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Tag: Caesarea

Friends, Romans, Brothers: Lend me your ears
An angel of the Lord summoned Jews from Joppa and Romans from Caesarea to hear Peter preach the Gospel for all.

Acts 10: of Peter and the Romans in Caesarea
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In case you missed it, Peter's Roman Centurion host has just bowed down to him when the Apostle approached the group of believers at his own home.
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Caesar’s Palace East welcomes PETRUS

When Peter entered, Cornelius met him, and fell at his feet and worshiped him.

An angel brought Peter and a group of faithful Jews from Joppa at the invitation of their Roman occupiers. (What an odd scenario, it would seem.)

The Roman Legion of the Italian Cohort, a highly regarded army of Caesar, has invited not only Peter to his home, but also many friends and family. This scene might look somewhat like a large home church and our host, Cornelius, recounts for all as witness what has recently taken place:

So I ask, for what reason did you send for me?”

Cornelius said, “Four days ago to this hour, I was praying in my house during the ninth hour; and behold, a man stood before me in shining clothing, and he said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and your charitable gifts have been remembered before God. Therefore send some men to Joppa and invite Simon, who is also called Peter, to come to you; he is staying at the house of Simon the tanner, by the sea.’
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How else would a Roman Legion know where to find a Jew from Galilee traveling in Judea?
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33 So I sent men to you immediately, and you have been kind enough to come.

Now then, we are all here present before God to hear everything that you have been commanded by the Lord.”

Let’s just set this amazing scene in context: A Roman leader of men who God has drawn to the salvation that comes from the Jews invited Simon Peter to preach! WE ARE ALL HERE PRESENT BEFORE GOD… It’s an expression of worship. Tell us what the Lord has commanded you.

Peter’s previous witness of Roman faith

Gospel of Luke 7:

[Jesus in Capernaum] Now a centurion’s slave, who was highly regarded by him, was sick and about to die. When he heard about Jesus, he sent some Jewish elders to Him, asking Him to come and save the life of his slave..

..when He was not yet far from the house, the centurion sent friends, saying to Him, “Lord, do not trouble Yourself further, for I am not worthy for You to enter under my roof; for that reason I did not even consider myself worthy to come to You; but just say the word, and my servant shall be healed.

Simon Peter, a fisherman of Capernaum, certainly would have been with the Lord Jesus. And the humility of this centurion mirrors the faithful believer, Cornelius, who now bows down to Peter and then invites him to preach.
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Do YOU, my fellow 21st century believer, have trouble with Authority such as this? Listen to this and the Lord's response.
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“For I also am a man placed under authority, with soldiers under myself; and I say to this one, ‘Go!’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come!’ and he comes, and to my slave, ‘Do this!’ and he does it.”
Gospel of Luke 7:8 NASB20

Now when Jesus heard this, He was amazed at him, and turned and said to the crowd that was following Him,
“I say to you, not even in Israel have I found such great faith.”
Gospel of Luke 7:9 – the Messiah Jesus to Jews on the faith of these romans

THE GOD of Every Nation

Acts 10: of Peter preaching to the Romans at Caesarea

³⁴Opening his mouth, Peter said:

“I most certainly understand now that God is not one to show partiality, but in every nation the one who fears Him and does what is right is acceptable to Him.
Acts 10:34-35 – Proclamation of Peter of the Gospel for Gentiles

Two Acceptable Conditions to God

Peter now speaks to ‘every nation’ – ethnos – not just Romans (who now rule the land). AND now certainly (according to Peter), not exclusively Jews.

Jesus also uses this word frequently, sometimes translated, ‘gentiles,’ a very hebrew concept of unclean men separated from those circumcised by blood as holy to the Lord God.
- the man who FEARS HIM [God]
  - φοβέω – phobeō
    Do YOU FEAR GOD, my fellow follower of Christ Jesus?
[Cornelius, a centurion was] a devout man and one who feared^G5399 God with all his household, and made many charitable contributions to the Jewish people and prayed to God continually.
Acts of the Apostles 10:2 NASB20
- and does what is right..
  - ἐργάζομαι – ergazomai
  - δικαιοσύνη – dikaiosynē
    “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness G1343, for they will be satisfied.
    δικαιοσύνη dikaiosýnē, dik-ah-yos-oo’-nay; from G1342; equity (of character or act); specially (Christian) justification:—righteousness.
θεός

