Good news for gentiles (Acts 10:1-48)

BIBLICALLY SEPARATE (Acts 10:1-48)

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Dr. Paul Manuel—2018
 

Some potentially risky situations require certain precautions to avoid complications later.

Flying to Los Angeles from San Francisco, a passenger noticed that the "Fasten Seat Belts" sign was kept lit during the whole trip although the flight was a very smooth one and relatively short. Just before landing, one passenger asked the flight attendant about it. "Well," she explained, 'Up front there are 17 University of California girls going to LA for the weekend. In back, there are 25 Coast Guard enlistees. What would you do?"

Some potentially risky situations require certain precautions to avoid complications later. When Peter leads a Jewish group to meet a gentile group at the home of Cornelius, two groups that normally are "Biblically Separate," it is necessary to take certain precautions to ensure that the two groups get along well.

 

Although the focus in the Old Testament is on the descendants of Abraham, God has always welcomed gentiles, either separately (e.g., Jethro, Melchizedek) or as part of the nation (e.g., Rahab, Ruth). These same two options remain open for gentiles who come to God in the New Testament. Some become converts (e.g., Nicolas) while others remain separate, called "God-fearers." The two groups differ in their observation of biblical law, with God-fearing gentiles obeying what He expects from everyone (e.g., idolatry), while converts also obey what God expects from Jews (e.g., holidays). This chapter is about a group of gentiles that remains separate and does not convert. As the account begins...

 

I. The Lord renews the invitation.

A. He speaks through a vision (vv. 1-8).

Acts 10:1 At Caesarea [a western port city in the north] there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion in what was known as the Italian Regiment. 2 He and all his family were devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly. 3 One day at about three in the afternoon he had a vision. He distinctly saw an angel of God, who came to him and said, "Cornelius!" 4 Cornelius stared at him in fear. "What is it, Lord?" he asked. The angel answered, "Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before God. 5 Now send men to Joppa to bring back a man named Simon who is called Peter. 6 He is staying with Simon the tanner, whose house is by the sea." 7 When the angel who spoke to him had gone, Cornelius called two of his servants and a devout soldier who was one of his attendants. 8 He told them everything that had happened and sent them to Joppa [a western port city in the south].

Cornelius is an unusual gentile; he has a reputation for righteousness, not merely as a 'nice' person: He is "devout and God-fearing," one who gives "generously" to the poor, and who prays "regularly" (v. 2). He is one of those rare gentiles who has adopted Israel's God as his own. Moreover, he is not alone in his faith. His whole family believes, as does at least one member of his staff.

 

What Cornelius sees is not a vague, shadowy apparition: "He distinctly saw an angel of God" (v. 3). Angelic visitations are not common in the Bible, especially to gentiles . Whether or not the centurion realizes how rare this situation is, he responds as most people do, not in disbelief but in "fear" (v. 4). He takes seriously the instruction he receives and sends representatives to Joppa, perhaps wondering how a stranger there, a Jew, will receive him. While the synagogue in Capernaum is open to gentiles, there is no guarantee that Jews in Joppa will be like-minded. What he does not know is that God will prepare the way.

B. He speaks through a trance (vv. 9-16).

Acts 10:9 About noon the following day as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray. 10 He became hungry and wanted something to eat, and while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance. 11 He saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners. 12 It contained all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles of the earth and birds of the air. 13 Then a voice told him, "Get up, Peter. Kill and eat." 14 "Surely not, Lord!" Peter replied. "I have never eaten anything impure or unclean." 15 The voice spoke to him a second time, "Do not call anything impure that God has made clean." 16 This happened three times, and immediately the sheet was taken back to heaven.

Peter's experience with a vision is also rare. It is noon, not yet time for a nap. He does not know what the day will bring and certainly does not realize how eventful—how momentous—it will be. Peter's mind is on the mid-day meal, but what he sees is not the normal fare, especially for an observant Jew. It is or includes a collection of tref (Yiddish for unclean meat), the very things a gentile might eat but an observant Jew would not eat. Is God telling Peter the laws of kashrut in Lev 11 no longer apply? If so, it would contradict what Jesus taught that "not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished" (Matt 5:18). The lesson here is different, as Peter explains later (v. 28b).

