Study 23. Acts 9:32-10:48

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For Thought and Discussion: Compare Acts 9:32-43 to Luke 4:18-19,38-39 and 8:40-42,51-56. Why do you think it is important for us to know that Peter healed the sick and raised the dead (see John 14:12-14)? (That is, why does Luke keep telling us these miracle stories?)
Jesus’ ministry as prophesied by Isaiah was shared by the apostles. 
The same Spirit that anointed Jesus was working through Peter. What Peter had experienced with Jesus' ministry he was himself now performing with the same authority to heal and raise the dead.
There is continuity between Jesus' work and the work of the apostles. 
 
Peter is going out of Jerusalum to teach and minister.
The miracles led to people believing. 
 
  • "Luke would have disagreed with the common modern suggestion that a faith based on miracles is not a true faith" (Marshall)
  • The Christians in Joppa felt sufficient faith in the possibility of resurrection to send for Peter and bid him come at once.(Marshall)
  •  (Peter) sent all the people out of the room (Mark 5:40; a detail omitted in Luke’s version of the story, Luke 8:54), and then prayed (2 Kgs 4:33). Then he called to the dead woman, Tabitha, arise. In Aramaic this phrase would be “Tabitha cumi”, which is only one letter different from Jesus’ command to Jairus’s daughter, “Talitha cumi” (Mark 5:41). (Marshall)
The story of Cornelius' conversion is the longest in Acts, and it is repeated, indicating its importance. We see God directly initiating the conversion of Gentiles both by an angelic visitation to Cornelius as well as a vision to Peter and the inward guidance of the Spirit.

1. What was the immediate lesson of Peter’s trance vision in 10:9-16?
Under the New Covenant that included Gentiles, there was no longer any distinction between 'clean' and 'unclean'. The old Mosaic ritual law was fulfilled. In Christ, all were cleansed and made holy (cf. 1 Pet 2:9, Mark 7:19, Rom. 14:14)
'animals and reptiles and birds of the air' (cf. Gen. 6:20; cf. Rom. 1:23)

2. After the messengers from Cornelius came and reported the angelic appearance, what further application of the vision was apparent to Peter (see 10:23-29)? 
The abrogation of food laws applied also to contact with the Gentiles - all people were not to be regarded as common or unclean. So Peter not only entered a Gentile house (full of objects in contact with Gentiles), but touched ('lifted..up', v.26) Cornelius.
"Shows no partiality" translates the Hebrew phrase to lift (someone’s) face’, which meant ‘to show favour’.
 
3. When Peter observed Cornelius’s manner and heard his account of the angel’s message, what did Peter realize (see 10:34-35)? 
"So Peter opened his mouth and said: “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him."
 Even Gentiles were to be included in God's people. Jews were no longer to be seen as those who received the special favour of God to salvation.
 
4. In what sense does God “not show favoritism” (10:34)? From this story, what kinds of things don’t influence God to love a person?
Race ("every nation")

5. Peter said God was willing to accept all those “who fear him and do what is right” (10:35). Did this mean that Cornelius’s good deeds had earned him salvation? Why or why not, in light of the whole context of the story (especially 10:22,33,43-48)?
Cornelius needed to send for Peter to hear God's message to him that forgiveness of sin. His uprightness and God-fearing character was insufficient to save him.
 
Peter's comment does not mean that Cornelius had already achieved salvation through his deeds
 
 6. Peter’s speech to this Gentile household differed in several ways from what he said to Jewish audiences. What key points did he make in this instance (see 10:36-43)?
  • God accepts those from every nation.
  • God had 'sent.. word' to Israel (preserving the special role of Israel in His revelatory purposes)
  • There was 'good news of peace through Jesus Christ"
  • Christ was 'Lord of all' - not only of the Jews
  • Christ was 'anointed...with the Holy Spirit and with power' and 'went about doing good and healing' from the work of the devil. God was with him.
  • The apostles had witnessed Christ's deeds, and how he was killed and raised again. 'a tree' (Gk xylon indicates the curse of God cf. 5:30, Dt 21:23)
  • God chose who would witness Christ's Resurrection.
    'those who saw Jesus were constituted to act as witnesses to the many people who could not see him, and this obligation was not laid on people who were unfit for it but only on those who had been prepared by lengthy association with Jesus and by sharing his work of mission. The reality of their experience of him is stressed by the note that they ate and drank with him (1:4; Luke 24:30, 43).'(Marshall)
  • Christ had commanded them to preach and to testify that Jesus would judge all.
  • The Jewish prophets bore witness that belief in Jesus would lead to forgiveness of sins. 

This message contained no scriptural proofs and was cut short.

'acceptable', or 'welcome' (Gk dektos) is not legally acceptable (Gk dikaioo)

For Thought and Discussion: How is 10:34-43 a model for a way you can explain the gospel to people you encounter?
1. Don't use religious terminology
2. Learn how to summarise essentials
3. Be a witness to Jesus' status, deeds and Resurrection
4. Speak of the decisive importance of believing in Him.


For Thought and Discussion: How did Cornelius show that he feared God and did what was right (see 10:35; see also 10:1-8,30-33)? 
  • He was devout - committed to his religion
  • He feared God with all his household - he had encouraged his family and subordinates in faith
  • He gave alms generously to the people - he was generous with his money
  • He prayed continually to God - he sought a real relationship with God
However, Cornelius had not subjected himself to circumcision (cf. 11:3). He was a 'God-fearer', not a proselyte.

For Thought and Discussion: If Cornelius already feared God and did right, then why did he need Jesus?
 
"...had a person like Cornelius said, ‘My good deeds are sufficient to win me favour with God, and I have no need of the gospel’ (which is essentially what the Pharisee said in Luke 18:11), then it would have become clear that he was not accepted by God; a good life is acceptable in God’s sight only when it leads to recognition of its own inadequacy and to acceptance of the gospel" (Marshall)

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