Peter initially struggled because he was a law-keeping Jew for whom entering a Gentile's home was unlawful, and he had not yet grasped that God's purposes were now moving out to the Gentile world.
Peter told Cornelius's household that it was an unlawful thing for a Jew to keep company with or come to one of another nation (Acts 10:28), and as a law keeper he had never eaten anything common or unclean. Les Feldick notes that Peter went only because God forced the issue, and even while he was preaching Peter had no idea that God was moving toward the Gentile world. The visit to Cornelius's house became the eye-opening experience that changed Peter's thinking.
Acts 10:28 — Peter's own words state the legal and cultural barrier between Jew and Gentile — and the revelation that corrected it.
Acts 10:34 — Peter's conclusion that God is no respecter of persons shows the resolution of his struggle.
Acts 10:28 records Peter's own words to Cornelius's household: '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.' Earlier, when the sheet vision first appeared, Peter had answered, 'Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten any thing that is common or unclean' (Acts 10:14). After Cornelius recounted his vision, Peter concluded, 'Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons' (Acts 10:34). While he was still speaking, 'the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word' (Acts 10:44). At the Jerusalem council years later, Peter reminded the leadership that God had made choice among the apostles 'that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe' (Acts 15:7). The Scriptures themselves show both Peter's initial objection and the divine answer to it.
Les Feldick locates Peter's struggle in his law-keeping Jewish life. Peter told the household of Cornelius, 'You know how that it is an unlawful thing for me a Jew to come into the house of another nation,' and Les stresses that 'Peter would have never gone up there had not God forced the issue.' As a law keeper, Peter could say, 'I have never eaten anything common or unclean,' and Les emphasizes how uncomfortable the apostle was in that house full of Gentiles — even though God had made sure this was what he was going to do. Les also takes Peter through the vision of the sheet: 'God hath showed me that I should not call any man common or unclean.' When Peter 'got the drip,' he realized God was not talking about eating food but about the human race. Yet Les is careful to add, 'he was never convinced before this.' Even while Peter was preaching to Cornelius's household, Les pictures him thinking, 'Why am I giving this to Gentiles?' — Peter had no idea that 'there was something moving in God's purposes, that He was now going to go out to the Gentile world.' Finally, Les connects the event to God's big picture. The Cornelius experience was preparing Peter for an event 12 years down the road — the Acts 15 controversy over Paul's ministry to Gentiles. There Peter testified that God by his mouth took the Gospel to the Gentiles. Les's conclusion: 'Had Peter not had that eye opening experience up at the house of Cornelius, Paul would have never gotten off the hook. Christianity would have never gotten off the ground.' God opened Peter's eyes to the fact that Gentiles could be saved by simply believing.
At the house of Cornelius Peter said, 'You know how that it is an unlawful thing for me a Jew to come into the house of another nation' (Acts 10:28). Les Feldick explains that Peter was a law-keeping Jew and was therefore uncomfortable in a house filled with Gentiles, even though God had made it clear this was what he was to do. Peter, Les says, would never have gone up there had not God forced the issue — the 'but God' of Acts 10:28 was the only reason he entered.
Peter declared, 'I have never eaten anything common or unclean because he was a law keeper,' as Les explains (Acts 10:14). In the sheet vision God showed him that he should not call any man common or unclean, and Les says 'Peter got the drip' — the vision was not about menu but about the human race. Yet Les adds that Peter was never convinced before this; the Holy Ghost falling on Cornelius's household while Peter was speaking was the divine confirmation.
Les teaches that God's big picture at Cornelius's house was not only the salvation of that Gentile household — He was preparing Peter for an event 12 years down the road. In Acts 15, when Paul was called on the carpet by Jewish leadership for going to Gentiles, Peter came to his defense: God by Peter's mouth took the Gospel to the Gentiles. Les's conclusion is striking: had Peter not had that eye-opening experience, Paul would never have gotten off the hook and Christianity would never have gotten off the ground.
Why Did the Holy Spirit Fall BEFORE Baptism? Acts 10
Les Feldick. An Oklahoma rancher and farmer, Les Feldick has been teaching homestyle Bible classes for 20 years in Iowa, Oklahoma, and Texas. Les Feldick's unique style of Bible teaching has made the books of the Bible come to life. When Les is teaching, it's so interesting that people say time just seems to fly by. And now, here is Les Feldick.
Peter Went Against His Own Desires
Les shows that Peter went to Cornelius's house contrary to his own desires because God forced him to go, and that even while preaching Peter wondered why he was giving the message to Gentiles — he had no idea God was moving toward the Gentile world.
Peter's 'But God' Moment
Les emphasizes that Peter, a law-keeping Jew, was uncomfortable in a house full of Gentiles and that the only reason he entered was the 'but God' of Acts 10:28 — God had to force the issue.
The Sheet Vision and the Human Race
Les connects Peter's law-keeping background with his declaration that he had never eaten anything common or unclean, and explains that the sheet vision showed Peter that God was speaking about the human race, not just food.
Peter Never Convinced Before This
Les notes that Peter was never convinced before the vision that no man should be called common or unclean, and he points out that the Holy Spirit fell on the Gentile household while Peter was still preaching.
The Big Picture: Preparing Peter
Les explains that God's big picture was not only the salvation of Cornelius's household but also the preparation of Peter for an event that would take place 12 years later.
Peter's Eye-Opening Experience
Les states that had Peter not had the eye-opening experience at Cornelius's house, Paul would never have gotten off the hook and Christianity would never have gotten off the ground — God opened Peter's eyes to the fact that Gentiles could be saved by simply believing.
Peter Defends Paul's Gentile Ministry
Les explains how 12 years after Cornelius, Peter defended Paul before the Jewish leadership by testifying that God by his mouth took the Gospel to the Gentiles.
Acts 10:14: But Peter said, Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten any thing that is common or unclean.
Peter's objection to the sheet vision shows the law-keeping mindset he brought with him to the house of Cornelius.
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's explanation of why a Jew would not ordinarily enter a Gentile home — and the revelation that set him free from that restriction.
Acts 10:34: Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:
Peter's public conclusion at the house of Cornelius that God accepts people from every nation.
Acts 10:44: While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word.
The Holy Ghost's fall on the Gentile believers confirmed everything Peter had just revealed.
Acts 15:7: And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe.
Peter's later testimony that God had chosen him to bring the Gospel to the Gentiles, which defended Paul's ministry.
Peter himself told Cornelius's household that 'it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company or come unto one of another nation' (Acts 10:28). Les Feldick says Peter was a law-keeping Jew who would never have gone up to that house had not God forced the issue.
God showed Peter that he should not call any man common or unclean. Les Feldick says Peter 'got the drip' — he suddenly understood the vision was not about eating food but about the human race.
Les teaches that God was preparing Peter for an event 12 years later. When Paul's Gentile ministry came under attack in Acts 15, Peter testified that God by his mouth had taken the Gospel to the Gentiles, which spared Paul's ministry.
No. Les says Peter had no idea that God's purposes were moving out to the Gentile world. Even as he preached to Cornelius's household, Peter was thinking, 'Why am I giving this to Gentiles?'
Watch the Teaching: Why Did the Holy Spirit Fall BEFORE Baptism? Acts 10