Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Acts 11:14
Who shall tell thee words, whereby thou and all thy house shall be saved.
And all thy house – Thy family. This is a circumstance which his omitted in the account in Acts 10: It is said, however, in Act 10:2, that Cornelius feared God with all his house. It is evident from Act 10:48 that the family also received the ordinance of baptism, and was received into the church.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Act 11:14
Who shall tell thee words, whereby thou and all thy house shall be saved.
Words whereby we may be saved
I am about to tell you such words; yet I am far from supposing that this announcement of my purpose is calculated to ensure to my message that attention which it demands; for man is interested about anything rather than the salvation of his soul–and yet, what should it profit man? The soul once lost is lost forever.
I. Every mans first and chief concern ought to be about the salvation of his soul.
1. Every man is a sinner, and without salvation he must perish. You may be too proud to acknowledge this, or too much occupied to give it attention, or too indifferent to ponder it, or ready to deny it in the sense which we contend. Well, you make God a liar, and His truth is not in you, for God has included all under sin. Perhaps you will point me to that abandoned woman, or to that bloody blasphemer, or to that iron-hearted jailer, and bid me go preach this doctrine to such as these. Ah, the question is not whether you have sinned like this or that man, but whether you have sinned at all, for so it is written, Cursed is everyone that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them. Oh, you will say, I never did anybody any harm, I have been a kind parent, an upright tradesman, my reputation without a blemish; but that is not the question; the question is, hast thou loved the Lord thy God with all thy heart? etc. I see you shudder and shrink back! I hear you cry, But God is merciful–so He is, but then, if you appeal to His mercy, you give up the point, you confess yourselves sinners, for if you be not sinners you may appeal with confidence to His justice.
2. Every mans first and chief concern ought to be about the salvation of his soul, because, being a sinner, he is placed by his sin in circumstances of the most imminent peril. The wretch that trembles on the brink of a tremendous precipice, over whose head a sword is suspended by a hair, upon whom the volcano is ready to burst or the earth to yawn, is in safety compared to that sinner who has transgressed the law of God, and is exposed by his transgression to His righteous indignation and wrath. Oh, then, what will you do to be saved? Will you present an atoning sacrifice for your sins? Where will you obtain it? Have you wealth to purchase it? The ransom of ten thousand monarchs would do little, rivers of oil and oceans of blood are not sufficient. Do you propose to work out a righteousness whereby you can be justified in the sight of God? How can you do it? Can an imperfect creature work out a perfect righteousness? and even if you could for the time that is to come, how would it avail for the atonement of the sin that was past? Listen, it is our business to tell you the response to this cry from heaven.
II. The gospel is the only source from which satisfactory information is obtained on this most momentous of all subjects. Take this question, What must I do to be saved, to the system of modern infidelity or of ancient philosophy. What answer do you get? The sneer of derision, or the sullen silence of despair–they cannot tell. Take it to this Book, and the answer is instant, decisive, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved. What does the violated law of God demand? Perfect obedience. Behold it in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. Does justice demand an infinite atonement? Behold it in the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
1. In the gospel there are words whereby we may be saved, and the salvation they announce is precisely adapted to the sinners case. You are guilty, but there is forgiveness for you, and you are condemned, but there is a righteousness that justifies you freely; you are a rebel and an outcast, but there is an Advocate that pleads for you; you are polluted, but there is a fountain opened for sin and for uncleanness.
2. These are words whereby you may be saved individually. Let us hear your personal history. I hear one say, I am a child of pious parents, and I have sinned against early instruction and impressions! Well, but thou mayest be saved! I hear another, I trampled under foot a fathers admonitions, and despised a sainted mothers tears, and brought down their grey hairs with sorrow to the grave! Well, but you may be saved! I hear another say, Ah, but I mingled with infidels and apostates, I mocked the Bible, at God, I blasphemed Christ! Ah, but you may be saved!
3. But while these are words whereby you may be saved, rejecting these, you must perish. He that believeth not shall be damned. How shall you escape if you neglect so great salvation? (T. Raffles, D. D.)
