Greek Testament Critical Exegetical Commentary Acts》
–43.] RAISING OF TABITHA FROM THE DEAD. Verse 37 37
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36–43.] RAISING OF TABITHA FROM THE DEAD. Verse 37
37. ἐν ὑπερῴῳ] No art., as in the expressions εἰς οἶκον, ‘on deck,’ &c., which usually occur after prepositions, cf. Middl. ch. vi. § 1. See 1 Kings 17:19. Verse 39
ἐποίει] ‘was making,’ i.e. used to make (i.e. weave): not ‘had made.’ Verse 40
Verse 43
43. βυρσεῖ] From the extracts in Wetstein and Schöttgen, it appears that the Jews regarded the occupation of a tanner as a half-unclean one. In this case it would shew, as De W. observes, that the stricter Jewish practices were already disregarded by the Apostle. It also would shew, in how little honour he and his office were held by the Jews at Cæsarea. 10 Chapter 10 Verse 1 1. καισαρείᾳ] As this town bears an important part in early Christian history, it will be well to give here a full account of it. CÆSAREA (Palestinæ, καισάρεια τῆς παλαιστίνης, called παράλιος, Jos. B. J. iii. 9. 1; vii. 2. 2; Antt. xiii. 11. 2, or ἡ ἐπὶ θαλάττῃ K., Jos. B. J. vii. 1. 3; 2. 1, or Stratonis (see below),—distinguished from Cæsarea. Philippi, see note Matthew 16:13) is between Joppa and Dora, 68 Rom. miles from Jerusalem according to the Jerus. Itinerary, 75 according to Josephus (i.e. 600 stadia, Antt. xiii. 11. 2. B. J. i. 3. 5),—36. miles (Abulfeda) from Ptolemais (a day’s journey, ch. Acts 21:8),—30 from Joppa (Edrisi);—one of the largest towns in Palestine (Jos. B. J. iii. 9. 1), with an excellent haven (Jos. Antt. xvii. 5. 1, σεβαστὸς λιμήν,— ὅν κατασκευάσας ἡρώδης πολλῶν χρημάτων ἐπὶ τιμῇ τῇ καίσαρος καλεῖ σεβαστόν. It was, even before the destruction of Jerusalem, the seat of the Roman Procurators (see ch. Acts 23:23 ff.; Acts 24:27; Acts 25:1), and called by Tacitus (Hist. ii. 79) ‘Judææ caput.’ It was chiefly inhabited by Gentiles (Jos. B. J. iii. 9. 1; ii. 14.4), but there were also many thousand Jewish inhabitants (Jos. B. J. ii. 18. 1; Antt. xx. 8.7; Life, 11). It was built by Herod the Great (Amm(56) Marcell(57) xiv. 8; p. 29, Bipont. Beforetime there was only a fort there, called στράτωνος πύργος, Jos. Antt. xv. 9. 6 al.; Strabo, xvi. 758; Plin. v.14)—fortified, provided with a haven (see ch. Acts 9:30; Acts 18:22; Joseph. above), and in honour of Cæsar Augustus named Cæsarea (at length καισάρεια σεβαστή, Jos. Antt. xvi. 5. 1). Vespasian made it a Roman colony (Plin. Acts 10:13). Abulfeda (Syr. p. 80) speaks of it as in ruins in his time (A.D. 1300). At present there are a few ruins only, and some fishers’ huts. (From Winer, Realw.) ἑκατοντάρχης] The subordinate officer commanding the sixth part of a cohort = half a maniple. See Dict. of Gr. and Roman Antt. σπ. τ. καλ. ἰταλ.] A cohort ( σπ.) levied in Italy, not in Syria. Mr. Humphry quotes from Gruter, Inscr. i. p. 434, ‘Cohors militum Italicorum voluntaria, quæ est in Syria.’ Biscoe (Hist. of the Acts, pp. 217–221) maintains that this was an independent cohort, not one attached to a legion. The legio Italica (Tacit. Hist. i. 59, 64; ii. 100; iii. 22) was not raised till Nero’s time. Verses 1-48 1–48.] CONVERSION (BY SPECIAL DIVINE PREARRANGEMENT) AND BAPTISM OF THE GENTILE CORNELIUS AND HIS PARTY. We may remark, that the conversion of the Gentiles was no new idea to Jews or Christians, but that it had been universally regarded as to take place by their reception into Judaism. Of late, however, since the Ascension, we see the truth that the Gospel was to be a Gospel of the uncircumcision, beginning to be recognized by some. Stephen, carrying out the principles of his own apology, could hardly have failed to recognize it: and the Cyprian and Cyrenæan missionaries of ch. Acts 11:20 preached the word πρὸς τοὺς ἕλληνας (not - ιστάς), certainly before the conversion of Cornelius. This state of things might have given rise to a permanent