²⁹”That is why I came without even raising any objection when I was sent for. So I ask for what reason you have sent for me.” ³⁰Cornelius 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 garments, ³¹and he said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and your alms have been remembered before God. ³²‘Therefore send 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.’ ³³”So I sent for you immediately, and you have been kind enough to come. Now then, we are all here present before God to hear all that you have been commanded by the Lord.”

No hesitation on Peter’s part; he responded immediately to God’s command to go onto Gentile turf. Cornelius, being a commander of a Roman century (one hundred men), would have respected Peter’s prompt response to a superior’s command. This chain of command was higher than that of a centurion or those above him in the Roman military hierarchy.

Peter assumes charge of the situation and asks his summoner the reason for his call. Cornelius dutifully responds with a summary of the backstory leading to this encounter. He describes the angel in the vision (Acts 10:3) as a man in “shining garments.” He clearly considers this vision a supernatural event, and he wants to make sure he accurately coveys the details to Peter.

Indeed, this passage helps us respond to the age-old debate of whether God hears the prayers of unbelievers: yes, He does, at least in this case, for genuinely God-fearing people who have not yet encountered the message of the gospel. Cornelius’ faith in God—what little he knew of Him—is seen in his humanitarian actions and financial support (called “alms”) for needy Jews (see vs. 2), whom he obviously recognizes as the people of God.

Recognizing that although he could have made Peter come by force, if needed, it is clear that Cornelius didn’t see it that way. He thanked Peter for his kindness in coming (lit. “It was good of you to come”). His humility reveals his understanding that he was outside of the covenant of faith that began with Abraham. He understood what the Syrophoenician woman knew, that Gentiles were outsiders as uninvited guests, and they didn’t have a right to the blessings passed down from Abraham to the covenant community of God’s people, the Jews (Mark 7:27–28). So Cornelius approached Peter humbly, but with great desire to hear the word that the Lord had for him. So Peter, he says, we are here to listen; what have you been commanded to tell us? Don’t delay any longer with the preliminaries. What are our orders from God, our ultimate commander?

Lord, thank You for stirring me to obedience by the example of this centurion.