Acts 10 verses 3 - 4
(3) He saw in a vision evidently about the ninth hour of the day an angel of God coming in to him, and saying unto him, Cornelius.
(4) And when he looked on him he was afraid and said, What is it, Lord?
And he said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God. (KJV)
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(3) About the ninth hour of the day, he saw plainly in a vision an angel coming to him, and saying to him, Cornelius!
(4) And he was staring at him, and becoming terrified, he said, What is it, Sir? And he said to him, Your prayers and your alms went up for a memorial before God.* (See NOTE below.) (IB)
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Retranslation (verse 3 only): About the hour Cornelius sought God, God’s messenger addresses him: Cornelius! Within the supernatural spectacle, God’s message enters him. He understands it clearly, and it lifts him up and leads him higher.
Retranslation (verse 4 only): And Cornelius’ sight extends beyond the ordinary, and he gazes earnestly into It, and is in awe. And he asked, What is it, Sir? And the message was this: . . . .Your dog-like joy to be always in My Presence; your faithful trust in Me to guide you, keep you fed and warm and safe; your dear patient, joyful waiting, and fawning, earnest listening for My every word; your instant and exuberant obedience to My slightest wish (worship); and especially for your innocent and wild abandon in sharing your exuberance and joy with Me with every stranger you meet (almsdeeds), bring you into MY PRESENCE where Mind is Full. I need no memorial. You are with Me. I know you.
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NOTE on “Cornelius!”: Could there be a more thrilling moment than to have God, the Creator of EVERYTHING call you by name!!?? Such intimacy! If we study the meaning of church, we see that this is it. This is “the meeting.” This is the “calling.” This is the “assembly.” Revelation: direct communion with God = CHURCH. The people who are “called” meet together to share what they have experienced with other people, but the meeting of the individual with God itself is the experience of church. Mary Baker Eddy calls Christian Science a "system". A system is defined as an assemblage of things adjusted into a regular whole. An assembly means calling together, to congregate (with God), to assemble (with God), to meet (with God). You and God. The heavenly calling, the heavenly meeting, the heavenly congregating = CHURCH.
the church 1577 ekklesia, from a compound of 1537 and a derivative of 2564; a calling out, i.e. (concretely) a popular meeting, especially a religious congregation (Jewish synagogue, or Christian community of members on earth or saints in heaven or both):
---assembly, church.
1537 ek or ex, a primary preposition denoting origin (the point whence motion or action proceeds); from, out (of place, time or cause; literally or figuratively; direct or remote). In compounds, with the same general import; often of completion:-----are, at, by, for, on, unto, forth, from (among, forth, up), betwixt, beyond, by (the means of), exceedingly, (abundantly, above), heartily, heavenly, hereby, very highly, (because, by reason) of, off (from), among (from, of), over, since, thenceforth, through, vehemently, with, without.
2564 kaleo, akin to the base of 2573; to “call” (properly aloud, but used in a variety of applications, directly or otherwise):-----bid, call (forth), (whose) name (was [called]), (whose) surname (was [called]).
*NOTE on the altar of incense: The 6th and next to the last piece of furniture in the Tabernacle, representing the seeker’s next to the last step in communion with God, is the altar of incense. It is in the Holy Place. (The Ark of the Covenant is the last piece of furniture, and it is alone in the room called the Holy of Holies.) In the Holy Place, there are three pieces of furniture, the altar of incense, the table with the 12 tablets of shewbread, and the seven-branched lampstand or candlestick. In the Holy Place, the seeker stands before the altar of incense, full of inspiration and spiritual food, represented by the candles and shewbread. The smoke which fills the room, I believe, represents the sweet smell (to God!) of the burning away of the last remnants of the false self. The seeker’s purpose is to “remember” God. The memory of mortal sense and self is burned away in the fiery presence of God. I believe this language
“Your prayers and your alms went up for a memorial before God”
indicates that Cornelius has been a “good dog”----- faithful only to his Master, joyful, attentive, listening, obedient. He has been made useful to his Master. And it looks like God is going to use him right now. Let’s see what happens!
