Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Acts 10:26
But Peter took him up, saying, Stand up; I myself also am a man.
26. But Peter took ( raised) him up ] Cp. with the way in which Peter here declines to permit such reverence, the way in which the angel (Rev 19:10) refused such worship, “See thou do it not. I am thy fellowservant.”
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Stand up … – This does not imply that Peter supposed that Cornelius intended to do him religious reverence. It was practically saying to him, I am nothing more than a man as thou art, and pretend to no right to such profound respects as these, but am ready in civil life to show thee all the respect that is due (Doddridge).
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 26. I myself also am a man.] “I am not an angel; I am come to you simply, on the part of God, to deliver to you the doctrine of eternal life.”
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
It is certain that Peter did think this worship Cornelius gave him to have exceeded; and here he blames him for it, telling him, he was but a man like unto him; and he needed not give any further reason of his reproof, for man must adore, but by no means may be adored; no, nor take too much honour unto himself.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
But Peter took him up,…. As he lay at his feet, and lifted him up and set him on his legs:
saying, stand up; and continue in this posture:
I myself also am a man; a mortal man, a man of like passions with others, no better than others by nature: and it was by grace, and not any merit of his own, that he was a believer in Christ, and an apostle of his; and therefore he chose not to have any distinguishing homage and respect paid to him, and especially in any excessive and extravagant way; which though not designed, might carry in it a suggestion, as if he was more than a man.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
1) “But Peter took him up, saying,” (ho de Petros egeiren auton legon) “Then Peter raised or lifted him up, saying,” Act 14:14-15; Rev 19:10; Rev 22:8-9. Neither men, angels, nor inanimate (lifeless) things are together or individually objects of divine worship, Psa 115:1-8.
2) “Stand up; (anastethi) “Stand up,” or “arise,” get up from your bowed down position of worship to me,” as if I were a god. Courtesy, humility, and hospitality are desirable Christian virtues but divine worship of men is a sin, for each must give account of himself as a sinner before God, Rom 3:23; Rom 14:11-12; Heb 13:2.
3) “I myself am also a man,” (kai ego autos anthropos eimi) “I myself also am a human being,” not a person or “object of worship.” How different was Peter’s attitude from that of King Herod who later was eaten of worms in that same city when he was worshipped or accepted worship of the people as a god, Act 12:19; Act 12:21-23. And Paul and Barnabas also refused worship from those who would have extended respect to them as to heathen gods, Act 14:8-18.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
26. A man A noble title in itself; a humble title when worship is in question.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘But Peter raised him up, saying, “Stand up. I myself also am a man.” ’
But Peter would have none of it. He did not want the man to look to him. ‘Stand up,’ he basically said. ‘I am only a man like you are. You must not give me honour to which I am not due.’ It is always a tendency of man to hero-worship, and even go beyond that (and an equal tendency of man to accept it). But Scripture constantly warns against such attitudes (see Exo 20:3-5; Deu 5:7-9; Luk 4:8; Rev 19:10; Rev 22:8-9).
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Act 10:26-29 . ] also I myself , I also for mine own part, not otherwise than you. See on Rom 7:25 .
] in conversation with him . The word occurs elsewhere in Tzetz. Hist. iii. 377, in Symm. Job 19:19 .
] namely, into the room . In Act 10:25 , on the other hand, . . was meant of the entrance by the outer door into the house.
Ye know how
] ( 2Ma 6:5 ) is a later form (Plut., Dion. Hal., etc., 1Pe 4:3 ) for the old classical (Herod. vii. 33; Xen. Mem. i. 1. 9, Cyrop. i. 6. 6). The prohibition to enter into closer fellowship with men of another tribe , [258] or (even but) to come to them , comp. Act 11:3 , is not expressly found in the Pentateuch, but easily resulted of itself from the lofty consciousness of the holy people of God contrasted with the unholy heathen (Ewald, Alterth. p. 310), and pervades the later Judaism with all the force of contempt for the Gentiles (see, e.g. , Lightfoot on Mat 18:17 ). The passage Mat 23:5 , and the narrative of the conversion of Izates king of Adiabene in Joseph. Antt. xx. 2. 4 f., appear to testify against the utterance of Peter in our passage, and therefore Zeller, p. 187, holds it as unhistorical But Peter speaks here from the standpoint of the Judaistic theory and rule , which is not invalidated by exceptional cases (as Josephus I.c. ) and by abuses (as in the making of proselytes, Matt. I.c. ). Not even if Cornelius had been a proselyte of the gate (but see on Act 10:1-2 ) could the historical character of the saying be reasonably doubted; for the Rabbinical passages adduced with that view (according to which the proselyte is to regard himself as a member of the theocracy, as Schemoth Rabba 19 f., 118. 3, ad Exo 12:3 ) apply only to complete converts (proselytes of righteousness, comp. Sohar p. 22. 27 : “quamvis factus sit proselytus, attamen nisi observet praecepta legis, habendus adhuc est pro ethnico”), and are, moreover, outweighed by other expressions of contempt towards proselytes, as, e.g. , Babyl. Niddah f. 13. 2 : “Proselyti sunt sicut scabies Israeli.” It is erroneous to derive the principle which Peter here expresses from Pharisaism (Schoettgen), or to limit it to an intentional going in quest of them (Hofmann, Schriftbew . II. 2, p. 39), or, according to Act 11:3 , to the eating (Ebrard, Lange, Ewald), which must have been made clear from the context.
