Act 10:37-44 | RWP | e4.org | Ye know ( υμεις οιδατε ). Peter reminds his Gentile audience that the main facts concerning Jesus and the gospel were known to them. Note emphatic expression of υμεις (you). Beginning ( αρξαμενος ). The Textus Receptus has αρξαμενον (accusative), but the nominative is given by Aleph A B C D E H and is certainly correct. But it makes a decided anacoluthon. The accusative would agree with ρημα used in the sense of message or story as told by the disciples. The nominative does not agree with anything in the sentence. The same phrase occurs in . Here is this aorist middle participle almost used like an adverb. See a similar loose use of αρξαμενος in the same sense by Peter in . The baptism of John is given as the terminus a quo . The story began with a skip to Galilee after the baptism just like the Gospel of Mark. This first message of Peter to the Gentiles ( ) corresponds in broad outline with Mark's Gospel. Mark heard Peter preach many times and evidently planned his Gospel (the Roman Gospel) on this same model. There is in it nothing about the birth and childhood of Jesus nor about the intervening ministry supplied by John's Gospel for the period (a year) between the baptism and the Galilean Ministry. Peter here presents an objective statement of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus with proof from the Scriptures that he is the Messiah. It is a skilful presentation.

‏ Acts 10:37-44

Ye know ( υμεις οιδατε ). Peter reminds his Gentile audience that the main facts concerning Jesus and the gospel were known to them. Note emphatic expression of υμεις (you).

Beginning ( αρξαμενος ). The Textus Receptus has αρξαμενον (accusative), but the nominative is given by Aleph A B C D E H and is certainly correct. But it makes a decided anacoluthon. The accusative would agree with ρημα used in the sense of message or story as told by the disciples. The nominative does not agree with anything in the sentence. The same phrase occurs in Lu 23:5. Here is this aorist middle participle almost used like an adverb. See a similar loose use of αρξαμενος in the same sense by Peter in Ac 1:22. The baptism of John is given as the terminus a quo. The story began with a skip to Galilee after the baptism just like the Gospel of Mark. This first message of Peter to the Gentiles (10:37-44) corresponds in broad outline with Mark's Gospel. Mark heard Peter preach many times and evidently planned his Gospel (the Roman Gospel) on this same model. There is in it nothing about the birth and childhood of Jesus nor about the intervening ministry supplied by John's Gospel for the period (a year) between the baptism and the Galilean Ministry. Peter here presents an objective statement of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus with proof from the Scriptures that he is the Messiah. It is a skilful presentation.

Jesus of Nazareth ( Ιησουν τον απο Ναζαρεθ ). Jesus the one from Nazareth, the article before the city identifying him clearly. The accusative case is here by προλεψις, Jesus being expressed for emphasis before the verb "anointed" and the pronoun repeated pleonastically after it. "Jesus transfers the mind from the gospel-history to the personal subject of it" (Hackett).

God anointed him ( εχρισεν, αυτον, ο θεος ). First aorist active of the verb χριω, to anoint, from which the verbal Χριστος is formed (Ac 2:36). The precise event referred to by Peter could be the Incarnation (Lu 1:35f.), the Baptism (Lu 3:22), the Ministry at Nazareth (Lu 4:14). Why not to the life and work of Jesus as a whole?

Went about doing good ( διηλθεν ευεργετων ). Beautiful description of Jesus. Summary (constative) aorist active of διερεομα, to go through ( δια ) or from place to place. The present active participle ευεργετων is from the old verb ευεργετεω ( ευ, well, εργον, work) and occurs only here in the N.T. The substantive ευεργετης (benefactor) was often applied to kings like Ptolemy Euergetes and that is the sense in Lu 22:25 the only N.T. example. But the term applies to Jesus far more than to Ptolemy or any earthly king (Cornelius a Lapide).

And healing ( κα ιωμενος ). And in particular healing. Luke does not exclude other diseases (cf. Lu 13:11, 16), but he lays special emphasis on demoniacal possession (cf. Mr 1:23).

That were oppressed ( τους καταδυναστευομενους ). Present passive articular participle of καταδυναστευω. A late verb in LXX and papyri. In the N.T. only here and Jas 2:6 (best MSS.). One of the compounds of κατα made transitive. The reality of the devil (the slanderer, διαβολος ) is recognized by Peter.

For God was with him ( οτ ο θεος ην μετ' αυτου ). Surely this reason does not reveal "a low Christology" as some charge. Peter had used the same language in Ac 7:9 and earlier in Lu 1:28, 66 as Nicodemus does in Joh 3:2.

