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Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Acts 10:9–18. His three-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
Cornelius had received positive orders from heaven to send for Peter, whom otherwise he had not heard of, or at least not heeded; but here is another difficulty that lies in the way of bringing them together - the question is whether Peter will come to Cornelius when he is sent for; not as if he thought it below him to come at a beck, or as if he were afraid to preach his doctrine to a polite man as Cornelius was: but it sticks at a point of conscience. Cornelius is a very worthy man, and has many good qualities, but he is a Gentile, he is not circumcised; and, because God in his law had forbidden his people to associate with idolatrous nations, they would not keep company with any but those of their own religion, though they were ever so deserving, and they carried the matter so far that they made even the involuntary touch of a Gentile to contract a ceremonial pollution, Joh 18:28. Peter had not got over this stingy bigoted notion of his countrymen, and therefore will be shy of coming to Cornelius. Now, to remove this difficulty, he has a vision here, to prepare him to receive the message sent him by Cornelius, as Ananias had to prepare him to go to Paul. The scriptures of the Old Testament had spoken plainly of the bringing in of the Gentiles into the church. Christ had given plain intimations of it when he ordered them to teach all nations; and yet even Peter himself, who knew so much of his Master's mind, could not understand it, till it was here revealed by vision, that the Gentiles should be fellow-heirs, Eph 3:6. Now here observe,
I.The circumstances of this vision.
1.It was when the messengers sent from Cornelius were now nigh the city, Act 10:9. Peter knew nothing of their approach, and they knew nothing of his praying; but he that knew both him and them was preparing things for the interview, and facilitating the end of their negotiation. To all God's purposes there is a time, a proper time; and he is pleased often to bring things to the minds of his ministers, which they had not thought of, just then when they have occasion to use them.
2.It was when Peter went up upon the house-top to pray, about noon.
(1.)Peter was much in prayer, much in secret prayer, though he had a great deal of public work upon his hands.
(2.)He prayed about the sixth hour, according to David's example, who, not only morning and evening, but at noon, addressed himself to God by prayer, Psa 55:17. From morning to night we should think to be too long to be without meat; yet who thinks it is too long to be without prayer?
(3.)He prayed upon the house-top; thither he retired for privacy, where he could neither hear nor be heard, and so might avoid both distraction and ostentation. There, upon the roof of the house, he had a full view of the heavens, which might assist his pious adoration of the God he prayed to; and there he had also a full view of the city and country, which might assist his pious compassion of the people he prayed for.
(4.)He had this vision immediately after he had prayed, as an answer to his prayer for the spreading of the gospel, and because the ascent of the heart to God in prayer is an excellent preparative to receive the discoveries of the divine grace and favour.
3.It was when he became very hungry, and was waiting for his dinner (Act 10:10); probably he had not that day eaten before, though doubtless he had prayed before; and now he would have eaten, ēthele geusasthai - he would have tasted, which intimates his great moderation and temperance in eating. When he was very hungry, yet he would be content with a little, with a taste, and would not fly upon the spoil. Now this hunger was a proper inlet to the vision about meats, as Christ's hunger in the wilderness was to Satan's temptation to turn stones into bread.
II.The vision itself, which was not so plain as that to Cornelius, but more figurative and enigmatical, to make the deeper impression.
1.He fell into a trance or ecstasy, not of terror, but of contemplation, with which he was so entirely swallowed up as not only not to be regardful, but not to be sensible, of external things. He quite lost himself to this world, and so had his mind entirely free for converse with divine things; as Adam in innocency, when the deep sleep fell upon him. The more clear we get of the world, the more near we get to heaven: whether Peter was now in the body or out of the body he could not himself tell, much less can we, Co2 12:2, Co2 12:3. See Gen 15:12; Act 22:17.
2.He saw heaven opened, that he might be sure that his authority to go to Cornelius was indeed from heaven - that it was a divine light which altered his sentiments, and a divine power which gave him his commission. The opening of the heavens signified the opening of a mystery that had been hid, Rom 16:25.
