23 Salvation Reaches Out (10:1-48)

Now there was a certain man at Caesarea named Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian cohort, a devout man, and one who feared God with all his household, and gave many alms to the Jewish people, and prayed to God continually. About the ninth hour of the day he clearly saw in a vision an angel of God who had just come in to him, and said to him, “Cornelius!” And fixing his gaze upon him and being much alarmed, he said, “What is it, Lord?” And he said to him, “Your prayers and alms have ascended as a memorial before God. And now dispatch some men to Joppa, and send for a man named Simon, who is also called Peter; he is staying with a certain tanner named Simon, whose house is by the sea.” And when the angel who was speaking to him had departed, he summoned two of his servants and a devout soldier of those who were in constant attendance upon him, and after he had explained everything to them, he sent them to Joppa. And on the next day, as they were on their way, and approaching the city, Peter went up on the housetop about the sixth hour to pray. And he became hungry, and was desiring to eat; but while they were making preparations, he fell into a trance; and he beheld the sky opened up, and a certain object like a great sheet coming down, lowered by four corners to the ground, and there were in it all kinds of four-footed animals and crawling creatures of the earth and birds of the air. And a voice came to him, “Arise, Peter, kill and eat!” But Peter said, “By no means, Lord, for I have never eaten anything unholy and unclean.” And again a voice came to him a second time, “What God has cleansed, no longer consider unholy.” And this happened three times; and immediately the object was taken up into the sky. Now while Peter was greatly perplexed in mind as to what the vision which he had seen might be, behold, the men who had been sent by Cornelius, having asked directions for Simon’s house, appeared at the gate; and calling out, they were asking whether Simon, who was also called Peter, was staying there. And while Peter was reflecting on the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Behold, three men are looking for you. But arise, go downstairs, and accompany them without misgivings; for I have sent them Myself.” And Peter went down to the men and said, “Behold, I am the one you are looking for; what is the reason for which you have come?” And they said, “Cornelius, a centurion, a righteous and God-fearing man well spoken of by the entire nation of the Jews, was divinely directed by a holy angel to send for you to come to his house and hear a message from you.” And so he invited them in and gave them lodging. And on the next day he arose and went away with them, and some of the brethren from Joppa accompanied him. And on the following day he entered Caesarea. Now Cornelius was waiting for them, and had called together his relatives and close friends. And when it came about that Peter entered, Cornelius met him, and fell at his feet and worshiped him. But Peter raised him up, saying, “Stand up; I too am just a man.” And as he talked with him, he entered, and found many people assembled. And he said to them, “You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a man who is a Jew to associate with a foreigner or to visit him; and yet God has shown me that I should not call any man unholy or unclean. That is why I came without even raising any objection when I was sent for. And so I ask for what reason you have sent for me.” And Cornelius said, “Four days ago to this hour, I was praying in my house during the ninth hour; and behold, a man stood before me in shining garments, and he said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and your alms have been remembered before God. Send therefore to Joppa and invite Simon, who is also called Peter, to come to you; he is staying at the house of Simon the tanner by the sea.’ And so I sent to you immediately, and you have been kind enough to come. Now then, we are all here present before God to hear all that you have been commanded by the Lord.” And opening his mouth, Peter said: “I most certainly understand now that God is not one to show partiality, but in every nation the man who fears Him and does what is right, is welcome to Him. The word which He sent to the sons of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ (He is Lord of all)—you yourselves know the thing which took place throughout all Judea, starting from Galilee, after the baptism which John proclaimed. You know of Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how He went about doing good, and healing all who were oppressed by the devil; for God was with Him. And we are witnesses of all the things He did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem. And they also put Him to death by hanging Him on a cross. God raised Him up on the third day, and granted that He should become visible, not to all the people, but to witnesses who were chosen beforehand by God, that is, to us, who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead. And He ordered us to preach to the people, and solemnly to testify that this is the One who has been appointed by God as Judge of the living and the dead. Of Him all the prophets bear witness that through His name everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins.” While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who were listening to the message. And all the circumcised believers who had come with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out upon the Gentiles also. For they were hearing them speaking with tongues and exalting God. Then Peter answered, “Surely no one can refuse the water for these to be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we did, can he?” And he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to stay on for a few days. (10:1–48)

Mark Twain’s classic novel The Adventures of Tom Sawyer records the following exchange between Tom and his friend Huck Finn. Tom has just informed Huck that he is not welcome in Tom’s gang. Huck protests, “Now Tom, hain’t you always been friendly to me? You wouldn’t shet me out, would you, Tom?” Tom replies, “Huck, I wouldn’t want to, and I don’t want to—but what would people say? Why they’d say, ‘Mph! Tom Sawyer’s Gang! pretty low characters in it!’ They’d mean you, Huck. You wouldn’t like that, and I wouldn’t” ([Chicago: Fountain, 19491, 215).