schism in the infant church. The Hellenists, and perhaps Saul, with his definite mission to the Gentiles, might have formed one party, and the Hebrews, with Peter at their head, the other. But, as Neander admirably observes (Pfl. u. Leit. p. 111), ‘The pernicious influence with which, from the first, the self-seeking and one-sided prejudices of human nature threatened the divine work, was counteracted by the superior influence of the Holy Spirit, which did not allow the differences of men to reach such a point of antagonism, but enabled them to retain unity in variety. We recognize the preventing wisdom of God,—which, while giving scope to the free agency of man, knows how to interpose His immediate revelation just at the moment when it is requisite for the success of the divine work,—by noticing, that when the Apostles needed this wider development of their Christian knowledge for the exercise of their vocation, and when the lack of it would have been exceedingly detrimental,—at that very moment, by a remarkable coincidence of inward revelation with a chain of outward circumstances, the illumination hitherto wanting was imparted to them.’ Verse 2
2. εὐς. κ. φοβ. τ. θ.] i.e. he had abandoned polytheism, and was a worshipper of the true God: whether a proselyte of the gate, or not, seems uncertain. That he may have been such, there is nothing in the narrative to preclude: nor does Meyer’s objection apply, that it is not probable that, among the many thousand converts, no Greek proselyte had yet been admitted by baptism into the church. Many such cases may have occurred, and some no doubt had: but the object of this providential interference seems to have been, to give solemn sanction to such reception, by the agency of him who was both the chief of the Apostles, and the strong upholder of pure Judaism. It is hardly possible that μαρτυρούμενος ὑπὸ ὅλου τοῦ ἔθνους τῶν ἰουδαίων (Acts 10:22) should have been said of a Gentile not in any way conformed to the Jewish faith and worship. The great point (ch. Acts 11:3) which made the present event so important, was, that Cornelius was ἀνὴρ ἀκροβυστίαν ἔχων. Doubtless also among his company (Acts 10:24) there must have been many who were not proselytes. τῷ λαῷ] The Jewish inhabitants, see ch. Acts 26:17; Acts 26:23; Acts 28:17; John 11:50; John 18:14 al. δεόμενος τ. θεοῦ διὰ π.] From Cornelius’s own narrative, Acts 10:31, as well as from the analogy of God’s dealings, we are certainly justified in inferring, with Neander, that the subject of his prayers was that he might be guided into truth, and if so, hardly without reference to that faith which was now spreading so widely over Judæa. This is not matter of conjecture, but is implied by Peter’s οἴδατε τὸ γενόμ. δῆμα καθʼ ὅλης τῆς ἰουδαίας. Further than this, we cannot infer with certainty; but, if the particular difficulty present in his mind be sought, we can hardly avoid the conclusion that it was connected with the apparent necessity of embracing Judaism and circumcision in order to become a believer on Christ. Verse 3
3. ἐν ὁράμ. φανερῶς] not in a trance, as Acts 10:10, and ch. Acts 22:17,—but with his bodily eyes: thus asserting the objective truth of the appearance. ὡσεὶ περὶ ὥρ. ἐν.] It here appears that C. observed the Jewish hours of prayer. Verse 4
There has been found a difficulty by some in the fact that Cornelius’s works were received as well pleasing to God, before he had justifying faith in Christ. But it is surely easy to answer, with Calvin and Augustine, ‘non potuisse orare Cornelium, nisi fidelis esset.’ His faith was all that he could then attain to, and brought forth its fruits abundantly in his life: one of which fruits, and the best of them, was, the earnest seeking by prayer for a better and more perfect faith. Verse 7
λαλῶν must be regarded as the imperfect participle, as in John 9:8. Verse 9