3.He saw a great sheet full of all manner of living creatures, which descended from heaven, and was let down to him to the earth, that is, to the roof of the house where he now was. Here were not only beasts of the earth, but fowls of the air, which might have flown away, laid at his feet; and not only tame beasts, but wild. Here were no fishes of the sea, because there were none of them in particular unclean, but whatever had fins and scales was allowed to be eaten. Some make this sheet, thus filled, to represent the church of Christ. It comes down from heaven, from heaven opened, not only to send it down (Rev 21:2), but to receive souls sent up from it. It is knit at the four corners, to receive those from all parts of the world that are willing to be added to it; and to retain and keep those safe that are taken into it, that they may not fall out; and in this we find some of all countries, nations, and languages, without any distinction of Greek or Jew, or any disadvantage put upon Barbarian or Scythian, Col 3:11. The net of the gospel encloses all, both bad and good, those that before were clean and unclean. Or it may be applied to the bounty of the divine Providence, which, antecedently to the prohibitions of the ceremonial law, had given to man a liberty to use all the creatures, to which by the cancelling of that law we are now restored. By this vision we are taught to see all the benefit and service we have from the inferior creatures coming down to us from heaven; it is the gift of God who made them, made them fit for us, and then gave to man a right to them, and dominion over them. Lord, what is man that he should be thus magnified! Psa 8:4-8. How should it double our comfort in the creatures, and our obligations to serve God in the use of them, to see them thus let down to us out of heaven!
4.He was ordered by a voice from heaven to make use of this plenty and variety which God had sent him (Act 10:13): "Rise, Peter, kill and eat: without putting any difference between clean and unclean, take which thou hast most mind to." The distinction of meats which the law made was intended to put a difference between Jew and Gentile, that it might be difficult to them to dine and sup with a Gentile, because they would have that set before them which they were not allowed to eat; and now the taking off of that prohibition was a plain allowance to converse with the Gentiles, and to be free and familiar with them. Now they might fare as they fared, and therefore might eat with them, and be fellow-commoners with them.
5.He stuck to his principles, and would by no means hearken to the motion, though he was hungry (Act 10:14): Not so, Lord. Though hunger will break through stone walls, God's laws should be to us a stronger fence than stone walls, and not so easily broken through. And he will adhere to God's laws, though he has a countermand by a voice from heaven, not knowing at first but that Kill, and eat, was a command of trial whether he would adhere to the more sure word, the written law; and if so his answer had been very good, Not so, Lord. Temptations to eat forbidden fruit must not be parleyed with, but peremptorily rejected; we must startle at the thought of it: Not so, Lord. The reason he gives is, "For I have never eaten any thing that is common or unclean; hitherto I have kept my integrity in this matter, and will still keep it." If God, by his grace, has preserved us from gross sin unto this day, we should use this as an argument with ourselves to abstain from all appearance of evil. So strict were the pious Jews in this matter, that the seven brethren, those glorious martyrs under Antiochus, choose rather to be tortured to death in the most cruel manner that ever was than to eat swine's flesh, because it was forbidden by the law. No wonder then that Peter says it with so much pleasure, that his conscience could witness for him that he had never gratified his appetite with any forbidden food.
6.God, by a second voice from heaven, proclaimed the repeal of the law in this case (Act 10:15): What God hath cleansed, that call thou not common. He that made the law might alter it when he pleased, and reduce the matter to its first state. God had, for reasons suited to the Old Testament dispensation, restrained the Jews from eating such and such meats, to which, while that dispensation lasted, they were obliged in conscience to submit; but he has now, for reasons suited to the New Testament dispensation, taken off that restraint, and set the matter at large - has cleansed that which was before polluted to us, and we ought to make use of, and stand fast in, the liberty wherewith Christ has made us free, and not call that common or unclean which God has now declared clean. Note, We ought to welcome it as a great mercy that by the gospel of Christ we are freed from the distinction of meats, which was made by the law of Moses, and that now every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused; not so much because hereby we gain the use of swine's flesh, hares, rabbits, and other pleasant and wholesome food for our bodies, but chiefly because conscience is hereby freed from a yoke in things of this nature, that we might serve God without fear. Though the gospel has made duties which were not so by the law of nature, yet it has not, like the law of Moses, made sins that were not so. Those who command to abstain from some kinds of meat at some times of the year, and place religion in it, call that common which God hath cleansed, and in that error, more than in any truth, are the successors of Peter.
