Verse 24: “On the next day he entered into Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting him and had called together his family members, his relatives, and the friends who were close to him.”Called together: If we hear good news we want to naturally share it.

Verse 25: “It came about when Peter entered, Cornelius stood up and falling upon the feet (of Peter) he worshipped.”

Stood up: Shows respect

Verse 26: “Peter raised him up saying, ‘Stand up! I also am a man.’”

Verse 27: “And talking with him he entered and found, having gathered there, many.”

Talking: The word used for ‘talking’ implies that Peter was instructing/teaching Cornelius – like a homily.

Verse 28: “And he said to them, ‘You understand how unlawful it is for a man of the Judeans to come before a stranger. And to me God has shown not to call a man common or unclean.’”

Unlawful: Peter is not talking about this from a Torah standpoint. It is not unlawful according to the Torah, but was unlawful according to the traditions of the sages – the oral law.

Come before a stranger: To keep company with Gentiles/someone who is not a fellow Jew.

And to me: Peter is referring to the vision that God gave him.

God has shown to call no man common or unclean: The vision was not given in regard to all of those four-legged creatures etc. The vision had nothing to do with food, but had everything to do with people and taking the gospel to the nations/Gentiles. Peter had to step out of rabbinical Judaism and their oral tradition concerning Gentiles.

Verse 29: “Therefore also, without objection, I came when summoned. Therefore, I inquire for what reason that you have sent for me?”

Without objection: Peter departed from Jaffa because he understood the message told to us in verse 28. God was not changing the law. Messiah said not one jot, not one tittle, is going to go away from the law until there is a new heaven and a new earth. What God was disagreeing with was the Rabbinical/traditional/the oral law (these laws that were a creation of man) that He did not have anything to do with.

Inquire: Peter understands the message God gave to him, but he is unsure why Cornelius sent for him.


Verse 30: “Cornelius said, ‘Four days ago, at this hour, I was fasting and at the ninth hour I was praying in my house. And behold a man standing before me in shining clothing.’”

A man: An angel – the word for ‘man’ in Hebrew is sometimes used in relation to an angel.

Verse 31: “And he said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and also your alms have come up as a memorial before God.’”

Verse 32: “Therefore send to Jaffa to the one called Simon, who is also named Peter. This one is lodging in a house of Simon the Tanner by the sea. Therefore, this one, having come, will speak to you.”

Verse 33: “Immediately, therefore, I sent for you and you also have done well by coming. Therefore, now all of us are before God to hear the message the L-rd has given you.”

All of us are before God: They are waiting for what God wants to tell them so that they can obey.

Verse 34: “Peter opened up his mouth and he said, ‘Truth I have received: God is not a respecter of people.”

Not a respecter of people: God does not show favouritism or partiality.