Daily Thoughts from Acts: the Church and Angels (Acts 10:1-8)

At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion of what was known as the Italian Cohort, a devout man who feared God with all his household, gave alms generously to the people, and prayed continually to God. About the ninth hour of the day he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God come in and say to him, “Cornelius.” And he stared at him in terror and said, “What is it, Lord?” And he said to him, “Your prayers and your alms have ascended as a memorial before God. And now send men to Joppa and bring one Simon who is called Peter. He is lodging with one Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the sea.” When the angel who spoke to him had departed, he called two of his servants and a devout soldier from among those who attended him, and having related everything to them, he sent them to Joppa.  (Acts 10:1-8 ESV) 

Cornelius is a “God-fearer,” a Jewish term for a Gentile who has put his or her trust in Yahweh, Israel’s God, has to all purposes become a follower of Judaism without full submission to the Law.  In the case of males this meant particularly that they did not submit to circumcision, and with regard to males and females they may not have kept all kosher requirements.  But in all other respects Cornelius was a devout worshiper of Yahweh, proving his love for God’s people with generous financial support and proving his love for God with constant conversation with the Lord.

Cornelius is also a centurion of the Italian cohort.  Many of the auxiliary army cohorts were made up of non-Italian (i.e., non-Roman) troops recruited locally.  But this cohort was recruited from Italy, from Roman citizens.  Cornelius was either a centurion within this cohort or the lead centurion of the cohort.  In either case he was a man of highly respectable achievement.  His gracious way with his soldiers (one of whom was also a God-fearer) and servants is also notable.  He chooses to let them in one what is happening with him.

And what is happening with him is that God is honoring his faith by bringing Cornelius all the way to the truth about Jesus.  He has embraced the true God, Yahweh, but the Judaism he has embraced is not the Way.  So He does not send a rabbi to Cornelius, or a priest, but an angel who directs Cornelius how to find the apostle Peter.  Cornelius immediately obeys. 

God does not tell Cornelius why to send for Peter, though Cornelius may suppose that there is more God wants him to know than he does now.  It is fascinating that God does not use the angel to deliver the additional knowledge Cornelius needs, but will send a human, the apostle Peter.  Just like with the Samaritans, there must be a unifying tie with the church, and Peter is the chosen one to open the door to the kingdom for each people group, Jews, Samaritans and Gentiles.  An angel preaching the gospel to Cornelius would not accomplish that.

God still chooses human beings to proclaim the gospel.  Even when He sends unbelievers visions, as He did Paul, or dreams, or angels, that awaken the person to a need for more understanding, He always directs them to believers to explain the gospel.  When we preach the gospel we are also preaching the church, that body of faith to which we adhered ourselves and to which all who are saved must adhere themselves.  We are not saved to individual relationship with God but to communal relationship.  We are made brothers and sisters in God’s family.  For all the ways in which that earthly expression of Jesus’ family has failed to live up to its calling, we are nevertheless called to participate in it and find in it God’s love and guidance.  We cannot stop being the church.

This is my church. It is composed of people just like me. It will be friendly if I am. It will do a great work if I work. It will make generous gifts to many causes if I am generous. It will bring others into its fellowship if I bring them. Its seats will be filled if I fill them. It will be a church of loyalty and love, of faith and service. If I who make it what it is, am filled with these, Therefore, with God’s help, I dedicate myself to the task of being all these things I want my church to be.