At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion of what was known as the Italian Cohort, a devout man who feared God with all his household, gave alms generously to the people, and prayed continually to God. About the ninth hour of the day he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God come in and say to him, “Cornelius.” And he stared at him in terror and said, “What is it, Lord?” And he said to him, “Your prayers and your alms have ascended as a memorial before God. And now send men to Joppa and bring one Simon who is called Peter. He is lodging with one Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the sea.” When the angel who spoke to him had departed, he called two of his servants and a devout soldier from among those who attended him, and having related everything to them, he sent them to Joppa.
Caesarea - About 30 mi (48 km) north of Joppa
Cornelius - "The name of an illustrious Roman 'gens' or house, numbering among its scions the famous Scipios and Sullas. This centurion was evidently a Roman, and was perhaps connected with the house in question as a freedman." (Walker)
a centurion - a noncommissioned officer in command of 100 men
"A subordinate officer, that is, in command of a hundred men. A Roman legion or regiment consisted of 6,000 men, and was divided into ten cohorts, each containing 600 soldiers. These cohorts were subdivided into centuries, each of which was officered by a centurion. The centurions specifically mentioned in the New Testament were men of a liberal and kindly disposition (Matt 8:5-10; 27:54; Acts 22:25-26; 27:1, 3, 42-44)." (Walker)
Italian Cohort - a group of 300-600 Roman soldiers
"The cohort was called 'Italian' because, though not forming part of the regular legionary troops of this empire (which were never stationed in provincial towns like Caesarea), it was composed, in all probability, of Italians, volunteer member of the auxiliary troops. Inscriptions have come to light which shew that there was such an Italian cohort in Syria both in the second century and in A.D. 69, and the presumption is that there was one there earlier still. We know that Caesarea was a garrison town, being the residence of the procurator of Judaea. Josephus mentions that five cohorts and a squadron of cavalry were stationed there." (Walker)
man who feared God - "The same phrase occurs in vv. 22, 35; 13:16, 26; and a very similar on in 16:14; 18:7. It represents Gentiles who had given in their partial adherence to the Jewish faith, while still remaining uncircumcised. In other words, they had learned from the Jews to worship the true and living God, but had not thrown in their lot fully with Judaism. There must have been varying degrees of outward profession among them. Many attended service at the Jewish synagogues and conformed to certain rules laid down for them as the condition of intercourse with Jews (cf. 15:20). Others were less pronounced in the profession of their faith." (Walker)
"Does this mean that Cornelius was already saved; that he had received the remission of sins and possessed eternal life? We believe not, for the following reasons: 1) It was in response to his prayers that he was instructed to send for Peter to show him the way of salvation (Vers. 4-6; 11:14); 2) The statement: 'He shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do' (Ver. 6) (though this phrase is not retained in all the texts) is analogous to the 'What shall we do?' of Acts 2:37 and the 'What must I do?' of Acts 16:30. In each case the inquirers were told how to be saved; 3) Cornelius was promised: 'He [Peter] shall tell thee words whereby thou and all thy house shall be saved' (11:14); 4) Peter instructed Cornelius and his household as to the 'remission of sins' (10:43); and 5) When Peter had rehearsed the incident to his brethren at Jerusalem they exclaimed: 'Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life' (11:18). It is not true, as some have supposed, that Cornelius was a proselyte, at least in the Scriptural sense of the term. Much is written in commentaries about 'proselytes of righteousness' and 'proselytes of the gate,' and generally Cornelius is made to be one of the latter, but Scripture knows of only one kind of proselyte—one who submitted to circumcision and the law (Isa. 56:6-7, cf. Acts 15:1). Had Cornelius been a proselyte in the Scriptural sense there would have been nothing remarkable in Peter's ministering to him, for he had ministered to many proselytes at Pentecost (Acts 2:10). So far as the Scriptures are concerned, then, Cornelius was not a proselyte. Peter calls him 'one of another nation' (10:28). And not only Peter, but his six companions, the writer of Acts and 'the apostles and brethren in Judaea' all considered him a 'Gentile' (10:45; 11:1). He had been looked upon as 'unclean' (10:28). The Jews had considered it 'unlawful' to keep company with such (10:28). And when Peter did go to him he was called to account for keeping company and eating with 'men uncircumcised' (11:3)." (Stam)
