1EinG2258 gewisserG5100 MannG435 aberG1161 inG1722 CäsareaG2542, mit NamenG3686 KorneliusG2883, - ein HauptmannG1543 vonG1537 der sogenanntenG2564 italischenG2483 ScharG4686, 2frommG2152 undG2532 gottesfürchtigG5399 G2316 mitG4862 seinemG846 ganzenG3956 HauseG3624, derG5037 dem VolkeG2992 vieleG4183 AlmosenG1654 gabG4160 undG2532 allezeitG1275 zu GottG2316 beteteG1189, - 3sahG1492 inG1722 einem GesichtG3705 ungefährG5616 um die neunteG1766 StundeG5610 des TagesG2250 offenbarlichG5320, wie ein EngelG32 GottesG2316 zuG4314 ihmG846 hereinkamG1525 undG2532 zu ihmG846 sagteG2036: KorneliusG2883! 4Er aberG1161 sahG816 ihnG846 unverwandt anG816 und wurdeG1096 von Furcht erfülltG1719 undG2532 sagteG2036: WasG5101 istG2076, HerrG2962 ? Er sprachG2036 aberG1161 zu ihmG846: DeineG4675 GebeteG4335 undG2532 deineG4675 AlmosenG1654 sind hinaufgestiegenG305 zumG1519 GedächtnisG3422 vorG1799 GottG2316. 5UndG2532 jetztG3568 sendeG3992 MännerG435 nachG1519 JoppeG2445 undG2532 laßG3343 SimonG4613 holenG3343, derG3739 PetrusG4074 zubenamtG1941 ist; 6dieserG3778 herbergtG3579 beiG3844 einem gewissenG5100 SimonG4613, einem GerberG1038, dessenG3739 HausG3614 amG3844 MeereG2281 istG2076. 7AlsG5613 aberG1161 der EngelG32, derG3588 mit ihmG2883 redeteG2980, weggegangenG565 war, riefG5455 er zweiG1417 seinerG846 HausknechteG3610 undG2532 einen frommenG2152 KriegsknechtG4757 von denen, die beständig beiG4342 ihmG846 warenG4342; 8undG2532 als er ihnenG846 allesG537 erzähltG1834 hatte, sandteG649 er sieG846 nachG1519 JoppeG2445. 9Des folgenden TagesG1887 aberG1161, während jeneG1565 reistenG3596 undG2532 sichG1448 der StadtG4172 nähertenG1448, stiegG305 PetrusG4074 umG4012 die sechsteG1623 StundeG5610 aufG305 das DachG1430, um zu betenG4336. 10Er wurdeG1096 aberG1161 hungrigG4361 undG2532 verlangteG2309 zu essenG1089. Während sieG1565 ihm aberG1161 zubereitetenG3903, kamG1968 eine EntzückungG1611 überG1909 ihnG846. 11UndG2532 er siehtG2334 den HimmelG3772 geöffnetG455 undG2532 ein gewissesG5100 GefäßG4632, gleichG5613 einem großenG3173 leinenen TucheG3607, herabkommenG2597, an vierG5064 ZipfelnG746 [gebundenG1210 und]G2532 aufG1909 die ErdeG1093 herniedergelassenG2524, 12inG1722 welchemG3739 allerleiG3956 vierfüßigeG5074 undG2532 kriechende TiereG2062 der ErdeG1093 warenG5225 undG2532 das GevögelG4071 des HimmelsG3772. 13UndG2532 eine StimmeG5456 geschahG1096 zuG4314 ihmG846: Stehe aufG450, PetrusG4074, schlachteG2380 undG2532 ißG5315! 14PetrusG4074 aberG1161 sprachG2036: KeineswegsG3365, HerrG2962! dennG3754 niemalsG3763 habeG5315 ich irgend etwasG3956 GemeinesG2839 oderG2228 UnreinesG169 gegessenG5315. 15UndG2532 wiederumG3825 geschah eine StimmeG5456 zumG1537 zweiten MaleG1208 zuG4314 ihmG846: WasG3739 GottG2316 gereinigtG2511 hat, macheG2840 duG4771 nichtG3361 gemeinG2840! 16DiesesG5124 aberG1161 geschahG1096 dreimalG1909 G5151; undG2532 das GefäßG4632 wurdeG353 alsbaldG3825 hinaufgenommenG353 inG1519 den HimmelG3772. 17AlsG5613 aberG1161 PetrusG4074 beiG1722 sich selbstG1438 in VerlegenheitG1280 war, wasG5101 doch das GesichtG3705 seinG1498 möchteG302, dasG3739 er gesehenG1492 hatte, sieheG2400, da standenG2186 die MännerG435, welcheG3588 vonG575 KorneliusG2883 gesandtG649 waren und SimonsG4613 HausG3614 erfragtG1331 hatten, vorG1909 dem ToreG4440; 18undG2532 als sie gerufenG5455 hatten, fragtenG4441 sie, obG1487 SimonG4613, derG3588 PetrusG4074 zubenamtG1941 sei, daselbstG1759 herbergeG3579. 