translation_id: net-engnet

book_id: ACT

label: NET study note

text: Caesarea was a city on the coast of Palestine south of Mount Carmel (not Caesarea Philippi). It was known as “Caesarea by the sea” (BDAG 499 s.v. Καισάρεια 2). Largely Gentile, it was a center of Roman administration and the location of many of Herod the Great’s building projects (Josephus, Ant. 15.9.6 [15.331-341]). map For location see Map2-C1 ; Map4-B3 ; Map5-F2 ; Map7-A1 ; JP1-F4 ; JP2-F4 ; JP3-F4 ; JP4-F4 .


text: A centurion was a noncommissioned officer in the Roman army or one of the auxiliary territorial armies, commanding a centuria of (nominally) 100 men. The responsibilities of centurions were broadly similar to modern junior officers, but there was a wide gap in social status between them and officers, and relatively few were promoted beyond the rank of senior centurion. The Roman troops stationed in Judea were auxiliaries, who would normally be rewarded with Roman citizenship after 25 years of service. Some of the centurions may have served originally in the Roman legions (regular army) and thus gained their citizenship at enlistment. Others may have inherited it, like Paul.


text: A cohort was a Roman military unit of about 600 soldiers, one-tenth of a legion (BDAG 936 s.v. σπεῖρα ). The Italian Cohort has been identified as cohors II Italica which is known to have been stationed in Syria in a.d. 88.


text: The description of Cornelius as a devout, God-fearing man probably means that he belonged to the category called “God-fearers,” Gentiles who worshiped the God of Israel and in many cases kept the Mosaic law, but did not take the final step of circumcision necessary to become a proselyte to Judaism. See further K. G. Kuhn, TDNT 6:732-34, 43-44, and Sir 11:17; 27:11; 39:27.


text: The language used in the expression gone up as a memorial before God parallels what one would say of acceptable sacrifices ( Ps 141:2 ; Sir 35:6; 50:16).


text: Joppa was a seaport on the Philistine coast, in the same location as modern Jaffa.


text: Went up on the roof. Most of the roofs in the NT were flat roofs made of pounded dirt, sometimes mixed with lime or stones, supported by heavy wooden beams. They generally had an easy means of access, either a sturdy wooden ladder or stone stairway, sometimes on the outside of the house.


text: For the significance of this vision see Mark 7:14-23 ; Rom 14:14 ; Eph 2:11-22 . God directed this change in practice.


text: See the note on the word centurion in 10:1 .


text: Some of the brothers from Joppa. As v. 45 makes clear, there were Jewish Christians in this group of witnesses.


text: Caesarea was a city on the coast of Palestine south of Mount Carmel (not Caesarea Philippi). map For location see Map2-C1 ; Map4-B3 ; Map5-F2 ; Map7-A1 ; JP1-F4 ; JP2-F4 ; JP3-F4 ; JP4-F4 .


text: When Cornelius worshiped Peter, it showed his piety and his respect for Peter, but it was an act based on ignorance, as Peter’s remark in v. 26 indicates.


text: This statement is a paraphrase rather than an exact quotation of Acts 10:4 .


text: See Luke 24:47 .


text: Peace is a key OT concept: Isa 52:7 ; Nah 1:15 ; also for Luke: Luke 1:79; 2:14 ; Acts 9:31 . See also the similar phrase in Eph 2:17 .


text: He is Lord of all. Though a parenthetical remark, this is the theological key to the speech. Jesus is Lord of all , so the gospel can go to all. The rest of the speech proclaims Jesus’ authority.


text: The somewhat awkward naming of Jesus as from Nazareth here is actually emphatic. He is the key subject of these key events.


text: See Acts 7:9 .


text: Ate and drank. See Luke 24:35-49 .


text: Jesus has divine authority as judge over the living and the dead: Acts 17:26-31 ; Rom 14:9 ; 1 Thess 5:9-10 ; 1 Tim 4:1 ; 1 Pet 4:5 .


text: Forgiveness of sins. See Luke 24:47 ; also Acts 14:23; 19:4; 9:42; 11:17; 16:31 . The gospel is present in the prophetic promise, Rom 1:1-7 . The message is in continuity with the ancient hope.


text: The Jewish Christians who were with Peter were greatly astonished because they thought the promise of the Spirit would be limited only to those of Israel. God’s plan was taking on fresh dimensions even as it was a reflection of what the prophets had promised.


text: The gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out. Compare the account in , especially 2:33 . Note also Joel 2:17-21 and Acts 11:15-18 .