34 Then Peter opened his mouth and said: “In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. 35 But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him. 36 The word which God sent to the children of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ—He is Lord of all—37 that word you know, which was proclaimed throughout all Judea, and began from Galilee after the baptism which John preached: 38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. 39 And we are witnesses of all things which He did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem, whom they killed by hanging on a tree. 40 Him God raised up on the third day, and showed Him openly, 41 not to all the people, but to witnesses chosen before by God, even to us who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead. 42 And He commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that it is He who was ordained by God to be Judge of the living and the dead. 43 To Him all the prophets witness that, through His name, whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins.” 44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word. 45 And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. 46 For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God. Then Peter answered, 47 “Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” 48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then they asked him to stay a few days.
Commentary
Vs. 34-35 34 Then Peter opened his mouth and said: “In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. 35 But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him.
With Peter having heard from Cornelius on how God brought them together, Peter now puts the pieces together and his vison given him by God now comes into full focus, and so he begins his message by saying, … “In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. 35 But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him.”
Therefore, Peter now knows that God does not so favoritism to anyone simply because they are a Jew. Indeed how many of us unfortunately and unjustly believe and treat people differently simply because of their national origins, or regions where they were born, or neighborhoods they grew up in (i.e., on the “right” or “wrong” side of the tracks), or their skin color, or their ancestral heritage, or where they went to college, or if they even went to college or high school, or what their vocation is; i.e., first responders are not more inherently righteous, or good, or just, simply because they are in that most trusted position. Therefore, God shows no partiality to anyone, rather He judges us by what we do, (and thus who we are), not by where we come from, or who one’s parents are, or what church or denomination they belong too, or if they even belong to a church. And so fearing God and working righteousness is what makes anyone accepted by Him! (see Rom. 2-3). And in this Cornelius the centurion had shown himself a man who was doing exactly that, whose heart was contrite before God, for he himself was wanting to know God. Therefore, he would be the perfect launch point for God to now preach (and bring) the way of salvation to the Gentiles, through the apostle Peter sharing the Gospel with him and his household.
Vs. 36-38 36 The word which God sent to the children of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ—He is Lord of all—37 that word you know, which was proclaimed throughout all Judea, and began from Galilee after the baptism which John preached: 38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.
Peter thus begins by telling how God sent His Word to the children of Israel and preached peace with Himself through His Son Jesus Christ, declaring Him as Lord of all. This then Peter says to Cornelius that though he himself had heard about Jesus, but like many now who have also heard of Jesus, yet he did know Him (vs. 37). Therefore, Peter now begins by filling in the blanks for Cornelius by telling him that this Word was proclaimed throughout all Judea (the land of the devout Jews), but began from Galilee, (the mixed land of Jews and Gentiles), after John the Baptist had finished his preaching a baptism of repentance before God in anticipation of the Lord Jesus Christ’s manifestation to Israel. Now God in manifesting His Son Jesus of Nazareth to Israel, first Anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with Power, showing everyone openly then that this Jesus is God’s Messiah and Son. Therefore, Jesus Himself went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, and thus powerfully showing Himself to be the One who was bringing salvation to them, for God was with Him.
Vs. 39 “And we are witnesses of all things which He did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem, whom they killed by hanging on a tree.”
Therefore, Peter tells Cornelius that he and those with him were witnesses of all things that Jesus did, in both the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem, and yet the very people God sent His Son to first would not receive Him, but instead they killed Him by hanging Him on a tree, (that is they crucified Him), outside the walls of Jerusalem.
Vs. 40-41 40 Him God raised up on the third day, and showed Him openly, 41 not to all the people, but to witnesses chosen before by God, even to us who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead.
Nonetheless Peter now tells them that though Israel Crucified God’s Son Jesus Christ, God Himself raised Him up from the dead on the third day, and showed Him openly, not to all people, but to those He Himself had chosen to bear witness to His Son’s glorious Resurrection from the dead, saying, “even to us who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead.”
Vs. 42-43 42 And He commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that it is He who was ordained by God to be Judge of the living and the dead. 43 To Him all the prophets witness that, through His name, whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins.”
Jesus then having Risen from the dead and appearing to Peter and to all the apostles told them to preach to the people, and to testify that it is He who was ordained by God to be Judge of the living and the dead (see John 5:24-30). Thus, all submission, obedience, and faith towards God must now be directed towards His Son the Lord Jesus Christ, for God has appointed Him as the only way to salvation, for “To Him all the prophets witness that, through His name, whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins.” The way of salvation then is not by ones own works or deeds but only by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, and so right up until that moment neither Cornelius or anyone else is his household was saved. For not until they heard the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ and believed in Him did the Holy Spirit fall upon them.
Vs. 44 “While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word.”
And so, it was that while Peter was still speaking to them that the Holy Spirit fell upon them! Which again is the manner upon which anyone received Him, not by baptism, or by speaking in tongues, but by believing in the Lord Jesus Christ (Eph. 1:13-14). And with that the Holy Spirit begun the Lord Jesus Christ’s new work of breaking down all barriers between Jews and Gentiles so as to make one new people In Christ! For by His Crucifixion Jesus broke down all barriers that separated sinful mankind from God, and so now by His Resurrection from the dead and Ascension back to God in heaven He by His Spirit now being poured out begins breaking down all barriers between believing Jews and Gentiles.
Vs. 45-48 45 And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. 46 For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God. Then Peter answered, 47 “Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” 48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then they asked him to stay a few days.
And so, it was that when the gift of the Holy Spirit was given to Cornelius and all his household those of the circumcision, that is those covenant Jews who came with Peter, when they saw this they were astonished, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles! Now they would not have known this except that Cornelius and those Gentiles with him had also spoke in tongues and magnified God just as they had when the Holy Spirit was poured out upon them. This then was not something they themselves sought to do, or were coached on how to do by those Jews present with them, no this was God’s Holy Spirit making it clear to all present there that God has now received the believing Gentiles as joint heirs with believing Jews In Christ! Therefore, when Peter saw that the Lord Jesus Christ had now extended His salvation to the Gentiles, he said to his fellow Jews, “Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” Thus, can anyone forbid that they too should not receive a water baptism as we have, and thus become full-fledged disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ. And with that the apostle Peter commanded that they be baptized in the Name of the Lord, thus making them full fledged disciples with themselves in Christ (vs. 48). Now when Cornelius and his household had done so they asked Peter and his entourage to stay with him a few days, which then marks the very first Christian fellowship that was made up of both Jews and Gentiles. And so, it was when these things were done that Peter and those with him stayed there a few days with these new disciples.
Scripture Quotations
New King James (1982):Thomas Nelson.
No comments:
Post a Comment