Acts 10:17 — meaning, Hebrew and Greek word study, commentary
Acts 10:17
Now while Peter doubted in himself what this vision which he had seen should mean, behold, the men which were sent from Cornelius had made enquiry for Simon’s house, and stood before the gate,
Cornelius · noun — genitive singular masculine, a proper name
enquiry
διερωτήσαντεςdierōtēsantes
G1331
to question throughout · verb — aorist active participle, nominative plural masculine
Simon’s
Σίμωνος,Simōnos
G4613
Simon (i.e. Shimon) · noun — genitive singular masculine, a proper name
house
οἰκίανoikian
G3614
properly · noun — accusative singular feminine
and
καίkaí
G2532
and
stood
ἐπέστησανepestēsan
G2186
to stand upon · verb — second aorist active indicative, 3rd person plural
before
ἐπὶepi
G1909
properly · preposition
gate
πυλῶνα·pulōna
G4440
a gate-way · noun — accusative singular masculine
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (James Strong, 1890/1894), public domain; digitized by Open Scriptures (CC BY-SA). KJV word tagging: eBible.org (public domain). Original-language text, parsing and brief lexicon: STEPBible.org data from Tyndale House, Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).
Cross-references
John 13:12 So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you?
Acts 2:12 And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another, What meaneth this?
Acts 5:24 Now when the high priest and the captain of the temple and the chief priests heard these things, they doubted of them whereunto this would g…
Acts 9:43 And it came to pass, that he tarried many days in Joppa with one Simon a tanner.
Acts 10:3 He saw in a vision evidently about the ninth hour of the day an angel of God coming in to him, and saying unto him, Cornelius.
Acts 10:7-19 And when the angel which spake unto Cornelius was departed, he called two of his household servants, and a devout soldier of them that waite…
Acts 25:20 And because I doubted of such manner of questions, I asked him whether he would go to Jerusalem, and there be judged of these matters.
1 Peter 1:11 Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Ch…
Cross-references from OpenBible.info (CC BY), in the lineage of the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain).
Commentary
Matthew Henry on Acts 10:9-18
Cornelius had received positive orders from heaven to send for Peter, whom otherwise he had not heard of, or at least not heeded; but here is another difficulty that lies in the way of bringing them together - the question is whether Peter will come to Cornelius when he is sent for; not as if he thought it below him to come at a beck, or as if he were afraid to preach his doctrine to a polite man as Cornelius was: but it sticks at a point of conscience. Cornelius is a very worthy man, and has many good qualities, but he is a Gentile, he is not circumcised; and, because God in his law had forbidden his people to associate with idolatrous nations, they would not keep company with any but those…
while Peter doubted . . . what this should mean, behold, the three men . . . stood before the gate . . . and asked--"were inquiring," that is, in the act of doing so. The preparations here made--of Peter for his Gentile visitors, as of Cornelius for him--are devoutly to be noted. But besides this, at the same moment, "the Spirit" expressly informs him that three men were inquiring for him, and bids him unhesitatingly go with them, as sent by Him.
Adam Clarke on Acts 10:17
While Peter doubted - the men - stood before the gate - In all this we find an admirable display of the economy of Providence. Cornelius prays, and has a vision which prepares him to receive instruction from Peter: Peter prays, and has a vision which prepares and disposes him to give instruction to Cornelius. While he is in doubts and perplexity what the full meaning of the vision might be, the messengers, who had been despatched under the guidance of an especial Providence, came to the door; and the Holy Spirit gives him information that his doubts should be all cleared up by accompanying the men who were now inquiring for him. How exactly does every thing in the conduct of Providence occur…
At the right time, the men come who resolve his confusion. When Christ allowed Joseph to be thrown into confusion, then too, he sent an archangel to him. Here Peter's soul, having been confused, calmly accepts the resolution … when they inquire whether he is staying there.
And for all this, he knew not what it meant. "Now while Peter doubted in himself what this vision which he had seen should mean, behold, the men which were sent from Cornelius had made enquiry for Simon's house, and stood before the gate, and called, and asked whether Simon, which was surnamed Peter, were lodged there." But while Peter, it says, "doubted in himself," the men come at the right moment to solve his doubt: just as the Lord suffered Joseph first to be perturbed in mind, and then sends the Angel: for the soul with ease accepts the solution, when it has first been in perplexity.
"And having called out they inquired." Since they inquired into a humble house from below, and they asked not the neighbors. Great is the power of the Spirit in what was said, that "for I have sent them." When Peter went down he inquired into the reason why, so that if he needed to leave immediately he might rush, and if not, he might entertain them in the house. And that some of the brothers from Joppa accompanied Peter homeward, for convenience. So that he might be a witness thereafter, when Peter must give an account to the disciples, that he too had been judged by the Spirit not to be partial.
The Church Fathers: public-domain translations (Ante-Nicene and Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers), verse-indexed by SermonIndex (CC BY 4.0).
Dictionary and topics
Cornelius — A centurion whose history is narrated in Acts 10. He was a “devout man,” and like the centurion of Capernaum, believed in the God of Israel. His residence at Caesrea probably brought him into contact…
Catholicity · INCUL — INCUL
Houses · Entered by a gate or door — Entered by a gate or door
Joppa · Peter has a vision of a sheet lowered down from the sky, at — Peter has a vision of a sheet lowered down from the sky, at
Missions · General scriptures concerning — General scriptures concerning
Simon · .Peter lodges with — .Peter lodges with
Visions · Frequently difficult and perplexing to those who received them — Frequently difficult and perplexing to those who received them
Dictionary: Easton's (1897) and Smith's (1863), public domain. Topics: Nave's Topical Bible (1896) and Torrey's Topical Textbook (1897), public domain. Both as parsed by NEUU (CC BY 4.0).
on Acts 10:17
Now while Peter doubted in himself,.... For notwithstanding what he had heard and seen, he had not at once a full knowledge of this matter. Beza's most ancient copy reads, "as he was in himself, he doubted"; that is, when he came to himself, for he was before, as it were, out of himself, and was in a trance, or ecstasy; and now being come to himself, and reflecting on what he had seen and heard, he had some doubts and hesitations in his mind:
what this vision which he had seen should mean; what the vessel or sheet should signify, what should be meant by the four-footed beasts, &c. why he should be called to arise, and kill, and eat such creatures, and what should be designed by God's cleans…
Acts 10:17-23
17. And as Peter doubted in himself what vision this should be which he had seen, behold, two men, sent from Cornelius, inquiring for Simon's house, stood at the door. 18. And when they had called, they asked whether Simon, surnamed Peter, did lodge there. 19. And as Peter thought upon the vision, the Spirit said to him, Behold, three men seek thee. 20. Arise, go down, and go with them, doubting nothing, because I have sent them. 21. And when Peter was come down unto the men which were sent from Cornelius unto him, he said, Behold, I am he whom ye seek. What is the cause wherefore ye come hither? 22. They said to him, Cornelius the captain, [centurion,] a just man, and one tha…
Peter was very perplexed: The meaning of the vision would become clear through the events that followed (10:17-48; see 11:1-18): Peter should not hesitate to enter or even eat in the home of a Gentile because God has accepted Gentiles and cleansed them.
