Acts 10:28

The Pulpit Commentary - Acts 10:28

Ye yourselves for ye, A.V.; to join himself for to keep company, A.V.; and yet unto me hath God showed for but God hath showed me, A.V. Ye yourselves know . It was notorious among the Romans that the Jews kept themselves aloof from other people. Hence the accusation against them, in common with Christians, of being haters of the human race. Tacitus says of them that they hated all people, except their own countrymen, as their enemies, and refused to eat or intermarry with them... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Acts 10:28

It is an unlawful thing - This was not explicitly enjoined by Moses, but it seemed to be implied in his institutions, and was, at any rate, the common understanding of the Jews. The design was to keep them a separate people. To do this, Moses forbade alliances by contract, or marriage, with the surrounding nations, which were idolatrous. See Leviticus 18:24-30; Deuteronomy 7:3-12; compare Ezra 9:11-12. This command the Jews perverted, and explained it as referring to contact of all kinds, even... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Acts 10:28-29

Acts 10:28-29. And he said, Ye know how it is an unlawful thing, &c. A thing not allowed by the Jews; for a man that is a Jew A native Jew, as I am; to keep company with, or come unto one of another nation A stranger, and an uncircumcised Gentile. This was not made unlawful by the law of God, but by the precepts of their wise men, which they looked upon to be no less obliging. They did not indeed forbid them to converse with Gentiles, in the way of traffic or worldly business, but... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Acts 10:1-48

European converts (10:1-48)In the Roman regiment based in Caesarea was a centurion named Cornelius, a man who was such a sincere God-fearer that all his household followed his faith. In response to his expressions of faith and acts of kindness, God promised to send Peter to tell him the good news of Jesus Christ by which he could be saved (10:1-8; cf. 11:14).First, however, God wanted to teach Peter certain lessons. God gave him a vision to show him that the old Jewish food laws were of no... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Acts 10:28

know . Greek. epistamai. App-132 . unlawful . Greek. athemitos. Here and 1 Peter 4:3 . Themis is that which is established by custom or usage. keep company . Greek. kollaomai. See Luke 15:15 . one of another nation = aliens. Greek. allophulos Only here in N.T., but frequently in Septuagint, where the Hebrew reads "Philistines". hath . Omit. me . Emphatic because it stands first in the sentence. "Me God shewed". not call any = call no (Greek. medeis) . read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Acts 10:28

And he said unto them, Ye yourselves know how it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to join himself or come unto one of another nation; and yet unto me hath God showed that I should not call any man common or unclean: wherefore also I came without gainsaying, when I was sent for. I ask therefore with what intent ye sent for me?This introduction by Peter was probably spoken as much for the brethren who were with him as it was for the benefit of the company before whom he spoke. We... read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Acts 10:28

28. Ye know it is . . . unlawful . . . for . . . a Jew to keep company, or come unto one of another nation, &c.—There was no express prohibition to this effect, and to a Certain extent intercourse was certainly kept up. (See the Gospel history, towards the end). But intimate social fellowship was not practiced, as being adverse to the spirit of the law. read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Acts 10:23-33

Peter’s visit to Cornelius 10:23-33 read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Acts 10:27-29

It was taboo for Jews to associate with Gentiles and to visit them in their homes. [Note: Mishnah Demai 3:4.] Gentiles did not observe the strict rules Jews followed in eating, preparing, and even handling food, nor did they tithe or practice circumcision. Any physical contact with Gentiles laid a Jew open to becoming ceremonially unclean because of the Gentiles’ failure to observe these Mosaic laws."There is nothing more binding on the average person than social custom." [Note: Robertson,... read more

John Dummelow

John Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible - Acts 10:1-48

Peter and the Gentiles1-48. Conversion of Cornelius. The baptism of Cornelius was an event of farreaching importance, and is, therefore, described by St. Luke in great detail. If it was not the first actual baptism of a Gentile (see Acts 8:38), it was, at any rate, the first such baptism which was publicly acknowledged. The historical character of the incident has been called in question because St. Peter in Galatians is represented as opposing St. Paul on the Gentile question (Galatians... read more

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