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The Acts of the Apostles
cause wherefore ye are come?” They told him of their singular errand,
saying, “Cornelius the centurion, a just man, and one that feareth God,
and of good report among all the nation of the Jews, was warned from
God by a holy angel to send for thee into his house, and to hear words
of thee.”
In obedience to the directions just received from God, the apostle
promised to go with them. On the following morning he set out for
Caesarea, accompanied by six of his brethren. These were to be
witnesses of all that he should say or do while visiting the Gentiles, for
Peter knew that he would be called to account for so direct a violation
of the Jewish teachings.
As Peter entered the house of the Gentile, Cornelius did not salute
him as an ordinary visitor, but as one honored of Heaven and sent
to him by God. It is an Eastern custom to bow before a prince or
other high dignitary and for children to bow before their parents; but
Cornelius, overwhelmed with reverence for the one sent by God to
teach him, fell at the apostle’s feet and worshiped him. Peter was
horror-stricken, and he lifted the centurion up, saying, “Stand up; I
myself also am a man.”
[138]
While the messengers of Cornelius had been gone upon their er-
rand, the centurion “had called together his kinsmen and near friends,”
that they as well as he might hear the preaching of the gospel. When
Peter arrived, he found a large company eagerly waiting to listen to
his words.
To those assembled, Peter spoke first of the custom of the Jews,
saying that it was looked upon as unlawful for Jews to mingle socially
with the Gentiles, that to do this involved ceremonial defilement. “Ye
know,” he said, “how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a
Jew to keep company, or come unto one of another nation; but God
hath showed me that I should not call any man common or unclean.
Therefore came I unto you without gainsaying, as soon as I was sent
for: I ask therefore for what intent ye have sent for me?”
Cornelius then related his experience and the words of the angel,
saying in conclusion, “Immediately therefore I sent to thee; and thou
hast well done that thou art come. Now therefore are we all here
present before God, to hear all things that are commanded thee of
God.”