And we are witnesses ( κα ημεις μαρτυρες ). Compare "ye yourselves know" (verse 37). Peter thus appeals to what the audience know and to what the disciples know. He made the same claim about personal witnesses of the Resurrection of Jesus at Pentecost (2:32). Here Peter affirms full knowledge of the work of Jesus in Judea (for whole country including Galilee and Perea) and Jerusalem (given mainly in John's Gospel). In the Greek ων (which) is attracted into the genitive case to agree with the antecedent παντων (all), a common enough idiom.

Whom also they slew ( ον κα ανειλαν ). Second aorist active indicative of αναιρεω with α as often in Acts (2:23; 5:30). But note κα (also) in the old MSS., not in the Textus Receptus. They "also" slew him, went that far, "this crowning atrocity" (Vincent), κα could here be "even."

Hanging him on a tree ( κρεμασαντες επ ξυλου ). This same expression used by Peter in 5:30 which see for discussion.

Gave him to be made manifest ( εδωκεν αυτον εμφανη γενεσθα ). Peculiar phrase, here only in the N.T. and in Ro 10:20 (quoted from Isa 65:1). Εμφανη, predicate accusative after infinitive γενεσθα agreeing with αυτον object of εδωκεν.

Chosen before ( προκεχειροτονημενοις ). Perfect passive participle dative plural from προχειροτονεω, to choose or designate by hand ( χειροτονεω, χειρ, hand, and τεινω, to stretch, as in Ac 14:23; 2Co 8:19), beforehand ( προ ), a double compound as old as Plato, but here alone in the N.T. Peter is evidently stating the thing as it happened and not trying to make a convincing story by saying that both friends and foes saw him after his resurrection. It is the "historian's candour" (Paley) in Luke here that adds to the credibility of the narrative. The sceptical Jews would not have believed and Jesus was kept from open contact with the world of sin after his Passion.

To us who did eat and drink with him ( ημιν οιτινες συνεφαγομεν κα συνεπιομεν αυτω ). The "who" ( οιτινες ) is first person agreeing with "us" ( ημιν ). Second aorist active indicative of the common verbs συνεσθιω and συμπινω. Αυτω is associative instrumental case. There are difficulties to us in understanding how Jesus could eat and drink after the resurrection as told here and in Lu 24:41-3, but at any rate Peter makes it clear that it was no hallucination or ghost, but Jesus himself whom they saw after he rose from the dead, "after the rising as to him" ( μετα το αναστηνα αυτον, μετα with the accusative articular infinitive second aorist active and the accusative αυτον of general reference). Furneaux dares to think that the disciples misunderstood Jesus about eating after the resurrection. But that is to deny the testimony merely because we cannot explain the transition state of the body of Jesus.

He charged ( παρηγγειλεν ). First aorist active indicative as in 1:4. There Jesus is the subject and so probably here, though Page insists that ο θεος (God) is here because of verse 40.

To testify ( διαμαρτυρασθα ). First aorist middle infinitive. See on 2:40.

Ordained ( ωρισμενος ). Perfect passive participle of οριζω, old verb, to mark out, to limit, to make a horizon.

Judge ( κριτης ). The same point made by Peter in 1Pe 4:5. He does not use the word "Messiah" to these Gentiles though he did say "anointed" ( εχρισεν ) in verse 38. Peter's claim for Jesus is that he is the Judge of Jew and Gentile (living and dead).

Every one that believeth ( παντα τον πιστευοντα ). This accusative active participle of general reference with the infinitive in indirect discourse is the usual idiom. Only λαβειν (second aorist active infinitive of λαμβανω ) is not indirect statement so much as indirect command or arrangement. The prophets bear witness to Jesus Christ to this effect. It is God's plan and no race distinctions are drawn. Peter had already said the same thing at Pentecost (2:38), but now he sees himself that Gentiles do not have to become Jews, but have only to believe in Jesus as Messiah and Judge as foretold by the prophets. It was glorious news to Cornelius and his group.

Through his name ( δια του ονοματος αυτου ), not as a title or magic formula (Ac 18:13), but the power of Christ himself represented by his name.

While Peter yet spake ( ετ λαλουντος του Πετρου ). Genitive absolute of present participle, still going on.

The Holy Ghost fell ( επεπεσεν το πνευμα το αγιον ). Second aorist active indicative of επιπιπτω, old verb to fall upon, to recline, to come upon. Used of the Holy Spirit in 8:16; 10:44; 11:15. It appears that Peter was interrupted in his sermon by this remarkable event. The Jews had received the Holy Spirit (2:4), the Samaritans (8:17), and now Gentiles. But on this occasion it was before baptism, as was apparently true in Paul's case (9:17f.). In 8:16; 19:5 the hands of the apostles were also placed after baptism on those who received the Holy Spirit. Here it was unexpected by Peter and by Cornelius and was indubitable proof of the conversion of these Gentiles who had accepted Peter's message and had believed on Jesus Christ as Saviour.