Acts 10:9-16

9 About noon the following day as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray. 10 He became hungry and wanted something to eat, and while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance. 11 He saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners. 12 It contained all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles and birds. 13 Then a voice told him, “Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.” 14 “Surely not, Lord!” Peter replied. “I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.” 15 The voice spoke to him a second time, “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.” 16 This happened three times, and immediately the sheet was taken back to heaven.

The Vision

God gave Peter a vision of a sheet descending from the heavens. Included in the sheet were some unclean animals.

He told Peter, "What God has made clean, do not call common." Was God telling Peter that it’s now okay to eat unclean animals?

Peter declined when God told him to "kill and eat" (verse 14)

After Peter declined the offer to kill and eat, God said, "What God has made clean, do not call common" (verse 15)

The meaning

God was using symbolism here in order to make a point. The overall message did not apply to the symbols God used in the vision, but rather to what the symbols represented. In this case, the unclean/common animals in the vision symbolized Gentiles. The point is that God wanted Peter to take the Gospel to Cornelius.

Acts 10:19-20

And while Peter was pondering the vision, the Spirit said to him, "Behold, three men are looking for you. Rise and go down and accompany them without hesitation, for I have sent them

Acts 10:24-29

And on the following day they entered Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends. When Peter entered, Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet and worshiped him. But Peter lifted him up, saying, "Stand up; I too am a man." And as he talked with him, he went in and found many persons gathered. And he said to them, "You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a Jew to associate with or to visit anyone of another nation, but God has shown me that I should not call any person common or unclean. So when I was sent for, I came without objection. I ask then why you sent for me

Jews and Gentiles alike are acceptable to God

That was the point of the vision. Therefore, we don’t have to come up with our own interpretation; Peter already interpreted the vision for us.

Acts 10:34-35

So Peter opened his mouth and said: "Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit myeveningdevotional.substack.com/subscribe