The Book of Acts | God’s Revelation of Transition

Session 34 | Acts 10:34-43

Acts 10:34-43 | Peter’s Address to Cornelius and Company

• Verses 34-35 – (also contained in session 33)
  • Peter’s perception (the literal meaning of the Greek καταλαμβάνω [katalambano] is to fully grasp) is that God is no respecter of persons.
    • That is, He doesn’t care who you are or what you look like (προσωπολήμπτης [prosopolemptes] is literally to take the face into account).
    • Rather, God accepts people from anywhere who feareth him, and worketh righteousness.
  • Though we always say that Cornelius was the first “gentile Christian,” or the first gentile to “receive the Gospel,” we must make note here of two things:
    • The Gospel is not found in verse 33. What Peter declares is works-based acceptance before God.
    • The perception stated by Peter is nothing new. Compare Deuteronomy 10:17, Numbers 15.16, and the stories of Namaan and Jonah.
  • Peter’s message in verses 34-35 are correct, but they are not anything new.
• Verses 36-37 –
  • This is such plain passage, with great implications.
  • The gentiles already knew the word which God sent unto the children of Israel.
    • This was the word of peace by Jesus Christ, the Messiah (an interpretation made sure by the parenthetical statement he is Lord of all).
    • The words peace, Christ, and Lord are words of the “prophetic plan” of Messianic reign and restoration.
    • This is not a presentation of something new, but of something that has been since the beginning (Compare Romans 1:2, which speaks of the same message of good news).
  • The specific aspect of the prophetic plan that is under discussion is the earthly ministry of Jesus, which was designed as proof of His Messiahship.
    • This ministry began from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached.
    • These verses therefore definitively set John’s Baptism and Jesus’ ministry as being connected to the prophetic plan, which was published throughout all Judea (unlike the mystery, which would come later).
• Verse 38 –
  • This verse gives further clarification to that word (v. 37). Specifically, the message was that God anointed Jesus of Nazareth and that He went about doing good, and healing….
  • The good works He did, along with His miraculous works, were proof that He was Messiah.
• Verse 39 –
  • Peter testifies that he (and, presumably the other apostles) are witnesses of all things which he did. That is, not witnesses of the mystery, (a new work as of yet unrevealed) but witnesses of what God had done in Jesus the Christ.
  • Peter and company testified in the land of the Jews, and in Jerusalem.
    • This translation is confusing since Jerusalem was the largest city of the land of the Jews.
    • The Greek word translated land is χώρα [chora] (from which we get the English word coral) and means a district or region and the word translated Jews is Ἰουδαῖος [ioudaios], or Judeans (people who live in Judea).
  • Concerning hanged on a tree, refer to Bullinger’s Companion Bible appendix 162 for an interesting discussion of whether the instrument of crucifixion was a stake or a cross.
• Verses 40-41 –
  • Part of the evidence of the Messiahship of Jesus was the resurrection.
  • It is strange, therefore, that God shewed him openly; Not to all the people, but unto witnesses chosen before of God. Those witnesses were the ones who did eat and drink with him after he rose.
  • Presumably Peter is not speaking of all who saw Him after the resurrection (compare 1 Cor 15:6), but to the people who would specifically be witnesses of the resurrection (an interpretation given verification in v. 42).
• Verse 42 –
  • Note that the message which Peter was commanded…to preach was that Jesus was the One that was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead.
  • This is far different from the message of Grace that would later be revealed to Paul. This is a “Kingdom Gospel” message.
• Verse 43 –
  • It is true that all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins. Some mistakenly use this to “prove” that the mystery was really no mystery at all, but has always been proclaimed of the prophets. Here is the error of their assumption:
    • If Paul calls his message a mystery previously unrevealed, then that which has previously been revealed must not be that of which Paul speaks (or Paul is a lunatic).
    • Paul himself said that he also spoke among the Jews, saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come (Acts 16:22).
    • Isaiah 28:16 (quoted in Romans 10:11) speaks of a cornerstone in Zion, and a sure foundation upon which He that believeth shall not make haste [to judgment]. John 3:16 also records this truth, long before the mystery, and even long before the cross.
  • Therefore, the mystery must not be believing in Messiah for eternal life. Rather, it is believing in the completed work of Christ on the cross and thus receiving immediate and personal salvation outside of any Kingdom promises or requirements. Note that this is not the message of Peter in this pass