聖書注解書

Centurion

See on Luke 7:2.

Band (σπείρης)

See on Mark 15:16.

Italian

Probably because consisting of Roman soldiers, and not of natives of the country.

Devout (εὐσεβὴς)

See on godliness, 2 Peter 1:3.

Prayed (δεόμενος)

See on prayers, Luke 5:33.

"Unheard by all but angel ears

The good Cornelius knelt alone,

Nor dream'd his prayers and tears

Would help a world undone.

"The while upon his terrac'd roof

The lov'd apostle to his Lord,

In silent thought aloof

For heavenly vision soared."

Keble, Christian Year.

A vision

See on Acts 7:31.

Evidently (φανερῶς)

Better, clearly or distinctly, as opposed to a fancy.

When he looked (ἀτενίσας)

Rev., more accurately, fastening his eyes. Compare Acts 7:55; and see on Luke 4:20.

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 C. 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 (προσκαρτερούν των αὐτῷ)

See on Acts 1:14.

Declared (ἐξηγησάμενος)

Better, as Rev., rehearsed. See on Luke 24:35.

They (ἐκείνων)

Those messengers, the servants and the soldier. The pronoun has a more specific reference than the English they.

Very hungry (πρόσπεινος)

Only here in New Testament.

Would have eaten (ἤθελε γεύσασθαι)

Rev., correctly, desired to eat. Γευέσθαι is rendered both to eat and to taste, more frequently the latter. See Matthew 27:34; John 2:9; 1 Peter 2:3; and compare Acts 20:11.

He fell into a trance (ἐπέπεσεν ἐπ' αὐτὸν ἔκστασις)

Lit., an ecstasy fell upon him. The best texts, however, read ἐγένετο, came upon him, or happened to him. See on astonishment, Mark 5:42. Luke alone employs the word in this sense of ecstasy or trance.