Chapter 10

Cornelius, a Centurion in the Italian Cohort.  A believer in God, a good man.  His family also were believers.  This verse:

4 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. [Act 10:4 ESV]

So God heard the prayers and saw the works of this man who did not know Jesus.  BUT, because of his devotion, God sent Peter to him with the gospel.  This good, devoted, God-fearing man was still short of what he needed to be truly right with God.  How many Muslims would this message reach?  Surely they are devoted, offering up sincere prayers in immovable faith.  Yet they lack Jesus...

Peter's vision of the "unclean" animals coming down, and God telling him that there is nothing unclean to eat any more.  What clearer sign could there be that the Sinai Covenant was no longer of any force and effect.  It is not gone forever, but is set aside for now.  The new covenant is now in effect. 

The messengers Cornelius had sent arrive right after the vision.  The next day Peter leaves for Caesarea with them, and some "brethren" from the church there in Joppa go along also. 

These verses should be shouted from the housetops:

34 So Peter opened his mouth and said: "Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, 35 but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. [Act 10:34-35 ESV]

God cares nothing about culture, skin color, traditions, or diets.  All are acceptable to God if they fear Him and do His will.

This verse:

38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. [Act 10:38 ESV]

Wish I knew enough Greek to look at the construction of this sentence.  It seems to say that anointing with the Holy Spirit and with power are two separate things.  But that may not be what  the Greek construction says.  It may say these two things are concurrent and equal.  Wish I knew how to find out.  MSB has no note about it at all.  I could try Zodhiates...

Zod says that Holy Spirit in this verse is anarthrous.  No definite article is present.  Could read it as anointed with Holy Spirit and power.  saying the Holy Spirit is a translation thing, but the word "the" isn't there.  I don't know if "power" is also anarthrous, but I looked in the NT Interlinear and don't see a word that could be "the", which should make power anarthrous also.  The Greek connector "kai" is translated "and" between Holy Spirit and power.  The same connector is used between doing good and healing in the same sentence.  Are doing good and healing referring to separate things?  They seem to be separated by kai...but he was giving a speech to a room full.  Anyway...moving on....

2024 - This interesting phrasing:

40 but God raised him on the third day and made him to appear, [Act 10:40 ESV], and here is another translation:

40 "God raised Him up on the third day and granted that He become visible, [Act 10:40 NASB95].  All the translations seem to try and express something specific here.  To me, the implication is that not all who are raised from the dead are visible - become visible - are allowed by God to be seen by those still living.  Yet they might still be there.  Like a ghost, in the room but invisible, and yet somehow sensed.  Now I doubt seriously that this is what is meant...but looking at the variation in how this verse is translated, it is obvious that something is being said that was understood in Luke's time but which we have kind of lost the sense of today.  Luke was from Antioch in Asia, not a Jew, and may have had some unusual teaching himself...maybe while at med school.  MSB makes no comment on it at all.

Vs 41 goes on to say that the appearances of Jesus post-resurrection were not universal but only to the those chosen as witnesses.  Witnesses are people who have knowledge of things to which they can testify.

Peter ends his sermon with these words:

43 To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name." [Act 10:43 ESV]

Peter tells these devout believers in God that believing in Jesus grants forgiveness of sins.  It is through the NAME of Jesus that forgiveness flows.  Their belief and devotion to this point are insufficient to have their sins forgiven.  Jesus Jesus Jesus!!!  ONLY Jesus.

The Holy Spirit "fell" on those who heard this sermon.  They spoke in tongues.  Peter says they've received the Holy Spirit the same as he and those who came with him have received it.  And Peter had raised a dead person...And then he says they all need to be baptized, though they were already miraculously speaking in tongues.  Baptism is important.

It would seem that having the Holy Spirit fall on us is something that happens to all who believe in the name of Jesus.  The extent and specifics of the power that come with that can be different from person to person, according to God's will.  It does not seem to be at all about "how much Spirit" each has earned, but on God's sovereign plan for that individual.  God gives us power in the measure that we need to accomplish His will for us.  No more, and no less.  It cannot be purchased, as Simon tried to do, nor can those who have the Spirit in quantity and who go about healing and raising the dead decide how much of it to convey to others by laying on hands.  God decides.  It would also seem that God can decide after salvation to convey additional ability to the saved at a time removed from the original indwelling.  As in a revival, a great awakening, and so on.  This finally seems to fit.

2024 - This is also another example of the situations we saw back in Chapter 9.  These people were ALL listening.  They were not being individually counseled.  They did not ask to be saved - they had no training or experience at all with altar calls.  But when Peter said "...everyone who believes in him...", like a clap of thunder the Holy Spirit fills them all, right where they're sitting. 

2024 - And come on!  The first thing Peter does when he sees that they are indeed saved is to order that they all be baptized.  Right now.  I still say that they were saved the instant they believed, but it was crucial, vital, REQUIRED that they also be baptized right away.  We Baptist under-emphasize Baptism.  Which seems very contradictory.