Cornelius had brought all his household to worship the One True God: he was constant in prayer; and he showed his love for God, by charity to man for His sake.
Such a devout man was well pleasing to the Lord, Who now called him to a "knowledge of the truth as it is in Jesus." Cornelius being engaged in prayer about the ninth hour of the day, one of the times especially appointed for prayer in the temple, saw in a vision an angel of God, who told him that by his prayers and his alms (signs of faith and obedience), he had found favour with God. The angel then bade him send to Joppa for Simon Peter, saying also, "he shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do." We may be sure that Cornelius received this divine message with joy and thankfulness, and he immediately sent "two of his household servants, and a devout soldier of them that waited on him continually"—men upon whom he could thoroughly depend, to Joppa, to fetch Peter. On the morrow, as these messengers drew near to Joppa, the Lord, by means of a vision, prepared Peter to receive them. About the sixth hour Peter went up upon the house-top to pray, where he would be quiet and undisturbed. "And he became very hungry, and would have eaten: but while they made ready, he fell into a trance," or kind of fainting fit. In this state he had a vision; and "saw heaven opened, and a certain vessel descending unto him, as it had been a great sheet, knit (or fastened together) at the four corners, and let down to the earth." In this vessel, which is compared to a large sheet, were "all manner of four-footed beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air"—many of these creatures being unclean, according to the Jewish Law. "And there came a voice to him, Rise, Peter; kill and eat. But Peter said, Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean. And the voice spake unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common. This was done thrice: and the vessel was received up again into heaven." Although Peter was a true follower of Jesus Christ, he had not yet got over his Jewish prejudices; but like the rest of his countrymen, looked upon the Gentiles as unclean, and thought that it was as great a sin for a Jew to keep company with a Gentile, as it would be for him to eat any of the unclean animals, which the Lord forbade him to touch. The vision now sent to Peter, plainly showed him that Jesus did not wish his followers to observe any longer the ceremonial Law; and above all, that in preaching the Gospel, no distinction was to be made between Jew and Gentile. No man was to be looked upon as unclean, since it was the Will of God that all should come to the knowledge of the truth, and be joined together in one body, the Church.
This vision greatly astonished Peter, and perplexed him: but while he "doubted in himself what this vision which he had seen should mean," the whole matter was made plain to him. By this time "the men which were sent from Cornelius" had reached Joppa, and having made inquiry for the house of Simon the tanner, they now "stood before the gate, and called, and asked whether Simon, which was surnamed Peter, were lodged there:" and "while Peter thought on the vision," trying to discover what it might mean, "the Spirit said unto him, Behold, three men seek thee. Arise therefore, and get thee down," to hear wherefore they are come, and "go with them," as they will ask thee, "doubting nothing"—having no doubts or fears upon the subject, but feeling sure that you are doing right by going with them,—"for I have sent them."
Chapter VIII.—PETER AND CORNELIUS.
Having received the direct commands of God by the Holy Spirit, "Peter" at once "went down to the men which were sent unto him from Cornelius; and said, Behold, I am he whom you seek; what is the cause wherefore ye are come? 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. Then called he them in, and lodged them. And on the morrow Peter went away with them, and certain brethren from Joppa accompanied him. And the morrow after they entered into Cæsarea." Cornelius, knowing at about what time his messengers might be expected back, had called his friends together to receive Peter, whom he was anxiously expecting to come with his servants. "And Cornelius waited for them, and had called together his kinsmen and near friends. And as Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him, and fell down at his feet, and worshipped him." Thus did the centurion show his joy and gratitude after the manner of the Gentiles, who often did pay to their fellow creatures that degree of reverence and worship due to God alone; and Cornelius, looking upon Peter as the especial servant of God sent to him by the interposition of an angel, might naturally on his appearance fall into this error. Peter, however, at once checked such an expression of the centurion's feeling; teaching him, that the worship due to God must never be given to any man under any circumstances; so, when Cornelius fell at his feet, "Peter took him up, saving, Stand up; I myself also am a man. And as he talked with him, he went in, and found many that were come together. And he said unto them, Ye know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company or come unto one of another nation; but God hath shewed me that I should not call any man common or unclean. Therefore came I to you without gainsaying, as soon as I was sent for." Having thus given an account of himself, Peter very naturally added, "I ask therefore for what intent ye have sent for me?" Cornelius at once gave to Peter an account of the vision that had been vouchsafed to him, and in consequence of which he had sent for him; and added, "and thou hast well done that thou art come. Now therefore are we all here present before God, to hear all things that are commanded thee of God."
Peter, as a Jew, had been brought up to believe that the favour of God was confined to the descendants of Abraham; but he now openly expresses his conviction, that no such line of separation existed, saying, "Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: but in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him:" a doctrine very displeasing to the unbelieving Jews, but most comforting to the Gentiles, who were no longer shut out from the favour of God, now that all distinction between Jew and Gentile was done away with by the preaching of the Gospel. Peter then spake to Cornelius and his friends of Jesus; of His Life, Death, Resurrection, and of the commandment which He had given to His Apostles "to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead;" and Peter ended his discourse by repeating the great Gospel truth, "that through faith in Jesus all may receive remission or pardon of their sins."
Even while Peter was speaking, the Lord gave a signal proof that there was indeed, in His sight, no difference between Jew and Gentile, amongst those who believed the Gospel, and became followers of Jesus; for "the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word," that is, the Gospel as now preached by Peter; and the Spirit enabled "them to speak with tongues," that is, to speak foreign languages, as in the case of the Apostles on the Day of Pentecost: for this instance of mercy they did magnify and praise the Lord.
"And they of the circumcision," the Jews who had become believers, and had now accompanied Peter from Joppa to Cæsarea, "were astonished, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the Holy Ghost," in this plain and unmistakeable manner.
"Then answered Peter, Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?" Peter justly felt, that these Gentiles, who had so evidently been made partakers of "the inward and spiritual grace of Baptism," might be safely allowed to receive "the outward visible sign." "And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days" at Cæsarea, that he might yet further instruct them in the doctrines of the Gospel.