Acts 10:9, commentary and pictures

On the day after the angel appeared to Cornelius, about noon Peter went up to the roof of his lodging at Simon the tanner's house in Joppa to pray, just as Cornelius's two servants and devout soldier drew near the city under angelic guidance to meet him. While food was being made ready he grew hungry and fell into a trance in which he was shown heaven opened and all kinds of animals let down in a sheet with the command to kill and eat, which left him perplexed until the Spirit told him to go with the three men waiting for him. The vision did not make unclean meats such as swine's flesh fit to eat nor set a new rule of faith, but taught that no person is to be called common or unclean, for God accepts in every nation those who fear Him and work righteousness. It came after the seventy weeks for the Jews closed in A.D. 34 with Stephen's martyrdom, when Peter, though still holding Jewish prejudice, was chosen to first carry the gospel to the Gentiles in Cornelius the centurion of Caesarea, whose conversion was the firstfruits of a worldwide harvest. God so joins sincere seekers who pray for light with human messengers who have greater knowledge, for the angel did not preach to Cornelius himself but sent him to Peter that the truth might be imparted from person to person.

Time Place and Prayer

On the morrow after the angel spoke to Cornelius, about the sixth hour, which is noon, Peter went up upon the housetop, the roof of his lodging in Joppa at the house of Simon the tanner, to pray. That hour of prayer became the setting for what followed, as he prayed while food was being prepared and while the chapter gives instruction through vision. The timing joined his vision with the arrival of those who were seeking him, for the Spirit afterward directed him to go with them without hesitation.

At that very hour Cornelius's messengers, two household servants and a devout soldier, were on their journey and drawing near to the city of Joppa. Angels of God were directing at every step to bring them and Peter together. Thus Peter was praying upon the housetop immediately after the angel's interview with Cornelius, with the angel going to Peter next, and while the messengers from Cornelius were approaching an angelic mission was leading Peter as the one to carry salvation to a Gentile.

God knew just where Peter was to be found, lodging with Simon the tanner, and told Cornelius every particular about where to find him and sending for him. God knew exactly where Peter lived and where he was in prayer at the time He was working out the meeting with Cornelius. That exact arrangement was to bring Peter and Cornelius into connection with each other.

Peter's Hunger and Longing

While the meal was being made ready, Peter, weary from travel, grew very hungry and then fell into a trance. As he prayed on the housetop about noon, he became lost as to his whereabouts and was absorbed into what was shown him. At that very hour Cornelius's messengers were drawing near to Joppa, and the hour of prayer became the setting for the lesson given in symbols.

Looking out from the roof over Joppa and the surrounding country, his hunger was not for physical food alone but for the salvation of his countrymen. He felt intense desire to point out to them from the Scriptures the prophecies relating to the sufferings and death of Christ, longing that they might accept the revelation of truth as it is in Jesus. His prayer did not cease but continued as he became absorbed in the vision that followed.

Vision and Its Meaning

While he prayed he was shown heaven opened and a vessel descending like a great sheet knit at the four corners and let down to earth, wherein were all manner of four-footed beasts of the earth and wild beasts and creeping things and fowls of the air. A voice said, Rise, Peter, kill and eat, and Peter answered, Not so, Lord, for he had never eaten anything common or unclean. The voice answered, What God hath cleansed call not thou common, and this was done thrice before the vessel was received up again into heaven. He was left doubting its meaning until the Spirit said three men sought him and told him to go with them doubting nothing, a voice he understood.

The vision did not permit eating animals God had declared unclean, such as swine's flesh, and to interpret it as permission contradicts the account and what followed. It was not given to establish a new rule of faith. The Word of God remains the rule of faith and practice by which all are to be judged, while visions comfort God's people and correct one erring from Bible truth and departing from it.

The lesson was that no person is to be called common or unclean. God shows no favoritism but accepts in every nation those who fear Him and work righteousness. The blood of Jesus Christ cleanses from uncleanness. The equal gift of the Holy Spirit to Gentiles and Jews confirmed this meaning, proving the course was in direct fulfilment of God's plan.

Through Christ the Gentiles share equally with the Jews in the blessings and privileges of the gospel. Through His death they were no longer to be treated as an unclean people excluded from God's promises, but could share the blessings given to Israel and become fellow heirs. They become fellow citizens with the saints and members of God's household. Those who accept the gospel are to be received as equals with Jewish disciples and fellow heirs with Israel, without being required to be circumcised or to observe the ceremonial distinction of circumcision and uncircumcision.

