The Reasons Cornelius Had To Send For The Apostle Peter For Salvation
Posted: Saturday, September 17, 2011
by Joel Hendon
http://hebronics.org/index.html
Under the Old Testament Law of Moses, Gentiles were considered low class. The law was given to the Jewish people, not the Gentiles. The Jews had been chosen by God to furnish the genealogy to Christ which caused the Jews to presume they were far greater than any other race.
So, when Jesus came to the earth and gave his life on the cross to establish His church, it was for all people who would accept His teachings. Listen to Paul in his letter to the Galatians:
Under the Christian dispensation, all men are equal regardless of their gender, race or lineage. The only difference is those who believe and obey or those who do not. So our subject is relative to that subject and the question arises from what is said in Galatians’ 10.
There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian Regiment, a devout man and one who feared God with all his household, who gave alms generously to the people, and prayed to God always. 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. (Galatians 10:1-8 NKJV)
When Peter came, and was told the reason Cornelius sent for him, he preached unto him and his household. Now, as he was speaking read what happens:
While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word. And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God. Then Peter answered, "Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?" And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then they asked him to stay a few days. (Galatians 10:44-48 NKJV)
Questions are often asked as to why God went this route to save Cornelius and his household. It was done this way because Jesus had told the apostles while he was here, that he would give unto them, the keys to the kingdom and whatsoever they might bind on earth, would be bound in heaven and whatsoever they might loose on earth, would be loosed in heaven. (Matthew 16:17-18 KJV)
Could not the angel that appeared to Cornelius have preached the same message to them as did Peter? Could God have not sent the Holy Spirit down upon them without the presence of Peter? The answer to both questions is of course, yes, he could. So many want to know why did they send for Peter.
One of the reasons was as I said above, He had promised Peter that the apostles would be the ones to open the doors of the kingdom. Cornelius and his household were the very first Gentiles to have received the gospel and accepted it. So there were lessons to be taught here. The young church or all Jews had not yet fully realized that any other than the Jews would be acceptable. Read the entire chapter 10 of Acts. You’ll see the vision God brought to Peter to show him that no man was unclean when he had pronounced them clean.
God had placed His truths in "earthen vessels" (2 Corinthians. 4:7) that its divine origin might be the more apparent. It was not His will then or now that heavenly messengers deliver the story of salvation to the world. It was "once for all" delivered to inspired men, and through them to the written form in which we now find it. (Jude 3, Eph. 3:1f. 2 Pet. 1:14f.)
After this episode, Peter went back to Jerusalem and spoke to the church there and the other apostles, explaining the vision he had received and the occasion with Cornelius. This was so all could know that the Gentiles were accepted into the fold of God. Many did not fully understand it and caused much troubles as the church grew. Many did not want to abandon the law given through Moses, nor to accept that circumcision was no longer required.
By reading the Acts of the Apostles and the epistles, especially those written by Paul, you will see that much of their time was spent trying to persuade those, who were still teaching Judaism, to let it go.
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