Saved by the Word
1. Cornelius was no common publican or sinner, but possessed all the qualifications of a saint, if a saint can grow in the sell of this earth, without a seed from heaven. If any man could be just with God apart from Christ, surely this is the man. Yet the Word of God treats him as a sinner, and tells him what he must do to be saved. There is no escape from the force of this case. It effectually shuts out all hope of merit. The difficulty of attaining a conviction of sin is greater where sins are less gross. Hence publicans and harlots go into the kingdom more readily than Pharisees.
2. By what means shall Cornelius be saved? By words. Strange when the loss is so deep and real that words, articulated air, should bring deliverance. It was natural for Naaman to toss his head in contempt at the proposal of a bath in Jordan as a cure for disease, and there is a class of scholars in our day who sneer at the proposal to cure sin by words. They have no confidence in doctrines that enter the mind from without; they would rather trust to principles that spring up within. Beware of wandering into the mist here. Words become life or death when God employs them to proclaim His will. God said, Let there be light, and there was light. Lazarus, come forth, and he came. Even in the ordinary experience of life men are saved or lost by words. An ocean steamer is rushing through the water–two words, Breakers ahead! from the watchman, Starboard hard! from the master, words that passed away as breath on a breeze, saved five hundred human beings from a watery grave. Humanity is like that ship, and God sends words whereby we may be saved.
3. Truth, like spirit, is invisible till embodied, and words are the body of truth. They may be spoken, or printed, or wired, it matters not what form they assume, they are the body in which truth dwells. Satan embodies himself in words whereby man may be destroyed, the Holy Spirit in words whereby we may be saved. Take heed how ye hear; the missing of a word may be the loss of a soul. (W. Arnot, D. D.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 14. Thou and all thy house shall be saved.] This is an additional circumstance: before, it was said, Ac 10:6, Peter shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do; and, in Ac 10:32, who, when he cometh, shall speak unto thee. But, in Peter’s relation, the matter is more explicitly declared, he shall tell thee words whereby thou and thy house shall be saved. He shall announce to you all the doctrine of salvation.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
God promises that upon his obedience to this oracle, in sending for Peter, he should tell him those things that were necessary to be known by him and his whole family unto their salvation. Whatsoever was formerly the case of such as obeyed the precepts of Noah, (as they were called), after Christ is come, and preached unto the world, there is no other way unto salvation but through him.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
14. Who shall tell thee wordswhereby thou and all thy house shall be savedThe historianmakes the angel express this much more generally (Ac10:6). So also the subsequent report of it by the deputies and byCornelius himself to Peter (Act 10:22;Act 10:32). But as Peter tarriedwith Cornelius certain days, and they doubtless talked over thewonderful scene together, perhaps this fuller and richer form of whatthe angel said was given to Peter; or the apostle himself may haveexpressed what the angel certainly designed bydirecting them to send for him. Observe, “salvation” ishere made to hang upon “words,” that is, the Gospelmessage concerning Christ. But on the “salvation” ofCornelius, see on Ac 10:34, 35.On that of his “house,” see on Lu19:10.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Who shall tell thee words,…. Preach doctrines, such as relate to the person and office of Christ, to peace and pardon, and righteousness and salvation by him; such as Peter did preach, as appears by his discourse in the preceding chapter:
whereby thou and all thy house shall be saved; that is, which would be a means of instructing him and his family in the right and true way of salvation; for the Gospel only points out the way of salvation, and is only effectual to it, when it is accompanied with, the power of God: multitudes hear it, and yet are not saved by and those to whom it comes not in word only, but in power, are saved only by Christ, who is revealed in it, as God’s way of salvation; it is not bare hearing the word and attending on ordinances that will save any, only such who believe in Christ with the heart, who is the sum and substance of the Gospel, are saved; and still less are any saved by the faith of others; the house or family of Cornelius were not saved by his believing in Christ; but the words of faith and sound doctrine being preached to them, as to him, and faith coming thereby to one as to another, they were saved in one and the same way, namely, through faith in Christ Jesus.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Whereby thou shalt be saved, thou and all thy house ( ). Future passive indicative of , to save. Clearly Cornelius was unsaved in spite of his interest in Jewish worship. Clearly also the household of Cornelius would likewise be won to Christ by the words of Simon Peter. This is household conversion before the household baptism (Acts 10:48; Acts 11:17).
