Welcome to Thursday’s podcast. Our reading today is Acts 10:1-16

Our reading today is v13-16:

Then a voice told him, “Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.”

“Surely not, Lord!” Peter replied. “I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.”

The voice spoke to him a second time, “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.”

This happened three times, and immediately the sheet was taken back to heaven.

REFLECTION:

It’s said that Bishop Salmon, the former Bishop of South Carolina, used to have a saying: ‘never trust anybody who doesn’t like dogs’.

I like dogs. We have a dog. But I was staggered to learn recently that dog owners in the UK spent a whopping £57bn in 2018 on their dogs. On average a dog owner spends £3000 a year on their dog – I repeat, £3000 a year – which includes (apparently) paying for people to walk them, train them, groom them and then for people to actually sit with them while the owners are at work. It’s incredible. And according to the Daily Mirror, half of all UK dog owners allow their dogs to sleep in their bed – what a thought! This got me thinking. I remember hearing once that at the time of Jesus – one of the things that grossed out Jewish people was that the Roman occupying forces during the winter months allowed their dogs to sleep in their beds for extra warmth.

This reason for their disgust revealed a deep divide in Palestine at the time of the New Testament between Jewish people and Gentiles (non Jews). It’s really hard to convey just how divided their society was. A dog sharing a bed with a Roman soldier was a symbol to the average Jew of everything that was wrong with their world. Occupying forces – doing gross (in their view, unholy) things in a land that was deeply sacred to them.

Therefore it’s really hard to put into words, as we journey through the book of Acts, just how significant chapter 10 really is – a turning point – from now, Gentiles are to be included in the family of God. We meet Cornelius. He’s a Roman soldier – a centurion. He probably led at least 100 men. He’s a man of great influence and what’s interesting is that he’s adopted certain Jewish customs. He prays to God – in fact his whole household does – he gives money to the poor, and although he’s respected – he’s not accepted. He’s still an outsider. He’s a non-Jew. A Gentile – he’s outside of the covenant. The Jews at the time had a name for people like him – a dog. Some really religious people wouldn’t share hospitality with Cornelius – wouldn’t have him in their home. Why? He’s unclean and by association he could make you unclean.

It happens today in different parts of the world. Whether it be blatant racism or apartheid in South Africa in the past. I was once on a mission in Northern Ireland 18 years ago. I witnessed a wonderful Anglican Vicar talking to a man on the streets. It was all cordial until he discovered the Vicar was, well, Anglican. He refused to shake the Vicar’s hand because he was Presbyterian. Made no sense to me at all.

That’s why Jesus’ approach to welcome and hospitality is so radically different and how earth shatteringly controversial he was and why he made such a stir by sitting and eating with people who were considered unclean outsiders.

As Cornelius prays, an angel appears to him and instructs him to connect with Peter. He sends his men to Simon the Tanner’s house to find Peter. Then in a remarkable encounter the Holy Spirit spoke to Peter and revealed all kinds of animals, reptiles and birds and then the voice said ‘Get up Peter. Kill and eat.’

This is so radical. This is a break with Jewish culture and custom. It’s a turning point in the life and mission of the early church. Peter was to eat meat that was previously considered not kosher. In verse 16 we’re told the vision happened 3 times which in Hebrew culture means it’s ratified.