Topical Encyclopedia In the New Testament, the account of Cornelius receiving a vision is a significant event that highlights the expansion of the early Christian church to include Gentiles. Cornelius, a centurion of the Italian Regiment, is described as a devout man who feared God, gave generously to those in need, and prayed continually to God (Acts 10:1-2).The Vision The vision to Cornelius is recorded in Acts 10:3-6. Around the ninth hour of the day, Cornelius clearly saw in a vision an angel of God coming to him and calling him by name. The angel instructed him, saying, "Your prayers and gifts to the poor have ascended as a memorial offering before God. Now send men to Joppa to call for a man named Simon who is called Peter. He is staying with Simon the tanner, whose house is by the sea" (Acts 10:4-6). Significance of the Vision Cornelius's vision is pivotal in the narrative of the early church as it marks the divine initiative to include Gentiles in the Christian community. The vision signifies God's acceptance of Gentiles who fear Him and do what is right, breaking the traditional Jewish boundaries that had previously defined the early Christian movement. This event is a fulfillment of the promise that the gospel would be for all nations, as foretold in the Old Testament and reiterated by Jesus in the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19). Cornelius's Response In obedience to the vision, Cornelius immediately sent two of his servants and a devout soldier to Joppa to fetch Peter (Acts 10:7-8). This act of faith and obedience underscores Cornelius's devout character and his openness to God's leading, despite being a Gentile and a Roman officer. Peter's Vision and the Meeting Simultaneously, Peter received a vision that prepared him to meet Cornelius and understand the broader implications of the gospel. Peter's vision of a sheet with unclean animals and the command to "kill and eat" (Acts 10:13) challenged his Jewish dietary laws and prejudices. When Peter arrived at Cornelius's house, he declared, "God has shown me that I should not call any man impure or unclean" (Acts 10:28). The Outpouring of the Holy Spirit As Peter preached to Cornelius and his household, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who heard the message, and they began speaking in tongues and praising God (Acts 10:44-46). This event confirmed to Peter and the Jewish believers that God had indeed granted repentance and the gift of the Holy Spirit to the Gentiles, just as He had to the Jews. Impact on the Early Church The vision to Cornelius and the subsequent events were instrumental in the early church's understanding of the universality of the gospel. It led to the Jerusalem Council's decision to embrace Gentile believers without requiring them to adhere to all Jewish customs (Acts 15). Cornelius's vision thus stands as a testament to God's inclusive plan of salvation and the breaking down of ethnic and cultural barriers within the body of Christ. Torrey's Topical Textbook Acts 10:3He saw in a vision evidently about the ninth hour of the day an angel of God coming in to him, and saying to him, Cornelius. Torrey's Topical Textbook Library The Conversion of Cornelius. Epistle Liii. To Cornelius, Concerning Granting Peace to the ... Peter's Apologia 'God is no Respecter of Persons' Our First Proposition Was, that There is Satisfactory Evidence ... The Papal Bulls against the Jansenists, 1653 and 1713. The Apocalypse. A Threefold Cord How Throughout all the East the Services of Tierce, Sext, and None ... Philip the Evangelist Resources How should Christians view the idea of Muslims having dreams/visions about Jesus? | GotQuestions.orgWhat are the meanings of the various visions in the book of Zechariah? | GotQuestions.org Why is the lack of visions and divinations considered a punishment (Micah 3:6)? | GotQuestions.org Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus Subtopics Visions: False Prophets Pretended to Have Seen Visions: Frequently Difficult and Perplexing to Those Who Received Visions: God Especially Made Himself Known to Prophets By Visions: God often Made Known his Will By Visions: Often Accompanied: A Representative of the Divine Person and Glory Visions: Often Accompanied: An Appearance of Angels Visions: Often Accompanied: An Appearance of Human Beings Visions: Often Accompanied: An Audible Voice from Heaven Visions: Often Communicated in a Trance Visions: Often Communicated in the Night Season Visions: Often Multiplied for the Benefit of the People Visions: Often Recorded for the Benefit of the People Visions: Sometimes Withheld for a Long Season Visions: The Prophets of God Skilled in Interpreting Visions: The Withholding of a Great Calamity Visions: To Daniel (See Chapters 7, 8, and 10 of Daniel) Visions: To Ezekiel (See Chapters 10, 40-48 of Ezekiel) Visions: To John (See Also Rev Chapters 4 - 22) Related Terms |
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