Children are not the only ones who play such cruel games with each other; adults are quite prone to it as well. We are quick to exclude from our group those we deem undesirable—those who fail to flatter us, support our opinions, reinforce our prejudices, boost our pride, or feed our egos, or whose style of life is significantly different. The world in general expresses its intolerance and bigotry in conflicts at every level, from silent prejudice to outright war.

Even the church is not immune to this tendency. Those of another culture, skin color, social status, educational group, or income level often find themselves as unwelcome in the church as Huck Finn was in Tom Sawyer’s gang. Such intolerant exclusivism grieves the heart of the Lord Jesus Christ, whose purpose and prayer was that believers “may all be one; even as Thou, Father, art in Me, and I in Thee, that they also may be in Us; that the world may believe that Thou didst send Me” (John 17:21). In the church, “there is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Gal. 3:28).

The cultural barriers were no less deep-seated and rigid in the ancient world than in our own day. If the church was not to forever remain a small sect of Judaism, those barriers would have to be crossed. Already in Acts, the barrier separating the Jews and Samaritans had been breached, through the ministry of Philip, Peter, and John, which resulted in numbers of Samaritan converts. The delay in their receiving the Spirit until Peter and John arrived emphasized to both sides that Samaritans and Jews were endowed by the same Spirit of God and placed into the church.

But an even more formidable barrier loomed. The Jews’ distaste for the Samaritans paled in comparison to their hatred of the Gentiles (cf. Jonah 3:10–4:4, which shows the prophet’s anger over God’s saving Gentiles). Before the gospel could be preached to all nations and embrace all nations (Matt. 28:19–20), this final barrier to unity had to be torn down. A small crack in the wall had already been made through the conversion of the Ethiopian eunuch (8:26–40). He, however, returned to his distant land and did not remain to fellowship with the Jewish believers. In God’s providence, the time had come to reconcile Jews and Gentiles in the church.

It is fitting that Peter, the leader of the Twelve, should be the one who opened the door to the uncircumcised. It was Peter who preached on the day of Pentecost and to the crowd at Solomon’s Portico. Peter was also the point man in the ongoing battle with the Sanhedrin. Nor, as already noted, were the Samaritans added to the church apart from his ministry.

For Peter to take such a drastic step required some preparation. Already, he had become increasingly emancipated from the prejudices he was raised with. He had accepted Samaritans as brothers in Christ and equals in the church. As chapter 10 unfolds, he is staying with a tanner—a trade despised by the devout Jews. But accepting Gentiles as equals before the Lord was an entirely different matter. Strict Jews would have nothing at all to do with Gentiles. They would not be guests in Gentile homes (cf. v. 28) or invite Gentiles to their homes. Dirt from a Gentile country was considered defiled, and a Jew would shake it off his sandals before entering Israel (from which practice the expression “shake the dust off” [Matt. 10:14; Mark 6:11; Luke 9:5; Acts 13:51] came). Jews would not eat food prepared by Gentile hands. Cooking utensils purchased from a Gentile had to be purified before being used. In short, Gentiles were considered unclean and their presence defiling.

The theological foundation for the unity of Jews and Gentiles in the church had already been laid. In Ephesians 2:11–22, Paul pointed out that through Christ’s one, comprehensive sacrificial death He “made both groups into one, and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall” (Eph. 2:14). Luke here chronicles the historical realization of that spiritual truth.

But this chapter is more than just the story of the introduction of Gentiles into the church; it is also the account of one man’s salvation. The sequence of events leading to Cornelius’s salvation presents a timeless pattern of how salvation unfolds. From the text six elements may be discerned: sovereign preparation, submissive will, salvation presentation, spiritual power, symbolic confession, and sweet fellowship.

SOVEREIGN PREPARATION

The momentous events of Gentile inclusion in the church and Cornelius’s salvation required sovereign preparation. Both the convert, Cornelius, and the preacher, Peter, received visions from God preparing them for what was to follow.

THE PREPARATION OF CORNELIUS

Since man is dead in sin (Eph. 2:1–4), salvation cannot and does not begin with him (cf. John 1:12–13; 6:37; Eph. 1:4; Acts 13:48). One such dead man, Cornelius, whom God was about to save, lived in Caesarea, an important city located on the coast roughly thirty miles north of Joppa. It was the capital of the Roman province of Judea, and the residence of its procurator. Naturally, a large Roman garrison was stationed there. Among them was Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian cohort. A Roman legion at full strength consisted of 6,000 men, and was divided into ten cohorts of 600 men each. A centurion commanded 100 of these men, and each legion therefore had 60 centurions, who were considered the backbone of the Roman army. The Roman historian Polybius described centurions as “not so much venturesome daredevils as natural leaders of a steady and sedate spirit, not so much men who will initiate attacks and open the battle as men who will hold their ground when worsted and hard pressed and be ready to die at their posts” (Histories vi. xix-xlii, cited in Naphtali Lewis and Meyer Reinhold, eds., Roman Civilization: Sourcebook 1: The Republic [New York: Harper & Row, 1966], 435). Like the other centurions mentioned in the New Testament, Cornelius had reached his rank by proving to be a strong, responsible, reliable man.