7.This was done thrice, Act 10:16. The sheet was drawn up a little way, and let down again the second time, and so the third time, with the same call to him, to kill, and eat, and the same reason, that what God hath cleansed we must not call common; but whether Peter's refusal was repeated the second and third time is not certain; surely it was not, when his objection had the first time received such a satisfactory answer. The trebling of Peter's vision, like the doubling of Pharaoh's dream, was to show that the thing was certain, and engage him to take so much the more notice of it. The instructions given us in the things of God, whether by the ear in the preaching of the word, or by the eye in sacraments, need to be often repeated; precept must be upon precept, and line upon line. But at last the vessel was received up into heaven. Those who make this vessel to represent the church, including both Jews and Gentiles, as this did both clean and unclean creatures, make this very aptly to signify the admission of the believing Gentiles into the church, and into heaven too, into the Jerusalem above. Christ has opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers, and there we shall find, besides those that are sealed out of all the tribes of Israel, an innumerable company out of every nation (Rev 7:9); but they are such as God has cleansed.
III.The providence which very opportunely explained this vision, and gave Peter to understand the intention of it, Act 10:17, Act 10:18.
1.What Christ did, Peter knew not just then (Joh 13:7): He doubted within himself what this vision which he had seen should mean. He had no reason to doubt the truth of it, that it was a heavenly vision; all his doubt was concerning the meaning of it. Note, Christ reveals himself to his people by degrees, and not all at once; and leaves them to doubt awhile, to ruminate upon a thing, and debate it to and fro in their own minds, before he clears it up to them.
2.Yet he was made to know presently, for the men who were sent from Cornelius were just now come to the house, and were at the gate enquiring whether Peter lodged there; and by their errand it will appear what was the meaning of this vision. Note, God knows what services are before us, and therefore how to prepare us; and we then better know the meaning of what he has taught us when we find what occasion we have to make use of it.
Historical interpretation
Five Centuries of Reception
5 surviving comments on this verse. Each one is dated, so this reads as a timeline rather than a list.
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For the things made clean are made clean not by a single invocation nor by a second, but unless a third invocation is pronounced, no one is cleansed. For unless you were cleansed in the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, you could not be clean.
"This was done thrice: and the vessel was received up again into heaven." For, that it may not seem to be a mere fancy, "this was done thrice." And yet it was the same Lord that had discoursed above in the Law concerning things clean and unclean. But in that sheet were also all the four-footed beasts of the earth: the clean with the unclean.
Three times the voice of the Lord resounds. This is repeated for [our] salvation: the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit do this together. Arius, contentious against this faith, fell by denying that the One is in three Persons; Sabellius admitted the One, but [it is] the Father, he said, who then in turn is called Son and Holy Spirit, being the same, but so that the whole is the Father himself; and what the One greatest contains in its threefold order the former divides and the latter abandons. Both lie vanquished; for the threefold command of the [Lord’s] bidding indicates a single number in [three] Persons, with their own qualities, [and] by this command he calls the Gentiles: to believe this is right, if we wish to believe perfectly.
And immediately the vessel was received into heaven. After the third submission, the sheet is taken up to heaven, because after the conversation of this world, in which the Church sojourns purified by faith and baptism, the blessed and eternal heavenly habitation follows.
Now this happened three times, because the mystery of the Holy Trinity was to be preached by the twelve apostles to the four parts of the world, therefore four lines were let down from heaven a third time. Or as blessed Ambrose interprets, the figure repeated three times expressed the operation of the Trinity. And therefore, in mysteries, a triple question is put forth and a triple confirmation is celebrated, nor can anyone be purified except by a triple confession. Hence, Peter himself in the Gospel is asked three times whether he loves the Lord, so that by a triple response he might loosen the chains that he bound by denying the Lord. These things were shown to Peter opportunely, when Cornelius the gentile sent to summon him, so that he would not hesitate to deliver the Christian faith to the uncircumcised. For he was like those animals shown in the vessel by the Gospel. Hence also by the Holy Spirit he is confirmed to do the same.
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Summary
Acts 10:16 concludes Peter's transformative vision in Joppa, emphasizing the divine origin and certainty of God's message through the triple repetition of the sheet's descent and ascent. This verse marks the climactic moment where the heavenly declaration that "what God hath cleansed, that call not thou common" is definitively sealed, preparing Peter for the radical inclusion of Gentiles into the nascent Christian community and signifying the abolition of old covenant distinctions concerning clean and unclean.
Context
Literary Context
Acts 10:16 serves as the definitive close to Peter's visionary experience, which began in Acts 10:9 while he was praying on a rooftop in Joppa. The preceding verses (Acts 10:9-15) describe a large sheet descending from heaven, filled with all manner of four-footed beasts, creeping things, and fowls of the air, many of which were considered unclean under Mosaic Law. A voice commanded Peter to "Rise, Peter; kill, and eat." Peter's immediate and vehement refusal, based on his adherence to Jewish dietary laws, highlights the deep-seated cultural and religious barriers that needed to be overcome. The repetition of the vision and command, culminating in the "thrice" of verse 16, underscores the divine insistence and prepares Peter's heart and mind for the revolutionary implications, directly preceding the arrival of messengers from Cornelius.
