A
C T S
CHAP. X.
It
is a turn very new and remarkable which the story of this chapter gives to the
Acts of the apostles; hitherto, both at Jerusalem and every where else where
the ministers of Christ came, they preached the gospel only to the Jews, or
those Greeks that were circumcised and proselyted to the Jews' religion; but
now, "Lo, we turn to the Gentiles;" and to them the door of faith is
here opened: good news indeed to us sinners of the Gentiles. The apostle Peter
is the man that is first employed to admit uncircumcised Gentiles into the
Christian church; and Cornelius, a Roman centurion or colonel, is the first
that with his family and friends is so admitted. Now here we are told, I. How
Cornelius was directed by a vision to send for Peter, and did send for him
accordingly, ver. 1-8. II. How Peter was directed by a vision to go to
Cornelius, though he was a Gentile, without making any scruple of it, and did
go accordingly, ver. 9-23. III. The happy interview between Peter and
Cornelius at Cesarea, ver. 24-33. IV. The sermon Peter preached in the house
of Cornelius to him and to his friends, ver. 34-43. V. The baptizing of
Cornelius and his friends with the Holy Ghost first, and then with water, ver.
44-48.
1 There was a certain man in Cæsarea called
Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian band,
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. 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. 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.
5 And now send men to Joppa, and call for one Simon, whose surname is
Peter: 6 He lodgeth with one Simon a tanner, whose house is by the
sea side: he shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do. 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; 8 And when he had declared all these things
unto them, he sent them to Joppa.
The bringing of the gospel to the Gentiles, and the bringing of those who had
been strangers and foreigners to be fellow-citizens with the saints, and of
the household of God, were such a mystery to the apostles themselves, and such
a surprise (Eph. iii. 3, 6), that it concerns us carefully to observe all the
circumstances of the beginning of this great work, this part of the mystery
of godliness--Christ preached to the Gentiles, and believed on in this world,
1 Tim. iii. 16. It is not unlikely that some Gentiles might before now have
stepped into a synagogue of the Jews, and heard the gospel preached; but the
gospel was never yet designedly preached to the Gentiles, nor any of them
baptized--Cornelius was the first; and here we have,
I. An account given us of this Cornelius, who and what he was, who was the
first-born of the Gentiles to Christ. We are here told that he was a great man
and a good man--two characters that seldom meet, but here they did; and where
they do meet they put a lustre upon each other: goodness makes greatness truly
valuable, and greatness makes goodness much more serviceable. 1. Cornelius was
an officer of the army, v. 1. He was at present quartered in Cesarea, a
strong city, lately re-edified and fortified by Herod the Great, and called Cesarea
in honour of Augustus Cæsar. It lay upon the sea-shore, very convenient for
the keeping up of a correspondence between Rome and its conquests in those
parts. The Roman governor or proconsul ordinarily resided here, ch.
xxiii. 23, 24; xxv. 6. Here there was a band, or cohort, or regiment, of the
Roman army, which probably was the governor's life-guard, and is here called the
Italian band, because, that they might be the more sure of their fidelity,
they were all native Romans, or Italians. Cornelius had a command in this part
of the army. His name, Cornelius was much used among the Romans, among
some of the most ancient and noble families. He was an officer of considerable
rank and figure, a centurion. We read of one of that rank in our Saviour's
time, of whom he gave a great commendation, Matt. viii. 10. When a Gentile
must be pitched upon to receive the gospel first, it is not a Gentile
philosopher, much less a Gentile priest (who are bigoted to their notions and
worship, and prejudiced against the gospel of Christ), but a Gentile soldier,
who is a man of more free thought; and he that truly is so, when the Christian
doctrine is fairly set before him, cannot but receive it and bid it welcome.
Fishermen, unlearned and ignorant men, were the first of the Jewish converts,
but not so of the Gentiles; for the world shall know that the gospel has that
in it which may recommend it to men of polite learning and a liberal
education, as we have reason to think this centurion was. Let not soldiers and
officers of the army plead that their employment frees them from the
restraints which some others are under, and, giving them an opportunity of
living more at large, may excuse them if they be not religious; for here was
an officer of the army that embraced Christianity, and yet was neither turned
out of his place nor turned himself out. And, lastly, it was a
mortification to the Jews that not only the Gentiles were taken into the
church, but that the first who was taken in was an officer of the Roman army,
which was to them the abomination of desolation. 2. He was, according
to the measure of the light he had, a religious man. It is a very good
character that is given of him, v. 2. He was no idolater, no worshipper
of false gods or images, nor allowed himself in any of those immoralities to
which the greater part of the Gentile world were given up, to punish them for
their idolatry. (1.) He was possessed with a principle of regard to the true
and living God. He was a devout man and one that feared God. He
believed in one God, the Creator of heaven and earth, and had a reverence for
his glory and authority, and a dread of offending him by sin; and, though he
was a soldier, it was no diminution to the credit of his valour to tremble
before God. (2.) He kept up religion in his family. He feared God with all
his house. He would not admit any idolaters under his roof, but took care
that not himself only, but all his, should serve the Lord. Every good man will
do what he can that those about him may be good too. (3.) He was a very
charitable man: He gave much alms to the people, the people of the
Jews, notwithstanding the singularities of their religion. Though he was a
Gentile, he was willing to contribute to the relief of one that was a real
object of charity, without asking what religion he was of. (4.) He was much in
prayer: He prayed to God always. He kept up stated times for prayer,
and was constant to them. Note, Wherever the fear of God rules in the heart,
it will appear both in works of charity and of piety, and neither will excuse
us from the other.
II. The orders given him from heaven, by the ministry of an angel, to send for
Peter to come to him, which he would never have done if he had not been thus
directed to do it. Observe,
1. How, and in what way, these orders were given him. He had a vision, in
which an angel delivered them to him. It was about the ninth hour of the
day, at three of the clock in the afternoon, which is with us an hour of
business and conversation; but then, because it was in the temple the time of
offering the evening sacrifice, it was made by devout people an hour of
prayer, to intimate that all our prayers are to be offered up in the
virtue of the great sacrifice. Cornelius was now at prayer: so he tells us
himself, v. 30. Now here we are told, (1.) That an angel of God came
in to him. By the brightness of his countenance, and the manner of his
coming in, he knew him to be something more than a man, and therefore nothing
less than an angel, an express from heaven. (2.) That he saw him evidently
with his bodily eyes, not in a dream presented to his imagination, but in a
vision presented to his sight; for his greater satisfaction, it carried its
own evidence along with it. (3.) That he called him by his name, Cornelius,
to intimate the particular notice God took of him. (4.) That this put
Cornelius for the present into some confusion (v. 4): When he looked
on him he was afraid. The wisest and best men have been struck with fear
upon the appearance of any extra-ordinary messenger from heaven; and justly,
for sinful man knows that he has no reason to expect any good tidings thence.
And therefore Cornelius cries, "What is it, Lord? What is the
matter?" This he speaks as one afraid of something amiss, and longing to
be eased of that fear, by knowing the truth; or as one desirous to know the
mind of God, and ready to comply with it, as Joshua: What saith my Lord
unto his servant? And Samuel: Speak, for thy servant heareth.
2. What the message was that was delivered to him.
(1.) He is assured that God accepts him in walking according to the light he
had (v. 4): Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial
before God. Observe, Prayers and alms must go together. We must follow our
prayers with alms; for the fast that God hath chosen is to draw out the
soul to the hungry, Isa. lviii. 6, 7. It is not enough to pray that what
we have may be sanctified to us, but we must give alms of such things as we
have; and then, behold, all things are clean to us, Luke xi. 41. And we
must follow our alms with our prayers that God would graciously accept them,
and that they may be blessed to those to whom they are given. Cornelius
prayed, and gave alms, not as the Pharisees, to be seen of men, but in
sincerity, as unto God; and he is here told that they were come up for a
memorial before God. They were upon record in heaven, in the book of
remembrance that is written there for all that fear God, and shall be
remembered to his advantage: "Thy prayers shall be answered, and thine
alms recompensed." The sacrifices under the law are said to be for a
memorial. See Lev. ii. 9, 16; v. 12; vi. 15. And prayers and alms are our
spiritual offerings, which God is pleased to take cognizance of, and have
regard to. The divine revelation communicated to the Jews, as far as the
Gentiles were concerned in it, not only as it directed and improved the light
and law of nature, but as it promised a Messiah to come, Cornelius believed
and submitted to. What he did he did in that faith, and was accepted of God in
it; for the Gentiles, to whom the law of Moses came, were not obliged to
become circumcised Jews, as those to whom the gospel of Christ comes are to
become baptized Christians.