ἕκτην] The second hour of prayer: also of the mid-day meal. The distance was thirty Roman miles, part of which they performed on the preceding evening, perhaps to Apollonia,—and the rest that morning. Verse 10
10. γεύς.] see reff. ἐκείνων is more likely to have been a correction of αὐτῶν as applying better to the people of the house, than the converse. ἔκστασις] The distinction of this appearance from the ὅραμα above (though the usage is not always strictly observed) is, that in this case that which was seen was a revelation shewn to the eye of the beholder when rapt into a supernatural state, having, as is the case in a dream, no objective reality: whereas, in the other case, the thing seen actually happened, and was beheld by the person as an ordinary spectator, in the possession of his natural senses. Verse 11
At all events, as Neander observes (Pfl. u. L. p. 126, note), these four ἀρχαί (whether ends of ropes attached to the corners, or those corners themselves) are not without meaning, directed as they are to the four parts of heaven, and intimating that men from the North, South, East, and West, now were accounted clean before God, and were called to a share in his kingdom: see Luke 13:29. The symbolism is, as usual, fancifully exaggerated by Wordsw. in his note. The four ἀρχαί are the four gospels, because the word ἀρχή occurs somewhere near the beginning of each, &c., &c. Who can wonder, after this, at the distrust of all Scripture symbolism by intelligent, but unspiritual minds? I have retained the words δεδ. καί doubtfully, because it seems difficult to account for their insertion, but they may have been omitted to assimilate our text to ch. Acts 11:5. Verse 12
12. πάντα τὰ τετ.] literally: not ‘many of each kind,’ nor ‘some of all kinds,’ in which case the art., the sense of which is carried on from τὰ τετρ. to the subsequent words (see ch. Acts 11:6), would be omitted:—in the vision it seemed to Peter to be an assemblage of all creation. τετρ., ἑρπ., πετ.] In ch. Acts 11:6, from which our text has been corrected, Peter follows the more strictly Jewish division: see there. Verse 14
κύριε] So Cornelius to the angel, Acts 10:4. It is here addressed to the unknown heavenly speaker. On the clean and unclean beasts, &c., see Leviticus 11. Verse 15
15.] These weighty words have more than one application. They reveal what was needed for the occasion, in a figure: God letting down from heaven clean and unclean alike, Jew and Gentile,—represented that He had made of one blood all nations to dwell on the face of all the earth: God having purified these, signified that the distinction was now abolished which was ‘added because of transgressions’ (Galatians 3:19),—and all regarded in his eyes as pure for the sake of His dear Son. But the literal truth of the representation was also implied;—that the same distinctions between the animals intended for use as food were now done away, and free range allowed to men, as their lawful wants and desires invite them, over the whole creation of God: that creation itself having been purified and rendered clean for use by the satisfaction of Christ. The same truth which is asserted by the heavenly voice in Peter’s vision, is declared Ephesians 1:10; Colossians 1:20; 1 Timothy 4:4-5. Only we must be careful not to confound this restitution with the ἀποκατάστασις πάντων of ch. Acts 3:21; see notes there. Verse 16
16. ἐπὶ τρίς] denoting the certainty of the thing revealed: see Genesis 41:32. Verse 17
17. Valcknaer and Stier understand ἐν ἑαυτῷ, as ch. Acts 12:11, where γενόμενος is expressed (see D in var. readd. here),—‘when he came to himself,’ but without γενόμενος this is very harsh, and it surely is better not to force from its obvious meaning so natural a conjunction of words as ἐν ἑαυτῷ διηπόρει. Verse 18
18. φωνήσαντες having called out (some one), they were enquiring. The present, ξενίζεται is a common mixed construction between the direct and the indirect interrogation. Verse 19
