that wonderful
movement which
transferred the religion of the Jews, purified and
spiritualized, to the
possession of the Gentile, and brought Japheth to dwell
in the tents of
Shem. Little did
the good men whom Cornelius sent to Joppa think what
would be the results of their embassy to Simon; and even
Simon Peter,
when he went with them to
magnitude of his errand. He opened the gates with the keys
of his apostolic
office, but scarcely realized the
multitudes who would enter through them
to the kingdom of heaven. To us there is something wonderfully instructive
in standing where we can see the simultaneous events on
both sides of the
wall. The messengers of Cornelius wending their way to
Joppa, to find the
unknown teacher. Peter praying and seeing his vision, and
perplexed about
its meaning, in utter ignorance that the Italians were approaching his
door
and bringing its interpretation with them. Their arrival makes the vision
plain, and the voice of the Spirit within him concurs with
the voice of the
men without. One sees at once the irresistible effect of
such a coincidence
in overcoming the strongest prejudices, and forcing upon a
reluctant mind
the conviction that duty lay in a hitherto untrodden path. “Then hath God
also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life” was the just conclusion
to which all who heard it were brought. And even so in our own lives, if
we watch with a careful eye, shall we see many
coincidences of a like
nature giving us the
clearest evidence of God’s watchful care for us,
revealing distinctly His hand and His purpose, and making our own path of
duty clear in the light of His providential ordering. Sometimes it will be a
coincidence between our thoughts and feelings and the
events which come
unexpectedly upon us; sometimes a coincidence between our
own thoughts
and the thoughts of others previously unknown to us. It may
be some word
of wisdom coming home to us at some crisis in our life;
some guide sent to
us at the very moment when we were in danger of losing our
way; or some
comfort poured into our heart by a stranger “in his
simplicity;” but anyhow
a coincidence in which the two edges of the indenture so
manifestly fit into
one another that we
are constrained to hold our peace and to glorify God,
and say, “This is God’s
work.”
34 “Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I
perceive that
God is no
respecter of persons:” — And for then, Authorized Version.
“God is no respecter of persons.” A great
truth exemplified in fact becomes
like a new revelation. One gospel for rich and poor, cultivated and uncultivated.
Peter and Cornelius (vs. 23-34)
·
THE RECEPTION OF THE CHRISTIAN APOSTLE BY THE
GENTILE CONVERT. Here
were Jew, Gentile, and Christian visibly
brought into juncture and unity
in the persons of these two men.
Ø The Roman officer gives a noble reception
to Peter, at once a true Jew
and a true
Christian, by calling together his kindred and friends. He desires
that
others may partake of spiritual gifts and blessings — a true mark of
love. We become poor by giving earthly goods
away; rich by imparting of
those
that are spiritual. Perhaps there is commonly too much reserve
in
such relations.
We assume reluctance where we might meet with a ready
response on the
part of friends to such invitations.
Ø Cornelius feels deep reverence for the
person of the apostle; fell at his
feet on his
entrance, to do him homage. The Romans were an intensely
religious
people in their way. They recognized the numen,
or Divine
power, presiding over a thing or
place., in all the great
objects of the
creation. It
was a profound mystical
instinct, needing
only proper
direction.
·
THE CHRISTIAN APOSTLE’S DEMEANOR TOWARDS THE
GENTILE CONVERT. “Rise!
I also am a man.” “Depart from me; for I
am a sinful man, O
Lord!” (Luke 5:8) It had been his confession to Jesus;
and on this he had been
appointed fisher of men. Perhaps he remembers that
incident now, and, in view of
the respect and preparations of Cornelius,
repeats, “I am also a man.” Cornelius does too much in his reverence
towards a living and genuine
saint; then how can prayer to the images of
saints be justified?
No true successor of Peter is he, nor has he
Peter’s
humble mind, who suffers his
feet to be kissed. The worship of the
instrument obscures the honor of the
Divine Agent. The word of Peter
rebukes, not only the worship of
saints, but all excessive hero-reverence
and worship paid to great men in the
Church.
·
THE CONNECTION OF EVENTS EXPLAINED.
Ø There was a great prejudice to be overcome. (v. 28.) The prejudice of
the Jew against
interaction with the stranger. No barrier in nature, no
mountain to be crossed
or traveled, river to be forded, waste to be
reclaimed, is
comparable to the
obstinacy and difficulty of prejudice, most
of all of
religious prejudice. And where in all the pages of history do we
find a prejudice
equal in strength to that of the Jew against the Gentile?
Ø
The Divine victory over prejudice. God had shown that “no man
is to be
called common or unclean.” Immense word! Not yet has its meaning
been
exhausted; not
yet, perhaps, begun to be truly unfolded. How profound the
strength and
the comfort which flows from such a clear word of God? For
the preacher,
teacher, missionary, every kind of worker for the good of man,
it is a clear
light, a clue to hand and heart alike. The ideal human nature is
pure and
beautiful, for God made it — whatever actual human nature in the
individual may
be. ‘Tis this thought gives inspiration. Peter will
not hesitate
to come to the
Gentile’s house when he is filled with it; and we may face
the facts of
the life of the nations, as they are now being so abundantly
unfolded to us
by scientific inquiry, with intelligent interest and cheerful
hope, with the light of THE GOSPEL resting broadly over the whole field
of inquiry.
Such is the impulse which has brought Peter hither. But why
have they sent
for him? The answer will disclose:
Ø Further coincidences. Cornelius
now relates his vision. He, too, had
been praying
and seeking. To him, too, an apocalypse had been given; and
the Divine
finger had pointed Jew-wards, as to Peter it had pointed
Gentile-wards.
Equally Divine is the call; with equal promptness obeyed.
Cornelius
has sent, Peter has done well to come. Happy meeting, divinely
brought
about, and pregnant with Divine consequences! Such a series of
events
indicates God’s hand, prepares the mind to listen to God’s voice.
The
inarticulate voice of events is His voice, and it prepares us to listen to
that which is
clear and definite.
35 “But in every nation he that feareth
Him, and worketh righteousness,
is accepted with Him.”
— Acceptable to for accepted with, Authorized Version.
As regards the truth that God is no respecter of persons, which the present incident
had brought home
so vividly to Peter’s apprehension, there can be no difficulty in
understanding it. Cornelius was devout, he feared God, he
was fruitful in
prayer and almsgiving. God did not say to him, “All this
would have been
accepted in a Jew, but cannot be noticed in a Gentile.”
But, Gentile as he
was, his prayers and alms went up for a memorial before
God. If the things
done were good in themselves, they were equally good
whoever did them.
God is no respecter of persons to accept or reject one or another, because
of who he is, and
not because of what he does (Ephesians 6:8). The
rule is glory, honor, and peace to every one that worketh good, to the Jew
first and also to the Gentile, for there is no respect of
persons with God
(Romans 2:10-11). The word προσωπολήπτης – prosopolaeptaes - respecter
of persons) occurs only here at all; προσωποληπτέω – prosopolaepteo –
to accept or
respect persons), once only, in James 2:9;
προσωποληψία –
prosopolaepsia - respect of persons,
Romans 2:11; Ephesians 6:9;
Colossians 3:25; James 2:1.