Peter uses a universal word from the greek for God: θεός – theos
- God: θεός – theos is written over 1300 times in the NEW Testament
- All of the Gospel writers use ‘God’ to describe the Lord God to gentiles
  - The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God^G2316 – Mark 1:1
- JESUS uses God: θεός – theos many many times.
  - “The one who believes in the Son has eternal life; but the one who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God^G2316 remains on him.” – John 3:36
- ACTS of the Apostles speaks of God: θεός more than any book of the Bible θεός – theh’-os 168x
  - “It is this Jesus whom God raised up, a fact to which we are all witnesses. – Acts 2:32 – Peter
- The Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament) use several words for ‘God,’ this similar to ēl – אֵל
A Gospel History for Roman Brothers and Sisters

36 The word [logos] which He sent [apostellō] to the sons of Israel [Ἰσραήλ “he shall be a prince of God”], preaching peace through Jesus Christ (He is Lord [κύριος – From kuros (supremacy)]of all)—
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Peter points out first to these Jewish proselytes that GOD anointed Jesus as Lord of all. 
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you yourselves know the thing that happened throughout Judea, starting from Galilee, after the baptism which John proclaimed. You know of Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.
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The Apostle Simon Peter then confirms what many have already seen and heard in Jerusalem over these past months.
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“We are witnesses of all the things that He did both in the countryside of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They also put Him to death by hanging Him on a cross.
Acts of the Apostles 10:39 NASB20

“God raised Him up on the third day and granted that He [become visible] be revealed, not to all the people, but to witnesses who had been chosen beforehand by God, that is, to us who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead.

“And He ordered us to [proclaim] preach to the people, and to testify solemnly that this is the One who has been appointed by God as Judge of the living and the dead.
Acts 10:42 NASB20 of the Apostle Peter
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Again, Peter preaches to these Romans who are jewish proselytes with some understanding of Scripture. 
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“All the prophets testify of Him, that through His name everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins.”
Acts 10:43 NASB20

Romans – (gentiles) BAPTIZED! (another sign)

Atti 10:44-48 Il battesimo dei primi pagani (The baptism of the first pagans)

While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who were listening to the message. All the Jewish believers who came with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had also been poured out on the Gentiles. For they were hearing them speaking with tongues and exalting God.
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Sound familiar? 
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Pentecost – a narrative of the fifty days fulfilled

—we hear them speaking in our own tongues of the mighty deeds of God.” – Acts 2:11b

Leadership: Responding to the Spirit of God

Then Peter responded,

47 “Surely no one can refuse the water for these to be baptized, who have received the Holy Spirit just as we did, can he?”

48 And he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.

Then they asked him to stay on for a few days.

What a few days it must have been in Caesarea.. as Peter led these first Romans from baptism to go into all the world and proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ the risen Lord!
April 27, 2022
Caesar’s Palace East welcomes PETRUS
Caesar’s Palace

Peter in Roman Sin City

A background behind Caesar’s Palace in Judea
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Initially, a few decades before..
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Caesarea is sixty some miles northwest of Jerusalem. Herod had expanded it to become one of the most important cities in the Roman Empire, which would later serve Rome as Judea’s capital. (Yes, it would later have a grande Caesar’s Palace intended for the Herodian rulers of Judea.)

Herod the Great had sold his political soul to an alliance with the great Caesar Augustus (title first claimed by Herod’s ally, Octavian). But Herod’s alliance accomplished only a brief stay of execution of Roman dominance over Judea, even as he began many magnificent building projects. These included an incomplete Temple in Jerusalem where Jesus would preach and an opulent port of Caesarea Maritima (one of several Caesar’s Palaces of these times).

Romans, Egyptians and the Greeks before them under the dominance of Alexander’s world empire worshiped MANY gods. Jerusalem’s differing parties of Jews argued constantly over such forced relationships with their pagan overseers. A Caesar or Cleopatra as one of these gods was common occurrence in the A.D. first century world where Jews mostly traded liberally with other cultures.

