Acts 10:38, commentary and pictures

Peter's declaration to Cornelius and his household at Caesarea sets forth Jesus of Nazareth as anointed by God with the Holy Spirit and with power, put to death on a tree, raised the third day and shown openly to chosen witnesses, and ordained Judge of living and dead through whom every believer receives remission of sins. The anointing took place at His baptism in the autumn of A.D. 27, marking Him as the Messiah, the Anointed One, in fulfillment of the prophecy of Messiah the Prince. His anointing was proved in a continual daily life of going about doing good and healing all oppressed by the devil, seeking sinners, teaching everywhere, feeding the hungry, comforting mourners, forgiving sins, and healing sickness of mind and body, lameness, blindness, deafness, leprosy, demon possession, and even raising the dead. God was with Him as the source of that work, and He lived in constant dependence and communion, receiving life from God to impart life to men, revealing the Father's compassion and vindicating His law by a sinless self-denying life. That life is the pattern every follower must copy, doing good in body and soul by the Spirit's indwelling, combining ministry of the Word with healing, feeding, comforting, and visiting, as the opening of the gospel to the Gentiles shows God accepts in every nation those who fear Him and work righteousness.

Peter Preaching to Gentiles

Acts 10:38 is part of Peter's sermon to Cornelius and his kinsmen, friends and household at Caesarea, declaring Jesus of Nazareth anointed by God with the Holy Spirit and with power, going about doing good and healing all oppressed by the devil because God was with Him. The same sermon sets forth His death on a tree, His raising the third day and open showing to chosen witnesses who ate and drank with Him after He rose, His ordination by God to be Judge of the living and the dead, and remission of sins through His name to everyone who believes. It presents Jesus as the anointed, crucified and risen Saviour witnessed to by the prophets, setting forth His life and miracles together with His betrayal, crucifixion, resurrection, ascension and work in heaven as man's representative and advocate. Spoken to Gentiles who had had no opportunity to hear the truth, it shows God is no respecter of persons but accepts in every nation those who fear Him and work righteousness, and that the peace preached by Jesus Christ as Lord of all belongs to Gentiles as well as Jews.

The setting marks God's opening of the gospel to the Gentiles and a new phase of the Christian church, when those who had been strangers became fellow members of God's household. Christ's death had broken the barrier that kept Gentiles from the blessings of the gospel, so Gentile believers who accepted it were to share its blessings as equals with Jewish disciples without having to be circumcised. Peter was shown on the housetop that God's purpose includes the Gentiles and that barriers between Jew and Gentile are taken away, and Jewish prejudice calling Gentiles common or unclean must be put away. The verse joins Jews and Gentiles to Christ by faith, presenting Jesus Christ in whom all fullness dwells, whom even a devout, prayerful, almsgiving believer in the promised Messiah must now receive in fulfillment because neither prayer nor almsgiving can take the place of Christ.

Cornelius was a devout Roman centurion and high-ranking officer who feared God, prayed, gave alms, lived by righteous principles and was a bright, clear, pure and undefiled example and shining light. God heard his prayers and sent an angel with memorial assurance and exact directions to send to Joppa for Simon Peter lodging with Simon a tanner by the seaside, telling him just where Peter was to be found. Cornelius obeyed, gathered his household and received Peter rather than insisting on being taught directly by God, and God then placed him in connection with men of superior knowledge of the Word to teach him about God and give him advanced light about Jesus. As God worked for Cornelius, so He works for devout standard-bearers today who are true to pure, holy principles in investigating the laws that rule the world, preparing them to take the place of those who were given Bible truth but disappointed the Saviour.

God's way is to use chosen human messengers together with heavenly agencies rather than having angels preach directly, for the light given to Peter was to be given by Peter to Cornelius so the light would pass from one to the other. The angel could have given Cornelius the gospel message himself, but God ordained that His church must connect together in unity, love and righteous dealing, bringing about a connection between Peter and Cornelius and joining Jews and Gentiles to Christ by faith. The ministration of heavenly angels resulting in the conversion of Cornelius and his company shows heaven is much nearer to the Christian engaged in soul-saving than many suppose, teaches God's regard for every human being, and teaches each person to treat his fellow man as one of the Lord's instrumentalities for accomplishing His work in the earth. In every age God sends messengers and sets circumstances in motion to bring honest hearts into connection with those best fitted to meet their individual needs, and the agencies of heaven are ever ready to cooperate with human agencies in working out the Lord's plans.