The same idea is expressed by πρόσωπον
λαμβάνειν – porosopon lambanein – acceptest thou
the person, by which
the Septuagint render the Hebrew נָשָׂא פָּנִים , and
by πρόσωπον θαυμάζειν
–
prosopon thaumazein – aren’t partial to anyone, by which they also render
it and the kindred phrase, חַדַר פָנִים (see Leviticus 19:15;
Deuteronomy 10:17, etc.).
The first phrase occurs in Luke 20:21 and Galatians 2:6;
the latter only in Jude 1:16,
where it is rightly rendered in the Revised Version, “showing respect of persons.”
Another phrase is ἀπροσωπολήπτως – aposopolaeptos - without respect of persons,
I Peter 1:17, and βλέπειν εἰς πρόσωπον – blepein eis prosopon - to regard the
person,
Matthew 22:16; Mark 12:14.
36 “The word which God sent unto the children of
peace by Jesus Christ:
(He is Lord of all:)” He for God,
Authorized Version;
preaching good tidings of peace for preaching
peace, Authorized Version.
The Universal Proclamation (v. 36)
“Preaching peace
by Jesus Christ” is a message of peace:
Ø
Peace between man
and God in atonement.
Ø
Peace rising up
as a wellspring of new life in the heart.
Ø
Peace ordering
the life.
Jesus preached will instill a peaceful revolution which
shall totally change the world.
“Of the increase of His government and peace there shall be
no end.” (Isaiah 9:7)
Christianity preaches peace in states and among the
contending nations, not by
substituting spiritual principles for laws, because it is
not the preacher’s province
to legislate, but by proclaiming the Word of Jesus
Christ. “And the work of
righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of
righteousness quietness and
assurance for ever.”
(Isaiah 32:17) One of the profound statements which I
have heard in my life is “The
sole purpose of Christianity is to
SANCTIFY
the SECULAR. (C. H. Spurgeon –
CY – 2016)
The mission of the Church to the homes of men, not the
peace of blind
submission, intellectual and moral death, but the peace of Jesus Christ
(“which
passeth understanding” – Philippians 4:7), the life of God
in the soul of man,
flowing out into the surrounding world.
Is this
peace in us or without us?
37 “That word, I say, ye know, which was published throughout
all
and began from
That saying ye yourselves know for that word, I
say, ye know, Authorized Version;
beginning for and
began, Authorized Version. The construction of vs. 36-38, is
somewhat difficult, but by far the easiest and most natural
way, both
as regards grammar and sense, is to make ὑμεῖς οἴδατε
– humeis oidate – ye know;
ye are aware of - govern τὸν λόγον – ton logon – the
word - directly: You,
Gentiles, well know the word which God sent to the
Israelites, when He caused
the gospel of peace to be preached to them, the word,
namely, which came
[τὸ γενόμενον
ῤῆμα – to genomenon rhaema – the becoming declaration; which
was published - compare
especially Luke 3:2] throughout all
“about Jesus of Nazareth, how that God anointed him,” etc.
In the above sentence,
τὸ γενόμενον
ῤῆμα is in apposition with τὸν λόγον, but amplifies and
explains it; and again Ἰησοῦν τὸν
ἀπὸ Ναζαρὲθ
– Iaesoun ton apo
of Nazareth, with all that follows down to the end of v. 39, is a
still further
explanation of the ῤῆμα, and a summary of that gospel which, as Cornelius already
knew, had been preached to the Jews by Jesus Himself. The
parenthesis, “He is
Lord of all,” is most opportunely inserted, that his hearers might know
that Jesus of
λόγος and ῤῆμα are synonymous, as in v. 44 and in I Peter 1:23, 25
(see Luke 3:2; Ephesians 6:17), and are better both
expressed by
the English word, as in the Authorized Version, than
by word and saying,
as in the Revised Version.
38 “How God anointed Jesus of
who went about
doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil;
for God was with
Him.” Even Jesus of
how God anointed Jesus
of
Luke 4:18, 21; Matthew 1:16-17; ch.
4:27) was necessary to represent Him
as God’s
Christ (see ch. 9:22). For the designation, of
6:14; Luke 24:20.
Oppressed of the devil. This ascription of disease to Satan
agrees
with Job 2:7 and Luke 13:16. The word rendered (καταδυναστευομένους –
katadunasteuomenous –
oppressed; ones being tyrannized over)
occurs in the
New Testament only here and James 2:6, but, with its
substantive καταδυναστεία –
katadunasteia - , is found repeatedly
in the Septuagint and the Apocrypha, and in
classical Greek, though rarely. A good example of its force
is Exodus 1:13, and
of the substantive Exodus 6:7. It means “to rule over oppressively, and by
force.” In the explanatory addition, For God was with Him,
Peter teaches
what our Lord himself and John in his Gospel so constantly
do, that our
Lord’s miracles were wrought by the power of God (see e.g.
John 5:17, 19, 30;
7:28; 8:28; 9:3-4; Luke 11:20, etc.). The unity of the Son
with the Father would
be taught later.
The Imitable and Inimitable in Jesus Christ
(v. 38)
·
THAT IN CHRIST WHICH IS INIMITABLE BY US.
Ø God sent Him on a mission altogether higher
than our own. He
“anointed Him” to be the Redeemer of a world, to be its
Savior by
suffering and
dying in its stead, by
revealing truth which
it could not
possibly
have discovered.
Ø God dwelt in Him as he does not and could
not do in us. He was
anointed “with the Holy Ghost,” and God
“gave
not the Spirit by
measure unto Him.”
(John 3:34)
Ø He was armed with a power which was
irresistible: the “winds and the
waves
obeyed” Him; sickness
fled at His touch; death itself was obedient to
His voice; the
spirit-world owned His presence and yielded to His authority;
He “healed
all that were possessed of the devil.” Our function in the world,
our possession
by God, our power over the forces around us, — this is in
striking
contrast with the
work and present power of Jesus Christ.
·
THAT IN CHRIST WHICH IS IMITABLE BY US.
Ø We are charged with a holy and benign
mission; we are “anointed” to do
a good if not a
great work in the world (see John 20:21). We are “sent”
by our Lord to “bear
witness unto the truth,” both in word and deed; “to
work
and speak and think for Him;” to “serve our generation by the will of
God.”
Ø We are to be those in whom God dwells by
His Spirit (see I Corinthians
3:16; II
Corinthians 6:16; Ephesians 2:22).
Ø We are to be possessed of spiritual power
(Ephesians 3:16, 19; 6:10;
Colossians
1:11).
