[The posts which follow make extensive use of The Acts of the Apostles, by Madame Cecilia, (Religious of St Andrew's Convent, Streatham), with an Imprimi potest dated 16 October 1907 (Westminster); Burns, Oates & Washbourne Ltd. (London). With grateful prayers for the author and her team:
REQUIEM æternam dona eis, Domine, et lux perpetua luceat eis. Requiescant in pace. Amen.ETERNAL rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace. Amen.]
Acts X : 34-48
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From the Baptismal font (1107-1118) at St Bartholomew's Church, Liège Image by courtesy of: Jean-Pol Grandmont (2006). CC BY-SA 2.5 Upper register: Cecidit Spiritus Sanctus super omnes qui audiebant verbum. "The Holy Ghost fell on all them that heard the word." [Acts x 44] Scroll: ego quis eram, qui possem prohibere Deum? "Who was I, that could withstand God?" [Acts xi 17] |
[35] But in every nation, he that feareth him, and worketh justice, is acceptable to him.
[36] God sent the word to the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ: (he is Lord of all.)
[37] You know the word which hath been published through all Judea: for it began from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached,
[38] Jesus of Nazareth: how God anointed him with the Holy Ghost, and with power, who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.
[39] And we are witnesses of all things that he did in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem, whom they killed, hanging him upon a tree.
[40] Him God raised up the third day, and gave him to be made manifest,
[41] Not to all the people, but to witnesses preordained by God, even to us, who did eat and drink with him after he arose again from the dead;
[42] And he commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that it is he who was appointed by God, to be judge of the living and of the dead.
[43] To him all the prophets give testimony, that by his name all receive remission of sins, who believe in him.
[44] While Peter was yet speaking these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them that heard the word.
[45] And the faithful of the circumcision, who came with Peter, were astonished, for that the grace of the Holy Ghost was poured out upon the Gentiles also.
[46] For they heard them speaking with tongues, and magnifying God.
[47] Then Peter answered: Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, who have received the Holy Ghost, as well as we?
[48] And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Then they desired him to tarry with them some days.
[34] Aperiens autem Petrus os suum, dixit : In veritate comperi quia non est personarum acceptor Deus; [35] sed in omni gente qui timet eum, et operatur justitiam, acceptus est illi.
[36] Verbum misit Deus filiis Israel, annuntians pacem per Jesum Christum ( hic est omnium Dominus). [37] Vos scitis quod factum est verbum per universam Judaeum : incipiens enim a Galilaea post baptismum, quod praedicavit Joannes, [38] Jesum a Nazareth : quomodo unxit eum Deus Spiritu Sancto, et virtute, qui pertransiit benefaciendo, et sanando omnes oppressos a diabolo, quoniam Deus erat cum illo. [39] Et nos testes sumus omnium quae fecit in regione Judaeorum, et Jerusalem, quem occiderunt suspendentes in ligno. [40] Hunc Deus suscitavit tertia die, et dedit eum manifestum fieri,
[41] non omni populo, sed testibus praeordinatis a Deo : nobis, qui manducavimus et bibimus cum illo postquam resurrexit a mortuis. [42] Et praecepit nobis praedicare populo, et testificari, quia ipse est qui constitutus est a Deo judex vivorum et mortuorum. [43] Huic omnes prophetae testimonium perhibent remissionem peccatorum accipere per nomen ejus omnes qui credunt in eum. [44] Adhuc loquente Petro verba haec, cecidit Spiritus Sanctus super omnes qui audiebant verbum. [45] Et obstupuerunt ex circumcisione fideles qui venerant cum Petro : quia et in nationes gratia Spiritus Sancti effusa est.
[46] Audiebant enim illos loquentes linguis, et magnificantes Deum. [47] Tunc respondit Petrus : Numquid aquam quis prohibere potest ut non baptizentur hi qui Spiritum Sanctum acceperunt sicut et nos? [48] Et jussit eos baptizari in nomine Domini Jesu Christi. Tunc rogaverunt eum ut maneret apud eos aliquot diebus.
Notes : St Peter's discourse
34. opening his mouth. See Annot. on viii. 35. This discourse of St Peter treats of the same subjects as his other addresses, though, naturally, he dwells more on those points which are most appropriate for his audience.
St Peter’s discourse may be summarized under four heads, viz. —
1 . An epitome of the Life, Death, and Resurrection of our Lord.2. The apostles were witnesses to Jesus Christ, and preordained by God.3. All the prophecies pointed to Christ.4. The Redemption was wrought for all men.
This consoling truth in all its fulness is peculiar to this discourse of St Peter, although he had touched on it in his first sermon when quoting the words of Joel, See supra, ii. 21.
The sudden descent of the Holy Ghost prevented St Peter from finishing his discourse.
