It would be good to first read  Who Were The Gentiles Of The New Testament? .

Dear Children;

Three times the Bible uses the phrase ‘to the Jew first and then to the Gentile/Greek’:

• Rom 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
• Rom 2:9,10 Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile; But glory, honour and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile:

I want to explain to you what the meaning of this is and to tell you about Cornelius.

You remember my explanation I gave in ‘Who Were The Gentiles Of The New Testament? ’ bible study? I explained the Gentiles of the New Testament are the Gentiles of the Old Testament who are the Northern Kingdom of Israel or Ephraim. The story of Cornelius supports this. I want to consider the whole story piece by piece.

Acts 10:1 There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian band,

The meaning of the word band is a Roman cohort. A cohort was a small group of five hundred men; there were ten cohorts in a legion. Remember that Rome had control over Asia Minor and they supplied their armies from all their land holdings or the countries that they control.  Cornelius came from Italy.

The name Cornelius means ‘horn’ another location says it means ‘little horn’.

Acts 10:2 A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway.

If we look at what is being said very closely we can see that Cornelius and his family feared God, I’ll add that it was a godly fear because Cornelius was devoted to righteousness. It also says that his household gave much alms or compassion and help to the needy.  Let’s see what the New Testament has to say about ‘alms and compassion’.

 James 1:27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.  

Matthew 25:31 When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: 32 And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: 33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. 34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: 36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. 37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? Or thirsty, and gave thee drink? 38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? 39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? 40And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.   41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: 42 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: 43 I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. 44 Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? 45 Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. 46And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.  

John 15:12 This is my commandment, That you love one another, as I have loved you.  

There is a lot that can be said about compassion and alms that are to be displayed by Believers in the Way, but the most important thing to note at this time is lack of love for their brethren was one of the downfalls of the twelve tribes.  That downfall was a loss of caring for their brothers, those that made of the descendant of Jacob.  They were to care for them with the same compassion as they care for themselves.

Cornelius was living a life in obedience to the Torah. He was keeping the intent of the Law, he was caring for the widows, orphans, etc as it says in Isa 1:17:

Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.

In verse three we are going to see that Cornelius is fasting, we’ll see that by putting verse three and thirty together.

Acts 10:3 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.

 Acts 10:30 And Cornelius said, Four days ago as I was fasting… 

There is only one day of all the year that prayer and fasting was known as ‘the fast’ . The day of Yom Kippur is ‘a day of afflicting your soul’.  In fact in the New Testament in Acts 27:9 refers to Yom Kippur as simply ‘the fast.’

Now when much time was spent, and when sailing was now dangerous, because the fast was now already past, Paul admonished them,

The next two verses are the scriptures from the Old Testament concering the fast of Yom Kippur.

Lev 16:31 It is a Sabbath of solemn rest to you, and you shall afflict yourselves; it is a statute forever.

Every fifty year on the day of Yom Kippur, which is a Jubilee,  a shofar is blown in the Temple.

Lev 25: Then shalt thou cause the trumpet of the jubilee to sound on the tenth day of the seventh month, in the day of atonement shall ye make the trumpet sound throughout all your land.  

Without a doubt, this man who was fasting and praying to Elohim, who was a devout man, who took care of the needy was fasting on Yom Kippur date.  Now, he was not a convert to Judaism because the scripture clearly says he was not circumcised.  We also see what Elohim says in Isaiah about Yom Kipper and the true meaning of the feast/fast and that it can be perfectly applied to Cornelius

58: 1 Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet (little horn, Cornelius), and shew my **people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins. 2 Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways, as a nation that did righteousness, and forsook not the ordinance of their God: they ask of me the ordinances of justice; they take delight in approaching to God. 3 Wherefore have we fasted, say they, and thou seest not? wherefore have we afflicted our soul, and thou takest no knowledge? Behold, in the day of your fast ye find pleasure, and exact all your labours. 4 Behold, ye fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness: ye shall not fast as ye do this day, to make your voice to be heard on high. 5 Is it such a fast that I have chosen? a day for a man to afflict his soul? is it to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? wilt thou call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the Lord? 6 Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke? 7 Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?