(2.) He is appointed to enquire after a further discovery of divine grace, now
lately made to the world, v. 5, 6. He must send forthwith to
Joppa, and enquire for one Simon Peter; he lodgeth at the house of one Simon a
tanner; his house is by the sea side, and, if he be sent for, he will
come; and when he comes he shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do, in
answer to thy question, What is it, Lord? Now here are two things very
surprising, and worthy our consideration-- [1.] Cornelius prays and gives alms
in the fear of God, is religious himself and keeps up religion in his family,
and all this so as to be accepted of God in it, and yet there is something
further that he ought to do--he ought to embrace the Christian religion, now
that God has established it among men. Not, He may do it if he pleases; it
will be an improvement and entertainment to him. But, He must do it; it is
indispensably necessary to his acceptance with God for the future, though he
has been accepted in his services hitherto. He that believed the promise of
the Messiah must now believe the performance of that promise. Now that God has
given a further record concerning his Son than what had been given in the
Old-Testament prophecies he requires that we receive this when it is brought
to us; and now neither our prayers nor our alms can come up for a memorial
before God unless we believe in Jesus Christ, for it is that further which we
ought to do. This is his commandment, that we believe. Prayers and alms
are accepted from those that believe that the Lord is God, and have not
opportunity of knowing more; but, from those to whom it is preached that Jesus
is Christ, it is necessary to the acceptance of their persons, prayers, and
alms, that they believe this, and rest upon him alone for acceptance. [2.]
Cornelius has now an angel from heaven talking to him, and yet he must not
receive the gospel of Christ from this angel, nor be told by him what he ought
to do, but all that the angel has to say is, "Send for Peter, and he
shall tell thee." As the former observation puts a mighty honour upon the
gospel, so does this upon the gospel ministry: it was not to the highest of
angels, but to those who were less that the least of all saints, that this
grace was given, to preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of
Christ (Eph. iii. 8), that the excellency of the power might be of God,
and the dignity of an institution of Christ supported; for unto the angels
hath he not put in subjection the world to come (Heb. ii. 5), but to the
Son of man as the sovereign, and the sons of men as his agents and ministers
of state, whose terrors shall not make us afraid, nor their hand be heavy
upon us, as this angel's now was to Cornelius. And as it was an honour to
the apostle that he must preach that which an angel might not, so it was a
further honour that an angel was despatched on purpose from heaven to order
him to be sent for. To bring a faithful minister and a willing people together
is a work worthy of an angel, and what therefore the greatest of men should be
glad to be employed in.
III. His immediate obedience to these orders, v. 7, 8. He sent with all
speed to Joppa, to fetch Peter to him. Had he himself only been concerned, he
would have gone to Joppa to him. But he had a family, and kinsmen, and friends
(v. 24), a little congregation of them, that could not go with him to
Joppa, and therefore he sends for Peter. Observe, 1. When he sent: As soon as
ever the angel which spoke unto him had departed, without dispute or
delay, he was obedient to the heavenly vision. He perceived, by what the angel
said, he was to have some further work prescribed him, and he longed to have
it told him. He made haste, and delayed not, to do this commandment. In any
affair wherein our souls are concerned it is good for us not to lose time. 2.
Whom he sent: Two of his household servants, who all feared God, and
a devout soldier, one of those that waited on him continually.
Observe, a devout centurion had devout soldiers. A little devotion commonly
goes a great way with soldiers, but there would be more of it in the soldiers
if there were but more of it in the commanders. Officers in an army, that have
such a great power over the soldiers, as we find the centurion had (Matt.
viii. 9), have a great opportunity of promoting religion, at least of
restraining vice and profaneness, in those under their command, if they would
but improve it. Observe, When this centurion had to choose some of his
soldiers to attend his person, and to be always about him, he pitched upon
such of them as were devout; they shall be preferred and countenanced, to
encourage others to be so. He went by David's rule (Ps. ci. 6), Mine eye
shall be upon the faithful in the land, that they may dwell with me. 3.
What instructions he gave them (v. 8): He declared all these things
unto them, told them of the vision he had, and the orders given him to
send for Peter, because Peter's coming was a thing in which they were
concerned, for they had souls to save as well as he. Therefore he does not
only tell them where to find Peter (which he might have thought it enough to
do--the servant knows not what his Lord doeth), but he tells them on
what errand he was to come, that they might importune him.
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: 10 And he became very hungry, and would have eaten:
but while they made ready, he fell into a trance, 11 And saw
heaven opened, and a certain vessel descending unto him, as it had been a
great sheet knit at the four corners, and let down to the earth:
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. 14 But Peter said, Not
so, Lord; for I have never eaten any thing that is common or unclean.
15 And the voice spake unto him again the second time, What God hath
cleansed, that call not thou common. 16 This was done
thrice: and the vessel was received up again into heaven. 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 enquiry for Simon's
house, and stood before the gate, 18 And called, and asked whether
Simon, which was surnamed Peter, were lodged there.
Cornelius had received positive orders from heaven to send for Peter, whom
otherwise he had not heard of, or at least not heeded; but here is another
difficulty that lies in the way of bringing them together--the question is
whether Peter will come to Cornelius when he is sent for; not as if he thought
it below him to come at a beck, or as if he were afraid to preach his doctrine
to a polite man as Cornelius was: but it sticks at a point of conscience.
Cornelius is a very worthy man, and has many good qualities, but he is a
Gentile, he is not circumcised; and, because God in his law had forbidden his
people to associate with idolatrous nations, they would not keep company with
any but those of their own religion, though they were ever so deserving, and
they carried the matter so far that they made even the involuntary touch of a
Gentile to contract a ceremonial pollution, John xviii. 28. Peter had not got
over this stingy bigoted notion of his countrymen, and therefore will be shy
of coming to Cornelius. Now, to remove this difficulty, he has a vision here,
to prepare him to receive the message sent him by Cornelius, as Ananias had to
prepare him to go to Paul. The scriptures of the Old Testament had spoken
plainly of the bringing in of the Gentiles into the church. Christ had given
plain intimations of it when he ordered them to teach all nations; and
yet even Peter himself, who knew so much of his Master's mind, could not
understand it, till it was here revealed by vision, that the Gentiles
should be fellow-heirs, Eph. iii. 6. Now here observe,
I. The circumstances of this vision.
1. It was when the messengers sent from Cornelius were now nigh the city,
v. 9. Peter knew nothing of their approach, and they knew nothing of
his praying; but he that knew both him and them was preparing things for the
interview, and facilitating the end of their negotiation. To all God's
purposes there is a time, a proper time; and he is pleased often to
bring things to the minds of his ministers, which they had not thought of,
just then when they have occasion to use them.
2. It was when Peter went up upon the house-top to pray, about noon.
(1.) Peter was much in prayer, much in secret prayer, though he had a great
deal of public work upon his hands. (2.) He prayed about the sixth hour,
according to David's example, who, not only morning and evening, but at
noon, addressed himself to God by prayer, Ps. lv. 17. From morning to
night we should think to be too long to be without meat; yet who thinks it is
too long to be without prayer? (3.) He prayed upon the house-top;
thither he retired for privacy, where he could neither hear nor be heard, and
so might avoid both distraction and ostentation. There, upon the roof of the
house, he had a full view of the heavens, which might assist his pious
adoration of the God he prayed to; and there he had also a full view of the
city and country, which might assist his pious compassion of the people he
prayed for. (4.) He had this vision immediately after he had prayed, as an
answer to his prayer for the spreading of the gospel, and because the ascent
of the heart to God in prayer is an excellent preparative to receive the
discoveries of the divine grace and favour.