More than a good soldier, however, Cornelius was a devout man, and one who feared God with all his household, and gave many alms to the Jewish people, and prayed to God continually. His was a seeking heart; he had lived up to the light he had, and God was about to give him more. This is the necessary balance to divine election, that God responds to the seeking, willing heart (cf. Isa. 55:6–7; Jer. 29:13; John 7:17). Divine election and human responsibility are both the clear teaching of Scripture. Salvation is both accomplished by God and commanded of sinners. Although our limited comprehension does not allow us to harmonize them, there is no conflict in the mind of God.

Cornelius was a God-fearer. The Lord had moved on his dark soul so that he had abandoned his pagan religion and was worshiping Jehovah God. That devotion expressed itself in his giving of many alms to the Jewish people, and by the fact that he prayed to God continually. He had stopped short, however, of becoming a full proselyte to Judaism through circumcision.

Because of His sovereign election of Cornelius, and in response to his seeking heart, God moved to prepare him. About the ninth hour (3:00 P.M.) of the day he clearly saw in a vision an angel of God who had just come in to him, and said to him, “Cornelius!” The ninth hour was the most important time of prayer in the Jewish day (Acts 3:1). God responded to his prayer by sending the angelic messenger.

The appearance of angels in Scripture produced terror and awe (Judg. 6:22; 13:20; 1 Chron. 21:16; Dan. 10:4–9; Matt. 28:2–5; Luke 1:11–13, 30; 2:9–10)—very different from the casual flippancy with which many today treat their supposed encounters with them. Understandably, the veteran soldier Cornelius was terrified. Fixing his gaze upon the angel and being much alarmed, he said, “What is it, Lord?”

The angel was quick to reassure Cornelius, saying to him, “Your prayers and alms have ascended as a memorial before God.” God knew Cornelius’s heart, that he was a devout man, worshiping Him to the best of his knowledge. Despite Cornelius’s sincerity, and devotion to the true God, he could not be saved apart from a correct understanding of the gospel of Jesus Christ (Acts 4:12). God was arranging to provide him with that knowledge. Specifically, the angel instructed him to “dispatch some men to Joppa, and send for a man named Simon, who is also called Peter; he is staying with a certain tanner named Simon, whose house is by the sea.”

Cornelius responded immediately. When the angel who was speaking to him had departed, he summoned two of his servants and a devout soldier of those who were in constant attendance upon him, and after he had explained everything to them, he sent them to Joppa.

At first glance, there seems to be no reason for this delay. Certainly the angel was quite capable of delivering the gospel message to Cornelius. Although an angel will proclaim the gospel in the future (Rev. 14:6), God has chosen to work through human instruments. God also wanted Peter there to observe firsthand Cornelius’s salvation. Only then would he be fully prepared to accept Gentiles into the church.

THE PREPARATION OF PETER

And on the next day, as they were on their way, and approaching the city, Peter went up on the housetop about the sixth hour to pray. And he became hungry, and was desiring to eat; but while they were making preparations, he fell into a trance; and he beheld the sky opened up, and a certain object like a great sheet coming down, lowered by four corners to the ground, and there were in it all kinds of four-footed animals and crawling creatures of the earth and birds of the air. And a voice came to him, “Arise, Peter, kill and eat!” But Peter said, “By no means, Lord, for I have never eaten anything unholy and unclean.” And again a voice came to him a second time, “What God has cleansed, no longer consider unholy.” And this happened three times; and immediately the object was taken up into the sky. Now while Peter was greatly perplexed in mind as to what the vision which he had seen might be, behold, the men who had been sent by Cornelius, having asked directions for Simon’s house, appeared at the gate; and calling out, they were asking whether Simon, who was also called Peter, was staying there. And while Peter was reflecting on the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Behold, three men are looking for you. But arise, go downstairs, and accompany them without misgivings; for I have sent them Myself.” (10:9–20)

Meanwhile, back at Joppa, God was preparing the preacher for this monumental encounter. On the next day, as the men sent by Cornelius were on their way, and approaching Joppa, Peter received a divine vision. He went up on the housetop about the sixth hour (noon) to pray. It was mealtime, and he became hungry, and was desiring to eat. There was to be an unexpected delay in his meal, however. While his hosts were making preparations for the meal, Peter fell into a trance. God not only sovereignly called Cornelius to salvation but also prepared Peter as the means, humanly speaking, to accomplish that. God’s sovereign call of individuals for special service is well-documented in Scripture (cf. Isa. 49:1; Jer. 1:5; John 15:16; Gal. 1:1).

