ACC ~ Acts 10 v44 - 48

OVERVIEW:

The Spirit takes the initiative in bringing the Gentiles into the church in order to give Peter, who was open to their admission, the ground of obedience on which to defend himself (CHRYSOSTOM, BEDE, IRENAEUs). The apparent singularity of this action is only a more clearly divine intervention that occurs in the preaching of the gospel as a whole (ORIGEN). In this event, we see how our barriers can become obstacles to the spread of the gospel and how God knocks these down as dramatically as might be necessary (SEVERUS). Peter’s actions show that there is a mysterious necessity to baptism by water (CHRYSOSTOM, CYRIL OF JERUSALEM). Modern commentators often point out that asking how they received the Spirit without having been baptized is to miss the point of the Lukan story. Though they have already received the Spirit, Gentiles are still baptized because that is part of the process by which one becomes a Christian. Other commentators stress that Luke wants to emphasize that, from beginning to end in this story, God takes the initiative. They discuss how Luke portrays and perhaps would have understood baptism and the event here since the relation between baptism and the Holy Spirit is portrayed differently. Here, baptism is ordered after the coming of the Spirit. In Acts 2:38 the Spirit seems called down as a consequence of baptism. In Acts 8:16 the baptism is not followed by the Spirit’s descent, which happens only when Peter and John lay their hands on the baptized. Baptism and the laying on of hands precede the gift of the Spirit in Acts 19:5-6. So while the event’s order in Caesarea is sometimes said to be exceptional, in fact Luke may not have considered that there was a fixed order.

10:44 | The Holy Spirit Descends on All

PETER PRESENT TO BE TAUGHT. CHRYSOSTOM: Observe God’s providential management. He does not suffer the speech to be finished or 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 the Spirit immediately comes upon them. Now this is done by God’s so disposing it as to provide for Peter a mighty ground of justification. And it is not simply that the Spirit came upon them, but “they spoke with tongues,” which was the thing that astonished those who had come together. They altogether disliked the matter, wherefore it is that the whole is of God; and as for Peter, it may almost be said, that he is present only to be taught (with them) the lesson, that they must take the Gentiles in hand and that they themselves are the persons by whom this must be done. HOMILIES ON THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 24.

THE HOLY SPIRIT TESTIFIED. BEDE: Lest there might be any hesitation about conferring baptism upon the Gentiles, support was supplied by the testimony of the Holy Spirit, who in an unexpected sequence of events acted in advance of the waters of the baptismal bath, which are ordinarily the means of sanctification. This is reported to have happened once in testimony to the faith of the Gentiles but never in the case of the Jews. COMMENTARY ON THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 10.44.

THE OUTPOURING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. ORIGEN: Do you want to know that it is not just Jesus alone in his speaking who transmits the Holy Spirit to his hearers, but that everyone who speaks God’s word in his name actually hands on the Spirit of God to those who listen? See then, how in the Acts of the Apostles, when Peter is speaking to Cornelius, Cornelius himself and those with him were filled with the Holy Spirit. Hence, if you speak God’s word and do so faithfully with a pure conscience, it can come about that while you are speaking the fire of the Holy Spirit will inflame the hearts of your hearers and immediately make them warm and eager to carry out all you are teaching in order to implement what they have learned. COMMENTARY ON ROMANS 6.13.

10:45 | Even on the Gentiles

DESTROYING THE DIVIDING WALL. CHRYSOSTOM: Gentiles? What Gentiles now? They were no longer Gentiles, the Truth having come. It is nothing wonderful, he says, if before the act of baptism they received the Spirit: in our own case this same happened. Peter shows that not as the rest were they baptized, but in a much better way. This is the reason why the event takes place in this manner, that they [his opponents] may have nothing to say but even in this way may account them [the Gentiles] equal with themselves [the Jews]. HOMILIES ON THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 24.

10:46 | Speaking in Tongues

GOD SURPRISES US TO THE DEGREE NECESSARY. SEVERUS OF ANTIOCH: At the beginning of the preaching, when the apostles announced the gospel, those who received holy baptism both spoke with tongues and prophesied in order to prove that they had received the Holy Spirit. When unbelief was at its climax, then, as was necessary, the miracles flourished. Yet, with the faith spread far and wide, there is no need of signs, for what comes from God is not for show but for the salvation, healing and benefit of those who receive. CATENA ON THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 10.44.

