The paper challenges the traditional christian interpretation of peter s vision in acts 10. Criswell sermon library peters defense of the faith. God was not cleansing unclean animals and making them clean. As the book of acts makes clear, christians are not obligated to follow this holiness. Supporting this conclusion is a wealth of contextual evidence in the book of acts and the rest of the. Look at what peter said when he arrived at the house of cornelius. The book of acts tells us that on the day of pentecost, following the death, resurrection and ascension of jesus into heaven, the holy spirit came and filled the apostles and they began to speak in other languages acts 2. See more ideas about cornelius, acts 10 and painting. Bruce, commentary on the book of the acts, the new international.
But he was writing to messianic believers from jerusalem. The voice spoke to him a second time, do not call anything impure that god has made clean. In the early speeches of acts, if rsv is correct in tr. We always interpret the rest of scripture, both the old testament and the gospels, through the prism of the apostles teaching. And the message, entitled simon peters defense of the faith, is an exposition of the first eighteen verses in chapter 11 of the book of acts acts 1. In his subsequent explanation of this strange event. The new testament student must first consider the fact that the terms of salvation are equivalent for all people.
Luca giordano the birth of saint john the baptist italy oil on canvas, cm. Today we look at peter s vision in acts 10 and begin to lay down the foundational elements needed to be understood regarding the spiritual implications of this vision. Peter makes no comment on his personal circumstances, his perplexity about the vision or his own interpretation of the events significance 10. Christians are not concerned with eating kosher foods and avoiding all others. Acts 10 king james bible kjv book of acts bible history. The idea of anointing with oil goes back to exodus 30, when the lord told moses to anoint aaron and the priests using olive oil. Lastly, nowhere in the context is it ever said that god had cleansed unclean meatsthis is something assumed by readers with a predisposition against this statute regulating what we should eat. All paul has is that story about the time jesus asked him one stupid little question and then blinded him. Arise therefore, and get thee down, and go with them, doubting nothing. If you want to understand the sacrificial system in the book of leviticus, read hebrews. After god instituted the local church in acts 2, the first gentile recorded saved was cornelius, the roman centurion, as recorded in acts 10.
Acts 10 peters vision and unclean animals david wilber. Peter had a vision and was the first apostle to lay hands on a gentile and the they were filled with the holy spirit. He told peter, what god has made clean, do not call common. Vision of peter vision of peter story vision of peter. Peter knew that he was not to kill and eat the animals that were upon the sheet. The book of acts strongly points in a different direction. Peters vision of the sheet from heaven containing a variety of creatures acts. This is above all a factual report of the divine initiative via interpreted acts to bring salvation to the gentiles.
And the voice came back with these decisive words in verse 15. The gentile church had hardly gotten off the ground and wouldnt be accepted until the jerusalem counsel in acts 15. This sermon is from the lords day pulpit ministry of r. I am sure that you had not been a christian for very long before you discovered that the enemy with whom we wrestle has a very disconcerting way of striking when everything seems to be going well.
This morning we concluded with the last verse in chapter 10 acts 10. Luke acts emphasizes a theme that the same spirit at work in jesus is now at work in christians. Maybe this is because peter was the one who actually knew jesus while he was alive. It would seem that there is not to be any cleansing of the world. We will look at the twelfth chapter a very exciting passage. God revealed to peter that he had accomplished a cleansing, a cleansing which peter and the jews must also recognize, and thus cease from dealing with what god cleansed as though it were still unclean. Aug 26, 2012 the book of psalms the holy bible complete chapters 1 150 narrator max mclean duration. Bread, milk or olive oil coming from gentile farms and marketplaces could not be eaten. The book of acts is a record of their progress in completing jesus giant vision. Peter went up upon the housetop to pray it has often been remarked that. In acts 11 peter after seeing cornelius saved returned to jerusalem and told them of how the lord had revealed to him the vision in that the gospel was to go to the gentiles as well. Apr 25, 2020 at about the same time god gave peter a vision of animals that the jews regarded as unclean because of the ceremonial law of the old testament. The roman occupation of israel and the oppression of jews at times throughout the empire during the period covered by acts c. In other words, there is no kosher code for christians.