Historical & Cultural Context
The setting in Joppa, a coastal city, is significant as it was a port town with a diverse population, making it a fitting location for a vision concerning the inclusion of Gentiles. For a devout Jew like Peter, adherence to the Mosaic Law, particularly the dietary restrictions (kashrut), was a fundamental marker of identity and separation from the Gentile world. Jews considered Gentiles "unclean" and socialized with them minimally, if at all. This deep-seated segregation, rooted in centuries of tradition and interpretation of the Law, presented a formidable obstacle to the universal spread of the Gospel. The vision directly challenged these deeply ingrained cultural norms and religious distinctions, paving the way for the radical notion that God's salvation was not exclusive to the Jewish people but extended to all humanity, regardless of their ethnic or religious background.
Key Themes
This verse powerfully contributes to several overarching themes in Acts and the broader New Testament. Firstly, it highlights Divine Revelation and Confirmation, emphasizing that God's new directive is not a human invention but a direct, undeniable command from heaven, leaving no room for Peter's doubt. The "thrice" repetition is a biblical motif for certainty and divine emphasis. Secondly, it signals the Abolition of Old Covenant Distinctions, particularly the ceremonial laws that separated Jew from Gentile. What God has declared clean is no longer to be considered common or defiled, a principle that extends beyond food to people. This theme is further elaborated by Peter's subsequent actions and sermon in Acts 10:34-43, where he declares God's impartiality. Finally, it sets the stage for the Universal Inclusion of Gentiles into the body of Christ, a pivotal turning point in the early church's mission, foreshadowing the spread of the Gospel to the ends of the earth as commanded by Jesus in Acts 1:8. The implications of this vision profoundly shaped the early church's understanding of its mission, as seen in the subsequent events in Acts 11.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
Meaning "three times." This adverb emphasizes the repetition of the event, signifying certainty, divine confirmation, and completeness. In biblical contexts, three often denotes divine action or a definitive outcome, ensuring Peter fully grasped the radical nature of the message.
Referring to an implement, equipment, or apparatus. In this context, it refers to the large sheet or container holding the animals. Symbolically, it represents the entire system of Jewish dietary and purity laws, and by extension, the perceived separation between clean (Jews) and unclean (Gentiles). Its contents represent humanity.
Meaning "to take up" or "receive up." This verb describes the sheet's ascent back into heaven. It signifies the divine origin and authority of the vision, confirming that the message was not a dream or human construct but a direct, final revelation from God, validating the new understanding Peter was to embrace.
Verse Breakdown
"This was done thrice:"
This clause highlights the repetitive nature of the vision. The sheet, with its contents and the accompanying divine command, appeared and was withdrawn three times. This triple repetition serves as a powerful divine emphasis, akin to a spiritual exclamation mark, ensuring that Peter could not dismiss the vision as a mere hallucination or a one-off anomaly. It was God's way of indelibly imprinting the message upon Peter's mind and heart, demanding his full attention and acceptance of its profound implications.
"and the vessel was received up again into heaven."
This second clause signifies the completion and divine authority of the revelation. The swift and final ascent of the vessel back to its heavenly origin confirms that the message conveyed was from God Himself and possessed ultimate authority. It underscores the finality of God's declaration regarding the cleansing of all things and people, leaving Peter with a clear, undeniable mandate to act upon this new understanding. The "again" (Greek, pálin) emphasizes the return to its source, reinforcing the divine origin and purpose.
