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.
In 10:17-23, Peter meets the delegation sent from Cornelius and returns to Caesarea to meet the centurion.
10:17
Now while Peter wondered within himself what this vision which he had seen meant,
Peter questioned the meaning of the vision of the sheet coming down with unclean animals.
behold, the men who had been sent from Cornelius had made inquiry for Simon’s house, and stood before the gate.
While in a questioning state of mind, the delegation from Cornelius arrived at the gate where he was staying.
10:18
And they called and asked whether Simon, whose surname was Peter, was lodging there.
The delegation asked whether this was the place where Peter was staying.
10:19
While Peter thought about the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Behold, three men are seeking you.
The Spirit revealed to Peter that three men sought him at the gate. The Holy Spirit is in control of all events.
10:20
Arise therefore, go down and go with them, doubting nothing; for I have sent them.”
In this verse, the Spirit instructs Peter to go with the delegation to Caesarea. He also informs him that they came by divine design.
10:21
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”
Peter identifies himself as the one whom the delegation is seeking.
10:22
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.”
The delegation informs Peter that a centurion named Cornelius sent for him. They describe him as someone who fears God and has a good reputation among the Jews and was guided by an angel to ask for Peter to come to him.
10:23
Then he invited them in and lodged them. On the next day Peter went away with them, and some brethren from Joppa accompanied him.
Peter invited the delegation to stay with him in Simon’s house overnight. Peter and other believers from Joppa went with the delegation to Caesarea.
PRINCIPLE:
Sometimes the Holy Spirit directs us toward a specific end.
APPLICATION:
Our passage shows how God clearly leads people toward His ends. God leads when people are open to His will. God gradually revealed an entirely new vista of ministry for Peter because he was open to God’s will. Peter’s apprehension about what was happening to him began to fade into a clear picture of what God had in store for him.
God called Peter to open himself to reaching Gentiles, whom he despised. Now that God set Israel aside until the future, He opened the gospel to both Jews and Gentiles. A new entity called the church began in Acts 2, to which God opened Gentiles to be incorporated into that body. Peter starts to understand what God meant when He said, “What I have cleansed, do not call common” (Acts 10:15).
