Peter And Cornelius
PETER AND CORNELIUS
ACTS 10:17-33
The second half of verse 33 would be a good motto text for a Christian meeting. If we always went to church with that attitude, our services would be transformed!
Notice that the angelic visitor’s message is attributed to the Holy Spirit (10:19-20) who spoke to his servant both in the trance-vision (10:10ff.) and through the inward monition of his own reflection (10:17, inward perplexity) required Peter to “ponder the vision” (10:19).
Peter’s hospitality—an important virtue in early Christianity—delayed the departure until the following day (10:23a).
10:23b-29. The time-notices are not easy to follow; and it is possible that “the next day” of verse 23 is the same as “the following day” of verse 24, if the journey of thirty miles took the same time as that of the early messengers. The Western text in 10:30 reads, “It is three days ago.” Otherwise, if we read “four days ago,” the reckoning is inclusive or the return trip for the messengers took longer.
In this way Peter the Christian apostle and Cornelius the Gentile inquirer were brought together. Why did the latter prostrate himself and do homage (10:25)? What steps had he taken to ensure a good reception of the message from God which Peter was to bring (10:24,27,33)? The courtesy and modesty of 10:33 should be particularly noted. (Are these excellent qualities found in us in our correspondence and conversation with other believers?) “Did ever a preacher of the Gospel have a more promising audience than this?” (F.F. Bruce).
Notes 10:20: the key phrase is “without hesitation” (cf. similar words in 10:29). This is explained by 10:28. Peter as a Jew might well hesitate before accepting the invitation to visit a Gentile, and object to eating under his roof. Such an act would lead to a ceremonial defilement. But the vision of 10:9-16 had changed all this. 10:25: cf. Revelation 19:10; 22:8-9. 10:28: Jewish rules virtually forbade loyal Jews from accepting Gentile hospitality, chiefly because of the fear that the food provided might not be kosher (ie ritually slaughtered, with the blood drained away) and perhaps harmful, if it had previously been used in idol-worship. 1 Corinthians 8 may be compared.