3. It was when he became very hungry, and was waiting for his dinner (v.
10); probably he had not that day eaten before, though doubtless he had prayed
before; and now he would have eaten, hqele
geusasqai--he would have tasted, which
intimates his great moderation and temperance in eating. When he was very
hungry, yet he would be content with a little, with a taste, and would not fly
upon the spoil. Now this hunger was a proper inlet to the vision about
meats, as Christ's hunger in the wilderness was to Satan's temptation to turn
stones into bread.
II. The vision itself, which was not so plain as that to Cornelius, but more
figurative and enigmatical, to make the deeper impression. 1. He fell into
a trance or ecstasy, not of terror, but of contemplation, with which he
was so entirely swallowed up as not only not to be regardful, but not to be
sensible, of external things. He quite lost himself to this world, and so had
his mind entirely free for converse with divine things; as Adam in innocency,
when the deep sleep fell upon him. The more clear we get of the world, the
more near we get to heaven: whether Peter was now in the body or out of the
body he could not himself tell, much less can we, 2 Cor. xii. 2, 3. See
Gen. xv. 12; Acts xxii. 17. 2. He saw heaven opened, that he might be
sure that his authority to go to Cornelius was indeed from heaven--that it was
a divine light which altered his sentiments, and a divine power which gave him
his commission. The opening of the heavens signified the opening of a mystery
that had been hid, Rom. xvi. 25. 3. He saw a great sheet full of all manner
of living creatures, which descended from heaven, and was let down to him to
the earth, that is, to the roof of the house where he now was. Here were
not only beasts of the earth, but fowls of the air, which might have flown
away, laid at his feet; and not only tame beasts, but wild. Here were no
fishes of the sea, because there were none of them in particular unclean, but
whatever had fins and scales was allowed to be eaten. Some make this sheet,
thus filled, to represent the church of Christ. It comes down from heaven,
from heaven opened, not only to send it down (Rev. xxi. 2), but to receive
souls sent up from it. It is knit at the four corners, to receive those from
all parts of the world that are willing to be added to it; and to retain and
keep those safe that are taken into it, that they may not fall out; and in
this we find some of all countries, nations, and languages, without any
distinction of Greek or Jew, or any disadvantage put upon Barbarian or
Scythian, Col. iii. 11. The net of the gospel encloses all, both bad and good,
those that before were clean and unclean. Or it may be applied to the bounty
of the divine Providence, which, antecedently to the prohibitions of the
ceremonial law, had given to man a liberty to use all the creatures, to which
by the cancelling of that law we are now restored. By this vision we are
taught to see all the benefit and service we have from the inferior creatures
coming down to us from heaven; it is the gift of God who made them, made them
fit for us, and then gave to man a right to them, and dominion over them.
Lord, what is man that he should be thus magnified! Ps. viii. 4-8. How should
it double our comfort in the creatures, and our obligations to serve God in
the use of them, to see them thus let down to us out of heaven! 4. He was
ordered by a voice from heaven to make use of this plenty and variety which
God had sent him (v. 13): "Rise, Peter, kill and eat:
without putting any difference between clean and unclean, take which thou hast
most mind to." The distinction of meats which the law made was intended
to put a difference between Jew and Gentile, that it might be difficult to
them to dine and sup with a Gentile, because they would have that set before
them which they were not allowed to eat; and now the taking off of that
prohibition was a plain allowance to converse with the Gentiles, and to be
free and familiar with them. Now they might fare as they fared, and therefore
might eat with them, and be fellow-commoners with them. 5. He stuck to his
principles, and would by no means hearken to the motion, though he was hungry
(v. 14): Not so, Lord. Though hunger will break through stone
walls, God's laws should be to us a stronger fence than stone walls, and not
so easily broken through. And he will adhere to God's laws, though he has a
countermand by a voice from heaven, not knowing at first but that Kill, and
eat, was a command of trial whether he would adhere to the more sure word,
the written law; and if so his answer had been very good, Not so, Lord.
Temptations to eat forbidden fruit must not be parleyed with, but peremptorily
rejected; we must startle at the thought of it: Not so, Lord. The
reason he gives is, "For I have never eaten any thing that is common
or unclean; hitherto I have kept my integrity in this matter, and will
still keep it." If God, by his grace, has preserved us from gross sin
unto this day, we should use this as an argument with ourselves to abstain from
all appearance of evil. So strict were the pious Jews in this matter, that
the seven brethren, those glorious martyrs under Antiochus, choose rather to
be tortured to death in the most cruel manner that ever was than to eat
swine's flesh, because it was forbidden by the law. No wonder then that Peter
says it with so much pleasure, that his conscience could witness for him that
he had never gratified his appetite with any forbidden food. 6. God, by a
second voice from heaven, proclaimed the repeal of the law in this case (v.
15): What God hath cleansed, that call thou not common. He that made
the law might alter it when he pleased, and reduce the matter to its first
state. God had, for reasons suited to the Old-Testament dispensation,
restrained the Jews from eating such and such meats, to which, while that
dispensation lasted, they were obliged in conscience to submit; but he has
now, for reasons suited to the New-Testament dispensation, taken off that
restraint, and set the matter at large--has cleansed that which was before
polluted to us, and we ought to make use of, and stand fast in, the liberty
wherewith Christ has made us free, and not call that common or unclean
which God has now declared clean. Note, We ought to welcome it as a great
mercy that by the gospel of Christ we are freed from the distinction of meats,
which was made by the law of Moses, and that now every creature of God is
good, and nothing to be refused; not so much because hereby we gain the
use of swine's flesh, hares, rabbits, and other pleasant and wholesome food
for our bodies, but chiefly because conscience is hereby freed from a yoke in
things of this nature, that we might serve God without fear. Though the
gospel has made duties which were not so by the law of nature, yet it has not,
like the law of Moses, made sins that were not so. Those who command to
abstain from some kinds of meat at some times of the year, and place religion
in it, call that common which God hath cleansed, and in that error, more than
in any truth, are the successors of Peter. 7. This was done thrice, v.
16. The sheet was drawn up a little way, and let down again the second time,
and so the third time, with the same call to him, to kill, and eat, and the
same reason, that what God hath cleansed we must not call common; but whether
Peter's refusal was repeated the second and third time is not certain; surely
it was not, when his objection had the first time received such a satisfactory
answer. The trebling of Peter's vision, like the doubling of Pharaoh's dream,
was to show that the thing was certain, and engage him to take so much
the more notice of it. The instructions given us in the things of God, whether
by the ear in the preaching of the word, or by the eye in sacraments, need to
be often repeated; precept must be upon precept, and line upon line.
But at last the vessel was received up into heaven. Those who make this
vessel to represent the church, including both Jews and Gentiles, as this did
both clean and unclean creatures, make this very aptly to signify the
admission of the believing Gentiles into the church, and into heaven too, into
the Jerusalem above. Christ has opened the kingdom of heaven to all
believers, and there we shall find, besides those that are sealed out
of all the tribes of Israel, an innumerable company out of every nation
(Rev. vii. 9); but they are such as God has cleansed.
III. The providence which very opportunely explained this vision, and gave
Peter to understand the intention of it, v. 17, 18. 1. What Christ did,
Peter knew not just then (John xiii. 7): He doubted within himself what
this vision which he had seen should mean. He had no reason to doubt the
truth of it, that it was a heavenly vision; all his doubt was concerning the
meaning of it. Note, Christ reveals himself to his people by degrees, and not
all at once; and leaves them to doubt awhile, to ruminate upon a thing, and
debate it to and fro in their own minds, before he clears it up to them. 2.
Yet he was made to know presently, for the men who were sent from Cornelius
were just now come to the house, and were at the gate enquiring
whether Peter lodged there; and by their errand it will appear what was
the meaning of this vision. Note, God knows what services are before us, and
therefore how to prepare us; and we then better know the meaning of what he
has taught us when we find what occasion we have to make use of it.
