Acts X. 44; 46

“While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word. And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God.”

Observe God’s providential management. He does not suffer the speech to be finished, nor the baptism to take place upon a command of Peter, but, when He has made it evident how admirable their state of mind is, and a beginning is made of the work of teaching, and they have believed that assuredly baptism is the remission of sins, then forthwith comes the Spirit upon them. Now this is done by God’s so disposing it as to provide for Peter a mighty ground of justification.⁵⁷⁶

576 This is the only instance in the Acts in which the Holy Spirit is said to be given anterior to baptism (cf. xix. 5, 6) which was generally accompanied by the laying on of hands by the apostles. A special reason is observable here which greatly diminishes the force of Baur’s objections to the historicity of the narrative drawn from this exceptional order of events, viz: the marked receptivity of Cornelius and his company. Perhaps it was intended by divine providence to signalize this bringing in of the first fruits of the Gentiles by showing how little the gifts of grace are conditioned upon outward rites. Some critics suppose that this gift of the Spirit before baptism was granted to impress Peter with the idea of the admissibility of the Gentiles, but this seems unnecessary, as he had been taught this lesson already by the vision and had distinctly avowed his conviction (v. 35). Chrysostom’s exposition is in the line of the latter interpretation; he forcibly calls this gift of the Spirit an ἀπολογίαμεγάλη for Peter. The principle which Bengel lays down in his comments—liberum gratia habet ordinem—together with the special significance of the occasion is a sufficient explanation of the apparently exceptional manner of the bestowment of the Spirit here.—G.B.S.

577 καὶ ὁ Πέτρος σχεδὸν ἁπλῶς πάρεστι παιδευόμενος. Erasm. fere simpliciter adest ut discat. Not meaning that St. Peter needed to be taught (see above p. 146, note 1), but that—such is the οἰκονομία for his exculpation—it is made to appear as if he needed the lesson and was now taught it, and had his misapprehensions rectified in common with them. Ben., entirely mistaking the meaning, has quasi fortuito adest docens.

578 Καὶ διὰ τοῦτο μεθ᾽ ὑπερβολῆς γίνεται. Erasm. Idcirco hæc cum excellentia quadam fiebant. Ben. Ideo hæc modo singulari fiunt. But the meaning is, “There is a lavish array of Divine interpositions. The mission of the Angel to Cornelius, Peter’s vision, the command given by the Spirit, above all, the gift of the Holy Ghost and the speaking with tongues before the baptism. This last was in itself an unanswerable declaration of the will of God, and sufficed for the Apostle’s justification. The others are ἐκ περιουσίας, arguments ex abundanti.”

“And the Apostles and brethren that were in Judea heard that the Gentiles had also received the word of God. And when Peter was come up to Jerusalem, they that were of the circumcision contended with him, saying, Thou wentest in to men uncircumcised, and didst eat with them.” (ch. xi. 1–3.) After such great things, “they of the circumcision contended:” not the Apostles; God forbid! It means, they took no small offence.⁵⁷⁹

579 Some critics (as Meyer, Olshausen) have affirmed the opposite of what Chrys. states, in regard to the ὁι ἐκ περιτομῆς. He excludes the apostles from this category; they would include them. The ὁι ἐκ περιτομῆς, however, seem to have been a special class of Christians in the mind of the writer. In expressing the fact that the Church learned of the reception of the Gentiles, the “apostles and brethren” are named, but when the narrative advances to the thought of the contention against Peter on account of it, a new term is chosen; the writer could not allow the same subject to stand for the verb διεκρίνοντο, but chooses another term—ὁι ἐκ περιτομῆς. The two subjects, then, can hardly be identical. The phrase more probably denotes judaizing Christians, i.e. those who gave special prominence to the Law and the necessity of circumcision (So Lechler, Gloag, Alford).—G.B.S.

