ACTS CHAPTER TEN

TABLE OF CONTENTS

OBSERVATION STAGE

The purpose of the observation stage is to maintain focus on the text at hand within the normative rules of language, context and logic .which largely limits the observer to the content offered by the books of Luke and Acts. Other passages must have a relationship with the context at hand, such as a Scriptural quotation or reference in the passage at hand. This will serve to avoid going on unnecessary tangents elsewhere; and more importantly, it will provide the framework for a proper and objective comparison with passages located elsewhere in Scripture.

Remember that something elsewhere may be true, but in the text at hand it may not be in view.

OPENING STATEMENT:

****** EXCERPT FROM ACTS CHAPTER 9 ******

OR SKIP TO THE BEGINNING OF CHAPTER 10

(Acts 9:31-43) DURING THE TIME OF SAUL'S MINISTRY FOR THE LORD THE CHURCH THROUGHOUT ALL JUDEA, GALILEE AND SAMARIA WAS AT PEACE, BLESSED, BEING BUILT UP, INCREASING AND CONTINUING IN THE FEAR OF THE LORD AND THE ENCOURAGEMENT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. AT THIS TIME WHILE PETER WAS PASSING THROUGHOUT ALL JUDEA, GALILEE AND SAMARIA HE CAME UNTO THE SAINTS WHO WERE DWELLING AT LYDDA WHERE HE FOUND A HELLENIST JEWISH BELIEVER NAMED AENEAS WHO FOR EIGHT YEARS LAY UPON A COUCH, PARALYZED. PETER SAID TO HIM, "AENEAS, JESUS ... CHRIST HEALS YOU. ARISE AND MAKE YOUR BED," WHEREUPON HE AROSE IMMEDIATELY. MANY IN LYDDA AND SHARON HENCEFORTH TURNED TO THE LORD AND WERE SAVED. THEN IN NEARBY JOPPA A FAITHFUL FEMALE DISCIPLE NAMED TABITHA BECAME SICK AND DIED. SEVERAL DISCIPLES SOUGHT AFTER PETER TO COME. SO PETER RAISED THE WOMAN FROM THE DEAD. MANY THROUGHOUT JOPPA BELIEVED ON THE LORD. PETER REMAINED MANY DAYS IN JOPPA WITH SIMON A TANNER

****** END OF EXCERPT FROM ACTS CHAPTER 9 ******

I) [Acts 10:1-48]:

A) (Acts 10:1-8) CORNELIUS, A CENTURION, WAS A DEVOUT MAN WHO FEARED GOD AS DID HIS HOUSEHOLD. HE GAVE ALMS AND ALWAYS PRAYED TO GOD; HE WAS EVIDENTLY NEITHER A JEWISH CONVERT NOR A CHRISTIAN. HE SAW A VISION OF THE ANGEL OF THE LORD WHO COMMANDED HIM TO SEND FOR PETER, WHEREUPON HE SENT TWO SERVANTS AND A SOLDIER - MEN WHO FEARED GOD

1) [Compare Acts 10:36-48]:

2) [Compare Acts 10:30-31]:

B) (Acts 10:9-16) ON THE NEXT DAY AS THE THREE MEN SENT BY CORNELIUS DREW NEAR TO JOPPA, PETER WAS PRAYING ON THE HOUSE-TOP; HE SEES HEAVEN OPEN UP AND A VISION OF A GREAT SHEET COMING DOWN, CONTAINING ALL KINDS OF FOUR-FOOTED ANIMALS, CRAWLING CREATURES AND BIRDS. A VOICE COMMANDED PETER TO SLAY AND EAT. PETER REFUSED. PETER HAD EVIDENTLY BEEN CAREFUL TO OBEY THE DIETARY AND FELLOWSHIP LAWS OF JUDAISM AND WAS NEITHER WILLING TO EAT FORBIDDEN FOOD NOR TO ASSOCIATE WITH GENTILES DESPITE THE COMMAND OF THE LORD IN THE VISION TO DO OTHERWISE. NEVERTHELESS, THE VOICE SPOKE, "WHAT GOD CLEANSED YOU MUST NOT CONSIDER COMMON [IN THE SENSE OF UNHOLY]." THREE TIMES THE VISION APPEARED AND IMMEDIATELY THE VESSEL WAS RECEIVED UP TO THE HEAVEN

C) (Acts 10:17-23) AS PETER PONDERED THE MEANING OF HIS VISION, THE MEN SENT BY CORNELIUS ARRIVED AT THE GATE OF THE HOUSE WHERE PETER WAS STAYING. WHEREUPON THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD SAID TO PETER, "BEHOLD THREE MEN ARE SEEKING YOU... GO WITH THEM ... I HAVE SENT THEM" PETER WENT TO THE MEN AND ASKED WHY THEY CAME TO HIM. THEY RESPONDED THAT CORNELIUS A CENTURION, A JUST MAN WHO FEARS GOD - OF GOOD REPORT AMONG THE NATION OF JEWS, WAS INSTRUCTED BY THE ANGEL OF THE LORD - BY GOD - WHO DEMONSTRATED TO CORNELIUS THE GLORY OF GOD TO SUMMON PETER TO SPEAK TO HIMSELF AND THOSE IN HIS HOUSEHOLD. PETER INVITED THEM TO STAY AT THE HOUSE HE WAS STAYING IN, INDICATING HIS OBEDIENCE TO WHAT THE LORD HAD COMMANDED OF HIM: TO MINISTER DIRECTLY WITH AND PROCLAIM THE GOSPEL TO GENTILES. THE NEXT DAY, THEY DEPARTED FOR CORNELIUS' HOUSE IN CAESAREA WITH BELIEVING JEWS FROM JOPPA AS PETER'S WITNESSES

