10:2 [A] {a} devout [man], and one that feared God with {b} all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway.
(a) So that he worshipped one God, and was not an idolater, and neither could he be void of faith in Christ, because he was a devout man: but as of yet he did not know that Christ had come.
(b) This is a commendable thing about the man, that he laboured to have all his household, and well-known friends, and acquaintances to be religious and godly.
10:2 [A] devout [man]. This is stated of Gentiles in several places in Acts (Ac 10:7 13:50 17:4,17), and always means those who had abandoned heathenism and turned to Jehovah. They had not become Jews, but were trying to worship the One God. The greater part of the first Gentile converts were made up of this class. He was benevolent and a man of prayer.
10:2 Who gave much alms to the people - That is, to the Jews, many of whom were at that time extremely poor.
10:1-8 Hitherto none had been baptized into the Christian church but Jews, Samaritans, and those converts who had been circumcised and observed the ceremonial law; but now the Gentiles were to be called to partake all the privileges of God's people, without first becoming Jews. Pure and undefiled religion is sometimes found where we least expect it. Wherever the fear of God rules in the heart, it will appear both in works of charity and of piety, neither will excuse from the other. Doubtless Cornelius had true faith in God's word, as far as he understood it, though not as yet clear faith in Christ. This was the work of the Spirit of God, through the mediation of Jesus, even before Cornelius knew him, as is the case with us all when we, who before were dead in sin, are made alive. Through Christ also his prayers and alms were accepted, which otherwise would have been rejected. Without dispute or delay Cornelius was obedient to the heavenly vision. In the affairs of our souls, let us not lose time.