580 ῎Αλλως δὲ οὐ τοσοῦτον τὸ διάφορον Σαμαρειτῶν καὶ ἐθνῶν. Edd. (from E. alone,) for οὐ τοσοῦτον have πολὺ καὶ ἄπειρον, “great and infinite the difference between Samaritans and Gentiles.”

581 A. B. C. (after v. 11. which we have removed), ᾽Εκεῖνα ἀναγκαῖα ἦν (read τὰ ἀν.) ἀλλὰ διὰ τούτων αὐτὰ κατασκευάζει. By ἐκεῖνα he means, what we have heard above, what happened at Cæsarea. The modern text (Edd.): “What points were essential, he relates, but of the rest he is silent: or rather by these he confirms them also, καὶ αὐτὰ κατασκευάζει.”

582 τοῦτο εἰκότως πρόσκειται. i.e. though this was not mentioned before (see above, p, 145. note 6) with good reason it is added here: viz. for Peter’s justification. Edd. from E. “that he may not disgust them: but what had nothing great in it. ‘He shall speak,’ etc. Do you mark how for this reason I mentioned before, he hastens on?” But the saying, “He shall speak,” etc. was great, even greater than that which he omits: but this was not necessary, the other (Chrys. means) made a strong point for Peter’s defence, and therefore is added.

583 ἄνωθεν αὐτῶν τὴν διανοίαν οἰκειοῖ, viz. by letting them see how all along it was not his doing. Then before λέγων πρὸς αὐτοὺς, something is wanting: e.g. “Which done, he urges most effectively, ‘Who have received,’” etc.

584 E. D. F. Edd. “But there was no need to baptize, it may be said, for the baptism was complete, ‘when the Spirit fell upon them.’ Therefore he does not say, I first ordered them to be baptized but what? ‘Can any man forbid water that these should not be baptized?’ By this showing that he did nothing himself. What therefore we have obtained, those received.”

585 ὅταν ἡμεῖς αὐτοὺς κοινωνοὺς λέγωμεν; “when we put them on a level with us the Apostles and first disciples, in regard that they received the Spirit in the same manner as we received, and as the rest of you did not?”

“While Peter yet spake,” etc. (Recapitulation.) He does not say that Peter was astonished, but, “They of the circumcision:” since he knew what was in preparation. And yet they ought to have marvelled at this, how they themselves had believed. When they heard that they had believed, they were not astonished, but when God gave them the Spirit. Then⁵⁸⁶

586 τότε ὁ Π. ὕστερον ἐξίσταται· καὶ διὰ τοῦτο φησίν. “But when God gave them the Spirit, then Peter afterwards is astonished,” etc. This is evidently corrupt. Τότε ὁ Π. seems to be part of the text v. 46. τότε ἀπεκρίθη ὁ Π. For ὕστερον ἐξίσταται we may perhaps restore, καὶ πρὸς τοῦτο ὁ Π. ὕστερον ἵσταται. “On this Peter afterwards insists (as above, p. 156), and with a view to this he says (before), ‘God hath shown me,’” etc. The innovator substitutes: “When Peter expounded to them his trance, saying, ‘God hath shown me,’” etc. So Edd.

587 Εἰ γὰρ μηδὲν τούτων ἦν, οὐκ ἦρκει τὸ κατόρθωμα; Of the Edd. only Savile puts this, as it ought to be, interrogatively: Ben. renders, non sat fuisset præstium.

In like manner ought we also to glorify God for the good things which befall our neighbors, only⁵⁸⁸