19Während aberG1161 PetrusG4074 überG4012 das GesichtG3705 nachsannG1760, sprachG2036 der GeistG4151 zu ihmG846: SieheG2400, dreiG5140 MännerG435 suchenG2212 dichG4571. 20SteheG450 aberG235 aufG450, geh hinabG2597 undG2532 zieheG4198 mitG4862 ihnenG846, ohne irgendG3367 zu zweifelnG1252, weilG1360 ichG1473 sieG846 gesandtG649 habe. 21PetrusG4074 aberG1161 gingG2597 zuG4314 den MännernG435 hinabG2597 und sprachG2036: SieheG2400, ichG1473 bin'sG1510, denG3739 ihr suchetG2212. WasG5101 ist die UrsacheG156, weshalbG1223 G3739 ihr kommetG3918 ? 22Sie aberG1161 sprachenG2036: KorneliusG2883, ein HauptmannG1543, ein gerechterG1342 undG2532 gottesfürchtigerG5399 G2316 MannG435, undG5037 der ein gutes Zeugnis hatG3140 vonG5259 der ganzenG3650 NationG1484 der JudenG2453, istG5537 vonG5259 einem heiligenG40 EngelG32 göttlich gewiesenG5537 worden, dichG4571 inG1519 seinG846 HausG3624 holen zu lassenG3343 undG2532 WorteG4487 vonG3844 dirG4675 zu hörenG191. 23Als er sieG846 nunG3767 hereingerufenG1528 hatte, beherbergteG3579 er sie. Des folgenden TagesG1887 aberG1161 machte er sich aufG4074 und zogG1831 mitG4862 ihnenG846 fortG1831, undG2532 etlicheG5100 der BrüderG80 vonG575 JoppeG2445 gingen mitG4905 ihmG846; 24undG2532 des folgenden TagesG1887 kamenG1525 sie nachG1519 CäsareaG2542. KorneliusG2883 aberG1161, der seineG846 VerwandtenG4773 undG2532 nächstenG316 FreundeG5384 zusammengerufenG4779 hatte, erwarteteG4328 G2258 sieG846. 25AlsG5613 es aberG1161 geschahG1096, daß PetrusG4074 hereinkamG1525, gingG4876 KorneliusG2883 ihmG846 entgegenG4876, fielG4098 ihm zuG1909 FüßenG4228 und huldigteG4352 ihm. 26PetrusG4074 aberG1161 richteteG1453 ihnG846 aufG1453 und sprachG3004: Stehe aufG450! auch ichG2504 selbstG846 binG1510 ein MenschG444. 27UndG2532 sichG4926 mit ihmG846 unterredendG4926, ging er hineinG1525 undG2532 findetG2147 vieleG4183 versammeltG4905. 28UndG5037 er sprachG5346 zuG4314 ihnenG846: IhrG5210 wissetG1987, wieG5613 unerlaubtG111 es für einen jüdischenG2453 MannG435 istG2076, sichG2853 einem FremdlingG246 anzuschließenG2853 oderG2228 zu ihm zu kommenG4334; undG2532 mirG1698 hatG1166 GottG2316 gezeigtG1166, keinenG3367 MenschenG444 gemeinG2839 oderG2228 unreinG169 zu heißenG3004. 29DarumG1352 kamG2064 ich auchG2532 ohne WiderredeG39, als ich geholtG3343 wurde. Ich frageG4441 nunG3767: Aus welchemG5101 GrundeG3056 habtG3343 ihr michG3165 holen lassenG3343 ? 30UndG2532 KorneliusG2883 sprachG5346: VorG575 vierG5067 TagenG2250 [fasteteG3522 G2252 ich] bis zuG3360 dieserG5026 StundeG5610, [und]G2532 um die neunteG1766 beteteG4336 ich inG1722 meinemG3450 HauseG3624; undG2532 sieheG2400, ein MannG435 standG2476 vorG1799 mirG3450 inG1722 glänzendemG2986 KleideG2066 31undG2532 sprichtG5346: KorneliusG2883! deinG4675 GebetG4335 ist erhörtG1522, undG2532 deinerG4675 AlmosenG1654 ist gedachtG3415 worden vorG1799 GottG2316. 32SendeG3992 nunG3767 nachG1519 JoppeG2445 undG2532 laßG3333 SimonG4613 holenG3333, derG3739 PetrusG4074 zubenamtG1941 ist; dieserG3778 herbergtG3579 inG1722 dem HauseG3614 SimonsG4613, eines GerbersG1038, amG3844 MeereG2281; [derG3739 wird, wenn er hierhergekommenG3854 ist, zu dirG4671 reden]G2980. 