Your prayers and your alms have ascended as a memorial before God - "This indicated that (1) while prayers and works in themselves cannot save, (2) yet when these express a true desire to know God, God will respond to that desire." (Stam)
Caesarea - About 30 mi (48 km) north of Joppa
Cornelius - "The name of an illustrious Roman 'gens' or house, numbering among its scions the famous Scipios and Sullas. This centurion was evidently a Roman, and was perhaps connected with the house in question as a freedman." (Walker)
a centurion - a noncommissioned officer in command of 100 men
"A subordinate officer, that is, in command of a hundred men. A Roman legion or regiment consisted of 6,000 men, and was divided into ten cohorts, each containing 600 soldiers. These cohorts were subdivided into centuries, each of which was officered by a centurion. The centurions specifically mentioned in the New Testament were men of a liberal and kindly disposition (Matt 8:5-10; 27:54; Acts 22:25-26; 27:1, 3, 42-44)." (Walker)
Italian Cohort - a group of 300-600 Roman soldiers
"The cohort was called 'Italian' because, though not forming part of the regular legionary troops of this empire (which were never stationed in provincial towns like Caesarea), it was composed, in all probability, of Italians, volunteer member of the auxiliary troops. Inscriptions have come to light which shew that there was such an Italian cohort in Syria both in the second century and in A.D. 69, and the presumption is that there was one there earlier still. We know that Caesarea was a garrison town, being the residence of the procurator of Judaea. Josephus mentions that five cohorts and a squadron of cavalry were stationed there." (Walker)
man who feared God - "The same phrase occurs in vv. 22, 35; 13:16, 26; and a very similar on in 16:14; 18:7. It represents Gentiles who had given in their partial adherence to the Jewish faith, while still remaining uncircumcised. In other words, they had learned from the Jews to worship the true and living God, but had not thrown in their lot fully with Judaism. There must have been varying degrees of outward profession among them. Many attended service at the Jewish synagogues and conformed to certain rules laid down for them as the condition of intercourse with Jews (cf. 15:20). Others were less pronounced in the profession of their faith." (Walker)
"Does this mean that Cornelius was already saved; that he had received the remission of sins and possessed eternal life? We believe not, for the following reasons: 1) It was in response to his prayers that he was instructed to send for Peter to show him the way of salvation (Vers. 4-6; 11:14); 2) The statement: 'He shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do' (Ver. 6) (though this phrase is not retained in all the texts) is analogous to the 'What shall we do?' of Acts 2:37 and the 'What must I do?' of Acts 16:30. In each case the inquirers were told how to be saved; 3) Cornelius was promised: 'He [Peter] shall tell thee words whereby thou and all thy house shall be saved' (11:14); 4) Peter instructed Cornelius and his household as to the 'remission of sins' (10:43); and 5) When Peter had rehearsed the incident to his brethren at Jerusalem they exclaimed: 'Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life' (11:18). It is not true, as some have supposed, that Cornelius was a proselyte, at least in the Scriptural sense of the term. Much is written in commentaries about 'proselytes of righteousness' and 'proselytes of the gate,' and generally Cornelius is made to be one of the latter, but Scripture knows of only one kind of proselyte—one who submitted to circumcision and the law (Isa. 56:6-7, cf. Acts 15:1). Had Cornelius been a proselyte in the Scriptural sense there would have been nothing remarkable in Peter's ministering to him, for he had ministered to many proselytes at Pentecost (Acts 2:10). So far as the Scriptures are concerned, then, Cornelius was not a proselyte. Peter calls him 'one of another nation' (10:28). And not only Peter, but his six companions, the writer of Acts and 'the apostles and brethren in Judaea' all considered him a 'Gentile' (10:45; 11:1). He had been looked upon as 'unclean' (10:28). The Jews had considered it 'unlawful' to keep company with such (10:28). And when Peter did go to him he was called to account for keeping company and eating with 'men uncircumcised' (11:3)." (Stam)
Your prayers and your alms have ascended as a memorial before God - "This indicated that (1) while prayers and works in themselves cannot save, (2) yet when these express a true desire to know God, God will respond to that desire." (Stam)
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