4 But Peter rehearsed the matter from the beginning, and expounded it by order unto them, saying, 5 I was in the city of Joppa praying: and in a trance I saw a vision, A certain vessel descend, as it had been a great sheet, let down from heaven by four corners; and it came even to me: 6 Upon the which when I had fastened mine eyes, I considered, and saw fourfooted beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air. 7 And I heard a voice saying unto me, Arise, Peter; slay and eat. 8 But I said, Not so, Lord: for nothing common or unclean hath at any time entered into my mouth. 9 But the voice answered me again from heaven, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common. 10 And this was done three times: and all were drawn up again into heaven. 11 And, behold, immediately there were three men already come unto the house where I was, sent from Caesarea unto me. 12 And the Spirit bade me go with them, nothing doubting. Moreover these six brethren accompanied me, and we entered into the man’s house: 13 And he shewed us how he had seen an angel in his house, which stood and said unto him, Send men to Joppa, and call for Simon, whose surname is Peter; 14 Who shall tell thee words, whereby thou and all thy house shall be saved. 15 And as I began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell on them, as on us at the beginning. 16 Then remembered I the word of the Lord, how that he said, John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost. 17 Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift as he did unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ; what was I, that I could withstand God? 18 When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life. (Acts 11:4-18 KJV)
William Burkitt’s Commentary
Observe here, 1. How far St. Peter was from pretending a superiority over the rest of the apostles; he did by no means think himself so far above them, as to disdain to render an account of his actions to them, but with great sincerity and humility, rehearsed and related the whole matter of fact, to their entire and joint satisfaction.
Observe, 2. How he acquaints the apostles with the vision he had seen, in which he was commanded to make no distinction of clean or unclean: because there was not natural turpitude in any kind of meat, save only as it was prohibited by God; and that God, who having made the law about difference of meats, had now abrogated it, and made all meats clean, and free to be eaten.
Observe, 3. How he gives them the interpretation of this vision, and acquaints them with the end for which this vision was designed; namely, not so much to reveal to him the lawfulness of eating all sorts of meats, as to acquaint him with his liberty and duty to converse with and preach the gospel to the Gentiles; whom he was no longer to look upon as unclean, though they were not circumcised; but as “heirs and fellow-citizens with the saints, and of the household of God.”
Observe lastly, The conclusion which St. Peter drew from these premises: “Seeing God hath made the Gentiles equal in grace with the believing Jews; seeing the Holy Ghost coame down upon them in the same manner, and with the same effects as he did upon us apostles, I could not reasonably deny them baptism, and by baptism admission into the gospel-church; for having the grace signified by baptism, they ought to have baptism, the seal of that grace; they that have the inward, are not to be denied the outward baptism; and they that were baptized with the Holy Ghost (as Cornelius and his family were) might and ought to be baptized with water, as Cornelius was: for had I denied them church-communion for want of the ceremony of circumcision, it had certainly been a downright resistance of, and disobedience against God.”
Thence learn, that it is a downright opposition to the will of God, to shut them out of the church, and to debar them from the communion of it, who have received the sanctifying graces of God’s Holy Spirit; but differ from us in external rites and ceremonies only.