NL 141: Peter's Vision
Acts 10:1-17, 34-48
Initial Thoughts
In the RCL this is the Easter text for each year
The resurrection is a sign that all Jesus did on earth should be carried on. The resurrection is proof that Jesus is Lord of the living and the dead - all things.
Bible Study
Peter’s Elevator Witness
Used to describe what Baptism and Christian faith are about
Fear of God - i.e. faith
Doing right - i.e. work
Cornelius
Caesarea - the seat of Roman power in the province, named after Caesar
Centurion in the Italian Company- officer in charge of 50-100 soldiers
May have been a part of the gens Cornelia family- a prominent patrician family in Rome
“a righteous man, and a God-worshiper who is well-respected by all Jewish people.”
Similar to the unnamed centurion in Luke 7:1-10
Joppa - same place where God spoke to Jonah telling him to bring God’s message to his enemies, the Assyrians/Ninevites
In Matthew, Peter is called Simon, son of Jonah (Mt. 16:17)
Simon the Tanner - “The occupation of tanner was considered unclean by many Jews, because tanners had to work with dead animals.” Demetruis K. Williams, “The Acts of the Apostles”, True to Our Native Land, p.230
Three O’clock - was the time for the Jewish evening prayers
This setting is very important - and Peter even says so immediately before this speech, which is about God’s mercy being open to all.
Must be understood within context
Peter just had a vision that abolished the food laws of clean and unclean
Cornelius has a vision to summon Peter
Peter goes and preaches to and among gentiles
“What God has made clean, you must not call unclean” - this is basis of God’s impartiality
Peter’s vision
“The revolution descends on a sheet. The sheet is everything. The sheet is radical. The sheet shatters and destroys. Its four corners are harbinger of its range and its reach across a planet and a universe. Peter in his hunger beholds this horror. The sheet contained the known world and unknown tastes. It contained animals, clean and unclean… And then the word of God comes to Peter, ‘Arise Peter, kill and eat!’ These words stand over against all other words of God, forever recasting them and turning them to new purposes…. These words echo across the church’s history, but they have rarely, if ever - maybe never- really been heard in all their redemptive density.” (Willie James Jenning, Belief: A Theological Commentary on the Bible, Acts, Westminster John Knox Press, p. 106)
The Good News is for everyone
There are no cultural or ethnic requirements
God calls all people through Jesus Christ
Not new to scripture- Deuteronomy 10:17, “God is not partial and takes no bribe.”
New to Peter
This applies to Jews and Gentiles
Impartiality
“Acts 10:34-36 was a key passage in the African American protest tradition, helping to level prophetic critiques of American racism and prejudice.” Williams, p. 231
Alan Gregory - Poetic rhythm of the story
You must fear God and do right
Jesus preaches peace to all people
Healing and freedom from oppression led to death
Jesus’ ministry was that of “doing good and healing everyone oppressed.” Jesus did this, and for it, he was killed.
Death is met is resurrection
Resurrection by judgment
Judgment with forgiveness
And we return to the impartiality of God
God is not partial to you or to your enemy- God is partial to reconciliation and forgiveness
Gentile Pentecost echoes Acts 2
Pouring out of the Spirit
Speaking in tongues
Astonished reaction
How do we determine what is of Christ and what isn’t?
doing good
healing the oppressed
Forgiveness
Whoever believes in him
Jesus or God?
If you do not believe in God or Jesus- do you care if you are forgiven?
An inclusive message to believers - NOT a message of judgment against unbelievers
Israel received the message first, but are not the exclusive receivers of the message
Immediately afterwards, this group of Romans began to speak in tongues, and were baptized.
After this episode with the Roman gentiles, Peter is questioned by the Jerusalem Church.
Thoughts and Questions
This is Peter’s 30 sec elevator witness - what is yours?
If God is impartial to Israel or the Jews, then isn’t God also impartial to the church? What does this mean for the church and our mission?
If God’s primary focus is forgiveness and reconciliation- How is the church living into this mission? How are each of us?
What cultural barriers stand in our way of participating in God’s mission? (just as not associating with Gentiles stood in Peter’s way)
Thank you listeners and get in touch:
Thanks to our Psalms correspondent, Richard Bruxvoort Colligan (psalmimmersion.com,@pomopsalmist). Thank you to Scott Fletcher for our voice bumpers, Dick Dale and the Del Tones for our Theme music (“Miserlou”), Nicolai Heidlas (“Sunday Morning”,"Real Ride"and“Summertime”) and Bryan Odeen for our closing music.