Peter undertook the duty by divine command with reluctance at every step, only by vision on the housetop and divine revelation through the vision and the messengers and the meeting with Cornelius, afterward explaining it not on general principles but as an exception. The vision admonished him no longer to observe the ceremonial distinction of circumcision and uncircumcision nor to look upon Gentiles as unclean, and he went into the house of uncircumcised Gentiles at Caesarea, preached Christ there and ate with them. He preached with a heart glowing with the spirit of the truth to a prepared, attentive company whose hearts were prepared to receive the gospel, and while he spoke the discourse was interrupted by the descent of the Holy Spirit on all who heard the word, even as on the disciples at the beginning. This proved God gave them the like gift upon believing on the Lord Jesus Christ so Peter could not withstand God, and on hearing this the censuring brethren in Judea who had met him with severe censure as presumptuous and contrary to his own teachings were silenced and convinced his course was in direct fulfillment of the plan of God. They glorified God that to the Gentiles also He granted repentance unto life, so prejudice and exclusiveness were broken down without controversy and the way was opened for the work among the Gentiles, the conversion of Cornelius and his household being only the firstfruits of a harvest to be gathered from the world with a widespread work of grace spreading from that home into a heathen city.

The account teaches readiness to work by personal effort for the many like Cornelius in the world who have not received the whole truth yet are serving God with sincere, earnest purpose and walking in all the light they have received, for souls are much nearer the kingdom than supposed and Gentiles were serving God as acceptably as Peter the Jew. It gives courage that angels of God cooperate with His servants to bring those precious jewels in this dark world of sin into the full light of truth, and shows God's compassion toward people in positions of influence who are seeking spiritual truth, including honest inquiring souls with households ready to hear, groups such as the W.C.T.U., and honest Jews. It requires every believer to stand ready to be taught and to yield prejudice and his own ideas and walk in the ways of the Lord, for if men hold to their own ideas and are unwilling to yield the Lord cannot use them but will pass them by. Ministers should be so filled with the Spirit and so consecrated to God that they preach under inspiration with the righteousness of Christ going before them and the glory of the Lord guarding behind them, since only God can impress hearts and lead men and women to give their hearts to the Saviour, and preaching this message while thus filled causes the Holy Ghost to fall on those who hear.

Anointing with Spirit and Power

God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power to represent God to humanity, and God was with Him as the source of His work. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, bringing freedom and restoration to people in need. That healing joined care for bodily health with the saving of the soul, as Satan's oppression was met by God-given power. Those who have Christ's Spirit value people and work for their salvation.

The anointing was made evident and proved in a life of doing good and healing those oppressed by Satan. Whole villages were left with no sickness after He passed through them, testifying to power received from God who was with Him. The people of Nazareth knew of these works, yet their unbelief kept most from blessing, so only a few miracles were done there. The anointing meant bringing good news to the poor, healing the brokenhearted and sick, delivering captives, restoring sight to the blind, and setting the bruised free. Every act displayed love, mercy, compassion and tender sympathy, taking human nature to reach human need so that the poorest and humblest were not afraid to approach Him and little children were drawn to Him. This compassionate life reveals the character of God and streams of divine compassion flowing from the Father's heart to people.

The power is the daily grace of Christ that all need in life. Christ is ever ready to impart it in its fullness to those who come to Him with full purpose of heart, so that the church on earth receives of His fullness. Jesus of Nazareth was the greatest physician that ever trod this sin-cursed earth, fitted by His anointing to restore both spiritual and physical health. The same baptism with the Holy Spirit is given to medical workers who come to God for their power of healing, fitting them for a service that makes them a blessing in restoring the health of sufferers under the reign of the Lord God omnipotent.

A fresh anointing of the Holy Spirit strengthens the person fully consecrated to God for service. As Jesus lived surrounded by the atmosphere of heaven doing good to others, so the meek, purest, most childlike believer who feels his weakness and wrestles with God will go forth anointed and do good to others wherever he goes. Surrounded by heaven's atmosphere, his influence becomes a positive force in favor of the religion of Christ and advances it. This is what sanitarium workers may become through close relationship with Jesus.

