John Chrysostom — Commentary on Scripture

A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway.

Hear, all ye that are in military commands, all ye that stand beside kings. "A just man," it says, "fearing God; devout; and what is more than all, with all his house. Not as we: that our servants may be afraid of us, do everything, but not that they may be devout." And over the domestics too, so. Not so this man; but he was "one that feared God with all his house," for he was as the common father of those with him, and of all the others under his command.

"A devout man," he says, "and one that feared God with all his house": that you may not imagine that it is because of his high station that these things are done. When Paul was to be brought over, there is no angel, but the Lord Himself: and He does not send him to some great one, but to a very ordinary person: but here, on the contrary, He brings the chief Apostle to these Gentiles, not sends them to him: herein condescending to their weakness, and knowing how such persons need to be treated. As indeed on many occasions we find Christ Himself hasting to such, as being more infirm. Or it may be because Cornelius was not able himself to leave his home.

Observe with whom the beginning of the Gentiles is made - with "a devout man," and one proved to be worthy by his works. For if, though the case be so, they are still offended, if this had not been the case, what would not have been the consequence!

But here again is a high commendation of alms, just as was there given by means of Tabitha. "A devout man," it says, "and one that feared God with all his house." Let us hear this, whoever of us neglect them of our own house, whereas this man was careful of his soldiers also. "And that gave alms," it says, "to all the people." Both his doctrines and his life were right.

Acts 10:3 · 2 passages

He saw in a vision evidently about the ninth hour of the day an angel of God coming in to him, and saying unto him, Cornelius.

"He saw in a vision evidently, about the ninth hour of the day, an angel of God coming in to him, and saying unto him, Cornelius." Why does he see the angel? This also was in order to the full assurance of Peter, or rather, not of him, but of the others, the weaker ones. "At the ninth hour," when he was released from his cares and was at quiet, when he was engaged in prayers and compunction.

"He saw in a vision, evidently," etc. It was not in his sleep that the Angel appeared to him, but while he was awake, in the daytime, "about the ninth hour. He saw an Angel of God coming in unto him, and saying unto him, Cornelius. And when he looked on him, he was afraid." So occupied was he with himself. Implying, that it was in consequence of the Angel's calling him by a voice that he saw him; as, had he not called him, he would not have seen him: so taken up was he with the act in which he was engaged.

Acts 10:4 · 4 passages

And when he looked on him, he was afraid, and said, What is it, Lord? And he said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God.

We seek those virtues that are most salutary for our salvation and for our neighbor. Such is almsgiving and such is prayer, or rather the latter becomes efficacious and capable of flight as a result of the former. “Your prayers,” the text says, “and your alms have ascended for a memorial before God.” This is true not only of prayer, but fasting has its strength from this as well. If you fast without giving alms, your fasting is not considered to be valid. Rather, such a person is worse than a glutton and a drunkard, and so much worse as cruelty is harder to bear than luxury. And why do I speak about fasting? Even though you are chaste, even though you observe virginity, if you do not cultivate charity you are out of the bridal chamber.

Did you see what assurance came from prayers and almsgiving to this man, whose whole life was spent in the cloak and belt of the soldier? Let them hear this who have enlisted in the army and let them learn that military service presents no hindrance to virtue for the one who is willing to be sober. Let them learn that one can take great care of virtue, even though he wears the soldier’s cloak and belt, even though he has a wife, the care of children, the management of a household, and even though he has undertaken a public duty. Look at this admirable man, who wore the soldier’s cloak and belt, who commanded troops, for he was a centurion! Of what care did heaven deem him worthy because of his good will, his sobriety and his vigilance?And that you may know clearly that grace wings its way down to us from on high only after we have first done our fair share, hear the story itself. After Cornelius had taken the first step by his frequent and generous almsgiving, he was devoting himself earnestly to prayer. About the ninth hour, the Scripture says, an angel stood beside him as he prayed…

Did you see what assurance came from prayers and almsgiving to this man, whose whole life was spent in the cloak and belt of the soldier? Let them hear this who have enlisted in the army and let them learn that military service presents no hindrance to virtue for the one who is willing to be sober. Let them learn that one can take great care of virtue, even though he wears the soldier’s cloak and belt, even though he has a wife, the care of children, the management of a household, and even though he has undertaken a public duty. Look at this admirable man, who wore the soldier’s cloak and belt, who commanded troops, for he was a centurion! Of what care did heaven deem him worthy because of his good will, his sobriety and his vigilance?And that you may know clearly that grace wings its way down to us from on high only after we have first done our fair share, hear the story itself. After Cornelius had taken the first step by his frequent and generous almsgiving, he was devoting himself earnestly to prayer. About the ninth hour, the Scripture says, an angel stood beside him as he prayed and said, “Cornelius, your prayers and your alms have gone up and been remembered in the sight of God.”
Let us not simply pass these words by, but let us carefully consider the virtue of the man. Then let us learn how loving and kind the Master is and how he overlooks no one. But where he sees a soul that is sober, there he lavishes his grace upon him. Here is a soldier who has had benefit of no instruction, who was tangled up in the affairs of this life, who has each day a thousand things to distract and bother him. Yet he did not waste his life in banquets and drinking and gluttony but spent his time in prayer and almsgiving. He showed such eagerness on his own initiative, he attended so constantly to prayer, he was so generous in his almsgiving, that he showed himself deserving of such a vision.

