Commentary of the Book of the Acts of the Apostles
By Dr. Barry L. Jenkins
Text Used: Legacy Standard Bible
Bible Study Acts 10: 1-23
Text:
Cornelius’ and Peter’s Visions
10 Now there was a man at Caesarea named Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian [a]cohort, 2 a devout man and one who feared God with all his household, and gave many [b]alms to the people and prayed to God continually. 3 About the [c]ninth hour of the day he clearly saw in a vision an angel of God who had come in and said to him, “Cornelius!” 4 And looking intently on him and becoming afraid, he said, “What is it, Lord?” And he said to him, “Your prayers and [d]alms have ascended as a memorial before God. 5 Now send some men to Joppa and summon a man named Simon, who is also called Peter; 6 he is lodging with a tanner named Simon, whose house is by the sea.” 7 And when the angel who was speaking to him had left, he called two of his servants and a devout soldier of those who were his personal attendants, 8 and after he explained everything to them, he sent them to Joppa.
9 And on the next day, as they were on their way and approaching the city, Peter went up on the housetop about the [e]sixth hour to pray. 10 But he became hungry and was desiring to eat. And while they were making preparations, he fell into a trance 11 and *saw heaven opened up, and [f]an object like a great sheet coming down, lowered by four corners to the ground, 12 and there were in it all kinds of four-footed animals and crawling creatures of the earth and birds of the [g]sky. 13 And a voice came to him, “Rise up, Peter, [h]slaughter and eat!” 14 But Peter said, “By no means, Lord, for I have never eaten anything defiled and unclean.” 15 Again a voice came to him a second time, “What God has cleansed, no longer consider defiled.” 16 And this happened three times and immediately the [i]object was taken up into heaven.
17 Now while Peter was greatly perplexed in [j]mind as to what the vision which he had seen might be, behold, the men who had been sent by Cornelius, having asked directions for Simon’s house, appeared at the gate; 18 and calling out, they were asking whether Simon, who was also called Peter, was lodging there. 19 And while Peter was reflecting on the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Behold, [k]three men are looking for you. 20 But rise up, go down and accompany them without taking issue at all, for I have sent them Myself.” 21 And Peter went down to the men and said, “Behold, I am the one you are looking for; what is the reason for which you have come?” 22 And they said, “Cornelius, a centurion, a righteous and God-fearing man well spoken of by the entire nation of the Jews, was directed by a holy angel to summon you to his house and hear [l]a message from you.” 23 So he invited them in and gave them lodging.
Peter at Caesarea
And on the next day he rose up and went away with them, and some of the brothers from Joppa went with him.
Verse by verse commentary
Verse 1: “Now there was a man at Caesarea named Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian cohort,”
Continuing north along the coast from Joppa, the next significant location is Caesarea, a Roman city and the residence of Pilate, the governor, and other rulers. This was where Cornelius, a centurion and commander of one hundred Roman soldiers, was stationed with the Italian band, a cohort of Roman soldiers recruited in Italy.
Verse 2: “a devout man and one who feared God with all his household, and gave many [a]alms to the people and prayed to God continually.”
Cornelius was a devout man who recognized his dependence on the divine and directed his worship accordingly. Although he was not a Jewish proselyte in the strictest sense, he was drawn to Judaism. Today, we might consider him similar to someone who lives nearby, attends church occasionally, and is friendly toward it, but isn't actually a Christian. Cornelius also feared God and gave generously to the Jewish people. The Israelites have always emphasized giving, as God instructed them in the Old Testament. They gave three tenths of what they produced: one for the government, one for the temple, and one as a general tithe.
Verse 3: “ About the ninth hour of the day he clearly saw in a vision an angel of God who had come in and said to him, ‘Cornelius!’”
The centurion, a career officer in the Roman army, was a man of great influence, both in his community and within his household. He was outwardly a good man, and by American standards today, he would be considered an outstanding Christian. However, he was not actually a Christian and had never even heard the gospel.
Verse 4: “And looking intently on him and becoming afraid, he said, “What is it, Lord?” And he said to him, “Your prayers and alms have ascended as a memorial before God.”
Cornelius' prayers, devotion, faith, and goodness were so impactful that they were like a fragrant offering ascending to God, which He remembered.
Verse 5: “Now send some men to Joppa and summon a man named Simon, who is also called Peter;”
Cornelius was instructed to send for Simon Peter in Joppa. The surname Peter differentiates the Apostle from Simon the tanner, his host, whose house was located by the sea. The reason Peter was summoned remains unclear. The focus, instead, is on Cornelius's readiness to respond to God's message.
Verse 6: “he is lodging with a tanner named Simon, whose house is by the sea.”
The apostles' presence was significant during each of the three instances where major people groups first experienced salvation. This pattern was evident at Pentecost among the Jews, then among the Samaritans, and now with Peter's presence among the Gentiles, paralleling his crucial role in Samaria.
