Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary (4 vols)

Acts 10:36

Acts 10:36. The word which God sent. The grammatical thread is very difficult to follow through this verse and the two subsequent verses. It is really impossible to disentangle the construction satisfactorily. Nor is it essential that we should do this. The simplest view, perhaps, is this, that we have here three things in apposition (1) the proclamation of the Gospel (τὸν λόγον) which was spread through Judaea; (2) the subject-matter (τὸ ρῆμα) of the proclamation, the new religion which was thus diffused; (3) the fact that Jesus was divinely anointed for this mission. A general knowledge of what was involved in these three expressions was already possessed by Cornelius and his friends. It was the inner meaning of this revelation which was now to be unfolded to them.

Preaching peace by Jesus Christ. More fully and accurately, ‘proclaiming the good news of peace by Jesus Christ.' It has been asked whether this denotes peace between God and man, or peace between Jew and Gentile. The right answer probably is that both are included, but that the former is primarily intended. We should compare Ephesians 2:15-17, where, part of the language is remarkably similar (see Isaiah 57:19).

He is lord of all. The commentators do not appear to have given to this most remarkable parenthesis the full attention which it deserves. In the first place, it assigns to Christ Divine supremacy in language which, though very brief, is as forcible as possible; and, secondly, it brings all mankind on a level, because all men stand in the same relation to Him (see Romans 3:29-30).

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Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary (4 vols)

Acts 10:36

Old Testament

New Testament