But the Angel says to him, "Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God, and now send men to Joppa, and call for one Simon, who is called Peter." So far, he signified that the sending for him would be for good consequences, but in what way good, he did not intimate.

"And when he looked on him, he was afraid." Observe how what the angel speaks he does not speak immediately, but first rouses and elevates his mind. At the sight, there was fear, but a fear in moderation, just so far as served to fix his attention. Then also the words relieved him of his fear. The fear roused him: the praise mitigated what was unpleasant in the fear. "Thy prayers," saith he, "and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God."

Acts 10:5 · 2 passages

And now send men to Joppa, and call for one Simon, whose surname is Peter:

"And now send men to Joppa, and call for one Simon, whose surname is Peter." Lest they should come to a different person, he designates the man not only by his surname, but by the place.

"Send and call for Simon": in like manner the Angel only calls Philip. He does not tell him for what purpose, that he may not take off the intense desire, but he leaves him to an eager and longing expectation of what he shall hear.

Acts 10:6

He lodgeth with one Simon a tanner, whose house is by the sea side: he shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do.

"And the same," saith he, "is lodging with one Simon a tanner, who hath his house by the seaside." Do you mark how the Apostles, for love of solitude and quiet, affected the retired quarters of the cities? "With one Simon a tanner": how then if it chanced that there was another? Behold, there is another token, his dwelling by the seaside. All three tokens could not possibly coincide elsewhere.

Acts 10:7-8

And when the angel which spake unto Cornelius was departed, he called two of his household servants, and a devout soldier of them that waited on him continually;

"And when the Angel which spake unto Cornelius was departed, he called two of his household servants, and a devout soldier of them that waited on him continually; and when he had declared all these things unto them, he sent them to Joppa." Do you see, that it is not without purpose that the writer says this? It shows that those also "who waited on him continually" were such as he. "And when he had declared the whole matter unto them": observe the unassuming character of the man: for he does not say, Call Peter to me: but, in order also to induce him to come, he declared the whole matter: this was so ordered by Providence; for he did not choose to use the authority of his rank to fetch Peter to him; therefore "he declared the matter;" such was the moderation of the man: and yet no great notion was to be formed of one lodging with a tanner.

Acts 10:9 · 2 passages

On the morrow, as they went on their journey, and drew nigh unto the city, Peter went up upon the housetop to pray about the sixth hour:

"And on the morrow, as they journeyed, and drew nigh to the city" - observe how the Spirit connects the times: no sooner than this, and no later, He causes this to take place - "Peter about the sixth hour went up upon the housetop to pray": that is, privately and quietly, as in an upper chamber.

"And as they went on their journey, and drew nigh to the city": in order that Peter should not be in perplexity too long. "Peter went up upon the housetop," etc. Observe, that not even his hunger forced him to have recourse to the sheet.

Acts 10:10

And he became very hungry, and would have eaten: but while they made ready, he fell into a trance,

"And he became very hungry, and would have eaten; but while they made ready, there fell upon him a trance." What means this expression, ekstasis, "trance?" Rather, there was presented to him a kind of spiritual view (theoria): the soul, so to say, was caused to be out of the body.

Acts 10:11-12 · 3 passages

And saw heaven opened, and a certain vessel descending unto him, as it had been a great sheet knit at the four corners, and let down to the earth:

The earth then, this is what the linen sheet denotes, and the wild beasts in it, are they of the Gentiles, and the command, "Kill and eat," denotes that he must go to them also; and that this thing is thrice done, denotes baptism.

To me it seems that this also denotes the Gospel (or, "the Preaching"). That the thing taking place was of God the circumstances made evident, namely, both that he sees it descending from above, and that he is in a trance; and, that the voice comes from thence, and the thrice confessing that the creatures there were unclean, and its coming from thence, and being drawn back thither - all this is a mighty token of the cleanness imparted to them.

"And saw heaven opened, and, knit at the four corners, a certain vessel descending unto him, as it had been a great sheet, and let down to the earth: wherein were all manner of fourfooted beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air." What is this? It is a symbol of the whole world. The man was uncircumcised: and - for he had nothing in common with the Jews - they would all accuse him as a transgressor: "thou wentest in to men uncircumcised, and didst eat with them."