1) [Compare Acts 10:26]:

D) (Acts 10:24-27) THE FOLLOWING DAY PETER AND HIS ENTOURAGE ARRIVED AT CAESAREA AND ENTERED CORNELIUS' HOUSE. WHILE HIS RELATIVES AND CLOSE FRIENDS WERE WAITING, CORNELIUS WENT TOWARD PETER AND WAS WORSHIPING HIM. BUT PETER STOPPED HIM, DECLARING THAT HE WAS JUST A MAN. PETER WAS SURPRISED THAT THERE WERE SO MANY GENTILES WAITING FOR HIM - WAITING TO HEAR FROM HIM THE WORD OF GOD

E) (Acts 10:28-29a) PETER THEN SAID TO CORNELIUS AND THOSE IN HIS HOUSEHOLD, "YOU KNOW HOW UNLAWFUL IT IS FOR A JEWISH MAN TO KEEP COMPANY WITH OR GO TO ONE OF ANOTHER NATION. BUT GOD HAS SHOWN ME THAT I SHOULD NOT CALL ANY MAN COMMON [IN THE SENSE OF UNHOLY] OR UNCLEAN" - WITH A VIEW TO THE NEW ECONOMY OF JEW AND GENTILE IN FELLOWSHIP TOGETHER IN ONE BODY, THE BODY OF CHRIST, THE CHURCH. PETER SAID, "THEREFORE I CAME WITHOUT OBJECTION HAVING BEEN SENT FOR."

1) [Compare Jer 10:1-2a]:

2) [Compare Dt 14:1-3ff]:

3) [Compare Lev 11:44-45]:

4) [Compare Acts 11:2-3]:

5) [Compare Acts 15:4-5]:

6) [Compare Acts 21:18-22]:

F) (Acts 10:29b-33) PETER ASKED CORNELIUS, "FOR WHAT REASON HAVE YOU SENT FOR ME?" WHEREUPON CORNELIUS TOLD PETER OF HIS VISION: THAT WHILE PRAYING HE HAD A VISION OF A MAN WHO STOOD BEFORE HIM IN SHINING GARMENTS - (EVIDENTLY THE LORD IN ANGELIC FORM, THE ANGEL OF THE LORD). AND THE LORD SAID TO CORNELIUS THAT HIS PRAYER HAD BEEN HEARD AND HIS GIVING OF ALMS WAS REMEMBERED BEFORE GOD; AND THAT HE WAS TO SEND MEN TO JOPPA TO CALL FOR PETER TO COME TO HIM. WHEREUPON CORNELIUS SAID THAT HE IMMEDIATELY SENT FOR PETER. CORNELIUS SAID TO PETER, "AND YOU HAVE BEEN KIND ENOUGH TO COME. NOW THEN, WE ARE ALL HERE PRESENT BEFORE GOD TO HEAR ALL THAT YOU HAVE BEEN COMMANDED BY THE LORD"

G) (Acts 10:34-35) PETER SAID, "IN TRUTH I PERCEIVE THAT GOD SHOWS NO PARTIALITY, BUT IN EVERY NATION HE WHO IS FEARING HIM AND IS WORKING RIGHTEOUSNESS, IS ACCEPTABLE TO HIM - IMPLYING ACCEPTANCE BEFORE GOD NOT BY BIRTHRIGHT BUT BY FEAR / REVERANCE TOWARD GOD IN THE SENSE OF A MOMENT OF FAITH IN HIM UNTO ACCEPTANCE UNTO REMISSION OF SINS AS ABRAHAM WAS; AND FURTHER - BY WORKING RIGHTEOUSNESS UNTO FELLOWSHIP AND BLESSING FROM GOD AS ABRAHAM DID