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NOTE on “going up in smoke”: The Hebrew word incense (H6999 qatar) means “to
smoke, i.e. turn into fragrance by fire (especially as an act of worship).” To burn the sacrifice of incense meant to remember God. The Hebrew dictionary states that incense came into existence through the idea of fumigation in a close place driving out the occupants!
The Hebrew zakar (H2142) means both remember and burn incense. Zechariah (literally Jah has remembered) contains both meanings. Luke, the author of this book of Acts, starts his gospel with the story of Zacharias whose “lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord.” (Luke 1:9.) As Zacharias prays, the angel of Lord appears and stands at the right side of the altar and gives Zacharias the good news that he shall have a son and great joy and gladness. (Luke 1:11-14.) So we can assume that God’s news to Cornelius will be good, and full of joy and gladness, too. Let’s see!
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NOTE about the “ninth hour”: Who knows what this means? I need help.
about 5616
ninth 1766
hour 5610
day 2250
saw 1492 eido, a primary verb; used only in certain past tenses, the others being borrowed from the equivalent 3700 and 3708; properly to see (literally or figuratively); by implication (in the perfect only) to know:------be aware, behold, can (+ not tell), consider, know, have knowledge, look (on), perceive, see, be sure, tell, understand, wish, wot. Compare 3700.
plainly 5320 phaneros, adverb from 5318; plainly, i.e. clearly or publicly:----evidently, openly.
5318 phaneros, from 5316; shining, i.e. apparent (literally or figuratively); neuter (as adverb) publicly, externally:----abroad, appear, known, manifest, open, openly, outward, outwardly.
in 1722 en, a primary preposition denoting (fixed) position (in place, time or state), and (by implication) instrumentality (medially or constructively), i.e. a relation of rest (intermediate between 1519 and 1537); “in,” at, on, upon, by, etc. Often used in compounds with substantially the same import; rarely with verbs of motion, and then not to indicate direction, except (elliptically) by a separate (and different) preposition:-----about, after, against, almost, altogether, among, as, at, before, between, by here by (+ all means), for (. . .sake of), give self wholly to, in, herein, into, inwardly, mightily, (because) of, on, upon, -ly (e.g. openly, speedily), outwardly, one, quickly, shortly, that, there, therein, thereon, through, throughout, to, unto, toward, under, when where, wherewith, while, with, within.
vision 3705 homama, from 3708; something gazed at, i.e. a spectacle (especially supernatural):------sight, vision.
spectacle (Origins Dict.): L. specere, to perceive with the eyes, to look at, as the frequentative spectare, to look at habitually, hence to fix one’s eyes upon, with the past participle spectatus, whence English spectator. Spectare has the derivative spectaculum, something often looked at or worth looking at, whence Old French spectacle, adopted by English. From spectaculum, in its Late Latin sense, ‘the act of seeing’ comes the Middle English spectacle, a spy glass, a mirror, whence spectacles in the modern sense.
spectacle (1828 Dict. def.): [L. spectaculum, from specto, be behold; specio, to see.]
- A show; something exhibited to view; usually, something presented to view as extraordinary, or something that is beheld an unusual and worthy of special notice. Thus we call things exhibited for amusement, public spectacles, as the combats of gladiators in ancient Rome. “We are made a spectacle to the world, and to angels, and to men.” 1 Cor. iv.
- Anything seen; a sight. A drunkard is a shocking spectacle.
- Spectacles, in the plural, glasses to assist in the sight.
- Figuratively, something that aids the intellectual sight. “Shakspeare---needed not the spectacles of books to read nature.” Dryden.
angel 32 angelos from angello [probably derived from 71; compare 34] (to bring tidings); a messenger; especially an “angel”; by implication a pastor:-----angel, messenger.
