Bob Utley You Can Understand the Bible - Acts 10:30 - 10:33

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Bob Utley You Can Understand the Bible - Acts 10:30 - 10:33


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This Chapter Verse Commentaries:

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Act_10:30-33

30Cornelius said, "Four days ago to this hour, I was praying in my house during the ninth hour; and behold, a man stood before me in shining garments, 31and he said, 'Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and your alms have been remembered before God. 32Therefore send to Joppa and invite Simon, who is also called Peter, to come to you; he is staying at the house of Simon the tanner by the sea.' 33So I sent for you immediately, and you have been kind enough to come. Now then, we are all here present before God to hear all that you have been commanded by the Lord."

Act_10:30 "in shining garments" Angels often appear in this form (cf. Act_1:10; Mat_28:3; Mar_16:5; Joh_20:12; Luk_24:4).

Act_10:31 This is the third time in this chapter that Cornelius' piety has been affirmed (cf. Act_10:4; Act_10:22). Cornelius is not the surprise; it is his friends, servants, and family who also trust Christ. This is one of several examples in Acts of "household salvations."

Those of us who have grown up with western evangelical models of evangelism which emphasize individual volitional response are surprised by these kinds of corporate responses, but most of the world has a tribal, family, group orientation. God is able to work through many models to reach humans made in His image. There is no one model of evangelism!

Act_10:33 These people were ready to hear! They realized they were in the midst of a divine moment with a God-sent messenger.