Acts 10: 1 - 48
You gonna eat that?
10 There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian Regiment, 2 a devout man and one who feared God with all his household, who gave alms generously to the people, and prayed to God always. 3 About the ninth hour of the day he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God coming in and saying to him, “Cornelius!” 4 And when he observed him, he was afraid, and said, “What is it, lord?” So he said to him, “Your prayers and your alms have come up for a memorial before God. 5 Now send men to Joppa, and send for Simon whose surname is Peter. 6 He is lodging with Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the sea. He will tell you what you must do.” 7 And when the angel who spoke to him had departed, Cornelius called two of his household servants and a devout soldier from among those who waited on him continually. 8 So when he had explained all these things to them, he sent them to Joppa. 9 The next day, as they went on their journey and drew near the city, Peter went up on the housetop to pray, about the sixth hour. 10 Then he became very hungry and wanted to eat; but while they made ready, he fell into a trance 11 and saw heaven opened and an object like a great sheet bound at the four corners, descending to him and let down to the earth. 12 In it were all kinds of four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, creeping things, and birds of the air. 13 And a voice came to him, “Rise, Peter; kill and eat.” 14 But Peter said, “Not so, Lord! For I have never eaten anything common or unclean.” 15 And a voice spoke to him again the second time, “What God has cleansed you must not call common.” 16 This was done three times. And the object was taken up into heaven again. 17 Now while Peter wondered within himself what this vision which he had seen meant, behold, the men who had been sent from Cornelius had made inquiry for Simon’s house, and stood before the gate. 18 And they called and asked whether Simon, whose surname was Peter, was lodging there. 19 While Peter thought about the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Behold, three men are seeking you. 20 Arise therefore, go down and go with them, doubting nothing; for I have sent them.” 21 Then Peter went down to the men who had been sent to him from Cornelius, and said, “Yes, I am he whom you seek. For what reason have you come?” 22 And they said, “Cornelius the centurion, a just man, one who fears God and has a good reputation among all the nation of the Jews, was divinely instructed by a holy angel to summon you to his house, and to hear words from you.” 23 Then he invited them in and lodged them. On the next day Peter went away with them, and some brethren from Joppa accompanied him. 24 And the following day they entered Caesarea. Now Cornelius was waiting for them, and had called together his relatives and close friends. 25 As Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet and worshiped him. 26 But Peter lifted him up, saying, “Stand up; I myself am also a man.” 27 And as he talked with him, he went in and found many who had come together. 28 Then he said to them, “You know how unlawful it is for a Jewish man to keep company with or go to one of another nation. But God has shown me that I should not call any man common or unclean. 29 Therefore I came without objection as soon as I was sent for. I ask, then, for what reason have you sent for me?” 30 So 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, your prayer has been heard, and your alms are remembered in the sight of God. 32 Send therefore to Joppa and call Simon here, whose surname is Peter. He is lodging in the house of Simon, a tanner, by the sea. When he comes, he will speak to you.’ 33 So I sent to you immediately, and you have done well to come. Now therefore, we are all present before God, to hear all the things commanded you by God.” 34 Then Peter opened his mouth and said: “In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. 35 But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him. 36 The word which God sent to the children of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ—He is Lord of all— 37 that word you know, which was proclaimed throughout all Judea, and began from Galilee after the baptism which John preached: 38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by 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 killed by hanging on a tree. 40 Him God raised up on the third day, and showed Him openly, 41 not to all the people, but to witnesses chosen before by God, even to us who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead. 42 And He commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that it is He who was ordained by God to be Judge of the living and the dead. 43 To Him all the prophets witness that, through His name, whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins.” 44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word. 45 And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. 46 For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God. Then Peter answered, 47 “Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” 48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then they asked him to stay a few days.
I was counseling this couple and the husband had a whole list of complaints about his wife. So, I agreed to talk about each one of his grievances. I would like to say each one was ridicules, but I won’t. Ops, I just did. Anyway his first complaint was about his wife’s cooking. I ask if she was a lousy cook or did something that was unhealthy. He told me that she was a good cook. Her problem was that she spent too much on food. She shopped at a grocery store which I like to call ‘Whole paycheck’. They have great and healthy food products but they are more expensive than other grocery stores. In truth I told him that to have untainted chemical products were in fact the normal price we should expect to pay. He did not buy this fact.
