GLOSSARY OF TERMS
Cornelius
edited by Paul J. Achtemier (San Francisco: Harper and Row, 1985)
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Cornelius, a Roman centurion stationed in Caesarea. The story of his conversion to Christianity is told at length in Acts 10 and he is defended by Peter in Acts 11:1-18. A further allusion to him is made in Acts 15:5-7. The repetition of his story indicates his significance for Acts as the model Gentile convert. Before his conversion, Cornelius was apparently associated with the synagogue as a ‘god-fearer.’ He gave alms and dedicated himself to prayer. While he and his friends listened to Peter present the gospel, the Holy Spirit came upon them. For the writer of Acts, this was divine attestation that Gentiles should be accepted into the Christian community on the same basis (i.e., faith) as Jewish converts to belief in Jesus as the Messiah. It is significant that, in Acts, it is Peter who opens the door of faith to the Gentiles, but he does so only after having received a vision from God.
edited by James Luther Mays, (New York: Harper and Row, 1988)
10:1-8, Cornelius’ Vision.
Luke’s portrait of Cornelius is a model of compactness: an introductory cameo portrait (vv. 1-2) that comes to life in the narrative itself (vv. 3-8). He is undeniably Gentile, a point repeatedly emphasized (10:22, 28, 35, 45; also 11:1, 3, 17-18) and on which the story hinges. Yet, he is a Gentile utterly devoted to Judaism (Rom. 2:28-29). As a “God-fearer” (Acts 10:2, 22; cf. 13:16, 26), his religious devotion is exemplified by his almsgiving and prayer, activities highly prized by Jews (Tob. 12:8; Matt. 6:2-6; 1 Pet. 4:7-9)—and by Luke (on almsgiving, see Introduction; on prayer, cf. Luke 3:21; 5:16; 6:12, 28; 9:18, 28-29; 11:1-13; 18:1-14). Though a Gentile, he has supported Jewish causes financially (Acts 10:2, “people” = Jews; cf. 10:22; also Luke 7:5). Not surprisingly, the vision occurs while he—a Gentile—observes a Jewish hour of prayer (Acts 10:3, 30; see commentary above on 3:1-11). Nor is it a prayer before deaf ears. God has accepted his exemplary service as a fitting sacrifice (10:4; cf. Lev. 2:2, 9, 16; also Tob. 12:12). Not only does he pray to God, but, completely in character, he obeys God—fully and promptly (Acts 10:7-8, 33).
10:9-16, Peter’s Vision.
The scene shifts from Caesarea to Joppa, and the action centers on Peter (9:43). Once again, prayer provides the setting for a vision (10:9; cf. 10:3; see commentary above on 3:1-11). All the marks of a divine revelation are present: Peter in a trance, not asleep in a dream; a “rift in the sky” (v. 11, neb; cf. 7:56; Luke 3:21; Mark 1:10; Matt. 3:16; also John 1:51; Rev. 19:11), and a heavenly voice (Acts 10:13, 15).
The image of “great sheet of sail-cloth . . . slung by the four corners” (v. 11, neb) is both unusual and without obvious literary parallels. The list of animals (v. 12) perhaps recalls ot lists (Gen. 1:24; 6:20; also Rom. 1:23). The divine injunction to Peter (Acts 10:13) is puzzling, unless only unclean animals are imagined in the sheet or the command is understood to apply only to unclean animals. Either way, its force is clear to Peter. With horror reminiscent of Ezekiel’s (Ezek. 4:13-14), he recoils at the very thought of violating scriptural food laws (Acts 10:14; Lev. 11; Deut. 14). The divine corrective (Acts 10:15) is sometimes understood to reflect Jesus’ relaxed reinterpretation of Jewish food laws (Matt. 15:1-20; Mark 7:1-23; also Rom. 14:14). It may, however, be an appeal to the primordial period, when all creatures were “good” (Gen. 1:31; Sir. 39:33-35; also 1 Tim. 4:4). The threefold occurrence (Acts 10:16), after which the sheet ascends, attests its undeniability.
10:17-23a, Peter Receives Cornelius’ Messengers.