588 μόνον μὴ καθάπερ οἱ λοιποὶ τῶν νεοφωτίστων ἐπηρεάζονται, ὅταν ἄλλους ὁρῶσι φωτισθέντας, καὶ εὐθὺς ἀπιόντας. Δοξάζειν δεῖ τὸν Θεὸν, κᾂν πάντες σωθῶσιν· καὶ σὺ ἐ& 129·ν θέλῃς κ. τ. λ. Above Hom. i. p. 20, it is said, “the sick man” having received baptism in the prospect of death, “if he recovers, is as vexed” because of his baptism “as if some great harm had happened to him.” And so it might have been said here, “not (to feel) as some of the newly-baptized (are apt to do, who) are annoyed (or aggrieved, ἐτηρεάζονται), when they see others” etc.: i.e. who, seeing such cases, think themselves ill used that they were not allowed to defer their baptism to the last moment, but were forced upon the alternative either of leading a strict life, or of forfeiting the grace of baptism. But the assertion οἱ λοιποὶ τῶν νεοφ. is too sweeping, and the word ἐπηρεάζονται is scarcely suitable to this sense: it should rather have been δεινοπαθοῦσιν or ἀναξιοπαθοῦσιν. The meaning, not fully expressed, is: “only not, like as the rest of the newly-baptized are insulted, taunted or jeered (by some), when they see others,” etc.: i.e. it is right to glorify God, only not to imagine that God is glorified by those who, exulting in the safety of their friends who received baptism at the point of death, taunt the rest of the newly baptized, saying, “See, these men are safe: they are baptized to some purpose; while you have received the gift, only to be in danger of losing it.”—He adds, “It is right to glorify God, though all be saved”—though that were the case with all except yourself, that they passed at once from baptism to that world, with the gift unimpaired, and no more in danger to be lost. “And as for you, if you will, you have received a greater gift,” than they: etc.—For ἐπηρεάζονται, A. has ἐπηρεάζουσιν: and this is adopted by the innovator, who alters the passage thus (E. Edd.): “to glorify God, ἀλλ᾽ οὐκ ἐπηρεάζειν (adopted by F. D.) καθάπερ οἰ πολλοὶ τῶν νεοφωτ. ἐτηρεάζουσιν, when they see, etc. It is right to glorify God, καὶ ὅτι μένειν οὐ συγχωρεῖ· & 169·Ωστε καὶ σὺ ἐ& 129·ν θέλῃς κ. τ. λ.(Erasm. et non insultare: Ben. non autem insultare illis.)

Then think whether any longing for sumptuous and dainty living at all came into the mind of a woman, while in hiding beside a coffin (παρὰ λάρνακι), and waiting for her maid-servant to bring her meal, and trembling lest she should be taken, and lying in her terror as in a furnace: was she even aware that there ever was such a thing as dainty living, that such things as dress and ornaments exist at all (ὅτι κόσμος ὅλως ἐστίν)? Seest thou that now is the persecution, with our passions, like wild beasts, setting upon us on every side? Now is the trying persecution, both in this regard, and especially if it is not even thought to be persecution at all. For this (persecution) has also this evil in it, that being war, it is thought to be peace, so that we do not even arm ourselves against it, so that we do not even rise: no one fears, no one trembles. But if ye do not believe me, ask the heathen, the persecutors, at what time was the conduct of the Christians more strict, at what time were they all more proved? Few indeed had they then become in number, but rich in virtue. For say, what profit is it, that there should be hay in plenty, when there might be precious stones? The amount consists not in the sum of numbers, but in the proved worth. Elias was one: yet the whole world was not worth so much as he. And yet the world consists of myriads: but they are no myriads, when they do not even come up to that one. “Better⁵⁸⁹

589 κρείσσων εἷς ποιῶν τὸ θέλημα Κυρίου, ἢ μύριοι παράνομοι. St. Chrys. repeatedly cites this, and almost in the same words, as a text of Scripture, and the Edd. refer it to Ecclus. xvi. 3, but there it is, κρείσσων γὰρ εἷς ἢ χίλιοι (with no various reading), and here the following words, οἱ (B. εἰ) γὰρ μύριοι πρὸς τὸν (τὸ, B. F. ἕνα οὐδέπω ἔφθασαν, seem to be meant as part of the citation. For these E. Edd. substitute, Τοῦτο καί τις σοφὸς αἰνιττόμενος οὕτω τως φησί. Savile adopts both, but reads οὐ γὰρ μύριοι.

