Acts 11:9

1-18 1. And the apostles and brethren which were in Judea heard that the Gentiles also had embraced the word of God. 2. And when Peter was gone up to Jerusalem, those which were of the circumcision reasoned with him, 3. Saying, Thou wentest in unto men uncircumcised, and hast eaten with them. 4. And Peter began, and expounded to them in order, saying, 5. I was in the city Joppa praying; and being in a trance, I saw a vision, to wit, A certain vessel coming down from heaven like a great sheet, tied by the four corners, which came even unto me: 6. Which, when I considered earnestly, I saw then four-footed beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and birds of the heaven. 7. And I heard a voice saying to me, Arise, Peter; slay and eat. 8. Then I said, Not so, Lord: Because there never entered into my mouth any common or unclean thing. 9. And the voice answered me the second time from heaven, Profane not thou those things which God hath made clean. 10. And this was done thrice: and they were all received into heaven again. 11. And, behold, the same hour three men stood nigh the house wherein I sat, being sent unto me from Cesarea. 12. And the Spirit commanded me to go with them, doubting nothing. And they came with me, and these six brethren, and we entered the man's house. 13. And he told us how he had seen an angel standing at his house, and saying to him, Send men to Joppa, and fetch Simon, whose surname is Peter; 14.

11:1-18 The imperfect state of human nature strongly appears, when godly persons are displeased even to hear that the word of God has been received, because their own system has not been attended to. And we are too apt to despair of doing good to those who yet, when tried, prove very teachable. It is the bane and damage of the church, to shut out those from it, and from the benefit of the means of grace, who are not in every thing as we are. Peter stated the whole affair. We should at all times bear with the infirmities of our brethren; and instead of taking offence, or answering with warmth, we should explain our motives, and show the nature of our proceedings. That preaching is certainly right, with which the Holy Ghost is given. While men are very zealous for their own regulations, they should take care that they do not withstand God; and those who love the Lord will glorify him, when made sure that he has given repentance to life to any fellow-sinners. Repentance is God's gift; not only his free grace accepts it, but his mighty grace works it in us, grace takes away the heart of stone, and gives us a heart of flesh. The sacrifice of God is a broken spirit.

But the voice answered me again from heaven,.... From whence the former voice came, and was the voice of the Lord, or of an angel of the Lord, and which answered him again, or a second time; not that it said to him a second time kill and eat, but what follows; what God hath cleansed, that call not thou common; that is, had declared to be clean and fit for use, and did not defile, and could not defile the man into whose mouth it entered, and therefore ought not to be pronounced unclean, and of a defiling nature; this Jesus Christ did, who is God over all blessed for ever, and by whose death an end was put to the ceremonial law, and the distinctions of meats by it; Matthew 15:11.

3, 4. Thou wentest in … But Peter rehearsed the matter, &c.—These objectors scruple not to demand from Peter, though the first among the apostles, an explanation of his conduct; nor is there any insinuation on Peter's part of disrespect towards his authority in that demand—a manifest proof that such authority was unknown both to the complainers and to himself.

[Bible] 10:44. While Peter was yet speaking these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them that heard the word. 10:45. And the faithful of the circumcision, who came with Peter, were astonished for that the grace of the Holy Ghost was poured out upon the Gentiles also. 10:46. For they heard them speaking with tongues and magnifying God. 10:47. Then Peter answered: Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, who have received the Holy Ghost, as well as we? 10:48. And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Then they desired him to tarry with them some days. Acts Chapter 11 Peter defends his having received the Gentiles into the church. 11:1. And the apostles and brethren, who were in Judea, heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God. 11:2. And when Peter was come up to Jerusalem, they that were of the circumcision contended with him, 11:3. Saying: Why didst thou go in to men uncircumcised and didst eat with them? 11:4. But Peter began and declared to them the matter in order, saying: 11:5. I was in the city of Joppe praying: and I saw in an ecstasy of mind a vision, a certain vessel descending, as it were a great sheet let down from heaven by four corners. And it came even unto me. 11:6. Into which looking, I considered and saw fourfooted creatures of the earth and beasts and creeping things and fowls of the air. 11:7. And I heard also a voice saying to me: Arise, Peter. Kill and eat. 11:8. And I said: Not so, Lord: for nothing common or unclean hath ever entered into my mouth. 11:9. And the voice answered again from heaven: What God hath made clean, do not thou call common. 11:10. And this was done three times. And all were taken up again into heaven. 11:11. And behold, immediately there were three men come to the house wherein I was, sent to me from Caesarea. 11:12. And the Spirit said to me that I should go with them, nothing doubting. And these six brethren went with me also: and we entered into the man's house.

