Peter’s visit to Caesarea

“Now on the next day he got ready and went away with them, and some of the brothers from Joppa accompanied him.” (1) By the time they finished lunch, it was already late. Therefore, the group set out for Caesarea the next day. (2) “Some of the brothers from Joppa accompanied him.” According to Acts 11:12, the number of brothers from Joppa who accompanied them was six. In the Book of Acts, there are many instances of traveling in pairs, but here, the group is three times that size. Including Peter, there were seven witnesses (seven being the perfect number). Visiting a Gentile’s house was an act that could attract criticism. Peter needed witnesses who could support and defend his actions. “On the following day he entered Caesarea. Now Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends.” (1) Let’s review the timeline. (a) Day 1: Cornelius received the vision at 3 pm and sent out his messengers. (b) Day 2: The messengers arrived in Joppa around noon. (c) Day 3: Peter and the messengers set out from Joppa and stayed overnight on the way. (d) Day 4: Peter and the messengers arrived in Caesarea before 3 pm. (2) Cornelius was confident that Peter would come. He gathered his relatives (extended family) and close friends, waiting for Peter’s arrival. Expectation in God is the essence of faith. Do we have such an expectation? “When Peter entered, Cornelius met him, and fell at his feet and worshiped him. But Peter helped him up, saying, ‘Stand up; I, too, am just a man.’” (1) Cornelius fell at Peter’s feet to worship him. It is unlikely that Cornelius, a God-fearing Gentile, was worshipping Peter. This was probably a typical Roman gesture of respect. (2) However, Peter, being Jewish, interpreted this as worship. Saying, “Stand up; I, too, am just a man,” Peter passed through the entrance (gate) and went into the house. Peter, a Jew, had entered the home of Cornelius, a Gentile. At this moment, Peter had crossed the greatest boundary. This marked a significant turning point in the history of the church. Peter was able to act boldly because he knew God’s will. He understood God’s will through the vision. In our case, we can know God’s will through (a) the Scripture, and (b) the Holy Spirit. God reveals Himself to those who seek Him.