Acts 10:28, commentary and pictures

Peter explained to Cornelius and the relatives and friends gathered in his house why he as a Jew had entered a Gentile home, coming without objection when sent for and asking why they had sent for him. The unlawfulness he mentioned was Jewish custom against associating with Gentiles for fear of ceremonial defilement, a tradition of men made binding, not a prohibition of God's law. God corrected his prejudice by showing him to call no person common or unclean, preparing him to cross the barrier and preach to those of another nation. The barrier between Jew and Gentile is thus taken away, so that by faith both are joined to Christ as fellow citizens with the saints, with Gentile believers made fellow heirs on equal terms without circumcision. God is no respecter of persons but accepts in every nation those who fear Him and do right, and the sheet of animals illustrated people not food, showing Gentiles were not to be excluded from fellowship while not making formerly unclean flesh fit to eat.

Words and Historical Setting

Peter spoke these words in the house of Cornelius to Cornelius and the kinsmen and near friends gathered there, explaining why he as a Jew had entered a Gentile home. He had come without objection as soon as he was sent for, and he asked for what intent they had sent for him.

What he called an unlawful thing for a Jew to keep company with or come unto one of another nation was the Jewish custom against mingling socially with Gentiles. That avoidance was held to involve ceremonial defilement, yet it was not prohibited by the law of God but was tradition of men made into a binding custom. The sentiments long held that Jews should have no communication with any other nation were thus corrected.

But God had showed Peter that he should not call any man common or unclean. That teaching removed the barrier that kept Jews from associating with people of other nations, correcting Peter's error and inherited prejudice about avoiding them because they were Gentiles. So prepared, he entered Cornelius's home without resisting God's direction, to cross the barrier, share the message, and preach to the Gentiles.

The event belongs just after A.D. 34, when the seventy weeks or 490 years especially allotted to the Jews ended. Then the Jewish Sanhedrim sealed rejection of the gospel by the martyrdom of Stephen and persecution of the followers of Christ. From that time the message of salvation was no longer restricted to the chosen people but was given to the world, and Peter, divinely guided, opened the gospel to the God-fearing Gentile centurion Cornelius of Caesarea.

The verse belongs to the tenth chapter of Acts, where God instructs those mentioned through vision about what they should speak. That instruction was repeated again and again.

Gospel Opened to Gentiles

The barrier between Jew and Gentile was taken away so that Jewish exclusiveness must end, and Jews and Gentiles are by faith to be joined to Christ, becoming fellow citizens with the saints and members of God's household, with the gospel applied to Gentiles as well as to Jews. On the housetop in prayer Peter himself was converted to this purpose, being appointed to become the human instrument in the hands of heavenly agencies so that heaven and earth were united in the work and great honor was put upon the gospel, a history to be read and reread. National origin is no reason to treat anyone as common or unclean, correcting the sentiments of the rabbis long held by the apostles that Jews should have no communication with any other nation, and opening the way for chosen messengers to bring the gospel to Gentiles as Peter was sent to Cornelius.

Through Christ's death Gentiles who accepted the gospel were made fellow heirs with Israel and equal partakers of its blessings and privileges on equal terms with Jewish disciples, without being required to be circumcised. The ceremonial distinction between circumcised and uncircumcised people was ended for fellowship and preaching, so that Gentiles were not to be excluded from fellowship or the promises of God. God is no respecter of persons and accepts people in every nation who fear Him and seek to do what is right, without partiality because of nationality.

The vision of the sheet of animals illustrated people, not food: it was an illustration that Gentiles were not to be excluded from fellowship or the promises of God, and it did not change the rules about food or make swine's flesh or other formerly unclean animals fit for food. Removing national and ceremonial barriers does not teach that belief is unimportant, for Cornelius though devout and accepted of God still needed greater knowledge of Christ in whom all fullness dwells and was expected to advance in faith and in the light given him, since neither prayer nor almsgiving can take the place of Christ. The virtue of Christ's blood is for every person, because with His human arm Christ encircled the entire human race while with His divine arm He grasped the throne of the Infinite, enduring suffering and shame to place humanity on vantage ground with God; therefore every human being is to be respected whether they believe the same or not, since God gave His Son for every person's salvation.

Cornelius's conversion and that of his household was the first important conversion among the Gentiles and only the firstfruits of a harvest to be gathered from the world, from which home a widespread work of grace was carried on in a heathen city.

God Guides Honest Seekers

Cornelius was a devout and generous Roman officer in a high position at Caesarea, walking according to all the light he had received and earnestly seeking more heavenly light through prayer, yet not fully knowing Jesus. God showed compassion for his prayers and desire for more light, knowing him by name as He knew Abraham, because he had received and improved all the light given him. God therefore directed Peter to meet him and bring him the message of truth, that he might receive greater knowledge, advance in faith to receive Christ in whom all fullness dwells, and join the church, since neither prayer nor almsgiving can take the place of Christ. The meeting shows God overcoming the separation between Jews and people of other nations and guiding both men to accept instruction and act on it.

God sent heavenly messengers to set in operation a train of circumstances that brought Peter into connection with Cornelius so Cornelius could learn the truth and receive advanced light. God knew just where Peter was to be found, lodging with Simon a tanner by the seaside at Joppa, told Cornelius exactly where to find him, and worked out every detail, while ministering angels pass through noting faithfulness in each individual line of duty. The Lord knows every person by name and just where each lives, the spirit each possesses, and every act of life. In every age God works the same way, bringing honest-hearted seekers with all things in readiness to hear into connection with those of His people who can best reach their individual needs.

