CRITICAL REMARKS
Acts 10:25. And worshipped.—Not Peter (Adoravit: non addidit Lucas “eum,” Bengel), but God in him, or who sent him. (Compare Galatians 4:14.)
Acts 10:30. Four days ago I was fasting until this hour; and at the ninth hour I prayed in my house.—This seems to say that Cornelius had four days previous to Peter’s arrival been fasting until a certain hour, probably the sixth, and that thereafter, when engaged in prayer about the ninth hour, he beheld a vision (Alford, Spence, Zöckler, Holtzmann). The best authorities, however, omit the clausule I was fasting—but wrongly, as many think (Alford, Meyer, Wendt, Zöckler)—and translate “Four days ago until this hour I was at the ninth hour praying,” or literally, from the fourth day until this hour, etc., which cannot mean that Cornelius had been praying four days consecutively up to the moment in question, the ninth hour (Neander, De Wette), but must be understood as signifying that on the fourth day preceding he had commenced his devotions (or his fasting), and had continued on that day till the ninth hour.
Acts 10:31. Is should be was heard, εἰσηκούσθη, and are should be were had in remembrance, ἐμνήσθησαν. So also in Acts 10:4 the present tenses should be past.
Acts 10:32. Who when he Cometh shall apeak onto thee, as an insertion similar to that in Acts 10:6, is wanting in the best MSS.
Acts 10:33. Substitute of the Lord—i.e., Christ—for of God.
HOMILETICAL ANALYSIS.—Acts 10:24-33
Peter’s Arrival at Cœsarea; or, the Gentile Candidate’s Examination
I. Peter’s reception by Cornelius.—
1. With eager expectancy. Having entertained no doubt as to the success of his embassy—a remarkable instance of faith—Cornelius had collected his kinsmen and near friends to await the apostle’s arrival. Yet so impatient did he feel to look upon the messenger of heaven that he hastened out to meet Peter at the door, as Laban did with Eliezer (Genesis 24:31).
2. With demonstrations of religious homage. How much Cornelius designed to express by prostrating himself, Oriental fashion, at Peter’s feet (compare 1 Samuel 25:24; 2 Kings 4:37; Esther 8:3; Mark 5:22; Matthew 28:9) cannot be ascertained. Luke does not say that Cornelius worshipped Peter. Yet Peter obviously regarded this action as at least approaching such reverence as was due to God alone, and rejected it accordingly (Acts 10:26), as Paul afterwards refused similar worship from the Lystrans (Acts 14:15), and as the angel put away from him that of John (Revelation 19:10). Of course Peter may have attributed more to Cornelius’s action than it was meant to convey, and some (Hackett, Stier) prefer to hold this rather than believe that Cornelius, a worshipper of Jehovah, should have been guilty of rendering Divine homage to a man. That he was still under the dominion of his old superstitious ideas about heroes who had been deified, and saw in Peter a superhuman being (Zöckler), is scarcely credible after the plain intimation by the angel that Peter was a man.
II. Peter’s explanation to Cornelius.—Addressed to the assembled company, but intended principally for the centurion.
1. The old principle—that intercourse with Gentiles was regarded by the Jew as unlawful (Acts 10:28)—was of long standing and widely known. Though professedly grounded on Mosaic law, it had no such foundation in fact. The practice rested on traditional Pharisaism, according to which a Jew must have no relations with a foreigner, and must not enter his house (John 18:28). “He was not allowed to sit down at the table of a Gentile; the very sight of the Gentile world was repulsive to a Jew” (Stapfer, Palestine in the Time of Christ, p. 128). Compare Josephus (contra Apion, Acts 2:28). “Those foreigners who come to us without submitting to our laws Moses permitted not to have any intimate connections with us.” Juvenal (Satires, xiv. 103) says of the Jews it was their custom, non monstrare vias eadem nisi sacra colenti, not to show the way except to those observing the same sacred rites; while Tacitus (Hist., Acts 10:8) affirms that they cherished against all a hostile hatred, and kept themselves apart in their feasts and couches: adversus omnes hostile odium, separati epulis discreti cubilibus.
2. The new light—that to man should be called common or unclean—was to a Jew a marvellous discovery, which probably nothing but a Divine revelation would have enabled him to accept. Hence Peter distinctly traced his acquaintance with it to God’s showing, though he did not at the time mention the way in which such showing had taken place.
3. The explicit declaration that he had come to Cæsarea immediately on being sent for, “without gainsaying,” not because he had forgotten or resolved to ignore, or through his own charity or wisdom had overstepped the bounds of traditional exclusiveness, but solely in consequence of that new light which had been imparted to him—in other words, that his appearance before Cornelius was at once an expression of his faith in God and of his obedience to the heavenly vision (compare Acts 26:19).
