And he stared at him in terror and said, “What is it, Lord?” And he said to him, “Your prayers and your alms have ascended as a memorial before God.
4. And he beheld, and was afraid. Luke expresseth his attentiveness in plain words, that we may know that it was no vain imagination which came upon the man as he was sleeping or doing some other thing. The fear wherewith he was taken “Terror quo correptus est,” the terror with which he was seized.
Cornelius was the first Gentile deliberately brought into the gospel, a mystery even to the apostles. Mark that he was both great and good, two characters seldom united; yet when they meet, goodness makes greatness truly valuable, and greatness makes goodness far more serviceable to the world.
AI summary
Commenting on Acts 10:1-8
And when he looked on him, he was afraid,.... What with the brightness of his clothing, Act 10:30 and the lustre of his countenance, and the majestic form in which he appeared, he perceived there was something uncommon and divine in this vision, and therefore was filled with awe and reverence, yea, with something of a panic fear; as it was usual, even with good...