33SofortG1824 nunG3767 sandteG3992 ich zuG4314 dirG4571, undG5037 duG4771 hast wohlgetanG2573 G4160, daß du gekommenG3854 bist. JetztG3568 sindG3918 wirG2249 nunG3767 alleG3956 vorG1799 GottG2316 gegenwärtigG3918, umG191 allesG3956 zu hörenG191, was dirG4671 vonG5259 GottG2316 befohlenG4367 ist. 34PetrusG4074 aberG1161 tatG455 den MundG4750 aufG455 und sprachG2036: InG1909 WahrheitG225 begreifeG2638 ich, daßG3754 GottG2316 die PersonG4381 nichtG3756 ansiehtG2076, 35sondernG235 inG1722 jederG3956 NationG1484, wer ihnG846 fürchtetG5399 undG2532 GerechtigkeitG1343 wirktG2038, istG2076 ihmG846 angenehmG1184. 36Das WortG3056, welchesG3739 er den SöhnenG5207 IsraelsG2474 gesandtG649 hat, FriedenG1515 verkündigendG2097 durchG1223 JesumG2424 ChristumG5547, [dieserG3778 istG2076 allerG3956 HerrG2962,] 37kennetG1492 ihrG5210: das ZeugnisG4487, welches, anfangendG756 vonG575 GaliläaG1056, durchG2596 ganzG3650 JudäaG2449 hinG2596 ausgebreitetG1096 worden ist, nachG3326 der TaufeG908, dieG3739 JohannesG2491 predigteG2784: 38JesumG2424, den vonG575 NazarethG3478, wieG5613 GottG2316 ihnG846 mit HeiligemG40 GeisteG4151 undG2532 mit KraftG1411 gesalbtG5548 hat, derG3739 umhergingG1330, wohltuendG2109 undG2532 heilendG2390 alleG3956, die vonG5259 dem TeufelG1228 überwältigtG2616 waren; dennG3754 GottG2316 warG2258 mitG3326 ihmG846. 39UndG2532 wirG2249 sindG2070 ZeugenG3144 allesG3956 dessen, wasG3739 erG4160 sowohlG5037 imG1722 LandeG5561 der JudenG2453 als auchG2532 inG1722 JerusalemG2419 getanG4160 hat; welchenG3739 sie auch umgebrachtG337 haben, indem sie ihn anG1909 ein HolzG3586 hängtenG2910. 40DiesenG5126 hatG1453 GottG2316 am drittenG5154 TageG2250 auferwecktG1453 undG2532 ihnG846 sichtbarG1717 werdenG1096 lassenG1325, 41nichtG3756 dem ganzenG3956 VolkeG2992, sondernG235 den vonG5259 GottG2316 zuvor erwähltenG4401 ZeugenG3144, unsG2254, die wirG3748 mitG4844 ihmG846 gegessenG4906 undG2532 getrunkenG4844 haben, nachdemG3326 erG846 ausG1537 den TotenG3498 auferstandenG450 war. 42UndG2532 er hatG3853 unsG2254 befohlenG3853, dem VolkeG2992 zu predigenG2784 undG2532 ernstlich zu bezeugenG1263, daßG3754 erG846 derG3588 vonG5259 GottG2316 verordneteG3724 RichterG2923 der LebendigenG2198 undG2532 der TotenG3498 istG2076. 43DiesemG5129 gebenG3140 alleG3956 ProphetenG4396 ZeugnisG3140, daß jeder, derG3956 anG1519 ihnG846 glaubtG4100, VergebungG859 der SündenG266 empfängtG2983 durchG1223 seinenG846 NamenG3686. 44Während PetrusG4074 nochG2089 dieseG5023 WorteG4487 redeteG2980, fielG1968 der HeiligeG40 GeistG4151 aufG1909 alleG3956, die das WortG3056 hörtenG191. 45UndG2532 die GläubigenG4103 ausG1537 der BeschneidungG4061, so viele ihrerG3745 mitG4905 PetrusG4074 gekommenG4905 waren, gerieten außer sichG1839, daßG3754 auchG2532 aufG1909 die NationenG1484 die GabeG1431 des HeiligenG40 GeistesG4151 ausgegossenG1632 worden war; 46dennG1063 sie hörtenG191 sieG846 in SprachenG1100 redenG2980 undG2532 GottG2316 erhebenG3170. 47DannG5119 antworteteG611 PetrusG4074: KönnteG1410 wohlG3385 jemandG5100 das WasserG5204 verwehrenG2967, daß dieseG5128 nichtG3361 getauftG907 würden, dieG3748 den HeiligenG40 GeistG4151 empfangenG2983 haben, gleichwieG2531 auchG2532 wirG2249 ? 48UndG5037 er befahlG4367, daß sieG846 getauftG907 würden inG1722 dem NamenG3686 des HerrnG2962. DannG5119 batenG2065 sie ihnG846, etlicheG5100 TageG2250 zu bleibenG1961.
