God speaks to Cornelius about Peter

Cornelius, a Gentile who served God

1) At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion in what was known as the Italian Regiment. 2) He and all his family were devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly.

The first thing we are told about Cornelius is that he is an officer in the Roman Army; something that would have made him all the more hated by any patriotic Jew. "Thirty-two such Italian cohorts were stationed in the different provinces of the empire. They were made up of Italian volunteers and were considered the most loyal Roman troops."

Yet, Cornelius was a devout man; a man who feared God, prayed to God always and gave generously to those who were in need. Cornelius was in the category of what the Jews called God-fearers; these were Gentiles who loved the God of Israel and were sympathetic to and supportive of the Jewish faith; yet they stopped short of becoming full Jews in lifestyle and in circumcision.

Here was a man who obviously had a real relationship with God, yet outside of the channels accepted by the Judaism of the day

Caesarea was a predominately Roman city on the shores of the Mediterranean in Judea. It was the headquarters of the Roman governor of Judea; archaeologists have discovered a stone from a building in Caesarea inscribed with the name Pontus Pilate.

God, by an angel, tells Cornelius to get Peter

3) One day at about three in the afternoon he had a vision. He distinctly saw an angel of God, who came to him and said, "Cornelius!"
4) Cornelius stared at him in fear. "What is it, Lord?" he asked.
5) The angel answered, "Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before God. Now send men to Joppa to bring back a man named Simon who is called Peter. 6) He is staying with Simon the tanner, whose house is by the sea."

Probably, Cornelius didn't even know who Peter was; but he knew that he should do what God told him to do.

It is significant that God speaks to Cornelius so directly (and that Cornelius responds with a healthy fear of the heavenly and holy); this shows that Cornelius had a real relationship with God.

God sent an angel to Cornelius, but He used a man to preach the gospel to him. "Angels may help to connect men with God's appointed preachers; they are never allowed to do more."

Peter obeys the command of God and sends for Peter

7) When the angel who spoke to him had gone, Cornelius called two of his servants and a devout soldier who was one of his attendants. 8) He told them everything that had happened and sent them to Joppa.

Peter's vision of the great sheet

Peter on Simon the Tanner's roof

9) About noon the following day as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray. 10) He became hungry and wanted something to eat, and while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance.

As God was speaking to Cornelius, Cornelius was sending the messengers to call Peter, God was also speaking to Peter himself. Typically, this is how God does things; He speaks to several people about a matter, not just one; then confirmation is provided. "Two men are thirty miles apart. They must be brought together. In order that they may meet, while Joppa is busy with its trade, and Caesarea with its great shipping interests, and will know nothing of what is going on; God within the shadows keeping watch above His own, sends the angel to Caesarea, and grants the ecstatic trance in Joppa. They were thus brought together."

The housetop was normally used in that culture as a sort of "patio"; there was nothing strange about Peter going here for prayer.

Peter's vision

11) He saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners. 12) It contained all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles of the earth and birds of the air. 13) Then a voice told him, "Get up, Peter. Kill and eat."
14) "Surely not, Lord!" Peter replied. "I have never eaten anything impure or unclean."
15) The voice spoke to him a second time, "Do not call anything impure that God has made clean."
16) This happened three times, and immediately the sheet was taken back to heaven.  

He sees all sorts of kosher and un-kosher animals prominently displayed on this sheet-like background; then a command that he should Rise, Peter, kill and eat. Interesting that when Peter was so hungry, that God spoke to him through a vision regarding food!

A voice came to him; how does God speak to us? Rarely in an audible voice; more often, it is a speaking to our inner man. "God does not need sound waves to fall on an ear drum to speak to a man. When it pleases him to do so, he can speak directly to one's mind where all sound waves are finally interpreted."

This obviously goes against Peter's commitment as a Jew, to never eat anything except kosher foods.

His response is both absurd, yet typical of us: he says no the his Lord; the only legitimate answer to a request of our Lord is yes. Peter had a bad habit of telling Jesus, "no" (Matthew 16:22, John 13:8).

The response from God is clear: What God has cleansed [declared clean] you must not call common [impure, unholy, and unacceptable to God]. In Old Testament thought, there was the holy and the common. The holy was made common when it came into contact with something common, and could only be made holy again through a ritual cleansing. When something was made holy it was called consecration; when it was made common it was called desecration. As far as Peter is now concerned, the application is only valid regarding the eating of foods; but God will show Peter that He is really getting at another point.

For deep emphasis, God repeats this vision three times.

God makes Peter aware of the arrival of the messengers from Cornelius

17) While Peter was wondering about the meaning of the vision, the men sent by Cornelius found out where Simon's house was and stopped at the gate. 18) They called out, asking if Simon who was known as Peter was staying there.
19) While Peter was still thinking about the vision, the Spirit said to him, "Simon, three men are looking for you. 20) So get up and go downstairs. Do not hesitate to go with them, for I have sent them."