In his trance, Peter beheld the sky opened up, and a certain object like a great sheet coming down, lowered by four corners to the ground, and there were in it all kinds of four-footed animals and crawling creatures of the earth and birds of the air. Appropriately enough, since he was hungry, Peter’s vision involved eating. That the sheet contained both clean and unclean animals reflects the Old Testament instruction in which God laid down certain dietary restrictions for Israel (cf. Lev. 11). Leviticus 20:25–26 describes His reason for giving those restrictions:

You are therefore to make a distinction between the clean animal and the unclean, and between the unclean bird and the clean; and you shall not make yourselves detestable by animal or by bird or by anything that creeps on the ground, which I have separated for you as unclean. Thus you are to be holy to Me, for I the Lord am holy; and I have set you apart from the peoples to be Mine.

It was imperative that Israel be kept separate from her idolatrous neighbors, and such restrictions would hinder social intercourse with them.

Since the coming of the New Covenant and the calling of a new people (the church), the day of those restrictions was over, as Peter soon discovered. In his vision, God commanded him to arise, kill and eat. As any devout Jew would have been, Peter was horrified. He protested immediately, “By no means, Lord, for I have never eaten anything unholy and unclean.” He had zealously kept the dietary laws all his life, believing such “kosher” commitment was required by the Lord. His strict adherence reflected his devotion to pleasing God. How could he immediately throw all that aside without assaulting his conscience, so sensitive to dietary duty?

Peter resisted strongly the message, so the voice came to him a second time, “What God has cleansed, no longer consider unholy.” So ingrained were the dietary regulations into his life that he still could not comprehend what was happening. Finally, after this scenario was repeated three times, immediately the object was taken up into the sky.

The vision left Peter greatly perplexed in mind as to what the vision which he had seen might signify. That meaning was twofold. On the negative side, it signified the abolishing of the Old Testament dietary restrictions (cf. Mark 7:14–23; Rom. 14:1–3; Col. 2:16–17; 1 Tim. 4:1–5). Such separating features were now counterproductive, since God was bringing Jews and Gentiles together in the church, not keeping them apart. On the positive side, the vision pictured the inclusion of both the Gentiles, symbolized by the unclean animals, and the Jews, symbolized by the clean ones, into one body.

Peter’s perplexity was short-lived. At that very moment, the men who had been sent by Cornelius, having asked directions for Simon’s house, appeared at the gate; and calling out, they were asking whether Simon, who was also called Peter, was staying there. They arrived while Peter was reflecting on the vision, still trying to figure out what the Lord was saying. The time had come for the encounter that would clear up Peter’s confusion, so the Spirit said to him, “Behold, three men are looking for you. But arise, go downstairs, and accompany them without misgivings; for I have sent them Myself.” God not only sovereignly prepared Cornelius and Peter but also sovereignly determined and arranged the timing of bringing them together.

SUBMISSIVE WILL

And Peter went down to the men and said, “Behold, I am the one you are looking for; what is the reason for which you have come?” And they said, “Cornelius, a centurion, a righteous and God-fearing man well spoken of by the entire nation of the Jews, was divinely directed by a holy angel to send for you to come to his house and hear a message from you.” And so he invited them in and gave them lodging. And on the next day he arose and went away with them, and some of the brethren from Joppa accompanied him. And on the following day he entered Caesarea. Now Cornelius was waiting for them, and had called together his relatives and close friends. And when it came about that Peter entered, Cornelius met him, and fell at his feet and worshiped him. But Peter raised him up, saying, “Stand up; I too am just a man.” And as he talked with him, he entered, and found many people assembled. And he said to them, “You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a man who is a Jew to associate with a foreigner or to visit him; and yet God has shown me that I should not call any man unholy or unclean. That is why I came without even raising any objection when I was sent for. And so I ask for what reason you have sent for me.” And Cornelius said, “Four days ago to this hour, I was praying in my house during the ninth hour; and behold, a man stood before me in shining garments, and he said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and your alms have been remembered before God. Send therefore to Joppa and invite Simon, who is also called Peter, to come to you; he is staying at the house of Simon the tanner by the sea.’ And so I sent to you immediately, and you have been kind enough to come. Now then, we are all here present before God to hear all that you have been commanded by the Lord.” (10:11–33)

Peter and Cornelius model the obedience God demands—both at the point of salvation and throughout the Christian life. The Bible repeatedly teaches that obedience accompanies true faith (cf. Matt. 7:21–23; 21:28–32; Luke 9:23, 57–62; John 8:30–31; 14:15, 21, 23; 15:10, 14; Acts 6:7; Rom. 1:5; 16:26; James 2:14–26; 1 John 2:3–4, 19). (For further discussion of this vital point, see my books The Gospel According to Jesus, rev. ed. [Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1994], and Faith Works [Dallas: Word, 1993.)