If one truth will not do why not try two. I asked this fellow how it would be if I could guarantee to him that I could cut his family’s grocery bill by one third. He was intrigued by this comment. I then informed him that his wife should still be able to go to ‘Whole Paycheck’ to purchase the weekly food for her daughter and herself. Then she should go to Wal-Mart to buy his weekly needs of food. Doing this would clearly cut their grocery bills by the one-third I proposed. Do you think he accepted my proposal?
Today we are also talk about some strange food but as we will all see it really wasn’t talking about food at all. You see our Lord Jesus had said that He Is The Good Shepherd. He not only will care for the flock of the people of Israel but that He has other flocks of people to care for. To Jews any other person was considered un-clean. In this chapter we are going to see our Lord bring back all people into one family. In the book of Galatians chapter 3 the apostle Paul says this, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”
Thus the fact that Peter willingly lodged with a tanner probably demonstrated the more casual approach to uncleanness followed by Galileans. A Judean would have been much more wary of doing so. Nevertheless we can be sure that Peter carefully ensured that he did maintain a full level of ‘cleanness’ while he was there, and would be expected to by all. It does, however, serve to demonstrate that Peter was to some extent more open to being persuaded on such matters than, for example, an inhabitant of Jerusalem would have been.
10 There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian Regiment, 2 a devout man and one who feared God with all his household, who gave alms generously to the people, and prayed to God always.
In contrast to Peter maintaining his ‘cleanness’ at the tanner’s house, we find in today’s scripture that there was a certain Gentile who was considered unclean because he was a Gentile by the name of Cornelius. He was a centurion (leader over ‘a hundred’ in a Roman legion, which would consist of about sixty men in the Italian band (cohort). He was a devout man and a God-fearer, as were his whole household. ‘Devout’ indicates a godly person in Jewish eyes. He regularly gave charitable gifts to the synagogue for the poor, and prayed regularly to the God of Israel. He thus no doubt also observed certain laws of cleanliness. If any non-Jew or proselyte was fit to be visited by a Jew it was Cornelius. But it did not guarantee that his house was totally free from ‘uncleanness’.
Centurions were usually very solid men. They were the backbone of the army, like sergeants today - Solid, dependable, reliable, experienced, and keeping things going when they were at their toughest.. As all sergeants still say today, ‘Don’t call me ‘Sir’ I work for my living.”
Caesarea was the Roman provincial capital of Judaea where the procurator, when there was one, resided. It was on the sea coast not far below Mount Carmel, and while an unsatisfactory natural harbor, had been turned into an efficient artificial harbor by Herod the Great. It was thus at this time an important site. The procurators would necessarily have a bodyguard such as Cornelius. If he was familiar with Jewish customs he would be a good man for a procurator to have brought with him, and for subsequent procurators to hold on to, someone who was solid, reliable and aware of the oddities of the locals.
3 About the ninth hour of the day he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God coming in and saying to him, “Cornelius!”
Cornelius was in his own home when he saw a vision. Cornelius was a common Roman name. And this man was praying at the regular time of prayer (the ninth hour), which we may presume was his custom. He was a God-fearer. At that time he saw in a vision an angel of God, who came to him and spoke with him, addressing him by name. Three in the afternoon (fifteen hundred hours) was not a time for dreaming.
4 And when he observed him, he was afraid, and said, “What is it, lord?” So he said to him, “Your prayers and your alms have come up for a memorial before God. 5 Now send men to Joppa, and send for Simon whose surname is Peter. 6 He is lodging with Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the sea. He will tell you what you must do.”
We all need to reflect on this experience. In spite of being a centurion he was afraid. Looking at the angel he said, “what is it, Lord?’ This may signify that he saw the angel as the ‘Angel of God’ described in the Old Testament who was regularly God revealing Himself in physical form, or he may have been using ‘lord’ as a title of homage and respect, although certainly with a deeper significance than just ‘sir’.