Just as the vision ends, the messengers come, and God speaks to Peter about how he should receive these Gentile visitors.

Peter goes with the messengers back to Caesarea to see Cornelius

21) Peter went down and said to the men, "I'm the one you're looking for. Why have you come?"
22) The men replied, "We have come from Cornelius the centurion. He is a righteous and God-fearing man, who is respected by all the Jewish people. A holy angel told him to have you come to his house so that he could hear what you have to say." 23) Then Peter invited the men into the house to be his guests.

We wonder if Peter would have gone in the company of these Gentile messengers (something no devout Jew would do) if God had not specifically told him to do so before hand. Yet, we can see how God gradually prepared Peter to come to this point long before - by bringing "half-Jews" (Samaritans) into the church back at chapter 8; and Peter's willingness to stay with an "unclean" Jew (Simon the Tanner).

"The trade of a tanner was held in such supreme contempt that if a girl was betrothed to a tanner without knowing that he followed that calling, the betrothal was void." "Centuries ago another Jew had come to Joppa with a solemn message from his God, which he was commissioned to bear far hence to the Gentiles. Jonah, the prophet, took a ship from Joppa and refused obedience to the divine call."

Even the act of inviting these Gentiles into the house where he was staying, and letting them spend the night there was an offense against Jewish custom regarding the treatment of Gentiles. Yet, it was not an offense against the laws of the Old Testament.  It is true that God never wanted the Jews to become like their Gentile neighbors; yet He wanted Israel to be a beacon light, so that the nations would come to God through the example and compassion of Israel.

The meeting between Cornelius and Peter

Peter comes to Cornelius' house and explains why he has come

24) The next day Peter started out with them, and some of the brothers from Joppa went along. The following day he arrived in Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends. 25) As Peter entered the house, Cornelius met him and fell at his feet in reverence. 26) But Peter made him get up. "Stand up," he said, "I am only a man myself."
27) Talking with him, Peter went inside and found a large gathering of people. 28) He said to them: "You are well aware that it is against our law for a Jew to associate with a Gentile or visit him. But God has shown me that I should not call any man impure or unclean. 29) So when I was sent for, I came without raising any objection. May I ask why you sent for me?"

Cornelius was waiting for them: what faith in God Cornelius has! He is waiting for Peter to come, knowing that since God motivated him to call Peter in the first place, God would bring the plan to completion.

Cornelius didn't know Peter, but must have thought him to be a special man of God; the reaction of falling down at his feet and worshipping Peter is understandable, though wrong. Significantly, whenever worship is offered to men or angels (Revelation 19:10), it is refused; but Jesus received such worship freely (Matthew 8:2; 9:18; 14:33; 15:25; 28:9), proving that Jesus is more than a man and greater than any angel (Luke 4:8).  In the great St. Peter's cathedral in Rome, there is a huge statue of Peter, where people come and kiss the toe of the statue. Peter ought to visit the cathedral named after him and set those people straight. "Peter refused both to be treated by Cornelius as if he were a god, and to treat Cornelius as if he were a dog."

He went in is one of the shortest, yet most important passages of the section; Peter is actually entering the house of a Gentile, something that Jewish custom strictly prohibited. "The principle subject of this chapter is not so much the conversion of Cornelius as the conversion of Peter."

Peter explains the message he received in the vision, realizing that God wasn't just (or even primarily) talking about food in the vision. Although, we also do understand that believers are not under any obligation to keep a kosher diet; what we eat may be better or worse from a health perspective, but it doesn't make us any more right with God. Do you not perceive that whatever enters a man from outside cannot defile him, because it does not enter his heart, but his stomach, and is eliminated, thus purifying all foods? (Mark 7:19). I know and am convinced by the Lord Jesus that there is nothing unclean of itself (Romans 14:14). Therefore let no one judge you in food or in drink . . . which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ (Colossians 2:16-17). Yet the connection between unclean persons and unclean foods was important; "It was largely because of their lack of scruples in food matters that Gentiles were ritually unsafe people for a pious Jew to meet socially."

Therefore I came confirms it; if Peter had not received this vision, he would have never traveled with these Gentile messengers!

Cornelius explains why he sent for Peter

30) Cornelius answered: "Four days ago I was in my house praying at this hour, at three in the afternoon. Suddenly a man in shining clothes stood before me 31) and said, 'Cornelius, God has heard your prayer and remembered your gifts to the poor. 32) Send to Joppa for Simon who is called Peter. He is a guest in the home of Simon the tanner, who lives by the sea.' 33) So I sent for you immediately, and it was good of you to come. Now we are all here in the presence of God to listen to everything the Lord has commanded you to tell us."

