Peter’s Vision

Acts 10:9 – 23

In Leviticus 20:24 – 26, God commanded Israel to make distinction between clean and unclean animals or birds. Details about this distinction are found in Leviticus 11:1 – 47. The purpose of this was to set Israel holy and apart from the other nations (Leviticus 20:26).

But in the vision, Peter saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners. It contained all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles and birds. Then a voice told him, ‘Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.’ (Acts 10:11 – 13)

Peter replied, ‘Surely not, Lord! I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.’ (Acts 10:14)

The voice spoke to him a second time, ‘Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.’ (Acts 10:15)

This happened three times, and immediately the sheet was taken back to heaven (Acts 10:16).

This vision is aligned with the fact that Jesus declared all foods clean (Mark 7:19). More details are found In Mark 7:14–23.

Before this event (Peter’s vision), an angel of God appeared to Cornelius, a centurion in the Italian Regiment and told him to invite Peter to his place (Acts 10:1, Acts 10:3). Cornelius and all his family were devout and God-fearing, generous to the poor and prayed to God regularly (Acts 10:2).

God gave Peter this vision so that Peter would not discriminate Gentiles but share the good news with them.

Peter now realised how true it is that God does not show favouritism but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right (Acts 10:34 – 35).

Everyone – Jews and Gentiles alike – who believes in Jesus receives forgiveness of sins through His name!

Amen!

This type of changes or differences between old testament and new testament can be understood if Matthew 9:14 – 17 is read, as shown below.

¹⁴ Then John’s disciples came and asked him, ‘How is it that we and the Pharisees fast often, but your disciples do not fast?’

¹⁵ Jesus answered, ‘How can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while he is with them? The time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast.

¹⁶ ‘No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, for the patch will pull away from the garment, making the tear worse. ¹⁷ Neither do people pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins will burst; the wine will run out, and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved.’

Jesus, Son of God is true representation of God, the Father. Knowing Him is knowing God. If we want to know more about God, we simply need to learn and follow Jesus. We are in the darkness if without Him who is the true light of the world. He is the way, the truth and the life and no one comes to the Father except through Him (John 14:6). He is greater than Solomon (Luke 11:31) and His testimony is weightier than that of Baptist John (John 5:36). He is new wine that requires new wineskins.

References

The Holy Bible: New International Version (Anglicised Edition, 2011). (2011). (Revised and updated edition). London: Hodder & Stoughton