4. The direct question—for what intent had he been sent for? Peter knew he had been sent for in accordance with instructions given by Jehovah to Cornelius (Acts 10:20; Acts 10:22); but as yet Cornelius had offered no explanation of his mission.
III. Peter’s answer from Cornelius.—In this Cornelius rehearsed the story of how he had been led to send for Peter, mentioning—
1. The time when his vision had appeared to him. “Four days ago,” about “this hour,” which was probably about the ninth (Acts 10:3). The fasting had continued till noon, when during his subsequent devotions the vision burst upon his view, “as it were about the ninth hour.” (See “Critical Remarks.”)
2. The condition of his body and mind when the vision came. “Fasting” and “praying.” Even should “fasting” be omitted from the text (see “Critical Remarks”), it was probably included in Cornelius’s devotions. Fasting and prayer go well together, bodily abstinence being a suitable preparation for high spiritual exercises (compare Acts 10:9). Fasting was frequently conjoined with praying by the apostolic Church on occasions of special solemnity and high responsibility (Acts 13:2-3, Acts 14:23).
3. The form which appeared in his vision. A man, standing before him in bright apparel. A description shown by its liveliness and minuteness to be that of an eyewitness. Compare with this Luke’s account (Acts 10:3), which omits the “Behold!” and says nothing about the angel “standing before” Cornelius.
4. The address which the man in bright apparel made to him.
(1) Calling him by name, Cornelius! the heavenly visitor;
(2) assured him that his prayer had been heard and his alms remembered (see on Acts 10:4); and
(3) directed him to send to Joppa for Simon Peter; at the same time
(4) mentioning the house in which Peter lodged (see on Acts 10:5-6).
5. The action which he (Cornelius) had then taken. He had sent for the apostle forthwith, as the business to be done was too important for delay (Ecclesiastes 9:10).
6. The gratification with which he welcomed the apostle’s arrival. “Thou hast well done that thou art come” (compare 3 John 1:6). Peter’s arrival gave an indirect guarantee that he should learn more about the mind of God with reference to his salvation (Acts 10:32; Acts 11:14).
7. The readiness of himself and all present to hear what he (Peter) had to impart. “Now then we are all here present,” etc. (Acts 10:33.)
Learn.—That God’s messengers—
1. Should be prepared for by private and (where practicable) social prayer.
2. Should never intercept for themselves any of the glory that belongs to God.
3. May sometimes learn profitable teaching from those to whom they are sent.
4. Should always be respectfully heard by those to whom they are sent.
HINTS AND SUGGESTIONS
Acts 10:25. Mistaken Worship.
I. Is that which is offered.—
1. To the wrong object. The creature instead of the creator, the servant rather than the master, the messenger in place of the sender.
2. With wrong feelings. Of humility and reverence, which would have been proper and in place had they been directed to the right object, but, being directed to the wrong object, were improper and out of place.
3. In ignorance, though pardonable. Cornelius having been as yet only imperfectly enlightened, may not have understood that religious homage belonged to God alone.
II. Should be rejected.—
1. Promptly. Peter trifled not a moment with what he saw, but declined the proferred worship. Had he hesitated, or for an instant seemed to appropriate to himself what belonged to God, he would have heen guilty of lèse-majesté against the God of heaven whose creature, servant, and messenger he was.
2. Kindly. With no rebuke upon his lips he simply bids the prostrate worshipper arise, at the same time assisting him to regain an upright position.
3. Reasonably. Peter explained what was wrong in Cornelius’s action and what was right in his own by adding, “I myself also am a man!”
Acts 10:26. “I myself also am a man.”
I. A man and therefore a creature.—Hence not a proper object to receive religious homage, which belongs to God alone (Exodus 20:3; Isaiah 42:8; Romans 1:25).
II. A man and therefore a sinner.—Hence as much needing forgiveness and salvation as the most benighted and degraded of Adam’s race (Romans 3:22; Romans 10:12).
III. A man and therefore a brother.—Hence such distinctions as divide me from my fellows, putting me above them or them above me in an essentially superior class, are against nature as well as grace (Proverbs 22:2; Malachi 2:10; Acts 17:26; Acts 17:29).
IV. A man and therefore a son of God.—Having been made in God’s image (Genesis 1:27; Acts 17:28). Hence in all I do I should remember my exalted origin (Colossians 1:10), and do nothing to disgrace my rank.
V. A man and therefore a possible heir of glory.—Having been redeemed by Jesus Christ. Hence in all things I should comport myself as one with a high destiny (Ephesians 4:1).
Acts 10:29. A Minister and his Congregation. (Suitable for entering on a charge.)
