Acts

10:28-43

4. The gospel reaches the Gentiles, 9:32-12:25

iii] Peter's sermon to Cornelius and friends

Luke now relates how the focus of the apostolic preached moved from the Jews to the Gentiles. The story of the conversion of Cornelius serves to authenticate this move.

In the New Testament, the gospel message ("the time is fulfilled, the kingdom of God is at hand") is always shaped by the needs of the hearers. That is, it is contextualized. This doesn't mean that the massage is adulterated to suit the audience, rather it is presented in a way that the audience can understand. So today, for example, in talking about the "kingdom... at hand" to a person who has never been churched, we would stress the new relationship which is possible with God through the risen Christ - because he lives we can live also. When speaking with a "Churchie" we may want to stress the perfect standing we have in the presence of God both now and forever - nothing we do can add to the standing we have in the sight of God on the basis of Jesus' death and resurrection.

In this passage we see the gospel presented to a group of God-fearers. They are Gentiles who have attached themselves to the Jewish faith. Such people would know a bit about the Bible, but would be on the edge of the Jewish community because, for some reason or other, they were unwilling to become full proselytes. Cornelius was a man of prayer, devout and obviously lived a moral life, 10:2. Peter therefore presents the gospel in a form his Gentile would understand, but still within a Biblical framework, because his hearers did have some understanding of the Bible.

Biblical gospel presentations tend to have a simple three part structure:

i] The time is fulfilled;

ii] The kingdom of God is at hand;

iii] Repent and believe the gospel.

This structure is often preceded by a general introduction. In Peter's gospel presentation to Cornelius, part three, the response, never quite eventuates, for the "Holy Spirit fell on them that heard the word."
      The introduction comes in v34-35. Here Peter speaks of the character of God. Peter now realizes that God shows no partiality; all are acceptable to him. This truth is quite a revelation to Peter, and it has taken some fairly heavy visions for it to sink in, v10-16.

In part [i], "the time is fulfilled", v36-41, Peter outlines the life of Jesus with particular emphasis upon his resurrection. Interestingly, Peter doesn't get into showing how Jesus has fulfilled Old Testament prophecy. When the gospel is presented to Jews the emphasis is always on fulfilled prophecy, but here Peter is dealing with a Gentile audience.

In part [ii], "the kingdom of God is at hand", v42-43, Peter presents the implications of Christ's resurrection. The proclamation that "the kingdom of God is at hand", that the risen Christ is now Lord of all, serves as the central gospel message. The dawning of the kingdom of God is both a blessing and a curse. The down side, the bad news, has to do with judgement. The up side, the good news, has to do with forgiveness.

anoixaV (anoigw) aor. part. "then [Peter] began to speak" - having opened [the mouth]. The participle obviously forms a temporal clause, as NIV, although strictly attendant circumstance expressing action accompanying "said", "opened [his mouth] and said". The aorist is probably inceptive, pointing to the beginning of the action, "Peter began to speak", Barclay.

ep alhqeiaV "how true it is" - truly, certainly. Adverbial expression. "In truth I realize", TNT, = "I am now certain."

oJti "that" - Possibly introducing an epexegetic clause explaining what Peter is certain of, possibly introducing a causal clause, Peter is certain "because", or simply introducing an object clause, even indirect discourse, ie. a declarative hoti after a verb of thinking, here a verbal clause, "I have come to understand that ...."

proswpolhmpthV (hV ou) "favoritism" - respecter of persons, treat one person better than another. The only use of this word in the NT. God, unlike us, does not respect persons. Here of Gentile and Jew.

oJ foboumenoV (fobew) pres. part. "men [from every nation] who fear [him]" - the ones fearing. Those who respect God, reverence him.

ergazomenoV (ergazomai) pres. part. "do [what is right]" - the one working [righteousness]. The participle, although without an article, is substantival, serving as the second substantive of an associated pair, "the one fearing and the one working", cf. Granville Sharp's Rule. Possibly referring to ethics in a general sense, although we are incapable of doing what is right and therefore God's acceptance, on the basis of faithfulness, is but a theoretical possibility. Peter is not into developing a salvation by works theology here, but is rather making the point that God is impartial. In Jewish piety the word refers to almsgiving.