10:47 | Can Anyone Forbid Water?

PETER SHOWS HIS HAND. CHRYSOSTOM: Peter seizes his advantage, and notice the argument he makes of it: “Can anyone forbid water for baptizing these people who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” Mark the conclusion to which he brings it; how he has been travailing to bring this forth. So entirely was he of this mind! “Can anyone,” he asks, “forbid water?” It is the language, we may almost say, of one triumphantly pressing his advantage against such as would forbid, such as should say that this ought not to be. The whole thing, he says, is complete, the most essential part of the business, the baptism with which we were baptized. “And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.” After he has cleared himself, then, and not before, he commands them to be baptized: teaching them by the facts themselves. HOMILIES ON THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 24.

PETER OBEDIENT TO THE SPIRIT. IRENAEUS: Through these words he shows that he would have never gone to them if he had not been ordered to do so. Likewise, he would have never baptized them so unscrupulously if he had not heard them prophesy when the Holy Spirit rested on them. And that is why he said, “Can anyone forbid water that these, who have received the Holy Spirit as well as we, should not be baptized?” He wanted to show and teach those who were with him that if the Holy Spirit had not come to rest upon them, there would have been someone who would have kept them from baptism. CATENA ON THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 10.28.

THE NECESSITY OF WATER. CHRYSOSTOM: That the need of water is absolute and indispensable, you may learn in this way. On one occasion, when the Spirit had been poured out before the water was applied, the apostle did not stay at this point, but, as though the water were necessary and not superfluous, observe what he says: “Can any one forbid water for baptizing these people who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” HOMILIES ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 25.2.

A TWOFOLD PURIFICATION. CYRIL OF JERUSALEM: For since a person is of twofold nature, soul and body, the purification also is twofold, the one incorporeal for the incorporeal part, and the other bodily for the body. The water cleanses the body, and the Spirit seals the soul, that we may draw near to God, “having our heart sprinkled” by the Spirit “and our body washed with pure water.” … Neither does he who is baptized with water, but not found worthy of the Spirit, receive the grace in perfection; nor if a person is virtuous in his deeds, but receives not the seal by water, shall he enter into the kingdom of heaven. A bold saying, but not mine, for it is Jesus who has declared it, and here is the proof of the statement from holy Scripture. Cornelius was a just man who was honored with a vision of angels and had set up his prayers and alms deeds as a good memorial before God in heaven. Peter came, and the Spirit was poured out on them that believed, and they spoke with other tongues and prophesied. And after the grace of the Spirit the Scripture says that Peter commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ; in order that, the soul having been born again by faith, the body also might by the water partake of the grace. CATECHETICAL LECTURE 3.4.

10:48 | Peter Commanded Them to Be Baptized

BAPTIZED IN THE UNITY OF THE NAME. BEDE: Since the rule of the church is that the faithful are baptized in the name of the holy Trinity, a question arises as to how it is that in the whole text of this book Luke bears witness to the giving of baptism only in the name of Jesus Christ. The blessed Ambrose resolves this question as follows. “Through the unity of the name the mystery is completed. If you say ‘Christ,’ you have designated at the same time God the Father, by whom the Son was anointed, and the Son who was himself anointed, and the Spirit with whom he was anointed, for it is written, ‘Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed him with the Holy Spirit.’ If you say, ‘the Father,’ you also indicated at the same time his Son and the Spirit of his mouth (if, moreover, you also comprehend this in your heart). And if you say, ‘the Spirit,’ you have also named God the Father, from whom the Spirit proceeds, and also the Son, because the Spirit is also the Son’s. Hence, as authority may be joined to reason, Scripture indicates that we can also properly be baptized in the Spirit when it says, ‘But you will be baptized in the Holy Spirit.’” And the apostle says, “For in one body we were all baptized into one Spirit.” According to another way of looking at the question, it is particularly appropriate for us to be baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, since, as the apostle says, “All of us who have been baptized in Christ Jesus have been baptized in his death,” and so forth. COMMENTARY ON THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 10.48.