Peter knew that God had sent these men, but not why they had come. The Spirit had told him only, "three men seek thee," and to go with them (Acts 10:19-20). Gill points out that Peter was told there were three men seeking him and to go with them "without any scruple," but what they came for "was not suggested." So Peter went down, told them he was the man they wanted, and asked their purpose. Matthew Henry notes how readily he did it: "So far was he from going out of the way, or refusing to be spoken with," that he went to them himself.

The men answered: "Cornelius the centurion, a just man, and one that feareth God, and of good report among all the nation of the Jews, was warned from God by an holy angel to send for thee into his house, and to hear words of thee" (Acts 10:22). Then "called he them in, and lodged them," and the next day Peter went with them, along with certain brethren from Joppa (Acts 10:23).

Peter's visitors were Gentiles: two household servants and "a devout soldier" (Acts 10:7). Peter later told Cornelius, "it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company, or come unto one of another nation" (Acts 10:28). Barnes says this "was not explicitly enjoined by Moses, but it seemed to be implied in his institutions." Gill, by contrast, says it was "forbidden by the law of Moses" (Deuteronomy 7:2) and by the traditions of the elders, "which carry the matter further than the law did." That is why it mattered that Peter, after his vision of the clean and unclean animals, called these men in and gave them lodging (Acts 10:23).

God was working at both ends of this story. He sent an angel to Cornelius in Caesarea and a vision to Peter in Joppa, and the men arrived at the very moment "Peter doubted in himself what this vision which he had seen should mean" (Acts 10:17). The Spirit's words, "I have sent them" (Acts 10:20), show that the men's arrival at the gate was God's doing.

Peter's question let the men tell the story of what God had done, and their answer began to explain his vision. Matthew Henry draws the lesson: "When we see our call clear to any service, we should not be perplexed with doubts and scruples."