Cornelius Shares His Vision with Kefa
In my last post, we learned that Kefa Went to Cornelius. In this post, we learn that Cornelius Shares His Vision with Kefa, and Kefa Preaches the Gospel.
30 Cornelius answered, “Three days ago around this time, I was at minchah prayers [1] in my house, when suddenly a man in shining clothes stood in front of me 31 and said, ‘God has heard your prayer and remembered your acts of charity. 32 Now send to Yafo and ask for Shim ‘on, known as Kefa; he is staying in the house of Shim ‘on, a leather-tanner, by the sea.’ 33 So I sent for you immediately, and you have been kind enough to come. Now all of us are here in the presence of God to hear everything the Lord has ordered you to say.” 34 Then Kefa addressed them: “I now understand that God does not play favorites, 35 but that whoever fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him, no matter what people he belongs to.
God does not play favorites, but … whoever fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him, no matter what people he belongs to. The Judaism of the rabbis has comparable teaching that among the nations, there are righteous people “who have a share in the world to come,” where righteousness for Gentiles is often defined as keeping the seven Noachide laws (see Acts 15:20).
36 “Here is the message that he sent to the sons of Isra’el announcing shalom through Yeshua the Messiah, who is Lord of everything.
Jewish people, in general, would call God “Lord of all.” “Preaching peace” alludes to the concept of Isra’el’s redemption, found in Isaiah 52:7 and similar passages, although even God-fearing Gentiles might miss this allusion.
37 You know what has been going on throughout Y’hudah, starting from the Galil after the immersion that Yochanan proclaimed; 38 how God anointed Yeshua from Natzeret with the Ruach HaKodesh and with power; how Yeshua went about doing good and healing all the people oppressed by the Adversary because God was with Him.
Depending on how much Cornelius knows about Judaism, he may recognize that anyone anointed with the Ruach HaKodesh in his own time would be considered extraordinary by his Jewish contemporaries.
39 “As for us, we are witnesses of everything He did, both in the Judean countryside and in Yerushalayim. They did away with Him by hanging Him on a stake; 40 but God raised Him up on the third day and let Him be seen, 41 not by all the people, but by witnesses God had previously chosen, that is, by us, who ate and drank with Him after He had risen again from the dead. 42 “Then He commanded us to proclaim and attest to the Jewish people that this man has been appointed by God to judge the living and the dead. 43 All the prophets bear witness to Him, that everyone who puts his trust in Him receives forgiveness of sins through His name.” ~ Acts 10:30-43.
Kefa’s sermon points to these God-fearing Gentiles: Yeshua is sent by God and is still alive. He will be the final judge of all human beings. The Tanakh points to Him. Those who trust in His mercy will be forgiven their sins through His name, that is, because of who He is and what He has done. What an excellent summation of the Gospel Message!
In my next post, we will continue to examine Kefa’s encounter with Cornelius in First Gentile Believers ~ Part 6 where Cornelius, His Family, and Guests Are Baptized.
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[1] Literally, “I was at the ninth hour praying in my house.”
My Heart is for Israel 