38”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. 39We are witnesses of all the things He did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They also put Him to death by hanging Him on a cross. 40God raised Him up on the third day and granted that He become visible, 41not to all the people, but to witnesses who were chosen beforehand by God, that is, to us who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead. 42And He ordered us to preach to the people, and solemnly to testify that this is the One who has been appointed by God as Judge of the living and the dead. 43Of Him all the prophets bear witness that through His name everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins.”
Peter recalls for Cornelius the known facts about Jesus that were circulating among the faithful. As often is the case, the efforts to quell the movement served to spread information about it. So now the Gentile centurion had the unique opportunity to hear from one of the ringleaders of the movement, the apostle Peter, who had become well-known for his miracles.
Peter gives his interpretation of the facts of the matter, beginning with asserting that Jesus was anointed by the Holy Spirit. He may have been recalling what Jesus Himself had said:
And the book of the prophet Isaiah was handed to Him. And He opened the book and found the place where it was written, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim release to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free those who are oppressed . . . (Luke 4:17–18)
But from more recent events, he would have very clearly had in his mind the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, affirming the preaching of Jesus when he proclaimed to the Jews in Jerusalem:
“Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs which God performed through Him in your midst, just as you yourselves know— this Man, delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death. But God raised Him up again, putting an end to the agony of death, since it was impossible for Him to be held in its power.” (Acts 2:22–24)
The message to Cornelius was similar, extending to the Gentiles the same promise God had given the Jews: “Everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins.” This is the message Peter was ordered to preach!
Lord, I renew my commitment to preach the message of the gospel to whomever will listen.
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