Acts 10:37
That word, I say, ye know, which was published throughout all Judæa, and began from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached; That word, I say, ye know, which was published throughout all Judæa, and began from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached;
That word is the message about Jesus as already known and publicly proclaimed throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism John preached, placing his work in sequence after John's preaching and spreading from Galilee through Judea. Peter spoke it in Caesarea to Cornelius with his household and friends gathered, as the word God sent to Israel preaching peace by Jesus Christ who is Lord of all, now opened to every nation. It set forth Jesus anointed with the Holy Ghost and with power, his life and miracles and death and resurrection and heavenly ministry, with witnesses ordained to declare him Judge of living and dead and remission of sins for all who believe in him. As Peter began to speak it the Holy Spirit fell on the Gentile hearers as on the apostles at the beginning, showing God is no respecter of persons but accepts in every nation those who fear him and work righteousness, and grants Gentile believers the like gift of the Spirit and full equality with Jewish disciples without circumcision. The angel sent to Cornelius did not preach the gospel itself but directed him to send to Joppa for Peter, for God's way is to join heaven with human agents so the light given to one is carried by that person to another.
Word's Setting and Meaning
That word about Jesus was already known, having been openly published throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism that John preached. It sets his work in definite order and place, coming after John's baptismal preaching and spreading from Galilee through Judea.
Peter spoke it in Caesarea to Cornelius with his kinsmen and near friends and household gathered together. It was the word God sent to the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ who is Lord of all, God's message to Israel now opened to every nation.
The sermon declared Jesus anointed with the Holy Ghost and with power. It presented his life and miracles, his betrayal and crucifixion, his resurrection and ascension, and his work in heaven as man's representative and advocate. It set forth witnesses of his death and resurrection, his ordination as Judge of the living and the dead, and remission of sins for all who believe through him.
That spread from Galilee through Judea after John's baptism is the setting for the opening of the gospel to the Gentiles. The news about his ministry in Judea and Galilee thus stands within the extension of salvation beyond the Jewish people to the world. As Peter began to speak that word the Holy Spirit fell on the Gentile hearers even as on the apostles at the beginning. The discourse was interrupted by the descent of the Spirit, showing that preaching under the Spirit's inspiration carries power to impress hearts and lead to Christ.
Gospel Opened to Gentiles
Peter had not yet carried the gospel to the Gentiles when God prepared him by vision and direct dealing for that mission. As pioneer breaking through the barriers of ages he overcame the belief that Gentiles were excluded from its blessings, and Cornelius's conversion became the first important opening of the work. It marked an entirely new phase of the church in which the door that many Jewish converts had closed against the Gentiles was thrown open. That conversion was only the firstfruits of a harvest to be gathered from the world, and from that home a widespread work of grace was carried on in a heathen city.
Gentile believers who accept the gospel stand on perfect equality with Jewish disciples without the necessity of circumcision. God no longer keeps the ceremonial distinction of circumcision and uncircumcision and no longer counts Gentiles as unclean, but grants them also repentance unto life to share equally in the gospel's blessings and privileges through Christ. The gospel utterly destroys prejudice and exclusiveness, and Peter's going to Gentiles and eating with them opened the way for work among the Gentiles without controversy.
There Peter perceived that God is no respecter of persons and that in every nation he who fears Him and works righteousness is accepted with Him. Gentiles like Cornelius were serving God as acceptably as Jews and were much nearer the kingdom of heaven than was supposed.
God gave the Gentiles the Holy Spirit as He had given it to Jewish believers, with the like gift given to those who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ. This was evidenced by speaking in other tongues as the Spirit gives utterance and magnifying God, which amazed the believing Jews who came with Peter. That outpouring led Peter to command them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.
God Works Through People
Cornelius was a Roman officer in high position at Caesarea who feared God, followed principles of righteousness, and was devout, accepted of God and commended for piety. He had received and improved all the light God had given him, following all the light he had received while longing and praying for more light from heaven as an honest seeker. He is an example of devout men found in every age and in every sphere of action and nation, whose lives are a clear, pure, undefiled testimony for truth and righteousness and bright and shining lights even among worldly men.
Though serving God with sincere, earnest purpose, he was not fully informed in regard to the truth for his time. He still needed an advance in faith and a new experience to do his work intelligently through Jesus Christ, receiving the fulfillment of the promised Messiah. As God worked for Cornelius, so He works for such true standard-bearers now, preparing the way for them to take the place of those who were given a knowledge of Bible truth but disappointed the Saviour. They obtain a knowledge of God as Cornelius did, through the visitation of angels from heaven, and that they may obtain advanced light God places them in connection with men of superior knowledge regarding His Word, who will stand for God in true integrity and testify by purity and nobility of character to the power of unadulterated principles.
