Why did God have the Gentiles speak in other languages at Cornelius's house?
God used the Gentiles’ speaking in other languages as proof to the seven Jewish believers with Peter that He was doing something totally different than ever before. It confirmed that Gentiles were hearing the salvation message, believing it, and receiving the Holy Spirit, astonishing those Jewish believers.
Les explains that this occurred in the house of Cornelius, a Roman officer, not in a great Colosseum, and the group was not all that large—perhaps a dozen and a half or two dozen. The six men who came with Peter, a total of seven Jews, were utterly astonished that Gentiles were hearing a salvation message and believing it. In order to prove to these seven Jews that He was doing something totally different than had ever been done before, God proved it with these Gentiles speaking other languages.
For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter,
More Questions
Were the Gentiles at Cornelius's house speaking to God or to men when they spoke in tongues?
When the Gentiles in Cornelius's house spoke in tongues, they were talking to fellow men, not to God, and were magnifying God in the presence of the seven Jews and Cornelius's household.
What did speaking in tongues prove to the Jewish believers at Cornelius's house?
For the Jewish believers, hearing the Gentile believers speak with tongues and magnify God proved that God was doing something they had never thought possible: saving Gentiles without making them proselytes first.
What did the Gentiles' speaking in tongues and magnifying God prove to the Jewish believers?
Hearing the Gentiles speak with tongues and magnify God proved to the Jewish believers that God was doing something they had not thought possible: saving a Gentile without making him a proselyte.