While Peter was still saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word. And the believers from among the circumcised who had come with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out even on the Gentiles. For they were hearing them speaking in tongues and extolling God. Then Peter declared, “Can anyone withhold water for baptizing these people, who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to remain for some days.
the Holy Spirit fell on all - "In the case of these Gentile converts, they gift of the Spirit came before they were baptized in water (v 48). The authentication of the gift was the speaking in tongues (v 46), entirely apart from the laying on of hands. All this demonstrated, especially to the Jewish brethren who accompanied Peter, that God had received these Gentiles into the church on an equal basis with Jewish believers because they had believed in Christ (v 43)." (Ryrie)
"And here God interrupted Peter. Most Bible teachers have taught that Peter used the 'keys of the kingdom,' first with Israel at Pentecost, and then with the Gentiles at the home of Cornelius. This is not confirmed by the Scriptures, however, nor can it be. Peter did not open the door to these Gentiles. God took the matter out of his hands, interrupting his sermon and opening the door Himself, while 'they of the circumcision' looked on in astonishment. It is a fair question to ask how Peter would have concluded his sermon had he not been interrupted, for the Scripture sheds clear light on this question. Suppose Peter had continued with his sermon and his hearers, like those at Pentecost, had been convicted and had asked: 'What shall we do?' What would Peter have replied: There can be but one answer. He had not, like Paul, been sent to preach faith in Christ without works, for salvation. Those who believed under his ministry, even among the Gentiles, were to be 'baptized for the remission of sins' (Cf. Acts 2:38 with Mark 16:15-16). But before Peter had come to this, and just after he had stated the necessity of faith in Christ for salvation, God interrupted his sermon and took the matter out of his hands. Hence Peter later defended himself before the other apostles, saying: 'What was I, that I could withstand God?' (Acts 11:17)." (Stam)
"Here is still another departure from the program of the 'great commission' which should be carefully noted. Gentiles, from here on and for some time to come, under Paul's ministry, were to be baptized, since God had not yet fully and officially set Israel and the kingdom program aside, but water baptism was never to be required of Gentiles for salvation, as it was to have been under the 'great commission.' Nor were they to receive the Holy Spirit only after being baptized as outlined in the 'great commission' (Mark 16:16-18; Acts 2:38). Thus Paul could challenge those saved under his ministry: 'Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?' (Gal 3:2). As far as the Scriptures are concerned, the twelve did not again minister to Gentiles. Thus the ministry of Peter, the chief of the twelve, to this one Gentile household, coming as it did, after the stoning of Stephen and the conversion of Saul, was designed by God to cause Peter and the church at Jerusalem to give public recognition and endorsement to Paul's subsequent ministry among the Gentiles when the issue was later brought up (See Acts 15:7-11, 22-29)." (Stam)
the Holy Spirit fell on all - "In the case of these Gentile converts, they gift of the Spirit came before they were baptized in water (v 48). The authentication of the gift was the speaking in tongues (v 46), entirely apart from the laying on of hands. All this demonstrated, especially to the Jewish brethren who accompanied Peter, that God had received these Gentiles into the church on an equal basis with Jewish believers because they had believed in Christ (v 43)." (Ryrie)
"And here God interrupted Peter. Most Bible teachers have taught that Peter used the 'keys of the kingdom,' first with Israel at Pentecost, and then with the Gentiles at the home of Cornelius. This is not confirmed by the Scriptures, however, nor can it be. Peter did not open the door to these Gentiles. God took the matter out of his hands, interrupting his sermon and opening the door Himself, while 'they of the circumcision' looked on in astonishment. It is a fair question to ask how Peter would have concluded his sermon had he not been interrupted, for the Scripture sheds clear light on this question. Suppose Peter had continued with his sermon and his hearers, like those at Pentecost, had been convicted and had asked: 'What shall we do?' What would Peter have replied: There can be but one answer. He had not, like Paul, been sent to preach faith in Christ without works, for salvation. Those who believed under his ministry, even among the Gentiles, were to be 'baptized for the remission of sins' (Cf. Acts 2:38 with Mark 16:15-16). But before Peter had come to this, and just after he had stated the necessity of faith in Christ for salvation, God interrupted his sermon and took the matter out of his hands. Hence Peter later defended himself before the other apostles, saying: 'What was I, that I could withstand God?' (Acts 11:17)." (Stam)
"Here is still another departure from the program of the 'great commission' which should be carefully noted. Gentiles, from here on and for some time to come, under Paul's ministry, were to be baptized, since God had not yet fully and officially set Israel and the kingdom program aside, but water baptism was never to be required of Gentiles for salvation, as it was to have been under the 'great commission.' Nor were they to receive the Holy Spirit only after being baptized as outlined in the 'great commission' (Mark 16:16-18; Acts 2:38). Thus Paul could challenge those saved under his ministry: 'Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?' (Gal 3:2). As far as the Scriptures are concerned, the twelve did not again minister to Gentiles. Thus the ministry of Peter, the chief of the twelve, to this one Gentile household, coming as it did, after the stoning of Stephen and the conversion of Saul, was designed by God to cause Peter and the church at Jerusalem to give public recognition and endorsement to Paul's subsequent ministry among the Gentiles when the issue was later brought up (See Acts 15:7-11, 22-29)." (Stam)
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