Acts 10:23Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

See what confidence he has. So that they would not suffer anything unpleasant, he invites them in, and then without any fear eats together with them. After receiving the men sent by Cornelius as guests, Peter sets out with them. This is good: first he receives them lovingly, as men wearied from the journey, and disposes them favorably toward himself. Only then does he set out with them. "And on the next day he rose and went with them, and some of the brethren." He does not go alone, but others go with him. This was with foresight, so that later they would be witnesses when Peter would need to defend himself.

It is good that Peter first deals kindly with these men, since they were weary, and in this way disposes them favorably toward himself. Some from Joppa went with him by divine economy, so that afterward they would be witnesses when Peter had to defend himself.

When the Apostle Peter's vision and ecstatic state had ended, he was perplexed and reflected within himself on the meaning of the divine lesson.

Then those sent by Cornelius came to the house of Simon the tanner, where Peter was staying, Acts 9:43; Acts 10:6. They asked for Simon, called Peter.

The Holy Spirit said to him: behold, three men are seeking you. Arise, go down, and go with them, doubting nothing, for I have sent them.

After this new prompting of the Spirit of God, only one thing remained for the Apostle Peter in order to clarify the meaning of the vision.

He had to learn who those seeking him were, with whom he was to go without any hesitation.

Seeing in all this a higher indication, the apostle immediately agreed. Taking with him six of the Christian brethren, he set out for Caesarea, where the pious centurion was awaiting him with impatience and reverence.

"On the next day": Peter did not set out at once, of course because the messengers had traveled a considerable distance and needed rest and strengthening for the return journey. "Some of the brethren," that is, Christians from Joppa, six in number, Acts 11:12, went with him. Thus a small caravan of about ten people was formed and set out on the great work of the first specifically Christian preaching to a Gentile, and indeed to one of the commanders of the foreign occupying military corps.

The Apostle Peter's reception of those sent by Cornelius, and the hospitality shown to them, testify that Peter was at home in the house of Simon the tanner.

That is, he enjoyed the right of the fullest possible freedom of action there.

From this one may conclude that the tanner's whole family was Christian. In general, there were enough Christians in Joppa, and they were all very devoted to Peter.

For this reason they did not want to part with him quickly.

Thus, when he rose early in the morning according to the custom of those places and went to Caesarea with Cornelius's messengers, some of the Christians from Joppa went with him.