While Peter was still speaking these things, the holy Spirit fell upon all who were listening to the word. 45 The circumcised believers who had accompanied Peter were astounded that the gift of the holy Spirit should have been poured out on the Gentiles also, 46 for they could hear them speaking in tongues and glorifying God. Then Peter responded, 47 “Can anyone withhold the water for baptizing these people, who have received the holy Spirit even as we have?” 48 He ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. 49 Then they invited him to stay for a few days.
Peter was still preaching when the outpouring of the Holy Spirit came upon the Gentiles who were listening to the word. This very significant event occurred even before they were baptized, demonstrating God's initiative and the inclusive nature of His grace. This parallels the account in Luke 3:21-22, where the Holy Spirit descends upon Jesus during his baptism, signifying divine approval and empowerment. Unlike other instances, such as in Acts 19:6, where the Holy Spirit is received through the laying on of hands by the apostles, the Holy Spirit here descends directly without any intercessory action by Peter. This direct outpouring highlights the sovereignty of the Holy Spirit and the fulfillment of God's promise to pour out His Spirit on all flesh (cf. Joel 2:28-29), marking the full acceptance of Gentiles into the Christian community.
The Jewish Christians (circumcised believers) who accompanied Peter were amazed that the Gentiles received the Holy Spirit and were speaking in tongues, glorifying God (Acts 2:17-18). Such charisms are outward signs of the Holy Spirit's presence and authenticate the Gentiles’ acceptance by God. This phenomenon was similar to what happened to the disciples at Pentecost (Acts 2:4), linking the experience of the Gentiles directly with that of the Jewish Christians and showing that the Holy Spirit's gift is universal and not confined to any particular ethnic or religious group.
Peter, also surprised, rhetorically questioned whether anyone could deny baptism to the Gentiles, emphasizing that they had received the Holy Spirit in the same manner as the Jewish believers. Since it was God who willed the gift of the Holy Spirit, Peter ordered Cornelius and his household to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ (cf. Acts 11:17). The baptism formerly incorporated the Gentiles into the life of the Christian Church. Peter stayed with them for a few days, no longer afraid to enjoy Gentile hospitality and break bread with them, demonstrating a new bond of fellowship and mutual acceptance,
Almighty God, we thank You for the outpouring of Your Holy Spirit upon all who believe, breaking down barriers and uniting us as one family in Christ. Your unmerited gifts of grace and love are matched only by Your boundless mercy. May we always be open to Your will, welcoming and embracing all people with love and acceptance. This we pray through Christ our Lord. Amen!
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Sources:
- Brown, Raymond Edward, et al. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Prentice Hall, 1990.
- Chiu, José Enrique Aguilar, et al. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. Paulist Press, 2018.
- Faculty of the University of Navarre. The Navarre Bible: New Testament Expanded Edition. Four Courts / Scepter, 2008.
- Orchard, Bernard, et al. A Catholic Commentary on Holy Scripture. Feb. 1953.
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