Our story is telling us that a man named Little Horn was fasting, more than likely on Yom Kippur.  That he was devoted to the true intent of the law of Moses.  And that Elohim remembered  him.

A biblical fast is observed by abstaining from food and water (see The Fast).

There are many people, including me, that believe when Messiah was crucified it was a Jubilee year.  If that is true then it gives Cornelius’ name ‘little horn’ more meaning in the story since the timeline was the year of Yeshua’s passion, or His crucifixion.

It is on Yom Kippur, on a Yovel or Jubilee year that a shofar, that is a ram’s horn or a little horn is commanded to be sounded.  Where as the trumpet for Numbers 10 were silver trumpets

Lev 25:9 Then shalt thou cause the trumpet (שפר, shofar, ram’s horn) of the jubile to sound on the tenth day of the seventh month, in the day of atonement shall ye make the trumpet sound throughout all your land.

Make thee two trumpets of sliver, of a whole piece shalt thou make them: that thou mayest use them for the calling of the assembly, and for the journeying of the camps.  Numbers 10:2

Continuing in the story in Acts verse four.

Acts 10:4 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 (reminder) before God.

The phrase ‘thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God’ is very much the way the Bible speaks about Yehovah remembering the Israelites in Egypt.

Ex 2:24 And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. Acts 10:31 says …and thine alms are had in remembrance (to bear in mind, recollect) in the sight of God.

Yehovah was remembering something from the past.  That something was the Northern Kingdom of Ephraim.

Acts 10:4And 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. 5 And now send men to Joppa, and call for one Simon, whose surname is Peter: 6 He lodgeth with one Simon a tanner, whose house is by the sea side: he shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do. 7 And when the angel which spake unto Cornelius was departed, he called two of his household servants, and a devout soldier of them that waited on him continually; 8 And when he had declared all these things unto them, he sent them to Joppa. 9 On the morrow, as they went on their journey, and drew nigh unto the city, Peter went up upon the housetop to pray about the sixth hour: 10 And he became very hungry, and would have eaten: but while they made ready, he fell into a trance, 11 And saw heaven opened, and a certain vessel descending upon him, as it had been a great sheet knit at the four corners, and let down to the earth: 12 Wherein were all manner of fourfooted beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air. 13 And there came a voice to him, Rise, Peter; kill, and eat.14 But Peter said, Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten any thing that is common or unclean. 15 And the voice spake unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common. 16 This was done thrice: and the vessel was received up again into heaven.

For an understanding of what is being said about Peter’s vision please read Peter’s Sheet and Moses Seat.  Since I’ve already published this part of Acts chapter ten,  I won’t repeat it here.  Spoiler alert!  The sheet appeared three times to Peter and three unclean Gentiles showed up at Peter’s door.  The sheet with the unclean animals had nothing to do with dietary laws being changed in the new covenant.

Acts 10:17 Now while Peter doubted in himself what this vision which he had seen should mean, behold, the men which were sent from Cornelius had made enquiry for Simon’s house, and stood before the gate, 18 And called, and asked whether Simon, which was surnamed Peter, were lodged there. 19 While Peter thought on the vision, the Spirit said unto him, Behold, three men seek thee. 20 Arise therefore, and get thee down, and go with them, doubting nothing: for I have sent them. 21 Then Peter went down to the men which were sent unto him from Cornelius; and said, Behold, I am he whom ye seek: what is the cause wherefore ye are come? 22 And they said, 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.