Ø We are to be the sources and channels of
blessing; we are to “go about
doing
good” (Hebrews
13:16). We may “do good” everywhere and
always:
o
the
smile of encouragement,
o
the
look of love,
o
the
sigh of sympathy,
o
the
touch of kindness,
o
the
word of truth,
o
the
act of integrity,
every
manifestation of the Spirit of Christ is “doing good.” And all is to be
done under the
same condition. For:
Ø We are to have the continual presence and
sanction of our heavenly
Father:
“God was with him.”
The Great Philanthropist (v. 38)
“Who went about doing good.” The true criterion by which Christianity
must be tried is its adaptation to the world’s necessities.
The text of Peter’s
sermon was Jesus Christ. “We are witnesses” of what He was,
what He did,
how God testified His authority.
·
THE WORLD’S GREAT WANT.
Ø Deeds, not words. Failure of all mere human
schemes of philanthropy.
Ø A Divine hope at the root of all effort. The kingdom of heaven was what
Jesus
proclaimed. Not relief merely, but restoration.
Ø A
Perfect Example.
The character of Christ
acknowledged even by
opponents to be
unique. Its influence on his disciples inexhaustible. The
method of
Jesus a great guiding fact — “He went about doing good
39 “And we are witnesses of all things which He did both in
the land of
the Jews, and in
Country for land, Authorized
Version; whom also for whom, Authorized
Version and Textus Receptus; hanging him for and hanged, Authorized
Version.
40 “Him God raised up the third day, and shewed
Him openly;”
Gave Him to be made manifest for showed Him openly, Authorized Version.
41 “Not to all the people, but unto witnesses chosen before
God, even
to us, who did
eat and drink with Him after He rose from the dead.”
That were chosen for chosen, Authorized Version.
Peter here again brings
forward the special apostolic office of being witnesses of
Christ’s
resurrection (see ch. 1:8, 21-22;
2:32; 3:15; 4:33; 5:32; 13:31; 26:16,
as well as vs. 39 and 42 of this chapter). This constant
reference to the
testimony of eye-witnesses is an indication of the
thoroughly historical
character of Christianity, and of the importance of
Christian evidences. The
new matter which Peter was to bring before Cornelius and
his company
begins at v. 40, but with the prefatory remarks in v. 39,
which both attest the
truth of what Cornelius already knew and prepare for the
following revelation.
Who did eat and
drink (see
Luke 24:30, 41-43; John 21:12, etc.).
42 “And He commanded us to preach unto the people, and to
testify
that it is He
which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick
and dead.” Charged
for commanded, Authorized Version; this
is He which
is for it is He which was, Authorized Version. To be the Judge, etc. This
statement involves the
resurrection of the dead (compare John 5:21-29;
Revelation 20:11-12). It is easy to see how the creeds
would be formed
from the repetition of
short doctrinal statements like this (see I Corinthians
15:3-4).
The Savior’s Charge to His Ministers (v. 42)
“He commanded us to preach unto the people.” There are no
secrets in the
Christian religion. Apostles are His witnesses for the sake
of others. The key
opened the door, and then was flung away. Baptism of the
Holy Ghost preceded the
universal message.
·
THE DIVINEST WORK OF GOD’S PEOPLE — TO PREACH.
Teaching can never be
dispensed with. The root of a true faith is
knowledge. Christianity must be preached to men, both
conscience
and heart. Preaching is the most simple and pure channel
of connection
from soul to soul. The Spirit flows through the Word.
43 “To Him give all the prophets witness, that through His
name
whosoever
believeth in Him shall receive remission of sins.
44 While Peter yet spake these
words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them
which heard the
word.” Bear for give, Authorized
Version; every one that
for whosoever, Authorized Version; on Him for in Him, Authorized
Version.
Here we have another article of the Creed, the forgiveness of sins, preached
too in immediate anticipation of baptism, on the profession of faith in Jesus
Christ
(v. 48). Compare ch. 8:37 (Textus Receptus) and 38.
The
First Trumpet-Sound of the Gospel in the Heathen World (vs. 23-43)
·
A REPRESENTATIVE ASSEMBLY.
Ø Cornelius, his kinsmen, his near friends,
probably some of them
devout
soldiers.
Ø Peter, his brethren from Joppa. The
different states of mind. Inquiry
after truth,
perplexity as to duty. The helplessness of the heathen world
well set forth
in Cornelius’s salutation. The sense of darkness and spiritual
want a
temptation to worship men instead of God. The false Church
accepts such
worship. The true says, “Stand Up! I myself also am a man.”
·
THE LIGHT OF GOD the
only true light in which differences are
removed and blessings are
recognized. Peter brings into that light his
Jewish prejudice, and it
vanishes. Cornelius brings into it his desire for
knowledge and equality with all
God’s children, and it is abundantly
satisfied. So in the
controversies of men, let them meet together “in the
sight of God,” and to hear His
voice, and all will be well.
·
THE TRUMPET-SOUNDS AWAKENING THE GENTILE WORLD.
Ø
The personal Redeemer.
Ø
The witnessing
Church.
Ø
The universal
invitation. The true evangel — the
true liberty, equality,
and fraternity. The work of the Holy Spirit!
Discourse of Peter at
·
THE EQUAL JUSTICE AND LOVE OF GOD. He is no respecter of
persons. The conditions of acceptance in His sight are everywhere
and for
all men the same, viz. reverence and rightness
of moral conduct. Does this
imply, it matters not what a man
believes, so long as he fears God and does
what is right? Certainly, belief
is not immediately under the control of the
will. But indirectly it so far
is that we are bound to keep our minds open to
the light, and to seek some
belief that may guide conduct. The truth is that
the reverence and the moral
rectitude spoken of cannot exist apart from the
root of faith in a super-sensual order and Divine Law. Indifferentism is not
recommended nor excused. But the
truth that it is only the genuine
qualities of the heart, the real
disposition of the will, not external
associations nor advantages of
birth, which constitute true worth in God’s
sight. And any other principle
of Divine dealing than this would shock the
conscience as unjust.
·
RECAPULATION OF THE GOSPEL.
Ø It was a good message of peace sent to the
sons of
nothing about
natural religion and the universal conscience, on which
Paul dwells in
the Romans. The gospel is pre-eminently a message by man
to man; by a
selected people as ministered to the race. It was diffused
through the
Ø Its substance — Jesus: His person, His sanctified
character, and His
mighty
deeds. His life of perpetual beneficence, his healing of those under
the
bondage of disease and of ignorance. It was manifest to men that God
was
with Him, setting the seal of power upon His character and deeds.
The existence
of living witnesses to those truths. The apostles were
witnesses of
the facts in the physical world on which Christianity was
founded.
Christian teachers and Christian men now are witnesses of the
facts in the
moral world which are eternal, and which interpret the physical
facts.
