And as I began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell on them, as on us at the beginning.
The verse describes Peter as he began to preach to Cornelius and the Gentiles gathered in his house at Caesarea, when the Holy Spirit fell on them at the very start of his speech. “As on us at the beginning” means just as on the Jewish believers and disciples at Pentecost. The falling of the Spirit was the same and like gift God gave to those who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. That gift showed that God had accepted the Gentiles and granted them repentance unto life and baptism with the Holy Ghost as the Lord had promised when He said John baptized with water but believers would be baptized with the Holy Ghost.
The equal gift proves that God is no respecter of persons. It proves that the ceremonial distinction of circumcision and uncircumcision is ended, that Gentiles are no longer to be counted common or unclean or excluded from the gospel, and that they are to be accepted as equals to Jewish disciples without circumcision. The gift proves that Peter could not withstand or oppose God by refusing the Gentiles, treating them as unclean, or withholding the gospel from them. Peter recounted this event, witnessed by six brethren and disciples, to defend himself against the censure of the offended brethren in Judea for going in to uncircumcised men and eating with them. The account silenced them and convinced them that his course fulfilled the plan of God.
The event destroyed old prejudice and exclusiveness, including Peter’s own prejudice. It marked the opening of a new phase in the church in which God broke down the division between Jews and Gentiles. In that new phase God worked through human messengers to bring Gentiles to the gospel, and opened the way for the gospel to be preached among the Gentiles despite Jewish resistance.
The verse describes Peter as he began to preach to Cornelius and the Gentiles gathered in his house at Caesarea, when the Holy Spirit fell on them at the very start of his speech. “As on us at the beginning” means just as on the Jewish believers and disciples at Pentecost. The falling of the Spirit was the same and like gift God gave to those who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. That gift showed that God had accepted the Gentiles and granted them repentance unto life and baptism with the Holy Ghost as the Lord had promised when He said John baptized with water but believers would be baptized with the Holy Ghost.
The equal gift proves that God is no respecter of persons. It proves that the ceremonial distinction of circumcision and uncircumcision is ended, that Gentiles are no longer to be counted common or unclean or excluded from the gospel, and that they are to be accepted as equals to Jewish disciples without circumcision. The gift proves that Peter could not withstand or oppose God by refusing the Gentiles, treating them as unclean, or withholding the gospel from them. Peter recounted this event, witnessed by six brethren and disciples, to defend himself against the censure of the offended brethren in Judea for going in to uncircumcised men and eating with them. The account silenced them and convinced them that his course fulfilled the plan of God.
The event destroyed old prejudice and exclusiveness, including Peter’s own prejudice. It marked the opening of a new phase in the church in which God broke down the division between Jews and Gentiles. In that new phase God worked through human messengers to bring Gentiles to the gospel, and opened the way for the gospel to be preached among the Gentiles despite Jewish resistance.