.] without contradiction , Polyb. xxiii. 8. 11, vi. 7. 7, xxviii. 11. 4. Comp. , Lucian. Son 6Son 6 , Conviv. 9. “Sanctum fidei silentium,” Calvin.
] Contrast to . The element of contrast lies not in the copula, but in the relation of the two clauses: Ye know and to me God has showed. Comp. Bornemann, Schol. in Luc. p. 102; Hartung, Partikell. II. p. 147; Khner, ad Xen. Mem. 3:7. 6. Very often so in John. The took place through the disclosure by means of the vision, Act 10:3 ff., the allegorical meaning of which Peter understood .
. . ] namely, in and for itself.
] with what reason , i.e. wherefore . See examples from classical writers in Kypke. Comp. on Mat 5:32 . The dative denotes the mediate cause. Comp. Plat. Gorg. p. 512 C: ;
[258] The classical is not elsewhere found in the N. T., but often in the LXX. and Apocr. The designation is here tenderly forbearing . It is otherwise in ver. 45, Act 11:3 .
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
26 But Peter took him up, saying, Stand up; I myself also am a man.
Ver. 26. But Peter took him up ] Longe aliter papa, the pope (Diocletian-like) holds forth his toe to be kissed, and suffers his parasites to deify him.
” Tu vere in terris diceris esse Deus. “
“You truly on earth are said to be God.”
I myself also am a man ] We must glorify the word, not the preacher, Act 13:48 .
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
26. . . ] This was the lesson which Peter’s vision had taught him, and he now begins to practise it: the common honour and equality of all mankind in God’s sight .
Those who claim to have succeeded Peter, have not imitated this part of his conduct. See Rev 19:10 ; Rev 22:8 , in both which cases it is . ., supporting the above rendering of . . (See the gloss in D, Act 10:25 , digest.)
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Act 10:26 . The conduct of Christ may be contrasted with that of His Apostles, so Blass: “illi (Petro) autem is honor recusandus erat, cf. Apoc., Rev 19:10 ; Rev 22:8 ; quem nunquam recusavit Jesus, Luc., 4:8; 8:41” (see Hackett’s note and Knabenbauer in loco ).
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
took him up = raised him up. Greek. egeiro. App-178.
Stand up = rise up. Greek. mid. of anistemi. App-178.:1.
man. Greek. anthropos. App-123.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
26. . . ] This was the lesson which Peters vision had taught him, and he now begins to practise it:-the common honour and equality of all mankind in Gods sight.
Those who claim to have succeeded Peter, have not imitated this part of his conduct. See Rev 19:10; Rev 22:8, in both which cases it is . ., supporting the above rendering of . . (See the gloss in D, Act 10:25, digest.)
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Act 10:26. , raised him up) Why then is the kissing of the Popes feet not only admitted, but made an ordinary ceremony?-[, I also) as Cornelius, Act 10:28. Cornelius is not said to have worshipped Peter; and yet Peter, for all that, does not fail to check him.-V. g.]-) a man, not God. On this account we ought to control both our own exaltation (conceit of ourselves) and the admiration of others. We ought not to look with admiration on mortals, but on the gifts of GOD in them. [As the Galatians had received Paul (Gal 4:14), so Peter had received Cornelius.-V. g.]
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Stand: Act 14:14, Act 14:15, Isa 42:8, Isa 48:13, Mat 4:10, 2Th 2:3, 2Th 2:4, Rev 13:8, Rev 19:10, Rev 22:9
Reciprocal: Gen 24:52 – worshipped Jos 5:14 – fell on his 2Ki 5:21 – he lighted Job 33:5 – stand Psa 95:6 – worship Isa 45:14 – they shall fall Mat 2:11 – worshipped Mat 9:18 – worshipped Mat 17:14 – kneeling Mar 5:22 – he fell Mar 7:25 – at Mar 14:35 – and fell Luk 5:8 – he Luk 17:16 – fell Act 3:12 – or Act 12:23 – because 2Co 4:5 – we Jam 5:17 – subject
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
6
Act 10:26. Peter’s remark that he was himself also a man indicates that what Cornelius was attempting to offer was a kind due only to the Lord.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Act 10:26. Stand up: I myself also am a man. We are at once reminded of the horror expressed by Paul and Barnabas, when the attempt was made at Lystra to give them Divine homage (Act 14:14), and of the repudiation of this kind of homage by the angel in St. Johns vision (Rev 22:8-9); and we necessarily contrast with all this our Lords calm acceptance of such worship, as is recorded more than once in the Gospel History.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
See notes on verse 25
Fuente: McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries (New Testament)
26. Cornelius, of course, paid to Peter the Oriental civility due a person of distinction, which here Peter modestly declines, having profited by the vision, which revealed to him for the first time in his life that a Jew is no better than a Gentile.