It says of Cornelius 1) He was a just man: equal in regards to the rights of persons 2) of good report to be a witness, to testify 3) among Judah.  There is a parenthetical statement in the middle of a verse, “one that feareth God” let’s remove this and connect the sentence.  Cornelius the Centurion, a man equal with regards to the right of a person.  His equal treatment qualified him to be a witness, to bear testimony among all the nation of the Jews by his actions, or alms, because he feared God.  What was being said here is the Jews were under Roman rule, Cornelius was in a position of authority over the Jews. He judged and treated them fairly because he feared Yehovah, this in addition to his alms gave Cornelius a good report among the Jews.

Acts 10:23 Then called he them in, and lodged them. And on the morrow Peter went away with them, and certain brethren from Joppa accompanied him. 24 And the morrow after they entered into Caesarea. And Cornelius waited for them, and he had called together his kinsmen and near friends.

Compare this verse to Ezekile 37:19 Say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will take the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel his fellows (חבר chavarim, friends), and will put them with him, even WITH the stick of Judah, and make them one stick, and they shall be one in mine (Yeshua’s) hand. 

Acts 10:25 And as Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him, and fell down at his feet, and worshipped him. 26 But Peter took him up, saying, Stand up; I myself also am a man. 27 And as he talked with him, he went in, and found many that were come together.

I would have loved to have known the number that ‘many’ represented but it is not given to us. This particular word is used many means: many, much, great and abundant. In Acts 2:6 when the Holy Spirit fell on the Jews the number that heard it was called a multitude, which means a fullness in Greek. My thinking concerning this number that represents ‘many‘ is that the Household of Cornelius and his chavarim (friends) was the fullness of the other lost tribes. Meaning that there would have been a representative present from each tribe of the Northern Kingdom of Israel or at least eight other men from the eight other tribes. Why? Because the Yah I serve works just like that. He never misses or drops a detail. Additionally, if we see this story as the beginning of Ezekiel 37:19  of the two sticks being united, then to make the two sticks one that equated redemption  of a remmant of the whole house of Israel,  it would need to have been offered to all of the tribes of the Northern Kingdom under Cornelius’ roof that day.  Let’s look at an earlier passage in Acts that addresses the restoration of the Kingdom of Israel.

6 When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? (the missing tribes in exile)7 And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. 8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you (it was by the Holy Ghost that Ephraim, the northern kingdom was restored): and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. 9 And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.  Acts 1

They had been in expectation of the restoration of the other tribes who had also been separated from their Elohim by their sins.

Acts 10:28 And he (Peter) said unto them, Ye know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company, or come unto one of another nation ; but God hath shewed me that I should not call any man common or unclean. 29 Therefore came I unto you without gainsaying, as soon as I was sent for: I ask therefore for what intent ye have sent for me?

One of another nation is a compound word meaning 1) another 2) offshoot, race, clan

I’m going to pause in the story to explain to you what I think the ‘unlawfulness’ is that Peter is speaking about in verse 28. It’s going to sound like we are really derailing big time, but you’ll see at the end that it is going to fit the telling of Cornelius’ story.

The Temples of Israel

The temples of Israel are as follows. There was a tabernacle, which was a tent. Then there was Solomon’s Temple, Zerubbabel’s Temple, Simon’s Temple (very few know that this one existed), Herod’s temple and now we are the temple of the Holy Spirit. There will be a future Ezekiel’s temple. Of all of these temples, the only one that had a Women’s Court and a Gentile Court was Herod’s temple.  Let that sink in a moment.  Of the five facilities that were built for the worship of Elohim only one, which was Herod’s, had a Women’s Court and a Gentile Court.

The tabernacle had a courtyard fence as a protective border for the tabernacle, or tent of meeting, which God told Moses to build after the Israelites escaped from Egypt. This area was for the work of the Levities and Cohenim, but there was no courtyard for the people.

Solomon’s temple had two courts surrounding the Temple. The Inner Court (1 Kings 6:36), or Court of the Priests (2 Chr. 4:9), it was separated from the space beyond by a wall of three courses of hewn stone, surmounted by cedar beams (1 Kings 6:36). The Great Court surrounded the whole Temple (2 Chr. 4:9). The Great Court was where the people assembled to worship. (Jeremiah 19:14; 26:2).