The Angel then replied to him and explained that God knew about his life, and about his genuineness in praying and his charitable behavior, and was keeping them within His mind. They were like a ‘memorial’, a pleasing odor rising to God. Cornelius was in favor with God. Therefore he must send to the house of Simon the tanner for a man called Peter, so that Simon might be fetched to him. We learn a great thing here. It is when men and women pray sincerely God responds with them.
7 And when the angel who spoke to him had departed, Cornelius called two of his household servants and a devout soldier from among those who waited on him continually. 8 So when he had explained all these things to them, he sent them to Joppa.
I think the first thing the man would do is call together those in his household and ask them ‘Did you see what just happened? Did you see him?
We miss out on any conversation yet we are informed that two of his closest servants to him along with a God-fearing soldier who had been with him a long time and had accompanied him on his various assignments were sent to Joppa.
9 The next day, as they went on their journey and drew near the city, Peter went up on the housetop to pray, about the sixth hour.
It took them a day to get to Joppa. Meanwhile in Joppa Peter went onto the rooftop of the house in order to pray at noon. I had the opportunity to go and tour Israel. When you first arrive we landed in Tel Aviv. We were bused to a local hotel which was situated on the coast of the Mediterranean to rest up from jet lag. After a nap I decided to explore the area. I walked up the coast and came to ancient Joppa and had the opportunity of seeing the ruins of the house of Simon the tanner.
The flat roofs of houses in Palestine were places of quiet, of relaxation and of prayer. I like the sea coast in New Jersey. For me I could sit for hours just looking out at the ocean. I can imagine this was also a great form of relaxation for Peter. From the house top he would have a clear view all around
10 Then he became very hungry and wanted to eat; but while they made ready, he fell into a trance 11 and saw heaven opened and an object like a great sheet bound at the four corners, descending to him and let down to the earth. 12 In it were all kinds of four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, creeping things, and birds of the air.
And feeling hungry he asked for something to eat. While the meal was being prepared he fell into a trance. He saw a great sheet being let down from heaven filled with ‘unclean’ things. This included four-footed beasts, such as pigs, conies and camels, together with different kinds of birds and many creeping things.
13 And a voice came to him, “Rise, Peter; kill and eat.”
We are going to understand that this was the Lord speaking to him. So how will we know this?
1. The Lord Jesus – The Good Shepherd - said that His sheep know His voice. The Lord and appeared to Peter after His resurrection and spoke with him. Peter could recognize the Lord’s voice.
2. Peter seems to have this thing about ‘three’s’ as you well know. We are going to learn that this vision was repeated to Peter three times.
3. There are three ‘unclean’ messengers coming to meet Peter
The voice spoke to him, saying, “Rise, Peter; kill and eat.” Peter must have wondered what was happening, and even been appalled. How could the Lord tell him to partake of unclean animals, or even to go among that dreadful collection of creatures? It was neither religiously nor personally desirable. (Any more than going among the Gentiles might be).
14 But Peter said, “Not so, Lord! For I have never eaten anything common or unclean.”
Amazingly Peter tells the Lord ‘No’
Peter responded firmly, and possibly a little indignantly (being Peter). ‘Never, Lord,’ he said, ‘for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean.’ It was not something even to be considered. The laws of uncleanness were so imbedded in him that he did not even consider the fact that if God told him to eat, then he was free to do so. He was just offended that God could think him capable of breaking the laws of uncleanness. His sense of ‘uncleanness’ might well have been heightened because he had to be extra careful when staying at a tanner’s house. Perhaps, he might have thought, God was telling him that he had not been careful enough, and that this was therefore a warning?
15 And a voice spoke to him again the second time, “What God has cleansed you must not call common.”
But immediately there came a word of rebuke. (We might even paraphrase as, ‘What God has cleansed, how dare you call it common?’) What was before him had been given to him by God. Surely he would recognize that anything that God gave him would have been cleansed, and was not to be seen as ‘common’, for it would have been sanctified by God. It was now therefore not common but holy.