Ø The death and resurrection of Jesus. The suffering and the triumph of
love; here lies
the very kernel of the gospel. This triumphant Christ has
been made
manifest to chosen witnesses — to His close companions and
intimate
associates during His earthly life. And they have a commission to
make
proclamation of these truths to the people, and to testify that He is
appointed Judge
of the living and the dead. Finally, the gospel has the
confirmation of
prophecy; and all
who believe on
Him may receive the
remission
of their sins. Here, then, is a useful summary of the
gospel.
o
Peace
through Jesus Christ, who has lived, suffered, and
risen
for men.
o
This
is a message to ALL MEN, and A CALL TO SALVATION!
o
Its aim is universal human blessedness.
45 “And they of the circumcision which believed were
astonished, as many as
came with Peter,
because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of
the Holy
Ghost.” Amazed for astonished,
Authorized Version. They of the
circumcision would doubtless be the brethren from Joppa
who accompanied Peter
(v. 23). A more striking confirmation of Peter’s
vision cannot be conceived than
this descent of
the Holy Ghost upon the uncircumcised. How could they any
longer be reckoned common or unclean whom God thus
cleansed with his
Holy Spirit?
46 “For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God.
Then
answered
Peter,” For they heard them, etc. This was the incontrovertible
evidence of their reception of the Holy Ghost (see ch. 11:15-18, and
2:4 and 11, and note on v. 4).
47 “Can any man forbid water, that these should not be
baptized, which
have received the
Holy Ghost as well as we?” The water for water,
Authorized
Version. They actually had the
Spirit, which God Himself supplied;
could any one
object to their having the water also, which was the part of the sacrament which it
rested with man to supply, in order to complete the new birth (John 3:5)?
48 “And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the
Lord.
Then prayed they
him to tarry certain days.” Jesus Christ for the
Lord,
Authorized Version and Textus Receptus. No one forbidding or
objecting, Peter immediately ordered that they should be
baptized. He does
not appear to have baptized them himself, any more than
Paul did his
converts (I Corinthians 1:13-17). They prayed him to tarry
with them,
no doubt that they might receive fuller instruction in the
faith of the Lord
Jesus Christ, into which they had been baptized.
Divine Impartiality (vs. 9-48)
The incident of the conversion of Cornelius is suggestive
of some important truths,
but of one in particular, viz. the perfectness of THE DIVINE IMPARTIALITY!
·
THE PART OF THE PHYSICAL IN THE APPREHENSION OF THE
SPIRITUAL. Peter went
up to pray (v. 9); but he was very hungry and
desired bodily refreshment (v.
10). This state of body was probably
favorable to his “falling into a
trance” (v. 11); however that may be, it
evidently had something to do
with the character of the vision which he
beheld. The contents of the
great sheet, the invitation to “kill and eat,”
answered very closely to his
physical cravings. In truth, our spiritual
apprehensions depend in no small
degree on our bodily condition. We may
safely conclude that:
Ø Fasting, as such, has a very small place,
if it have any at all, in the
Christian
dispensation. (It had only the very smallest in the Law,
though
Pharisaic accretions had made it a prominent feature of
Jewish piety in
our Lord’s time.)
Ø Abstinence rather than indulgence is
favorable to spiritual apprehension.
Ø Bodily health is the best condition for
religious service.
·
THE ABSOLUTE NOTHINGNESS OF OUR PHYSICAL
DISTINCTIONS IN THE SIGHT OF THE SUPREME. Peter did not at
first perceive the full
significance of the vision, in which he was bidden to
partake of anything before him:
he “doubted
what this vision should mean”
(v. 17). But the coincidence of
the vision with the coming of the
messengers of Cornelius, and the
statement of the centurion himself,
removed all difficulty and
doubt, and he used the noble words recorded
(vs. 34, 35). Not that he meant
to say that God was indifferent to the
consideration whether men believed
what was true or what was false; that
is a gross perversion of his
language, which the apostle would have
resented with the greatest
indignation. He meant that God regarded with
equal acceptance all who held and loved the truth, whether they were sons
of Abraham or whether they stood
quite outside the sacred circle. The
lesson for us is that most
valuable one, viz. that no physical distinctions of
any kind affect our position in
the sight of God. “The accident of birth” has
no bearing on our place in His
kingdom. Neither age, nor sex, nor class, nor
race has anything whatever to do
with the estimate He forms of us or with
the sphere He will assign us.
This absolute indifference on God’s part to
distinctions of which we make so
much, applies:
Ø To the remission of sins now; that depends
wholly on our spiritual
relation
to Jesus Christ (v. 43).
Ø To His judgment of us after death; that
also will be decided by our
attitude
towards Him (v. 42).
Ø To his communication of special gifts (vs.
44-45). This impartiality
should be
copied by us and, particularly, made applicable to the
standing we
give to men in the visible Church (vs. 47-48).
·
OUR COMMON RELATION TO GOD THE SOURCE OF
HUMAN SACREDNESS. “What
God hath cleansed, call not thou
common” (v. 15). Probably or possibly it may have been intended by
this
vision to confirm and illustrate
the words of our Lord when He “made all
things pure” (new
rendering). But, however this may be, the words
certainly denote that we are not
to consider common or profane those
whom God has redeemed from
profanity. And who are these? Not only
Ø those of our race who have been actually
redeemed and renewed —
those who are “washed
and cleansed and sanctified by the renewing of the
Holy
Ghost;” but also —
and this is the main thought —
Ø all the children of men in virtue of their
common relation to the Divine
Father and
Savior. As those who are “all His offspring,” and who are all
free to become
His sons and daughters by spiritual resemblance; as those
for whom the
Son of God shed His blood and to whom He sends His
message of love
and life, — all are worthy of our “honor” (I Peter 2:17);
none are to be “lightly esteemed.”
The Great Surprise (vs. 34-48)
How seldom do things turn out as we expect! What frequent
proofs we have
that God’s thoughts are not as our thoughts, nor his ways
as our ways!
(Isaiah 55:8) And
yet we are always making iron cages in which we think to
confine the operations of God’s Spirit, as well as the
thoughts of men, and
are surprised when either God or men refused to be confined
within their
bars. The pride of caste is perhaps that which, more than
any other one
cause, tends to mislead our judgment and to narrow our
conceptions. The
Jews thought that all God’s grace and favor was reserved
for themselves
alone. The Pharisees thought that true holiness was
confined within the still
narrower circle of their own sect. The Romanist conceives
of salvation as
tied within the four corners of the Church of Rome. Each
narrow sect
thinks of itself as being exclusively the people of God.
Even various parties
in the Church can hardly think of grace being found in any
party not their
own. The great truth that burst upon Peter’s mind, that God is no respecter
of persons, is
one which we are all very slow to admit. Peter and his
companions learned it with astonishment when the Holy Ghost
fell upon the
mixed multitude in the house of Cornelius. They were,
perhaps, half
surprised at their own liberality in sitting in the same
room with the
uncircumcised soldiers of the Italian cohort, when lo! all difference
between them was swept away in an instant, and, to the utter amazement
of the condescending Jews, those Gentiles spake with tongues and
magnified God. They had
received the very same gift of the Holy Ghost
which the Jewish disciples had received on the day of
Pentecost. They were
on an equal footing with them. The middle wall of partition
was fallen to
the ground. There was not any longer Jew and Gentile, bond
and free —
they were ALL ONE IN
CHRIST!