Prophecy of Messiah Fulfilled

God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power at His baptism in the autumn of A.D. 27. That anointing identified Him as the Messiah, for the word Messiah means the Anointed One. In this the timetable of prophecy was fulfilled, reaching its appointed endpoint of Messiah the Prince. After being thus anointed He went forth preaching the gospel.

His anointed ministry among His own people in Israel was a life spent doing good and healing those oppressed by the devil. It lasted three years, described also as three and a half years. Its works included binding up the brokenhearted, setting captives free, restoring sight to the blind, enabling the lame to walk and the deaf to hear, cleansing lepers, raising the dead, and preaching the gospel to the poor. That work on earth ended when He went up to Jerusalem to be betrayed, condemned, and crucified. In giving His life He bore human griefs and sorrows, was wounded for transgressions and bruised for iniquities, and brought healing through His suffering.

Ministry of Doing Good

Going about doing good was His continual, active, daily life, not merely being good and not limited to the cross. He sought out sinners rather than only helping seekers who came to Him, and He left no one in need unhelped who came within His reach. He taught in temple and synagogues, in streets and workplaces, by the seashore and on hills, in homes and fields and by the wayside, by day and through prayer-strengthened night, walking without horse, carriage or bicycle. His mission joined doing good and healing the body with work for the saving of the soul, and His example defines that same united work for His followers.

Doing good joined care for the body with saving the soul: He fed the hungry, comforted mourners, lifted the downcast and bowed-down, shared poverty and grief, and spoke sympathy and consolation. He taught truth plainly in understandable words that made the gospel visible, reproved cherished sin, forgave sins, and called the weary to rest, planting divine love in hearts and bringing health and happiness wherever He went. Though without a home of His own and surrounded by trials, temptations and sin, He remained patient, cheerful, faithful to His Father's commandments, and a source of life, peace and health to the afflicted.

Healing all oppressed of the devil means breaking Satan's hold with God-given power. He healed sicknesses of mind and body, the lame, blind, deaf, infirm and lepers, freed the long-bound and demon-oppressed, restored sight, enabled walking and hearing, comforted the weak and discouraged, raised the dead, preached the gospel to the poor, and awakened hope for temptation-bound and greedy lives so they could live unsullied lives. Whole villages were left free of sickness testifying to His anointing, though unbelief at Nazareth limited blessing to a few miracles there.

His works were never display but always to meet suffering need, for His miracles were all essential to meet Satan and relieve suffering. Every act revealed love, mercy, compassion and tender sympathy, taking human nature to reach human need so the poorest, humblest and children felt welcome and were not afraid to approach Him. Those delivered rejoiced and glorified God, the blind and deaf rejoiced in His presence, His words opened a fountain of life to the ignorant, and His presence brought health, happiness and eternal treasures wherever He went.

He served people of every class, including the degraded, tobacco- and alcohol-enslaved multitudes in cities. He endured hatred, reproach, ingratitude and rejection without discouragement, sighing in spirit and weeping over unbelief, yet continuing to minister, plead for Israel's life, and prepare disciples to carry the gospel worldwide. Though angels would have honored Him, He lived among people as one poor and lowly, met reproach instead of praise, and was largely unrecognized and disdained by the great, sustained by strength from God and from His Father.

His earthly life spanned more than thirty years of pure disinterested benevolence, revealing God's character and manifesting the character of God in His own character. His youth and manhood as a common laborer were a pure, undefiled life in entire conformity to the life and character of God, ennobling and sanctifying every phase of practical life, not only His public ministry after thirty. His day of ceaseless toil in teaching, healing and explaining the Scriptures sometimes exhausted His human nature until it cried for rest and sleep, leaving Him no time for repose, showing overtaxed workers must come apart and rest awhile.

Going about doing good overcomes evil by meek, peace-bringing teaching rather than forceful argument, commands, strife, or resentment, meeting insults and cruelty with meekness and bringing resistance and authority into subjection. His going about doing good and healing as the great Teacher in human flesh, forgiving sins and saying to the sinsick soul that sins are forgiven, was a visible earthly presence that has now ended and is no longer seen in this world.

