Atos 10
Matthew Henry · Citado em PreceptAustin
Atos 10
Henry applies this passage to believers - Those that are searching into the meaning of the words of God, and the visions of the Almighty, should not be always poring (over), nor always praying, but should sometimes look abroad, look about them, and they may meet with that which will be of use to them in their inquiries; for the Scripture is in the fulfilling every day. Without misgivings ("without hesitation" - NLT, no "second guessing") - A negative (meden) plus diakrino (see diakrino below). Why might Peter be hesitant to accompany them? What might be his misgivings? If one of these men was a Roman soldier, Peter would know immediately he was a Gentile and his lifelong prejudice would be tempted to "kick into gear" so to speak! And yet the Spirit says Peter is to listen to them without doubting, without making distinctions between Jew and Gentile like he had been "programmed" to do all of his life! Old habits die hard don't they. In essence, the Spirit is telling Peter to lay aside his previous teaching (including his negative attitudes) regarding the Gentiles. Step by step the Spirit is guiding Peter to the goal of proclamation of the Gospel to the pagan Gentiles! Misgivings (also in Acts 11:12+)(1252)(diakrino from diá = separation, root meaning = "two" + kríno = distinguish, decide, judge) literally means to judge between two and has a range of meanings, including making a distinction between persons by evaluation (Acts 15:9+, Acts 11:12). Diakrino in the middle voice (reflexive, initiates and participates in the action) in Acts 10:20 means in essence to be at odds with one's self, take issue with and so to hesitate, doubt or waver. One author says it is pictured by the idea of divided in one's mind. This person is the one who is vacillating between two opinions or decisions. In this case clearly Peter's potential misgivings might be the fear of becoming ceremonially unclean. In English misgivings describes uneasiness about the fitness of an action or feelings of uncertainty, apprehension, or doubt about whether something is right or will have a good result. Expositor's Greek Testament Commentary on without misgivings - "nothing doubting,” i.e., without hesitation as to its lawfulness, cf. Matt. 21:21, Rom. 14:23, Mark 11:23, James 1:6. Bengel comments that without misgivings is "A requisite in the highest decree necessary in the case of a good action. Often long-continued doubt is suddenly, when need requires, taken away in life or at death." For (1360)(hoti) in this context functions as a term of explanation. What is God (through Luke's record) explaining? I have sent them Myself - NLT paraphrases it "Don't worry (THIS IS NOT IN THE GREEK BUT IMPLIED), for I have sent them." The Spirit takes credit for sending the men, even though it was Cornelius who actually directly them. God is behind the scenes and directs the scenes He is behind using men who still maintain their free will and right to make choices. Fascinating! Henry Jacobsen wrote, “Peter was fast learning that God’s program is fluid. The Lord is not limited to the traditions, customs, or prejudices of men. Being sovereign, He is free to modify His ways of working. He is not obliged to observe the fences and barricades, the forms and symbols of ‘religion’ within which men sometimes try to limit God. Where obstructions to His grace persist, God is free to destroy them.” Stanley - Have you ever noticed that God tends to guide us in stages? He rarely, if ever, gives us a road map to follow; instead, He asks us to take His hand and go where He goes, without doubting our final destination. Jack Andrews - If we will hear the Spirit’s voice and heed the Spirit’s voice He will guide us to do the will of God and carry on the work of God. He will open up doors for us that will astound us and we’ll have opportunities to be used mightily by the Lord. John
Atos 10
Henry applies the principle - When we see our call clear to any service, we should not suffer ourselves to be perplexed with doubts and scruples concerning it arising from former prejudices or pre-possessions, or a fear of men's censure. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind, and prove his own work. ILLUSTRATION - When I was a young boy growing up in rural Texas in the 1930s, I remember that my maternal grandfather, Judge Lundy, didn’t much care for “the way it’s always been.” At a time when unemployment for white men topped 25 percent, my granddad hired a black man named Mr. Coats and kept him employed for many years. When it came time for the man’s wife to deliver a child, my granddad used his influence to make sure that it was in the hospital—probably the first black patients in that maternity ward and undoubtedly the last for quite some time. I learned from his example to honor authority but to question tradition. As it turned out, most of the hospital staff didn’t have a problem with black people; they had just never thought to change what had always been. - Chuck Swindoll Acts 10:21 Peter went down to the men and said, "Behold, I am the one you are looking for; what is the reason for which you have come?" KJV Acts 10:21 Then Peter went down to the men which were sent unto him from Cornelius; and said, Behold, I am he whom ye seek: what is the cause wherefore ye are come? Behold John 1:38,39; 