Verse 7: “And when the angel who was speaking to him had left, he called two of his servants and a devout soldier of those who were his personal attendants,”
God must prepare Simon Peter while the men journey to the tanner's house, which they will find easily.
Verse 8: “and after he explained everything to them, he sent them to Joppa.”
Cornelius immediately summoned two of his household servants and one of his soldiers. He relayed the events and the instructions he had received, then dispatched them to Joppa to fetch Peter.
Verse 9: “And on the next day, as they were on their way and approaching the city, Peter went up on the housetop about the sixth hour to pray.”
Peter's midday prayer time was likely one of three daily prayer times he observed, similar to the practice described in Daniel 6:10 and Acts 3:1.
Verse 10: “But he became hungry and was desiring to eat. And while they were making preparations, he fell into a trance”
Peter's mind was prepared for the vision by being pulled away from the outside world.
Verse 11: “and *saw heaven opened up, and an object like a great sheet coming down, lowered by four corners to the ground,”
Visions, dreams, and trances were common methods of divine revelation to prophets in Biblical times. Today, the Bible serves as our primary source of understanding God's ways. While God may still communicate through other means Providentially, any such revelation should always be evaluated against Scripture, which remains the ultimate standard for divine truth and our Christian faith.
Verse 12: “and there were in it all kinds of four-footed animals and crawling creatures of the earth and birds of the sky.”
There were both clean and unclean animals. God imposed specific dietary restrictions on the Israelites, forbidding the consumption of certain animals, to maintain their separation from their idolatrous neighbors.
Verse 13: “And a voice came to him, ‘Rise up, Peter, slaughter and eat!’”
Peter was not willing to break the Old Testament laws that prohibited eating unclean animals. I like to point out that whatever the Lord Jesus Christ taught His disciples in the 40 days after His resurrection, it did not include changing the dietary laws. Peter had remained true to the dietary laws in the New Testament.
Verse 14: “ But Peter said, ‘By no means, Lord, for I have never eaten anything defiled and unclean.’”
The laws regarding food had dietary restrictions that prohibited the consumption of certain foods. These regulations may have been put into place for health reasons or for religious purposes. The Jews' daily diet visually reinforced God's holiness and provided them with insight.
Verse 15: “Again a voice came to him a second time, ‘What God has cleansed, no longer consider defiled.’”
God used Christ's all-encompassing sacrificial death to unify the church, which consisted of both Jews and Gentiles. This was symbolized by the clean and unclean animals, respectively, and went beyond simply abolishing the Old Testament's dietary restrictions.
Verse 16: “And this happened three times and immediately the object was taken up into heaven.”
“Three times” was to make a strong and lasting impression on Peter.
Verse 17: “Now while Peter was greatly perplexed in mind as to what the vision which he had seen might be, behold, the men who had been sent by Cornelius, having asked directions for Simon’s house, appeared at the gate;”
Peter was unsure of the vision's meaning, although he did not doubt that it was from God. He was greatly perplexed and confused. Christ reveals himself to people in stages, not all at once. He allows people time to ponder and debate the meaning before making it clear.
Verse 18: “and calling out, they were asking whether Simon, who was also called Peter, was lodging there.”
Peter did not have to wait long for clarity. God is aware of the tasks that lie ahead and equips us accordingly in His timing, not necessarily ours. The meaning of His teachings becomes clear when we face situations that demand their application.
Verse 19: “And while Peter was reflecting on the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Behold, three men are looking for you.”
The simultaneous arrival of Cornelius's delegation and the Spirit's message to Peter about their presence reveals God's Providence in operation. God's hand is evident not just in the timing, but also in the Spirit's specific communication with Peter. Peter then extended hospitality to the men for the night to prepare them for their journey back.
Verse 20: “But rise up, go down and accompany them without taking issue at all, for I have sent them Myself.”
The "angel of God" that appeared to Cornelius, "the voice" that spoke to Peter, and "the Spirit" that urged him to go with Cornelius's messengers are all manifestations of the ascended Christ through the Holy Spirit. Thus, we cannot distinguish between them.
Verse 21: “And Peter went down to the men and said, “Behold, I am the one you are looking for; what is the reason for which you have come?”
Peter, likely using an outside stairway, descended to meet the messengers in response to the Spirit's prompting. He inquired about the reason for their arrival after introducing himself.
Verse 22: “And they said, ‘Cornelius, a centurion, a righteous and God-fearing man well spoken of by the entire nation of the Jews, was directed by a holy angel to summon you to his house and hear a message from you.’”
They told Peter about Cornelius, their master. They spoke of the angel's visit and said they were sent to bring Peter back so he could tell Cornelius what he had to say. They described Cornelius as a righteous and God-fearing man, whose good character was recognized by all the Jewish people.
Verse 23: “So he invited them in and gave them lodging.”
Then Peter, obeying the vision's command, welcomed these Gentiles into the house as his guests. With the tanner's permission, Peter acted more as a host than a guest.