 

Red letter editions of the Bible, which mark the words of Jesus, print the quotation in red, but these words are not those of Jesus. When the biblical author identifies the speaker of a heavenly voice, (lit. "daughter of a voice"), or the speaker is clear from the context, it is always God the Father not God the Son (contra Bruce 1980:220).

 

Application: Some people think that having made a decision for God, they can then live as they please without further concern for their future ("Once saved always saved"). Even if their eternal destiny is not in jeopardy, their eternal reward remains undetermined, and it would be wise to take a long view of what lies ahead:

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad (2 Cor 5:10).

They catch God's attention who have a reputation for righteousness, for whom repeated good deeds mark consistently good behavior.

The centurion has questions the apostle can answer, and he dispatches representatives to request an audience.

II. The delegation visits the apostle.

A. He is puzzled by the vision (vv. 17-21).

Acts 10:17 While Peter was wondering about the meaning of the vision, the men sent by Cornelius found out where Simon's house was and stopped at the gate. 18 They called out, asking if Simon who was known as Peter was staying there. 19 While Peter was still thinking about the vision, the Spirit said to him, "Simon, three men are looking for you. 20 So get up and go downstairs. Do not hesitate to go with them, for I have sent them." 21 Peter went down and said to the men, "I'm the one you're looking for. Why have you come?"

At first the vision seems to contradict what God has revealed to be His will for His people because at least some creatures in the sheet were unclean. The Lord was clear that Jewish cuisine was to be different from gentile cuisine. In Lev 11, He defines what constitutes acceptable food and what does not:

These are the regulations concerning animals, birds, every living thing that moves in the water and every creature that moves about on the ground. You must distinguish between the unclean and the clean, between living creatures that may be eaten and those that may not be eaten. (Lev 11:46-47)

Gentiles are not particular about what they ingest. They are like the old Life cereal commercial: "Give it to Mikey; he'll eat anything." Gentiles eat anything and everything, evinced by TV shows like "Extreme Cuisine with Jeff Corwin" on the Food Network and "Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern." God's people may speculate as to the divine rationale behind certain orders, but in the end it is enough that He commands His people, that He expects them as part of their being holy to eat only what He designates. Like gathering manna in the wilderness, some commands are just a test of His people's willingness to obey Him:

The Lord said to Moses, "I will rain down bread from heaven for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day. In this way I will test them and see whether they will follow my instructions." (Exod 16:4)

It is enough that He commands certain behavior. He does not owe His people an explanation.

 

Cornelius obeys the angel's instruction and sends representatives to see Peter, who treat the apostle as another representative of God, to the apostle's dismay. Peter insists that...

B. He is unworthy of the visit (vv. 22-26).

Acts 10:22 The men replied, "We have come from Cornelius the centurion. He is a righteous and God-fearing man, who is respected by all the Jewish people. A holy angel told him to have you come to his house so that he could hear what you have to say." 23 Then Peter invited the men into the house to be his guests.15 The next day Peter started out with them, and some of the brothers from Joppa went along. 24 The following day he arrived in Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends. 25 As Peter entered the house, Cornelius met him and fell at his feet in reverence. 26 But Peter made him get up. "Stand up," he said, "I am only a man myself."

The delegation from Cornelius recounts his reputation and invites Peter to come with a message. The centurion greets him with great deference, which Peter demurs.

C. He is surprised by the reception (vv. 27-29).

Acts 10:27 Talking with him, Peter went inside and found a large gathering of people. 28 He said to them: "You are well aware that it is against our law for a Jew to associate with a Gentile or visit him. But God has shown me that I should not call any man impure or unclean. 29 So when I was sent for, I came without raising any objection. May I ask why you sent for me?"

Peter probably does not expect the "large gathering of people" (v. 27) that greets him. After all, what interest would gentiles have in Israel's God? It also poses a problem for Peter as an observant Jew. A crowd this size is likely to include many who are ritually unclean, almost guaranteeing ceremonial contagion. But Peter's vision has prepared him for this situation: "God has shown me that I should not call any man impure or unclean" (v. 28). This does not mean that Jews no longer need be concerned with ritual purity. They must still be ceremonially clean when they approach God in the sanctuary, but they need not be as concerned outside the sanctuary among believing gentiles (for whom the defilement of idolatry, the primary contaminant in non-Jews, is no longer an issue).