Jamieson Fausset Brown Bible Commentary 1 ACCESSION AND BAPTISM OF CORNELIUS AND HIS PARTY; OR, THE FIRST-FRUITS OF THE GENTILES. (Acts 10:1-48)
Cćsarea--(See on
Acts 8:40).
the Italian band--a cohort of Italians, as distinguished from native soldiers, quartered at Cćsarea, probably as a bodyguard to the Roman procurator who resided there. An ancient coin makes express mention of such a cohort in Syria. [AKERMAN, Numismatic Illustrations of the New Testament.]
2 A devout man, &c.--an uncircumcised Gentile proselyte to the Jewish faith, of whom there were a very great number at this time; a distinguished proselyte, who had brought his whole household establishment under the hallowing influence of the Jewish faith and the regular observance of its principal seasons of worship.
gave much alms to the people--that is, the Jewish people, on the same principle as another centurion before him (
Luke 7:5); thinking it no "great thing," if they had "sown unto him spiritual things, that they should reap his carnal things" (
1Cor 9:11).
prayed to God alway--at the stated daily seasons. (See on
Acts 10:3).
3 saw . . . evidently--"distinctly."
the ninth hour of the day--three o'clock, the hour of the evening sacrifice. But he had been "fasting until that hour" (
Acts 10:30), perhaps from the sixth hour (
Acts 10:9).
4 What is it, Lord?--language which, tremulously though it was uttered, betokened childlike reverence and humility.
Thy prayers and thine alms--The way in which both are specified is emphatic. The one denotes the spiritual outgoing of his soul to God, the other its practical outgoing to men.
are come up for a memorial before God--that is, as a sacrifice well-pleasing unto God, as an odor of a sweet smell (
Rev 8:4).
5 send to Joppa . . . for one Simon, &c.--(See on
Acts 9:11).
7 when the angel . . . was departed, he called--immediately doing as directed, and thereby showing the simplicity of his faith.
a devout soldier of them that waited on him continually--of the "soldiers under him," such as the centurion at Capernaum had (
Matt 8:9). Who this "devout soldier" was, can only be matter of conjecture. DA COSTA [Four Witnesses] gives a number of ingenious reasons for thinking that, having attached himself henceforth to Peter--whose influence in the composition of the second Gospel is attested by the earliest tradition, and is stamped on that Gospel itself--he is no other than the Evangelist Mark.
9 upon the housetop--the flat roof, the chosen place in the East for cool retirement.
the sixth hour--noon.
10 a trance--differing from the "vision" of Cornelius, in so far as the things seen had not the same objective reality, though both were supernatural.
12 all manner of four-footed beasts, &c.--that is, the clean and the unclean (ceremonially) all mixed together.
14 Not so, Lord--See Marginal reference.
I have never eaten anything that is common--that is, not sanctified by divine permission to eat of it, and so "unclean." "The distinction of meats was a sacrament of national distinction, separation, and consecration" [WEBSTER and WILKINSON].
