Acts 10:2

"a devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, who gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God always" "Devout" Meaning reverent and pious. "One that feared God" "The usual term for the Gentile seekers after God (Acts 17:4), who had come into the worship of the synagogue without circumcision, and were not strictly proselytes" (Robertson pp. 133-134). "Many Gentiles in those days, while not prepared to enter this Jewish community as full proselytes. Some of them attended synagogue and were tolerably conversant with the prayers and Scripture lessons, some observed with more or less scrupulosity such distinctive Jewish practices as Sabbath observance and abstinence from certain kinds of food. Cornelius's attachment to the Jewish religion appeared particularly in his regular prayer to the God of Israel and acts of charity to the people of Israel" (Bruce p. 216). We should be impressed that people do tire of sin and the shallow ways of the world. In the first century. number of Gentiles had become dissatisfied with the immorality and idolatry of the times, therefore we need to realize that the world will always contain people who are looking for the truth. Non-Christians with the character of Cornelius do exist in our own times. Despite his religious ways, Cornelius still remained. Gentile, an outsider in the Jewish community that spoke highly of him (Acts 10:22; Acts 11:3). Yet note his attitude. Here is. man who wants God, even though at the present, it appears that despite all his efforts, he remains. second-class citizen--in eyes of the God of Israel."With all his house" "Cornelius had instructed and influenced his family and servants. Not satisfied with having found. higher truth for himself, he sought to share it with those most under his influence" (Reese p. 379). Those convicted of God's truth must share it with others (Jeremiah 2:9; Acts 8:4; Acts 4:20). "Who gave much alms to the people" The phrase "the people" refers to the Jewish people (Acts 10:22). "To find an occupational soldier who was liberal in his charity toward the occupied peoples must have been. striking contrast to the usual practice of the Roman soldiers" (Reese p. 380) (Luke 3:14).. think it is hard for us to appreciate the meaning of the above statement. Cornelius was very liberal to the Jewish race, even though he would always be considered an outsider by them. Hatred between Jews and Romans was extremely deep, and around A.D. 70 in the city of Caesarea, some 20,000 Jews would be massacred. "Prayed to God always" He may have observed the traditional Jewish times of prayer.