BRUCE C WEARNE, in his examination of the Book of Acts, reflects on the miracle Peter was involved in at Joppa…
Next day, as those on their journey drew near to the city, Peter had meanwhile gone up onto the housetop to pray. It was about midday and, feeling hungry, he was waiting for something to eat; while it was being prepared it, a trance came upon him and he saw the heavens opened, with a sack like an enormous sheet hanging down, being lowered by its four corners toward the earth, with all kinds of animals and reptiles and birds of the air within it as a voice came to him, “Get up, Peter! Kill and eat.” But Peter said, “Certainly not, Lord; for I have never eaten anything (that lives) wild or unclean.” And the voice came again addressing him a second time, “What God has cleansed, you must not call wild.” This then happened three times, and the sack was taken forthwith up into heaven. – (Acts 10:9-16/transliteration by Bruce C Wearne)
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Peter “fell into a trance” in which God was showing Him that what God has cleansed he should not call unclean. PICTURE: Fenner Gay/www.freeimages.com
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On this particular day, Peter had three dreams in the middle of the day, as he waited for his lunch. Three times a great sack, a sheet hanging on its four corners, appeared with creatures in it and he was commanded to rise, kill and eat. Each time he declined and he did so because of his religious scruples. Each time the voice rebuked him!
Peter the Jew had been a Galilean fisherman. As a disciple of Jesus, he was now a prominent member of the apostolic synagogue in Jerusalem. He had experience of the times when the religious leaders criticised his Master because He did not demand washing like the Baptist had required of his disciples.
Papias of Hierapolis lived in 130 A.D. His opinion was that Mark’s Gospel was based on Peter’s reminiscences. If that is so then this dream might have something to do with how Peter understood Jesus’ reply to the religious leaders. He said: “what comes out of the heart defiles a man.” There is in Mark’s Gospel a bracketed clarification: “Thus He declared all foods clean” (Mark 7:19).
It’s interesting isn’t it? Peter, Luke and the people in house of Simon the Tanner in Joppa were obviously aware of dreams as part of every-day experience. The way Luke tells it indicates he knew that dreams relate to what is going on around us. But it is not just a matter of dreaming about things that are about to appear on your lunch table.
Dreams also bring things we have forgotten together with other things of which we are only too aware.
What Luke is telling us is about the way the church of Jesus Christ depends upon the Holy Spirit. Peter stood in need of deepened understanding of what Jesus had taught and who He was, now at God’s right hand. The Holy Spirit gave him the opportunity to tell other believers. It wasn’t just a matter of sitting down to lunch and talking over a weird dream and then it would all become plain. It was a puzzle. If Peter was to work it out he needed the Holy Spirit’s help.
This story is one more indication that the apostles were on a steep learning curve, just as we are called to be. At this point it’s possible they had not realised that the church would need a written account of their experiences in Jesus’ school. But when the Holy Spirit is active then even our dreams have a part in the story of how Jesus’ work has expanded to the ends of the earth.
Got a verse or a short passage you’d like us to look at? Just send an email to [email protected].