Caesar’s, Ptolemy’s & Herod’s

You probably know about the whoredom of Cleopatra (glamorized by Hollywood) from when the Queen of Egypt willingly made her bed with the power of Rome in order to hold onto her kingdom. (It’s a complex plot of military/political/religious drama of real life at its best.)

In fact, Jews recognized that the ruling party of the Herod’s was no less in bed with Rome than had been Cleopatra.

She had commanded a personal fleet of 60 ships and sent 200 ships to Antony at Actium [33 B.C.]. This Egyptian Pharaoh also appointed her own governors of conquered regions like Syria and Cypress.

Cleopatra had incited a war against Herod. Octavian later takes power as Caesar Augustus. [See more linked to the quote below.]

Herod, who had personally advised Antony after the Battle of Actium that he should betray Cleopatra, traveled to Rhodes to meet Octavian and resign his kingship out of loyalty to Antony. Octavian was impressed by his speech and sense of loyalty, so he allowed him to maintain his position in Judea, further isolating Antony and Cleopatra.
Wikipedia.org – citing additional sources

Herod’s new harbor of Caesarea was forty acres and could accommodate 300 ships. According to the historian Josephus, he built a “most magnificent palace” on a promontory jutting out into the waters of Caesarea and lengthy aqueduct to bring water from springs at the base of Mount Carmel nearly ten miles away.
Read more & see additional photos: https://www.bibleplaces.com/caesarea/

Enter Peter encountering Rome in Caesarea

In ~ the year of our Lord, 40
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Your additions or corrections to this approximate scenario of A.D. 40'ish from various sources are welcome as a COMMENT to this post. - RH
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- Joseph ben Caiaphas, who had condemned the Messiah JESUS to a Cross and unsuccessfully tried Peter and John remains powerful in Jerusalem.
- Pontius Pilate had been recalled from office as governor by Tiberius Caesar three years earlier after Pilate had ordered great violence to suppress a Samaritan rebelion.
- Tiberius Caesar Augustus died that same year and was succeeded by his son Caligula, who declared himself a god.
- Caligula ordered a statue of himself is to be erected in the temple at Jerusalem, but Herod delays implementation long enough to prevent widespread revolt in Judaea and prior to Caligula’s assassination by men of a succeeding Emperor, Claudius.
- Herod Antipas, son of Herod the Great & Tetrarch of Galilee and Perea, whose wife Herodias had incited him to behead John the Baptist, has also died just a year earlier.
- AND NOW, The Lord has summoned Simon Peter to accompany three Roman men sent from Caesarea by a Roman military leader to find Peter in Joppa.
ACTS 10: of PETER in Caesarea
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CLICK ACTS 10 [above] to view:  New American Standard Bible; Conferenza Episcopale Italiana; Orthodox Jewish Bible; SBL Greek New Testament 
+ consider the significance of this crucial cross-cultural visit by Simon Peter to a Roman in Caesarea.
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Now on the next day he got ready and went away with them, and some of the brothers from Joppa accompanied him. On the following day he entered Caesarea.
ACTS 10:23b-24a NASB

Now Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends.
- Peter has brought fellow followers of Christ, fellow jews from Joppa [v.23].
- Cornelius is A devout man, &–an uncircumcised Gentile proselyte to the Jewish faith, of whom there were a very great number at this time; a distinguished proselyte, who had brought his whole household establishment under the hallowing influence of the Jewish faith and the regular observance of its principal seasons of worship. – source
When Peter entered, Cornelius met him, and fell at his feet and worshiped him.

This is more than respect and above customary honor of one man to a delegate coming to him from another place or as a representative of the true faith he seeks.

Cornelius, a Roman Jew in every way except birth and circumcision, recognizes that Peter, is ambassador of the Messiah Jesus, a man of miracles.

Faithful and reliable men have even told him about Peter and his miracles in Jerusalem confirming the Messiah AND Jesus’ anointing of this Apostle who has now come into his presence in his Roman city of Caesarea.

Just like the healed lame man who clung to Peter at the Temple, Cornelius meets a man with the Power of the Lord who gives all credit to the Lord Jesus Christ.

26 But Peter helped him up, saying,

“Stand up; I, too, am just a man.”