The angel could have given Cornelius the gospel message directly, but that is not God's way. God required His church to connect together, so the light He had given Peter had to be imparted by Peter to Cornelius and all his family. God deliberately brought about a personal connection between them to teach unity, requiring His people to connect with each other in love and unity and to come to Him together rather than standing apart. That means believers must unify, love one another, deal honestly, justly, truly, gently and righteously with one another instead of trying to reform themselves by pointing at another's wrongs, and must come into close connection with Christ.

Cornelius is the proof and pattern that God does not call any man common or unclean. All through the ages there have been devout men like him, not fully informed in regard to present truth yet fearing God and following principles of righteousness in every sphere on principles that God accepts, whose lives were a clear, pure, undefiled example and testimony for truth and righteousness, bright and shining lights even in high positions of responsibility among accomplished worldly men, not forgetting God in the investigation of true science. As God worked for Cornelius, so He works for these true standard-bearers, preparing the way for them to take the place of those who were given a knowledge of Bible truth but disappointed the Saviour. He places them in connection with men of superior knowledge regarding His Word that they may obtain advanced light, even through the visitation of angels from heaven as Cornelius did, and if they heed the message for this time and cling closely to the hand of Infinite Wisdom God will give them strength to conquer falsehood after falsehood and to testify by purity and nobility of character to the power of unadulterated principles, true to pure, holy principles in their investigation of the laws which rule the world, pressing on in the narrow way cast up for the ransomed of the Lord with the sunshine of His favor distinctly seen amidst unfaithful stewardship and the clash of falsehood, for Christ will not acknowledge a hypocrite but acknowledges and honors those who truly serve Him and guides them along the path that leads to everlasting life.

God sees men like Cornelius of Caesarea among the higher classes, stewards in trust bearing responsibilities and temptations of position, whose sympathies are with His people and whom He would connect with the church. Cornelius stands as an example of people in influential positions who can accept the truth and become workers for God. They need special care and heavier, more determined effort rather than letting the work drift into securing only the poorest and those cultivating traits of character that unless thoroughly transformed will bring objectionable elements into the church and dishonor Christ, for the threads binding the higher classes to the world hold them there and they lack the moral courage to take their position with the lowly ones, yet the Lord will surely work with the men who try as Christ's representatives and will not let them fail, with transforming grace constantly daily at work upon the heart.

Gentiles like Cornelius who have not received the whole truth but are serving God with sincere, earnest purpose are as acceptable to God as Peter himself. Many such souls in the world and in the churches, walking in all the light they have received, are much nearer the kingdom of heaven than supposed and are precious jewels for God to gather from this dark world of sin, so believers must place themselves in readiness to make personal efforts for such people, cooperating with heavenly agencies to bring them into the full light of truth. Cornelius's experience brought him into connection with Christ's disciples, showing that people from other nations could join them and receive the truth. Like him, those who value God's wisdom and obey His Word will share the truth with others who are seeking it, and honest seekers outside the faith, even when associated with people opposed to the message, are to be approached with patient, loving effort so they may receive the light.

Cornelius is a man taught by God, the kind of man God calls for now, having discernment and a solid rock foundation that stands when the tempest comes. Mere lifetime profession does not make true men sanctified and ennobled through the truth, and those losing spiritual discernment are in perilous condition.

Mission Duty and Unity

The instruction to call no person common or unclean moves workers to begin earnest labor for souls in their own home field and to arouse to home mission duty, with the warning that neglect leaves them wanting in the day of God. That experience reveals how God works upon human minds to break the power of oppression and tyranny and to dispel ignorance and superstition. It also exposes how the early believers lingered together in and near Jerusalem spending their energies on church members instead of going to Samaria and the uttermost parts of the earth, until persecution scattered them to work earnestly for the salvation of the Gentiles.

Earnest, devoted work must be done for associations like the W.C.T.U., so that honest, inquiring souls like Cornelius who have all things in readiness to hear and are seeking light may be gathered out even from those bitterly opposed to the message. Peter undertook that duty with reluctance at every step, acting only by divine command and defending it as an exception done by revelation rather than on general principle, to his own great surprise, yet the conversion of Cornelius and his household became only the firstfruits of a harvest to be gathered from the world, from which home a widespread work of grace was carried on in a heathen city. The deliberate joining of Peter and Cornelius calls believers to unify, love one another, and come into close connection with Christ and with one another instead of standing aloof. That means dealing honestly, justly, truly, gently and righteously rather than trying to reform self by pointing at another's wrongs or manifesting hatred.

God knew just where Peter was to be found, lodging with Simon a tanner by the seaside at Joppa, told Cornelius exactly where to find him and worked out every detail, yet the angel could have given Cornelius the gospel message directly and did not, because it is not God's way for light to bypass His church but to be imparted by person to person. Peter being sent to a Roman centurion illustrates that God directs His servants across national boundaries to people who need divine help and guidance, making them His representatives. No person, though regarded as unclean by religious leaders, should be rejected as beyond fellowship, but should be visited and taught, since the barrier that kept Jews from associating with other nations was removed to prepare Peter to teach the Gentile world. The rule against Jews mixing socially with Gentiles was a human tradition treated as a source of ceremonial defilement, not a command of God, so inherited religious customs must not be used to exclude people from hearing the gospel.

Those who do not accept God's Word as it reads are to be given the light and won to the truth as Peter did when he visited the household of Cornelius. The ministration of heavenly angels in the conversion of Cornelius and his company shows heaven is much nearer to the Christian engaged in soul-saving than many suppose, teaching God's regard for every human being and that each person should treat his fellow man as one of the Lord's instrumentalities for accomplishing His work in the earth. Visions may comfort God's people and correct those who stray from Bible truth, as Peter was corrected of his error before preaching to the Gentiles and prepared to go to people of another nation, but they do not provide a new rule of faith.