Why is it significant that Peter stayed with a tanner, according to Acts 9:43? Setting the Scene in Acts 9:43 “Peter stayed for many days in Joppa with a tanner named Simon.” Who Was Simon the Tanner? • A tradesman who processed animal hides—handling carcasses, blood, and chemicals daily. • His house stood “by the sea” (Acts 10:6), a typical location that helped disperse the strong odor of curing leather. • In Jewish society, tanners were viewed as perpetually unclean (Leviticus 11:39-40; Numbers 19:11-13). Devout Jews often avoided close contact with them, and a wife could even request a divorce if her husband took up the trade (Mishnah, Ketubot 7:10). Ceremonial Implications of a Tanner’s Trade • Touching dead animals rendered a person unclean until evening and required ritual washing (Leviticus 5:2; 11:24-28). • Living in a tanner’s home meant continual exposure to objects that transmitted impurity. • By lodging there “many days,” Peter deliberately crossed a line many rabbis would not. Peter’s Choice—A Shift in Ministry • Acts 9 marks a transition in Peter’s journey from strict Jewish custom toward the gospel’s wider reach. • His willingness to remain with Simon demonstrates: – Humility: choosing fellowship over social status (Philippians 2:3-4). – Love over legalism: prioritizing people above man-made barriers (Matthew 9:13). – Obedience: following the Spirit’s lead rather than traditional comfort zones. Providential Preparation for Cornelius • The very next chapter opens with God sending Peter a rooftop vision of unclean animals (Acts 10:9-16) while he is still at Simon’s house. • Peter’s surroundings—unclean hides, salty air, Gentile port city—underscore the message: “What God has cleansed, you must not call impure.” • Thus, staying with a tanner served as a living object lesson, softening Peter’s heart before he stepped into Cornelius’s Gentile household and witnessed the Holy Spirit fall on non-Jews (Acts 10:44-48). Lessons for Believers Today • The gospel dismantles social, cultural, and ceremonial walls (Ephesians 2:13-14; Galatians 3:28). • True holiness resides in Christ’s cleansing, not in avoidance of people He seeks to save. • Hospitality opens doors for divine appointments—sometimes the place that feels least comfortable is the very platform God chooses for breakthrough. |
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