ton logon o}n "[You know] the message" - the word which. The difficulty we have in translating this verse often prompts the restatement of the verb "you know" from v37, so NIV. "You know" then serves as the subject and verb for the accusative "the word" which is followed by the accusative pronoun "which" (a well attested variant) = "you know the word/message which God sent ..." If we treat the pronoun as an addition and so leave it out, we get "He (God) sent the message to the children of Israel ...", so REB. Barrett suggests that the parenthesis, "who is Lord of all", has caused Luke to loose track of his syntax, ie. an anacoluthon. Fitzmyer feels that the sentence is in apposition to v34b, 35. This works quite well. Peter is certain that God shows no favoritism, namely that the important message conveyed to Israel through Jesus Christ was a message of peace, man with man, God with man; remember, Jesus is Lord of all.

euaggelizomenoV (euaggelizw) pres. part. "telling the good news" - preaching, communicating (an important message). Again, our love of the phrase "good news" prejudges the effect of the message. It is good news for those who believe, but bad news for those who don't. Here it is "communicating peace", presumably "the message concerning peace." The participle is probably temporal, "when he preached (communicated) the gospel", Moffatt.

We now come to the gospel proper, or better, the kerygma, the apostolic preaching-formula, a formula used by all four gospel writers, and based on the gospel message communicated by Jesus, namely, "the time is fulfilled, the kingdom of God is at hand, repent and believe." The fulfilment of scripture is detailed in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, on which basis the nowness of the kingdom / of the reign of Christ is proclaimed, the consequences of which are either judgment, or forgiveness.

to genomenon (ginomai) rJhma aor. part. "what has happened" - thing/word having happened. The phrase may be read "the saying which was published" or "the thing which took place." "The message spread", NRSV.

kaq oJlhV thV IoudaiaV "throughout Judea" - throughout all Judea. Probably Palestine is intended rather than just Judea.

arxamenoV (arcw) aor. part. nom. "beginning" - having begun. The nominative case is interesting. Barrett suggests sloppy Greek, but Fitzmyer suggests "a frozen pre-Lukan formula" for the nominative, rather than accusative case. At any rate, "beginning" should agree with "word" which is in the accusative case. What began in Galilee after the baptism of John was the preaching of the gospel.

baptisma (a atoV) "baptism" - immersion. It's interesting to note that Codex B uses the word "proclamation", meaning "gospel", "the gospel that John preached", which gospel was the same as the one preached by Jesus, namely, "the kingdom of God is at hand." The idea of preaching water baptism is strange indeed, but preaching an "immersion of divine truth = gospel" does make better sense.

wJV "how" - [you know what has happened .....] how [(God) anointed Jesus, the one from Nazarath]. Probably here expressing "in what manner", so "how", NIV.

ecrisen (criw) aor. "anointed" - As in confirming kinship and here of the divine confirming of messiahship. "God appointed Jesus of Nazareth as Messiah ....."

dunamei (iV ewV) dat. "power" - with power/authority. Instrumental dative. Probably power is intended, referring to miraculous power. Probably not "with the power of the Holy Spirit", Phillips, but "with the Holy Spirit and with power", although an instrumental sense is possible, "by the Holy Spirit and power." The point being that Jesus is set apart / appointed as an "inspired prophet", Dunn.

dihlqen (diercomai) aor. "he went around" - [who] passed through. The aorist is interesting as the action of this verb seems to be durative. The sense of the word may be of coming to a point, moving to, so "he appeared on the scene and set about doing good."

euergetwn (euergetew) pres. part. "doing good" - The participle is possibly adverbial of manner, expressing how the action "went about" is accomplished, but better attendant circumstance, expressing action accompanying the action "went about / arrived", "he arrived and did good and healed all ...."
      "Healing all who were under the power of the devil" - healing all the ones being oppressed by the Devil. Probably not just exorcisms, but a general reference to sickness, death, possession ... all of which are seen to originate with the Devil. Usually possession, as such, is termed as "possessed by an evil spirit."

oJti "because" - Here expressing cause/reason.