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Peter
Directed to Go to Cornelius; Peter Goes to Cornelius;
Interview between Peter and Cornelius.
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19 While Peter thought on the vision, the
Spirit said unto him, Behold, three men seek thee. 20 Arise
therefore, and get thee down, and go with them, doubting nothing: for I have
sent them. 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? 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 a holy angel to send for thee
into his house, and to hear words of thee. 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. 24 And the morrow
after they entered into Cæsarea. And Cornelius waited for them, and had
called together his kinsmen and near friends. 25 And as Peter was
coming in, Cornelius met him, and fell down at his feet, and worshipped him.
26 But Peter took him up, saying, Stand up; I myself also am a man.
27 And as he talked with him, he went in, and found many that were come
together. 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 showed me that I should not call any man common
or unclean. 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? 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, 31 And said, Cornelius,
thy prayer is heard, and thine alms are had in remembrance in the sight of
God. 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. 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.
We have here the meeting between Peter the apostle, and Cornelius the
centurion. Though Paul was designed to be the apostle of the Gentiles, and to
gather in the harvest among them, and Peter to be the apostle of the
circumcision, yet it is ordered that Peter shall break the ice, and reap the
first-fruits of the Gentiles, that the believing Jews, who retained too much
of the old leaven of ill-will to the Gentiles, might be the better reconciled
to their admission into the church, when they were first brought in by their
own apostle, which Peter urges against those that would have imposed
circumcision upon the Gentile converts (ch. xv. 7), You know that
God made choice among us that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of
the gospel. Now here,
I. Peter is directed by the Spirit to go along with Cornelius's messengers (v.
19, 20), and this is the exposition of the vision; now the riddle is unriddled:
While Peter thought on the vision; he was musing upon it, and then it
was opened to him. Note, Those that would be taught the things of God must
think on those things; those that would understand the scriptures must
meditate in them day and night. He was at a loss about it, and then had it
explained, which encourages us, when we know not what to do, to have our eyes
up unto God for direction. Observe, 1. Whence he had the direction. The Spirit
said to him what he should do. It was not spoken to him by an angel, but
spoken in him by the Spirit, secretly whispering it in his ear as it were, as
God spoke to Samuel (1 Sam. ix. 15), or impressing it powerfully upon his
mind, so that he knew it to be a divine afflatus or inspiration, according to
the promise, John xvi. 13. 2. What the direction was. (1.) He is told, before
any of the servants could come up to tell him, that three men below want to
speak with him (v. 19), and he must arise from his musings, leave off
thinking of the vision, and go down to them, v. 20. Those that are
searching into the meaning of the words of God, and the visions of the
Almighty, should not be always poring, no, nor always praying, but should
sometimes look abroad, look about them, and they may meet with that which will
be of use to them in their enquiries; for the scripture is in the fulfilling
every day. (2.) He is ordered to go along with the messengers to Cornelius,
though he was a Gentile, doubting nothing. He must not only go, but go
cheerfully, without reluctance or hesitation, or any scruple concerning the
lawfulness of it; not doubting whether he might go, no, nor whether he ought
to go; for it was his duty "Go with them, for I have sent them:
and I will bear thee out in going along with them, however thou mayest be
censured for it." Note, When we see our call clear to any service, we
should not suffer ourselves to be perplexed with doubts and scruples
concerning it arising from former prejudices or pre-possessions, or a fear of
men's censure. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind, and prove
his own work.
II. He receives both them and their message: He went down to them, v.
21. So far was he from going out of the way, or refusing to be spoken with, as
one that was shy of them, or making them tarry, as one that took state upon
him, that he went to them himself, told them he was the person they were
enquiring for. And 1. He favourably receives their message; with abundance of
openness and condescension he asks what their business is, what they have to
say to him: What is the cause wherefore you are come? and they tell him
their errand (v. 22): "Cornelius, an officer of the Roman
army, a very honest gentleman, and one who has more religion than most of his
neighbours, who fears God above many (Neh. vii. 2), who, though he is
not a Jew himself, has carried it so well that he is of good report among
all the people of the Jews--they will all give him a good word, for a
conscientious, sober, charitable man, so that it will be no discredit to thee
to be seen in his company--he was warned from God," ecrhmatisqh--"he
had an oracle from God, sent to him by an angel" (and the lively
oracles of the law of Moses were given by the disposition of angels), "by
which he was ordered to send for thee to his house (where he is expecting
thee, and ready to bid thee welcome), and to hear words of thee: they
know not what words, but they are such as he may hear from thee, and not from
any one else so well." Faith comes by hearing. When Peter repeats
this, he tells us more fully, they are words whereby thou and all thy house
shall be saved, ch. xi. 14. "Come to him, for an angel bade
him send for thee: come to him, for he is ready to hear and receive the saving
words thou hast to bring to him." 2. He kindly entertained the messengers
(v. 23): He called them in, and lodged them. He did not bid them
go and refresh and repose themselves in an inn at their own charge, but was
himself at the charge of entertaining them in his own quarters. What was
getting ready for him (v. 10) they should be welcome to share in; he
little thought what company he should have when he bespoke his dinner, but God
foresaw it. Note, It becomes Christians and ministers to be hospitable, and
ready, according as their ability is, and there is occasion for it, to
entertain strangers. Peter lodged them, though they were Gentiles, to show
how readily he complied with the design of the vision in eating with Gentiles;
for he immediately took them to eat with him. Though they were two of them
servants, and the other a common soldier, yet Peter thought it not below him
to take them into his house. Probably he did it that he might have some talk
with them about Cornelius and his family; for the apostles, though they had
instructions from the Spirit, yet made use of other information, as they had
occasion for it.
III. He went with them to Cornelius, whom he found ready to receive and
entertain him. 1. Peter, when he went with them, was accompanied by certain
brethren from Joppa, where he now was, v. 23. Six of them went
along with him, as we find, ch. xi. 12. Either Peter desired their
company, that they might be witnesses of his proceeding cautiously with
reference to the Gentiles, and of the good ground on which he went, and
therefore he invited them (ch. xi. 12), or they offered their service
to attend him, and desired they might have the honour and happiness of being
his fellow travellers. This was one way in which the primitive Christians very
much showed their respect to their ministers: they accompanied them in their
journeys, to keep them in countenance, to be their guard, and, as there was
occasion, to minister to them; with a further prospect not only of doing them
service, but of being edified by their converse. It is a pity that those who
have skill and will to do good to others by their discourse should want an
opportunity for it by travelling alone. 2. Cornelius, when he was ready to
receive him, had got some friends together of Cesarea. It seems, it was
above a day's journey, nearly two, from Joppa to Cesarea; for it was the
day after they set out that they entered into Cesarea (v.
24), and the afternoon of that day, v. 30. It is probable that they
travelled on foot; the apostles generally did so. Now when they came into the
house of Cornelius Peter found, (1.) That he was expected, and this was an
encouragement to him. Cornelius waited for them, and such a guest was
worth waiting for; nor can I blame him if he waited with some impatience,
longing to know what that mighty thing was which an angel bade him expect to
hear from Peter. (2.) That he was expected by many, and this was a further
encouragement to him. As Peter brought some with him to partake of the
spiritual gift he had now to dispense, so Cornelius had called together,
not only his own family, but kinsmen and near friends, to partake with
him of the heavenly instructions he expected from Peter, which would give
Peter a larger opportunity of doing good. Note, We should not covet to eat our
spiritual morsels alone, Job xxxi. 17. It ought to be both given and taken as
a piece of kindness and respect to our kindred and friends to invite them to
join with us in religious exercises, to go with us to hear a sermon. What
Cornelius ought to do he thought his kinsmen and friends ought to do too; and
therefore let them come and hear it at the first hand, that it may be no
surprise to them to see him change upon it.
