Caesarea was a Roman city Herod established on Israel's coast. (read "Caesarea"). A centurion was a Roman army officer, theoretically in charge of 100 men. Cornelius was not a Jew, but a Gentile. This would be very significant in the early church, because up to this point, no Gentiles were recorded in the scriptures as being converted. We studied when Phillip lead the Ethiopian to Christ, but back then, an African would not have been considered a Gentile. Today we refer to all non-Jews as Gentiles, but back then, only the Roman occupiers were referred to as Gentiles. (read "The Meaning of the Word Gentile as Used in Scripture")
Not only is Cornelius a Gentile, but he is a Gentile who is a devout man and one who feared God with all his household, who gave alms generously to the people, and prayed to God always. The Roman culture, similar to most of the other nations outside of Isreal had many gods. In a future lesson we will study Paul (formerly Saul) would say, “Men of Athens, I perceive that in all things you are very religious; for as I was passing through and considering the objects of your worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. (Acts 17:22-23) So for Cornelius "to be monotheist, a Gentile who worshiped the One God" was very uncommon. (read "Cornelius the Centurion").
About the ninth hour of the day he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God coming in and saying to him, “Cornelius!” And when he observed him, he was afraid, and said, “What is it, lord?” So he said to him, “Your prayers and your alms have come up for a memorial before God. Now send men to Joppa, and send for Simon whose surname is Peter. He is lodging with Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the sea. He will tell you what you must do.” And when the angel who spoke to him had departed, Cornelius called two of his household servants and a devout soldier from among those who waited on him continually. So when he had explained all these things to them, he sent them to Joppa. (Acts 10:3-8)
The next day, as they went on their journey and drew near the city, Peter went up on the housetop to pray, about the sixth hour. Then he became very hungry and wanted to eat; but while they made ready, he fell into a trance and saw heaven opened and an object like a great sheet bound at the four corners, descending to him and 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, “Not so, Lord! For I have never eaten anything common or unclean.” And a voice spoke to him again the second time, “What God has cleansed you must not call common.” This was done three times. And the object was taken up into heaven again. (Acts 10:9-16)
We have to understand Jewish culture in order to understand Peter's response that all the different four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, creeping things, and birds of the air were common or unclean. The children of Israel were clearly instructed by God as to which foods were permitted and which foods were forbidden for them. (Leviticus 11; Deuteronomy 14:3-21) God instructed them, " You shall therefore distinguish between clean animals and unclean, between unclean birds and clean, and you shall not make yourselves abominable by beast or by bird, or by any kind of living thing that creeps on the ground, which I have separated from you as unclean. And you shall be holy to Me, for I the Lord am holy, and have separated you from the peoples, that you should be Mine." (Leviticus 20:25-26)
Being a Jew, Peter felt the same sentiment as the prophet Ezekiel, when he said, “Ah, Lord God! Indeed I have never defiled myself from my youth till now; I have never eaten what died of itself or was torn by beasts, nor has abominable flesh ever come into my mouth.” (Ezekiel 4:14) But God makes it clear to Peter, “What God has cleansed you must not call common.” This vision means more than what Peter could and could not eat, as we will soon study. Now while Peter wondered within himself what this vision which he had seen meant, behold, the men who had been sent from Cornelius had made inquiry for Simon’s house, and stood before the gate. And they called and asked whether Simon, whose surname was Peter, was lodging there. While Peter thought about the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Behold, three men are seeking you. Arise therefore, go down and go with them, doubting nothing; for I have sent them.” (Acts 10:17-20)
Then Peter went down to the men who had been sent to him from Cornelius, and said, “Yes, I am he whom you seek. For what reason have you come?” And they said, “Cornelius the centurion, a just man, one who fears God and has a good reputation among all the nation of the Jews, was divinely instructed by a holy angel to summon you to his house, and to hear words from you.” Then he invited them in and lodged them. On the next day Peter went away with them, and some brethren from Joppa accompanied him. (Acts 10:21-23)
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