The vision was meant to remove his prejudice against Gentiles and to overcome deep prejudice still retained by Jewish converts. Even Peter needed to be converted in this transaction and to be put in position to receive the truth about God's purpose to the Gentiles and the removal of barriers between Jew and Gentile. God worked carefully to overcome thoroughly and to correct the prejudice introduced into his mind by all his Jewish training, teaching him by God not to belittle those who had had no opportunity of hearing the truth and not to regard uncircumcised Gentiles as inferior or unclean.

Turning Point for Gentiles

When Peter went up to pray at noon, he had not yet preached the gospel to the Gentiles, though many Gentiles had listened with interest to the truths he taught, for the middle wall of partition broken down by the death of Christ still stood in the minds of the apostles and shut the Gentiles out from the privileges of the gospel. Greek Jews had received the labors of the apostles and many had embraced faith in Jesus, but the conversion of Cornelius that followed this prayer was to be the first of importance among the Gentiles.

The hour belonged to the time after the seventy weeks allotted to the Jews ended in A.D. 34, when the nation sealed its rejection of the gospel by the martyrdom of Stephen and the persecution of Christ's followers, marking the point when the message of salvation was no longer restricted to the chosen people but was given to the world. God chose Peter to begin proclaiming the gospel to the Gentiles, even though he was an apostle to the circumcision, because he could do this work without undue friction and help remove Jewish Christian prejudice, and he did not lay the ceremonial law upon Gentile converts.

The conversion of Cornelius was only the firstfruits of a harvest to be gathered from the world, carrying a widespread work of grace from that home into a heathen city. It was the first major Gentile acceptance of the gospel, and Gentile believers were to be received as equals to Jewish believers without being required to be circumcised. In this way the vision and prayer prepared the way for the Gentile mission and convinced the apostles and leaders in Jerusalem that God had granted the Gentiles repentance leading to life.

Peter undertook the duty laid on him by divine command with reluctance at every step, treating his action afterward as an exception done because of divine revelation rather than on general principles, and the result was a surprise to him. The vision commanded him to go to the Gentiles and no longer to observe the ceremonial distinction of circumcision and uncircumcision nor to look upon the Gentiles as unclean, and in obedience he received the messengers and made the journey to Caesarea to meet Cornelius. The outpouring of the Holy Spirit on Cornelius and his household proved the course was in direct fulfillment of God's plan, broke down Jewish prejudice and exclusiveness, and opened the way for the work to be carried on among the Gentiles. That experience in connection with the home of Cornelius also corroborates the promised blessing in which believers speak in other tongues as the Spirit gives utterance.

An angelic mission led to Peter carrying the message of salvation to a Gentile. He went as God's representative, directed to one who needed divine help and guidance. That one was Cornelius, the God-fearing Roman centurion of Caesarea, and the vision at Joppa taught Peter not to regard Gentiles as unclean and prepared him to go to that household.

How God Connects Seekers

God guides sincere seekers and brings those who have not yet received whole truth into connection with human messengers who have received greater knowledge, so that they may receive instruction, advanced light and spiritual light. In this account the Lord heard prayer and gave directions for receiving further light, setting in operation a train of circumstances to bring Peter into contact with Cornelius so that Cornelius might learn the truth he was seeking. Through angel ministration Peter was brought into cooperation with inquiring souls who had all things in readiness to hear the truth and receive advanced light, and from that household a widespread work of grace was carried on into a heathen city. Peter undertook the duty laid on him by divine command with reluctance at every step, afterward treating his action as an exception done because of divine revelation rather than on general principles, and the result was a great surprise to him. The conversion of Cornelius and his household was only the firstfruits of a harvest to be gathered from the world, teaching that in every age God brings honest hearts into connection with those of His people best fitted by special knowledge and training to reach their individual needs.

The angel could have told Cornelius the gospel message itself, but that is not God's way. God knew just where Peter was to be found, lodging with Simon the tanner, and told Cornelius every particular about where to find him and send for him. God's order is that His church must connect together, so the truth He had imparted to Peter was to be imparted by Peter to Cornelius and all his family. The light given to Peter was to be carried by Peter to Cornelius, bringing them into close connection with Him and with one another in unity, love, and just, honest, true, gentle and righteous dealing rather than building up self or tearing at wrongs.