This was unquestionably intended to make him think. On the one hand were years of training and regulation. On the other was the undoubted fact that if God had provided something which He had cleansed, it must be acceptable, and fit to eat and could surely not cause uncleanness. It put him in a quandary.
We should note that this is not strictly dealing with the question of the Christian attitude towards ‘unclean foods’. Peter is not said to have eaten of them, and God is not saying that He has cleansed ‘everything’ and that therefore everything can be eaten. What Peter had been called on to eat was a direct gift from God, prepared for him by God, and it was thus holy. God’s purpose was to make him realize that anything, and any man, whom He Himself is demonstrated to have cleansed, could not be looked on as unclean.
This sheet which was full of a variety of creatures, all of which had been ‘sanctified’ by God out of creation, was an appropriate picture of the whole variety of people whom God would call out of the world and sanctify to Himself in the Christian church. Peter would never forget the lesson that once sanctified all is precious to God.
It would take time for Peter to appreciate the full significance of this vision. His previous understanding had been that God had redeemed Israel. Now he was being faced with the fact that God had cleansed large numbers of Gentiles through the cross whose names were written in heaven and was ready to receive them also in the one church
16 This was done three times. And the object was taken up into heaven again.
The sheet was lowered three times. The threefold repetition emphasized the importance of the message that the vision was seeking to get over made him feel more and more uneasy. It may well also have taken his mind back to when the Lord had three time called on him to tend His sheep (John 21.15-17). But what connection had sheep which were clean animals with these unclean animals? (He was soon to learn). Then to his relief the sheet was taken back up into heaven, temporarily at least resolving his dilemma.
17 Now while Peter wondered within himself what this vision which he had seen meant, behold, the men who had been sent from Cornelius had made inquiry for Simon’s house, and stood before the gate. 18 And they called and asked whether Simon, whose surname was Peter, was lodging there.
I love the Lord’s perfect timing. While Peter in great perplexity was wondering what the vision could mean, the men from Cornelius arrived at the entrance of the house and called out, asking for Peter, having enquired the way there. The way this is described is interesting; bringing out that this was a small trader’s residence with no porter protecting the gate. Anyone who wanted to could look in to the small courtyard and call out.
They ‘stood before the gate’. It is clear that these men were taking the greatest care not to cause offence. They knew that a Gentile was not welcome in the home of a strict Jew. Thus they did not enter the building until invited.
19 While Peter thought about the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Behold, three men are seeking you. 20 Arise therefore, go down and go with them, doubting nothing; for I have sent them.”
Peter’s mind was still on the vision and the Spirit then told him about the two servants and the soldier who were looking for him, and told him that he must go down to them, and go with them without having any doubts, because it was God Himself Who had sent them. But God did not just want Peter to be willing to approach Gentiles. He wanted him to see that Gentiles on whom He laid His hands were thereby totally clean and wholesome and to be thoroughly welcomed. He was breaking down great prejudice.
Peter is to go with them confidently and without making unnecessary difficulties or allowing his sense of what was ‘unclean’ to affect his decision, for what is to happen have been cleansed by God. In the middle or passive voice this verb can mean either "to take issue with" or "to be at odds with oneself, to doubt, to waver, to have misgivings". An intensified form of its active meaning it could mean "to make a distinction, to differentiate". Possibly both ideas are in mind. Religiously speaking he need not analyze the situation because God is in it. He can forget his worries and he need not consider distinctions, for when God has determined something it can no longer be treated in the ordinary way.
21 Then Peter went down to the men who had been sent to him from Cornelius, and said, “Yes, I am he whom you seek. For what reason have you come?” 22 And they said, “Cornelius the centurion, a just man, one who fears God and has a good reputation among all the nation of the Jews, was divinely instructed by a holy angel to summon you to his house, and to hear words from you.”
No doubt curious, Peter went down to them, introduced himself and asked them why they had come. They informed him that Cornelius, a Roman centurion, but one who was a God-fearer and a righteous man highly respected among the Jews, had been instructed by God through a holy angel to request that Peter come to his house. For God had told Cornelius that Peter would have something special to say to him.
