What is the meaning of Acts 10:13? Get up • A clear, immediate command from the Lord, lifting Peter from passivity to readiness—just as Saul was told, “Get up and go into the city” (Acts 9:6). • God initiates; the believer responds. Compare Genesis 12:1, where Abram is told to “Go from your country,” stressing that divine direction often begins with a decisive step of obedience. • This vision is literal and historical, yet it also sets the stage for a broader spiritual journey: Peter will soon rise and go to the house of Cornelius (Acts 10:23–24), crossing cultural boundaries. Peter • The name is spoken to ensure Peter knows the command is personal. Like “Simon son of John, do you love Me?” (John 21:15), the Lord addresses him directly, underscoring accountability. • Peter, the apostle to the circumcised (Galatians 2:7–8), must pioneer a fresh application of the gospel to Gentiles. • God chooses the very disciple whose Jewish background and earlier hesitations (Matthew 15:12) make him the perfect witness to confirm that this new direction is truly from heaven. Kill • A shocking instruction to a devout Jew familiar with Leviticus 11. The Lord orders Peter to do what he has never done: slaughter creatures considered unclean. • Mark 7:19 records Jesus declaring all foods clean; this vision applies that truth in real time. • The literal act of killing signifies putting to death old distinctions. Ephesians 2:14–15 shows Christ breaking down the dividing wall, abolishing the law’s dietary regulations. • Obedience here means embracing God’s authority over long-held traditions (Acts 10:14–15). and eat! • Eating symbolizes fellowship (Acts 2:42) and acceptance. God invites Peter to enjoy what He now declares clean (Acts 10:15). • By eating, Peter will affirm that Gentile believers are fully welcome at the same table (Acts 11:3, 17). • Revelation 19:9 points to the future wedding supper of the Lamb where all redeemed—Jew and Gentile—share one feast. • The command underscores provision: God supplies what He also permits, echoing Genesis 9:3, “Everything that lives and moves will be food for you.” summary Acts 10:13 records a literal, divine directive that propels Peter into a new era of gospel outreach. “Get up” stirs immediate obedience; “Peter” personalizes the call; “kill” dismantles ritual barriers; “and eat” warmly welcomes all whom God cleanses. The verse affirms that in Christ, ceremonial restrictions give way to a unified family of faith, prepared to rise, act, and share the fullness of God’s provision together. |
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