Post by alon on Jul 28, 2016 7:19:37 GMT -8
“Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.”
14 “Surely not, Lord!” Peter replied. “I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.”
15 The voice spoke to him a second time, “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.”
Way I am seeing this in Acts 10, this would be contradictory if God is listing specific foods for us to not to eat in Levitcus 11? God does not contradict himself so I am still not getting this
This is probably the main scripture Christians quote to say we can eat whatever we want to. But as I said before, it is easily dealt with. All we need to do is to read it in context:
Acts 10 (NASB)
1 Now there was a man at Caesarea named Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian ]cohort, 2 a devout man and one who feared God with all his household, and gave many alms to the Jewish people and prayed to God continually. 3 About the ninth hour [I.e. 3 p.m.] of the day he clearly saw in a vision an angel of God who had just come in and said to him, “Cornelius!” 4 And fixing his gaze on him and being much alarmed, he said, “What is it, Lord?” And he said to him, “Your prayers and alms have ascended as a memorial before God. 5 Now dispatch some men to Joppa and send for a man named Simon, who is also called Peter; 6 he is staying with a tanner named Simon, whose house is by the sea.” 7 When the angel who was speaking to him had left, he summoned two of his servants and a devout soldier of those who were his personal attendants, 8 and after he had explained everything to them, he sent them to Joppa.
9 On the next day, as they were on their way and approaching the city, Peter went up on the housetop about the sixth hour [I.e. noon] to pray. 10 But he became hungry and was desiring to eat; but while they were making preparations, he fell into a trance; 11 and he *saw the sky opened up, and an object [Or vessel] like a great sheet coming down, lowered by four corners to the ground, 12 and there were in it all kinds of four-footed animals and crawling creatures [Or reptiles] of the earth and birds of the air. 13 A voice came to him, “Get up, Peter, kill [Or sacrifice] and eat!” 14 But Peter said, “By no means, Lord, for I have never eaten anything unholy and unclean.” 15 Again a voice came to him a second time, “What God has cleansed, no longer consider unholy.” 16 This happened three times, and immediately the object was taken up into the sky.
17 Now while Peter was greatly perplexed in mind as to what the vision which he had seen might be, behold, the men who had been sent by Cornelius, having asked directions for Simon’s house, appeared at the gate; 18 and calling out, they were asking whether Simon, who was also called Peter, was staying there. 19 While Peter was reflecting on the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Behold, three men are looking for you. 20 But get up, go downstairs and accompany them without misgivings, for I have sent them Myself.” 21 Peter went down to the men and said, “Behold, I am the one you are looking for; what is the reason for which you have come?” 22 They said, “Cornelius, a centurion, a righteous and God-fearing man well spoken of by the entire nation of the Jews, was divinely directed by a holy angel to send for you to come to his house and hear a message from you.” 23 So he invited them in and gave them lodging.
And on the next day he got up and went away with them, and some of the brethren from Joppa accompanied him. 24 On the following day he entered Caesarea. Now Cornelius was waiting for them and had called together his relatives and close friends. 25 When Peter entered, Cornelius met him, and fell at his feet and worshiped him. 26 But Peter raised him up, saying, “Stand up; I too am just a man.” 27 As he talked with him, he entered and found many people assembled. 28 And he said to them, “You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a man who is a Jew to associate with a foreigner or to visit him; and yet God has shown me that I should not call any man unholy or unclean. 29 That is why I came without even raising any objection when I was sent for. So I ask for what reason you have sent for me.”
30 Cornelius said, “Four days ago to this hour, I was praying in my house during the ninth hour; and behold, a man stood before me in shining garments, 31 and he said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and your alms have been remembered before God. 32 Therefore send to Joppa and invite Simon, who is also called Peter, to come to you; he is staying at the house of Simon the tanner by the sea.’ 33 So I sent for you immediately, and you have been kind enough to come. Now then, we are all here present before God to hear all that you have been commanded by the Lord.”
34 Opening his mouth, Peter said:
“I most certainly understand now that God is not one to show partiality, 35 but in every nation the man who fears [Or reverences] Him and does [Lit works righteousness] what is right is welcome to Him. 36 The word which He sent to the sons of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ (He is Lord of all)— 37 you yourselves know the thing which took place throughout all Judea, starting from Galilee, after the baptism which John proclaimed. 38 You know of Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. 39 We are witnesses of all the things He did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They also put Him to death by hanging Him on a cross. 40 God raised Him up on the third day and granted that He become visible, 41 not to all the people, but to witnesses who were chosen beforehand by God, that is, to us who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead. 42 And He ordered us to preach to the people, and solemnly to testify that this is the One who has been appointed by God as Judge of the living and the dead. 43 Of Him all the prophets bear witness that through His name everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins.”
44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who were listening to the message. 45 All the circumcised believers [Jews who believed] who came with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. 46 For they were hearing them speaking with tongues and exalting God. Then Peter answered, 47 “Surely no one can refuse the water for these to be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we did, can he?” 48 And he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to stay on for a few days.
If we read this in context, paying particular attention to the bolded parts, scripture tells us what this vision really means; and it has nothing to do with eating unclean foods. God was telling him it was OK to go and preach the besorah of Yeshua (gospel of the Christ) to Gentiles. This was a time of political upheaval in Israel, with many very strict sects springing up. Theologians have argued about which of these sects Peter belonged to. But regardless most had very stringent rules about who its members could associate with. Peter alludes to this in vs 28 above. This vision was telling him it was not unlawful for a Jew to associate with Gentiles in order to preach the gospel; and afterwards if they accept Yeshua to bring them into fellowship and instruct them further. If you read on, Acts 11-28 reiterates this as the meaning of the vision. It had to do with accepting Gentiles, not eating unclean foods.
Also look at verse 35: "but in every nation the man who fears [Or reverences] Him and does [Lit works righteousness] what is right is welcome to Him." This is talking about Halacha, the way people keep 
. Cornelius is described in vs 2 as "a devout man and one who feared God with all his household." This is where we get the term "God Fearers" from. These were Gentiles who were not yet tied to Israel and did not keep all the laws, but who kept at least the moral codes in and many of the other mitzvoth. Therefore it is likely the wife of Cornelius kept a kosher kitchen, observing the dietary laws. At any rate, Peter was not commanded to eat with them, just to preach to them.
All they needed to do was read in context instead of cherry-picking verses and building false theologies based on those verses. Then there would be far less sin in the Christian churches.
Dan C