IV. Here is the first interview between Peter and Cornelius, in which we have,
1. The profound and indeed undue respect and honour which Cornelius paid to
Peter (v. 25): He met him as he was coming in, and instead of
taking him in his arms, and embracing him as a friend, which would have been
very acceptable to Peter, he fell down at his feet, and worshipped him;
some think, as a prince and a great man, according to the usage of the eastern
countries; others think, as an incarnate deity, or as if he took him to be the
Messiah himself. His worshipping a man was indeed culpable; but, considering
his present ignorance, it was excusable, nay, and it was an evidence of
something in him that was very commendable--and that was a great veneration
for divine and heavenly things: no wonder if, till he was better informed, he
took him to be the Messiah, and therefore worshipped him, whom he was ordered
to send for by an angel from heaven. But the worshipping of his pretended
successor, who is not only a man, but a sinful man, the man of sin himself, is
altogether inexcusable, and such an absurdity as would be incredible if we
were not told before that all the world would worship the beast, Rev.
xiii. 4. 2. Peter's modest and indeed just and pious refusal of this honour
that was done him (v. 26): He took him up into his arms, with
his own hands (though time was when he little thought he should ever either
receive so much respect from or show so much affection to an uncircumcised
Gentile), saying, "Stand up, I myself also am a man, and therefore
not to be worshipped thus." The good angels of the churches, like the
good angels of heaven, cannot bear to have the least of that honour shown to
them which is due to God only. See thou do it not, saith the angel to
John (Rev. xix. 10; xxii. 9), and in like manner the apostle to Cornelius. How
careful was Paul that no man should think of him above what he saw in him!
2 Cor. xii. 6. Christ's faithful servants could better bear to be vilified
than to be deified. Peter did not entertain a surmise that his great respect
for him, though excessive, might contribute to the success of his preaching,
and therefore if he will be deceived let him be deceived; no, let him know
that Peter is a man, that the treasure is in earthen vessels, that he
may value the treasure for its own sake.
V. The account which Peter and Cornelius give to each other, and to the
company, of the hand of Heaven in bringing them together: As he talked with
him--sunomilwn autw,
he went in, v. 27. Peter went in, talking familiarly with
Cornelius, endeavouring, by the freedom of his converse with him, to take off
something of that dread which he seemed to have of him; and, when he came in, he
found many that were come together, more than he expected, which added
solemnity, as well as opportunity of doing good, to this service. Now,
1. Peter declares the direction God gave to him to come to those Gentiles, v.
28, 29. They knew it had never been allowed by the Jews, but always looked
upon as an unlawful thing, aqemiton--an
abomination, for a man that is a Jew, a native Jew as I am, to keep
company or come unto one of another nation, a stranger, an uncircumcised
Gentile. It was not made so by the law of God, but by the decree of their wise
men, which they looked upon to be no less binding. They did not forbid them to
converse or traffic with Gentiles in the street or shop, or upon the exchange,
but to eat with them. Even in Joseph's time, the Egyptians and Hebrews could
not eat together, Gen. xliii. 32. The three children would not defile
themselves with the king's meat, Dan. i. 8. They might not come into the
house of a Gentile, for they looked upon it to be ceremonially polluted. Thus
scornfully did the Jews look upon the Gentiles, who were not behindhand with
them in contempt, as appears by many passages in the Latin poets. "But
now," saith Peter, "God hath shown me, by a vision, that
I should not call any man common or unclean, nor refuse to converse with
any man for the sake of his country." Peter, who had taught his new
converts to save themselves from the untoward generation of wicked men
(ch. ii. 40), is now himself taught to join himself with the towardly
generation of devout Gentiles. Ceremonial characters were abolished, that more
regard might be had to moral ones. Peter thought it necessary to let them know
how he came to change his mind in this matter, and that it was by a divine
revelation, lest he should be upbraided with it as having used lightness. God
having thus taken down the partition-wall, (1.) He assures them of his
readiness to do them all the good offices he could; that, when he kept at a
distance, it was not out of any personal disgust to them, but only because he
wanted leave from heaven, and, having now received permission, he was at their
service: "Therefore came I unto you without gainsaying, as soon as I
was sent for, ready to preach the same gospel to you that I have preached
to the Jews." The disciples of Christ could not but have some notion of
the preaching of the gospel to the Gentiles, but they imagined it must be only
to those Gentiles that were first proselyted to the Jewish religion, which
mistake Peter acknowledges was not rectified. (2.) He enquires wherein he
might be serviceable to them: "I ask, therefore, for what intent you
have sent for me? What do you expect from me, or what business have you
with me?" Note, Those that desire the help of God's ministers ought to
look well to it that they propose right ends to themselves in it, and do it
with a good intention.
2. Cornelius declares the directions God gave to him to send for Peter, and
that it was purely in obedience to those directions that he had sent for him.
Then we are right in our aims, in sending for and attending on a
gospel-ministry, when we did it with a regard to the divine appointment
instituting that ordinance and requiring us to make use of it. Now,
(1.) Cornelius gives an account of the angel's appearing to him, and ordering
him to send for Peter; not as glorying in it, but as that which warranted his
expectation of a message from heaven by Peter. [1.] He tells how this vision
found him employed (v. 30): Four days ago I was fasting until this
hour, this hour of the day that it is now when Peter came, about the
middle of the afternoon. By this it appears that religious fasting, in order
to the greater seriousness and solemnity of praying, was used by devout people
who were not Jews; the king of Nineveh proclaimed a fast, Jonah iii. 5.
Some give these words another sense: From four days ago I have been fasting
until this hour; as if he had eaten no meat, or at least no meal, from
that time to this. But it comes in as an introduction to the story of the
vision; and therefore the former must be the meaning. He was at the ninth
hour praying in his house, not in the synagogue, but at home. I will
that men pray wherever they dwell. His praying in his house intimates that
it was not a secret prayer in his closet, but in a more public room of his
house, with his family about him; and perhaps after prayer he retired, and had
this vision. Observe, At the ninth hour of the day, three of the clock
in the afternoon, most people were travelling or trading, working in the
fields, visiting their friends, taking their pleasure, or taking a nap after
dinner; yet then Cornelius was at his devotions, which shows how much he made
religion his business; and then it was that he had this message from heaven.
Those that would hear comfortably from God must be much in speaking to him.
[2.] He describes the messenger that brought him this message from heaven: There
stood a man before me in bright clothing, as Christ's was when he was
transfigured, and that of the two angels who appeared at Christ's resurrection
(Luke xxiv. 4), and at his ascension (ch. i. 10), showing their
relation to the world of light. [3.] He repeats the message that was sent to
him (v. 31, 32), just as we had it, v. 4-6. Only here it is
said, thy prayer is heard. We are not told what his prayer was; but if
this message was an answer to it, and it should seem it was, we may suppose
that finding the deficiency of natural light, and that it left him at a loss
how to obtain the pardon of his sin and the favour of God, he prayed that God
would make some further discoveries of himself and of the way of salvation to
him. "Well," saith the angel, "send for Peter, and he
shall give thee such a discovery."
(2.) He declares his own and his friends' readiness to receive the message
Peter had to deliver (v. 33): Immediately therefore I sent to thee,
as I was directed, and thou hast well done that thou hast come to us,
though we are Gentiles. Note, Faithful ministers do well to come to people
that are willing and desirous to receive instruction from them; to come when
they are sent for; it is as good a deed as they can do. Well, Peter is come to
do his part; but will they do theirs? Yes. "Thou art here prepared to
speak, and we are here prepared to hear," 1 Sam. iii. 9, 10. Observe,
[1.] Their religious attendance upon the word: "We are all here
present before God; we are here in a religious manner, are here as
worshippers" (they thus compose themselves into a serious solemn frame of
spirit): "therefore, because thou art come to us by such a
warrant, on such an errand, because we have such a price in our hand as we
never had before and perhaps may never have again, we are ready now at this
time of worship, here in this place of worship" (though it was in a
private house): "we are present, paresmen--we
are at the business, and are ready to come at a call." If we would
have God's special presence at an ordinance, we must be there with a special
presence, an ordinance presence: Here I am. "We are all present,
all that were invited; we, and all that belong to us; we, and all that is
within us." The whole of the man must be present; not the body here, and
the heart, with the fool's eyes, in the ends of the earth. But that which
makes it indeed a religious attendance is, We are present before God.
