Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Acts 10:6
He lodgeth with one Simon a tanner, whose house is by the sea side: he shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do.
6. he shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do ] These words are not in the oldest MSS. In Peter’s own account of the visit to Cornelius (Act 11:14) we have “who shall tell thee words whereby thou and all thy house shall be saved;” and this is one of the numerous instances found in some later texts of the Acts where an attempt has been made to form a complete narrative in the earlier chapters by gathering together and adapting statements which appear in their proper place in later chapters. The prayers of Cornelius had been for more knowledge and greater light, and the angel directs him to the instructor whom he desires. The inserted words probably first appeared as a note on the margin.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
He lodgeth – He remains as a guest at his house. See Act 9:43.
By the sea-side – Joppa was a seaport on the Mediterranean. Tanneries are erected on the margin of streams or of any body of water to convey away the filth produced in the operation of dressing skins.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 6. Simon a tanner] See Clarke on Ac 9:43.
What thou oughtest to do.] From this it appears that matters of great moment had occupied the mind of Cornelius. He was not satisfied with the state of his own soul, nor with the degree he possessed of religious knowledge; and he set apart a particular time for extraordinary fasting and prayer, that God might farther reveal to him the knowledge of his will. Perhaps he had heard of Jesus, and had been perplexed with the different opinions that prevailed concerning him, and now prayed to God that he might know what part he should take; and the answer to this prayer is, “Send to Joppa for Simon Peter, he shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do.” This clause, so explanatory, is wanting in almost every MS. and version of note. Griesbach and some others have left it out of the text. But see Ac 11:14, where it stands in substance.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
These particulars, when found true by Cornelius, did very much advantage him towards his believing what Peter in the name of the Lord did tell him.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
3-6. saw . . .evidently“distinctly.”
the ninth hour of thedaythree o’clock, the hour of the evening sacrifice. But hehad been “fasting until that hour” (Ac10:30), perhaps from the sixth hour (Ac10:9).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
He lodgeth with one Simon a tanner, c] Simon the tanner was his host this man very probably was a good man, and one that lodged strangers; of his trade, [See comments on Ac 9:43]
whose house is by the sea side; Joppa was a sea port, 2Ch 2:16 Jon 1:3 hence we read of , “the sea of Joppa” x; and also of , “the port of Joppa” y; now Simon’s house was in the outer part of the city, and by the sea side, as well for convenience for his business, as because such trades might not be exercised within a city; being nauseous and disagreeable, because of their skins and manner of dressing them, and the dead carcasses from whence they often took them off; hence that rule of the Jews z,
“they place dead carcasses, graves, , “and a tanner’s workshop”, (in which he dresses his skins,) fifty cubits from the city; nor do they make a tanner’s workshop, but at the eastern part of the city. R. Abika says, it may be made at every part excepting the west.”
The reason of that, as given by the a commentators, is, because prayer was made towards the west, where the temple stood, and the divine presence was. The Ethiopic version very wrongly renders it, “and the house of Cornelius is near the sea”; for not his, but Simon’s is meant:
he shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do; he was to tell him words, or to deliver doctrines to him, by which he and his family would be better instructed in the way of salvation, and arrive to a greater degree of knowledge of Christ, and faith in him, and be brought to a submission to his commands and ordinances; see
Ac 10:22, this clause is left out in the Alexandrian copy, and in some others, and in the Syriac and Arabic versions.
x Ezra iii. 7. Targum in 2 Chron. ii. 16. y T. Hieros. Yoma, fol. 41. 1. Joseph. Antiqu. l. 11. c. 4. sect. 1. & 13. 9. 1 Maccab. xiv. 5. 1. Esdr. v. 55. z Misn. Bava Bathra, c. 2. sect. 9. a Maimou. & Bartenora in ib.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Lodgeth (). Present passive indicative of old verb from , a stranger as a guest. So to entertain a guest as here or to surprise by strange acts (Acts 17:20; 1Pet 4:4).
Whose (). To whom, dative of possession.
By the seaside ( ). Along by the sea. Note accusative case. Outside the city walls because a tanner and to secure water for his trade. Some tanneries are by the seashore at Jaffa today.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
A tanner. Showing that the strictness of the Jewish law was losing its hold on Peter; since the tanner ‘s occupation was regarded as unclean by strict Jews, and the tanners were commanded to dwell apart. “If a tanner married without mentioning his trade, his wife was permitted to get a divorce. The law of levirate marriage might be set aside if the brother – in – law of the childless widow was a tanner. A tanner ‘s yard must be at least fifty cubits from any town” (Farrar, ” Life and Work of St. Paul “).
