Acts 10:37

That word, I say, ye know, which was published throughout all Judaea, and began from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached;

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(37) That word, I say, ye know.—The Greek for “word” differs from that in Acts 10:36, as including more distinctly the subject-matter of the message. In the words “ye know” we may trace the result of the conversation held before the more formal conference. The main facts of the life and ministry of the Christ were already known, either through that conversation, or through the previous opportunities which it had disclosed. The question at issue was the relation in which they stood to those who were now listening.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

10:34-43 Acceptance cannot be obtained on any other ground than that of the covenant of mercy, through the atonement of Christ; but wherever true religion is found, God will accept it without regarding names or sects. The fear of God and works of righteousness are the substance of true religion, the effects of special grace. Though these are not the cause of a man's acceptance, yet they show it; and whatever may be wanting in knowledge or faith, will in due time be given by Him who has begun it. They knew in general the word, that is, the gospel, which God sent to the children of Israel. The purport of this word was, that God by it published the good tidings of peace by Jesus Christ. They knew the several matters of fact relating to the gospel. They knew the baptism of repentance which John preached. Let them know that this Jesus Christ, by whom peace is made between God and man, is Lord of all; not only as over all, God blessed for evermore, but as Mediator. All power, both in heaven and in earth, is put into his hand, and all judgment committed to him. God will go with those whom he anoints; he will be with those to whom he has given his Spirit. Peter then declares Christ's resurrection from the dead, and the proofs of it. Faith has reference to a testimony, and the Christian faith is built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, on the testimony given by them. See what must be believed concerning him. That we are all accountable to Christ as our Judge; so every one must seek his favour, and to have him as our Friend. And if we believe in him, we shall all be justified by him as our Righteousness. The remission of sins lays a foundation for all other favours and blessings, by taking that out of the way which hinders the bestowing of them. If sin be pardoned, all is well, and shall end well for ever.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

That word - Greek: ῥῆμα rēma - a different word from that in the previous verse. It may be translated "thing" as well as "word."

Which was published - Greek: which was done. "You know, though it may be imperfectly, what was done or accomplished in Judea," etc.

Throughout all Judea - The miracles of Christ were not confined to any place, but were performed in every part of the land. For an account of the divisions of Palestine, see the notes on Matthew 2:22.

And began ... - Greek: having been begun in Galilee. Galilee was not far from Caesarea. There was, therefore, the more probability that Cornelius had heard of what had occurred there. Indeed, the gospels themselves furnish the highest evidence that the fame of the miracles of Christ spread into all the surrounding regions.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

37. That word … ye how—The facts, it seems, were too notorious and extraordinary to be unknown to those who mixed so much with Jews, and took so tender an interest in all Jewish matters as they did; though, like the eunuch, they knew not the significance of them.

which was published throughout all Judea, and began from Galilee—(See Lu 4:14, 37, 44; 7:17; 9:6; 23:5).

after the baptism which John preached—(See on [1988]Ac 1:22).

Matthew Poole's Commentary

They had heard of the doctrine of the gospel by common fame and report, which could not but spread abroad; all might know that Christ and his apostles did preach, though these might be ignorant of the particular doctrines which they taught, and which Peter was now sent to instruct them in: or by the word (in a usual Hebraism) the matter of the gospel may be meant, as the life, death, and resurrection of our blessed Saviour, which they could not but have heard several reports of.

After the baptism which John preached; who, as the Elijah who was promised, Malachi 4:5, was the forerunner of the Lord.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

The word I say you know,.... By common fame and report, which had for some years past been published by John, Christ, and his apostles, in Judea and Galilee; especially some parts of it, or points in it, such as the apostle hereafter mentions must have reached their ears:

Which was published throughout all Judea; by Christ, his twelve apostles, and seventy disciples; who were sent out by him into all places, where he himself would come:

and began from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached; that is, after John had began to preach the ordinance of water baptism, and to administer it; which were done, to set the Jews inquiring after the Messiah, and to make him manifest in Israel; upon which the word of the Gospel quickly began to be preached by Christ and his apostles, and that in Galilee; for here Christ began to preach himself, and here he called his apostles, and sent them forth to preach it.

