He saw heaven opened. The meaning of this vision is clear. Peter is hungry. He sees a sheet lowered down, containing all kinds of animals, reptiles, and wild birds. Many of these are ritually "unclean" and the Law forbids any to eat them. The voice says: "Get up, Peter; kill and eat!" Peter answers: "I have never eaten anything considered defiled or unclean. " In this we can see much of the same stubbornness that Peter showed in the Gospels. The voice speaks again and says that God has declared these things clean. This can only mean that the commands of the Law about "clean" and "unclean" foods have been canceled! Peter, as a Jew, would not associate with Gentiles (see note on John 4:9). The purpose of the vision is to show Peter that God intends him to go with the messengers. See Ephesians 2:13-18 and notes.

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Old Testament