 

Application: Although it might be nice to understand the rationale behind what God expects, you must not make your compliance with God's commands dependent on your comprehension of God's commands. Recall the manna example. As Moses said,

Be careful to follow every command I am giving you...so that you may live and increase... Remember how the Lord your God led you all the way in the desert these forty years...to test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands. (Deut 8:1-2)

What is most important is not how well you understand God but how willing you are to obey God.

 

The moment of truth arrives as Peter relates the revelation he had on the rooftop.

 

III. The apostle interprets the vision.

A. He recounts the experience (vv. 30-33).

Acts 10:30 Cornelius answered: "Four days ago I was in my house praying at this hour, at three in the afternoon. Suddenly a man in shining clothes stood before me 31 and said, 'Cornelius, God has heard your prayer and remembered your gifts to the poor. 32 Send to Joppa for Simon who is called Peter. He is a guest in the home of Simon the tanner, who lives by the sea.' 33 So I sent for you immediately, and it was good of you to come. Now we are all here in the presence of God to listen to everything the Lord has commanded you to tell us."

Cornelius expects Peter to explain the significance of this visit from the angel. Surely it brings more than a simple greeting.

B. He explains the meaning (vv. 34-38).

Acts 10:34 Then Peter began to speak: "I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism 35 but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right. 36 You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, telling the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all. 37 You know what has happened throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached—38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.

Peter begins his discourse by citing God's impartiality and then brings his exposition immediately to Jesus. Although these gentiles may have heard the gospel, Peter also gives conditions that mark a response acceptable to God for those who have not heard, be they Jews or gentiles.

C. He relates the mission (vv. 39-43).

Acts 10:39 "We are witnesses of everything he did in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They killed him by hanging him on a tree, 40 but God raised him from the dead on the third day and caused him to be seen. 41 He was not seen by all the people, but by witnesses whom God had already chosen—by us who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. 42 He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead. 43 All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name."

Even if these gentiles are familiar with the gospel, Peter repeats the essential elements. He appeals to the powerful testimony of eye-witnesses. The credibility of the crucifixion and resurrection rests not on hearsay but on the authentication of those who were there and actually saw these events happen. He also refers to the power inherent in Jesus' name, not in any magical sense but as a simple metonymy for Jesus' person, the way Peter uses it earlier: "There is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:12).

D. He applies the mandate (vv. 44-48).

Acts 10:44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. 45 The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles. 46 For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God. Then Peter said, 47 "Can anyone keep these people from being baptized with water? They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have." 48 So he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked Peter to stay with them for a few days.

The culmination of this encounter is an experience bestowed initially upon Jewish believers: anointing of the Holy Spirit. The confirmation of this experience is a ceremony only Jews practiced to this point, ritual ablution, which cleanses gentiles from the defilement that has accrued during their previous involvement with idolatry. While baptism has since become a sign of initiation in many churches, here it remedies a problem gentile believers have that inhibits contact with Jews in general and with Jewish believers in particular: defilement from presumed contact with an idol or its paraphernalia. Ablution rids them of the uncleanness they contracted in their former pagan way of life. This new requirement for God-fearers enables them to fellowship with believing Jews.

 

Application: In Rom 3 Paul asks and answers "What advantage..is there in being a Jew...? Much in every way!" (Rom 3:1-2) He then lists several advantages, all of which pertain to this life. You, however, are not a Jew. Does that put you at a disadvantage? Not at all. When God looks at you He sees your potential not your pedigree. "The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart." (1 Sam 16:7b-c) You have a position with Him that is infinitely satisfying and eternally secure.

 

Cornelius and his household represent the third and final group to accept the gospel, following Jews and Samaritans. They are God-fearers and remain so even after this event. Normally, Jews and gentiles are "Biblically Separate," with one group having little to do with the other. Their fellowship here illustrates the growth of the Church as God welcomes an increasingly diverse membership. Those "who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ" (Eph 2:13), as have you.

For the Footnotes and Bibliography see the pdf here.