It must be stressed that this description of Cornelius was not given in order to suggest that he deserved that God would be good to him. It was rather in order to stress to Peter that he was not dealing with someone who was against the God of Israel. They knew perfectly well the feelings of the Jews about Gentiles, and they would have no doubt that this Jewish ‘prophet’ would have similar views. They were trying to get Peter’s goodwill, not God’s (God had already shown His).
23 Then he invited them in and lodged them. On the next day Peter went away with them, and some brethren from Joppa accompanied him.
So Peter, still puzzling over his vision, and thinking that the two strange events may be connected, said that he would accompany them; meanwhile he offered them hospitality for the night. There was no difficulty in this except to the most strict of Jews, especially in a tanner’s house. The niceties would still be observed, along with Jewish scruples. And accordingly next day he did accompany them, taking with him a number of Jewish Christians from Joppa (six in all)
The taking of six fellow-Christians may have been because he felt that their support in prayer might be helpful, or because he was a little apprehensive about going to see a Roman centurion alone in case he was arrested and disappeared without trace. (If a Roman centurion from the provincial capital called for you to go and see him it was usually a good idea to do so, but it could also carry unpleasant consequences). Peter may already have in mind that he might need witnesses to combat any false rumors. The witness of seven men would be indisputable. He had no doubt learned from past experience that witnesses could be valuable when something controversial was happening.
24 And the following day they entered Caesarea. Now Cornelius was waiting for them, and had called together his relatives and close friends.
Arriving in Caesarea after a day’s journey they found Cornelius waiting for them having gathered together a crowd made up of his family and close friends. Cornelius was a man of faith, and was confident that if God was in it the man would come.
25 As Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet and worshiped him.
When Peter entered the courtyard of the house Cornelius came forward and paid homage to him, falling at his feet, thinking of his visitor as a prophet, and possibly more. We note again that it was left to Peter to decide whether he would enter the building. The greeting went beyond courteous greeting and yet was not quite worship. But such a greeting from a centurion certainly indicated that he saw Peter as beyond the ordinary.
26 But Peter lifted him up, saying, “Stand up; I myself am also a man.”
Peter would not allow this to happen. He did not want the man to look to him. ‘Stand up,’ he basically said. ‘I am only a man like you are. You must not give me honor to which I am not due.’ It is always a tendency of man to hero-worship, and even go beyond that and an equal tendency of man to accept it. But Scripture constantly warns against such attitudes.
27 And as he talked with him, he went in and found many who had come together.
Then he talked further with Cornelius and went up to the upper chamber with him, where he found a number of guests gathered. Normally a Jew would wait outside in such a situation, and the Gentile would come out to him, thus preventing the Jew from being defiled by something in the Gentile’s house of which the Gentile would be totally unaware. Or in the circumstances of an ‘official request’ that he visit, a request that would be difficult sometimes to refuse, he might reluctantly enter knowing that he had no choice but to do so, aware, however, that he would later have to go through whatever cleansing ritual proved necessary. But he would not enter voluntarily. However, the vision that he had had, probably made Peter more willing than usual to enter. Those who were with him lived constantly among Gentiles and were probably a little less particular anyway and they may well have considered that as he had been summoned by a Centurion he had little choice. There are some people that you do not argue with.
28 Then he said to them, “You know how unlawful it is for a Jewish man to keep company with or go to one of another nation. But God has shown me that I should not call any man common or unclean. 29 Therefore I came without objection as soon as I was sent for. I ask, then, for what reason have you sent for me?”
Peter then explains why he has behaved in such an unusual manner. They will know that he is a Jew, and they will know that as a Jew he could not be expected to mix socially with non-Jews, nor enter a Gentile house. He is very much aware that they must be wondering why he has done so. He does not want them to think that he is careless about his own religious sensitivities or the religious sensitivities of the Jews. The requirements here, of course, went beyond the actual Law, and refer rather to what had become the custom, partly due to Pharisaic interpretation. But they were requirements that resulted from an urgent desire not to be religiously contaminated.