Verse 20
20. ἀλλά] ‘make no question as to who or what they are,—but:’—so also ch. Acts 9:6. ἐγώ] The Holy Spirit, shed down upon the Church to lead it into all the truth, had in His divine arrangements brought about, by the angel sent to Cornelius, their coming. Verse 23
τινες τῶν ἀδ.] Six, ch. Acts 11:12; in expectation of some weighty event to which hereafter their testimony might be required, as indeed it was, ib. Verse 24
Verse 25
25. τοῦ εἰσελθ.] This, the most difficult and best supported reading, is a harshness of construction hardly explicable (see Winer, edn. 6, § 44. 4) on any principles. It probably arose from taking the so frequent τοῦ with the infin. almost as one word, and equivalent to the infin. itself. τοὺς πόδας] viz. those of Peter. Kuinoel’s rendering ‘in genua provolutus’ is clearly inadmissible. προσεκύν.] “Adoravit; non addidit Lucas, ‘eum.’ Euphmia.” (Bengel.) May not the same reason have occasioned the omission of αὐτοῦ after πόδας? the one αὐτ. would almost require the other. It was natural for Cornelius to think that one so pointed out by an angel must be deserving of the highest respect; and this respect he shewed in a way which proves him not to have altogether lost the heathen training of his childhood. He must have witnessed the rise of the custom of paying divine honours first to those who were clothed with the delegated power of the senate (Suet., Octav.52, mentions, “templa etiam proconsulibus decerni solere”), and then κατʼ ἐξοχήν to him in whom the imperial majesty centered. Verse 26
Those who claim to have succeeded Peter, have not imitated this part of his conduct. See Revelation 19:10; Revelation 22:8, in both which cases it is ἔμπροσθ. τῶν ποδῶν τοῦ ἀγγ., supporting the above rendering of ἐπὶ τ. πόδας. (See the gloss in D, Acts 10:25, digest.) Verse 27
Verse 28
28. ὑμεῖς, you, of all men, (best) know: being those immediately concerned in the obstruction to intercourse which the rule occasioned. ὡς ἀθέμιτον …] that it is unlawful, … or ‘how unlawful it is:’ better the former, because in the order of the words, ἀθέμιτον has the stress on it: the other rendering would more naturally represent ὡς ἔστιν ἀθέμιτον. In both the reff. the ambiguity is the same. There is some difficulty about this unlawfulness of consorting with those ἀλλόφυλοι who, like Cornelius, worshipped the true God. It rests upon no legal prohibition, and seems, at first sight, hardly consistent with the zeal to gain proselytes predicated of the Pharisees, Matthew 23:15,—with Jos. Antt. xx. 2. 3 ( ἰουδαῖός τις ἔμπορος, ἀνανίας ὄνομα, πρὸς τὰς γυναῖκας εἰσιὼν τοῦ βασιλέως (Monobazus, of Adiabene) ἐδίδασκεν αὐτὰς τὸν θεὸν εὐσεβεῖν), and with the Rabbinical comment Schemoth Rabba on Exodus 12:4, “Hoc idem est quod scriptum dicit Jes. lvi. 3. Et non dicet filius advenæ qui adhæsit Domino, dicendo: separando separavit me Dominus a populo suo.” But whatever exceptions there may have been, it was unquestionably the general practice of the Jews to separate themselves in common life from uncircumcised persons. We have Juvenal testifying to this at Rome, Sat. xiv. 103, ‘non monstrare vias, eadem nisi sacra colenti: Quæsitum ad fontem solos deducere verpos.’ And Tacitus, Hist. Acts 10:5, ‘adversus omnes alios hostile odium, separati epulis, discreti cubilibus,’ &c.… κἀμοί], not, ‘but God hath shewed me,’ as E. V.: καί can never have this meaning, and in all cases where it is so rendered we may trace the significance of the simple copula if we examine. Here, for instance:—the two parties concerned are ὑμεῖς, κἀγώ. ‘Ye, though ye see me here, know, how strong the prejudice is which would have kept me away: and I, though entertaining fully this prejudice myself, yet have been taught &c.’ Verse 29
Verse 30
