Acts 10:45

Act 10:45. Ἐπὶ τὰ ἔθνη, on the nations) So one house is called, either because they hence inferred that the other Gentiles also were about to receive the Holy Spirit: for once that one was admitted, now henceforth the door is closed against none; and rightly from this instance they draw the conclusion as to all cases; ch. Act 11:18, Act 14:27: or else because it was not convenient to use the term ἐθνικοὺς, Gentiles.

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Act_10:45-46. Οἱ ἐκ περιτ. πιστοί] those who were believers from the circumcision, i.e. believers who belonged to the circumcised, the Jewish-Christians. Comp. Act_11:2; Rom_4:12; Gal_2:12; Col_4:11; Tit_1:10. On περιτομή in the concrete sense, comp. Rom_3:30; Rom_4:9; Rom_4:12; Rom_15:8; Gal_2:7; Php_3:3.

ὅσοι συνῆλθ. τ. ΙΙ.] see Act_10:23.

ἐπὶ τὰ ἔθνη] Cornelius and his company now represented, in the view of those who were astonished, the Gentiles as a class of men generally; for the article signifies this. Observe also the perfect; the completed fact lay before them.

γάρ] reason assigned ab effectu.

λαλούντων γλώσσαις] γλώσσαις (or γλώσσῃ) λαλεῖν is mentioned as something well known to the church, without the ἑτέραις, by the characteristic addition of which the event recorded in chap. 2 is denoted as something singular and not identical with the mere γλώσσαις λαλεῖν, as it was there also markedly distinguished by means of the list of peoples. Now if, in the bare γλώσσαις λαλεῖν, this γλώσσαις were to be understood in the same sense as in chap. 2. according to the representation of the narrator, thenas Bleeks conception, to speak in glosses, is decidedly to be rejected (see on chap. 2)no other meaning would result than: to speak in languages, i.e. to speak in foreign languages (different from their mother tongue), and therefore quite the same as ἑτέραις γλώσσαις λαλεῖς. But against this we may decisively urge the very expression ἑτέραις (with which agrees καιναῖς in the apocryphal passage, Mar_16:17) only added in chap. 2, and almost ostentatiously glorified as the chief matter, but not inserted at all elsewhere (here or at chap. 19 or 1 Corinthians 12-14). So much the more decidedly is γλώσσαις here and in Act_19:6 not to be completed by mentally supplying ἑτέραις (so Baur still, and others, following the traditional interpretation), but[263] to be explained: with tongues, and that in such a way that Luke himself has meant nothing else (not: in languages) than the to him well-known glossolalia of the apostolic church, which was here manifested in Cornelius and his company, but from which he has conceived and represented the event of Pentecost as something different and entirely extraordinary, although the latter also is, in its historical substance, to be considered as nothing else than the first speaking with tongues (see on chap. 2). Cornelius and his friends spoke with tongues, i.e. they spoke not in the exercise of reflective thought (of the νοῦς, 1Co_14:9), not in intelligible, clear, and connected speech, but in enraptured eucharistic ecstasy, as by the involuntary exercise of their tongues, which were just organs of the Spirit. See the more particular exposition at 1Co_12:10.

[263] Comp. also van Hengel, de gave d. talen, pp. 75 ff., 84 ff., who, however, here also (see on chap, 2.) abides by the view, that they spoke openly and aloud to the glorifying of God in Christ.

Meyer — Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament — English translation by Peter Christie, edited by Frederick Crombie (T&T Clark, 1880) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Act 10:45 . οἱ ἐκ π ., see Act 10:23 , cf. Rom 4:12 , and for the phrase as describing St. Paul’s most bitter and narrow opponents, see Gal 2:12 , Col 4:11 , Tit 1:10 . The fact was thus fully testified, even by those who were not in sympathy with it. καὶ ἐπὶ τὰ ἔθνη : “nam uno admisso jam nulli clausa est janua” Bengel. Cf. Act 2:38 , a gift which they thought did not appertain to the Gentiles; see on Act 10:44 , and Schöttgen, Hor. Heb., in loco .

The Expositor's Greek Testament, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll (1897–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

they of the circumcision . . . were astonished . . . because that on the Gentiles also was poured out, &c.--without circumcision.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 45. They of the circumcision - were astonished] Because it was a maxim with them that the Shechinah or Divine influence could not be revealed to any person who dwelt beyond the precincts of the promised land. Nor did any of them believe that the Divine Spirit could be communicated to any Gentile. It is no wonder, therefore, that they were amazed when they saw the Spirit of God so liberally given as it was on this occasion.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

45. The faithful were astonished. He calleth them faithful who were as yet possessed with a wicked error. So the Lord doth not by and by wipe away all clouds of ignorance from his, and yet they do not darken the praise of faith before God, because he pardoneth errors and doth vouchsafe to favor it, as if it were pure and plain. And yet it is a wonder, that seeing they knew that Peter was sent of God, they would now be amazed, as at some strange and new thing, because God giveth the grace of his Spirit to those to whom he would have Christ now preached; but the sudden change is the cause of this, because, whereas God until that day had separated the Gentiles from his people as strangers and aliens, he doth now favor them both alike, and lifteth them up into the like degree of honor. Although we be also taught by this example, how hard a matter it is for us to wind out ourselves out of our errors once conceived, especially when they are of any continuance.