590 Οὐδεὶς τὴν ἐπιμέλειαν ἔχει τοῦ παιδὸς τοῦ ἑαυτοῦ· οὐδεὶς ἔχει ζῆλον πρὸς πρεσβύτην ἰδὼν μιμήσασθαι. i.e. “The young are neglected by their own parents and masters, and elsewhere they see no good example of the old to move them to virtue.”

591 ᾽Επὶ δὲ τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῦ δεομένου ἡμῶν, οὐκ ἔτι. So A. B. C. The modern text, τοῦ οὐδ.

592 πάντες νέοι ψυχροὶ καὶ γέροντες. The last word must be corrupt, for he is speaking only of the young: perhaps it should be γέμοντες with some genitive, e.g. “full of folly,” or “evil thoughts.” Then, καθάρματα μᾶλλον ἢ νέοι, more fit to be swept away from the floor as filthy litter than to be regarded as young men. But κάθαρμα, in the sense derived from the heathen ritual, has no equivalent in our language: it means, what remains of the sacrifice used for lustration or atonement, which as having taken into itself the uncleanness or the guilt which was to be removed, was regarded with the utmost abhorrence.

Again I see others stand talking while Prayer is going on; while the more consistent⁵⁹³

593 οἱ δὲ ἐπιεικέστεροι αὐτῶν. Erasm., Et quidam ex illis, adhuc meliores scilicet. Ben. alios modestiores scilicet. But the irony is not of this kind, and the word here has its proper sense: “men whose conduct is more of a piece, the more consistent of them.” Some stand and talk during the prayers, yet kneel and are silent for the Benediction: but these make no such inconsistent pretence: they do not commit this absurdity at least.—Comp. Hom. i. in. Oziam, §4, t. vi. p. 101. “A grievous disease prevails in the Church: when we have purposed to hold converse with God, and are in the act of sending up the doxology to Him, we interrupt our business, and each takes his neighbor aside to talk with him about his domestic concerns, about the goings on in the agora, the public, the theatre, the army: how this was well managed, that neglected: what is the strong point, and what the weak point in this or that business: in short, about all sorts of public and private matters they talk here with one another. Is this pardonable? When a man speaks with the earthly sovereign, he speaks only on the subjects the sovereign chooses to speak and put questions about, and if against the will of the sovereign he should presume to start any other subject, he would bring upon himself the severest punishment. And you, who are speaking with the King of kings, to Whom the angels minister with dread reverence, do you leave your converse with Him to talk about mire, and dust, and spiders—for that is what earthly things are? But you say, the public affairs are in such a bad way, and there is much to talk of and much to be anxious about. And whose fault is that? They say, The blunders of our rulers are the cause. No, not the blunders of our rulers, but our sins: the punishment of our faults. It is these have ruined all, have brought upon us all our sufferings, wars, and defeats. Therefore if we had an Abraham, a Moses, a David, a Solomon, for our ruler, yea, the most righteous of men, it would signify nothing as far as the cause of all our evils is concerned…And if we have one of the most iniquitous of men, a blundering ill-managing person for our ruler, it is our own folly and wickedness that has brought this upon us, it is the punishment of our sins. Therefore let each when he comes here think of his own sins, and not complain of others.” Hom. ix. in 1 Tim. he complains of the women talking in Church.

594 The illustration is taken from some kind of shield dance, which formed one of the amusements of the camp, skilfully executed by a large body of soldiers. The innovator, (E. D. F. Edd.) not understanding the allusion, substitutes: “If you go to a diversion, you will see all keeping time in the dance, and nothing done negligently. As therefore in a well-harmonized and curiously wrought lyre, one well sounding symphony results from the orderly arrangement severally of the component parts, so here there ought to result from all one symphonious harmony. For we are become one Church, we count as members, ‘fitly joined together’ of one Head, we all make one Body: if any carnal point be done negligently, the whole, etc. Thus the good order,” etc.

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