Then Peter opened his mouth and said: In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. (35) But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him. (36) The word which God sent to the children of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ – He is Lord of all – (37) that word you know, which was proclaimed throughout all Judea, and began from Galilee after the baptism which John preached: (38) how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.
The Acts of the Apostles was a history of the early Church written by Luke who was also the author of one of the Gospels. Concerning the verses we study today, we have been told earlier in Chapter 10 about a vision the Apostle Peter had – in this vision a sheet was let down from heaven and “in it were all kinds of four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, creeping things and birds of the air……And a voice spoke to him again the second time, ‘What God has cleansed you must not call common.’ This was done three times. And the object was taken up into heaven again.” Following this vision Peter was called to the house of Cornelius, a Gentile who had also had a vision telling him to call for Peter.
Jesus had spoken against externalism and appearances. He had said that uncleanliness comes from the heart and not from the external but from the heart TO the external. The prophets foretold of this cleansing, Jesus announced it and now Peter is reminded of it in this vision.
After his revelation Peter did visit the house of Cornelius, the Gentile, and tended to his conversion and that of all his household. So what we are taught through the story of food cleansing is God’s lesson that there is a new covenant between God and man – that there are no more clean and unclean meats. Only a divine revelation could have changed Peter’s mind and heart and theology. Jesus had performed a cleansing which made obsolete the ceremonial food laws. True cleansing came through the cross. The revelation to Peter was by the Holy Spirit and extended from foods to people. Peter was led by the Spirit to proclaim the gospel to Cornelius the Gentile – the same gospel he had been preaching to the Jews, and it was all they needed to know and believe to be saved.
Christ is Lord of all. Everyone, Jew or Gentile, who believes in Him will be cleansed from sin and given life eternal. Salvation is from God and is available to all who believe. There was/is no distinction between Jew and Gentile. All who believe are moved from darkness to light – from death to life.