18:4-8 what Acts 10:29; Mark 10:51 Acts 10 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries WHY HAVE YOU COME? Peter went down to the men - Peter obeys the command (aorist imperative - Do not delay!) to go downstairs. MacArthur on Peter and Cornelius's obedience - Peter and Cornelius model the obedience God demands—both at the point of salvation and throughout the Christian life. The Bible repeatedly teaches that obedience accompanies true faith (cf. Matt. 7:21-23; 21:28-32; Luke 9:23, 57-62; John 8:30-31; 14:15, 21, 23; 15:10, 14; Acts 6:7; Rom. 1:5; 16:26; James 2:14-26; 1 John 2:3-4, 19). (See Acts Commentary - Page 297) Expositor's Greek Testament Commentary - Nothing had been spoken to him of his journey, but in the path of unhesitating obedience he was led to the meaning of the revelation (cf. John 13:7 = "Jesus answered and said to him [PETER], “What I do you do not realize now, but you will understand hereafter.”). THOUGHT - Is this not a lesson we all need to learn and re-learn? Obedience is like a series of lily pads on a pond. Step out in obedience on the first pad and it become clearer which "lily pad" we are to step on next. What at first may seem confusing, is progressively made clearer. The corollary is that one of the surest ways to cause the "fog" to set in (so to speak), is to refuse to obey the initial clear instruction or command. Behold (idou) - This interjection (in the aorist imperative calling for immediate attention) is used to arrest the hearer's or reader's attention and is in a sense a "key word" in Acts 10 - Acts 10:17; Acts 10:19; Acts 10:21; Acts 10:30. This is a chapter to "Behold" as it marks the transmission of the Gospel from the Jews to the Gentiles. I am the one you are looking for - See note on looking above. Peter's spirit is sensitive to the providential presentation of 3 men at the front door, and thus recognizes that these men are the three who were looking for him (Acts 10:19). Looking for (seeking) (2212)(zeteo) means to try to locate or find something (in this case some one). What is the reason for which you have come? - Now the "Sixty-Four Dollar Question!" Why are you (three Gentile men) here? Acts 10:22 They said, "Cornelius, a centurion, a righteous and God-fearing man well spoken of by the entire nation of the Jews, was divinely directed by a holy angel to send for you to come to his house and hear a message from you." KJV Acts 10:22 And they said, Cornelius the centurion, a just man, and one that feareth God, and of good report among all the nation of the Jews, was warned from God by an holy angel to send for thee into his house, and to hear words of thee. Cornelius Acts 24:15; Hosea 14:9; Habakkuk 2:4; Mt 1:19; Mark 6:20; Luke 2:25; 23:50; Ro 1:17; Heb 10:38; 12:23 well spoken of Acts 6:3; 22:12; Luke 7:4,5; 1 Ti 3:7; Heb 11:2; 3 John 1:12 and hear a message from you Acts 10:6,33; 11:14; John 5:24; 6:63,68; 13:20; 17:8,20; Ro 10:17,18; 2 Cor 5:18; 2 Peter 3:2 Acts 10 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries REPORT FROM A RIGHTEOUS GOD-FEARING CENTURION They said, "Cornelius, a centurion, a righteous and God-fearing man well spoken of by the entire nation of the Jews - This five fold description is similar to Luke's earlier description in (Acts 10:1-2+) with a"devout" replaced by "righteous." In Acts 10:1-2 Cornelius' acts of kindness to the Jews are replaced in the present passage by the affirmative reception by the Jewish community in Caesarea (cf Lk 7:5). Jack Arnold - For you who are not yet Christians, what is the lesson you can learn from the life of Cornelius? Cornelius teaches the insufficiency of human goodness for salvation Cornelius was a good man, a sincere man, a devout man, a benevolent man, a generous man a family man, a witnessing man, a religious man, a praying man and a seeking man, but he was not a Christian man. It was not until he heard the message of Jesus Christ from Peter and responded to Christ by faith that he was truly saved, born again and a man in whom Christ lived. Are you saved, friend? You may be religious and not regenerated. You may be humanly good but not born of God. You may be a churchman and not a true Christian. You are not a Christian until you put your trust in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior alone to save you. (Acts 10:1-23a The Seeking Sinner and the Bigoted Believer) Gilbrant explains that "His uprightness was the result of his being a fearer of (the one true) God. He had turned his back on all the whole pantheon of Roman gods, goddesses, and semi-divine heroes of their mythology. All those things which were part of his religious background and upbringing in heathenism were now behind him.' (Ibid) THOUGHT - Cornelius was righteous because he was a God-fearing. We see this pattern in Job's life "There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job; and that man was blameless, upright, fearing God and turning away from evil." (Job 1:1). A healthy fear of God was the motivation in his life and should be the motivation in our life dearly beloved of God. Do you truly fear God? Do you fully understand that one sin of yours deserved eternal damnation? Do you understand that every time you willfully sin, you are shaking your fist at God and frankly are putting yourself at risk that He might just say "Enough! I am taking you home now!" Steven