John Calvin Commentary Acts 10:33

"Forthwith therefore I sent to thee; and thou hast well done that thou art come. Now therefore we are all here present in the sight of God, to hear all things that have been commanded thee of the Lord." — Acts 10:33 (ASV)

Therefore, we are all now present. So that Peter may be more ready and willing to teach, Cornelius affirms that he and the rest will be receptive to being taught, and ready to obey God. For this serves significantly to motivate the teacher to take pains with the hearers, when he confidently hopes that they will profit from it. These words, before God, may have a double meaning: they may either be an oath, or Cornelius may by this simply declare that this company was gathered at his house, as in the sight of God, so that they may hear a man's voice just as if it proceeded from God's own mouth.

Whichever you choose, there will always be one outcome; for so that Cornelius may better establish the credibility of his sincerity, he testifies that he has God before his eyes, whom no one can mock through deceit. And certainly, whenever the Word of God is set before us, we must think to ourselves that we are not dealing with a mortal man, but that God is present, and calls us.

For from this respect for God arises the majesty of God’s word, and reverence in hearing it. Nevertheless, he seems to promise rashly for others in such a weighty matter, for who can be a suitable guarantor for another man’s faith? But because each person had promised obedience for himself, he does, for good reasons, hope that they were so inclined. And, undoubtedly, we may think that they had promised to be obedient to his words as soon as the matter was shown to them, and that even then each one confirmed for himself what one person had spoken in the name of all.

To hear all things. This alone is true faith: when we do not embrace only one half of the Word of God, but subject ourselves wholly to it. And yet, nevertheless, there are few examples in the world of this complete and universal faith, for most people do not submit themselves to the doctrine of God, as if they had made a covenant with God, only insofar as it pleases them.

If anything displeases them, they either carelessly condemn or dislike it. But Cornelius wisely distinguishes between God and man, for he makes God the author of the doctrine, and leaves nothing for man besides the ministry and message. "You shall," he says, "have attentive scholars, and those who will be obedient in all things which God has commanded you; so that he alone may be principal, and you only his minister; so that he alone may speak, but through your mouth," which God prescribes to all his servants in the person of Ezekiel.

He says, Take the word out of my mouth, and you shall show unto them from me, (Ezekiel 33:7).