1 There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian Regiment, 2 a devout man and one who feared God with all his household, who gave alms generously to the people, and prayed to God always. 3 About the ninth hour of the day he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God coming in and saying to him, “Cornelius!” 4 And when he observed him, he was afraid, and said, “What is it, lord?” So he said to him, “Your prayers and your alms have come up for a memorial before God. 5 Now send men to Joppa, and send for Simon whose surname is Peter. 6 He is lodging with Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the sea. He will tell you what you must do.” 7 And when the angel who spoke to him had departed, Cornelius called two of his household servants and a devout soldier from among those who waited on him continually. 8 So when he had explained all these things to them, he sent them to Joppa.
Commentary
Vs. 1-2 1 There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian Regiment, 2 a devout man and one who feared God with all his household, who gave alms generously to the people, and prayed to God always.
The Scripture now moves us to Caesarea, and introduces us to a Roman centurion of the Italian Regiment named Cornelius, who it introduces us to as, “a devout man and one who feared God with all his household, who gave alms generously to the people, and prayed to God always.” Vs. 2 What an incredible testimony, and that by the Word of God! And yet this man Cornelius was not a Jew, indeed he was a Roman, and a Roman centurion of the Italian Regiment at that. Yet by his exposure to the Jews whom he was to oversee he had become a very God-fearing man, for he feared God with all his household, and so he gave alms generously to the people (that is charitable gifts, whether monetary or otherwise to those in need), and he prayed to God always. Now that all said of Cornelius, he still lacked one thing that only God could provide for him, and that was the salvation of his soul. Therefore, as we will see the Lord will bring salvation not only to Cornelius and his God-fearing household, but by doing so he will also open the eyes of Peter and all the brethren that the Lord has now received all Gentiles who will believe in Him!
Vs. 3-6 3 About the ninth hour of the day he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God coming in and saying to him, “Cornelius!” 4 And when he observed him, he was afraid, and said, “What is it, lord?” So he said to him, “Your prayers and your alms have come up for a memorial before God. 5 Now send men to Joppa, and send for Simon whose surname is Peter. 6 He is lodging with Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the sea. He will tell you what you must do.”
And so, it was that one day around the ninth hour (3:00pm) that Cornelius while praying to God saw clearly in vision an angel of God coming in and saying to him, “Cornelius!” Now Cornelius when he saw him was afraid, for Cornelius had never had a vison before, and he certainly had never seen an angel before, and had him address him by name, so he tentatively says to him, “What is it lord?” Now the angel in responding says to him, … “Your prayers and your alms have come up for a memorial before God. 5 Now send men to Joppa, and send for Simon whose surname is Peter. 6 He is lodging with Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the sea. He will tell you what you must do.” vs. 4-6
God then clearly remembers the good that we do, and in remembering the good that Cornelius had done, and how he had sought Him, and how He wanted to know Him He sent His angel to him to bring to him the apostle Peter who would now explain the way of salvation to him. Therefore, the angel now tells him to send men to Joppa where they will find Simon Peter dwelling at Simon the tanners house, he is to come with them for he will tell Cornelius and his household what they must do to be saved.
Vs. 7-8 7 And when the angel who spoke to him had departed, Cornelius called two of his household servants and a devout soldier from among those who waited on him continually. 8 So when he had explained all these things to them, he sent them to Joppa.
And so, with the angel’s word to him and then departure, Cornelius now calls two of his household servants and a devout soldier, (who himself was God fearing man), from those who waited on him continually, (thus Cornelius was a man of no small significance), and so when he explained to them the vision, he immediately sends them to Joppa to seek and find Simon Peter who will explain the way of salvation to them all.
Scripture Quotations
New King James (1982):Thomas Nelson.
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