I perceive. The vision granted to St Peter and that related by Cornelius gave St Peter a full comprehension of what he had not hitherto grasped in all its consequences, viz. that God willed the distinction between Jew and Gentile to be abolished. The Greek verb (καταλαμπανομαι) signifies to apprehend by experience the truth of a thing.
God is not a respecter of persons. A respecter of persons is one who bases his favours to others on extrinsic advantages of rank, wealth, nationality, or any other exterior characteristic or circumstance, and who excludes from his consideration all those who do not possess these advantages. God is strictly impartial in His dealings with men.
St Paul teaches this truth in his epistle to the Romans : But glory and honour, and peace to every one that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For there is no respect of persons with God (ii. 10-11). The enemies of Jesus bore the same testimony when they sent to him their disciples with the Herodians, saying : Master, we know that thou art a true speaker, and teachest the way of God in truth, neither carest thou for any man, for thou dost not regard the person of men (St Matt, xxii, 16).
35. in every nation, etc. “ Not only Jews, but Gentiles also, of what nation soever, are acceptable to God, if they fear Him and work justice. But then true faith is always to be presupposed, without which (saith St Paul, Heb. xi. 6), it is impossible to please God. Beware, then, of the error of those who would infer from this passage that men of all religions may be pleasing to God. For since none but the true religion can be from God, all other religions must be from the father of lies, and therefore highly displeasing to the God of truth.” (footnote, Rheims Testament). Hence St Peter does not teach indifference as regards religion^ but with respect to nations. Were all religions equally pleasing to God, St Peter need not have gone to Cesarea to instruct Cornelius, who was a worshipper of the true God.
feareth him. Here the expression is not used in its ordinary acceptation of a proselyte to the Jewish faith, but of those who worship God with due reverence.
worketh justice. Those who act up to the law written m their hearts, their conscience hearing witness to them (Rom. ii. 15). To such God gives grace and light, by which they are led to embrace the true faith, or, at least, those doctrines which are essential for salvation.
St John Chrysostom explains these words thus : “ He that worketh justice is the man who in all points is virtuous and irreproachable, when he has the fear of God as he ought to have it. But whether a person be such, God only knows ” (Hom., xxiii.).
Note. — Verses 36 to 38 offer certain difficulties as regards grammatical construction, which commentators endeavour to harmonize in various ways. The most generally accepted solution is as follows : —
There are three subjects in apposition, viz. —
1. The preaching of the Gospel. God sent the word (τον λογον).2. The word or story (τον ῥημα) proclaimed throughout Judea.3. The “ word ” sent by God like the “ word ” published throughout Judea was the narration of the life and deeds of Jesus of Nazareth.
Hence the connection between these three passages may be put thus : — ‘‘ God ordained that the Gospel should be preached to the Jews .... you have heard these things, viz. how Jesus of Nazareth was anointed by God,” etc.
36. sent the word to the children of Israel. The Gospel was first preached to the Jews ; even St Paul, the apostle of the Gentiles, followed this rule.
preaching peace. Lit. “ proclaiming glad tidings of peace ” (εὐαγγελιζομενος εἰρηνην), primarily peace between God and man, and, as a result, peace between man and his neighbour. Cf. For he is our peace who hath made both one (i.e. Jews and Gentiles), (Eph. ii. 14).
he is Lord of all. These words prove the Divinity of Christ, and also place all men on the same footing, since all, whether Jews or Gentiles, stand in the same relation to Him.
St Peter, addressing Gentiles, dwells on the universal sovereignty of Jesus rather than on His being the Messias. So in verse 42 St Peter speaks of Christ as the judge of the living and the dead.
37. You know the word. The pronouns “ you ” and “ we (verse 37 and 39) are emphatic : — “ You know by report certain things ; we are witnesses of these events.”
Notice that “ word ” occurs in both verses 36 and 37. In the Greek, two different nouns are used (λογος and ῥημα) : the former signifies a discourse, the latter, an account of an event. Hence St Peter explains that God sent men to preach the Gospel to the Jews, and the Gentiles of Cesarea had already heard of different events in the life of our blessed Lord related.
Cesarea was not far from Galilee, where Jesus had performed so many mighty deeds, and it is probable that Cornelius had also heard of Jesus of Nazareth through Philip the Evangelist who lived in that city. Nor is it unlikely that the centurion had sometimes accompanied the Procurator in his visits to Jerusalem, especially at the Paschal season, when extra troops were sent from Cesarea to maintain order, and as the high-priest, some time previously, had reproached the apostles with “filling" Jerusalem with their doctrine infra, V. 28), Cornelius must have heard of Jesus of Nazareth and His great deeds in Judea.
it began from Galilee. Jesus began His ministry in Galilee after the Temptation in the desert. Cf. Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee, and the fame of him went out through the whole country. (St Luke iv. 14).