The vision so radically challenges Peter’s worldview that he is genuinely perplexed (vv. 17, 19; cf. Luke 9:7; 24:4; Acts 2:12; 5:24). Even his movement to receive the delegation must be prompted by the Spirit (10:19; 11:12)—another instance where the gospel is edged along by divine impulse (8:29; 13:2; 15:28). Like Cornelius, Peter is compliant (10:21). The messengers summarize the earlier narrative but introduce the note that Peter will preach to Cornelius (v. 22). This paves the way for the sermon (10:34-43). By inviting them in as his guests (v. 23a), Peter is already acknowledging the truth of the vision and providing grounds for the later criticism (11:3).
10:23b-33, Peter and Cornelius Meet.
Since they are acting at God’s behest, the combined delegation leaves “the next day” (v. 23b) and travels to Caesarea, the scene of the next several events (vv. 24-48). Joining Peter are Jewish Christians from Joppa (v. 23b; cf. 9:41-42), later numbered as six (11:12), who become crucial witnesses to the conversion of the Gentiles (10:45) and confirm Peter’s account at Jerusalem. The cluster of friends and family gathered by Cornelius (vv. 24, 27) becomes the nucleus of the Caesarean church (cf. 12:19; 18:22; 21:8, 16). His deference to Peter (10:25), by which he acknowledges God’s messenger as well as confirms the truth of his earlier vision (vv. 5-6), also further illustrates his piety. It also allows Luke another opportunity to distinguish between divine power and human agent (cf. 3:12; 14:15; also Rev. 19:10; Wisd. of Sol. 7:1-6). Both Peter and Cornelius are responding, in their respective ways, to the same divine impulse.
10:34-43, Peter’s Sermon.
Whereas earlier sermons feature ot promise fulfillment and Israelite history (chaps. 2, 3, 7), this one is distinguished by its introductory statement about God’s impartiality (vv. 34-35; cf. Deut. 10:17; 2 Chron. 19:7; Job 34:19; Sir. 35:12-13; Rom. 2:11; Gal. 2:6; Eph. 6:9; Col. 3:25) and its concentrated summary of the Jesus story (Acts 10:36-42), an admirable distillation of Luke’s Gospel. Prophetic witness to Jesus is mentioned only briefly at the end (v. 43).
Like earlier sermons (see commentary above on 3:12-26), its chief subject is God—God’s nature and what God has done through Christ.Its essential message to Gentiles is that Jesus is God’s story continued. God sent, even “preached,” the good news of Jesus (10:36); Jesus’ anointing by God (at his baptism; v. 38; Luke 3:21-22), and being empowered by God’s Spirit (cf. Luke 4:1, 14-21); his alliance with God demonstrated by his “good deeds” of healing (Acts 10:38; cf. 2:22); God righted the wrong of his death by raising him (10:40; cf. 2:24, 32; 3:15) and revealing him alive (10:41; Luke 24:13-53; Acts 1:3-11); he is ordained by God as the ultimate judge (10:42; cf. 17:31); and the story continues to be told through God appointed witnesses under divine mandate (10:41-42; cf. Luke 24:48-49; Acts 1:8). The God to whom Gentiles, like Cornelius, are already attracted has been at work visibly and audibly through Jesus and is now being heard in the apostolic witness. By acknowledging Jesus as God’s Anointed, they will be acknowledging truly the God they already “fear” (10:2, 22).
Admittedly, God’s story has Jewish roots. Jesus was attested by the prophets (v. 43) and introduced first to Israel (v. 36; cf. 13:26). His sphere of activity was “the country of the Jews [Galilee] and Jerusalem” (10:39). Yet, he is no local, national deity but has universal appeal as “Lord of all” (v. 36b). Eventually he is destined to be universal judge of the “living and dead” (v. 42). Forgiveness is now universally available(v. 43).
One important new element in this sermon is the emphasis on the God who does not “play favorites” (v. 34, jb, neb). In Jesus is now realized God’s intended vision of a humanity “without distinctions” (cf. 11:12). God fully accepts Gentiles and Jews on equal terms, and such labels as “clean”/“unclean” no longer apply (cf. 10:28); indeed, they no longer can exist. Not only can all persons be accepted by God; they can fully accept each other in ordinary social relationships, such as table fellowship (10:23; 11:3).
Act 10:1-43
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