John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.

(45) And they of the circumcision which believed . . .—St. Luke obviously dwells on this as a testimony, beyond suspicion, to the reality of the gift. Those who came with Peter were apparently not sharers at the time in the exultant joy which they were yet compelled to recognise as the Spirit’s work. They listened with amazement as they heard the rapturous chant burst from the lips of the as yet unbaptised heathens. Here, accordingly, was one definite fulfilment of Peter’s vision. Those who so spake had been, as it were, carried up into heaven, as the four-footed beasts and creeping things had been, and so a proof was given that no man might henceforth call them common or unclean. Peter himself had indeed learnt that lesson so fully (Act_10:28) as not to need this special attestation, but for those who came with him this evidence was needed and was sufficient.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

44–48. The Holy Ghost is sent upon Cornelius and his friends, and they are baptized

45. they of the circumcision] The six Jewish Christians mentioned in Act_11:12 as companions of St Peter.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And they of the circumcision which believed,.... Or "of the Jews that believed", as the Ethiopic version renders it; the circumcised Jews who believed in Jesus Christ:

were astonished, as many as came with Peter; who were six brethren, as appears from Act 11:12 these were amazed,

because that on the Gentiles also was poured out of the gift of the Holy Ghost; which they before thought was peculiar to the Jews; and this was according to their former notions, and the sentiments of the whole nation, that the Shekinah does not dwell without the land, and only in the land of Israel (o); yea, they sometimes say, only upon the families in Israel, whose genealogies are clear (p): the same they say of prophecy (q), which is one of the gifts of the Holy Ghost, and was one of those which were now bestowed. They own, that before the giving of the law, the Holy Ghost was among the Gentiles, but from that time ceased to be among them (r): hence even these believing Jews wonder at the pouring it forth upon them; which they needed not, had they known that the legal dispensation was now at an end, and the Gospel dispensation had taken place; in which it had been foretold the Spirit should be poured forth on the dry ground of the Gentiles.

(o) Zohar in Gen. fol. 118. 4. & in Exod. fol. 2. 3. & 70. 2. Maimon. Kiddush Hachodesh, c. 4. sect. 12. & Jarchi in Jonah i. 3. (p) T. Bab. Kiddushin, fol. 70. 2. (q) Zohar in Gen. fol. 128. 4. (r) Seder Olam Rabba, c. 21. p. 59.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

45 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.

Ver. 45. {See Trapp on "Act 10:23"}

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And they of the circumcision - Who had been Jews.

Were astonished - Were amazed that Gentiles should be admitted to the same favor as themselves.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

They of the circumcision; such as were not only themselves circumcised, but born of circumcised parents, who are thus called, Gal 2:12. These, not minding, or understanding, the many predictions of the calling of the Gentiles, thought that Christ was only promised unto the Jews; and were amazed to see now such an argument as might convince them to the contrary.

Poured out, speaks the abundant measure in which the Holy Ghost was given unto them.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

45. They of the circumcision—The Jews from Joppa with Peter.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Amazed for astonished, A.V. They of the circumcision would doubtless be the brethren from Joppa who accompanied Peter (ver. 23). A more striking confirmation of Peter"s vision cannot be conceived than this descent of the Holy Ghost upon the uncircumcised. How could they any longer be reckoned common or unclean whom God thus cleansed with his Holy Spirit?

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The believers of the circumcision - The believing Jews.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

Seen notes on verse 44

J. W. McGarvey (with Philip Y. Pendleton), Commentaries on the New Testament (The Fourfold Gospel, 1914; Acts; and the epistles) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

45. They of the circumcision. The Jews who went with Peter. They were astonished that the Holy Spirit should fall on Gentiles. This miraculous outpouring was extraordinary, and the object is plain, viz: to convince Peter and his fellow Jews that God had accepted the Gentiles; the same reason for which Peter's vision had been given. This is the only instance recorded of the Spirit falling on unbaptized persons. This exception is made to convince the Jewish Christians that uncircumcised Gentiles were fit subjects of baptism. Peter had to recall this fact in order to convince the church at Jerusalem that he had done right (Acts 11:2, 3, 15). As on Pentecost the Holy Spirit fell on Jews, so now when Gentiles receive the gospel they are baptized with the Holy Spirit (11:15, 16).

B. W. Johnson's The People's New Testament with Notes (1889–1891) — public domain. Electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) ThML edition.

45. οἱ ἐκ περιτομῆς, they of the circumcision, i.e. those six Jewish Christians mentioned in Act 11:12 as companions of St Peter from Joppa.

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

45.] We do not read that Peter himself was astonished. He had been specially prepared by the vision: they had not.

The λαλεῖν γλώσσαις here is identified with the λ. ἑτέραις γλ. of ch. 2:4, by the assertion of ch. 11:15, just cited;—and this again with the ἐλάλουν γλώσσαις of ch. 19:6:—so that the gift was one and the same throughout. On the whole subject, see note, ch. 2:4.

Henry Alford, The Greek Testament (1849–1861) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

They of the circumcision. From this point Luke distinguishes Christians into two classes - those of the circumcision and those of the uncircumcision; calling the former Jews, and the latter Gentiles or Greeks. Were amazed. See on ch. Act 2:7.

Marvin R. Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament (1887–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.