Aug 27 2014

Peter Goes to a Gentile’s House – Acts 10

Roman columns at Caesarea

Note: Beginning 09/02/14, this blog will be published on Tuesdays and Fridays

While he was still sorting through this, the Spirit told Peter about Cornelius’s men who were now at his gate, and told him that he was to go with them. So being led by the Spirit, Peter judiciously took some of the brothers with him for witnesses of what was to occur. When they arrived from Joppa into Caesarea, Cornelius had gathered his friends and family and fell at Peter’s feet. Whatever was in Cornelius’ heart, Peter knew it was wrong to allow that sort of worship, and rebuked him in verse 26.Clearly though, this demonstrates that Cornelius knew that (just a man or not) he was in the presence of someone who had a special purpose for the Lord.

In verses 28-29, Peter acknowledges that under Jewish tradition, coming to the house of a Gentile (let alone, eating with them) would make one ceremonially unclean, but he said “You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a Jew to associate with or to visit anyone of another nation, but God has shown me that I should not call any person common or unclean.” So then he wanted to know why Cornelius has sent for him.

(This year’s reading plan for Luke, Acts, and 1 and 2 Chronicles averages just 15 verses per day – 5 days per week!)
Schedule for this week
Read or listen to audio of today’s selection from Acts here
Read or listen to audio of today’s selection from 2 Chronicles here

/Bob’s boy

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some images © V. Gilbert & Arlisle F. Beers

Please visit this site’s menu item “The Author’s Books” for info on the author’s books, website, and Facebook page.

All of my comments in this blog are solely my responsibility. When reading any commentary, you should always refer first to the scripture, which is God’s unchanging and unfailing word.

Aug 25 2014

Cornelius the Centurion – Acts 10

Historical re-enactor wearing replica equipment of a late 1st-century centurion (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Note: Beginning 09/02/14, this blog will be published on Tuesdays and Fridays

Chapter 10 opens with a bit about Cornelius of Caesarea. He was a Gentile soldier in an Italian cohort — a centurion. A cohort could be as large as from 600 – 1000 men, with 6 centurions in charge. A centurion was paid anywhere from 5 to as much as 20 times as much as the average Roman soldier, so Cornelius was likely considered wealthy. Identified in several verses as a God-fearer, he would have been attached to a synagogue and a believer in God, but not circumcised.

In verse three, an angel came to him in a vision, telling him to send people to Joppa to have Peter brought to him. Peter had stopped in Joppa where he had raised Tabitha from the dead. Afterward, he had stayed with a man named Simon who was a Tanner that lived by the sea. Cornelius sent two of his servants and one of the soldiers who attended him personally. Verse 7 says that the soldier was “devout.” Undoubtedly, this was due to some extent, to the influence of Cornelius.

/Bob’s boy

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some images © V. Gilbert & Arlisle F. Beers

Please visit this site’s menu item “The Author’s Books” for info on the author’s books, website, and Facebook page.

All of my comments in this blog are solely my responsibility. When reading any commentary, you should always refer first to the scripture, which is God’s unchanging and unfailing word.

Aug 15 2014

Philip Baptizes the Ethiopian – Acts 8

Philip went and joined the Eunuch. He was reading from Isaiah 53 7-8 specifically at that time, which says:

Rembrandt Harmensz. van Rijn 074 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

He was oppressed, and he was afflicted,
yet he opened not his mouth;
like a lamb that is led to the slaughter,
and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent,
so he opened not his mouth.

By oppression and judgment he was taken away;
and as for his generation, who considered
that he was cut off out of the land of the living,
stricken for the transgression of my people?

Philip asked him if he understood what he was reading, and the Ethiopian invited him to come up into the chariot with him. Peter explained this well-known passage as it applied to Jesus, and he used that opportunity to preach Christ crucified to him. Coming upon water, the Ethiopian asked Philip to baptize him. Afterward, the Eunuch went on his way, rejoicing.

One cannot help but wonder how many others this Eunuch taught upon his return to Ethiopia. But afterward, Philip “found himself at Azotus, and as he passed through he preached the gospel to all the towns until he came to Caesarea.” The words “found himself” suggest that the Spirit carried him away by divine intervention.

/Bob’s boy

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Please visit this site’s menu item “The Author’s Books” for info on the author’s books, website, and Facebook page.

All of my comments in this blog are solely my responsibility. When reading any commentary, you should always refer first to the scripture, which is God’s unchanging and unfailing word.