Cornelius was a centurion of what was known as the Italian Cohort, stationed at Caesarea. Luke calls him a devout man who feared God with all his household, gave alms generously to the people, and prayed continually to God. He was a Gentile, an officer of the occupying army.
One afternoon an angel told him his prayers had been heard and to send to Joppa for Peter. At the same time, Peter on a rooftop saw a vision of unclean animals and heard, What God has made clean, do not call common. When Peter arrived, Cornelius had gathered his relatives and close friends and fell at his feet. Peter lifted him up and preached Jesus, and while he was still speaking the Holy Spirit fell on everyone listening. Peter said, Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, and baptized them.
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Now therefore we are all here in the presence of God to hear all that you have been commanded by the Lord.
Name means
A Roman family name
Home
Caesarea, by the sea
Role
Centurion of the Italian Cohort
Read in
Cornelius's story
The open door
Beginning
A devout soldier
He prays and gives, a Gentile outside God's people.
Turning point
An angel at three o'clock
Terrified, he is told to send for Peter.
Turning point
Waiting with his household
He gathers relatives and close friends.
Turning point
At Peter's feet
He bows; Peter says, I too am a man.
High point
The Spirit falls
Gentiles receive the Spirit and are baptized.
Ending
Repentance that leads to life
Jerusalem hears and glorifies God.
Starts as a God-fearing outsider. Ends as the first Gentile household baptized.
Where Cornelius lived and went
Only places Scripture records. Softer, dotted pins are traditional or uncertain sites. Tap a pin for the passage.
HomeMinistryKey momentTraditional or uncertainPinch or use + to zoom. Tap a cluster to spread it out.
How Cornelius is wired
The Reformer
Enneagram 1, Helper wing
To do what is right before God.
Scripture doesn't give us much here, so treat this as a best guess.
At their best, toward 7 Under stress, toward 4
Why we think so
1
Disciplined devotion. He prays continually, at set hours. ()
2
Prompt obedience. He sends for Peter at once. ()
3
Upright in reputation. Upright and God-fearing, well spoken of by the whole nation. ()
His generosity to the people goes with his devotion. ()
The Enthusiast. He receives what he could not earn: the Spirit, as a gift. ()
The Individualist. He overreaches in reverence, bowing to a man. ()
Why so tentative
We see Cornelius in one story. His order and devotion fit a 1, but his care for his household and friends could also suggest a 2 or a 6.
Other lenses
Big Five. Read from what he says and does in the Gospels and Acts.
ReservedOutgoing
SteadyReactive
ChallengingAccommodating
SpontaneousDisciplined
TraditionalCurious
DISC style: Devout, orderly, generous, eager.
Strengths & struggles
What's good in Cornelius
Devout and generous (). Obeyed at once (). Gathered others to hear (). Eager to listen ().
Where Cornelius struggles
Bowed down to Peter, who told him to stand up ().
What Cornelius wanted most
To hear all that God had commanded ().
What Cornelius feared most
Scripture does not say. He was terrified when the angel came ().
Cornelius learned that Jesus is Lord of all, including him.
Peter told him that God preached peace by Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all (), and that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name (). A Roman officer, outside the covenant, was welcomed by grace, not by becoming Jewish first.
Questions to sit with
1
Cornelius was devout and generous and still needed to hear about Jesus. What does that say about good people you know?
2
He gathered everyone he loved to listen. Who would you bring?
Study Cornelius with your group
Ready-to-lead group studies with discussion questions and a leader's note are on the way.