Instruction is given by clear visionary representation showing what to speak and repeated again and again. Instruction is often given to men by immortal messengers, for God sends His angels as powerful helpers of His chosen messengers. The ministration of heavenly angels resulting in the conversion of Cornelius and his company shows heaven is much nearer to the Christian engaged in soul-saving work than many suppose. Heavenly intelligences are constantly communicating with earth's inhabitants, and each person should treat his fellow man as one of the Lord's instrumentalities for accomplishing His work in the earth.

God knows every person by name and just where he lives and what spirit he possesses and every act of life. He gave specific direction to find His human agent, telling Peter on the housetop that three men were seeking him and educating and training him by the representation of a sheet let down by the four corners holding all manner of four-footed beasts of the earth and wild beasts and creeping things and fowls of the air, until Peter learned the lesson, went with the men, and compared what God had said to each side until the matter was understood. Ministering angels still pass through noting each person's faithfulness in duty, proving heaven is closely connected with earth.

The account reveals God's compassion and tender love for those seeking and praying for light. God sent a special message from heaven to Cornelius and instructed His angel to direct Peter to visit Cornelius and give him light, proving that seeking prayer is noticed in heaven and answered. Cornelius was an earnest, honest seeker who longed and prayed for light from heaven and gladly received Christ when He was revealed. Those who seek truth should therefore be approached patiently and lovingly, not driven away by antagonism.

Call to Earnest Mission

Acts 10:1-35 is instruction to be read and prayed over until understanding is opened and its meaning for present duty is realized, for it records the Lord working for one who feared His name and teaches how God works on human minds. Its meaning calls workers to begin earnestly to work for souls in the home field and to arouse to home missions, with warning that unless they arouse, and if they fail in duty at home, they will be found wanting in the day of God. It shows the arm of God breaking the power of oppression and tyranny and dispelling from minds the dark clouds of ignorance and superstition.

The lesson calls for earnest, devoted, determined personal effort for honest souls like Cornelius who are seeking light, such as are found in associations like the W.C.T.U., to be gathered out to shine forth light, with the conversion of Cornelius and his household as only the firstfruits of a harvest to be gathered from the world and a widespread work of grace carried from that household into a heathen city. It calls for special care and more determined effort for men of responsibility and stewardship in high positions who sympathize yet are held by threads binding them to the world and lack moral courage to stand with the lowly because of responsibilities and temptations, a heavier cross than laboring for the poorer and lowly, and for sincere people who have not yet received whole truth to be helped by personal effort to receive fuller light. God seeks people in influential positions, as Cornelius of Caesarea whom He would connect with the church and lead to bring an energetic, faithful life into connection with disciples, and He can make them workers who share the light with others. The same will happen in the last days, when many will prize the wisdom of God above any earthly advantage and obey the Word of God as the supreme standard, and being led to great light and to knowledge of the truth will seek to bring it before acquaintances anxious for truth, thus becoming conscientious lightbearers constrained by the love of God to constrain others and improve every opportunity to invite and urge others to come and see. Those who seek truth should be approached patiently and lovingly, not driven away by antagonism.

Heaven is much nearer the Christian engaged in soul-saving than many suppose, and the account of the ministration of heavenly angels resulting in the conversion of Cornelius and his company teaches God's regard for every human being, so that each person should treat his fellow man as one of the Lord's instrumentalities for accomplishing His work in the earth. Because the angel could have told Cornelius the message itself but God's order is that His church must connect together, with the light imparted to Peter to be imparted by Peter to Cornelius and all his family, believers are called into closest connection with God and with one another. This means to unify, to love one another, and to deal justly, honestly, truly, gently and righteously with one another rather than building up self against others or tearing at one another's wrongs. The compassion and tender love of God for those seeking and praying for light, shown in sending a special message from heaven to Cornelius and directing Peter to visit him, proves seeking prayer is noticed in heaven and answered and encourages work for souls by holding prayer meetings to ask the Lord to open the way so truth may enter strongholds where Satan has set up his throne and dispel the shadow he has cast across the pathway of those he seeks to deceive and destroy.