Christ Character and Dependence

With Him love was life and life was service, an unbroken daily outpouring of Himself and not a sacrifice limited to the cross, binding hearts to Himself and to one another. Such a life could be kept up in one way only, by living in dependence on God in constant trust without failure or faltering and in continual communion with Him. As a man He prayed until His humanity was charged with a heavenly current that joined humanity to divinity, and by receiving life from God He imparted life to men for heaven and earth.

He was the Majesty of heaven, the King of glory and Commander of the heavenly host, who laid aside His kingly crown and royal robe and clothed His divinity with humanity to stand at the head of fallen humanity and suffer its afflictions. He descended in the garb of humanity to join man to God, His human arm encircling the race while His divine arm grasped the throne of the Infinite, that man might be given power to be a partaker of the divine nature and escape corruption through lust. Though sinless, pure and undefiled with no guile or sinfulness, He took sinful human nature and came down to the level of those He would save and close to fallen humanity, to regain for man what Adam by disobedience lost for himself and the world. For more than thirty years His history was one of pure, disinterested benevolence, pleasing not Himself but His heavenly Father, living not to please self but to teach unselfish life and to work for others in self-denial and self-sacrifice to save suffering humanity.

From beginning to close His ministry was spent in continual active service for the good of others in self-denial and nobility of purpose, with no sin and no selfishness marring any word or act. Though Maker of the world He claimed no part of it as His home, and though He could have supplied every need and possessed worldly honor, riches, ease, plenty and all pleasure, He accepted poverty, hardship and having nowhere to lay His head instead of seeking His own advantage. He never used His God-given power to ease Himself, did not live for ease or personal enjoyment or consider His own convenience, but His whole life was one continued scene of toil, privation, labor and suffering for others as the unwearied servant of human need whose joy was in blessing others and lavishing blessings upon them. His life of service to the suffering and needy revealed God's law and the nature of His service.

His compassionate life reveals God Himself, the very compassion and lovingkindness of the Father, manifesting God's character in His own character and the streams of divine compassion flowing from the Father's heart. Every act displayed love, mercy, compassion and tender sympathy, taking human nature to reach human need in healing all manner of sickness, forgiving sins, comforting mourners and banishing sorrow by His presence, so that the poorest and humblest were not afraid to approach Him and little children were drawn to Him. Love, grace, kindness and benevolence moved Him as a loving, tender, compassionate Saviour perfect in humanity, and His life of service, tenderness, compassion and consideration represented God's character in human flesh. Beheld constantly in the clear light of the Word, He causes faith to increase and doubts to vanish, and fills the believer with that same love, grace, kindness and benevolence, stirring longing and prayer to be like Him in character and reach that perfection.

Coming as man He vindicated the sacred claims of God's law by a life of obedience to its requirements, meeting temptation and overcoming in strength given Him from God without using power unavailable to people. His going about doing good and healing all afflicted by Satan made plain to men the character of God's law and the nature of God's service. By that obedient life He proved false Satan's charge that man cannot keep God's law, and His life testifies that it is possible for us also to obey. Bodily affliction, bondage and oppression come from Satan laying hold to afflict and torture suffering humanity unto death, but God puts bounds to his power and will not suffer him to go farther than allowed. Christ came to meet Satan and relieve suffering, and His miracles were all essential, never done to display power but always to meet need, showing that a great work for relief of suffering is to be done on the Sabbath while common work is not to be done and pleasure-seeking such as ball-playing and swimming is sinful neglect of the day sanctified by Jehovah. When prayer is offered even in weakness, God still hears and applies healing, going about doing good to make the sick whole and set free the bound and oppressed, raising them up to go on with His work and using affliction to draw them nearer to Him in dependence.

Pattern for Followers

His life is the pattern every follower, youth and child must copy, working in His lines with His help rather than to please self but to glorify God and to value people and work for their salvation. To copy Him is to study how He lived and worked and strive each day to live as He lived, denying self, taking up the cross and following Him along the pathway of sacrifice. Belonging to Him means being a practical follower of that same life of doing good to others, placed in the channel of light. That following requires separation from the world and from influences, associates and amusements that lead away from truth, and clinging instead to company that uplifts and surrounds the soul with a pure and holy atmosphere, where God is nearer to the heart and more in the thoughts and the snares of Satan through false flattering sin-loving associates have less power while Jesus is kept at every step. From beginning to close His earthly ministry was spent in continual active service for the good of others with no sin and no selfishness marring any word or act, and an inefficient, do-nothing life exerts an influence that leads away from Christ and is not accepted by God.

