ACC ~ Acts 10 v47

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.

Acts