To whom when he had related all, he sent them to Joppe.
και εξηγησαμενος αυτοις απαντα απεστειλεν αυτους εις την ιοππην
6 Church Fathers comment on this verse
See how free he is from pride. He did not say, "Summon Peter to me," but told them everything, so as to persuade him. So prudent was he. He did not wish to summon him by his own authority. Therefore he tells the story. So meek was this man, although he could imagine nothing lofty about a man living with a tanner.
"Having told them everything, he sent them to Joppa." Notice the absence of arrogance. He did not say, "Summon Peter for me," but told them everything, so that by this he might move Peter to come to him. For he considered it improper to summon him by the force of his authority. Therefore he told the messengers everything.
Cornelius sent three men to Peter because the Gentiles, who later received the apostolic faith, brought Europe, Asia, and Africa under their sway. They did this partly through military exercises, that is, by fervent preaching, and partly through tasks proper to servants. Notice also that one soldier and two servants are sent. You will find that the stronger members of the Church are fewer. There are more in her who know how to hear the word than who know how to speak it.
The piety and religious devotion of Cornelius drew the mercy of God upon him. Once, when he was praying about the ninth hour, or about three o'clock in the afternoon by our reckoning, an angel of God entered his house in the form of a man in bright clothing (Acts 10:30).
The angel announced God's favor toward him for his fervent prayers and acts of charity. He commanded him to summon Simon Peter from Joppa to his house. He promised that from this man he would hear words by which he and all his household would be saved.
After the angel departed, Cornelius called two of his most trusted servants. The word οἰκέτης is a more honorable name than δοῦλος. Since they belonged to his household, which was pious in all its members (Acts 10:2), they were no doubt marked by the same religious devotion and piety as their master.
He also called one of the soldiers who personally attended him. Having summoned them, he told them everything. No doubt he did this so that they would understand the full greatness of their mission.
He also wished them to report accurately to Peter what had happened. In this way they would persuade him to fulfill their request and go with them to Caesarea. Then he sent them to Joppa.
"Having told them everything": of course, this was so that they might tell Peter and persuade him to go with them to their master, v. 22. "He told everything, so that by this he might move Peter to come to him, because he considered it improper to summon him by the force of his authority. Therefore he told the story," Theophylact.
The departure of the angel was as evident to Cornelius as his coming. Therefore he had no doubt that it was truly an angel of God who had appeared to him.
He undoubtedly knew from the Jews examples of heavenly beings appearing to men. He knew how reverently one must respond to them, and this is what he did.
He calmly answered the angel's call and humbly listened to his words, with full readiness to carry them out. And immediately, as soon as the angel departed from him, he called two servants and a more honorable soldier.
He told them what had happened to him and sent them to Joppa. Evidently those chosen were worthy of trust. They were also generally worthy to be told so great and precious a mystery of life.
This mystery concerned the most hidden depths of Cornelius's spiritual treasury. One may think that they too shared, to some degree, the views by which Cornelius lived and was guided.
This applies especially to the soldier, whom the writer of Acts not without reason calls "pious"; cf. verse 2.
"Notice the absence of arrogance. He did not say, 'Summon Peter for me.' Instead, he told them everything, so that by this he might move him to come to him. He considered it improper to summon him by virtue of his own authority. Therefore he told them."
Passages read together with this verse.
Greek text, 9 words with lemma, transliteration and Strong’s number. Tap to expand.
THEOSIS