Literary Devices
The verse employs several potent literary devices. Repetition is the most prominent, with the word "thrice" explicitly stating the triple occurrence of the vision. This Repetition serves to underscore the divine emphasis, certainty, and undeniable truth of the message God was conveying to Peter. It ensures that Peter, and by extension the reader, recognizes the critical importance and authoritative nature of the revelation. Furthermore, Symbolism is deeply embedded in the "vessel" and its contents. The sheet filled with "unclean" animals symbolizes the Gentile world and the traditional Jewish distinctions that separated them from God's chosen people. The act of the vessel being "received up again into heaven" symbolizes the divine origin and finality of God's new decree, confirming that the breaking down of these barriers was not a human idea but a heavenly mandate. This swift ascent also creates a sense of Urgency, implying that the time for old distinctions was over and the time for universal inclusion had arrived.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Acts 10:16 is a pivotal verse that marks a profound theological shift in the early church's understanding of God's redemptive plan. It signifies the definitive end of the ceremonial distinctions that separated Jew from Gentile under the Old Covenant, paving the way for the universal application of the Gospel. God's declaration that "what God hath cleansed, that call not thou common" extends beyond dietary laws to encompass the inclusion of all humanity into the family of God through faith in Christ. This vision powerfully illustrates God's impartiality and His desire for all people to be reconciled to Him, breaking down centuries of prejudice and division. It underscores that salvation is not based on ethnic lineage or adherence to ceremonial law, but on God's sovereign grace and the work of Christ.
Reflection and Application
Acts 10:16 serves as a powerful reminder that God is continually at work, often challenging our preconceived notions and comfortable traditions to expand our understanding of His will and kingdom. Just as Peter had to confront deeply ingrained cultural and religious biases regarding clean and unclean, we too are called to examine our own hearts for any prejudices or narrow interpretations that might hinder us from fully embracing God's inclusive love for all people. The Gospel is inherently universal, transcending all human-made barriers of ethnicity, social status, or background. This verse compels us to cultivate a spirit of humility and openness to new insights from the Holy Spirit, even when they challenge our comfort zones or long-held beliefs. It encourages us to actively seek out and welcome those whom society, or even our own traditions, might deem "unclean" or "outsiders," recognizing that God's grace extends to everyone. Our mission, like Peter's, is to participate in God's ongoing work of breaking down dividing walls and proclaiming the good news to every corner of the earth.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why was the vision repeated "thrice"?
The repetition "thrice" (three times) is a significant biblical motif used to convey certainty, divine emphasis, and confirmation. In Jewish thought and throughout Scripture, the number three often signifies completeness, finality, or divine action. For instance, Jesus rose on the third day, and Peter himself denied Christ three times before being restored by Jesus with three affirmations of love in John 21:15-17. The triple repetition of the vision was essential to overcome Peter's deep-seated Jewish convictions and ensure he understood that this was not a mere dream or a suggestion, but a definitive, authoritative command from God, leaving no room for doubt about the abolition of the clean/unclean distinctions and the inclusion of Gentiles.
What does the "vessel" symbolize in Peter's vision?
The "vessel" (or sheet) in Peter's vision, filled with all sorts of animals, symbolizes the entire world of humanity, particularly the Gentiles, whom Peter and other Jews traditionally considered "unclean" or "common" due to their non-adherence to Mosaic Law. The contents of the sheet represent the diverse peoples of the earth. The divine declaration that "what God hath cleansed, that call not thou common" (from Acts 10:15) signifies that God has now purified and accepted all people through Christ, breaking down the ceremonial barriers that once separated them from His chosen people.
What is the significance of the vessel being "received up again into heaven"?
The swift ascent of the vessel back into heaven after the triple repetition holds profound significance. Firstly, it emphatically confirms the divine origin and authority of the vision. This was not a human fabrication or a fleeting dream, but a direct revelation from God Himself. Secondly, it signifies the finality and urgency of the message. The moment the message was delivered and confirmed, the means of delivery was withdrawn, indicating that the time for debate or hesitation was over. Peter was to immediately act on this new understanding, which would lead him to Cornelius's house and the groundbreaking baptism of the first Gentile converts, as detailed in Acts 10:44-48. It underscores that this was a completed, authoritative decree from heaven.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Acts 10:16, with its emphasis on the breaking down of barriers and the inclusion of all peoples, finds its ultimate fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. It is through Christ that God has "cleansed" all things, not merely ceremonially, but fundamentally, by His atoning sacrifice on the cross. Jesus' death and resurrection abolished the Old Covenant's dividing wall of hostility between Jew and Gentile, making it possible for all who believe to become one new humanity in Him, as powerfully articulated in Ephesians 2:14-16. The vision to Peter, confirmed "thrice" and originating from heaven, is a direct revelation of Christ's cosmic reconciliation, where He is making "peace through the blood of His cross, by Him to reconcile all things unto Himself" (Colossians 1:20). The ascent of the vessel back to heaven points to Christ's own ascension, from which He continues to pour out His Spirit and direct His church to fulfill the Great Commission, bringing the good news of salvation to "all nations" (Matthew 28:19), demonstrating that no one is common or unclean in the eyes of the One who died for all.