Peter hesitated because he was a law-keeping Jewish believer who had never been told he was no longer under the law, making any contact with Gentiles unlawful in his eyes.
Peter had lived his whole life under Jewish law, which separated clean from unclean foods and forbade a Jew from keeping company with another nation. He had believed on Jesus, repented, and been baptized, but he had not been told to stop temple worship or that the law was set aside. Les Feldick emphasizes that Peter only went to Cornelius because God directly forced the issue.
Acts 10:14 — Peter's own refusal, 'Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten any thing that is common or unclean,' directly shows why he hesitated.
Acts 10:28 — Peter explains that it was unlawful for a Jew to keep company with another nation, revealing the legal basis for his hesitation.
In Acts 10, when God tells Peter to rise, kill, and eat, Peter responds, 'Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten any thing that is common or unclean.' The Bible records this as Peter's immediate refusal, rooted in his lifelong Jewish practice of distinguishing clean from unclean food. Later, when Peter enters Cornelius's house, he says, 'Ye know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company, or come unto one of another nation; but God hath shewed me that I should not call any man common or unclean.' When Peter returns to Jerusalem, the Jewish believers 'contended' with him, saying, 'Thou wentest in to men uncircumcised, and didst eat with them.' Scripture presents his hesitation as a matter of Jewish law and custom, not merely personal preference.
Les Feldick explains that Peter was not mixing law and grace; he was simply a Jewish believer who had believed Jesus was the Christ, repented, and been baptized. He had not yet been told to stop temple worship or that he was no longer under the law. So when the vision came, Peter's answer was authentic—he had never eaten anything common or unclean. Les emphasizes that Peter would never have gone to Cornelius had God not taken drastic measures. 'There were heel prints in the sand from Joppa to Caesarea,' he says. Peter was a good law-keeping Jew with trepidation about entering a Gentile home, and he even brought fellow Jewish believers with him. He had no idea God was now going to turn to the Gentile world. After Cornelius, Peter did not immediately launch a Gentile ministry. Twelve years later in Acts 15, he defended Paul by reminding everyone that God had used his mouth to take the Gospel to the Gentiles. The experience at Cornelius's house opened Peter's eyes to the truth that Gentiles could be saved by simply believing, and Les sees this as the divine preparation that allowed Paul's ministry to proceed.
Peter's immediate reply was rooted in his lifelong law-keeping walk. He told God he had never eaten anything common or unclean. Les Feldick points out that Peter was still a practicing Jew under the law; he had believed on Jesus, repented, and been baptized, but he had not been told to stop temple worship or that he was no longer under the law. He was not mixing law and grace—he simply had not yet been given the new revelation.
Peter told Cornelius, "Ye know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company, or come unto one of another nation." Les describes Peter as a good law-keeping Jew with genuine trepidation about going to a Gentile household. He took several Jewish believers with him from Joppa to Caesarea. Peter's own words make it clear that only God's direct showing made him go.
When Peter went back to Jerusalem, the believers who were of the circumcision argued with him, saying, "Thou wentest in to men uncircumcised, and didst eat with them." Les explains that their mentality was still law—you could not sit down and eat Gentile food because it was not kosher, and you could not go in and visit with Gentiles. This contention reveals how deeply entrenched the law-keeping mindset was, even among believing Jews.
Les Feldick notes that there is no indication Peter's eyes were opened to go to Gentiles generally after the house of Cornelius. Twelve years later, in Acts 15, when Paul was being challenged for going to Gentiles, Peter came to his defense: "Brethren, you know that a long while ago, God, by my mouth, took the Gospel to the Gentiles." That testimony, Les says, is what spared Paul's ministry. Peter's experience at Cornelius's house had opened his eyes to the fact that Gentiles could be saved by simply believing.
Peter Was Under the Law
Peter had never eaten anything common or unclean because he was still living under the law; he had not been told to stop temple worship or that the law had ended.
Peter Did Not Launch a Gentile Ministry
Even after Cornelius, Peter did not begin going to Gentiles generally; his public defense of Gentile evangelism came twelve years later in Acts 15.
Peter Questioned Why He Was Talking to Gentiles
Peter was thinking, 'Why am I giving this to Gentiles?' because he had no idea that God was now moving toward the Gentile world.
God Forced the Issue
Peter would never have gone to Cornelius's home unless God had taken drastic measures, as shown by the strong imagery of heel prints from Joppa to Caesarea.
Peter's Trepidation
Peter was a good law-keeping Jew with real reluctance about entering a Gentile home, which is why he brought fellow Jewish believers with him.
Jerusalem Believers Contended
The circumcision believers in Jerusalem argued with Peter for eating with uncircumcised men, showing that the law-keeping mindset persisted even among Jewish Christians.
Peter's Eyes Opened
Had Peter not had the eye-opening experience at Cornelius's house, Paul's Gentile ministry would never have gotten off the hook; God used it to show that Gentiles could be saved by believing.
Unlawful for a Jew
Peter himself admitted it was unlawful for a Jew to keep company with another nation, and the only reason he went was because God had commanded it.
Acts 10:13: And there came a voice to him, Rise, Peter; kill, and eat.
This is the divine command that put Peter's law-keeping instincts to the test.
Acts 10:14: But Peter said, Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten any thing that is common or unclean.
Peter's refusal reveals that his hesitation was rooted in his lifelong observance of Jewish food laws.
Acts 10:28: And he said unto them, Ye know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company, or come unto one of another nation; but God hath shewed me that I should not call any man common or unclean.
Peter explains to Cornelius why his very presence was unusual and that God directly changed his understanding.
Acts 11:3: Saying, Thou wentest in to men uncircumcised, and didst eat with them.
This is the accusation from Jewish believers in Jerusalem that shows how unacceptable Gentile association was to them.
Yes, Peter said, "Not so, Lord, for I have never eaten any thing that is common or unclean." Les Feldick explains that Peter was still under the law and had not yet been told that he was no longer under it.
Peter himself said it was an unlawful thing for a Jew to keep company or come unto one of another nation. Les Feldick emphasizes that Peter only did so because God showed him he should not call any man common or unclean.
No. Les teaches that Peter was simply following what he had been taught as a law-keeping Jew. He had not been told to stop temple worship or that the law was finished, so his hesitation was natural.
God forced the issue. Les says Peter would never have gone up to that Gentile home had God not taken drastic measures, including the vision and the direct command to go.
Watch the Teaching: Was Cornelius Really Saved? Acts 10 Explained Verse by Verse