Peter refused because he was a law-keeping Jew who had never eaten anything common or unclean, and he knew it was unlawful for a Jew to associate with Gentiles.
Peter's refusal was rooted in his lifelong adherence to Jewish dietary law, which defined certain animals as clean and unclean. He had never eaten anything that was not legally acceptable under the law. This same law-consciousness made him uncomfortable entering the house of Cornelius, a Gentile, because it was unlawful for a Jew to keep company with one of another nation.
Acts 10:14 — This is the verse where Peter directly refuses the command to eat, saying he has never eaten anything common or unclean.
In Acts 10, Peter is on a rooftop praying when he falls into a trance and sees a sheet lowered from heaven containing all kinds of animals, both clean and unclean according to Jewish law. A voice tells him, 'Rise, Peter; kill, and eat.' Peter responds, 'Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten any thing that is common or unclean.' The voice speaks again, 'What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common.' This happens three times, and then the sheet is taken back to heaven. Later, when Peter arrives at the house of Cornelius, he says to those gathered, '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.' Thus, the scripture itself shows that Peter's refusal was based on Jewish law, which prohibited eating unclean foods and associating with Gentiles. The Bible also records that after Peter returned to Jerusalem, the believers of the circumcision contended with him, saying, 'Thou wentest in to men uncircumcised, and didst eat with them.' This further demonstrates that Jewish believers still maintained the law's dietary and social restrictions at that time.
Les Feldick emphasizes that Peter's refusal was rooted in his identity as a law-keeping Jew. He had never eaten anything that was not kosher or legally acceptable under the law. Even years after Pentecost, Peter still clung to Jewish dietary laws and was uncomfortable going into the house of a Gentile because it was unlawful for a Jew to do so. Les also points out that the vision of the sheet taught Peter a larger lesson: God was showing him not to call any man common or unclean. At the same time, Les stresses that Peter was not commissioned to go to the Gentiles in general at that point—only to the house of Cornelius for a specific purpose. The believing Jews in Jerusalem still operated under a law mentality, contending with Peter for eating with uncircumcised men.
Yes. Les Feldick explains that Peter had never eaten anything common or unclean according to the Jewish law. Since he was a law-keeping Jew, he would not eat pork or anything not listed as a clean animal. His response to the voice—'Not so, Lord'—shows his strong commitment to the law.
Peter told the Gentile 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.' Les Feldick notes that Peter was uncomfortable and would never have gone had God not forced the issue. This discomfort was rooted in the same law-keeping mentality that made him refuse unclean food.
In the vision, God showed Peter a sheet of clean and unclean animals and told him to kill and eat. When Peter refused, God told him not to call anything common that He had cleansed. Les teaches that Peter then 'got the drip'—he realized God was not just talking about food but about the human race. He should not call any man common or unclean.
Yes. After Peter returned to Jerusalem, the believers of the circumcision contended with him, saying, 'Thou wentest in to men uncircumcised, and didst eat with them.' Les Feldick explains that their mentality was still law—they believed you could not sit down and eat Gentile food or visit with Gentiles.
Why Jesus Came to Israel First — Luke 1 Explained
Now in Luke chapter 1, dropping all the way down to verse 67, here we're dealing with the father of John the Baptist, Zacharias, and he was an active priest working there at the temple, and he had been stricken dumb during the gestation of Elizabeth, but now he's all of a sudden gotten his voice back, and the Jews realize that something supernatural is taking place here.
Peter's Law-Keeping Refusal
Peter's refusal to eat unclean food was because he was a law-keeping Jew who never ate anything not legally acceptable under the Jewish law, and he also knew it was unlawful to keep company with Gentiles.
The Vision's Meaning
Peter realized through the vision that God was not just teaching about food but about not calling any man common or unclean, and that the gates were opening to Gentiles.
Peter's Kosher Practice
Peter had never eaten anything that wasn't kosher because he was a law-keeper, and he was shaking in his boots at Cornelius's door because it was unlawful for a Jew to go to one of another nation.
The Law-Keeping Jew
Eight to ten years after Pentecost, Peter still was a law-keeping Jew and would not eat anything that was not legally acceptable under the law.
Unlawful for a Jew
Peter was uncomfortable entering a Gentile house because it was unlawful for a Jew to keep company with one of another nation; only God's direct leading made him go.
Jewish Believers' Law Mentality
Believing Jews in Jerusalem still operated under the law, contending with Peter for eating with uncircumcised men and considering Gentile food unclean.
Unlawful in Peter's Own Words
Peter himself told Cornelius it was unlawful for a Jew to keep company with or come unto one of another nation, showing his continued law-based mindset.
Acts 10:14: But Peter said, Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten any thing that is common or unclean.
This is Peter's direct refusal when told to kill and eat in the vision, showing his law-keeping practices.
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's household that Jewish law made it unlawful to associate with Gentiles, but God has revealed a new truth to him.
Acts 11:3: Saying, Thou wentest in to men uncircumcised, and didst eat with them.
The believing Jews in Jerusalem contended with Peter for eating with uncircumcised men, demonstrating their continued adherence to the law.
Peter meant food that was not kosher according to Jewish dietary law. As a law-keeping Jew, he had never eaten anything that was not legally acceptable under the law, such as pork or other unclean animals.
Les Feldick does not say Peter's refusal was a sin. Instead, he emphasizes that Peter was acting out of his lifelong practice as a law-keeping Jew. His refusal was natural because he had always followed the law's dietary restrictions.
God gave Peter the vision to show him that he should not call any man common or unclean. The vision was about more than food—it was preparing Peter to go to the Gentile Cornelius and showing that the gospel was opening to the Gentiles.
Yes, Les Feldick points out that even ten years after Pentecost, Peter was still sticking to the law, refusing to eat unclean food and acknowledging it was unlawful to keep company with Gentiles.
Watch the Teaching: Why Jesus Came to Israel First — Luke 1 Explained