In holy ordinances we present ourselves unto the Lord, and we must be as
before him, as those that see his eye upon us. [2.] The intention of this
attendance: "We are present to hear all things that are commanded thee
of God, and given thee in charge to be delivered to us." Observe, First,
Peter was there to preach all things that were commanded him of God; for, as
he had an ample commission to preach the gospel, so he had full instructions
what to preach. Secondly, They were ready to hear, not whatever he
pleased to say, but what he was commanded of God to say. The truths of Christ
were not communicated to the apostles to be published or stifled as they
thought fit, but entrusted with them to be published to the world. "We
are ready to hear all, to come at the beginning of the service and stay
to the end, and be attentive all the while, else how can we hear all? We are
desirous to hear all that thou art commissioned to preach, though it be ever
so displeasing to flesh and blood, and ever so contrary to our former notions
or present secular interests. We are ready to hear all, and therefore let
nothing be kept back that is profitable for us."
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Peter
Preaches in the House of Cornelius.
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34 Then Peter opened his mouth, and
said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:
35 But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is
accepted with him. 36 The word which God sent unto the
children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ: (he is Lord of
all:) 37 That word, I say, ye know, which was published
throughout all Judæa, and began from Galilee, after the baptism which John
preached; 38 How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy
Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were
oppressed of the devil; for God was with him. 39 And we are
witnesses of all things which he did both in the land of the Jews, and in
Jerusalem; whom they slew and hanged on a tree: 40 Him God raised
up the third day, and showed him openly; 41 Not to all the people,
but unto witnesses chosen before of God, even to us, who did eat and
drink with him after he rose from the dead. 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. 43 To him give all
the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall
receive remission of sins.
We have here Peter's sermon preached to Cornelius and his friends: that is, an
abstract or summary of it; for we have reason to think that he did with many
other words testify and exhort to this purport. It is intimated that he
expressed himself with a great deal of solemnity and gravity, but with freedom
and copiousness, in that phrase, he opened his mouth, and spoke, v.
34. O ye Corinthians, our mouth is open to you, saith Paul, 2 Cor. vi.
11. "You shall find us communicative, if we but find you
inquisitive." Hitherto the mouths of the apostles had been shut to the
uncircumcised Gentiles, they had nothing to say to them; but now God gave unto
them, as he did to Ezekiel, the opening of the mouth. This excellent
sermon of Peter's is admirably suited to the circumstances of those to whom he
preached it; for it was a new sermon.
I. Because they were Gentiles to whom he preached. He shows that,
notwithstanding this, they were interested in the gospel of Christ, which he
had to preach, and entitled to the benefit of it, upon an equal footing with
the Jews. It was necessary that this should be cleared, or else with what
comfort could either he preach or they hear? He therefore lays down this as an
undoubted principle, that God is no respecter of persons; doth not know
favour in judgment, as the Hebrew phrase is; which magistrates are
forbidden to do (Deut. i. 17; xvi. 19; Prov. xxiv. 23), and are blamed for
doing, Ps. lxxxii. 2. And it is often said of God that he doth not respect
persons, Deut. x. 17; 2 Chron. xix. 7; Job xxxiv. 19; Rom. ii. 11; Col. iii.
25; 1 Pet. i. 17. He doth not give judgment in favour of a man for the sake of
any external advantage foreign to the merits of the cause. God never perverts
judgment upon personal regards and considerations, nor countenances a wicked
man in a wicked thing for the sake of his beauty, or stature, his country,
parentage, relations, wealth, or honour in the world. God, as a benefactor,
gives favours arbitrarily and by sovereignty (Deut. vii. 7, 8; ix. 5, 6; Matt.
xx. 10); but he does not, as a judge, so give sentence; but in every
nation, and under ever denomination, he that fears God and works
righteousness is accepted of him, v. 35. The case is plainly thus--
1. God never did, nor ever will, justify and save a wicked Jew that lived and
died impenitent, though he was of the seed of Abraham, and a Hebrew
of the Hebrews, and had all the honour and advantages that attended
circumcision. He does and will render indignation and wrath, tribulation
and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil; and of the Jew
first, whose privileges and professions, instead of screening him from the
judgment of God, will but aggravate his guilt and condemnation. See Rom. ii.
3, 8, 9, 17. Though God has favoured the Jews, above other nations, with the
dignities of visible church-membership, yet he will not therefore accept of
any particular persons of that dignity, if they allow themselves in
immoralities contradictory to their profession; and particularly in
persecution, which was now, more than any other, the national sin of the Jews.
2. He never did, nor ever will, reject or refuse an honest Gentile, who,
though he has not the privileges and advantages that the Jews have, yet, like
Cornelius, fears God, and worships him, and works righteousness, that is, is
just and charitable towards all men, who lives up to the light he has, both in
a sincere devotion and in a regular conversation. Whatever nation he is of,
though ever so far remote from kindred to the seed of Abraham, though ever so
despicable, nay, though in ever so ill a name, that shall be no prejudice to
him. God judges of men by their hearts, not by their country or parentage;
and, wherever he finds an upright man, he will be found an upright God, Ps.
xviii. 25. Observe, Fearing God, and working righteousness, must go
together; for, as righteousness towards men is a branch of true religion, so
religion towards God is a branch of universal righteousness. Godliness and
honesty must go together, and neither will excuse for the want of the other.
But, where these are predominant, no doubt is to be made of acceptance with
God. Not that any man, since the fall, can obtain the favour of God otherwise
than through the mediation of Jesus Christ, and by the grace of God in him;
but those that have not the knowledge of him, and therefore cannot have an
explicit regard to him, may yet receive grace from God for his sake, to
fear God and to work righteousness; and wherever God gives grace to do so,
as he did to Cornelius, he will, through Christ, accept the work of his own
hands. Now, (1.) This was always a truth, before Peter perceived it, that
God respecteth no man's person; it was the fixed rule of judgment from the
beginning: If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? And, if not
well, sin, and the punishment of it, lie at the door, Gen. iv. 7.
God will not ask in the great day what country men were of, but what they
were, what they did, and how they stood affected towards him and towards their
neighbours; and, if men's personal characters received neither advantage nor
disadvantage from the great difference that existed between Jews and Gentiles,
much less from any less difference of sentiments and practices that may happen
to be among Christians themselves, as those about meats and days, Rom.
xiv. It is certain the kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but
righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost; and he that in these
things serveth Christ is accepted of God, and ought to be approved of men; for
dare we reject those whom God doth not? (2.) Yet now it was made more clear
than it had been; this great truth had been darkened by the covenant of
peculiarity made with Israel, and the badges of distinction put upon them; the
ceremonial law was a wall of partition between them and other nations; it is
true that in it God favoured that nation (Rom. iii. 1, 2; ix. 4), and
thence particular persons among them were ready to infer that they were sure
of God's acceptance, though they lived as they listed, and that no Gentile
could possibly be accepted of God. God had said a great deal by the prophets
to prevent and rectify this mistake, but now at length he doth it effectually,
by abolishing the covenant of peculiarity, repealing the ceremonial law, and
so setting the matter at large, and placing both Jew and Gentile upon the same
level before God; and Peter is here made to perceive it, by comparing the
vision which he had with that which Cornelius had. Now in Christ Jesus,
it is plain, neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision,
Gal. v. 6; Col. iii. 11.
II. Because they were Gentiles inhabiting a place within the confines of the
land of Israel, he refers them to what they themselves could not but know
concerning the life and doctrine, the preaching and miracles, the death and
sufferings of our Lord Jesus: for these were things the report of which spread
into every corner of the nation, v. 37, &c. It facilitates the work
of ministers, when they deal with such as have some knowledge of the things of
God, to which they may appeal, and on which they may build.
