Acts 10

     Jesus had said, “…you shall be my witnesses both in Jerusalem, and all Judea and Sumaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.”  (Acts 1:8).  It was time to begin the last part of this great task.  Paul had been called especially for this (9:15), but he was for obvious reasons not the man to begin it.  If such a thing was to be understood and accepted, Peter was the man.  It was one thing to carry the gospel to Jews scattered in every corner of the world, but to actually preach to Gentiles, to baptize them and bring them into the church as equals?  This was “the mystery which has been kept secret for long ages past, but now is manifested….”  (Ro.16:25-26).  Truly, “God is not one to show partiality, but in every nation the man who fears Him and does what is right, is welcome to Him.”  (34-35).  The word of peace sent to Israel, that salvation comes by faith in Jesus Christ, is to be preached to every nation, because Christ is Lord of all (36), not just Israel.  (The best commentary on the “mystery of Christ” is probably Eph.2:12-18, 3:4-6.  This is the great burden of the NT witness.  Cf. Ro.4:16; Gal.3:29.)

     Luke was a Gentile himself, and the only NT writer who was.  How fitting that this great Gentile historian, who wrote more pages of the NT than any other man, should get to record the first preaching of the gospel of Christ to the Gentiles, and their receiving the fiery baptism of the Holy Spirit, just as at Pentecost (44-47).

     10:12.  The word “all” is not always to be understood in an absolute sense, as the translators have appropriately indicated here by inserting clarifying words, making it read, “all kinds of four footed animals….”  The context limits the meaning even further, for only representative numbers of the ceremonially unclean kinds of animals are intended.  This limited meaning of “all” is seen again in v.36.  While it is true that Jesus Christ is Lord of all things in an absolute sense, the context here most likely directs that he is Lord of all kinds of men, and not Jews only.  This same limited meaning of the word all is very important to understand, otherwise great error can result.  See John 12:32, for example, and especially 1 Tim.2:3-7 and notes there.  Jesus does not draw all men absolutely to himself, but he does draw all kinds of men, both Jews and Gentiles; all whom the Father has given to him, and no others (John 6:37, 44).

     10:13-15.  Little if any meat was eaten in the ancient world that had not been sacrificed (see 13 margin).  To kill an animal for food was to sacrifice its life for yours, pouring out its life that you might eat and live.  For the Jew, this was governed by strict rules of God’s law.  (See Jesus’ teaching about this, and how it related to the uncleanness of Gentiles in Mark 7:18-30, esp.v.19.)

     10:28.  No one can change God’s law except God himself, who has in Christ given us a new covenant, which fulfills the promise of the old (43).

     10:41-42.  As is usual in Scripture, “the people,” as used in these verses means the nation of Israel.  “The peoples”, plural, most always will mean the nations (Gentiles), as for example, Ps.2:1.

     10:43.  Righteousness is by faith.

     10:44-48.  So amazing was it that Gentiles were to be included as fellow heirs of the kingdom, that the visible manifestation of the Spirit coming upon them as they received the word of life was most necessary, or it would not have been believed.  How could water baptism, the sign and seal of the new covenant, be denied to those who had visibly received the Holy Spirit just as at Pentecost?  “But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.”  (Eph.2:13).