Geneva Study Bible

{7} That word, I say, ye know, which was published throughout all Judaea, and began from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached;

(7) The sum of the Gospel (which will be made manifest at the latter day, when Christ himself will sit as judge both of the living and the dead), is this, that Christ promised to the fathers and exhibited in his time with the mighty power of God (which was demonstrated by all means) and at length crucified to reconcile us to God, did rise again the third day, so that whoever believes in him should be saved through the remission of sins.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Expositor's Greek Testament

Acts 10:37. τὸ ῥῆμα: so far Peter has referred to a message which would be unknown to Cornelius, the message of peace through Christ, but he now turns to what Cornelius probably did know by report at all events; τὸ ῥ. not the λόγος of Acts 10:36, but only the “report”.—καθʼ ὅλης τῆς Ἰ., i.e., all Palestine including Galilee, cf. Acts 2:9, Acts 11:1; Acts 11:29, Luke 1:5 (Luke 4:44), Acts 7:17, Acts 23:5, see on Acts 9:31; Acts 9:42 above.—ἀρξάμενον, see critical notes; cf. Acts 1:22 and Luke 23:5. If we read the accusative it agrees with ῥῆμα (see above); if the nominative, cf. for a similar construction Luke 24:47, and see Blass, Gram., p. 81. The abruptness of the construction is quite in accordance with that elsewhere marked in St. Peter’s speeches, cf. Acts 2:22-24, Acts 3:14 ff.

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

37. that word, I say, you know] Better, “ye know the tidings.” The Greek rendered “word” here is not the same which is so translated in the previous verse. The former refers to the whole message of salvation through Christ, the latter to the tidings about Jesus which had gone abroad after the preaching of John the Baptist. These tidings Peter either assumes Cornelius and his friends to know because of the teaching which had already extended as far as Cæsarea (Acts 8:40), or else he has learnt that they have this knowledge about the facts of the life of Jesus from the conversation which he held with the centurion at his first arrival. Hence he says “ye know of the history of Jesus.”

began from Galilee] where Christ’s ministerial life commenced. See Matthew 4:12; Mark 1:14.

Bengel's Gnomen

Acts 10:37. Ὑμεῖς οἴδατε, ye know) from proofs more ancient than my coming. [Therefore they had no need of a fuller relation of these events.—V. g.]—ἀρξάμενον) The participle either by itself, or used as an adverb: with which comp. Luke 24:47, ἀρξάμενον ἀπὸ Ἱερουσαλήμ. It is employed absolutely by a frequent and elegant Græcism.—ἀπὸ τῆς Γαλιλαίας, from Galilee) John 1:43; John 2:1 (Cana). Cæsarea was tolerably near to that region, but somewhat remote from Jerusalem: Acts 10:39.—μετὰ, after) John constitutes the boundary between the Old and New Testament.—τὸ βάπτισμα, the baptism) that most celebrated ordinance.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 37. - That saying ye yourselves know for that word, I say, ye know, A.V.; beginning for and began, A.V. The construction of vers. 36, 37, and 38, is somewhat difficult, but by far the easiest and most natural way, both as regards grammar and sense, is to make ὑμεῖς οἴδατε govern τὸν λόγον directly: You, Gentiles, well know the word which God sent to the Israelites, when he caused the gospel of peace to be preached to them, the word, namely, which came [τὸ γενόμενον ῤῆμα - comp. especially Luke 3:2] throughout all Judaea," etc. (ver. 38), "about Jesus of Nazareth, how that God anointed him," etc. In the above sentence, τὸ γενόμενον ῤῆμα is in apposition with τὸν λόγον, but amplifies and explains it; and again Ἰησοῦν τὸν ἀπὸ Ναζαρὲτ, with all that follows down to the end of ver. 39, is a still further explanation of the ῤηγ῀μα, and a summary of that gospel which, as Cornelius already knew, had been preached to the Jews by Jesus himself. The parenthesis, "He is Lord of all," is most opportunely inserted, that his hearers might know that Jesus of Nazareth was Lord of the Gentiles as well as of the Jews. The words λόγος and ῤῆμα are synonymous, as in ver. 44 and in 1 Peter 1:23, 25 (see Luke 3:2; Ephesians 6:17), and are better both expressed by the English word, as in the A.V., than by word and saying, as in the R.V. Acts 10:37

Vincent's Word Studies

That word (ῥῆμα)

The contents of the message: the report or history which it proclaimed.