Being good and doing good, not merely being good, is essential to happiness now and eternally and to Christian character, for happiness requires attaining His character of self-denial and benevolence, coming not to seek His own but spending life doing good as meat and drink. Love beautified and ennobled all His acts, and His character is revealed in believers joined to Him whose meekness and truth show they have been with Jesus and learned from Him. Those united with Him express faith through love and good works, caring for the sick, poor, fatherless, widows and destitute, blessing the world, reflecting His light, and securing contentment here and eternal reward hereafter. This is the fruit He expects and searches for in vigilant workers waiting for His appearing, proving they work the works of Christ and have His Spirit, with each Christian's responsibility to bear such fruit proportionate to talents entrusted, while true love must be cultivated because its influence is divine and is distinct from outwardly good conduct motivated by influence, esteem, self-respect or selfishness.

The Spirit that dwelt in Christ, when dwelling in believers, naturally produces the same Christlike ministry without waiting to be asked, manifesting His tenderness, love, pity and compassion in ministering to the unfortunate. It leads to earnest work of helping the needy and suffering, comforting the downcast, guiding wandering footsteps into the narrow way, feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, seeking the lost and perishing, lifting up the bowed down, breaking the yoke of oppression, healing the afflicted, and speaking sympathy and consolation to the distressed and sorrowing. The more is done for others the greater the love for the work and the delight in following the Master's footsteps, seeing more to do, filled with love for perishing souls and with the love of God, reflecting His light through righteous words and works and leading people to Christ. Beholding the Saviour and catching divine light makes a person shine in words and works of righteousness, honor Christ by complete obedience, gather divine principles from His Word, impart what the Lord gives as a light bearer to those in darkness, sweeten the bitter cup many drink, lead with firm steady hand those who need it to the Master's feet, and help others fight the battles of the Lord and overcome.

His example defines medical missionary work as the greatest pattern, for as the greatest Medical Missionary and Physician of body and soul, filled with the Holy Spirit and power, He sympathized with the weary, burdened and oppressed, took personal interest in men and women wherever He went, fed the hungry, and healed the sick. His healings were never mere displays of power over disease but opportunities to plant divine love and benevolence in hearts and to make the gospel clear through loving words and kind deeds of compassion and self-giving service. Followers must copy that life by combining ministry of the Word with feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, healing the sick, comforting mourners and the sorrowing, in homes, sanitariums, training centers and cities, freely relieving suffering as He did without pay and breaking down the severest opposition by personal interest. A home where God is loved and honored follows this example by unselfish service instead of grasping salvation only for self, giving to others the blessings bestowed in return for the Father giving His Son to die, bringing the fragrance of His character into its own life and others with full joy and honor to the Saviour.

Following Him means continuous, persevering, active, unselfish service in preaching the gospel and healing the sick in many places where people live and work, meeting people where they are to win them to Christ through personal service. The true spirit of a Christian is self-sacrifice and self-denial at every step, delighting to advance God's cause at home and abroad, seen and heard with felt influence in the prayer meeting, laboring humbly, meekly and faithfully at small errands or greater work as needed, not seeking to exalt self or receive credit, to testify love and gratitude for what Christ has done. It means using work, means, influence and money to save souls, visiting homes, meeting needs within reach, watching for opportunities, and laboring at small or great tasks without seeking credit.

His servants continue His healing and teaching in cooperation with Him as one with Him, going about doing good, breaking the power of evil over souls, and bringing health to soul and body to sin-sick souls through the healing balm of the Word of God, a work to be done in sanitariums by physicians who acknowledge God as supreme wisdom and are sound in the faith. That healing work prepares hearts, because those relieved of pain, sickness and injury are made ready to listen to truth, so centers for training must fit students with Scripture knowledge and practical ability to treat the sick and care for the injured as self-supporting workers. This life of helping one another, manifesting tenderest pity for physical suffering by giving physical relief while never failing to minister to spiritual necessity, is the example for all in God's service, making help for the sick and suffering part of gospel labor through kindly words simply spoken, little attentions to necessities, and sending those helped to minister so physical help opens the way to heal sin-sick souls.

