Peter arrives at the home of the Roman Centurion.

Acts 10:24-29

Click for a description of the mark of the beast.
Click here for a description of the image of the beast.

“And the following day they entered Caesarea.” Acts 10:24a.

The “following day” refers to the day after three men stayed overnight with Peter in Joppa. Those men were sent by Cornelius, a Roman Centurion, to invite Peter to his home. Cornelius’ home was in Caesarea. That is described in the post on Acts 10:17-23. On the map below, Caesarea is to the north of Joppa, and both are on the coastline of the Mediterranean Sea. “SHARON” is between the two.

“Now Cornelius was waiting for them, and had called together his relatives and close friends.” Acts 10:24b

The Roman Centurion, Cornelius, was waiting for his three men and Peter to arrive at his home. He knew Peter was a leader of the way of Christ, and asked him to his home according to the instructions of an angel of the Lord. Cornelius was a devout man who feared God with all his household, and gave generously to the people, and prayed to God always, as described in the post on Acts 10:1-2. Cornelius invited all of his close friends and relatives to this meeting with Peter. They were loyal to Cornelius, but most importantly, they had a heart, mind, and spirit ready to receive the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

As a Christian, I do not have any relatives or close friends who would have a sincere and heartfelt desire to go to a meeting where an evangelical preacher of the Gospel of Jesus Christ would be. If they did come, they would be described in this way, “These are spots in your love feasts, while they feast with you without fear, serving only themselves.” Jude 1:12 We are living in the days where people love the darkness and hate the Light of Jesus Christ, “For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.” John 3:20-21

“As Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet and worshiped him. But Peter lifted him up, saying, “Stand up; I myself am also a man.” And as he talked with him, he went in and found many who had come together.” Acts 10:25-27

As a Roman Centurion, Cornelius, was commander over 100 Roman soldiers, and here he was bowing down to a person he knew was not only a Jewish person, but a leader of the way of Jesus Christ. When we see that type of humility in a person towards Christians, we know they are not supportive of the atheistic culture that receives their instructions from the beast that gives them what to speak, do, think, and feel.

The humility of Peter towards the non-Jewish Gentile Roman centurion was also remarkable. Peter lifted up Cornelius and said, “Stand up; I myself am also a man.” This type of mutual humility towards one another describes this verse, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Galatians 3:28 The key is “…you are all one in Christ Jesus…”. Honoring one another but rejecting the honor that comes from God is what today’s atheistic culture thrives on, “How can you believe, who receive honor from one another, and do not seek the honor that comes from the only God?” John 5:44

As Peter and Cornelius were speaking with one another, they entered a room where Peter saw many who had come together to hear what he had to say in the name of Jesus.

“Then he said to them, “You know how unlawful it is for a Jewish man to keep company with or go to one of another nation. But God has shown me that I should not call any man common or unclean. Therefore I came without objection as soon as I was sent for. I ask, then, for what reason have you sent for me?” Acts 10:28-29

By the laws of Judaism, it was illegal for a Jewish person to associate and keep company with non-Jewish people. This was seen often in the interactions of Christ with others, “Then the woman of Samaria said to Him, “How is it that You, being a Jew, ask a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?” For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans…And at this point His disciples came, and they marveled that He talked with a woman; yet no one said, “What do You seek?” or, “Why are You talking with her?” John 4:9, 27 And also, “And behold, a woman of Canaan came…and cried out to Him, saying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! My daughter is severely demon-possessed…But He answered and said, “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs.” Matthew 15: 22, 26 As we know, Jesus offered the Samaritan woman the Water of Life and healed the daughter of the woman from Canaan.

The Gospel of Jesus Christ is for every country, nation, and people around the world, and His testimony has been heard in homes in every city around the world.

In the post on Acts 10:9-16, Peter was grappling with the meaning of the vision that the angel of the Lord showed him. He saw a sheet, spread out like a dinner tray, full of “unclean” animals, creeping things, and birds that were not legal to eat by Jewish customs [Leviticus 11]. The Lord commanded Peter to eat and to discard the letter of the law. After entering the Centurion’s home and seeing the crowd of “unclean” Gentiles, Peter had a clear understanding of what the vision meant, as he said to all of them, “God has shown me that I should not call any man common or unclean.”

If our born-again experience is to be shared, which is the Gospel of Jesus Christ written on our heart, we have to remove long-held beliefs, prejudices, and other barriers that prohibit us from doing that. To call a culture of people [or an individual] “unclean” is to discard them from God’s Salvation plan found in Jesus Christ. No one is to be written off; Jesus Christ died to atone for the sin of everyone, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” John 3:16-17

Because the Lord showed Peter not to call any person common or unclean, he came to the Roman Centurion’s home without hesitation. The only question that Peter had for them was, “…what reason have you sent for me?” As followers of Jesus Christ, we are eager to share His Gospel with whoever has the desire to hear His testimony.

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“….to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan’s so-called deep secrets,“
‘I will not impose any other burden on you, except to hold on to what you have until I come.’”
“I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.”
Revelation 2:24-25, 3:11