What does Acts 10:47 mean?
Peter and six other Jewish Jesus-followers (Acts 11:12) have just watched the first recorded case of the Holy Spirit indwelling a group of Gentiles. The new converts were devout God-followers, but they are not circumcised, and Peter has not laid his hands on them. But they are empowered by the Holy Spirit to speak in languages they don't know (Acts 10:44–46).Peter was vaguely warned this would happen, but the other six had no idea that Gentiles could follow Jesus. Peter puts the situation into perspective. Whatever their preconceived notions, these Gentiles have received the Holy Spirit and there is no reason why they shouldn't be welcomed into the young church. As Peter will say to the church in Jerusalem, "If then God gave the same gift to them as he gave to us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could stand in God's way?" (Acts 11:17).
Today, when someone comes to a saving faith in Jesus, the church they attend typically has them go through a class on baptism to make sure they understand the faith and what baptism represents. It is not a requirement for salvation—a point proven here—rather, it is a public sign that the person identifies with Jesus and His teaching. In the time of the New Testament, however, baptism was performed at the time the person chose to follow Jesus—often immediately after (Acts 2:41; 8:12, 36–38; 9:18; 10:47–48; 16:15, 33; 19:5). Considering the fact baptism is not a universal part of most modern cultures, as it was to the Jews, it's probably good that most churches make sure the new convert knows what it means, but it's also likely we sometimes wait longer than is necessary.
Acts 10:44–48 records the start of the international church. Peter is in Caesarea Maritima, sharing the story of Jesus with a houseful of Gentile God-followers. Before he is even finished presenting the gospel, the Holy Spirit falls on them. This is the only occasion in Acts where the Holy Spirit comes on people before they were baptized. This will rock the Jewish church to its core and prepare the way for Paul's ministry (Acts 11).
Peter has been a dominant voice in the spread of Jesus' message to Jews and proselytes. Now he brings the gospel to Gentiles. An angel tells Cornelius, a centurion, to ask Peter to come to him. Peter is praying when he receives a vision of food—including non-kosher food—and God's voice telling him to eat. When the centurion's messengers arrive, Peter realizes the dream meant that Gentiles are no longer unclean. He follows the messengers and tells Cornelius' household about salvation through Jesus. Before Peter can lay his hands on them or baptize them, the Holy Spirit falls on them.