By the seaside. Outside the walls, both for proximity to the business, and because of the ceremonial requirement referred to above. Mr. William 100 Prime, describing a visit to Joppa, says : “I was walking along the sea – beach, looking for shells, and at about a fourth of a mile from the city, to the southward, I found two tanneries directly on the seaside. I observed that the rocks in front of them were covered with the water a few inches deep, and that they soaked their hides on these rocks and also submitted them to some process in the water which I did not stop to understand” (” Tent – life in the Holy Land “).
Of them that waited on him continually [ ] . See on ch. Act 1:14.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “He lodgeth with one Simon a tanner,” (houtos ksenizetai para tini Simoni bursei) “This man (Simon Peter) lodged with a certain Simon who was a tanner,” the establishment of identity is so important in delivering specific, designated messages to designated persons, since each must give account for himself, Rom 14:11-12.
2) “Whose house is by the seaside: (hoestinoikia para thalassan) “Who has an house alongside the sea,” by the sea outside the city. Note the messengers were to deliver their message to the right “Simon,” the one on whose conscience and soul God was also working to prepare him to make the trip to the Gentile home to preach the “no-difference” story of salvation, Act 10:43; Act 15:9.
3) “He shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do,” (Gk. omits in Nestle) The idea is that Cornelius would receive instructions from Simon Peter concerning salvation that left him with an option, as a free moral (responsible) person, to receive salvation or reject it, as also each responsible member of his household could do, Eze 33:11; 2Pe 3:9; Joh 1:11-12; Joh 8:24; Act 11:14.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
6. A tanner See note on Act 9:43.
By the sea side For the sake of the necessary water in preparing the hides, and separate from dwellings on account of fetid and unhealthy odours. The Jewish rule was, “Separate corpses, sepulchres, and tanneries fifty cubits from the city.”
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
6 He lodgeth with one Simon a tanner, whose house is by the sea side: he shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do.
Ver. 6. With one Simon a tanner ] God knoweth all his by name, and condition of life.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Act 10:6 . , see Act 10:33 . : perhaps to secure water for the purpose of his trade, perhaps because it seems that a tanner was not allowed to carry on his business unless outside the walls of a town, see on Act 9:43 , at a distance of fifty cubits, see Wendt, in loco Hackett, p. 135.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
He = This one.
lodgeth. Greek. pass, of xenizo, to receive as a guest.
one. Greek. tis. App-123.
tanner. See Act 9:43.
by the sea side = by the side of the sea. he shall, &c. The texts omit this clause.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
one: Act 9:43
he shall: Act 9:6, Act 11:13, Act 11:14, Joh 7:17, Rom 10:14-17, Eph 4:8-12
Reciprocal: Exo 4:27 – Go into Ezr 3:7 – Joppa Act 9:11 – Arise Act 10:18 – and asked Act 10:22 – and to Act 15:7 – ye know
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
6
Act 10:6. Specific directions were given so that the right Simon would be called for. Oughtest is from DEI which Thayer defines, “It is necessary, there is need of, it behooves, is right and proper,” and he explains it at this place to mean, “Necessity in reference to what is required to attain some end.” It has been rendered “must” 58 times in the King James translation. He shall tell thee. This is in keeping with the Lord’s plan not to tell sinners directly what to do to be saved. (See chapter 8:26.)
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Act 10:6. With one Simon a tanner. This, again, is part of the minute exactitude conspicuous throughout the narrative. Even this is repeated by Cornelius (Act 10:32) when he relates his experience to St. Peter (see Act 9:43 and Act 10:17).
Whose house is by the sea-side. Here is the first intimation of the position of Simons house. This circumstance is not stated in Act 9:43. Its reiteration by Cornelius (Act 10:32), when he makes his own statement, is another proof of the definite nature of his vision. Thus the phrase is seen to have a true importance in the narrative. As to the position of Simons house, this might have some reference to the convenience of the trade exercised by Simon. Moreover, he may have been forced to live there, because of some ceremonial uncleanness connected in the Jewish mind with the exercise of that trade. It is a direction of the Mischna that dead bodies, sepulchres, and tanyards are to be at least fifty cubits from the city. Thus the very position of Peters lodging may have had something to do with the preparation of his mind for the startling duty that lay before him. At all events, his temporary home at Joppa was not a place of any distinction and honour; and this, too, is significant.
He shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do. These words ought to be absent. The authority of the MSS. is decisive on this point. Probably they crept into the text from a reminiscence of Act 9:6, under the feeling that there are strong resemblances, in some respects, between the records of the conversions of Cornelius and St. Paul. It is clear, however, from Act 11:14, that some words to this effect were spoken by the angel to Cornelius (see the notes on these verses).
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
See notes on verse 3