“One body, and one Spirit, even as they
were called in one hope of their calling; one Lord, one
faith, one baptism, one
God and Father of all, who was over all, and through all,
and in all.” (Ephesians
4:4-6) It was a
great surprise, but it was a great and new discovery of the hidden
mind of God, a blessed manifestation of the width of that saving grace which
embraces all who believe those glorious truths which Peter opened his
mouth to declare to the assembled company.
Descent of the Spirit at
Let us notice the following particulars in connection with
this visitation:
·
EVER THE HOLY SPIRIT COMES UPON MEN IN CONNECTION
WITH THE RECEPTION OF THE
TRUTH. So
at Pentecost; so here.
The falling of the rain from
heaven is concurrent with the germination of
the seed. It can hardly be said
that either is first or second. Each is the
necessary condition of the
other. If we desire to secure the heavenly words,
we must preach the Word — “be
instant in season and out of season.”
(II Timothy 4:2)
·
EVER A NEW REVELATION BRINGS WITH IT
ASTONISHMENT AND PERPLEXITY. The believing Jew could not
understand this outpouring of
the Holy Spirit upon the heathen; nor how
they could be found speaking
with tongues and glorifying God. To us it
seems natural enough that the
great purpose of God, the generous germ-
thoughts of
eternal truth and love, should break
forth into larger meaning
and wider development. But there
is a lesson for us here. We are all slow
to see the large consequences of
the truth we hold and teach. It surprises
us, and alas! not always with a
joyous surprise, when we find people
accepting the consequences of
our own doctrines, and proving that they
have taken seriously what
perhaps we preached with only half a heart.
·
LOVE AND TRUTH PREVAIL ALONG WITH EVERY
MANIFESTATION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. It is Peter, the very
personification of the Jewish
and exclusive spirit, who now pleads for the
reception of the new converts.
We never understand a truth till we have
striven against it. Then we
become enthusiasts for it when it has conquered
our own heart and intelligence.
The representative of the circumcision, that
is, of the exclusive or Jewish
view of the gospel, is now the very champion,
not merely of toleration, but of
a free and loving reception of the heathen
converts to the fellowship of
Christ. The case of Peter, like that of Paul,
shows how the best advocates of
a holy cause are often, it may be always,
to be found amongst those who
have been its sincere opponents. Thus do
extremes meet; thus out of
weakness comes strength, from bitterness
sweetness; thus does the
gracious and gentle will of God select foes to turn
them into friends. But we shall
see in the next section the further victory of
Divine love over the
narrowness and hate of the human heart.
Broadening Foundations (vs. 1-48)
The promises of God to “Abraham
and his seed for ever” are not going to
be diminished now, but something of the extent of them is
to be made more
plain. Nothing shall be taken from the Jew which he is
willing to have and
to keep; but much is going to
be given, with a manifestation unknown
before, to the Gentile.
With some form of vision, of dream, of angel appearance,
the covenant of long ages ago was made with the patriarch,
and it seems that now, some nineteen centuries later,
similar august
realities shall be graciously put into movement, to
inaugurate the abundant
entrance of the whole Gentile world to the blessings of
revealed religion.
Diverse as the detail of this chapter is, it is knit
together by strongest
bonds. It is one in spirit and in subject, and its
impression is one. It is the
moving drama-like representation of a very real and very
significant
transition in universal history. We are in the presence of
a landmark that
shall be seen far and wide and to the end of time. And we
may observe:
·
IN WHOM THIS GREAT TRANSITION IS ILLUSTRATED.
Confessedly indications of it
had not been wanting, while Jesus lived on
earth, in the eulogy He
pronounced upon the faith of such as the centurion
whose servant was ill, and the Syro-phoenician woman. And within the
actual ministry of Peter as an
apostle, the Ethiopian eunuch, his conversion
and baptism, had given similar
indications. But more than indications are
now arrived. The time is ripe
for manifestation. And the illustration, nay,
the full and. distinct
announcing, of the universal privileges and universal
blessings of the gospel of
Christ are made in the personal history of
Cornelius.
Ø He is a Roman. No larger, better type of
the world could be chosen.
Ø He is a Roman of the profession of arms.
No profession could be chosen
fitter to yield
in fullest surrender to the message of the Prince of peace.
Ø He is a man of large and liberal heart, of
large and open eye. One detail
after another
of this history betrays it.
Ø He is already of a religious and devout
disposition. He is held in honor
for his
practical goodness among the people. His character as a religious
man is regarded
by them as a consistent character. But past these, he has
been a genuine seeker after God in prayer. Though a Gentile, he had a soul
like that of
the true Israelite. His gaze was to the East; he would not bow
down to the
West. Some of the gospel’s
grandest triumphs are, and are set
forth
in Scripture as, over the
worst lives. But signally the grandest
revelations
of truth and of things to come have been vouchsafed to the
pure
and the watchful, those devout in heart and devoted in life — ay, from
Enoch
to the shepherds of
Cornelius
to John of
·
IN WHAT MANNER THIS GREAT TRANSITION IS FORMULATED.
The one great effect is
that we are impressed with the Divine
initiative and
the Divine
conduct in even the details of what
took place. The Divine purpose
shall be carried out with Divine attention.
Ø A vision, and an angel in the vision,
appear to Cornelius. Instruction lies,
no doubt, both
in what is said to Cornelius in this vision, and what is left
even to him to
fill up.
o
He is
graciously and approvingly advised that his “prayers,” though he
was not of the
favored nation, and his “alms” have been noticed of
Heaven, and
have been accepted. They have availed — even as though
they had been
“incense” and the “evening sacrifice.”
o
He is
told to send to a certain place for “Peter,” whose name, possibly
enough, he had
heard by this time; whom, however, it is evident he did
not personally
know, both from the mode in which the angel described
him, and from
what we read of the way in which Cornelius received
him (vs. 5-6,
25).
o
He is
left to gather that Heaven’s own clock has signified that the time
is ripe for
some event on earth worthy of its marking, and, with
exemplary
promptitude, he does to the letter what he is commanded —
and waits the
issue. Let alone what was left to Cornelius to surmise,
it is left to
us also to imagine how this interval was passed by him —
how
devoutly he mused,
how surely he expected what was divinely
worth the having
from the manner in which communication had been
made to him,
how he talked about it with any like-minded, and invited
such together,
that with himself they might share the privilege and
responsibility
of receiving the illustrious visitor, and hearing his
mission.