Why this should be we cannot tell; but so it pleased the great Head of the Church. Bp. Pearce justly suspects those accounts, in Eusebius and others, that state that the apostles went very shortly after Christ's ascension into different countries, preaching and founding Churches. He thinks this is inconsistent with the various intimations we have of the continuance of the apostles in Jerusalem; and refers particularly to the following texts: Acts 8:1, Acts 8:14, Acts 8:25; Acts 9:26, Acts 9:27; Acts 11:1, Acts 11:2; Acts 12:1-4; Acts 15:2, Acts 15:4, Acts 15:6, Acts 15:22, Acts 15:23; Acts 21:17, Acts 21:18; Galatians 1:17-19; Galatians 2:1, Galatians 2:9. The Church at Jerusalem was the first Christian Church; and consequently, the boast of the Church of Rome is vain and unfounded. From this time a new era of the Church arose. Hitherto the apostles and disciples confined their labors among their countrymen in Jerusalem. Now persecution drove the latter into different parts of Judea, and through Samaria; and those who had received the doctrine of Christ at the pentecost, who had come up to Jerusalem from different countries to be present at the feast, would naturally return, especially at the commencement of the persecution, to their respective countries, and proclaim to their countrymen the Gospel of the grace of God.

103. And not only Paul, but also, as we read in the Acts of the Apostles, Peter. For when he had seen in his prayer heaven opened and a certain vessel tied at the four corners, as it were a sheet in which were all kinds of four-footed beasts and wild beasts and fowls of the air, "a voice came to him saying, Arise, Peter, kill and eat. And Peter said, Be it far from me, Lord, I have never eaten anything common or unclean. And again a voice came to him, saying, What God hath cleansed call not thou common. And this was done three times, and the vessel was received back into heaven." And so when Peter was silently thinking over this with himself, and the servants of Cornelius appointed by the Angel had come to him, the Spirit said to him, "Lo, men are seeking thee, rise therefore, and go down and go with them; doubt not, for I have sent thee." [1158] 104. How clearly did the Holy Spirit express His own power! First of all in that He inspired him who was praying, and was present to him who was entreating; then when Peter, being called, answered, "Lord," and so was found worthy of a second message, because he acknowledged the Lord. But the Scripture declares Who that Lord was, for He Whom he had answered spoke to him when he answered. And the following words show the Spirit clearly revealed, for He Who formed the mystery made known the mystery.

All three tokens could not possibly coincide (elsewhere). He does not tell him for what purpose, that he may not take off the intense desire, but he leaves him to an eager and longing expectation of what he shall hear. "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; and when he had declared all these things unto them, he sent them to Joppa." (v. 7, 8.) Do you see, that it is not without purpose that the writer says this? (it shows) that those also "who waited on him continually" were such as he. "And when he had declared the whole matter unto them:" observe the unassuming character of the man: for he does not say, Call Peter to me: but, in order also to induce him to come, he declared the whole matter:--this was so ordered by Providence;--for he did not choose to use the authority of his rank to fetch Peter to him; therefore "he declared the matter;" such was the moderation of the man: and yet no great notion was to be formed of one lodging with a tanner. "And on the morrow, as they journeyed, and drew nigh to the city" (v. 9.)--observe how the Spirit connects the times: no sooner than this, and no later, He Causes this to take place--"Peter about the sixth hour went up upon the housetop to pray:" that is, privately and quietly, as in an upper chamber. "And he became very hungry, and would have eaten; but while they made ready, there fell upon him a trance." (v. 10.) What means this expression, ekstasis, "trance?" Rather, there was presented to him a kind of spiritual view (theoria): the soul, so to say, was caused to be out of the body (exeste). "And saw heaven opened, and, knit at the four corners, a certain vessel descending unto him, as it had been a great sheet, and let down to the earth: wherein were all manner of fourfooted beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air. And there came a voice to him, Rise, Peter; kill, and eat