# Acts Chapter 10 --- ## Summarrium Cornelius the Centurion has a vision at 9am of an Angel of the Lord who tells him to send for SPeter who is lodging with Simon the tanner. Cornelius obeys and servants are sent. Meanwhile Peter has a vision on the housetop at 6am the next day where a great sheet descended from the heavens with all manner of animals, reptiles and birds and a voice commands Peter to kill and eat but Peter refuses pointing out that he has kept the law and not eaten forbidden foods. This happens on three occasions ands the voice rebukes him pointing out that Peter should not call common what has been made clean. Peter puzzles the meaning of this and men stand at the gate for Peter, Peter himself is prompted by the spirit to advise that the men had come to collect him. Peter presents himself then asks why they have come and they advise he has been sent for by the Cornelius the Centurion. Peter arrives in Joppa and questions Cornelius who has gathered his friends and family. Peter points out that God has revealed that he shows no partiality, preaches the gospel and the Holy spirit falls upon the people and Peter commands them to all be baptised in the name of Jesus. ## Meditatio Acts 10 is an important chapter. It is the revelation to Peter that the distinction between clean and unclean is no longer a question of ancestry or heritage. This is something that had been foretold earlier by Jesus's cousin[^1]. It will no longer be through blood that the Lord will accomplish his aims. The final blood has been spilt, now there is unity and peace made through Christ Jesus. Peter points out that there is continuity between the prophetic tradition and the ongoing work of the disciples. In verse 43 pointing out that it was *to him* all the prophets bore witness; that who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins. Meaning that all that the prophets bore witness to foretold of the coming salvation through the death burial and resurrection of Jesus. The gift of the Holy Spirit is then poured out not only on those who were part of the covenant but also gentiles consummating the understanding articulated by Peter's of the Lords intent of unity through Christ. This is important especially for Gentile Christians like me who otherwise might only have had the [noahide](https://www.bc.edu/content/dam/files/research_sites/cjl/texts/cjrelations/resources/sourcebook/Noahide_covenant.htm) covenant to depend upon. Nevertheless we might think on Peters words in verse 28 a moment '*but God has shown me that I should not call any person common or unclean*...' implying that Peter did consider Gentiles to be unclean and common. Or what about verse 47 '*Can anyone withhold water for baptizing these people*'? These are an odd choice of words to someone who has made their peace on this issue. In all honesty it sounds like a reluctant acceptance of change. We should point out that unlike Peter's claims in verse 28 the Torah doesn't explicitly prohibit Jews from associating with Gentiles, but there were cultural and religious conventions that led to such divisions. Indeed the relationship between the Jewish people and Gentiles has been a complex one throughout history. Jews often avoided contact with Gentiles to maintain ritual purity, to uphold religious identity, and to minimize the risk of idolatry or assimilation into foreign cultures. So what the Lord is addressing here is not a moral issue but a matter of custom. Peters humanity portrayed throughout the gospels never ceases to amaze me. [^1]: We might recall John the Baptist's words in [Matthew 3:9](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%203%3A9&version=ESV) where he makes clear that belonging to a tradition or particular heritage is insufficient.