Please notice how Peter was able to explain why he was uncomfortable coming into a Gentile’s home, He skillfully refers to his beliefs without offending the Centurion. He says that it is unlawful to interact with a person of another nation. Peter does not insult him individually. He speaks in a general sense.
He points out, the reason that he has done so is because God had shown him that he must not call any man common or unclean whom God has cleansed. That is why he has come without making any excuses, and without demurring at the thought of entering a Gentile house. God had told him to come and that was why he did not hesitate to do so.
30 So 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, your prayer has been heard, and your alms are remembered in the sight of God. 32 Send therefore to Joppa and call Simon here, whose surname is Peter. He is lodging in the house of Simon, a tanner, by the sea. When he comes, he will speak to you.’
Cornelius then explained his side of the story. This is the first indication that we have had that the angel was clothed in ‘bright clothing’. That explains why Cornelius had known that he was the Angel of God. Nevertheless here in front of his friends he tones the description down of the angel down to ‘a man in bright clothing’. He is a little self-conscious about what his friends and for that manner a man of God might think.
Now, however, we recognize why he had seen in Peter a great prophet to whom homage should be paid. He recognized that he must clearly be greater than the Angel who was but a messenger. Please note the repetition of what had happened. It is being emphasized what a devout man Cornelius is, and that he was pleasing to God, and was the equivalent of a pleasing odor to Him (memorial). Peter and his companions are also being made aware that all this is of God, and is because of God’s command, just as He had commanded concerning the unclean creatures.
33 So I sent to you immediately, and you have done well to come. Now therefore, we are all present before God, to hear all the things commanded you by God.”
He then explained that he had immediately done what the man had said, and that Peter had done well to come. He understood the predicament that Peter had been in but can assure him that he has nothing to fear in that regard. Now therefore he and his family and friends were gathered in order to hear what Peter has to tell them from God, so that they might hear from him all that the Lord has commanded him.
We must now consider these words in their context. Peter had spent three years and more evangelizing under the training of The Lord Jesus while He was on earth. He had since then proclaimed the Good News for some years before Jews, and had received great response. But he had probably never before walked into a room like this packed with so ‘many’ people who were just waiting, every one, to be converted. There was no opposition. There were no doubters. And yet these were Gentiles. But they were hungry to know God and their hearts were filled with desire for Him. Here was a picture of the waiting people ‘to the uttermost part of the earth’ who were awaiting the Good News. How humbled Peter must have felt, and how moved, as with his new view of things he looked at these longing faces. He must have said to himself, “Why is it that I never realized.” He would never forget this moment.
34 Then Peter opened his mouth and said: “In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. 35 But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him. 36 The word which God sent to the children of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ—He is Lord of all— 37 that word you know, which was proclaimed throughout all Judea, and began from Galilee after the baptism which John preached: 38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by 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 killed by hanging on a tree. 40 Him God raised up on the third day, and showed Him openly, 41 not to all the people, but to witnesses chosen before by God, even to us who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead. 42 And He commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that it is He who was ordained by God to be Judge of the living and the dead. 43 To Him all the prophets witness that, through His name, whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins.” 44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word. 45 And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. 46 For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God. Then Peter answered, 47 “Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” 48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then they asked him to stay a few days.
Amazingly Peter gathered together in his mind from the Holy Spirit what he was to say to them. He observed first of all that they fear God (awe inspired faith), and then they work righteousness (they obey His laws).
We are reminded of Paul’s words that were written in his letter to the Romans 2.13-16, ‘for not the hearers of the law are righteous before God, but the doers of the law will be accounted righteous. For when Gentiles who have no law, do by nature the things of the law, these having no law, are providing a law to themselves, in that they show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness with it, and their reasoning one with another accusing or else excusing them, in the day when God shall judge the secrets of men, according to my Good News, by Jesus Christ’. These would all be men and women who had first become aware of God, and had then feared Him, with the result that they had known the force of His law within their minds and wills, and had thus from heart and conscience responded to Him to do His will. He had worked in them to will and to do of His good pleasure. They were genuine people who had experienced the working of God’s power resulting in their being righteous. And they were found among the despised Gentiles.