While there is no complete description of the Temple built by Zerubbabel, considerable detail can be gleaned from various sources. It had two courtyards. There were at least four gates in the wall of the outer courtyard, and at least one of them faced a street. There were at least two gates to the inner courtyard. Various chambers surrounded the Temple in both courtyards. Most of these were in the outer courtyard and were used for the storage of tithes, equipment, and vessels.  If there was a courtyard it would have still been a common courtyard for the people.

Simon’s Temple is actually the remnant of what archeologist call Zerubbabel’s Temple that Herod repaired and extended.  We have no description of this temple available to us.  The book of Maccabees did not record it.  Josephus is not known to have written about it.

In Herod’s Temple, there was the Court of the Women, it was the outer forecourt of the Temple in Jerusalem into which women were permitted to enter. This court was also known as the “middle court,” as it stood between the Court of the Gentiles and the Court of the Jews, also called the Court of the Men.  The Temple officially ended with the Court of the Women, the Court of the Gentiles was considered to be outside of the Temple area.   I understand from history the Gentile court was for the Northern Kingdom, Gentiles or Ephraim.   Their court was  on the outer parameter of the Temple equated to their uncleanness because Josephus said even the pagans could enter the Gentile court.   Wikipedia has this description about the Gentile court:  This area was primarily a bazaar, with vendors selling souvenirs, sacrificial animals, food, as well as currency changers, exchanging Roman for Tyrian money because the Jews were not allowed to coin their own money and they viewed Roman currency as an abomination to the Lord, as also mentioned in the New Testament account of Jesus and the Money Changers when Jerusalem was packed with Jews who had come for Passover, perhaps numbering 300,000 to 400,000 pilgrims.  Guides that provided tours of the premises were also available. Jewish males had the unique opportunity to be shown inside the temple itself

I am unable to locate any history that shows me why a Women’s Court was also added to the Temple in this period of history but I have an educated guess about the matter.

Look what Revelation says about the temple being measured in Rev 11:1

And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein. 2 But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles. 

Even Revelations mentions that the Gentile area was not an official part of the Temple.

Remember in Ezekiel 37 when God divorced the Gentiles? The Torah commands that when a man divorces his wife he is to write her a bill of divorcement and set her out of his house.

Deut 24:3 And if the latter husband hate her, and write her a bill of divorcement, and giveth it in her hand, and sendeth her out of his house; or if the latter husband die, which took her to be his wife;

Yehovah wrote the Law, it was His ketubah or marriage contract with the twelve tribes.  He follows the terms of this ketubah.  He set the Northern Kingdom out of Israel.

Jeremiah 7:12-15 But go ye now unto my place which was in Shiloh, where I set my name at the first, and see what I did to it for the wickedness of my people Israel. And now, because ye have done all these works, saith the LORD, and I spake unto you, rising up early and speaking, but ye heard not; and I called you, but ye answered not; Therefore will I do unto this house, which is called by my name, wherein ye trust, and unto the place which I gave to you and to your fathers, as I have done to Shiloh. And I will cast you (Judah) out of my sight, as I have cast out all your brethren, even the whole seed of Ephraim (the northern kingdom).

I believe Colossians 2 is speaking about the Northern Kingdom, Ephraim:

Col 2:11 In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:  12 Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. 13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; 14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us (Northern and Southern), which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;

‘The handwriting of ordinances that was against us’ is the conviction of the Nothern Kingdom or court order that allowed the ‘bill of divorcement‘ to be written mentioned in Deut 24:3 that Yehovah was required to give Ephraim before He set her out.  She guilty decree was written about in all of the prophets when they listed her sins.  The writer in Colossians is speaking to the ‘uncircumcised in the flesh’ which is the Gentiles or Ephraim.  Yeshua nailed Ephraim’s  ‘handwriting of ordinances’  or her ‘bill of divorcement and her guilty court order’ that the prophets had recorded to his cross; it also includes the guilty verdicts against Judah.