Ø A trance, and a vision in the trance, a
voice distinctly repeated, and the
direction
of the Spirit (v. 19), are given to Peter. These were to act as:
o
strong
impulse to him;
o
deeper
instruction in the understanding of the one universal God and
Savior, and one
large family of mankind “of one blood,” though
spread among
many a nation of the earth;
o
literal
guidance in the path of duty, and especially when the close of
the trance
and vision was timed to the hour of the arrival of the
embassy
from Cornelius. A wondering and awed and asking mind
in Peter
is in some measure satisfied as well as relieved by the
errand and
practical work to which he is immediately challenged
by the
three messengers. We may note that all this is mere myth
and idle
tale on the page of Scripture, or that it strongly begs our
study of
providence and a very grateful faith in such providence.
Though the
age of vision and trance be passed, the
age of
providence
and of the Spirit has not passed and NEVER WILL
PASS!
Ø A designed and manifestly adapted meeting
of instructor and instructed
carries on what
may be designated without irreverence the divinely planned
program of the
occasion. Companions and witnesses go with Peter, who
has already entertained
for one night in the same “lodging” with himself the
strange
messengers of Cornelius, and arrived at the abode of Cornelius the
next day but
one after the “trance.” Peter finds a little congregation of
Gentiles to see
him and receive, not so much him, as God’s Word by him.
All these
things must be viewed as the arrangements and preparation for
that which was
to follow, and to prove itself the
great object in the Divine
purpose. Forces long estranged are led toward one
another in happiest and
most impressive
omens, and very soon they find themselves one in One
“Lord
of all.” Often have
there been larger congregations to hear Peter and
brother
apostles and the true successors of these to the present; rarely have
there been more
expectant or more rightly and devoutly prepared.
Ø God’s own great sermon to the world is now
spoken by lips prepared to
speak to hearts
prepared to receive. The text is that God accepts every man
who is ready “to
walk humbly with him, to do justice and to love mercy”
(Micah 6:8).
And the real sermon consists of this, that JESUS CHRIST IS
THE
ONLY WAY THERETO! His Name, His anointing, His unwearied
goodness, His
oneness with God, His crucifixion, His rising from the grave,
His charge to
the apostles in that mystic forty days that they now should
preach Him “to
all the world,” as Judge of living and dead, — these are the
touching,
thrilling, inspiring heads of Peter’s discourse, a summary of the
way
of life. (ch.
5:20) And the
practical exhortation in the conclusion
amounts to
this, that to Jesus all men
are to have recourse
— He, the one
object of faith
for the forgiveness of sins: “Every
one that believeth on
Him
shall through His Name receive remission of sins.” With these
words the
errand of Peter was very nearly finished. The visions and the
trance, the
intimations of the Spirit, and the journeying to and fro of
messengers, the
expectant Cornelius and friends, have all found their
meaning face to
face with one another. Men
might little think today what
lay
in that brief address of Peter, or that matter of such precious import
could lie in
so simple a rehearsal. Yet it was so. Those few words of Peter
were even burdened
with the material of hope,
comfort, joy. They
were
like the charter of liberty, of right, of
wealth, to a household and a nation.
They
were really such a charter to THE WORLD!
·
THE SANCTION BY WHICH THIS GREAT TRANSITION IS
CONFIRMED AND CROWNED.
This consisted in the descent of
the
Holy Ghost, with
His wondrous powers. It was another
scene of Pentecost;
nay, it was the other
scene of Pentecost, its counterpart. Pentecost in its
divinest significance, let us say, in the Divine eye itself,
awaited this
perfecting. The world, it is
true, does not yet lie at the feet of Jesus, but
“this day is
salvation” proclaimed
to the world, and “the Son of man”
is
announced as “come to seek and to save that which was lost,” of
whatsoever nation, tribe, or
tongue. Again, “there was great
joy in that city”
and in that house. Notice:
Ø The stress that is laid on “those
of the circumcision” being witnesses
of the
effects of the descent of the Holy Spirit “upon
the Gentiles.”
Ø The respect shown to the administration of
the initiatory rite of baptism.
Ø The little stress that is laid upon the matter
of who should be the
administerers of that rite. It is only said that Peter uttered forth the
deciding word
that this congregation of Gentiles, upon whom the gift of
the Holy Ghost
had fallen, and who were showing manifestly forth His
“gifts,” “should be baptized in the Name of the
Lord.” We are reminded
of the words of
Paul, “I thank God I baptized none of you, save,” etc.
(I Corinthians
1:14). The apparent abstinence on the part of Peter now, and
the language of
Paul subsequently, whatever else may possibly underlie
them both, may
certainly be justly understood to “magnify the office” and
the work of
preaching. In how little honor do we sometimes hold that
which was now
honored so highly alike by the anxious longing and
attention of Cornelius
and his friends; by the conduct of Peter; and by the
Divine
preparation of vision, trance, the Spirit, and some coincident
providences! The “words” of Jesus are “spirit and are life.” Near the
fount itself
they were sometimes honored as such. They spread light
and
life.
They have lost nothing of their own force as time has gone on,
nor
ever will to time’s end, though men may NEGLECT or REJECT.
"Excerpted text Copyright AGES Library, LLC. All rights reserved.
Materials are reproduced by permission."
This material can be found at:
http://www.adultbibleclass.com
If this exposition is helpful, please share
with others
.”
Vers. 14, 15. —
Nothing common in God’s sight.
Introduce by an account of St. Peter’s vision, observing
how it affected the
mind of one who was so thoroughly imbued with Jewish
notions. In our
Lord’s time the laws of the clean and unclean were
scrupulously observed,
and the apostles had not yet realized how the new spirit of
Christ’s
kingdom was to set them free from the bondages and the
limitations of the
Jewish ceremonial. God would, by this vision, correct two
of the prevailing
mistakes.
1. That his favor was
granted only to certain defined classes and individuals
of mankind. He “so loved the world.”
2. That his service
was found in the obedience of merely external
regulations, that once had their usefulness and their
meaning, but were not
necessarily expressions of heart-love and devotion. The
first mistake was
corrected, in the vision, by the outstretched sheet, which
was a figure of
the wide world, and the four corners as the directions into
which the gospel
was now to be borne forth into all the world. The second mistake
was
corrected by the obliteration of all formal distinctions in
the announcement
that what God has cleansed man may not call common, for God
will
receive the love and trust and worship of “whosoever will.”
Dean Plumptre
says, “In the interpretation of the vision, all that
belongs to humanity had
been taken up into heaven,
(1) when man’s
nature was assumed by the eternal Word in the Incarnation
(<430114>John 1:14), and
(2) when that nature
had been raised in the Ascension to the heaven of
heavens.” We may consider —
I. THE
UNIVERSAL TRUTH AS HERE STATED AND
ILLUSTRATED. “What God hath cleansed, that call not thou
common.”