As had Cornelius, Peter obeyed, though he probably still did not fully understand what was happening. He went down to the men (the soldier and two servants sent by Cornelius) and said, “Behold, I am the one you are looking for; what is the reason for which you have come?” Their reply, which must have astonished Peter even more, was that “Cornelius, a centurion, a righteous and God-fearing man well spoken of by the entire nation of the Jews, was divinely directed by a holy angel to send for you to come to his house and hear a message from you.”

It was now Peter’s turn to do something astonishing as he invited the men in and gave them lodging. It was too late for them to return to Caesarea that day, so Peter invited them to spend the night there.

Here was a further crack in the barrier dividing Jew and Gentile. No self-respecting Jew would have given lodging to Gentiles—especially to a soldier of the hated Roman occupation army. Lodging is from xenizō, which means “to entertain as a guest.” It is used in Hebrews 13:2 to speak of entertaining angels. Peter gave his unexpected guests the red carpet treatment, showing the work of God in his heart had broken down the typical Jewish prejudice. Because of that, he knew the difference between the Old Testament law, which was binding, and the human tradition, which was not. He had a hard time letting the dietary law go but had no animosity in his heart toward Gentiles, so the hospitality was easy.

On the next day Peter arose and went away with them, and some of the brethren from Joppa accompanied him. In obedience to the command he received in his vision, Peter returned with Cornelius’s messengers to Caesarea. Although not commanded to do so, he took with him six (Acts 11:12) of the brethren from Joppa. This seemingly insignificant decision on Peter’s part becomes important later in the story. Since Peter had no divine instruction to do this, it illustrates how God leads believers through their desires (cf. Ps. 37:4).

After spending the night en route, on the following day they entered Caesarea. Two worlds were about to collide, as seven devout, orthodox Jews were about to meet a houseful of eager Gentiles. A milestone in the history of the church had been reached.

Meanwhile Cornelius was waiting for them, and he had not been idle. Eagerly anticipating what Peter had to share with him, he had called together his relatives and close friends. When Peter entered his house, Cornelius met him. Overwhelmed, Cornelius fell at his feet and worshiped him. Peter’s immediate, emphatic response should give pause to those advocating worship of the saints. Peter raised Cornelius up, saying, “Stand up; I too am just a man.” In Acts 14:11–15, Paul and Barnabas were similarly horrified when the pagan multitudes at Lystra attempted to worship them. Even angels disavow such misguided worship (Rev. 22:8–9).

When Peter entered, he found many people assembled. God had not commanded Cornelius to assemble these people, yet their presence was a crucial arrangement of divine providence using the will of Cornelius. If only Cornelius were saved, the Jerusalem church may have considered him an aberration. If a group of Gentiles were saved, however, they would have to accept that God was including Gentiles into the church.

Addressing this group of non-Jews, Peter said to them, “You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a man who is a Jew to associale with a foreigner or to visit him; and yet God has shown me that I should not call any man unholy or unclean. That is why I came without even raising any objection when I was sent for. And so I ask for what reason you have sent for me.” Peter begins by telling them that he should not be there, since it is unlawful for a man who is a Jew to associate with a foreigner or to visit him (cf. John 4:9; 18:28; Acts 11:2–3; 22:21–22; Gal. 2:12). By that standard Peter had lived his life. God, however, had taught him, and he had accepted that he was no longer to consider Gentiles unclean. That is why he came without even raising any objection when he was sent for. He still was not sure why he was present in this house, however, so he asked for what reason they had sent for him.

Cornelius replied by relating the specifics of his vision: “Four days ago to this hour, I was praying in my house during the ninth hour; and behold, a man stood before me in shining garments, and he said, “Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and your alms have been remembered before God. Send therefore to Joppa and invite Simon, who is also called Peter, to come to you; he is staying at the house of Simon the tanner by the sea.’ And so I sent to you immediately, and you have been kind enough to come. Now then, we are all here present before God to hear all that you have been commanded by the Lord.” The soldier uses a military term, prostassō (commanded), referring to a military order. He understood that when the Lord spoke it was a command demanding obedience. He was ready to receive his orders from the Lord.

So Peter and Cornelius both had been sovereignly prepared by God and had responded obediently to His directions. All was ready for Peter’s gospel presentation, which would result in the salvation of Cornelius and the others.

