Friday, November 10, 2006
An Outline of Acts Chapter 10
Cornelius Calls for Peter (10:1-8)
This chapter begins with Cornelius, a Roman centurion stationed in Caesarea. Although Luke refers to him as "devout and God-fearing," he was nonetheless a Gentile, as the passage later makes clear. Cornelius experienced a vision in which he was instructed to send for Peter, a man whom he did not know.
Peter's Vision (10:9-23)
Peter's vision involved food, specifically unclean food. Jewish Law forbade eating a number of different types of food. (We're all familiar with the Jewish aversion to pork.) In Peter's vision he was instructed to eat some of this unclean food.
When Peter protested that he had never violated the Law at this point, the voice said, "Do not call anything impure that God has made clean." Three times this exchange was repeated before Peter finally got the message. Let's remember that the vision was in direct contradiction to centuries of tradition and belief.
As Peter was still shaking off his vision, Cornelius's messengers were there to take him to Caesarea.
Peter at Cornelius' House (10:24-48)
The next day Peter went with them, met Cornelius, and began to share the gospel with him. But before Peter could finish his sermon, the Holy Spirit fell on Cornelius and his guests. Peter's change of heart is revealed in three statements he makes in these verses: "You are well aware that it is against our law for a Jew to associate with a Gentile or visit him. But God has shown me that I should not call any man impure or unclean" (10:28); "I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right" (vv. 34-35); "Can anyone keep these people from being baptized with water? They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have" (v. 47).
This chapter begins with Cornelius, a Roman centurion stationed in Caesarea. Although Luke refers to him as "devout and God-fearing," he was nonetheless a Gentile, as the passage later makes clear. Cornelius experienced a vision in which he was instructed to send for Peter, a man whom he did not know.
Peter's Vision (10:9-23)
Peter's vision involved food, specifically unclean food. Jewish Law forbade eating a number of different types of food. (We're all familiar with the Jewish aversion to pork.) In Peter's vision he was instructed to eat some of this unclean food.
When Peter protested that he had never violated the Law at this point, the voice said, "Do not call anything impure that God has made clean." Three times this exchange was repeated before Peter finally got the message. Let's remember that the vision was in direct contradiction to centuries of tradition and belief.
As Peter was still shaking off his vision, Cornelius's messengers were there to take him to Caesarea.
Peter at Cornelius' House (10:24-48)
The next day Peter went with them, met Cornelius, and began to share the gospel with him. But before Peter could finish his sermon, the Holy Spirit fell on Cornelius and his guests. Peter's change of heart is revealed in three statements he makes in these verses: "You are well aware that it is against our law for a Jew to associate with a Gentile or visit him. But God has shown me that I should not call any man impure or unclean" (10:28); "I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right" (vv. 34-35); "Can anyone keep these people from being baptized with water? They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have" (v. 47).