71 ago, a primary verb; properly to lead; by implication to bring, drive (reflexive) go, (specifically) pass (time), (figuratively) induce:-----be, bring (forth), carry, (let) go, keep, lead away, be open.
34 age, from 71 [compare 32]; a drove:-----herd.
God 2316
coming 1525 eiserchomai, from 1519 and 2064; to enter (literally or figuratively):----arise, come (in, into), enter in, enter into, go in (through).
him 846
saying 2036 epo, a primary verb (used only in the definite past tense, the others being borrowed from 2046, 4483 and 5346); to speak or say (by word or writing):----answer, bid, bring word, call, command, grant, say (on), speak, tell. Compare 3004.
Cornelius!
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THE FOLLOWING WORDS ARE FROM VERSE 4:
(4) “And when he looked on him he was afraid and said, What is it, Lord?
And he said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God.” (KJV)
(4) “And he was staring at him, and becoming terrified, he said, What is it, Sir? And he said to him, Your prayers and your alms went up for a memorial before God.” (IB)
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staring 816 atenizo, from a compound of G1 (as a particle of union) and teino (to stretch); to gaze intently:------behold earnestly (steadfastly), fasten (eyes), look (earnestly, steadfastly, up steadfastly), set eyes.
1614 ekteino, from 1537 and teino (to stretch); to extend:---cast, put forth, stretch forth (out).
5239 hyperekteino, from 5228 and 1614; to extend inordinately:-----stretch beyond.
becoming 1096 ginomai, a prolonged and middle form of a primary verb; to cause to be (“gen” -erate). i.e. (reflexive) to become (come into being), used with great latitude (literally, figuratively, intensively, etc.):-----arise, be assembled, be, become, befall, behave self, be brought (to pass), (be) come (to pass), continue, be divided, draw, be ended, fall, be finished, follow, be found, be fulfilled, God forbid, grow happen, have, be kept, be made, be married, be ordained to be, partake, pass, be performed, be published, require, seem, be showed, soon as it was, sound, be taken, be turned, use, wax, will, would, be wrought.
terrified 1719 emphobos; from 1722 and 5401; in fear, i.e. alarmed:-----affrighted, afraid, tremble.
5399 phobeo, from 5401; to frighten, i.e. (passive) to be alarmed; by analogy to be in awe of, i.e. to revere:------be (+sore) afraid, fear (exceedingly), reverence.
5401 phobos, from a primary phebomai (to be put in fear); alarm or fright:---be afraid, exceedingly, fear, terror.
said 2036
What 5101
is (it)? 2076
sir 2962
He said 2036
prayers 4335 proseuche, from 4336; prayer (worship); by implication an oratory (chapel):----pray earnestly, prayer.
4336 proseuchomai, from 4314 and 2172; to pray to God, i.e. supplicate, worship:-----pray earnestly, for, make prayer.
alms 1654 eleemosyne, from 1656; compassion, i.e. (as exercised towards the poor) beneficence, or (concretely) a benefaction:------alms, almsdeeds.
1656 eleos, of uncertain affinity; compassion (human or divine, especially active):
-----(+tender) mercy.
1653 eleeo, from 1656; to compassionate (by word or deed, specifically by divine grace):
-----have compassion (pity on), have (obtain, receive, shew) mercy (on).
1655 eleemon, from 1653; compassionate (active):-----merciful.
went up 305 anabaino, from 303 (up) and the base of Greek 939 (to walk); to go up (literally or figuratively):------arise, ascend (up), climb, (go, grow, rise, spring) up, come (up).
for 1519
memorial 3422 mnemosynon, from 3421; a reminder (memorandum), i.e. record:-----memorial.
before 1799 enopion, neuter of a compound of 1722 and a derivative of 3700; in the face of (literally or figuratively):------before, in the presence (sight) of, to.
God 2316
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