Acts 10:5 Komentář

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 (Act 10:1-8). 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 (Act 10:9-23). III. The happy interview between Peter and Cornelius at Cesarea (Act 10:24-33). IV. The sermon Peter preached in the house of Cornelius to him and to his friends (Act 10:34-43). V. The baptizing of Cornelius and his friends with the Holy Ghost first, and then with water (Act 10:44-48).

There was a certain man in Caesarea,.... This was the Caesarea formerly called Strato's tower, not Caesarea Philippi; for the former, and not the latter, lay near Joppa: called Cornelius; which was a Roman name, and he himself was a Roman or an Italian: a centurion of the band called the Italian band; which consisted of soldiers collected out of Italy, from whence the band took its name, in which Cornelius was a centurion, having a hundred men under him, as the name of his office signifies.

And now send men to Joppa,.... Which lay near to Caesarea; and call for one Simon, whose surname is Peter: the angel was not sent to instruct Cornelius himself, but to direct him to an apostle of Christ, and minister of the Gospel, who should do it; for not angels, but men, are employed in the ministry of the word, which is the ordinary means of spiritual knowledge, and of increasing it. So the eunuch was instructed by Philip, and Saul by Ananias; which shows the excellency and usefulness of the Gospel ministry and ministers, and what dignity is put upon them, what use should be made of them, and in what esteem they should be had.

"And now send men to Joppa, and call for one Simon, whose surname is Peter." Lest they should come to a different person, he designates the man not only by his surname, but by the place.

"Send and call for Simon": in like manner the Angel only calls Philip. He does not tell him for what purpose, that he may not take off the intense desire, but he leaves him to an eager and longing expectation of what he shall hear.

Let us beware of such dangerous temptations of pride, and let us rather consider the fact that the apostle Paul himself, although stricken down and admonished by the voice of God from heaven, was yet sent to a man to receive the sacraments and be admitted into the church. Cornelius the centurion, although an angel announced to him that his prayers were heard and that his alms were remembered, was yet handed over to Peter for instruction, and not only received the sacraments from the apostle’s hands but was also instructed by him as to the proper objects of faith, hope and love. And without doubt it was possible to have done everything through the instrumentality of angels, but the condition of our race would have been much more degraded if God had not chosen to make use of people as the ministers of his word to [other people]. For how could that be true which is written, “The temple of God is holy, and that temple you are,” if God gave forth no oracles from his human temple but communicated everything that he wished to be taught to people by voices from heaven or through the ministration of angels? Moreover, love itself, which binds people together in the bond of unity, would have no means of pouring soul into soul, and, as it were, mingling them one with another, if people never learned anything from [others].

They do not mention that both the Ethiopian and Cornelius held office, but that by their wealth and the influence surrounding them they were not hindered from living devoutly. This man therefore is not a Jew, nor under the laws, but already had anticipated our way of life. Seeing him, the eye of simple-mindedness, that his deeds are fine but dead and yet he has no faith, sends a representative to judge the deeds, so as to crown with faith one who competes well. And he does this also for the instruction of Peter, and more for the weaker ones. About the ninth hour, when he had been released from care, and was in silence and devotion. For this reason the author makes the man known and revealed, so that no one might say he is lying. Through this also he indicated his rank. "From a band called the Italian." A band is what we now call a unit. [CHRYSOSTOM]

And summon Simon, who is called Peter; he lodges with a certain Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the sea. All things in the Holy Scriptures are filled with spiritual figures, even the names and the location of places. Peter lodges in the house of Simon, that is, the obedient one; and he himself is a tanner, because he is a teacher of the Church; there he has a pleasing dwelling and beloved lodging, where he finds obedient listeners, where those who chastise their body and bring it into subjection (I Cor. IX); who, strengthened by God, stand on the height of virtues, so that having crossed all the waves of the fleeting world, they despise them with the tranquil liberty of mind. For this is to have Simon the tanner’s house, in which Peter is received in a part of the city which is by the sea, that is, to have perfect listeners of the word in the holy Church, who with unfaltering constancy of true faith, either despise the fleeting glory of the world or the temporary and changing terrors of it.

And now send men to Joppa. When alms and prayers had been accepted, immediately the teacher of salvation is ordered to be summoned, clearly implying that through those alms and prayers, he sought from the Lord the full knowledge of his salvation.

Pay attention also to the Angel: he first elevates and raises the thoughts of Cornelius to the highest, and only then says: "Send men to Joppa and call for Simon, who is called Peter."

ACCESSION AND BAPTISM OF CORNELIUS AND HIS PARTY; OR, THE FIRST-FRUITS OF THE GENTILES. (Acts 10:1-48) CÃ&brvbrsarea--(See on Act 8:40). the Italian band--a cohort of Italians, as distinguished from native soldiers, quartered at CÃ&brvbrsarea, probably as a bodyguard to the Roman procurator who resided there. An ancient coin makes express mention of such a cohort in Syria. [AKERMAN, Numismatic Illustrations of the New Testament.]

send to Joppa . . . for one Simon, &c.--(See on Act 9:11).