Part 2 of 6

CORNELIUS' HOUSEHOLD AT CAESAREA

This gives the account of the Gentiles first receiving the Holy Ghost, Acts 10:44–48. “While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the Word. And they of the Circumcision (Jews with Peter) which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter, can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we? And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord.” This gives the first account of the Gentiles receiving the Holy Ghost. It was the same in contents, and manifestation as on the Day of Pentecost, only this was to the Gentiles, instead of the Jews as at Pentecost. The question may arise immediately why was this necessary? To this the Bible gives a clear answer. Here is it. First, the Gospel of Salvation is universal in its nature, and was given to ail the world, that all mankind might be saved, irrespective of race, color, or creed. We are told in the Bible that God is no respecter of persons. Up until the coming of Christ the Jews were Goats chosen people, and received the special blessings of the Lord.

The coming of Christ universalized God’s Plan and the Gospel, therefore, it was necessary far God to manifest Himself to the rest of the world as He did to the Jews on the Day of Pentecost. This was for the purpose of breaking down, and removing the wall, and barriers of thought to the effect that the Jews were more highly favored than other peoples of the world. The Jews considered the Gentiles a heathen people. Since this superior feeling among the Jews had been so strong for centuries, it was no small matter to get it broken down. With this background one can at once see that it was vitally necessary that God do as much for the Gentiles as the Jews, or else this attitude and feeling would never have been conquered. For God to do less for a Gentile than a Jew would have meant the Jews would have never accepted other people as being equal in the great plan of God. It is difficult for one who does not have a knowledge of the background of the Jews to fully realize how strong this tradition was. This thought of being God’s chosen people for centuries, and remaining God’s favored ones, was no easy thing to let go.

So strong was this conviction with Peter, that even though he was present on the Day of Pentecost, and was among those who had received the gift of the Holy Ghost, yet about eight years later God had to give him the vision of the sheet let down from heaven, containing a picture of various beasts of the earth, creeping things, and fowls of the air, as recorded in the 10th chapter of Acts, before he would accept a Gentile as being on equal plain with the Jew. The voice of God came to him saying, “Arise, kill and eat, but Peter said, not so Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean. And the voice spoke unto him the second time, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common.” Acts 10:12–15.

Even after this Peter doubted, and could not decide just what this was, or its purpose. At this time three men arrived from Cornelius’ Household, to the place which Peter abode, and called and asked whether Simon, which was surnamed Peter, were lodged their. While Peter thought on the vision, the Spirit said unto him, “Behold, three men seek thee, arise therefore and get thee down, and go with them doubting nothing for I have sent them.” Then Peter went down to the men which were sent unto him from Cornelius, and said, “Behold, I am he whom ye seek; what is the cause wherefore ye are cone? And they said, “Cornelius the Centurion, a just man, and one that feareth God, and of good report among all nations of the Jews, was warned from God by an holy Angel to send for thee into his house, and to hear words of thee.” Then called he them in and lodged them.

And on the morrow after they entered into Caesarea, waiting for them, and had called together his kinsmen and near friends Acts 10:24. One may ask why did Cornelius act thus, and how had he knowledge of Peter’s coming? The answer to this is recorded in Acts 10:1–7. These scriptures give the account of God’s revelation to Cornelius of flit soon coming event the same as he did to Peter. God always does the job right and well.

We continue with the account of Peter coming to Cornelius’ house Acts 10:25, we read, “And as Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him, and fell down at his feet and worshipped him. But Peter took him up, saying, Stand up; I myself also am a man, and as he talked with them, he went in, and found many that were come together’’ Acts 10:25–27. The remaining part of this chapter ‘gives the message, and conversation between Peter, and Cornelius, also the receiving of the Holy Ghost by Cornelius’ Household.

Note how Peter begins, “And he said unto them, ye know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company, or come unto another nation. But God hath showed me that I should not call any man common or unclean. Therefore, I came unto you without gainsaying, as soon as I was sent for; I asked what intent ye have sent for me?” You can see at a glance that only the Lord could break this superior attitude of the Jews toward the Gentiles. It will no doubt be of interest to the reader to know that the Gentiles included all peoples of the world, excepting the twelve tribes and their descendants. We dealt with the Jews on the Day of Pentecost, and are dealing with the Gentiles in this chapter, later we will deal with the balance of the people of the world. At this point the stage is set and preparation is made for the entry of the Gentile world into the great plan of God on equal basis with the Jews. We can say a great day indeed.