God affirms that the whole earth is free to receive the
message of the
gospel, all disabilities and barriers are for ever removed,
and he recognizes
no longer the distinctions of elect and non-elect; “To the
Gentiles also is
granted repentance unto life.” It may be shown
(1) that God, as
Creator and Preserver, cares for his whole world;
(2) that, as the
fatherly Ruler, he is concerned for the moral well-being of
the whole world;
(3) that, as dealing
with willful and rebellious children, we must conceive
that he seeks to accomplish the salvation of all. This
truth is the very life of
our missionary labor. We are bidden to preach the gospel
“to every
creature,” with a perfect assurance that God would have
“all men to be
saved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” This
truth is often
embraced with difficulty, after strong conflict with
limiting prejudices; it is
often held as mere sentiment; and perhaps on few men is it
the inspiration
to noble labors and sacrifices that it was designed to be.
How it would urge
us to missionary work, if we really believed that Christ
wants every man to
come to him, and would have us bring them!
II. THE
LIMITATIONS OF THIS TRUTH FOUND IN JUDAISM.
Special favor to one particular race — or, as we may better
express it, the
special call of one race to a particular work or witness —
does not assume
or involve the Divine indifference to the rest; we might
more wisely say
that all special calls of the few were made for the sake of
the whole, and
God’s love to the world made him commit a special
revelation to the trust
of the Jew. The distinction between “clean and unclean” in
the food
represented a distinction of clean and unclean between Jew
and Gentile.
But “unclean” things were still God’s, and used by him for
other purposes,
though not just for food. They were not despised or
rejected things, but
each had its mission. And so Gentiles were not out of
God’s care and favor
because Jews were in. They too occupied the places he
assigned and did
the work he willed. It may further be shown that the Jewish
limitations
were designedly
(1) temporary,
(2) educational —
preparatory to the advent of Christ, in whom and by whom
the Divine
thought for the whole race could be fully revealed.
III. THE
REMOVAL OF THE LIMITATIONS UNDER THE
CHRISTIAN SYSTEM. Which deals with man as man, apart
from any
local and temporary distinctions of
(1) nationality,
(2) class,
(3) genius,
(4) location, or
(5) ceremonial
cleanness.
The gospel is for the “sons of men.” Jew and Gentile, Greek
and Roman,
bend and free, meet as sinners at the feet of Christ, to
receive the
forgiveness of sins and the life everlasting. Now there is
nothing common
in God’s sight. Every soul is a priceless soul, for it has
been bought with
precious blood, the infinite sacrifice of the Son of God. —
R.T.
Vers. 17, 18. —
Providences may translate revelations.
The effect of the vision on the mind of St. Peter is
indicated in the simple
expression, “doubted in himself what this vision
which he had seen should
mesa.” He was puzzled and set anxiously thinking by it. He
realized Divine
teaching in it, but was not sure about the scope of
it. He saw clearly
enough that it obliterated, for him at least, the old
distinction of meats; but
he was set questioning whether there was not some deeper,
some
underlying meaning, for the sake of which it had been
granted. Was it not
like a parable, simple enough, at first sight, for a child
to understand, but so
rich in meaning and suggestion that a man might meditate
therein day and
night, and find rich reward? St. Peter might well be
puzzled, for there
seemed to be nothing that could give him the key to the
further and more
spiritual meanings. That key came in the events of the day
— came by the
orderings of Divine providence. Following along the line
God marked out
for him, St. Peter came naturally upon the unfolding of the
mystery, and
understood the vision and revelation. This we may show more
fully.
I. ST.
PETER IMPRESSED WITH A DIVINE REVELATION. To a
Jew, familiar with the varied visions and direct
communications of God
granted to his fathers, this vision of the descending sheet
would suggest no
such doubts as would trouble our minds. He would not be
likely to wonder
over whether it was a delusion, or the dream of a
disordered frame. St.
Peter would accept it at once as a gracious revelation of
the Divine will to
him. His only anxiety
concerned its true and proper interpretation. Two
things need careful illustration.
1. The various modes
of Divine revelation to individuals, for the general
good, in all ages. It should be pointed out that
(1) the mode
adopted, whether voice, personal appearance, angelic
ministry, dream, or vision, was exactly suited to the
individual
communicated with, and the time and circumstances of the
communication;
(2) that the
message, though sent to individuals, was never sent for the
sake of the individual alone; it was always designed for
others, to whom he
must become the minister. Just as (it has often been
pointed out) our Lord
never wrought his miracles for himself, only for the
immediate physical, or
ultimate moral and spiritual good, of others.
2. The receptivity of
St. Peter, who, by a season of loneliness, meditation,
and prayerful communion with God, was in a state of mind
and feeling that
fitted him to receive such a vision. Still it is true that
the inward
communications of God’s love and truth demand an openness
of soul such
as
to our thoughts and our times, it must be because in us
there are no
fitnesses and preparations.
II. ST.
PETER DOUBTING THE MEANING OF THE REVELATION.
This may not have been a prolonged state of mind, nor was
it a distressing
state. Explain how many moods of mind are expressed by the
single term
doubting. There is the
doubting:
1. Of simple
uncertainty; the proofs are not reasonably
sufficient to lead us
to a conclusion, and the matter must be held in suspense.
2. Of criticism, which must get to the root of a matter, and test and try
the
reasoning by which any fact or truth is declared.
3. Of skepticism, which has a bias or prejudice, and by it is led to require
unreasonable tests and proofs; such a spirit persists in
doubting when a
matter is fairly and adequately explained.
4. Of infidelity, which makes a foregone conclusion a basis for doubt and
denial. This spirit is usually most credulous in some
matters, and
stubbornly unwilling to believe in other matters. St.
Peter’s was the simple
but earnest questioning of a man who really wanted to get
at the truth and
the meaning of his surprising vision.
III. ST.
PETER CALLED TO ACT, AND SO PUT ASIDE HIS
DOUBTINGS. Often the best cure for doubting is a call to
present action.
It is good advice that bids troubled souls do Christian
work. Light on the
most puzzling questions often comes to us when engaged in
works of love;
and, if the light does not come, the burden of the
questions ceases to press
heavily on us. St. Peter, in his doubtings,
was called to meet the
messengers from Cornelius, and to arrange as soon as
possible to return
with them on their journey. Activity stopped the brooding
and doubting,
and God made it the very way to the mastery of the doubts.
IV. ST.
PETER FINDING THAT IN THE WAY OF OBEDIENCE
COMES LIGHT. He followed God’s providential leadings,
responded to
the inward voice, obeyed in all simplicity, went, not
knowing quite for
what purpose, and, in the line of God’s providence, found
the unfolding of
his vision, and learned the deep truth about which he had
been so anxiously
questioning. Led to the house of the devout heathen, who
was a man
accepted of God, he was delivered from the Jewish bondage
of the “clean
and the unclean;” he saw that the gospel of life in Christ
Jesus was for
Gentile as well as Jew; and he delivered this testimony:
“Now I perceive
that God is no respecter of persons; but in every nation he
that feareth him,
and worketh righteousness, is
accepted with him.” In ways quite as clear,
in fact, though it may be not so sensibly plain to us,
God’s providences still
unfold God’s Word and will; and he who will obediently
follow as God
leads shall surely find the heart-rest of spiritual
apprehensions of the Divine
truth. — R.T.
