Who shall tell thee words, whereby thou and all thy house shall be saved.
The angel directed Cornelius in his house at Caesarea to send men to Joppa to call for Simon Peter, who would come to him and speak words by which he and all his house would be saved. Those words were Peter's preaching of the gospel of the crucified, risen, and ascended Saviour, and by hearing and receiving that preaching Cornelius and his household would learn how to be saved. The promise reached the whole household and company gathered with him, and when Peter preached the Holy Ghost fell on those Gentile hearers as on the disciples at the beginning, so they received the Spirit and were baptized. This shows salvation is for Gentiles as well as Jews, for God is no respecter of persons and has cleansed the Gentiles, ending the ceremonial distinction of circumcision and uncircumcision so that believing Gentiles stand equal to Jewish believers without circumcision. The angel himself did not proclaim the story of the cross but joined Cornelius to God's organized church and gospel ministry, thus honoring human ministry by leaving the teaching to Peter, a gospel minister subject to weakness and temptation.
Context and Saving Message
An angel appeared to Cornelius in his house at Caesarea and directed him to send men to Joppa to call for Simon Peter, who would come to him and tell him words by which he and all his house would be saved. When Peter afterward met the brethren in Judea, he repeated Cornelius's account of that vision to show that he had gone to the Gentile house by the command of God.
The words promised were Peter's preaching of Christ, the gospel about the crucified, risen, and ascended Saviour. Hearing that preaching and receiving the truth it brought was the appointed means by which Cornelius and his household would hear the gospel, learn how to be saved, and be saved.
The promise reached beyond Cornelius himself to the whole company and household gathered with him, for Cornelius had called together his relatives so that they too could be instructed in the truth, and a large company eagerly awaited Peter's words. Led by the Spirit, Peter went and preached with six brethren present as witnesses, and the Holy Ghost fell on the Gentile hearers as on the disciples at the beginning. Their receiving the Holy Spirit proved that God had granted to the Gentiles also repentance unto life, and Peter had Cornelius's household baptized.
Gentiles Included, Ministry Honored
The promise that words would be spoken by which a household would be saved shows that salvation through hearing the gospel is for Gentiles as well as Jews. Their acceptance of that preaching proved that God had opened the way for the gospel to go to the Gentiles and to all the world. That opening ended the ceremonial distinction of circumcision and uncircumcision. It revealed that God is no respecter of persons and has cleansed the Gentiles, so Peter was no longer to call them common or unclean or to regard them as unclean.
It marked a new phase in the Christian church in which Gentiles who accepted the gospel were to be treated as equal to Jewish believers without needing circumcision. God used Peter's visit to bring Gentiles to the truth. Their reception broke down prejudice among Jewish believers against them.
The angel did not himself proclaim the story of the cross but connected Cornelius with God's organized church and gospel ministry. In this God honored human ministry by appointing a gospel minister to do the teaching according to God's assurance. That minister was Peter, a man subject to weakness and temptation and to human frailties as Cornelius himself was. God sent a heavenly messenger to bring about making the gospel known to Cornelius and his household, enlightening those who love and fear Him even when they do not yet know all the truth. His work in this can require believers to give up prejudice and be willing to be taught.
The angel directed Cornelius in his house at Caesarea to send men to Joppa to call for Simon Peter, who would come to him and speak words by which he and all his house would be saved. Those words were Peter's preaching of the gospel of the crucified, risen, and ascended Saviour, and by hearing and receiving that preaching Cornelius and his household would learn how to be saved. The promise reached the whole household and company gathered with him, and when Peter preached the Holy Ghost fell on those Gentile hearers as on the disciples at the beginning, so they received the Spirit and were baptized. This shows salvation is for Gentiles as well as Jews, for God is no respecter of persons and has cleansed the Gentiles, ending the ceremonial distinction of circumcision and uncircumcision so that believing Gentiles stand equal to Jewish believers without circumcision. The angel himself did not proclaim the story of the cross but joined Cornelius to God's organized church and gospel ministry, thus honoring human ministry by leaving the teaching to Peter, a gospel minister subject to weakness and temptation.
Context and Saving Message
An angel appeared to Cornelius in his house at Caesarea and directed him to send men to Joppa to call for Simon Peter, who would come to him and tell him words by which he and all his house would be saved. When Peter afterward met the brethren in Judea, he repeated Cornelius's account of that vision to show that he had gone to the Gentile house by the command of God.
The words promised were Peter's preaching of Christ, the gospel about the crucified, risen, and ascended Saviour. Hearing that preaching and receiving the truth it brought was the appointed means by which Cornelius and his household would hear the gospel, learn how to be saved, and be saved.
The promise reached beyond Cornelius himself to the whole company and household gathered with him, for Cornelius had called together his relatives so that they too could be instructed in the truth, and a large company eagerly awaited Peter's words. Led by the Spirit, Peter went and preached with six brethren present as witnesses, and the Holy Ghost fell on the Gentile hearers as on the disciples at the beginning. Their receiving the Holy Spirit proved that God had granted to the Gentiles also repentance unto life, and Peter had Cornelius's household baptized.
Gentiles Included, Ministry Honored
The promise that words would be spoken by which a household would be saved shows that salvation through hearing the gospel is for Gentiles as well as Jews. Their acceptance of that preaching proved that God had opened the way for the gospel to go to the Gentiles and to all the world. That opening ended the ceremonial distinction of circumcision and uncircumcision. It revealed that God is no respecter of persons and has cleansed the Gentiles, so Peter was no longer to call them common or unclean or to regard them as unclean.
It marked a new phase in the Christian church in which Gentiles who accepted the gospel were to be treated as equal to Jewish believers without needing circumcision. God used Peter's visit to bring Gentiles to the truth. Their reception broke down prejudice among Jewish believers against them.
The angel did not himself proclaim the story of the cross but connected Cornelius with God's organized church and gospel ministry. In this God honored human ministry by appointing a gospel minister to do the teaching according to God's assurance. That minister was Peter, a man subject to weakness and temptation and to human frailties as Cornelius himself was. God sent a heavenly messenger to bring about making the gospel known to Cornelius and his household, enlightening those who love and fear Him even when they do not yet know all the truth. His work in this can require believers to give up prejudice and be willing to be taught.