SALVATION PRESENTATION

And opening his mouth, Peter said: “I most certainly understand now that God is not one to show partiality, but in every nation the man who fears Him and does what is right, is welcome to Him. The word which He sent to the sons of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ (He is Lord of all)—you yourselves know the thing which took place throughout all Judea, starting from Galilee, after the baptism which John proclaimed. You know of Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how He went about doing good, and healing all who were oppressed by the devil; for God was with Him. And we are witnesses of all the things He did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem. And they also put Him to death by hanging Him on a cross. God raised Him up on the third day, and granted that He should become visible, not to all the people, but to witnesses who were chosen beforehand by God, that is, to us, who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead. And He ordered us to preach to the people, and solemnly to testify that this is the One who has been appointed by God as Judge of the living and the dead. Of Him all the prophets bear witness that through His name everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins.” (10:34–43)

In contrast to his indicting sermons on the Day of Pentecost and at Solomon’s portico, and his bold defenses before the Sanhedrin, Peter here is led by the Spirit to give a simple gospel presentation. Some situations call for a detailed apologetic and historic presentation before the hearers can understand the gospel message. Others, with divinely plowed hearts, require only the simple truths of the gospel. Cornelius and the other Gentiles gathered with him were such divinely prepared individuals.

The phrase opening his mouth is a colloquial Greek expression marking the speech that follows as important. Looking around at his improbable audience, Peter began by shattering what remained of the barrier separating the two groups with his fresh insight: “I most certainly understand now that God is not one to show partiality, but in every nation the man who fears Him and does what is right, is welcome to Him.” With one stroke, Peter cuts to the heart of the issue and rivets their attention on him.

Saying I … understand is an admission that this is really new for him, and that only now, at long last, was he beginning to understand that the church was to include men from every nation. The truth of Jesus’ words “I have other sheep, which are not of this fold” (John 10:16) was dawning. The meaning of the vision was clear. Actually, because this was not new truth, Peter and his Jewish companions should have already known that God is not one to show partiality. That is clearly taught in the Old Testament (Deut. 10:17; 2 Chron. 19:7; Job 34:19).

Paul elaborated on that truth. To the Romans he wrote, “Is God the God of Jews only? Is He not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also, since indeed God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith is one” (Rom. 3:29–30; cf. 2:11; Eph. 6:9).

Peter then expanded that thought, explaining that in every nation the man who fears Him and does what is right is welcome to Him. Some have misunderstood this verse to be teaching universalism, that God accepts all who are sincere on the basis of their works. That view is obviously inconsistent with biblical teaching and absurd. If Cornelius and the others were already saved, what was Peter doing there preaching that only through the name of Jesus can souls be saved (v. 43)? Further, that they were not yet saved is clearly stated in Acts 11:14. There are some who would deny that there is any pre-salvation work on the part of the sinner, leading to salvation. This, too, is absurd, since the text clearly states that salvation comes to those who fear God and do what is right. Is this salvation by works? Of course not. Peter is simply expressing the reality that there is a Spirit work in the heart of the sinner (cf. John 16:8–11; Acts 11:18; 2 Tim. 2:25). That work produces a person who fears or reverences God and does what is right, and who is welcome or acceptable (dektos) to God. That word means “marked by a favorable manifestation of the divine pleasure,” as used in 2 Corinthians 6:2, “‘At the acceptable time I listened to you, and on the day of salvation I helped you’; behold, now is ‘the acceptable time’, behold, now is ‘the day of salvation.’” This text shows that the welcome or acceptable time is the time of salvation. No matter what the age, race, sex, or social strata, when the heart hungers for God and for righteousness (Matt. 5:6), it is the welcome time for salvation. Commenting on this verse, Everett Harrison remarks, “The meaning is not that such persons are thereby saved (cf. Acts 11:14) but rather that they are suitable candidates for salvation. Such preparation betokens a spiritual earnestness that will result in faith as the gospel is heard and received (Interpreting Acts: The Expanding Church [Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1986], 182).

Cornelius responded to the work of God in his soul, yet it must not be thought that he did that on his own, apart from the grace of God. The truth is that no one, whether Gentile (cf. Rom. 1:18ff.) or Jew (cf. Rom. 2:1ff.) does that (Rom. 3:10–18). God had worked in Cornelius’s heart so that he sought to know and obey God, and when he heard the saving truth of the gospel, he eagerly responded.

Peter introduced his message by assuring them that salvation was available to the prepared heart. Yet it was not enough for them merely to know of its availability; they needed to know how to appropriate the forgiveness of sin and deliverance from judgment. Peter turns, then, to the main theme of the gospel, namely that salvation comes through Jesus Christ to anyone from any nation. In the words of the hymn “The Church’s One Foundation,” the church is

Elect from ev’ry nation,
Yet one o’er all the earth.