Ver. 33. —
Good hearers.
Picture the company assembled in Cornelius’s house. It was
composed of
the God-fearing, devout people in the neighborhood; and, in
their attitude,
interest, and openness of heart, we may find the example of
the “good
hearer” to whom God’s Word may come with power, and in whom
it may
be made fruitful The following are the marks of the “good
hearer,” of
which we may be reminded by the text: There will be —
I. THE
DUE SENSE OF GOD’S PRESENCE. “We are all here present
before God.” Though that presence now finds no outward or
symbolic
expression m cloud or flame, it is inwardly realized, and
has now on men’s
hearts its due solemnizing effect. The true worshipper can
say, “Surely
God is in this place.”
II. FULL
RESOLVE AND INTENT. The company had not gathered
according to custom or merely to please each other; all
were purposed to
come, and had set their minds upon hearing what St. Peter
might have to
say. Cornelius had awakened this earnestness by telling of
his vision.
III. DUE
OPENNESS OF HEART. They were prepared to put all
prejudice aside, “and hear all things commanded of God.”
The openhearted
listen to all, receiving what God sends, not merely what
may please
them or accord with their doctrinal views or prejudices.
IV. CONSCIOUSNESS
THAT WHAT GOD COMMANDS WILL
HAVE TO BE DONE. The only good listener is the obedient
listener, who
goes forth to life prepared to carry out God’s will as it
may be revealed to
him, and determined to tone all life by the principles
which God may
announce. Illustrate by the parable of the Sower and the seed. — R.T.
Vers. 34, 35. —
Believers outside Judaism.
Several important and interesting cases, taken from the old
Scripture
histories, may serve to illustrate this conviction which
now came to St.
Peter, and found suggestive expression in our text. The
point of his
testimony is that the one living and true God of the whole
earth has been
and is graciously concerned in the religious life of the
human race as a
whole, apart from any special revelations which he may be
pleased to make
to any portions of the race. From the religious point of
view, the “God of
the whole earth must he be called.”
I. MELCHIZEDEK
IN THE PATRIARCHAL PERIOD. We know very
little about the religious condition of
Hastily we say that doubtless the Canaanite idolatries
absolutely prevailed,
for “the Canaanite was then in the land.” But the figure of
Melchizedek is,
as it were, thrust into the Scripture narrative as if on
purpose to correct
such hastily formed notions. Abraham is clearly the elect
of God, separated
from his Chaldean surroundings in
order to witness to the great truths of
the Divine unity and spirituality. And yet, coming into the
lard that was
promised to his descendants, he finds believers in the Most
High God,
presided over by a king-priest, to whom Abraham feels that
he must pay
homage and give tithes. It has been well said that “when
Abraham received
the blessing of Melchizedek, and tendered to him his
reverent homage, it is
a likeness of the recognition which true historical faith
will always humbly
receive and gratefully render when it comes in contact with
the older and
everlasting instincts of that religion which the ‘Most High
God, Possessor
of heaven and earth,’ has implanted in nature and in the
heart of man, in
‘the power of an endless life.’” So, in the very starting
of Judaism, in the
very lifetime of its founder and father, we find God
directing our attention
to real and acceptable religious life outside the Abrahamic election.
II. BALAAM
IN THE PERIOD OF THE JEWISH WANDERINGS.
Without attempting to form a full judgment of Balaam’s
religious standing,
we must admit that he was a prophet of God, to whom God
made
communications; and whatever may have been his religion, it
was certainly
distinct from Judaism. “In his career is seen that
recognition of Divine
inspiration outside the Jewish people, which the narrowness
of modern
times has been so eager to deny, but which the Scriptures
are always ready
to acknowledge, and, by acknowledging, admit within the
pale of the
universal Church the higher spirits of every age and of
every nation.”
III. JOB
AT THE TIME OF THE NATIONAL CLIMAX. There is little
room for doubting that, whenever Job himself may have
lived, the book
bearing his name was written in the Solomonic
age, and represents the
religious sentiments of that time, And the book represents
the man Job as
good, perfect, upright, fearing God, and eschewing evil;
but he is not a
Jew, he is an Arab chief or the wealthy prince of some city
in distant Uz;
the very selection of such a hero for the story plainly
showing belief in vital
godliness outside the Jewish limits. Not a trace of Mosaic
religion has been
found in the book, and therefore it is evident that the
writer accepts the
fact that true and acceptable piety may exist apart from
the Mosaic
covenant.
IV. NAAMAN
AND
DECLINE. We place these two together, but they may be
treated
separately. Naaman is a Syrian,
but God’s prophet makes no difficulty
about recognizing the sincerity of his religion, and he
requires of him no
conformity to Jewish regulations. The Ninevites
are penitent before the one
living God, and their repentance is even set on record as
an example to the
willful Jews. So again and again did God, in the olden
times, correct the
exclusiveness of his people’s feeling, and force them to
think of him as the
God of the whole earth. And when our Lord Jesus came among
men as the
Divine teacher, we find him also correcting the same
exclusive spirit by
blessing Roman centurions, Samaritan villagers, and Syro-phoenician
women; commanding that his gospel should be preached to the
whole
world; sending Paul “far hence unto the Gentiles;” calling
Cornelius into
the fellowship of the redeemed; saving the eunuch of an
African queen; and
moving Paul to witness for the universal redeeming love of
God, in
Athenian agora and before Roman tribunals. That the heathen
had some
religion God did not make a reason for withholding from
them his fuller
revelation; neither should we so argue. Our very sympathy
with heathen
souls groping for the light should increase our longing to
give them what
we have in our trust, the “light of the knowledge of the
glory of God in the
face of Jesus Christ.” — R.T.
Vers. 37-43.
The gospel for the heathen.
Under the Divine inspiration, St. Peter preached the gospel
to this
company of devout Gentiles; and we can find both
(1) what is the
essence of the gospel message, and
(2) what are the
points of it specially suitable for presentation to the
heathen mind, by a careful study of St. Peter’s speech on
this occasion. As
the points are very simple, and the illustration of them
very abundant and
familiar, we need only briefly state the several headings.
The gospel is the
declaration to men of the personal Savior, the Lord Jesus
Christ, and the
demand of instant acceptance of him and yielding the will
and heart and life
to him. It must deal fully and efficiently with —
I. THE
CHRIST WHO LIVED. “God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the
Holy Ghost and with power, who went about doing good.”
II. THE
CHRIST WHO DIED. “Whom they slew and hanged on a tree.”
III. THE
CHRIST WHO LAWS. “Him God raised up the third day, and
showed him openly.”
IV. THE
CHRIST WHO CAN SAVE FROM SIN NOW. “Whosoever
believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.” Upon
this gospel,
believingly declared to men, even to the heathen, we may
still be assured
that the power of the Holy Ghost shall rest, and it shall
prove, as to the
company in the house of Cornelius, a word of “eternal life.” — R.T