THE MAN CORNELIUS He was a resident of Caesarea, a Gentile leader, a Centurion of the band called the Italian band. The Bible states that he was “a devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God always” Acts 10:1–2. A devout man was one who worshipped the true God, and was no idolater. “One that feared God,” meaning one acquainted with the true God, by means of His Word and Laws, who respected these laws, and would not dare to offend his maker and judge. From the foregoing, beyond all question, Cornelius was a saved man, a Christian.

He was one who had become dissatisfied with the Pagan Religion, which he had inherited, and had turned to the faith of Israel, and to the knowledge and worship of the one true God, “He prayed to God always.” To further confirm this fact we read in Acts 10:22, “And they said, Cornelius the Centurion, a just man, and one that feareth God, and a good report among all nations of the Jews, was warned from God by an holy Angel to send for thee into his house, and to hear words of thee.” No one would be looked on with favor by a Jew who had not accepted Israel’s God. This denotes the fact also, that the Holy Spirit is given to no one but believers. According to the Word of God a sinner cannot receive the Holy Spirit. “And I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another comforter, that He may abide with you forever; Even the Spirit of truth, whom the world (sinners) cannot receive, because it seeth Him not, neither knoweth him, but ye know Him, for He dwelleth with you (believers) and shall be in you,” (Meaning when sanctified). The Bible requirement is to be genuinely saved from sin, then one is ready for the infilling of the Holy Spirit. He will not move into unclean vessels.

For further clarification, I wish to state that the Household of Cornelius, strictly speaking, included his private family, but to me it seems too broad to take in the military family, for the Bible teaches that the Holy Ghost fell on them, and we know He does not move into hearts of sinners. Then too, it is a fact he took special care to instruct his family in the knowledge, which he himself had received, and to establish the worship of the true God in his house. All being gathered together into one place signifies that they were not of an extreme large number. We are not able to give the exact number, but we do know that all believers that were present received the Holy Ghost Acts 10:44. This does not mean however, that no one else was present to witness this scene. Considering all things involved would lead one to believe that others were in seeing and hearing distance of this occasion. This will be considered further later. However, it might have been, the scriptures clearly teach that Cornelius’ Household received the Holy Ghost, and spake in tongues, and magnified God.

THE RECEIVING OF THE HOLY GHOST BY THE GENTILES (CORNELIUS HOUSEHOLD)

“While Peter yet spake these words the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the Word. And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter, Can any man, forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we? And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord …” Acts 10:44–48.

Goodspeed’s authorized version, an American Translation, sheds some additional light by expressing it in more modern terms, let us note, “Before Peter had finished saying these words the Holy Spirit fell on all who were listening to the message. The Jewish believers who had come with Peter were amazed because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been showered upon the heathen too, for they heard them speaking in foreign languages and declaring the greatness of God. Then Peter said, Can anyone refuse the use of water to baptize these people when they received the Holy Spirit just as we did?” It is well to keep in mind that the Jews considered all Gentiles a heathen people, meaning an impure people.

Now to the setting and outcome of our lesson. First, we will consider Cornelius and his household present to hear, listening in an intelligent position, not asking for, nor expecting the gift of tongues or languages. It is clear beyond all question that here as on the Day of Pentecost that tongues was not in the least under consideration. They were not even mentioned prior to receiving of the Holy Ghost. They were waiting for the infilling of the Holy Spirit. No where do we find they sought the gift above the gift giver. Their concern was to become a possessor of the Holy Spirit, and leave the responsibility to Him for imparting the needed gifts, and manifestations.

