Scripture Daily

Context No. 1010 of 4322 · Acts

Context · Reflection

Acts 10:30-43: in context

30Cornelius said, “Four days ago, I was fasting until this hour; and at the ninth hour, I prayed in my house, and behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing 31and said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer is heard, and your gifts to the needy are remembered in the sight of God. 32Send therefore to Joppa and summon Simon, who is also called Peter. He is staying in the house of a tanner named Simon, by the seaside. When he comes, he will speak to you.’ 33Therefore I sent to you at once, and it was good of you to come. Now therefore we are all here present in the sight of God to hear all things that have been commanded you by God.” 34Peter opened his mouth and said, “Truly I perceive that God doesn’t show favoritism; 35but in every nation he who fears him and works righteousness is acceptable to him. 36The word which he sent to the children of Israel, preaching good news of peace by Jesus Christ—he is Lord of all— 37you yourselves know what happened, which was proclaimed throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached; 38how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. 39We are witnesses of everything he did both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem; whom they also killed, hanging him on a tree. 40God raised him up the third day and gave him to be revealed, 41not to all the people, but to witnesses who were chosen before by God, to us, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. 42He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that this is he who is appointed by God as the Judge of the living and the dead. 43All the prophets testify about him, that through his name everyone who believes in him will receive remission of sins.”

Cornelius, a Roman centurion, has gathered his household to hear Peter, and he explains how an angel told him to send for this Jewish apostle. Peter, having just learned in a vision that he must not call any person unclean, opens with a breakthrough: truly I understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. Then he preaches the gospel in miniature: Jesus of Nazareth, anointed with the Spirit, went about doing good and healing, was crucified, and God raised him on the third day; he appeared to chosen witnesses; he is appointed judge of the living and the dead; and everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins.

The door that swings open in this scene is enormous. Peter, a devout Jew who would never have entered a Gentile's house, stands in a Roman soldier's home and says the words that break the wall: God shows no partiality. The gospel is not the property of one people; in every nation the one who fears God is welcome. It took a vision to get Peter here, because the prejudice ran deep, and now he sees that the good news he carries was always meant for the whole world. And notice how he sums up Jesus: he went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed. That one line captures the shape of Jesus' life, not primarily a teacher of hard sayings or a wonder-worker for show, but a man who moved through the world doing good and setting the oppressed free, because God was with him. Peter preaches a Savior whose whole life was mercy in motion, crucified, risen, and now the judge before whom the forgiveness he offers is the only refuge.

Do I still carry a partiality God does not, treating the good news as somehow more for people like me, and does my life, like Jesus', move through the world doing good?

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