Chapter Ten
Acts 10:1–8. There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian band, a devout man and one that feared God with all his house, who gave much alms to the people and prayed to God always. He saw in a vision clearly about the ninth hour of the day an Angel of God coming in to him and saying unto him: Cornelius! And when he looked on him, he was afraid and said: What is it, Lord? And the Angel answered him: Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God. And now send men to Joppa and call for Simon, who is surnamed Peter. He lodgeth with one Simon a tanner, whose house is by the sea; he shall tell thee words whereby thou and all thy house shall be saved. And when the Angel who spoke unto Cornelius had departed, he called two of his household servants and a devout soldier of them that waited on him continually, and when he had declared all these things unto them, he sent them to Joppa.
This Cornelius was neither a Jew nor one of those under the Law, and yet he already led the same way of life as we do. Here already two people invested with honors believe in Christ — the treasurer of the Ethiopian woman and this one, "a devout man who feared God with all his household." We do not care for our household members, but this man cared even for the soldiers. He was "a centurion of the cohort called the Italian." He makes this man known and provides detailed information about him so that no one would say that in Sacred Scripture there are errors against history. (It should be known that a cohort — speira — consisted of two hundred soldiers, and a custodia of sixty.)
"He in a vision clearly saw about the ninth hour of the day an Angel of God, who came in to him." He sees an Angel to supplement Peter's faith. Or, rather, not for him, but for others, weaker in faith. "About the ninth hour of the day," when he had set aside his cares and was in quietness and rest.
Since the True Eye and Great Judge knows that even great deeds, without faith, are dead, He also sends an Angel who affirms the significance of their deeds, so that those who strive well may be crowned with faith. From the vision, fear was aroused in Cornelius, however, a moderate fear, only as much as was necessary to arouse his attention. Then the words of the Angel dispelled the fear.
"Your prayers and your alms have come up as a memorial before God." See where prayer goes — to the highest heaven, and stands before the very royal throne. Pay attention also to the Angel: he first elevates and raises the thoughts of Cornelius to the highest, and only then says: "Send men to Joppa and call for Simon, who is called Peter. He is staying with a certain Simon, a tanner." So that they would not go to someone else, he identifies this man not only by name but also by the place where he is: "whose house is by the sea." The Apostles chose places far from cities; they loved the wilderness and quiet. What if it happens that there is another Simon the tanner? Here is the distinguishing sign: this one lives by the sea. The Angel did not say what this was for, so as to fill him with joy to overflowing.
"Having called two of his servants and a devout soldier." See, it is not without reason that it is said these were people who were constantly attending him.
"Having told them everything, he sent them to Joppa." Notice the absence of arrogance. He did not say "summon Peter to me," but told them everything, so as to thereby motivate him to come to him, because he considered it improper to summon him by virtue of his authority. That is why he told everything to those he sent.
Acts 10:9–16. On the next day, as they were on their way and approaching the city, Peter went up on the housetop about the sixth hour to pray. And he became hungry and wanted to eat. But while they were preparing, he fell into a trance and saw heaven opened and a certain vessel descending to him, like a great sheet, bound at the four corners and being let down to the earth; in it were all kinds of four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, creeping things, and birds of the air. And a voice came to him: Rise, Peter, kill and eat. But Peter said: No, Lord, I have never eaten anything common or unclean. Then a voice came to him a second time: What God has cleansed, do not call common. This happened three times; and the vessel was taken up again into heaven.
Look how the Spirit brings the times together and makes it so that this is accomplished neither earlier nor later.
"Peter about the sixth hour went up on the housetop to pray." That is, in a secluded place and in quiet.
"He fell into a trance." This means both amazement at the sight of a miracle, and that state when a person is not in control of his senses, being caught up into the spiritual world. Thus, it was as if a spiritual vision for him.
"A certain vessel descending to him, as it were a great sheet." The foremost of the apostles, Peter, had need of a Divine revelation concerning the calling of the Gentiles to the Christian faith, because he did not know that circumcision and uncircumcision make no difference with regard to faith. Peter, of course, did not clearly know that the Lord had said that when the ministry of faith was opened, the Gentiles too were to be taught this faith — he did not know until His ineffable will, through this vision, revealed this mystery, convincing him of it, on the one hand, by the example of the descending sheet, and on the other hand, by the fact that the grace of the Holy Spirit was also bestowed upon the Gentiles upon their conversion to the faith, convincing him that in Christ there is no distinction between Jew and Greek.