The false witnesses spoke the truth when they affirmed that Jesus had taught throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee (St Luke xxiii. 6).
after the baptism which John preached. For a few months Jesus and His Precursor were evangelizing simultaneously, though in different parts (see St John iii. 22-26), but our Lord’s great Galilean mission was undertaken after the death of St John the Baptist.
38. Jesus of Nazareth. St Peter often speaks thus of our Lord, as it was by this designation that the Jews knew Him (see ii. 22, iii. 6, iv. 10, vL 14).
how God anointed him, Jesus was anointed by God with the Holy Spirit, after His baptism, at the beginning of His public life, and this unction of the Spirit recalls that first unction when He became incarnate. Hence His Name, “ Christ, the Anointed One.”
Prophets, priests, and kings were anointed as a sign that they were set apart for a special office and ministry, and Jesus was the prophet greater than Moses, a High Priest touched with compassion for us, and the King of whose kingdom there shall be no end.
with power. This was manifested by the mighty deeds Jesus wrought, which He always ascribed to the Father, e.g. —
But Jesus answered them: My Father worketh until now; and I work. . . . Then Jesus answered, and said to them : Amen, amen, 1 say unto you, the Son cannot do anything of himself, but what he seeth the Father doing ; for what things soever he doth, these the Son also doth in like manner (St John v. 17-19).
oppressed by the devil. An allusion to those who were possessed by the devil and held captive by him. Cf. Ought not this daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the sabbath-day ? (St Luke xiii. 16).
Satan has other victims also who having sinned grievously have fallen into the snares of the devil, by whom they are held captive at his will (2 Tim. ii. 26).
God was with him. The union of the Father and the Son is clearly brought out in this discourse, e.g. —
God sent messengers to preach the Gospel.He also anointed Jesus with the Holy Spirit.He was with Him in His mighty works.He raised Him on the third day.He preordained witnesses who should testify concerning His Son.He appointed Jesus to be the Judge of the living and the dead.
In this verse the three Persons of the Blessed Trinity are mentioned .
39. we are witnesses. St Peter speaks of all the apostles. See Annot, on i. 8.
in the land of the Jews. In Palestine, excluding Samaria.
they killed. St Peter does not dwell on the crime of the Jews, since, he is addressing Gentiles.
hanging him upon a tree. Lit. “ having hanged Him upon the wood ” (κρεμαςαντες ἐπι ξυλου).
40. Him God raised, etc. The Resurrection is the culminating point in the testimony of the apostles (see ii. 24, xvii. 31, xxvi. 23), since, as St Paul writes : If Christ he not risen again, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain (1 Cor. xv. 14).
41. Not to all the people. From the parable of the rich man and Lazarus, we learn that those who rejected Moses and the prophets would not be converted though one rose from the dead to instruct them (see St Luke xvi. 31).
pre-ordained by God. St Peter was present in the Cenacle when, on the eve of His Passion, Jesus had prayed for His disciples, and he had heard Him say, Thine they were, and to me thou gavest them, and they have kept thy word (St John xvii. 6).
did eat and drink with him. Three instances are recorded of our Lord taking food with His apostles after His Resurrection : —
(a) They offered him a piece of a broiled fish, and a honeycomb. And when he had eaten before them, taking the remains, he gave to them (St Luke xxiv, 42-43).(b) And it came to pass, whilst he was at table with them, he took bread, and blessed and brake, and gave to them (St Luke xxiv, 30),(c) Jesus saith to them : Come, and dine. And none of them who were at meat durst ask him: Who art thou ? knowing that it was the Lord (St John xxi. 12).
42. to testify that it is he, etc. There is no explicit record in the gospels of this command, but it is implied in various passages, e.g. —
And Jesus coming, spoke to them, saying : All power is given to me in heaven and in earth. Going therefore, teach ye all nations ; baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, teaching them, to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you : and behold 1 am with you all days, even to the consummation of the world (St Matt, xxviii. 18-20).
And he hath given him power to do judgment, because he is the Son of man. Wonder not at this, for the hour cometh, wherein all that are in the graves shall hear the voice of the Son of God (St John v. 27-28).
The apostles were to be witnesses to our Lord’s words as well as to His deeds.
This is one more proof that all the things concerning “ the kingdom of God ” of which Jesus spoke to His apostles during “ the great forty days ” are not given in detail in the Scriptures, but form part of the unwritten word of God, i.e. of Catholic tradition.
to be judge of the living and of the dead. In these words we have a proof that the dead will rise again.