15 What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common--The ceremonial distinctions are at an end, and Gentiles, ceremonially separated from the chosen people (
Acts 10:28), and debarred from that access to God in the visible ordinances of His Church which they enjoyed, are now on a perfect equality with them.
16 done thrice--See
Gen 41:32.
17 while Peter doubted . . . what this should mean, behold, the three men . . . stood before the gate . . . and asked--"were inquiring," that is, in the act of doing so. The preparations here made--of Peter for his Gentile visitors, as of Cornelius for him--are devoutly to be noted. But besides this, at the same moment, "the Spirit" expressly informs him that three men were inquiring for him, and bids him unhesitatingly go with them, as sent by Him.
21 I am he whom ye seek--This seems to have been said without any communication being made to Peter regarding the men or their errand.
22 they said, Cornelius . . . a just man, &c.--fine testimony this from his own servants.
of good report among all the nation of the Jews--specified, no doubt, to conciliate the favorable regard of the Jewish apostle.
to hear words of thee--(See on
Acts 11:14).
23 called them in and lodged them--thus partially anticipating this fellowship with Gentiles.
Peter went . . . with them, and certain brethren--six in number (
Acts 11:12).
from Joppa--as witnesses of a transaction which Peter was prepared to believe pregnant with great consequences.
24 Cornelius . . . called together his kinsmen and near friends--implying that he had been long enough at Cćsarea to form relationships there and that he had intimate friends there whose presence he was not ashamed to invite to a religious meeting of the most solemn nature.
25 as Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him--a mark of the highest respect.
fell down at his feet, and worshipped him--In the East this way of showing respect was customary not only to kings, but to others occupying a superior station; but among the Greeks and Romans it was reserved for the gods. Peter, therefore, declines it as due to no mortal [GROTIUS]. "Those who claim to have succeeded Peter, have not imitated this part of his conduct" [ALFORD] (therein only verifying
2Thess 2:4, and compare
Rev 19:10;
Rev 22:9).
28 Ye know it is . . . unlawful . . . for . . . a Jew to keep company, or come unto one of another nation, &c.--There was no express prohibition to this effect, and to a Certain extent intercourse was certainly kept up. (See the Gospel history, towards the end). But intimate social fellowship was not practiced, as being adverse to the spirit of the law.
29 I ask therefore, &c.--The whole speech is full of dignity, the apostle seeing in the company before him a new brotherhood, into whose devout and inquiring minds he was divinely directed to pour the light of new truth.
30 Four days ago--the messengers being despatched on the first; on the second reaching Joppa (
Acts 10:9); starting for Cćsarea on the third; and on the fourth arriving.
33 we are all here present before God, to hear all things that are commanded thee of God--Beautiful expression of entire preparedness to receive the expected divine teaching through the lips of this heaven-commissioned teacher, and delightful encouragement to Peter to give free utterance to what was doubtless already on his lips!
34 Peter opened his mouth--(See on
Matt 5:2).
Of a truth I perceive--that is, "I have it now demonstrated before mine eyes."
that God is no respecter of persons--Not, "I see there is no capricious favoritism with God," for Peter would never imagine such a thing; but (as the next clause shows), "I see that God has respect only to personal character and state in the acceptance of men, national and ecclesiastical distinctions being of no account."
35 But in every nation--not (observe), in every religion; according to a common distortion of these words.
he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness--This being the well-known phraseology of the Old Testament in describing the truly godly man, within the pale of revealed religion, it cannot be alleged that Peter meant it to denote a merely virtuous character, in the heathen sense; and as Peter had learned enough, from the messengers of Cornelius and from his own lips, to convince him that the whole religious character of this Roman officer had been moulded in the Jewish faith, there can be no doubt that the apostle intended to describe exactly such saintship--in its internal spirituality and external fruitfulness--as God had already pronounced to be genuine and approved. And since to such "He giveth more grace," according to the law of His Kingdom (
Jas 4:6;
Matt 25:29), He sends Peter, not to be the instrument of his conversion, as this is very frequently called, but simply to "show him the way of God more perfectly," as before to the devout Ethiopian eunuch.
36 the word . . . sent unto the children of Israel--for to them (he would have them distinctly know) the Gospel was first preached, even as the facts of it took place on the special theater of the ancient economy.
preaching peace by Jesus Christ--the glorious sum of all Gospel truth (
1Cor 1:20-22).
he is Lord of all--exalted to embrace under the canopy of His peace, Jew and Gentile alike, whom the blood of His Cross had cemented into one reconciled and accepted family of God (
Eph 2:13-
Eph 2:18).