"Bound at four corners and let down to the earth." The four edges represent the four elements, the vessel that appeared signifies the coarsest world, and the various animals are symbols of the condition of people. A symbol of the entire universe was this man, Cornelius, with the foreskin, because he had nothing in common with the Jews. Everyone would have begun to accuse Peter as a lawbreaker, and therefore it is arranged by the Spirit so that he would have a defense; that is why he objects to the Angel. For he had to fully observe the law. So this is arranged so that they would not begin to accuse him. Perhaps, having knelt down, he saw the vision. And what happened was a Divine act, that is, that he saw things above and was in a state of ecstasy, and heard a voice from there, and that three times he confessed that the animals there were unclean. And the fact that the vessel descended from heaven and ascended back there — this is a great proof of purity. So this is accomplished for those to whom it is to be told. Because Peter himself heard the Lord's command: "Do not go on the road to the Gentiles" (Matt. 10:5). If even Paul had need of circumcision and the offering of sacrifice, then all the more so at that time, at the beginning of the preaching, when they were very weak. But Peter did not say that all things are defiled and unclean, but only those which the law also called defiled and unclean. But God, who traced the image of His Church, said that she should not consider anything unclean for herself. Because everything is clean for a person that he receives with thanksgiving and the blessing of God. But if here there was contained a parabolic indication concerning the calling of the nations, so as not to consider those who have uncircumcised foreskin as defiled and unclean, still Peter's speech contained an indication not about people, but about animals forbidden by the law of Moses. Because the species of animals are taken in place of human characteristics, and from the description of Peter's vision it is known that in the vessel that descended from heaven there were all kinds of animals: creeping things, birds, and four-footed beasts. This is because the word figuratively depicts that those who are to turn to the faith are under the dominion of various sins, that they have become like either four-footed beasts in cruelty, or creeping things in venomousness, or birds in the lightness and inconstancy of their nature. And moreover, serpents are taken as a symbol of the Sadducees and Pharisees, and the fox as a symbol of Herod, and horses aroused by the passion for sexual union as a symbol of lustful people; sheep stand for the most gentle people, goats for the unsociable and indifferent, and hedgehogs for the rich; of them the Lord said that with their thorns they pierce the word and make it barren.
"Again a voice came to him: 'What God has cleansed, do not call unclean.'" Apparently, the voice is addressed to Peter, but in the meantime everything is being said to the Jews. Because if this teacher endures reproach, then all the more do they deserve it.
Acts 10:17–20. Now while Peter was perplexed within himself as to what the vision which he had seen might mean, behold, the men who were sent by Cornelius, having inquired for the house of Simon, stood at the gate, and calling out, asked whether Simon, who was called Peter, was lodging there. While Peter was reflecting on the vision, the Spirit said to him: Behold, three men are seeking you; arise, go down and go with them, doubting nothing; for I have sent them.
The sheet (shroud) signifies the earth, and the beasts in it signify the Gentiles. The saying "kill and eat" (v. 13) means that they too must come to Christ, and the fact that this is repeated three times signifies baptism. Thus, the true meaning of the vision points him to the teaching of the Trinity, just as faith in the Trinity constitutes true worship of God.
"Behold, the men sent by Cornelius." These men arrive at just the right moment to resolve the perplexity. For Christ also allowed Joseph first to become frightened, and then sent the Angel, because the soul readily accepts a resolution after having first experienced perplexity. And moreover, he did not have to remain in perplexity for long, nor did it arise beforehand, but at the very moment when they were asking whether he was staying there.
"Meanwhile, as Peter was reflecting on the vision, the Spirit said to him: 'Behold, three men are looking for you.'" Again, this too serves as an apology for Peter before the disciples, so that they might see that he was deliberating and received instruction not to deliberate. For he was told: "Go with them, doubting nothing; for I have sent them." Great is the authority of the Spirit, because what God the Father does, the same does the Holy Spirit also. The angel said: "Your prayers and your alms" (v. 4), to show that he was sent from there; but the Spirit does not act this way, but says: "For I have sent them." Therefore, one must obey the Spirit.
Acts 10:21–24. Peter went down to the men who had been sent to him from Cornelius and said: I am the one you are looking for; what is the reason you have come? And they said: Cornelius the centurion, a righteous man who fears God, well spoken of by the whole Jewish nation, was directed by a holy Angel to summon you to his house and to hear your words. Then Peter invited them in and hosted them. And the next day he rose and went with them, and some of the brethren from Joppa accompanied him. The following day they arrived in Caesarea.
First Peter acknowledged that he was the one they were seeking, and then asked about the reason for their coming, so that he might either be ready at once to go with them, or, if that was not necessary, to lodge them in the house. And the messengers spoke praises of Cornelius in order to convince Peter that an Angel had appeared to him. Authority over the people is in the hands of a pious man who by his own merits has proven worthy of it.
True, it does happen that those who hold power do not live up to their position; but if this were not the case, then what would there be to talk about?
"To call you into his house." Not out of a feeling of contempt, they say, did he send, but because he was so commanded. Therefore, do not disregard it: it is good that Peter first treats these men in a friendly manner, since they were weary, and thus wins them over to himself. And that some from Joppa went with him, this happened by divine providence, so that afterwards they might be witnesses when Peter needed to defend himself.
Acts 10:24–27. Cornelius was waiting for them, having called together his relatives and close friends. When Peter was entering, Cornelius met him and worshipped him, falling at his feet. But Peter raised him up, saying: Stand up; I too am a man. And, conversing with him, he went into the house, and found many gathered together.
This was a glorious man and he had his dwelling in a glorious city.