I. No minister should undertake the care of a congregation without being called.—
1. Invited by the people. Peter came not before he had been sent for. It is against all Scripture that preachers should thrust themselves upon unwilling people. Under such conditions the most talented ministry can only prove a failure.
2. Sent by God. It is doubtful if Cornelius’s invitation would have sufficed to carry Peter to Cæsarea had he not already been directed by the Spirit to accompany the messengers (Acts 10:20). So the true minister will always be careful not to run without being sent, will strive to ascertain whether the outward call of the people concurs with the inward prompting of the Spirit.
II. To such a combined call every minister should respond.—
1. Immediately. As Peter did, without unnecessary delay, considering that the king’s business requires haste, and that especially in matters of the soul delays are dangerous. The cry “Come over and help us” (Acts 16:9) should always be regarded as urgent.
2. Cheerfully. Again like Peter, without offering any objections or expressing any reluctance, or putting any obstacles in the way. The minister who enters on his sacred calling with a grudge or without enthusiasm cannot possibly succeed, and had better change his mind or abandon his calling.
III. The true business of a minister is not to push his own but his people’s interests.—It goes without saying that these interests must be spiritual. Otherwise the congregation is not a Church of Christ. Hence, every minister should have it clearly understood that those are the interests at which he is to aim—the advancement, not of his hearers’ intellectual culture, or of their social status, or of their material enrichment, or of their amusement, but of their spiritual and religious welfare.
IV. When minister and congregation conjointly recognise and work for this the true ideal of a Christian pastorate is reached.—But the two must be of one mind. A spiritually minded pastor and an unspiritual congregation, or vice versâ, cannot long remain together. One or other must attain superiority. If victory inclines to the spiritual element then prosperity of the highest kind ensues; if to the unspiritual, then decay of the worst sort follows.
Acts 10:33. A Fortunate Journey. “Thou hast well done that thou art come.” That Peter undertook that journey to Cæsarea was—
I. Well for Peter.—
1. It proved the reality of his own faith, which would certainly have been open to suspicion had he not gone to Cæsarea as directed.
2. It brought him into contact with a pious Gentile, of the existence of which he might otherwise have remained in doubt.
3. It helped him to understand the significance of the vision he had received, which, though explained by the heavenly voice (Acts 10:15), was not all at once apprehended by the Apostle (Acts 10:17), and was none the worse of the commentary furnished by his interview with Cornelius.
4. It secured for him a special mark of honour in being permitted to open the door to the Gentiles, which, but for this journey, he might have missed.
II. Well for Cornelius.—
1. It assured him of the truth of his own vision, of which he might in course of time have become sceptical had Peter not appeared upon the scene.
2. It afforded him an opportunity of hearing the gospel preached by an apostle, though probably before this he had listened to it from the lips of Philip (Acts 8:40).
3. It led to the salvation of himself and his house, seeing that they all believed and were endowed with the Holy Ghost (Acts 10:47).
4. It ended in their formal reception into the Church, through their being baptised in the name of Jesus Christ (Acts 10:48).
III. Well for the Church.—Which was thereby—
1. Prevented from sinking back into a narrow-minded and exclusive Jewish sect, whereas it was intended to be a large and liberal-hearted community, knowing no distinctions of age, sex, culture, or nationality, but embracing mankind in all ages and countries, ranks and conditions of society.
2. Enabled to overcome a danger which threatened the realisation of this idea, as was soon shown by the part played by the Cornelius incident in the apostolic council (Acts 15:7-11). Had Peter not been able to speak as he did in that assembly, the issue of the conference might have been different.
3. Enlightened as to its true character as a world-embracing institution, and so in a manner fitted for the more successful prosecution of its work.
IV. Well for the world.—Which
1. Would hardly have been attracted—at least in great numbers—to Christianity, had it been presented to them as a Jewish sect. And
2. Would have missed the hopes and consolations which the gospel brings. The world has much reason to thank God for Peter’s journey to Cæsarea.
The Picture of a Model (Christian) Congregation.
I. All present.—None absent from the stated place of assembly.
II. All reverent.—Realising they stand in God’s sight—which they do in a special manner when they enter God’s house.
III. All attentive.—Ready to hear what may be said by the preacher, who, if a true minister, is God’s servant and Christ’s ambassador.
IV. All obedient.—Prepared submissively to accept whatever God might command through His servant.
V. All believing.—None professing obedience merely in word or form, but all obeying in reality, receiving the truth into honest hearts and minds.
VI. All saved.—All baptised with the Holy Ghost, all sealed with the Spirit.
Acts 10:24-33. Cornelius and Peter. Cornelius appears here in various aspects.
I. Waiting for Peter, as God’s ambassador.
II. Reverencing Peter, as God’s representative.
III. Talking to Peter, explaining his desires.
IV. Listening to Peter, as God’s mouthpiece.