27 As he talked with him, he entered and found many people assembled. And he said to them,

“You yourselves know that it is forbidden for a Jewish man to associate with or visit a foreigner;

Just let this sink in for a moment, as Peter’s Roman listeners in Caesarea certainly must have done:

Cornelius may have instructed the men in his command in this manner:

‘These JEWISH subjects of our Roman legions are NOT at all like the tolerant Hellenists we meet throughout Caesar’s Empire! So avoid them when possible.‘

Peter continues with words of comfort to these gentiles:

and yet God has shown me that I am not to call any person unholy or unclean.

That is why I came without even raising any objection when I was sent for.

NEXT:

Caesarea – (Caesar’s Palace in Judea)

Cornelius recounts his own ‘coming to Jesus’ experience at Caesar’s Palace East in Caesarea.
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To be continued...
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April 21, 2022
The Gospel of an Angel to Cornelius
ACTS 10 – of Cornelius – a devout Roman Centurion

Now there was a man in Caesarea named Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian [~600 man] cohort, a devout man and one who feared God with all his household, and made many charitable contributions to the Jewish people and prayed to God continually.

Who do we see here?

A Roman soldier in a navy town built by Caesar.

A devout humble worshipper of God.

A family man, leader of his household as well.

A generous man who gave to the Jews subjected to Roman rule, taxes and its army.

This is the Italian Centurion Κορνήλιος [Cornelius].

We have already read about the Angel he will encounter in ACTS 10:3
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Learn more about angels by clicking on our previous post below.
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He distinctly saw an angel of God

About the ninth hour of the day he clearly saw in a vision an angel of God who had just come in and said to him, “Cornelius!”

Answer to a Roman prayer:

And he looked at him intently and became terrified, and said, “What is it, lord?”

Cornelius, a Roman centurion, calls the Angel, lord; that is respectfully addressing him as “sir” and waiting for the response of a superior.

And he said to him, “Your prayers and charitable gifts have ascended as a memorial offering before God.
ACTS 10:4b – the answer of an angel to the Roman Centurion Cornelius

Meanwhile, back in Joppa

Peter stayed in Joppa for many days with a man named Simon who was a leatherworker. – CLICK HERE for Greek, English, Italian & Russian for Acts 9:43
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We have already travelled to Joppa from Jerusalem with Simon Peter in Luke's account prior to this angelic encounter in Caesarea.
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Another Resurrection in Joppa

Ταβιθά – Δορκάς – Dorcas = “gazelle”
the name of a woman Peter raised from the dead

An Angel’s Command to a Roman Soldier in Caesarea

piadoso y temeroso de Dios con toda su casa, y que hacía muchas limosnas al pueblo, y oraba a Dios siempre.
Hechos 10:2 :: Reina-Valera 1960 (RVR60)

Luke’s Greek text describes Cornelius as εὐσεβής [eusebēs]. We would not want to miss the significance of worshipers of God of any ethnicity. [Above]

The word in Spanish resembles an English word which will put off some free-thinking evangelicals, but don’t miss it:

AN ANGEL of GOD came to an Italian in Roman Syria.

(NOT a Hebrew like the Apostles).

Cornelius is NOT even a Greek like Luke, born a Greek and a Gentile in Antioch, Syria.

The word Luke uses to describe him is Pious.

Cornelius EXEMPLIFIES the ACT of being pious or dutiful to all – especially God.

The Angel’s Messengers to Peter

εὐαγγέλιον – [pronounced] yoo-ang-ghel’-ee-on – Gospel
- good tidings
- same as εὐαγγελίζω (G2097) –
  - to bring good news, to announce glad tidings
- Do you recall from our look at Angels that they are messengers from God generally with a message for a man of God?
ΠΡΑΞΕΙΣ ΤΩΝ ΑΠΟΣΤΟΛΩΝ [ACTS] 10:4-8

“Now dispatch some men to Joppa and send for a man named Simon, who is also called Peter; he is staying with a tanner named Simon, whose house is by the sea.”
ACTS 10:5-6 [NASB20] of an Angel of God instructing Cornelius with his gospel message

Obedient immediate response to the gospel

7 The angel who spoke to Cornelius left.

Then Cornelius called two of his servants and a soldier. The soldier was a religious man, one of his close helpers.

8 Cornelius explained everything to these three men and sent them to Joppa.

NEXT: A most unlikely lunch meeting in Joppa

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April 4, 2022