The word of God containing the message of salvation came first to the sons of Israel (cf. Rom. 1:16). It was the glorious message of peace through Jesus Christ. All people are fallen and are enemies who are at war with God (cf. Rom. 5:10). The sacrificial death of the Lord Jesus Christ ended that hostility and brought peace between man and God by paying the price for sin. In the words of the apostle Paul, “God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them” (2 Cor. 5:19), and has “made peace through the blood of His cross” (Col. 1:20). Salvation is offered to all because Jesus is Lord of all.

As already noted, Caesarea was the seat of the Roman government in Judea. Consequently, Peter can affirm to Cornelius and the others that you yourselves know the thing which took place throughout all Judea, starting from Galilee, after the baptism which John proclaimed. They were aware of Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how He went about doing good, and healing all who were oppressed by the devil; for God was with Him.

The baptism which John proclaimed was a baptism signifying an attitude of repentance and longing for the reign of righteousness. It prepared the nation for the Messiah, who was Jesus of Nazareth. As He began His ministry, God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power (cf. Matt. 3:13–17; Luke 3:21–22). Peter describes that ministry as going about doing good, then lists as an example His healing of all who were oppressed by the devil. That phrase encompasses the whole gamut of human ailments, from direct demon oppression to disease to spiritual darkness. “The Son of God,” wrote the apostle John, “appeared for this purpose, that He might destroy the works of the devil” (1 John 3:8). Jesus Christ’s complete overpowering of Satan and his demons left no doubt that God was with Him.

All they had heard about Jesus’ ministry was true, Peter affirms. He adds the apostolic corroboration that we are witnesses of all the things He did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem, and then comes quickly to the significant event saying, And they also put Him to death by hanging Him on a cross. God raised Him up on the third day, and granted that He should become visible, not to all the people, but to witnesses who were chosen beforehand by God, that is, to us, who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead. That religious men would lead the effort to put to death the One who went about doing good and overruling the work of Satan illustrates the depths of human depravity—even when it is masked with religion. God, however, overturned the world and hell, vindicating Jesus by raising Him up on the third day.

The significance of Peter’s statement that Jesus became visible should not be overlooked. Countless heretics, from apostolic times to the present, have denied the truth of Christ’s physical resurrection. That fact is central to Christianity, however. Paul points out in 1 Corinthians 15:12–19 the serious consequences of denying the resurrection. If “Christ has not been raised, [our] faith is worthless; [we] are still in [our] sins” (1 Cor. 15:17). Those who deny Christ’s literal resurrection destroy the only bridge spanning the gulf separating them from God. For the record, Paul has left us the inspired fact that the risen Jesus appeared to Peter, then the Twelve, more than 500 believers at one time, then to James, all the apostles, and finally to himself (1 Cor. 15:5–8).

Not everyone had the privilege of witnessing the resurrected Christ, however. He appeared, Peter declares, not to all the people, but to witnesses who were chosen beforehand by God, that is, to us, who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead. God chose only a few to bear testimony to the world that Jesus Christ had risen from the dead, and all of them were believers. Peter’s reference to those who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead offers further proof of His bodily resurrection, since in Jewish thought spirit beings were incapable of such actions.

Verse 42 relates the warning that was essential to the apostolic witness. They were ordered (commanded) to preach to the people, and solemnly to testify that this is the One who has been appointed by God as Judge of the living and the dead (cf. John 5:21–29; Acts 17:30–31; 2 Thess. 1:7–10; 2 Tim. 4:8; Rev. 19:11ff.). Jesus Christ will be to every person either deliverer or judge.

The apostles were not the only witnesses of Jesus Christ; so also were the prophets. They bore witness that through His name (by His power and authority) everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins. Isaiah (Isa. 53:11), Jeremiah (Jer. 31:34), and Zechariah (Zech. 13:1) were among those who spoke of the forgiveness Messiah would bring. All that Jesus is and did is the culmination of divine promises made centuries earlier. The last recorded line of Peter’s message, everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins, is essential. Every component is critical to the gospel. Everyone indicates the universal offer of saving grace (cf. Acts 2:39; 13:39; Rom. 9:33; 10:11; 1 Tim. 2:4; 2 Peter 3:9; Rev. 22:17). Who believes in Him indicates the means of receiving saving grace—by faith in Christ alone (Acts 9:42; 11:17; 13:39; 14:23; 15:9; 16:31; 19:4; cf. John 3:14–17; 6:69; Rom. 10:11; Gal. 3:22; Eph. 2:8–9). Receives forgiveness of sins indicates the marvelous, unspeakable privilege conferred by saving grace (Acts 2:38; 13:38–39; cf. Matt. 26:28; Eph. 1:7; Col. 1:14).