30. ἀπὸ τετ. ἡμ.] The rendering of Meyer and others, ‘From the fourth day (reckoned back) down to this hour have I been fasting,’ is ungrammatical; for (1) this would require τῆσδε τῆς ὥρας, and (2) ἤμην cannot possibly reach to the present time, but is the historical past: I was fasting. This being so, ἀπὸ τετάρτης ἡμέρας must indicate the time denoted by ἤμην—‘quarto abhinc die’—four days ago; see reff. (2), which fully justify this rendering. De Wette’s and Neander’s rendering, ‘For four (whole) days was I (i.e. had I been) fasting up to this hour (i.e. the hour in which he saw the vision),’ does not satisfy ταύτης τῆς ὥρας, which must in that case be ἐκείνης, if indeed such an expression could be at all used of ‘the time when the following incident took place.’ The only legitimate meaning of ταύτ. τ. ὥρ. I take to be this hour of the day: and this meaning is further established by the omission of ὥραν after ἐνάτην. The hour alluded to is probably the sixth, the hour of the mid-day meal, which was the only one partaken by the Jews on their solemn days. (Lightf.) λαμπρᾷ] bright. In Luke (ref.) the brightness was in the colour: here, probably, in some supernatural splendour. The garment might have been white (as in ch. Acts 1:10), or not,—but at all events, it was radiant with brightness. Verse 31
31.] The two are separated here, which were placed together in Acts 10:4, and each has its proper verb: εἰσηκ … ἡ προσευχὴ κ. αἱ ἐλ … ἐμνήσθ. Verse 33
33.] The reading ἐνώπ. σου, for ἐνώπ. τοῦ θεοῦ, is remarkable, and had it more manuscript authority, would seem as if it might have been genuine. It was much more likely to have been altered into τ. θεοῦ (as making the expression more solemn), than the converse: and the sense, ‘We are all here present before thee,’ follows better on the two preceding verses. τὰ προστ.] Not doubting that God, who had directed him to Peter, had also directed Peter what to speak to him. Verse 34
ἐπʼ ἀληθείας κατ.] ‘For the first time I now clearly, in its fulness and at a living fact, apprehend (grasp by experience the truth of) what I read in the Scripture (Deuteronomy 10:17; 2 Chronicles 19:7; Job 34:19).’ Verse 35
ἐν παντὶ ἔθνει κ. τ. λ.] It is very important that we should hold the right clue to guide us in understanding this saying. The question which recent events had solved in Peter’s mind, was that of the admissibility of men of all nations into the church of Christ. In this tense only, had he received any information as to the acceptableness of men of all nations before God. He saw, that in every nation, men who seek after God, who receive His witness of Himself without which He has left no man, and humbly follow His will as far as they know it,—these have no extraneous hindrance, such as uncircumcision, placed in their way to Christ, but are capable of being admitted into God’s church though Gentiles, and as Gentiles. That only such are spoken of, is agreeable to the nature of the case; for men who do not fear God, and work unrighteousness, are out of the question, not being likely to seek such admission. It is clearly unreasonable to suppose Peter to have meant, that each heathen’s natural light and moral purity would render him acceptable in the sight of God:—for, if so, why should he have proceeded to preach Christ to Cornelius, or indeed any more at all? And it is equally unreasonable to find any verbal or doctrinal difficulty in ἐργ. δικαιοσύνην, or to suppose that δικ. must be taken in its forensic sense, and therefore that he alludes to the state of men after becoming believers. He speaks popularly, and certainly not without reference to the character he had heard of Cornelius, which consisted of these very two parts, that he feared God, and abounded in good works. The deeper truth, that the preparation of the heart itself in such men comes from God’s preventing grace, is not in question here, nor touched upon. Verse 36
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