Acts 10:15 | Cleansed by the Cross

Acts 10:15 (NKJV): “And a voice spoke to him again the second time, ‘What God has cleansed you must not call common.’”

In Acts 10:9-16, we see Peter enter into a trance and receive a sort of vision from God. Peter, who was a Jew and raised up in Jewish tradition, never ate anything that was considered “common” or “unclean,” (only certain “clean” foods can be eaten, foods that are kosher) according to the Torah. In the preceding verses, we read:

“The next day, as they went on their journey and drew near the city, Peter went up on the housetop to pray, about the sixth hour. Then he became very hungry and wanted to eat; but while they made ready, he fell into a trance and saw heaven opened and an object like a great sheet bound at the four corners, descending to him and let down to the earth. In it were all kinds of four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, creeping things, and birds of the air. And a voice came to him, “Rise, Peter; kill and eat.”

But Peter said, “Not so, Lord! For I have never eaten anything common or unclean.”

It is in response to Peter that God says verse 15, “What God has cleansed you must not call common.” This was done three times before the vision ended.

1) Christ puts the law into effect

While it can be seen that God is addressing food in this passage, we also know that Jewish tradition carried with it much more than just a mindset of “not eating certain things.” In many ways, the food represents all of the Jewish traditions based out of the Law (Torah). Yet, we see that God is telling Peter that there are no long