Peter’s message was that God had sent ‘the word’ to Israel proclaiming the Good News of peace through Jesus Christ, Who Is Lord of all. And the Word concerned the life and teaching of Jesus Christ, His defeat of Satan, His death and resurrection and the fact that He was ordained to be the Judge of the living and the dead. Indeed it is according to Scripture, for all the prophets have declared that through him all who believe will receive forgiveness of their sins.
We do not know whether Peter would then have appealed for them to respond for, before he could do so, the Holy Spirit fell ‘on those who heard the word’. As he proclaimed that, “through his name everyone who believes on him shall receive remission of sins”, the hearts of the Gentiles responded as one, and the Holy Spirit fell on them. The experience was powerful and immediate. ‘On those who heard his words’ probably means the whole receptive company, not just the particular ones whose hearts responded, because in this company all were responsive. And this was made apparent in that they ‘spoke with tongues’ and ‘magnified God’. These miraculous gifts stressed that these Gentiles were being received by God in the same way as the first believers had been.
It is true that no mention is made here of whether the tongues were understood. But they may well have been, for this would probably be a multinational gathering, and other tongues which were understood by the hearers, as at Pentecost, would have sealed to watchers and recipients alike that God was welcoming people of all races on equal terms. When a phenomenon has been previously mentioned, and then it is again mentioned much more briefly in a similar context, we have a right to assume that it is similar in most respects to the first unless we are told otherwise. Ecstatic tongues coming from Gentiles might rather have put these Jews who heard them off and made them apprehensive. They would know of such ecstatic utterances in demon worship. But if these tongues were similar to those at Pentecost, and understood by some present, they would therefore be comforting.
We do well to pause as we consider this verse. Those who had come with Peter may have been expecting a number of things, and a number of them may have been reluctant to come, but what none of them had expected was that God would give His Holy Unique Spirit to Gentiles. Why, it made them as holy as the Jewish Christians. They had become indwelt by the Lord in the same way, and that even while they were uncircumcised. Note the stress on ‘those of the circumcision.’ That was clearly considered important here, and stresses that the others were uncircumcised. The ‘circumcised’ consisted of those who had accompanied Peter, and included Peter himself). They were also ‘believers’, but they were amazed that God should bless these Gentiles in the same way as He had blessed them, even though the Gentiles were uncircumcised. They really had no choice but to accept that God was treating them on an equal basis with the Jewish Christians.
Peter recognized this immediately and seizing the moment asked ‘the circumcised’ whether they could think of any reason why these uncircumcised Gentiles should not be baptized when they had received the Holy Spirit in exactly the same way as they had. The answer could only be that they could think of no reason. But the significance of the reply and what followed was stupendous. It indicated that men could be baptized who were not circumcised in the flesh. No longer was circumcision required in order to become one of the people of God and enter Christ’s new ‘congregation’. All that was necessary was the circumcision of the heart and to be circumcised in Christ by forgiveness
Following up his question he gave command that those present be baptized in ‘the Name of Jesus Christ’. They were being accepted on the same terms as Jews, and without circumcision. But it could not be refused, for these Gentiles had already received what their baptism indicated, their part in the pouring out of the Spirit.
As we have seen earlier to be baptized in ‘the Name’ of Jesus Christ was to be baptized into His Name as LORD, to be identified as His and to be baptized into all that He is. The coming of the Spirit had fused them (baptized them) into oneness with Christ’s own body (1 Corinthians 12.13), their baptism in water sealed it before the church and the world.
Wisely he calls on his companions to perform the baptizing of these Gentile converts. This will mean that they share with him in the responsibility of doing so. It will also avoid in the future the danger of someone saying proudly or schismatically, ‘I was baptized by Peter’.
The Gentiles then begged him to stay with them for many days that he may teach them more concerning their new faith. And as always when Scripture leaves us standing in the air we may assume that he did.
