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.”
As a result of visions given to Cornelius and Peter, God incorporated Gentiles into the church. Now both Jew and Gentile shared equal privileges before God.
10:24
And the following day they entered Caesarea.
Since it was too late to start back to Caesarea, the delegation, Peter and his six friends, went the following day to Joppa (Acts 11:12). The role of his friends was to witness a seminal event of opening the gospel to Gentiles (Acts 10:45). The trip would have taken a full day’s journey.
Now Cornelius was waiting for them, and had called together his relatives and close friends.
Cornelius invited some of his relatives and close friends to hear what Peter had to say. There was a sense of anticipation about what God had to say.
10:25
As Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet and worshiped him.
Cornelius paid homage or respect to Peter.
10:26
But Peter lifted him up, saying, “Stand up; I myself am also a man.”
Peter refused homage from Cornelius. He wanted to assure the centurion that he was human, not divine. Cornelius and Peter were on the same level before God.
10:27
And as he [Peter] talked with him, he went in and found many who had come together.
Peter and Cornelius had a preliminary conversation before meeting the entire group.
10:28
Then he [Peter] said to them,
Peter now spoke to a Gentile audience and his six friends.
“You know how unlawful it is for a Jewish man to keep company with or go to one of another nation.
Peter explained the tension he felt about going into a Gentile home. Gentiles in Israel obviously knew that it was not proper for a Jew to eat or stay with a Gentile. It was traditional for Jews not to associate with Gentiles in this way. The word “unlawful” means prohibited in the sense of being against Jewish custom, not the law of Moses.
But God has shown me that I should not call any man common or unclean.
Now we have a clear statement from Peter that he understood the issue before him—God accepted Gentiles into the body of Christ. Peter used the words “common or unclean” in Acts 10:14, where he strongly reacted to God’s instructions for him to eat unclean animals. This announcement clearly indicated that God removed the distinction between Jew and Gentile (Eph 2:11-22). Peter could no longer call Gentiles “common or unclean.”
10:29
Therefore I came without objection as soon as I was sent for. I ask, then, for what reason have you sent for me?”
Peter explained to Cornelius why he came without objection. Peter did not know why Cornelius, the centurion, had sent for him.
10:30
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,
Cornelius described the angel that spoke to him as a man in bright clothing. He described the angel of verse 3 as a man in radiant dress (cf. Acts 1:10).
10:31
and said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard, and your alms are remembered in the sight of God.
Cornelius simply recounted what had happened at the time of his vision.
10:32
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.’
Verse 32 repeats Acts 10:5-6.
10:33
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.”
Cornelius and his family and friends expressed eagerness to hear what Peter had to say. They were listening in the presence of God while Peter spoke.
PRINCIPLE:
Proper reception of God’s Word requires preparation of the heart.
APPLICATION:
Eager reception of God’s Word is foundational to growth for a Christian. Openness to what God has to say to us personally puts us more squarely in the will of God (Col 3:16; 1 Th 2:13).