1. They knew in general, the word, that is, the gospel, which God
sent to the children of Israel: That word, I say, you know, v. 37.
Though the Gentiles were not admitted to hear it (Christ and his disciples
were not sent but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel), yet they
could not but hear of it: it was all the talk both of city and country. We are
often told in the gospels how the fame of Christ went into all parts of
Canaan, when he was on earth, as afterwards the fame of his gospel went into
all parts of the world, Rom. x. 18. That word, that divine word, that word of
power and grace, you know. (1.) What the purport of this word was. God
by it published the glad tidings of peace by Jesus Christ, so it should
be read--euaggelizomenoV eirhnhn.
It is God himself that proclaims peace, who justly might have
proclaimed war. He lets the world of mankind know that he is willing to be at
peace with them through Jesus Christ; in him he was reconciling the world
to himself. (2.) To whom it was sent--to the children of Israel, in the
first place. The prime offer is made to them; this all their neighbours heard
of, and were ready to envy them those advantages of the gospel, more than they
ever envied them those of their law. Then said they among the heathen, The
Lord hath done great things for them, Ps. cxxvi. 2.
2. They knew the several matters of fact relating to this word of the gospel
sent to Israel. (1.) They knew the baptism of repentance which John preached
by way of introduction to it, and in which the gospel first began, Mark i. 1.
They knew what an extraordinary man John was, and what a direct tendency his
preaching had to prepare the way of the Lord. They knew what great
flocking there was to his baptism, what an interest he had, and what he did.
(2.) They knew that immediately after John's baptism the gospel of Christ,
that word of peace, was published throughout all Judea, and that it
took its rise from Galilee. The twelve apostles, and seventy disciples, and
our Master himself, published these glad tidings in all parts of the land; so
that we may suppose there was not a town or village in all the land of Canaan
but had had the gospel preached in it. (3.) They knew that Jesus of Nazareth,
when he was here upon earth, went about doing good. They knew what a
benefactor he was to that nation, both to the souls and the bodies of men; how
he made it his business to do good to all, and never did hurt to any. He was
not idle, but still doing; not selfish, but doing good; did not confine
himself to one place, nor wait till people came to him to seek his help, but
went to them, went about from place to place, and wherever he came he was
doing good. Hereby he showed that he was sent of God, who is good and does
good; and does good because he is good: and who hereby left not himself
without witness to the world, in that he did good, ch. xiv.
17. And in this he hath set us an example of indefatigable industry in serving
God and our generation; for we came into the world that we might do all the
good we can in it; and therein, like Christ, we must always abide and abound.
(4.) They knew more particularly that he healed all that were oppressed of
the devil, and helped them from under his oppressing power. By this it
appeared not only that he was sent of God, as it was a kindness to men, but
that he was sent to destroy the works of the devil; for thus he
obtained many a victory over him. (5.) They knew that the Jews put him to
death; they slew him by hanging him on a tree. When Peter
preached to the Jews, he said whom you slew; but now that he preached
to the Gentiles it is whom they slew; they, to whom he had done and
designed so much good. All this they knew; but lest they should think it was
only a report, and was magnified, as reports usually are, more than the truth,
Peter, for himself and the rest of the apostles, attested it (v. 39): We
are witnesses, eye-witnesses, of all things which he did; and
ear-witnesses of the doctrine which he preached, both in the land of the
Jews and in Jerusalem, in city and country.
3. They did know, or might know, by all this, that he had a commission from
heaven to preach and act as he did. This he still harps upon in his discourse,
and takes all occasions to hint it to them. Let them know, (1.) That this
Jesus is Lord of all; it comes in in a parenthesis, but is the
principal proposition intended to be proved, that Jesus Christ, by whom peace
is made between God and man, is Lord of all; not only as God over
all blessed for evermore, but as Mediator, all power both in heaven and
on earth is put into his hand, and all judgment committed to him. He is
Lord of angels; they are all his humble servants. He is Lord of the powers of
darkness, for he hath triumphed over them. He is king of nations, has a power
over all flesh. He is king of saints, all the children of God are his
scholars, his subjects, his soldiers. (2.) That God anointed him with the
Holy Ghost and with power; he was both authorized and enabled to do what
he did by a divine anointing, whence he was called Christ--the Messiah, the
anointed One. The Holy Ghost descended upon him at his baptism, and he was
full of power both in preaching and working miracles, which was the seal of a
divine mission. (3.) That God was with him, v. 38. His works
were wrought in God. God not only sent him, but was present with him all
along, owned him, stood by him, and carried him on in all his services and
sufferings. Note, Those whom God anoints he will accompany; he will himself be
with those to whom he has given his Spirit.
III. Because they had had no more certain information concerning this Jesus,
Peter declares to them his resurrection from the dead, and the proofs of it,
that they might not think that when he was slain there was an end of him.
Probably, they had heard at Cesarea some talk of his having risen from the
dead; but the talk of it was soon silenced by that vile suggestion of the
Jews, that his disciples came by night and stole him away. And
therefore Peter insists upon this as the main support of that word which
preacheth peace by Jesus Christ. 1. The power by which he arose is
incontestably divine (v. 40): Him God raised up the third day,
which not only disproved all the calumnies and accusations he was laid under
by men, but effectually proved God's acceptance of the satisfaction he made
for the sin of man by the blood of his cross. He did not break prison, but had
a legal discharge. God raised him up. 2. The proofs of his resurrection
were incontestably clear; for God showed him openly. He gave him to be made
manifest--edwken auton emfanh genesqai,
to be visible, evidently so; so he appears, as that it appears beyond
contradiction to be him, and not another. It was such a showing of him as
amounted to a demonstration of the truth of his resurrection. He showed him
not publicly indeed (it was not open in this sense), but evidently; not to
all the people, who had been the witnesses of his death. By resisting all
the evidences he had given them of his divine mission in his miracles, they
had forfeited the favour of being eye-witnesses of this great proof of it.
Those who immediately forged and promoted that lie of his being stolen away
were justly given up to strong delusions to believe it, and not suffered to be
undeceived by his being shown to all the people; and so much the greater shall
be the blessedness of those who have not seen, and yet have believed--Nec
ille se in vulgus edixit, ne impii errore, liberarentur; ut et fides non præmio
mediocri destinato difficultate constaret--He showed not himself to the people
at large, lest the impious among them should have been forthwith loosed from
their error, and that faith, the reward of which is so ample, might be
exercised with a degree of difficulty.--Tertul. Apol. cap. 11. But, though
all the people did not see him, a sufficient number saw him to attest the
truth of his resurrection. The testator's declaring his last will and
testament needs not to be before all the people; it is enough that it be done
before a competent number of credible witnesses; so the resurrection of Christ
was proved before sufficient witnesses. (1.) They were not so by chance, but
they were chosen before of God to be witnesses of it, and, in order to
this, had their education under the Lord Jesus, and intimate converse with
him, that, having known him so intimately before, they might the better be
assured it was he. (2.) They had not a sudden and transient view of him, but a
great deal of free conversation with him: They did eat and drink with him
after he rose from the dead. This implies that they saw him eat and drink,
witness their dining with him at the sea of Tiberias, and the two disciples
supping with him at Emmaus; and this proved that he had a true and real body.
But this was not all; they saw him without any terror or consternation, which
might have rendered them incompetent witnesses, for they saw him so
frequently, and he conversed with them so familiarly, that they did eat and
drink with him. It is brought as a proof of the clear view which the
nobles of Israel had of the glory of God (Exod. xxiv. 11), that they saw
God, and did eat and drink.