6 The Lord said also to me in the days of Josiah the king: “Have you seen what backsliding Israel (the Northern Kingdom, Ephraim) has done? She has gone up on every high mountain and under every green tree, and there played the harlot. 7And I said, after she had done all these things, ‘Return to Me.’ But she did not return. And her treacherous sister Judah (the Sourthern Kingdom, Judah) saw it. 8 Then I saw that for all the causes for which backsliding Israel had committed adultery, I had put her away and given her a certificate of divorce; yet her treacherous sister Judah did not fear, but went and played the harlot also. 9 So it came to pass, through her casual harlotry, that she defiled the land and committed adultery with stones and trees. 10 And yet for all this her treacherous sister Judah has not turned to Me with her whole heart, but in pretense,” says the Lord.

11Then the Lord said to me, “Backsliding Israel has shown herself more righteous than treacherous Judah. 12 Go and proclaim these words toward the north, and say:

14“Return, O backsliding children, (the whole house of Israel)” says the Lord; “for I am married to you. I will take you, one from a city and two from a family, and I will bring you to Zion.  Jeremiah 3

The land of Israel belongs to Yehovah alone; humans can only ever sojourn with him here.   In other words, Judah was allowed to remain although יהוה said that Ephraim, or Israel was more righteous than Judah.

Judah or the Jews knew everything about Ephraim being set out of יהה land and Temple (or House).  They well knew why it happened and built a courtyard for the Gentiles outside of the boundary of the Har HaBeit (the mountain house, the temple of house of G-d).  The Gentiles were not yet completely lost from knowledge in the first century, they were still known to the Jews in Yeshua’s time.   We see this from the gospels in  John 12:20-23.   The Gentile courtyard didn’t qualify as part of the Temple according to Revelation and Josephus.

On the walls of the Women’s Court there were warning signs in Greek and Latin which were placed at the entrance to the Court of the Women giving strict warning that the penalty for trespass was death. The Romans permitted the Jewish authorities to carry out the death penalty for this offense, even if the offender were a Roman citizen. The engraved block of limestone in the above photo was discovered in Jerusalem in 1871. Its dimensions are about 22 inches high by 33 inches long. Each letter was nearly 1 1/2 inches high and originally painted with red ink against the white limestone. Part of another sign was unearthed in 1936. Its current location is in the Archaeological Museum of Istanbul, Turkey.

Josephus also wrote about the warning signs in Greek and Latin that were placed on the barrier wall that separated the court of the Gentiles from the other courts in the Temple.  It’s seven line inscription reads as follows:

NO FOREIGNER
IS TO GO BEYOND THE BALUSTRADE
AND THE PLAZA OF THE TEMPLE ZONE
WHOEVER IS CAUGHT DOING SO
WILL HAVE HIMSELF TO BLAME
FOR HIS DEATH
WHICH WILL FOLLOW

The Temple Warning Inscription is important in the study of Biblical Archaeology and confirms events outlined in Scripture.

If we don’t believe the weight of this announcement plaque on the wall of the women’s court granted to the Jews to be carried out with authority by Rome let’s look at what happened to Paul when the Jews thought that Paul had brought Greeks into the Har Habeit, or the Temple. Let’s look what happens to Paul for his associations with the Gentile believers (Ephraim).

[Note: these terms are being used inter changable: Gentiles,  Greeks, Ephraim, and Northern-Kingdom.]

Paul had traveled to Jerusalem to end his Nazarite vow on Shavuot, to pay his vow at the Temple.  When he arrived in Jerusalem rumors saying Paul regularly taught the Gentiles to disobey the Laws of Moses had reached the saints in Jerusalem.  In order to quiet the rumors it is suggested to Paul he should bring to the Temple with him some Greeks (Gentiles, Northern Kingdom) who were also ending their vow.  When Paul arrived at the Temple he encountered Jews from Asia Minor when he has been evangelizing the Gentiles.  The Jews recognized Paul and incited a riot against Paul, supposing that he had taken the Greeks or the Gentiles past the warning plaque, past Court of the Women and into the court of the Jews.