Peter's short sermon to the Gentiles at Cornelius' house

34) Then Peter began to speak: "I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism 35) but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right. 36) You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, telling the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all. 37) You know what has happened throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached—38) how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.
39) "We are witnesses of everything he did in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They killed him by hanging him on a tree, 40) but God raised him from the dead on the third day and caused him to be seen. 41) He was not seen by all the people, but by witnesses whom God had already chosen--by us who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. 42) He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead. 43) All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name."

In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality is the foundation for Peter's understanding that the gospel should now go forth to Gentiles; and it goes completely against the prevailing Jewish thought that God certainly did show partiality, in essence loving the Jews while hating the Gentiles.

A Jewish man would begin every day with a prayer thanking God that he was not a slave, a Gentile, or a woman; a basic part of the Jewish religion in the days of the New Testament was an oath that promised that one would never help a Gentile under any circumstances, even to the extent of giving directions if they were asked - and to the point of even refusing to help a gentile woman at the point of her sorest need - when she was giving birth - because the result would only be bringing another gentile into the world.

If a Jew married a Gentile, the Jewish community would have a funeral for the Jew and consider them dead. It was thought that to even enter the house of a Gentile made a Jew unclean before God. Ancient Jewish writings tell us of a Gentile woman who came to a rabbi. She confessed that she was a sinner and asked to be admitted to the Jewish faith. "Rabbi," she said, "bring me near." The Rabbi refused and shut the door in her face.

But the Gentiles could give as well. They despised the Jews as weird traditionalists, and believed that they were evil plotters who worshipped pigs - after all, they refused to eat pork! All of this was to change with the spread of the gospel; Christianity was the first religion to disregard racial, cultural and national limitations.  But remember that when the Jews showed racism they were not being faithful to the Old Testament; the idea that God shows no partiality is also stated in Deuteronomy 10:17 and 2 Chronicles 19:7.

Peter's point in saying but in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him is not so imply that men like Cornelius were already right with God and need not become Christians; instead the point is that they need not feel excluded from God because of their national background.

Notably, Peter's preaching to the Gentiles is essentially the same as his preaching to the Jews: he presents the person and work of Jesus Christ, with an emphasis on the resurrection of Jesus and our responsibility before God in light of these things.

The brief sermon concludes with an understanding of the broadness of God's promise of salvation: whoever [Jew or Gentile!] believes in Him will receive remission of sins.

The group at Cornelius’ house was prepared to hear the message Peter brought; our blessing is increased greatly when we prepare ourselves to hear the word of God.

These God-fearing Gentiles are saved, filled with the Holy Spirit and baptized

44) While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. 45) The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles. 46) For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God.
47) Then Peter said, "Can anyone keep these people from being baptized with water? They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have." 48) So he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked Peter to stay with them for a few days.

Their salvation: apparently, each one of these Gentiles responded to the message of Peter with believing faith in their hearts, so that they were actually saved while they listened. The moment of a person's salvation isn't necessarily when they raise a hand or come forward at an evangelistic invitation; it is more likely at the moment they surrender to God and embrace Jesus in the sincerity of their hearts. Gentiles had probably been saved in the eight years since Pentecost; but they were saved as they embraced Judaism as well as Christianity; Gentiles may have been saved but they were saved as Jews, not Gentiles.

Their filling with the Holy Spirit was accompanied by the demonstration of spiritual gifts; this was both a filling with the Holy Spirit in the sense that He indwells and abides in every believer, and a filling in the sense of a special empowering with gifts and graces from the Holy Spirit. The Jewish Christians present were amazed; they may have understood that God was now "starting" to love the Gentiles, but who would have thought God would fill Gentiles with the Holy Spirit the same as Jews? When they spoke with tongues, it was to magnify God, not to teach men; the audience was God, not man, consistent with the principle of 1 Corinthians 14:2.

The baptism did not save them; it instead recognized the salvation they had already received.

Isn't it great that Peter was willing to let the Holy Spirit interrupt his sermon? The Holy Spirit was doing the greater work in the hearts of those listening, and Peter went with the flow.

The coming of Gentiles into the church was not a "new" plan, but something promised long before.

The Old Testament looked for the day when a light would shine in the darkness of the Gentile world (Isaiah 60:1-3).

God promised Abraham, and his descendants, that the blessing which came through him would extend to all nations (Genesis 12:1-4).

Remember Jesus' promise of other sheep, not of this fold in John 10:16.

The first Gentile that Jesus dealt with in His public ministry was a Roman centurion from Capernaum; when Jesus healed the centurion's servant, He declared that many will come from east and west, and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 8:5-13).

We should also see that Cornelius was an undoubtedly good man; yet he needed Jesus. Even good people, who are respectful towards God, still need to come to Jesus as their Lord and Savior.

Chapter 11

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