What happened to the usual order when the Holy Spirit fell in Acts 10?
The usual order was reversed and totally flip-flopped: the Holy Spirit was poured out on Gentiles before water baptism. They spoke with tongues and magnified God, astonishing the believing Jews with Peter. Peter then commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord, contrary to Acts 2:38's order of repentance, baptism, and remission of sins.
Les explains that when the Holy Spirit fell on these Gentiles, the procedure was reversed and totally flip-flopped. This was shocking to the believing Jews who came with Peter, because the Holy Spirit was poured out on Gentiles, something they had never seen. They knew it because they heard them speak with tongues or other languages and magnify God. This stopped Peter's preaching in its tracks. He then asked whether any man could forbid water that these should not be baptized who had received the Holy Spirit as well as they had, and he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. In Acts 2:38, the order was repent, be baptized, and have remission of sins.
While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word.
For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter,
And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days.
Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
Was Peter still in the middle of his sermon when the Holy Spirit fell on the Gentiles in Acts 10?
Yes. In Acts 10:44, the Holy Spirit fell on the Gentiles while Peter was still speaking these words. He had not reached the end of his message, yet the moment they believed, the Spirit came down. Their baptism followed afterward, showing the order differed from Acts 2.
How did the Jewish believers know that the Holy Spirit had been given to the Gentiles in Acts 10?
In Acts 10, the Jewish believers with Peter knew because they heard the Gentiles speak with tongues—other languages—and magnify God. That audible manifestation astonished them, demonstrating that the Holy Spirit had been poured out on Gentiles, something they had never witnessed before.
More Questions
In what way does Acts 10 reverse the order of Acts 2:38?
The Acts 10 outpouring reversed the order in Acts 2:38: at Pentecost the order was repent, be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, and then receive remission of sins, but in Acts 10 the Holy Spirit fell on the Gentiles before they were water baptized.
Where did the Holy Spirit fall on the Gentiles in Acts 10?
The outpouring of the Spirit on the Gentiles took place inside the house of Cornelius, a Roman officer, not in a large public venue like a Colosseum.