Acts 21:28 Crying out, Men of Israel, help: This is the man, that teacheth all men every where against the people, and the law, and this place: and further brought Greeks also into the temple, and hath polluted this holy place. 29 (For they had seen before with him in the city Trophimus an Ephesian, whom they supposed that Paul had brought into the temple.)

Even though Paul was a Jew and a free-born Roman citizen the law written on the Warning Sign gave the angry mob of religious Jews the right to kill Paul.

The Temple of Ezekiel will have two courts, an outer and an inner; but there is no appropriation of these courts to the special use of any classes. It may be assumed that the inner court, from its size and arrangements, was for the priests engaged in the sacrifices, and the outer for the people generally.

The Sadducees, Scribes, and Pharisees also wrote their laws that they bind as a heavy burden on the people (Matthew 23:1-4).  Clearly, these extra-biblical writings by various rabbis over the centuries made it illegal to associate with the Gentiles.  I’m going to provide you a link that gives many examples of how despised and hated Ephraim was, of course, today many believe ‘churched Christians’ to be Gentiles.  I do not.  I believe Gentiles and Greeks to be the Northern Tribe of Israel.  When you read the link you will see the sins of Ephraim are perfectly listed.  Here’s a glimpse of the what was taught by the rabbis

“A Jew must not associate himself with gentiles because they are given to the shedding of blood.”

Likewise in Iore Dea (153,2):

“An Israelite must not associate himself with the Akum [Christians] because they are given to the shedding of blood.”

In addition to the sign posted on the Court of the Women, it is interesting to note that the Talmudic Laws enacted when the Northern Kingdom of Ephraim was carried into captivity.  I think the Bible clearly shows us Peter being fearful of the long arm of Talmudic Law.

Acts 10:19 While Peter thought on the vision, the Spirit said unto him, Behold, three men seek thee. 20 Arise therefore, and get thee down, and go with them, doubting nothing: for I have sent them. 

This verse may shed some light on why scriptures show Peter was susceptible to peer pressure.   Concerning the uncleanness of Gentiles look what Paul says to Peter.   We’ve just read the knowledge that God would no longer call a repentant Gentile unclean was first delivered to Peter

Gal 2:11 But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed. 12 For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision (Jews). 13 And the other (believing) Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation.

Peer pressure and fear of Talmudic laws.

My educated guess and opinion is the reason there was a Women’s Court in addition to the Gentile Court is that the flesh-serving religious rabbis and priests assigned the same guilt to Jewish women as Elohim has placed on Judah and Ephraim in Eziekel 37.  Judah and Ephraim are spoken of as women and sisters that are unfaithful to their husband, Yehovah.  The Talmudic writers transferred that blame and distrust against all of the Jewish women and separated their worship into a separate court apart from the Jewish men’s court at Herod’s temple.

It is obvious according to the Law of Moses, Greeks living among the Jews keeping the Law were to be treated that same as the  Jews keeping the Law, they were to be treated no differently.  Peter had lived under the laws added by the ruling Jews.  He knew well the strength their extra laws carried in condemning men innoscent of breaking the laws of the Torah.

Back to Cornelius’ story

Acts 10: 30 And Cornelius said, Four days ago I was fasting until this hour; and at the ninth hour I prayed in my house, and, behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing,

The ninth hour of the day is calculated from sunrise.  Sunrise is around 6:20 a.m.  We know the days and nights are almost equal during the beginning or the latter part of the year in Israel.  Twelve hours of light, twelve hours of night. 6:20 to 7:20 is the first hour, etc. In our scripture reference it was sometime after 2:20 and before 3:20 in the afternoon. The sun would have set again by around 6:20 p.m.

