Acts 10:27Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

The one who has self-opinion cannot be saved. For Scripture says: "the arrogant and injurious man, and the proud man, shall accomplish nothing," Hab 2:5.

If humility does no harm at all to the perfect man, then let him not abandon its cause, repentance.

Faithful Abraham and righteous Job, being humble-minded, called themselves earth and ashes. These words are a sign of humility.

But one who is satiated with repentance cannot be humble-minded.

The three youths, truly noble and great martyrs, confessed in the midst of the burning flame. Saying of themselves, "We have sinned and acted lawlessly," they repented of former evil, though they were already perfect.

The substance of almost their entire hymn consists in repentance.

Therefore, if even those who greatly pleased God and were shown perfect by their works used the help of repentance until death, who can hope in himself and despise repentance under the pretext of righteousness?

I think that even if someone were holy like Paul or Peter, he too would never wish to abandon repentance, the cause of humility.

Therefore Peter likened himself to Cornelius. Concealing what was God's in this matter and declaring what was his own, he said: "Arise; I myself also am a man."

He confessed that he had learned from God "to call no one common or unclean," Acts 10:26-28.

For this, he said, there had been a special revelation from God, commanding him not to regard any man as common.

After this he asked them about the very need for which he had been called there.

In answer, Cornelius recounted the history of the revelation he had received from the angel. He concluded his speech by expressing humble readiness to listen with faith to what Peter, by God's command, had to proclaim to him and his house.

He was completely ready to serve them in the matter for which he had been called. Still, he wished to hear what they desired from him.

From this it is clear that everything given to the Apostle to understand in the vision was understood by him fully. Therefore he expressed it briefly, clearly, and definitely.

"Peter had already heard everything from the soldiers, but he wants them themselves to confess and become upright in the faith," writes blessed Theophylact.

"Saint Peter could recall here how the Lord called the conversion of sinners His food, see Jn 4:32. For this food He forgot every earthly food.

At the same time, Peter could understand that the same desired food was offered to him in the vision of the sheet, 'kill and eat.'

Now it was offered in reality in Cornelius's house.

Surveying the gathering, the God-inspired man could see in the faces of those present joy together with fear and a certain shame. This is proper to repentant sinners in the presence of saints.

Therefore the Apostle first of all tries to remove from them excessive fear, which hinders heartfelt sincerity and the drawing together of souls.

He encourages the spirit of the gathering, showing the better point of view from which he now looks upon the Gentiles."