Contemplative Bible Reading

Acts 10:43 (New Living Translation)

43 He is the one all the prophets testified about, saying that everyone who believes in him will have their sins forgiven through his name.

Peter is talking to a group of Gentiles at the home of a man named Cornelius. Peter is telling them about Jesus, that fellow from Nazareth who had recently been executed by the Romans. Peter refers to “the prophets” and their prediction of a person who would come and have sins forgiven.

The first question I had was, “Who were these prophets.” I needed references and cross references and all that. Well, a little research produced dozens of mentions in the Old Testament. Okay. And I won’t repeat them all here, but see, e.g., Isaiah chapters 43, 44, 53, and 55 for a start.

Then we come to the question of audience. Peter, a Jew, is mentioning old Jewish prophets in old Jewish writings. Peter is speaking in the home of a Roman army officer. Wrong audience, wrong. This Roman army officer lived in the homeland of the Jews. He had been converted, so to speak, to the religion and beliefs of the Jews. He, being an officer in the army of Rome, had some money and much education. He could afford copies of the Jewish writings. He could read, think, contemplate, and believe.

And then again, Peter is in the home of an officer dedicated to subjugating the Jewish people. Peter is in the wrong place, wrong. Peter is in just the right place at just the right time. God arranged all this.

There is too much here that doesn’t make sense. It does, however, make perfect sense. This is how God works. God does everything wrong (it seems wrong in my puny mind) to make things right and righteous. Please God, help me to stay out of the way of your miracles.