[Note: If the angel appeared to Cornelius on Yom Kippur which is the tenth day (sun) of the seventh month plus the four days in verse thirty we arrive at the fourteenth (sun) day of the seventh month. At sunset on this date starts the week of Sukkot! The seven-day period when all of the tribes were commanded to live in booths.]

Acts 10:31 And said, Cornelius, thy prayer is heard, and thine alms are had in remembrance in the sight of God. 32 Send therefore to Joppa, and call hither Simon, whose surname is Peter; he is lodged in the house of one Simon a tanner by the sea side: who, when he cometh, shall speak unto thee. 33 Immediately therefore I sent to thee; and thou hast well done that thou art come. Now therefore are we all here present before God, to hear all things that are commanded thee of God. 34 Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: 35 But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him. 36 The word which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ: (he is Lord of all:) 37 That word, I say, ye know, which was published throughout all Judaea, and began from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached;

Cornelius’ house and all of the land of Israel had heard of Yeshua. But,  could Cornelius have been one of the Greek speakers that came to worship at the feasts that we read about in John 12:20, is Cornelius one of those that stood by and heard the voice of the Father glorifying His own name in the sound of His thunderous voice (John 12:28)? Certainly, before the death of Yeshua a righteous man would be found keeping the command to travel to Jerusalem on the three days they were to journey there.  Yom Kippur, however, is not a day that was included in the commend to worship in Jerusalem.  Those days were the week of Unleavened, Shavuot, and Sukkot.

Acts 10:38 How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him. 39 And we are witnesses of all things which he did both in the land of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom they slew and hanged on a tree: 40 Him God raised up the third day, and shewed him openly; 41 Not to all the people, but unto witnesses chosen before God, even to us, who did eat and drink with him after he rose from the dead. 42 And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead. 43 To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins. 44 While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word. 45 And they of the circumcision (Judah or the Jews) which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost.

I wonder what languages they spoke?  This event probably mirrored Acts chapter two in many ways:

In the third month at Shavuot the Jews received the gift of the Holy Spirit. In the seventh month, four months later the Gentiles received the gift of the Holy Spirit around or on Sukkot. This is the saying in the book of Romans: to the Jews first and then the Gentiles/Greeks. This is Ezekiel 37 when Ephraim’s stick is joined to Judah’s stick and become one again by the hand of Yeshua who sent the Holy Spirit after he ascended to the Father.

Say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will take the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel his fellows, and will put them with him, even WITH the stick of Judah, and make them one stick, and they shall be one in mine hand. 

Look at this:

Acts 1:4 And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. 5 For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence. 6 When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? Lord is now the time you will bring Ephraim together with Judah in the land?    Acts 1:7 And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power 8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. 9 And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.

Remember those three courtyards in Herod’s temple that were divided by walls?

Eph 2:11-16  Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; 12 That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: 13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. 14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one (Ez 37), and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us (those court walls at Herod’s Temple); 15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man (Ez 37), so making peace; 16 And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:

Acts 10: 46 For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter, 47 Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we? 48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days. 

I believe the ‘certain’ days that Peter stayed with the Household of Cornelius was the week of Sukkot.  Since Peter arrived at Cornelius house between 2:20 and 3:20 in the afternoon and the bible doesn’t give us more indicators than this, it is hard to say if the Northern Kingdom was restored on the 14th day of the month or if it happened after sunset on the first day of Sukkot.  While the bible doesn’t record it as happening on the first day of Sukkot I feel sure in my spirit that if the Judah was restored on a date signifiant to Elohim, that is a feast day, then so was Ephraim.

Acts 10 is a beautiful story of Yehovah keeping his promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. It’s a love story of a shepherd (Yeshua) seeking out His lost sheep.

14 I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. 15 As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.  John 10

When we know how, why and when the story becomes so much more special and miraculous. It’s these testimonies that have been left for us that assure us of His intent to keep His promises to us that are yet unfilled.

A good follow up bible study to this would be Peter’s Sheet and Moses Seat.