“The word which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ: (he is Lord of all:)”
My Notes
What Does Acts 10:36 Mean?
Peter summarizes the gospel to Cornelius' household in a single sentence: the word God sent to Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ — and then the parenthetical declaration that changes everything: he is Lord of all.
"Preaching peace by Jesus Christ" — the content of the gospel is peace. Not condemnation. Not religious demands. Peace — reconciliation between God and humanity, achieved through Jesus Christ.
"He is Lord of all" — the parenthetical is the theological center. Jesus is not Lord of Israel only. Not Lord of the church only. Lord of all — every person, every nation, every power structure. The lordship is universal.
Peter speaks this to Gentiles — the first time the gospel is officially preached to non-Jews. The declaration 'Lord of all' makes Gentile inclusion theologically necessary. If he is Lord of all, then the gospel is for all.
The verse compresses the entire gospel into its essential components: God sent a message. The message is peace. The messenger is Jesus. And Jesus is Lord of everything.
Reflection Questions
- 1.How does 'Lord of all' make Gentile inclusion theologically necessary?
- 2.What does 'preaching peace' as the content of the gospel change about how you present it?
- 3.How does Peter's audience — a Roman centurion — demonstrate the universality of the message?
- 4.What does Jesus being 'Lord of all' mean for people who have not yet acknowledged him?
Devotional
The word which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ. The gospel in a sentence: God sent a word. The word was peace. The peace was through Jesus.
He is Lord of all. Four words in parentheses that carry more weight than the entire sentence around them. Lord — sovereign, supreme, authoritative. Of all — not some. Not Israel alone. Not the church alone. All. Every person. Every nation. Every creature.
Peter says this to Cornelius — a Roman centurion, a Gentile, an outsider to everything Jewish. And the parenthetical 'Lord of all' is why Peter is there. If Jesus is only Lord of Israel, Peter stays home. If Jesus is Lord of all, Peter goes to Cornelius.
The lordship determines the mission. Because he is Lord of all, the gospel goes to all. The scope of his authority sets the scope of the invitation. No one is outside the jurisdiction of the one who is Lord of all.
Preaching peace. Not preaching requirements. Not preaching conditions. Peace. The message that went from Israel to the nations was not a burden. It was a reconciliation — peace with God, available to everyone, through the one who is Lord of all.
He is Lord of all. That means he is your Lord — whether you have acknowledged it or not. And the peace he preaches is available to you — whoever you are, wherever you are, whatever you have done. Because his lordship has no boundary. And neither does his peace.
Commentary
Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.
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The word which God sent, etc. - Few verses in the New Testament have perplexed critics and divines more than this. The…
We have here Peter's sermon preached to Cornelius and his friends: that is, an abstract or summary of it; for we have…
The word which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ(he is Lord of all)] The…
Cross References
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