On this Feast of the Baptism of Jesus, the Church also focuses on its early days, when it contemplated how Jesus’ last words in the Gospel of Matthew, the great commission, would be carried out. “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.” Mt 28:19-20a.
Sometime later, St Peter, on the occasion of being in the house of Cornelius, a Roman Centurion, would exclaim in wonder the conversion of Cornelius’ household: “In truth, I see that God shows no partiality. Rather, in every nation, whoever fears Him and acts uprightly is acceptable to Him.” Acts 10:34-35
The Early Chronology in Acts Regarding Peter and Paul
In the Acts of the Apostles, the emphasis of the first ten chapters centers almost exclusively on St Peter. Even after St Paul’s conversion in Chapter 9, Luke goes on to document St Peter’s missionary journey, so to speak, to Lydda, where he heals Aeneas, to Joppa, where he raises Tabitha back to life, and to Caesaria, where he encounters the Godfearer Cornelius.
As a Godfearer, the Centurion was an uncircumcised believer in the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob -but who lacking circumcision was not in the covenant of Abraham as a Jew. The account in Acts relates that Cornelius had a vision to summon Simon Peter from Joppa. The next day, St Peter also has a vision that God declared all food clean, dispensing Peter from the Mosaic law regarding unclean food. Peter has doubts about the veracity of the vision, but then the men from Cornelius arrive to summon Peter to Caesaria.
St Paul, meanwhile, is in Jerusalem, and though he received a call from Our Lord to minister to the Gentiles, it is St Peter who receives the mission of approving the conversion of an uncircumcised Gentile to faith in Christ. In short, the early Church sees through Peter an approval for what will also become a ministry for St Paul.
Faith in Cornelius’ Household
St Peter perceives the thirst for knowledge of the Christian faith from Cornelius, and recognizing its source in God, understands God’s impartiality that all who believe and seek to be righteous are welcome. As Peter then spoke accordingly, the Holy Spirit fell upon the entire household as they listened. Reception into the Church was visibly approved by the Holy Spirit.
The Need to Baptize
Contrary to some modern non-Catholic assemblies, this call in the household driven by Cornelius’ faith alone was not sufficient – for Peter immediately and authoritatively asks: “Can anyone withhold the water for baptizing these people, who have received the Holy Spirit even as we have?” Acts 10:47.
We see the Holy Spirit’s unquestionable act of confirming through Baptism that circumcision will not be the sacrament for entry into the New Covenant. One enters the Church of Christ through Baptism.
Rightly Dividing the Word of God
Some misunderstand 2 Tim 2:15 regarding the need to ‘rightly divide the Word of God’ in that they see the ministry of Paul being one of grace, contrasted with the moral message documented in the Gospels as being only for those who remain under the law. As such, Paul is seen by some as preaching salvation by faith alone anchored by grace alone.
Here we see that St Peter, having abandoned the purity works of the law as commanded in his vision from God, can then exclaim “in every nation whoever fears Him and acts uprightly is acceptable to Him.” Acts 10:35.
Peter and Paul, as Apostles of the same Jesus, did not proclaim different Gospels, one of grace and another of works; they both proclaimed an obedience of faith grounded in love. Consistently, St Paul wrote, “… through Him (Jesus) we have received the grace of apostleship, to bring about the obedience of faith, for the sake of His name, among all the Gentiles.” Rom 1:5; cf. Rom 16:26.
So, as Catholics, we do not choose between Peter and Paul; we focus on Jesus’s words as the central part of our faith. Both apostles shared the same message to Jews and Gentiles alike, precisely because Jesus chose both Apostles to teach the same Gospel.
[Readings: Isaiah 42:1-4, 6-7; Acts 10:34-38; Luke 3:15-16, 21-22]