H) (Acts 10:36-38) PETER DECLARED THAT HE WAS SPEAKING THE MESSAGE THAT GOD SENT TO THE SONS OF ISRAEL, WHICH WAS ONE OF PROCLAIMING THE GOOD NEWS OF PEACE TO ALL MANKIND - IN THE SENSE OF TEMPORAL AND ETERNAL PEACE THROUGH JESUS CHRIST WHO IS LORD OF ALL, I.E., GOD. PETER THEN DECLARED THAT CORNELIUS AND THOSE PRESENT - REFERRING TO GENTILES - HAVE KNOWN THE WORD [THE MESSAGE THAT PETER WAS GIVING TO THEM] WHICH WAS PROCLAIMED THROUGHOUT ALL JUDEA. AND THIS MESSAGE HAD BEGUN FROM GALILEE AFTER THE BAPTISM WHICH JOHN PREACHED - REFERRING TO THE BEGINNING OF JESUS' THREE YEAR MINISTRY. PETER THEN REFERRED TO THE VALIDITY OF JESUS' MESSIAHSHIP BECAUSE IT WAS CORROBORATED BY SCRIPTURE: "YOU KNOW OF JESUS OF NAZARETH, HOW GOD ANOINTED HIM WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT AND WITH POWER, AND HOW HE WENT ABOUT DOING GOOD AND HEALING ALL WHO WERE OPPRESSED BY THE DEVIL, FOR GOD WAS WITH HIM, (ISA 61:1-2A)"

1) [Compare Lk 4:16-21]:

I) (Acts 10:39-41) PETER THEN DECLARED THAT THE APOSTLES AND MANY BELIEVERS WERE EYE WITNESSES OF ALL THE THINGS THAT JESUS DID, BOTH IN THE COUNTRY OF THE JEWS, AND IN JERUSALEM - THE JESUS WHOM THE JEWS DID KILL, HAVING HUNG HIM UPON A TREE - REFERRING TO HIS CRUCIFIXION AS MURDER. AND PETER DECLARED THAT IT WAS JESUS WHOM GOD RAISED UP ON THE THIRD DAY AND SHOWED HIM OPENLY, NOT TO ALL THE PEOPLE, BUT TO WITNESSES, TO THOSE HAVING BEEN CHOSEN BEFORE BY GOD - TO THOSE WHO ATE AND DRANK WITH HIM AFTER HIS HAVING RISEN FROM THE DEAD. PETER INDICATED THAT JESUS' RESURRECTION WAS AN ACTUAL EYE WITNESSED, HISTORICAL EVENT; IT WAS NOT SOMETHING THAT WAS CONTRIVED AS MANY OF THE JEWS CONTENDED

J) (Acts 10:42-43) PETER THEN DECLARED THAT THE RISEN LORD COMMANDED THE APOSTLES AND BELIEVERS TO WHOM HE APPEARED TO PREACH TO THE PEOPLE, AND TO TESTIFY THAT IT IS HE - JESUS - WHO IS THE ONE HAVING BEEN APPOINTED BY GOD TO BE JUDGE OF THE LIVING AND THE DEAD - IMPLYING THAT ALL PEOPLE ARE LIABLE TO HIS JUDGMENT FOR THEIR SINS. WHEREUPON PETER DECLARED THE GOSPEL OF FORGIVENESS OF SINS UNTO ETERNAL LIFE: "TO HIM ALL THE PROPHETS WITNESS THAT THROUGH HIS NAME, WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM WILL RECEIVE REMISSION OF SINS," IN THE SENSE OF RECEIVING ETERNAL LIFE IN THE ETERNAL KINGDOM OF GOD. PETER DECLARES THAT HIS MESSAGE OF REMISSION OF SINS BY A MOMENT OF FAITH ALONE IN JESUS CHRIST ALONE - IN HIS ATONING SACRIFICE FOR THE SINS OF ALL MANKIND - IS CORROBRATED BY ALL OF THE PROPHETS OF THE OLD TESTAMENT

1) [Compare Jn 5:19-22]:

2) [Compare Isa 53:4-11]:

3) [Compare Gen 15:5-6]:

K) (Acts 10:44-48) WHILE PETER WAS YET SPEAKING THE WORD OF THE GOSPEL OF ETERNAL LIFE, THE HOLY SPIRIT FELL UPON ALL THOSE HEARING THE WORD. ALL THE JEWISH BELIEVERS WHO CAME WITH PETER WERE ASTONISHED BECAUSE THE GIFT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT HAD BEEN POURED OUT ON THE GENTILES ALSO. FOR THEY WERE SPEAKING WITH TONGUES AND EXALTING GOD JUST AS THE DISCIPLES HAD DONE AT PENTECOST AS EVIDENCE OF THEIR HOLY SPIRIT BAPTISM. THEN PETER ANSWERED, "CAN ANYONE FORBID WATER BAPTISM, THAT THESE SHOULD NOT BE BAPTIZED WHO HAVE RECEIVED THE HOLY SPIRIT JUST AS WE HAVE?" - REFERRING TO HOLY SPIRIT BAPTISM; AND HE ORDERED THEM TO BE WATER BAPTIZED IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST. FOR THE GENTILE BELIEVERS WERE EVIDENTLY ONE WITH THE JEWISH BELIEVERS IN CHRIST. THEN THE NEW GENTILE BELIEVERS ASKED PETER TO STAY ON FOR A FEW DAYS, EVIDENTLY FOR INSTRUCTION AND FELLOWSHIP

1) [Compare Eph 1:13-17]:

2) [Compare Ro 8:9-10]:

3) [Compare 1 Cor 12:13]:

4) [Compare Acts 11:18]:

5) [Compare Acts 15:8-9]:

Acts chapter 11