The levitical laws of clean and unclean had much to say about food. According to the acts of the apostles, chapter 10, saint peter had a vision of a vessel full of. Following this, peter baptised cornelius, a roman centurion making cornelius the first gentile to become a christian. But a second time a voice from heaven answered, what god has made clean, you are not to call profane. The text, in its biblical context, and together with related developments in early church history, point conclusively to a single interpretation. I invite you to resume our studies together in the book of acts. In acts 10, god gave peter a vision of a sheet descending from the heavens. Acts 11 commentary peters defense of his gentile mission. The new view, therefore, began to argue that none of the events described in the book of revelation after chapters i.
Neither peter nor luke, the author of acts, makes any further commentary regarding clean or unclean foods, as the vision had served a greater purpose. Soul winning the book of acts begins with jesus vision and final words for his disciples. Eerdmans publishing company photolithoprinted, 1966, p. Nov 17, 2018 in this weeks messianic study of the book of acts, we take a closer look at peter s vision of the sheet coming down from heaven with all kinds of beasts, creeping things, and birds of the air. Acts 10 peters vision and unclean animals freedom hill. Peter began sharing what happened when he was led to visit cornelius in joppa as recorded in acts 10.
God used a vision of animals on a sheet and a miraculous pouring out of the holy spirit to reveal this important truth to the apostle peter and those he was teaching. Christology encyclopedia of the bible bible gateway. The book of acts, however, gives us something more. The whole purpose of the vision was to get the jews out from under the influence of the pharisees and the teachers of the law. Peters vision, by julius schnorr from the bible and its story book, authored.
The book of psalms the holy bible complete chapters 1 150 narrator max mclean duration. What vision did peter have in the book of acts answers. Therefore our attempts to reinterpret the vision as a repealing of the biblical dietary laws is not only unwarranted, it is unbiblical. This vision of peter bible study on vision of peter event looks at the vision of peter message and asks what is the vision of peter about, what is the v ision of peter meaning, what is the vision of peter story purpose, where did the vision of peter occur, why is the. You are well aware that it is against our law for a jew to associate with a gentile or visit him. What god has cleansed do not call common desiring god.
No footnotes, personal notes, or other related content available. Mar 28, 2016 finally, the metaphor of oil indicates the continuity of the holy spirits abiding presence and action between jesus and christians. Oct 07, 2008 the book of acts tells us that on the day of pentecost, following the death, resurrection and ascension of jesus into heaven, the holy spirit came and filled the apostles and they began to speak in other languages acts 2. The disciples went about accomplishing his vision one soul at a time by taking the gospel to others, one step at a time. Peter was reluctant but the spirit in the vision compelled him to respond to cornelius. Throughout acts, there seems to a tiny bit of tension between peter and paul. He considered those foods in the dream unclean but god, who made food, stated they were now clean. Sproul at saint andrews chapel near orlando florida. As the book of acts makes clear, christians are not obligated to follow this holiness code. And now he knew, or at least highly suspected that the test was about the salvation of the gentiles. It is said that to a hammer, everything looks like a nail. Wherein were all manner of fourfooted beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air. Peter, jesus chief apostle, had just such a vision acts 10.
What i have made clean donot call common or unclean,god was baptising folks with the h. Actus apostolorum, often referred to simply as acts, or formally the book of acts, is the fifth book of the new testament. 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. And saw heaven opened, and a certain vessel descending unto him, as it had been a great sheet knit at the four corners, and let down to the earth. God made it clear that he was capable of cleansing the gentiles, but never said he had cleansed all of them at this time. Peters vision of all kinds of fourfooted animals of the earth, wild beasts, creeping things, and birds of the air acts 10. Aug 18, 2011 the bible does not leave us guessing about the real meaning of the vision. So i suppose for me as a hebrew roots bible teacher, acts chapter 10 looks like one of those places in the bible that needs to be attacked with great vigor. Peter is told, what god has made clean, do not call common.
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