You know the word which hath been published through all Judea: for it began from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached.
υμεις οιδατε το γενομενον ρημα καθ ολης της ιουδαιας αρξαμενον απο της γαλιλαιας μετα το βαπτισμα ο εκηρυξεν ιωαννης
3 Church Fathers comment on this verse
Then he brings them also as witnesses and says, “You know what happened throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached.” Here he shows that Christ was first sent from God to the Jews.
Then he proves this by what He did throughout all Judea, saying, “You know what happened throughout all Judea.” And, astonishingly, he adds, “beginning from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached.”
“You know what happened,” and so forth. Peter’s present hearers could have known the events of the Gospel history, at least in part, and especially the chief events.
They lived not far from the principal places of these events, in Palestine itself. The report about Christ’s works filled not only Palestine, but also the surrounding regions.
Moreover, since they were inclined toward the Jewish faith, they could have been especially interested in the events then taking place in the religious sphere of Judaism.
“Beginning from Galilee” means the place where the Lord began His public ministry as Messiah after His Baptism (Jn 2:1 and following).
The historical teaching about Jesus Christ is only recalled, as something undoubtedly known to all who were with Cornelius. It is recalled in its essential events.
These are the witness of John the Forerunner, the Baptism, the descent of the Holy Spirit, called anointing in all the senses for which sacred anointing was performed, healings, and expulsions of evil spirits.
In these things His power as God was especially manifested.
Yet the apostle speaks cautiously about the Godhead of Jesus Christ, lest he give the newly converted occasion to imagine in Jesus Christ something like what Gentiles said about their gods.
The expression “God was with Him” says less about the person of Jesus Christ than it ought, “because of the weakness of the hearers.”
Yet in essence it testifies to His unity in essence with God the Father. The Evangelist John expresses this by saying, “The Word became flesh,” and “the Word was God.”
He also says, “We beheld His glory, glory as of the Only-begotten from the Father” (Jn 1:14).
The voice from heaven at the Baptism said, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Mt 3:17).
The wise Nicodemus testified that He could not do the great miracles He did unless God were with Him (cf. Jn 3:2).
But this abiding of the Father with the Son is not like what was with the prophets, for example Moses (cf. Heb 3:3).
For Jesus Christ Himself said, “I and the Father are one” (Jn 10:30).
The Apostle Peter did not mention without special purpose the expulsion of evil spirits from those possessed by them. In paganism their power was especially strong.
Therefore the apostle teaches about the destruction of the kingdom of the devil, though not as clearly as the Apostle John, who says: “For this purpose the Son of God appeared, that He might destroy the works of the devil” (1 Jn 3:8).
Passages read together with this verse.
Greek text, 19 words with lemma, transliteration and Strong’s number. Tap to expand.
THEOSIS