IV. He concludes with an inference from all this, that therefore that which
they all ought to do was to believe in this Jesus: he was sent to tell
Cornelius what he must do, and it is this; his praying and his giving alms
were very well, but one thing he lacked, he must believe in Christ. Observe,
1. Why he must believe in him. Faith has reference to a testimony, and the
Christian faith is built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets,
it is built upon the testimony given by them. (1.) By the apostles. Peter as
foreman speaks for the rest, that God commanded them, and gave them in
charge, to preach to the people, and to testify concerning Christ; so
that their testimony was not only credible, but authentic, and what we may
venture upon. Their testimony is God's testimony; and they are his witnesses
to the world. They do not only say it as matter of news, but testify it as
matter of record, by which men must be judged. (2.) By the prophets of the Old
Testament, whose testimony beforehand, not only concerning his sufferings, but
concerning the design and intention of them, very much corroborates the
apostles' testimony concerning them (v. 43): To him give all the
prophets witness. We have reason to think that Cornelius and his friends
were no strangers to the writings of the prophets. Out of the mouth of these
two clouds of witnesses, so exactly agreeing, this word is established.
2. What they must believe concerning him. (1.) That we are all accountable to
Christ as our Judge; this the apostles were commanded to testify to the world,
that this Jesus is ordained of God to be the Judge of the quick and dead,
v. 42. He is empowered to prescribe the terms of salvation, that rule
by which we must be judged, to give laws both to quick and dead, both
to Jew and Gentile; and he is appointed to determine the everlasting condition
of all the children of men at the great day, of those that shall be found
alive and of those that shall be raised from the dead. He hath assured us of
this, in that he hath raised him from the dead (ch. xvii. 31),
so that it is the great concern of every one of us, in the belief of this, to
seek his favour, and to make him our friend. (2.) That if we believe in him we
shall all be justified by him as our righteousness, v. 43. The
prophets, when they spoke of the death of Christ, did witness this, that
through his name, for his sake, and upon the account of his merit, whosoever
believeth in him, Jew or Gentile, shall receive remission of sins.
This is the great thing we need, without which we are undone, and which the
convinced conscience is most inquisitive after, which the carnal Jews promised
themselves from their ceremonial sacrifices and purifications, yea, and the
heathen too from their atonements, but all in vain; it is to be had only
through the name of Christ, and only by those that believe in his name; and
those that do so may be assured of it; their sins shall be pardoned, and there
shall be no condemnation to them. And the remission of sins lays a foundation
for all other favours and blessings, by taking that out of the way which
hinders them. If sin be pardoned, all is well, and shall end everlastingly
well.
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The Effect of Peter's Sermon.
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44 While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy
Ghost fell on all them which heard the word. 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. 46 For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God.
Then answered Peter, 47 Can any man forbid water, that these
should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as
we? 48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the
Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days.
We have here the issue and effect of Peter's sermon to Cornelius and his
friends. He did not labour in vain among them, but they were all brought home
to Christ. Here we have,
I. God's owning Peter's word, by conferring the Holy Ghost upon the hearers of
it, and immediately upon the hearing of it (v. 44): While Peter was
yet speaking these words, and perhaps designed to say more, he was happily
superseded by visible indications that the Holy Ghost, even in his
miraculous gifts and powers, fell on all those who heard the word, even
as he did on the apostles at first; so Peter saith, ch. xi. 15.
Therefore some think it was with a rushing mighty wind, and in cloven tongues,
as that was. Observe, 1. When the Holy Ghost fell upon them--while Peter was
preaching. Thus God bore witness to what he said, and accompanied it with a
divine power. Thus were the signs of an apostle wrought among them, 2
Cor. xii. 12. Though Peter could not give the Holy Ghost, yet the Holy Ghost
being given along with the word of Peter, by this it appeared he was sent of
God. The Holy Ghost fell upon others after they were baptized, for their
confirmation; but upon these Gentiles before they were baptized: as Abraham
was justified by faith, being yet in uncircumcision, to show that God is not
tied to a method, nor confines himself to external signs. The Holy Ghost fell
upon those that were neither circumcised nor baptized; for it is the Spirit
that quickeneth, the flesh profiteth nothing. 2. How it appeared that the
Holy Ghost had fallen upon them (v. 46): They spoke with tongues
which they never learned, perhaps the Hebrew, the holy tongue; as the
preachers were enabled to speak the vulgar tongues, that they might
communicate the doctrine of Christ to the hearers, so, probably, the hearers
were immediately taught the sacred tongue, that they might examine the proofs
which the preachers produced out of the Old Testament in the original. Or
their being enabled to speak with tongues intimated that they were all
designed for ministers, and by this first descent of the Spirit upon them were
qualified to preach the gospel to others, which they did but now receive
themselves. But, observe, when they spoke with tongues, they magnified God,
they spoke of Christ and the benefits of redemption, which Peter had been
preaching to the glory of God. Thus did they on whom the Holy Ghost first
descended, ch. ii. 11. Note, Whatever gift we are endued with, we ought
to honour God with it, and particularly the gift of speaking, and all the
improvements of it. 3. What impression it made upon the believing Jews that
were present (v. 45): Those of the circumcision who believed were
astonished--those six that came along with Peter; it surprised them
exceedingly, and perhaps gave them some uneasiness, because upon the
Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost, which they
thought had been appropriated to their own nation. Had they understood the
scriptures of the Old Testament, which pointed at this, it would not have been
such an astonishment to them; but by our mistaken notions of things we create
difficulties to ourselves in the methods of divine providence and grace.
II. Peter's owning God's work in baptizing those on whom the Holy Ghost fell.
Observe, 1. Though they had received the Holy Ghost, yet it was requisite they
should be baptized; though God is not tied to instituted ordinances, we are;
and no extraordinary gifts set us above them, but rather oblige us so much the
more to conform to them. Some in our days would have argued "These are
baptized with the Holy Ghost and therefore what need have they to be
baptized with water? It is below them." No; it is not below them,
while water-baptism is an ordinance of Christ, and the door of admission into
the visible church, and a seal of the new covenant. 2. Though they were
Gentiles, yet, having received the Holy Ghost, they might be admitted to
baptism (v. 47): Can any man, though ever so rigid a Jew, forbid
water, that these should not be baptized, who have received the Holy Ghost as
well as we? The argument is conclusive; can we deny the sign to those who
have received the thing signified? Are not those on whom God has bestowed the
grace of the covenant plainly entitled to the seals of the covenant? Surely
those that have received the Spirit as well as we ought to receive
baptism as well as we; for it becomes us to follow God's indications, and to
take those into communion with us whom he hath taken into communion with
himself. God hath promised to pour his Spirit upon the seed of the faithful,
upon their offspring; and who then can forbid water, that they should not be
baptized, who have received the promise of the Holy Ghost as well as we?
Now it appears why the Spirit was given them before they were baptized--because
otherwise Peter could not have persuaded himself to baptize them, any more
than to have preached to them, if he had not been ordered to do it by a
vision; at least he could not have avoided the censure of those of the
circumcision that believed. Thus is there one unusual step of divine grace
taken after another to bring the Gentiles into the church. How well is it for
us that the grace of a good God is so much more extensive than the charity of
some good men! 3. Peter did not baptize them himself, but commanded them to
be baptized, v. 48. It is probable that some of the brethren who
came with him did it by his order, and that he declined it for the same reason
that Paul did--lest those that were baptized by him should think the better of
themselves for it, or he should seem to have baptized in his own name,
1 Cor. i. 15. The apostles received the commission to go and disciple all
nations by baptism. But is was to prayer and the ministry of the word that
they were to give themselves. And Paul says that he was sent, not to
baptize but to preach, which was the more noble and excellent work. The
business of baptizing was therefore ordinarily devolved upon the inferior
ministers; these acted by the orders of the apostles, who might therefore be
said to do it. Qui per alterum facit, per seipsum facere dicitur--What a
man does by another, he may be said to do by himself.
III. Their owning both Peter's word and God's work in their desire for further
advantage by Peter's ministry: They prayed him to tarry certain days.
They could not press him to reside constantly among them--they knew that he
had work to do in other places, and that for the present he was expected at
Jerusalem; yet they were not willing he should go away immediately, but
earnestly begged he would stay for some time among them, that they might be
further instructed by him in the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.
Note, 1. Those who have some acquaintance with Christ cannot but covet more.
2. Even those that have received the Holy Ghost must see their need of the
ministry of the word.
Contents
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