Acts 10:1-24
This chapter is of great importance to us who belong to the Gentile nations. Indeed, we see Peter here opening the gates of the kingdom of heaven to these people (Matthew 16:19). It must be noticed with what care and with what grace God has prepared on the one hand His servant, and on the other, Cornelius, for the meeting which will have for Cornelius and for us such marvellous consequences. The revelation of God finds both of them at the same precious occupation – prayer. But by the reluctance of Peter to eat the contents of the great sheet descending from heaven, we can understand how the prejudiced Jews, even the disciples, were deeply rooted in tradition, and what was the spirit of superiority of an Israelite when he met a heathen man. Through this vision God wanted to teach His servant not to discriminate between a "clean" people and the "unclean" nations. All peoples, Jews and Gentiles, are defiled sinners, "concluded in unbelief" so that they may become the objects of the same mercy (Romans 10:12; Romans 11:30-32). Would that God would guard us against being "respecters of persons" (v. 34) in considering certain people less worthy of receiving the gospel than others. We are not to choose but to obey.