To demand a demonstration of any one of the gifts recorded in the Bible as evidence of the reception of the Holy Spirit, would be minimizing His power, resorting to the inferior, adding to the Word of God, disorganizing, and rendering out of harmony with the whole revealed will and plan of God. The Holy Spirit has power to do his own witnessing when He moves in the heart, hence never resorts to something of a lower, inferior quality to convince of His presence. To demand any certain demonstration as an evidence would be stating that the Holy Spirit does not possess power enough to make known His presence within the heart. From the Word of God we learn that the Holy Spirit has power to do His own witnessing therefore needs no inferior something to stand as evidence. In Heb. 10:16, we read, “Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us.” He does His own witnessing, and never leaves His work to something lower and inferior. To err so far from the scriptures as to demand any set demonstration, or initial evidence of speaking in tongues, would certainly be false, and would not be held guiltless before God at the judgment.

At this point at Cornelius’ Household, we have a Jewish preacher (Peter) present with his gospel band, (“As many as came with Peter” Acts 10:45). God had a purpose in more Jews than one witnessing the Gentiles receiving the Holy Ghost. The purpose was to convince the Jews beyond all question that God had placed all nations and peoples on the plain of equality in His great universal plan. The Bible states “In the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall be established.” To have less than the scriptures taught would have left room for questionings, and doubts with the Jews. So God planned for enough to be present to stop the mouth of all critics.

While Peter yet spake, the Holy Ghost fell on all of them (Gentiles) which were listening. The Bible states, “And they of the circumcision (Jews), which believed were astonished (amazed) as many as came with Peter.” The thing that astonished them was, “Because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost.” To thoroughly convince that God thought as much of the Gen. tiles as He did the Jews, He gave the same manifestations as He did to the Jews. “For they heard them speak in tongues, and magnify God.” Acts 10:46. Goodspeed puts it, “For they heard them speak in foreign languages, and declaring the greatness of God.”

It is clear that they spoke foreign languages, which confirms the fact it was understandable. One may ask, what language, or languages, did they speak? To this the answer can be clearly given. Keep in mind Cornelius was a Centurion, (about the same rank as Captain in our Modern Armies) of the Italian band meaning Italian Army. The Italian Army was of different nationalities, and lived in a different part of country from that of Peter, and the group with him, therefore, they spoke a different language from that of the Jews. This within itself made it necessary for a manifestation of the true Bible gift of tongues. It is simple to understand how this could be true, since in the days of the writing of the New Testament, on an average, every twenty miles a different language, or dialect was spoken.

The things that so thoroughly convinced Peter, and those with him, was they saw them empowered with supernatural ability, to speak in a language other than their native tongue, the same as on the Day of Pentecost. To further emphasize that it was understood, the scriptures teach, they heard them declare the greatness of God. If they had not understood, they would not have known whether they were praising and magnifying God, or saying something the devil would have them say. It is clear and evident they spoke in an understandable language, and were understood by those listening, therefore needed no interpreter. Goodspeed renders it as, “They heard them speak in foreign languages, declaring the greatness of God.” The very fact of it being called a language signifies that it was understandable. Here, instead of Peter, the Jew, preaching to the Gentiles, we have the Gentiles preaching to the Jews.

The Italian Army was composed of various groups of people, which if the army was present to witness, as some give it, made it vitally necessary that some one be empowered with the supernatural gift of languages, so that all may hear and understand the Gospel in their mother tongue. It was a repetition of the Day of Pentecost to the Gentiles. When Peter was accused of going to the Gentiles by his brethren of Judea, he related his reasons for going, and detailed the result, which was his defense. Let us notice his defense as recorded in Acts 11:15–17. “And as I began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell on them, as on us at the beginning. Then remembered I the Word of the Lord, how that He said, John indeed baptized with water, but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost. Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift as He did unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ; what was I, that I should withstand God?”

The very fact it being according to scripture a repetition of the Day of Pentecost settles beyond all question that there were various nationalities present, and the language that they spoke was understandable to the listeners. However, we must not conclude that all present spoke in languages, for they did not. The scriptures no where teach that, but it does teach some did, and others listened, and understood. The Holy Ghost’s dealings with the Gentiles was decent, intelligent, understandable, and silenced all questioning by the Jewish Christians, and placed both Jew and Gentile on the same plain, and in the same relation to God’s great plan of grace. Once again the true Bible gift of tongues was Biblically demonstrated, and no interpreter was needed.