Churches and ministers are under service and covenant obligation to God to do that same work of actively helping people, reaching them where they are in cities and in byways, highways and hedges, and relieving those in physical, mental and moral need including medical missionary work. Pastors and teachers are to instruct members how to do this work, and the work done under the church's direction will be the greatest means of giving light, keeping them fully busy so they do not rust through inaction. When churches take up this work it corrects moral apathy, brings angels cooperating with human workers, and calls ministers to be imbued with His spirit with clear conceptions of eternal things and God's claims so they can impress others and excite love for heavenly things. This benevolent work is to be pushed with faith and courage by those who know God has called them, drawing in talent and studying His example.

Bearing His name professes His sanctity, self-denial, renunciation of the world and ministry to the sick and poor, done by loving God supremely and neighbor as self with no favorites and recognizing all as brethren. Separation from the world in obedience does not unfit for service but increases power for usefulness, for the firmer the hold on heaven the greater the power to do good, since He did not spend time among the exalted and honorable or seekers of ease and pleasure but lived to help those needing help. Helping and blessing others — feeding the hungry, teaching the ignorant, clothing the naked, comforting the discouraged — can take the place of amusement and support health of body and mind, and His outdoor work of mercy shows laboring as He did brings increased vitality, peace, contentment and vitality. At home this means noticing chances to help, making parents happy, sharing burdens, serving rather than pleasing self, and children learning service by cheerfully doing their part not for praise. It is the path of humble obedience in forgetting self and being considerate, tender and compassionate, with gentleness making words fragrant, praising and blessing without being overbearing, practicing meekness as Christian lowliness not cowardliness, fearing to become a stumbling block, and hiding self in Christ without failing or discouragement.

He bound Himself closely to the Father rather than seeking His own pleasure, so their united strength could work to save people from eternal ruin, and His servants must likewise cultivate spirituality to succeed. Useful, obedient action belongs to the work appointed for creatures, illustrating the law of obedient action and ceaseless activity found throughout creation where action gives power and keeps universal harmony. As heavenly beings live in constant activity and all created things silently and ceaselessly do appointed work, so He worked continually, and people with mind and body in God's likeness must be active to fill their place, for idleness is sin. Each is therefore to do entrusted work with earnest effort and zeal, with self dying and Christ represented, in prayerful self-denying labor joined with discipleship training and obedient ceaseless activity after heaven's law.

His tender, pitying love rebukes selfishness, heartlessness, self-seeking, half-hearted effort and worldliness, standing against self-pleasing and self-serving as incompatible with Christian life and making plain the character of God's law and the nature of serving God. God places no value on outward display, boasting, worldly superiority or natural capabilities, but values men according to compassion and self-denial, esteeming those who help, bless and lift others as infinitely higher than selfish self-exalters. When judgment comes those thought superior will see their mistake, for God does not judge from appearances as man does but searches the heart and judges righteously, accepting seekers of His face and looking to and communing with the poor and contrite who tremble at His word, seeing in lowly unpretentious followers precious material that will stand storm, tempest, heat and pressure.

Doing good includes living the life of the Life-giver out of loyalty to God and duty to fellow beings, which brings its reward, and exhibiting fruits of righteousness in good works by denying self and sacrificing for others so truth becomes attractive to unbelievers. His life was devoted to comforting and blessing others as the one great Pattern who lived only to bless, coming as physician and healer of physical and spiritual maladies whose work was to do good. His servants and the church are to follow that minister of healing and blessing who relieved the sick and suffering, practicing His virtues by ministering to need, always awake to need, preaching to the poor and saving from sin in unselfish healing and helping. Especially this means healing wounds through Christlike sympathy in kindly words simply spoken and little attentions that sweep away sorrow, temptation and discouragement, toward those left to struggle alone such as widows and children of ministers who wore out lives in service and sleep until the resurrection morning, finding joy and rest in duties well done while wearing His yoke.

Paul followed this Master, spending a poverty-stricken suffering life blessing humanity, showing that all anointed workers empowered through the Holy Spirit go about doing good and healing the oppressed because God is with them. God is likewise by the side of physicians and assistants who trust Him as they care for the critically ill, as Christ walked among sufferers and stood by their side.