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The narrative at this point returns to Peter, and gives a brief account of his visits to Lydda and Joppa. He is evidently following in the steps of Philip, who had made a missionary tour through the towns along the coast between Azotus and Cæsarea (viii. 40). Two incidents are recorded: (1) the cure of a paralytic named Æneas at Lydda, and (2) the restoration to life of Tabitha at Joppa. We have no further evidence in support of these miracles, but in the light of the statements of Paul, who claims in the most emphatic way to have worked miracles (cf. 2 Cor. xii. 12; Rom. xv. 18, 19), and of the Epistle to the Hebrews ii. 4, it can scarcely be doubted that miraculous cures were wrought by the Apostles.

31. Then had the churches rest. The best MSS. read "church,” not “ churches.” There was as yet only one Church, the headquarters of which was at Jerusalem. All the Christians in Palestine were still regarded as members of this one Church in Jerusalem.

all Judæa and Galilee and Samaria. An indication of the rapid progress which Christianity had made in the country districts of Palestine through the labours of Philip and others, and a proof that a very large part of the evangelistic work of the primitive Church is unrecorded.

32. as Peter went through all parts. Evidently on a missionary tour, and probably with the purpose of consolidating the work of Philip, who was the pioneer of evangelistic enterprise.

to the saints which dwelt at Lydda. Possibly Philip's converts. Lydda (called "Lod" in 1 Chron. viii. 12), "a village not less than a city in size," as Josephus says, was situated on the

road between Jerusalem and Joppa-10 miles from the latter. saints. See n. on ix. 13.

33. a certain man named Æneas. It is uncertain whether Eneas belonged to the "saints." The use of the phrase "a certain man," instead of "a disciple" (cf. ver. 36), or "brother," seems to imply that he did not.

34. Jesus Christ maketh thee whole. The power of healing is always ascribed to Christ; cf.

iv. 10.

35. Saron = Sharon. The plain of Sharon—a beautiful and fertile district-extended from Joppa to Cæsarea, a distance of 30 miles.

36. Joppa. The seaport of Jerusalem, 35 miles distant.

Tabitha... Dorcas. "Dorcas" is the Greek equivalent for the Aramaic "Tabitha." Both words mean gazelle."

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37. they laid her in an upper chamber. In the hope that Peter might be able to restore her to life.

38. desiring him that he would not delay. This translation fails to bring out the emphasis of the Greek. The R.V. renders, "intreating him, Delay not to come unto us."

39. all the widows. Probably those for whom Tabitha had worked.

43. many days. An indefinite expression. See n. on ix. 23.

Simon a tanner. The trade of a tanner was held in abomination by the Jews. That Peter should have lodged in his house shows that he was already beginning to ignore Jewish prejudices.

Acts x. I-xi. 18.

THE CONVERSION OF THE FIRST
GENTILE.

I. THE VISIONS OF CORNELIUS AND PETER (x. 1-16).

There was a certain man in Cæsarea called Cornelius, a 2 centurion of the band called the Italian band, a devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway. 3 He saw in a vision evidently about the ninth hour of the day an angel of God coming in to him, and saying unto 4 him, Cornelius. And when he looked on him, he was afraid, and said, What is it, Lord? And he said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a 5 memorial before God. And now send men to Joppa, 6 and call for one Simon, whose surname is Peter: he

lodgeth with one Simon a tanner, whose house is by the 7 sea side: he shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do. And when the angel which spake unto Cornelius was departed, he called two of his household servants, and a devout 8 soldier of them that waited on him continually; and when he had declared all these things unto them, he sent them to 9 Joppa. On the morrow, as they went on their journey, and drew nigh unto the city, Peter went up upon the to housetop to pray about the sixth hour: and he became very hungry, and would have eaten but while they made II ready, he fell into a trance, and saw heaven opened, and a certain vessel descending unto him, as it had been a great sheet knit at the four corners, and let down to the 12 earth: wherein were all manner of four-footed beasts of

the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls 13 of the air. And there came a voice to him, Rise, Peter; 14 kill, and eat. But Peter said, Not so, Lord; for I have 15 never eaten any thing that is common or unclean. And

the voice spake unto him again the second time, What God 16 hath cleansed, that call not thou common. This was done thrice and the vessel was received up again into heaven.

The utmost importance is attached by Luke to the conversion of Cornelius. The narrative occupies the greater part of two chapters, and the event is subsequently alluded to in xv. 7. It marks a supreme crisis in the history of the Church. Cornelius was a Gentile-a Gentile, it must be admitted, who had accepted the Jewish belief, but still a Gentile, because, though he had theoretically adopted the Jewish creed, he had never graduated as a proselyte by undergoing the rite of circumcision. His admission into the Church, therefore, meant the first recognition of the principle that it was not necessary for a man to become a Jew before he could become Christian-or, in other words, that Christianity

was

a

no longer to be a Jewish sect but a universal religion. A step of such momentous significance was only taken under the direct impulse of God, and in the present paragraph Luke shows how the minds of both Cornelius and Peter were prepared by Divine visions for the great advance.

1. Cornelius. The name proves that Cornelius was a Roman.

a centurion of the band called the Italian. A Roman legion, which consisted nominally of 6000 men, was divided into 10 cohorts (or bands), and each cohort or band had 6 centurions-so that, when a legion was at its full strength, each centurion would have, as his name implies, 100 men under him. The "Italian band" was a cohort

composed of Italian soldiers. Critics have objected to Luke's statement on the ground that it is unlikely that a cohort of Italians would be serving so far away from home as Palestine; but Sir W. Ramsay has proved from an inscription that a Roman cohort was stationed at Carnuntum, in Syria, in 69 A.D., and that therefore there is no reason why one should not have been quartered at Cæsarea at this time.

2. a devout man and one that feared God. Compare ver. 22. Cornelius belonged to the large army of semi-proselytes who were found in all parts of the world at this time. They accepted the Jewish faith, but refused to become Jews by undergoing circumcision. For other instances, cf. xiii. 16, 26, xvii. 4, 17; Luke vii. 5.

gave much alms to the people. The Greek word used for "the people" proves that the Jewish people are particularly referred to; cf. ver. 22.

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3. saw in a vision evidently. For "evidently" the R.V. substitutes "openly," but manifestly" would be a better rendering of the Greek. the ninth hour (see n. on iii. 1). For the introduction of the angel, see n. on viii. 26. We have two other versions of the vision of Cornelius: (1) x. 30–33; (2) xi. 13-15.

5. send men to Joppa and fetch Simon. If this vision was a Divine impulse or inspiration, and if the introduction of the angel is simply due to the poetry of Luke, how are we to explain this knowledge of details? The key probably is to be found in the fact that Philip was at Cæsarea, and there is every likelihood that Cornelius may have come under his influence and gained the specific information from him. At any rate, in his address

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