THE TWELVE SAMARITANS AT EPHESUS (ACTS 19:1-7)

“And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus; and finding certain Disciples, He said unto them; Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, we have not so much as heard whether there be an Holy Ghost. And he said unto them, unto what then were ye baptized? And they, said unto John’s baptism.

Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus. When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues and prophesied. And all men were about twelve.

It is interesting to not there were only three divisions of people during the time of Christ here on earth, namely, THE JEWS, THE GENTILES, and THE SAMARITANS. We have considered the record of the Jews receiving the Holy Ghost in Acts 2:1–18. Also the record of the Gentiles receiving the Holy Ghost in Acts 10:1 Therefore, we only have one group left, the Samaritans which we will consider now.

God’s plan of salvation and grace is universal in its nature, and is for all races, groups, and people who will accept and believe it. From this we see the reason for the Holy Ghost manifesting Himself the same to the Samaritans as He did to the Jaws, and to the Gentiles. This proves beyond all question that no partiality is shown, and that God is no respecter of persons, and all people are on equal plain in the great plan of redemption. This should clarify to all the reason for the three recorded incidents of being supernaturally empowered to speak in languages they had never known, and other than their native tongue. These three instances of speaking in other languages was necessary for the entire world to know of the Gospel, and to rid of the feeling that God favored one people, or group above another. From the time of the foregoing incidents we find no question of God’s great plan of equality in the Church.

The question may arise, How do you know, or by what authority do you say these twelve Disciples that Paul found at Ephesus were Samaritans? This question is good and timely, and we will be glad to answer.

To get a good Biblical background, I invite you to go back with me to the divided Kingdoms, namely, The Kingdom of Judah, and The Kingdom of Israel, which began about 975 B C Israel in the beginning included Jacob, his twelve sons, and their descendants. To this truth all Biblical scholars will agree.

Out of these twelve tribes, one was chosen as the one to receive the promised inheritance, thus become the special chosen and favored of God. Judah was the fourth son, and the first qualified one to receive this blessing, therefore Judah and his descendants became the special favored people of God and were to remain as such until Jesus came and universalized the Gospel. I could give Biblical reasons for this, but it is aside from the point, and is not necessary for clarification of thought we now have under consideration. Strictly speaking, a Samaritan during the days of Jesus here on earth would be an inhabitant of the City of Samaria. But several hundred years before Christ this term was applied to all the people of the Kingdom of Israel. After the captivity of Israel, B. C. 722, and in our Lord’s time here on earth, the name Samaritan was applied to a peculiar people who derived their existence from the tribes of Israel. The country of Samaria first included all the tribes over which Jeroboam made himself King, whether east or west of the river Jordan, proof to this will be found in I Kings 13:32. But whatever extent the word might have acquired, it necessarily became contracted as the limits of the Kingdom of Israel. From the foregoing facts it is easy to determine that if this happening hadn’t occurred at Ephesus the descendants of the ten tribes of Israel would have been slighted, cut off, or forbidden entrance into Christ’s great redemptive plan of Salvation.

It may be asked, how or where did these twelve men hear of the Gospel according to John and become baptized by John? The record makes it clear that they were converts of John the Baptist. When Paul asked them unto what baptism were they baptized, they said, “Unto John’s Baptism.” Acts 19:3. A close study of this will reveal that these men were at Jerusalem, or near about approximately twenty-six years prior to the time Paul found them in Ephesus. They had heard John preach, and were baptized by him, and during the course of years they had migrated as far as Ephesus. This accounts for them not knowing anything about the Holy Ghost. It is clear, however, that they had remained faithful to all the light they had, and were disciples of the Lord. I trust this background will be a revelation to all why the three incidents, and speaking in tongues occurred as they did, and the place they did. Christ died for all. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16. The Jews hated the Samaritans above all people, and classed them as dogs. They were a mixed people, but still of Israel. John the Baptist was sent to preach to the Jews and the House of Israel. This accounts for them knowing of, and being converted under John the Baptist. Much more could be said, and details could be given, but this should be sufficient proof.

In Acts 2, the Jews received the Holy Ghost, in Acts 10, the Gentiles, and there is just one group left, so now we go to the descension of the Holy Ghost to the Samaritans as recorded in Acts 19:1–7.