37 That word . . . ye how--The facts, it seems, were too notorious and extraordinary to be unknown to those who mixed so much with Jews, and took so tender an interest in all Jewish matters as they did; though, like the eunuch, they knew not the significance of them.
which was published throughout all Judea, and began from Galilee--(See
Luke 4:14,
Luke 4:37,
Luke 4:44;
Luke 7:17;
Luke 9:6;
Luke 23:5).
after the baptism which John preached--(See on
Acts 1:22).
38 Now God anointed Jesus of Nazareth--rather, "Jesus of Nazareth (as the burden of that 'published word'), how God anointed Him."
with the Holy Ghost and with power--that is, at His baptism, thus visibly proclaiming Him MESSIAH, "the Lord's Christ." See
Luke 4:18-
Luke 4:21. For it is not His unction for personal holiness at His incarnation that is referred to--as many of the Fathers and some moderns take it--but His investiture with the insignia of the Messianic office, in which He presented Himself after His baptism to the acceptance of the people.
went about doing good--holding up the beneficent character of all His miracles, which was their predicted character (
Isa 35:5-
Isa 35:6, &c.).
healing all that were oppressed of the devil--whether in the form of demoniacal possessions, or more indirectly, as in her "whom Satan had bound with a spirit of infirmity eighteen years" (
Luke 13:16); thereby showing Himself the Redeemer from all evil.
for God was with him--Thus gently does the apostle rise to the supreme dignity of Christ with which he closes, accommodating himself to his hearers.
39 we are witnesses of all . . . he did--not objects of superstitious reverence, but simply witnesses to the great historical facts on which the Gospel is founded.
slew and hanged--that is, slew by hanging.
on a tree--So
Acts 5:30 (and see on
Gal 3:13).
40 showed him openly; Not to all the people--for it was not fitting that He should subject Himself, in His risen condition, to a second rejection in Person.
but unto witnesses chosen before of God . . . to us, who did eat and drink with him after he rose, &c.--Not the less certain, therefore, was the fact of His resurrection, though withholding Himself from general gaze in His risen body.
he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead--He had before proclaimed Him "Lord of all," for the dispensing of "peace" to all alike; now he announces Him in the same supreme lordship, for the exercise of judgment upon all alike. On this divine ordination, see
John 5:22-
John 5:23,
John 5:27;
Acts 17:31. Thus we have here all Gospel truth in brief. But, forgiveness through this exalted One is the closing note of Peter's beautifully simple discourse.
43 To him give all the prophets witness--that is, This is the burden, generally of the prophetic testimony. It was fitter thus to give the spirit of their testimony, than to quote them in detail on such an occasion. But let this apostolic statement of the evangelical import of the Old Testament writings be devoutly weighed by those who are disposed to rationalize away this element in the Old Testament.
whosoever believeth in him--This was evidently said with special reference to the Gentile audience then before him, and formed a noble practical conclusion to the whole discourse.
44 While Peter yet spake . . . the Holy Ghost fell--by visible and audible manifestation (
Acts 10:46).
45 they of the circumcision . . . were astonished . . . because that on the Gentiles also was poured out, &c.--without circumcision.
46 heard them speak with tongues and magnify God--As on the day of Pentecost it was no empty miracle, no mere speaking of foreign languages, but utterance of "the wonderful works of God" in tongues to them unknown (
Acts 2:11), so here; but more remarkable in this case, as the speakers were perhaps less familiar with the Old Testament songs of praise.
46 Then answered Peter, Can any man forbid water . . . which have received the Holy Ghost, &c.--Mark, he does not say, They have received the Spirit, what need have they for water? but, Having the living discipleship imparted to them and visibly stamped upon them, what objection can there be to admitting them, by the seal of baptism, into the full fellowship of the Church?
47 which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we--and are thus, in all that is essential to salvation, on a level with ourselves.
48 he commanded them to be baptized--not doing it with his own hands, as neither did Paul, save on rare occasions (
1Cor 1:14-17; compare
Acts 2:38;
John 4:2).
prayed . . . him to tarry certain days--"golden days" [BENGEL], spent, doubtless, in refreshing Christian fellowship, and in imparting and receiving fuller teaching on the several topics of the apostle's discourse.