pantwn gen. adj. "of everything" - Genitive of reference, "with reference to everything he did."

w|n gen. pro. "-" - which [he did]. Note case attraction to "everything". Should be accusative.

o]n pro. "-" - whom [they killed].

kremasanteV epi xulou "hanging him on a tree" - having hung on a tree. Possibly a piece of wood is intended, even a stake, to emphasize a humiliating death, a cursed death in the view of Deuteronomy 21:23. Of course, the phrase may be a colloquial way of describing crucifixion, "it became a way of referring to crucifixion in Judea", Fitzmyer.

th/ trith/ hJmera "the third day" - By now, a common way of identifying the resurrection, even though the time period is not actually three days.

edwken (didwmi) aor. "caused [him]" - gave = granted. Lit. "he granted him to become visible"

genesqai (gimomai) aor. inf. Virtually functioning as a verb to-be. As an infinitive, forming a noun clause, object of "he granted"; "he granted that he be seen." "God ..... let him be clearly seen", Phillips.

ou panti tw/ law/ dat. "[he was] not [seen] by all the people" - "He was seen" is assumed, carried over from v40. The dative is a dative of agency, identifying the agent / "the people" by whom the action of seeing is performed. "Not by the whole people", Barclay.

toiV prokeceirotonhmenoiV (proceirotonew) perf. pas. part. "whom God had already chosen" - the ones God had chosen beforehand. The participle is usually treated as attributive, modifying "witnesses", so NIV, although with the article it is more likely a substantive in an appositional relationship to "witnesses", further defining "witnesses"; "[seen by] witnesses, namely, those whom God had previously selected." "Beforehand" indicating a divine plan to assemble witnesses to the resurrection. Obviously a larger group than the apostles is intended, but not just anyone; "he was not seen by all."

sunefagomen kai sunepiomen "ate and drank" - ate together and drank together. That is, Jesus was not a ghost.

meta to + inf. "after [he rose]" - Expressing antecedent time. "After his resurrection", Moffatt.

Here we have the substance of the gospel, the message the witnesses are "ordered" to preach. The coming kingdom is realized in the person of Jesus, now risen from the dead, in that Jesus has taken up his throne beside the Ancient of Days in fulfilment of Daniel 7:13-14. This "news" is both good and bad; good for those who believe, for their's is forgiveness and life, but for those who don't, their's is judgment and death. The negative side of the message is again recorded in Acts, 17:31.

parhggeilen (paraggellw) aor. "He commanded" - The subject is not identified, but probably God, although possibly Jesus

. khruxai ..... diamarturasqai aor. inf. "to preach ..... [and] to testify" - The infinitives serve to convey indirect speech, ie. what was commanded, namely "to proclaim to the people and solemnly declare", TNT.

oJti "that" - Identifying discourse content, the message to be proclaimed.

oJ wJrismenoV (oJrizw) pas. part. "appointed" - the one/man having been appointed. Participle as a substantive, while the perfect tense indicates that at the point of speaking Jesus has already been appointed as judge and is presently performing this role, cf. Dan.7:13. "Marked out", Barrett.

zwntwn kai nekrwn gen. "[judge] of the living and the dead" - Objective genitive where "the living and the dead" receive the action of the "judge".

Now the good news: those who rely on the person ("name") of Jesus receive forgiveness of sins, and thus, the right to dwell with God.

toutw/ dat. "about him" - to this one. Dative of reference, obviously Jesus, the judge.

labein (lambanw) aor. inf. "that ..... receives" - to receive. The infinitive serves to express indirect speech, ie. what the prophets testify.

tanta ton pisteuonta eiV auton "everyone who believes in him" - all the ones believing to/toward him. The substantive participle in this prepositional clause together forms a noun clause, subject of the infinitive "receive".

afesin (iV ewV) "forgiveness" - forgiveness, release, remission. Beside Christ's authority to judge is his authority to forgive, to apply God's mercy to all who put their trust in him.

aJmartiwn (a) "of sins" - Objective genitive, where the "sins" receive the action of the forgiving.

dia "through [his name]" - through, by means of [the name = person of]. "Everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through him", Barclay.

Acts Introduction.

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