SPIRITUAL POWER

While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who were listening to the message. And all the circumcised believers who had come with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out upon the Gentiles also. For they were hearing them speaking with tongues and exalting God. (10:44–46a)

While Peter was still speaking these words his sermon was suddenly and dramatically interrupted. Without the text saying so, it is apparent that when Cornelius and the other Gentiles heard that forgiveness was available through Jesus Christ (v. 43), they believed. In immediate response to their faith, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who were listening to the message. Saving faith results in the indwelling of the Holy Spirit (cf. Rom. 8:9; 1 Cor. 12:13), and to be “devoid of the Spirit” characterizes unbelievers (Jude 19). It is true that the Spirit’s coming was delayed for the Samaritans. Although they were saved through Philip’s preaching, they had to wait until the arrival of Peter and John. As noted in the discussion of Acts 8:14–19 in chapter 19, however, that was to emphasize the unity of Samaritans and Jews in the church. No such delay was needed here, since the apostle Peter was already present.

Acts 8 does not establish the norm for receiving the Spirit. If believers were always to be saved and then later to receive the Spirit, why did Cornelius and the others receive the Spirit the moment they were saved? The view of some that they were already saved and merely received the Spirit here runs afoul of 11:14. Further, if they were already saved and this were simply the occasion of their receiving the Spirit, why did Peter preach the gospel? Why did he not instead give them teaching on how to receive the Spirit? The Spirit’s coming required no petition, no confession, no water baptism, and no laying on of hands. He came as they listened and believed. That is clear from Peter’s inspired testimony in Acts 11:17 that God had given them the Holy Spirit, “after believing in the Lord Jesus Christ.”

There can be no such thing as a Christian without the Holy Spirit, since He is essential to the Christian life. The Holy Spirit grants power to witness (Acts 1:8) and pray (Rom. 8:26). Through His ministry comes assurance of salvation (Rom. 8:16), since by Him believers are “sealed for the day of redemption” (Eph. 4:30; cf. Eph. 1:13). He is the “pledge of our inheritance” (Eph. 1:14) and also our teacher (1 John 2:27).

Peter was no doubt startled by what happened, though he had previously seen the same reality with the Samaritans. But all the circumcised believers who had come with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out upon the Gentiles also. For they were hearing them speaking with tongues and exalting God. These six brethren Peter brought with him from Joppa were astonished that the Gentiles were saved and received the Spirit. That the church was not to be exclusively Jewish must have come as quite a shock to them. Yet they could hardly deny what was happening, since they were hearing the Gentiles speaking with tongues and exalting God.

This passage does not teach that speaking in tongues is normally to be expected with the coming of the Spirit. The Spirit granted it on this occasion as visible proof that He indwelt these Gentiles. He knew that the Jewish brethren with Peter would be hard to convince, so He granted the same manifestation experienced by Jewish Christians at Pentecost. It should be noted that here, as throughout Acts, speaking in tongues is a group, not an individual, phenomenon. (For a discussion of speaking in tongues, see chapter 3 of this commentary, my book Charismatic Chaos [Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1992], and 1 Corinthians, MacArthur New Testament Commentary [Chicago: Moody, 1984].)

SYMBOLIC CONFESSION

Then Peter answered, “Surely no one can refuse the water for these to be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we did, can he?” And he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. (10:46b-48a)

Here, as always in the New Testament, baptism follows salvation. Indeed, Peter’s entire argument for baptizing Cornelius and the others rests on the fact that they had received the Holy Spirit, and therefore were saved. Baptism thus plays no part in salvation. Through it, believers publicly confess in symbolic fashion the inner transformation of salvation. Rather than do it himself, Peter wisely ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ by the Jewish Christians who accompanied him. He thus involved the Jews in this momentous reality, knowing they would then be even more willing to support it. Peter could anticipate the reaction when he reported back to Jerusalem, and wanted all the support he could muster.

SWEET FELLOWSHIP

Then they asked him to stay on for a few days. (10:48b)

Since the joy of fellowship with those of like precious faith, and the opportunity to learn from the noble apostle all they could about their Lord and salvation was so precious, Cornelius and his fellow converts asked Peter to stay on for a few days. The desire for Christian fellowship and learning they expressed is a mark of genuine saving faith. Lydia (Acts 16:15) expressed a similar desire after her conversion.

This epochal chapter has witnessed the inclusion of Gentiles as equals in the church. The last barrier has fallen. Peter later described this great experience in Acts 15:7–8: “Brethren, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe. And God, who knows the heart, bore witness to them, giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He also did to us.” The way was thus opened for the spread of Christianity throughout the Roman world through the tireless missionary efforts of the early church.