His prayers and alms had come up for a memorial before God, and prayer and almsgiving are acceptable as far as knowledge goes. But they cannot take the place of Christ Jesus, in whom all fullness dwells, and are complete only in Him.
An angel spoke to Cornelius but did not give him the gospel message itself, because God's way is to bring people together so the light given to one is passed on by that person to the other. God knew exactly where Peter was and where Cornelius lived, and told Cornelius where to find him, giving exact direction about sending men to Joppa for Simon Peter, who lodged with Simon a tanner by the seaside, who would tell him what he ought to do. God heard the centurion's prayer and gave him directions to receive further light, for His plan was to send chosen people to explain the gospel to those needing it so that Gentiles could be connected with the gospel, and His work is carried forward by God's power, not human wisdom. Through angel ministration God set in operation a train of circumstances to bring Peter into connection and cooperation with Cornelius so Cornelius might learn the truth, with Peter as the human instrument in the hands of heavenly agencies so that heaven and earth are united in the work. The gospel was not to be communicated by an angel but man to man, so Cornelius had to send men to Joppa and Peter and Cornelius had to become acquainted in gospel missionary work, that this man of influence in connection with believers in Jesus could accomplish a great work.
This is God's simple plan of advancing His work by heaven cooperating with human agents in personal effort for those who have not received the whole truth yet are serving God with sincere, earnest purpose. It shows that angels of God cooperate with His servants to guide them and bring those walking in all the light they have received into the full light of truth as precious jewels in a dark world of sin. This joining of workers teaches the need to unify, to love one another, and to deal honestly, justly, gently, truly and righteously with one another, coming into close connection with Christ and with one another and giving God room among His people. It calls believers not to try to reform themselves by pointing at someone else's wrongs nor to build up self by pointing at another's wrong.
The chapter gives counsel to receive the help God provides through appointed human agents, with God sending people as representatives to those who need divine help and guidance. Cornelius obeyed the angel's direction to send for Peter and gathered his household with all things in readiness to hear the truth and receive advanced light, and refusing instruction from a human messenger would have left him to himself. It shows that heaven is much nearer to the Christian engaged in the work of soul-saving than many suppose. It teaches God's regard for every human being, and that each should treat his fellow man as one of the Lord's instrumentalities for the accomplishment of His work in the earth. The simplicity of the whole transaction is to be carefully studied, for it shows that the Lord knows every person by name and just where each lives and the spirit each possesses and every act of life, and that ministering angels are passing through the churches noting faithfulness in individual duty.
God sees men like Cornelius of Caesarea and wants them connected with the church. Their sympathies are with God's people, but the threads that bind them to the world hold them there, and they have not the moral courage to take their position with the lowly ones. Special, determined, earnest and devoted effort must be made to reach such honest, inquiring souls and stewards in trust because of the responsibilities they bear and the temptations that come with their positions, including work for associations such as the W.C.T.U. so those seeking light may be gathered out from those bitterly opposed to God's message. People in responsible and influential positions can be brought to Christ and become workers who share the gospel, and when converted they give strength and solidity to the cause rather than bringing objectionable elements that dishonor Christ apart from His constant, daily transforming grace on the heart. The conversion of Cornelius and his household was only the firstfruits of a harvest to be gathered in from the world, and from this household a widespread work of grace was carried on in a heathen city.
Peter undertook the duty laid on him by divine command with reluctance at every step, defending his action not on general principles but as an exception done because of divine revelation, and the result was a great surprise to him. Acts 10 records Peter's own conversion on the housetop, where God showed him His purpose for the Gentiles and took away the barriers between Jew and Gentile. Every true believer must stand ready to be taught by God, have prejudice broken down by heavenly planning, yield his own ideas and walk in the ways of the Lord, or the Lord will pass him by and use those who are willing.
The word of God is the rule of faith and practice by which all will be judged, and visions are given not for a new rule of faith but for the comfort of God's people and to correct those who err from Bible truth, as God prepared Peter by dealing with him in vision before sending him to preach to the Gentiles. Cornelius is presented as a man taught by God, and God now calls for men like him. Lifelong profession does not make a true man sanctified and ennobled through the truth, and those losing spiritual discernment are in very perilous condition, right in their own eyes and supposing themselves wise while foolish, building their house upon the sand to be swept away in the tempest because they did not build their foundation upon the solid rock.