Acts 10:34. “But Peter, opening his mouth, said …”
He begins his discourse from what he has just heard, praising God, who looks kindly upon all; then he teaches that salvation is granted in Jesus. He briefly touches upon the manner of redemption that was accomplished—namely, the life of Jesus, His death, and His resurrection—and confirms these things by testimony. He asserts that the task of preaching has been entrusted to himself, that Jesus is the judge of all, and that those who believe in Him receive the remission of sins.
From Cornelius’ account he again draws an inference and admonishes them concerning a matter which, for the Jews rightly to understand it, is of the greatest importance, and which at the same time is an honor and a consolation for foreigners, since they know that they are held in lesser regard by the Jews on account of religion. “In truth I have come to understand”—χαταλαμβάνομαι (katalambánomai, “I grasp, I truly recognize”)—that God is not an acceptor of persons; compare Deuteronomy 10:17; 2 Chronicles 19:7; Wisdom 6:8; Sirach 35:16; Romans 2:11, and similar passages. He is not moved by party spirit, nor does He favor one in such a way as to cast another aside. The acceptance of persons is opposed to justice, for in it an external condition of a human being is considered which contributes nothing to the matter being judged, whether in the rendering of a verdict or in the distribution of reward or punishment. Thus, for example, if God were to spare a sinner because he is a Jew, or deny a reward to another who does good because he is a Gentile or a foreigner (cf. Cornely, Commentary on Romans, p. 126). This had to be firmly impressed upon the Jews: how far God is removed from such acceptance of persons. Therefore Peter already draws from the particular case of Cornelius a general rule, by which that acceptance of persons is altogether excluded. “But in every nation, whoever fears Him and works righteousness is acceptable to Him” (Acts 10:35), δεχτός (dektós), that is, ἄξιος δεχθῆναι (“worthy to be accepted,” as Theophylact explains). God, as is evident in Cornelius, will lead such a person by a fuller grace to the knowledge of salvation and to the path that leads to it. And Chrysostom rightly notes: see how he was accepted here—no sooner had he heard than he also obeyed! Cornelius, by his piety and good works, was so acceptable that he was led to the knowledge of Jesus and His teaching, and through baptism into the one Church of Christ. Therefore the true sense would be completely distorted if someone were to claim that this statement commends an upright moral life without regard to any particular religion, or that it preaches, as they say, religious indifferentism.
Peter now declares that he has been sent to teach the one way of salvation (Acts 10:33; Acts 11:15). “The word which God sent to the sons of Israel” (Acts 10:36), for salvation is from the Jews (John 4:22; cf. Isaiah 2:2ff.), and what sort of word it is: “announcing peace.” Peace is, as it were, a certain comprehensive summary of messianic goods; for the Messiah is called and proclaimed the Prince of Peace, and in His kingdom there will be no end of peace (cf. Isaiah 9:6–7; Isa 11:6ff.; Isa 52:7; Isa 55:12; Isa 57:19; Psalm 72:7, etc.). This peace is “through Jesus Christ (He is Lord of all),” that is, of all, both Jews and Gentiles. Through Him God wishes salvation to come to all. This is added so that it may immediately be understood that, although God sent the word to the sons of Israel, it must by no means be confined to them; rather, peace is announced through Him who, just as He is Lord of all, so also desires to make all sharers in the goods of His dominion.
Once Jesus has been mentioned, Peter recalls to their memory those things of which they already had some knowledge from events openly carried out in Judea. “You yourselves know the word that was done” (Acts 10:37). Explain δῆμα (rhēma, “the matter, the event”), as the Hebrew דָּבָר (dābār), namely the thing that happened throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism which John preached. The reading ἀρξάμενος (arxámenos, “beginning”) is indeed supported by most manuscripts; yet “as beginning” is a solecism and an anacoluthon, because the sentence does not continue with “Jesus, whom He anointed, went about…,” but the construction returns to “you yourselves know”.
“Jesus of Nazareth” (Acts 38), by which designation He was especially well known among the people (Matthew 21:11; Mark 10:47; 15:67), “how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power” (cf. Matthew 3:16; Mt 4:1; Mt 12:28), “who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil.” From His miracles Peter brings forward those which most clearly manifest His power and were especially a cause of wonder to the Gentiles; for since He overcame the devil, His virtue and power must indeed have been immense. By these miracles and signs He proved Himself to be sent by God, “because God was with Him”—that is, He had divine testimony at hand; compare John 6:27, “Him God the Father has sealed,” and see John 5:36; 10:37.
CONTINUE
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