43. all the prophets. All the prophets generically, but not individually, testify of Christ, especially those who announce the advent of the Messias.
that by his name all receive, etc. Many examples of predictions bearing on this subject might be cited. Thus Joel declared whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall he saved (supra, ii, 21) ; and in Isaias we read : By his knowledge shall this my just servant justify many, and he shall hear their iniquities (liii. 11). St Peter now commences to proclaim the glad tidings of salvation. Sins henceforth are remitted to all who believe and are contrite, and faith in Christ and baptism take the place of circumcision.
“ The doctrine of justification by faith could not be more clearly set forth. Compare St Peter's own words, on a later occasion, with what now occurred at Cesarea (xv. 9, 11). We must add that there is great beauty and tenderness in St Peter’s passing from the contemplation of Christ as a Judge, to the contemplation of Him as a Redeemer.”
Note. — In St Peter’s address to Cornelius we find the chief truths enumerated which are contained in the Apostles’ Creed, Thus the first, second, eighth, and eleventh articles are clearly taught, and the second article is the most fully developed, as in the Creed.
Notes : Baptism of Cornelius
44. While Peter was yet speaking. His discourse was interrupted by the descent of the Holy Ghost, that Messianic gift promised to all that are afar off, and to whomsoever the Lord our Goa shall call to enter the kingdom of His Church.
the Holy Ghost fell on all, etc. This was proved by the repetition of the phenomena which accompanied His Descent at Pentecost upon the apostles and disciples in the beginning (xi. 15). His indwelling was proved by exterior manifestations. This is the only record of the Spirit descending on the unbaptized, and it shews that “ it is in the power of God to save men without the sacraments, though it is not in the power of man to attain to salvation without them.” The exception confirms the rule.
“ The sudden interruption was far more forcible in its effect on the hearers than any additional words from Peter would have been. The arguments from history, from miracle, from prophecy, from conscience, were suddenly merged in something higher. The force, too, of this new and Divine argument was of the utmost weight for the 'apostles and brethren at Jerusalem,’ as it is indeed for every subsequent age of the Church, including our own ” (Schaff, Comm. in li. 1.).
45. the faithful of the circumcision, — i.e. the six companions of St Peter, who were witnesses of this Gentile Pentecost, and who, unlike him, had not been taught by a vision that Gentiles, as well as Jews, were acceptable to God.
For St Peter himself it was a confirmation of that vision, for how could those, on whom the Holy Spirit had descended and to whom He had communicated Hie miraculous gifts, be considered common or unclean ?
were astonished. The companions of St Peter were amazed, but not St Peter himself.
47. Can any man ? etc. The sense of this passage in the original is : “Surely no man can forbid that these should not be baptized.” St Augustine writes : “ It is as though the Holy Spirit had said to Peter : ‘Why doubtest thou concerning the water, since I, the Holy Spirit, am here ? ” (Serm. 99).
water. Better, “the water” (το ὑδωρ). Could the water be withheld when the Spirit had descended ?
48. he commanded, etc. It does not seem to have been usual for the apostles to give baptism, since neither St Peter nor St Paul habitually baptized. This line of conduct was perhaps based on that of our Lord, for St John tells us that Jesus himself did not baptize, but his disciples (St John iv. 2), and also because they desired to give themselves to the ministry of the word of God.
There were deacons and priests who could confer this sacrament, and as multitudes were often received into the Church collectively, this ministry must have taken a considerable time. St Paul gives as a reason for his not baptizing that he feared creating a certain party feeling. Cf. I give God thanks that I baptized none of you, but Crispus and Caius, lest any should say that you were baptized in my name (1 Cor. i. 14-16).
“Again : if the apostles, who had special gifts of working miracles, and of giving the Holy Ghost, had baptized with their own hands, it might have been thought by some that the grace of Baptism came from them, who administered it, and not from Him whose Baptism it is, and so an error with regard to Baptism be propagated. Besides, after their death it might have been imagined that Baptism had lost some of its efficacy, being no longer administered by those who were called by Christ, and had received extraordinary graces of the Holy Ghost; and so the Sacrament of Baptism, which God has instituted for the remission of sins, and for reception into the Church in all ages and countries of the world, might fall into discredit and disuse ” (Wordsworth, in h. 1.).
some days. This covers a period sufficiently long for the news of the reception of the Gentiles to have reached Jerusalem before St Peter himself returned there.
Note. — Two reasons may be assigned as to why, in this solitary instance, the Holy Spirit was given before baptism had been received : —
(a) Probably St Peter would not have consented to baptize these Gentiles, if he had not known for certain that they had received the Holy Spirit.(b) The Holy Spirit descended in order that St Peter, when accused by the brethren of receiving Gentiles without their being circumcised, might be justified in his line of conduct.
Totus tuus ego sum
Et omnia mea tua sunt;
Tecum semper tutus sum:
Ad Jesum per Mariam.
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