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
1) “Who shall tell thee words,” (hos lalesei hermata pros se) “Who will speak sufficient words to thee,” who will tell you, explain or preach to you understandable words, the way, as Philip did to the eunuch, Act 8:30-35.
2) “Whereby thou shall be saved,” (en hois sothese su) “By which you all, and you too, may be saved,” in particular, Act 10:6; Luk 19:9-10; Psa 19:7; Joh 6:68; Act 10:43.
3) “And all thy house,” (kai pas ho oikos sou) “All of your household,” or your family and servants as well, Rom 1:14-16; Rom 10:8-13. This apostle Peter was an obedient witness of Jesus Christ who had been chosen, and with him, thru his ministry from the beginning, Joh 15:16; Joh 15:27; Act 1:8; Act 1:21-22; Act 10:36-43.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(14) Whereby thou and all thy house shall be saved.The words are not found in the report of the angels speech in Act. 10:4-6, but may legitimately be thought of as implied in it. The prayer of Cornelius had been for salvation, and when he was told, in answer to that prayer, to send for one who should speak to him, it must have been clear to him that he was to hear of that way of salvation which he had been seeking.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
14. Be saved An additional phrase implied in Act 10:6. They were, indeed, now saved, with a present salvation; and yet, now that Christ is presented, acceptance is necessary to a final salvation.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Act 11:14. Who shall tell thee words, Who shall teach thee what is necessary for the salvation of thyself and thy family.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
14. . . . . ] This is implied in the angel’s speech: especially if the prayer of Cornelius had been for such a boon, of which there can be little doubt.
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Act 11:14 . . . : words not found in 10, but may be fairly taken as implied; the prayers of Cornelius we can scarcely doubt had been that he might see the salvation of God, and his household were devout like himself, cf. Act 10:2-6 .
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
tell thee = speak (Greek. laleo. App-121.) to (Greek. pros.) thee.
words. Greek. rhema. See note on Mar 9:32.
whereby = by (Greek. en.) which.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
14. . …] This is implied in the angels speech: especially if the prayer of Cornelius had been for such a boon, of which there can be little doubt.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
saved
(See Scofield “Rom 1:16”).
Fuente: Scofield Reference Bible Notes
words: Act 10:6, Act 10:22, Act 10:32, Act 10:33, Act 10:43, Act 16:31, Psa 19:7-11, Mar 16:16, Joh 6:63, Joh 6:68, Joh 12:50, Joh 20:31, Rom 1:16, Rom 1:17, Rom 10:9, Rom 10:10, 1Jo 5:9-13
all: Act 2:39, Act 16:15, Act 16:31, Gen 17:7, Gen 18:19, Psa 103:17, Psa 112:2, Psa 115:13, Psa 115:14, Pro 20:7, Isa 61:8, Isa 61:9, Jer 32:39, Luk 19:10
Reciprocal: Jos 2:18 – thy father Psa 25:12 – him Psa 50:23 – to him Psa 85:9 – Surely Joh 7:17 – General Act 5:20 – all Act 9:6 – and it Act 16:9 – Come
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Act 11:14. Words, whereby thou and all thy house shall be saved. See notes on Act 10:6; Act 10:22. All thy house is a special addition here. The promise is in harmony with the preparation made for the Gospel in the house of Cornelius, as implied in Act 10:2; Act 10:7; Act 10:22; Act 10:24, and with the results of St. Peters preaching, as described in Act 10:44.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
See notes one verse 4
Fuente: McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries (New Testament)
THE BAPTISM WITH THE HOLY GHOST FOR JEWS AND GENTILES ALIKE IN ALL AGES
14-18. Who shall speak words unto you by which you and all your house shall be saved. Does not this look like they were yet to be saved? Justification is primary salvation; sanctification, full salvation; and glorification, final salvation. Hence, so long as we are in this world, we are in the kingdom of grace, subject to the saving power and operation of the Holy Spirit, liable to temptation, defection, defeat and ruin. Never is the problem of salvation settled beyond defalcation till we reach glorification, pass the pearly portal and take our place among the redeemed. A very specious and exceedingly dangerous heresy is now extensively preached from popular pulpits, audaciously restricting the baptism of the Holy Ghost to the apostles alone, and utterly abnegating the possibility of its reception by any one else, however true and saintly.