Act 10:14-16 | RWP | e4.org | Not so, Lord ( Μηδαμωσ, κυριε ). The negative μηδαμως calls for the optative ειη (may it not be) or the imperative εστω (let it be). It is not ουδαμως , a blunt refusal (I shall not do it). And yet it is more than a mild protest as Page and Furneaux argue. It is a polite refusal with a reason given. Peter recognizes the invitation to slay ( θυσον ) the unclean animals as from the Lord ( κυριε ) but declines it three times. For I have never eaten anything ( οτ ουδεποτε εφαγον παν ). Second aorist active indicative, I never did anything like this and I shall not do it now. The use of παν (everything) with ουδεποτε (never) is like the Hebrew ( lo--kol ) though a like idiom appears in the vernacular Koine (Robertson, Grammar , p. 752). Common and unclean ( κοινον κα ακαθαρτον ). Κοινος from epic ξυνος ( ξυν, συν , together with) originally meant common to several (Latin communis ) as in ; ; ; . The use seen here (also , ; ; ; ; ; ), like Latin vulgaris is unknown in ancient Greek. Here the idea is made plain by the addition of ακαθαρτον (unclean), ceremonially unclean, of course. We have the same double use in our word "common." See on . where Mark adds the remarkable participle καθαριζων (making all meats clean), evidently from Peter who recalls this vision. Peter had been reared from childhood to make the distinction between clean and unclean food and this new proposal even from the Lord runs against all his previous training. He did not see that some of God's plans for the Jews could be temporary. This symbol of the sheet was to show Peter ultimately that Gentiles could be saved without becoming Jews. At this moment he is in spiritual and intellectual turmoil.

‏ Acts 10:14-16

Not so, Lord ( Μηδαμωσ, κυριε ). The negative μηδαμως calls for the optative ειη (may it not be) or the imperative εστω (let it be). It is not ουδαμως, a blunt refusal (I shall not do it). And yet it is more than a mild protest as Page and Furneaux argue. It is a polite refusal with a reason given. Peter recognizes the invitation to slay ( θυσον ) the unclean animals as from the Lord ( κυριε ) but declines it three times.

For I have never eaten anything ( οτ ουδεποτε εφαγον παν ). Second aorist active indicative, I never did anything like this and I shall not do it now. The use of παν (everything) with ουδεποτε (never) is like the Hebrew (lo--kol) though a like idiom appears in the vernacular Koine (Robertson, Grammar, p. 752).

Common and unclean ( κοινον κα ακαθαρτον ). Κοινος from epic ξυνος ( ξυν, συν, together with) originally meant common to several (Latin communis) as in Ac 2:44; 4:32; Tit 1:4; Jude 1:3. The use seen here (also Mr 7:2, 5; Ro 14:14; Heb 10:29; Re 21:27; Ac 10:28; 11:8), like Latin vulgaris is unknown in ancient Greek. Here the idea is made plain by the addition of ακαθαρτον (unclean), ceremonially unclean, of course. We have the same double use in our word "common." See on Mr 7:18f. where Mark adds the remarkable participle καθαριζων (making all meats clean), evidently from Peter who recalls this vision. Peter had been reared from childhood to make the distinction between clean and unclean food and this new proposal even from the Lord runs against all his previous training. He did not see that some of God's plans for the Jews could be temporary. This symbol of the sheet was to show Peter ultimately that Gentiles could be saved without becoming Jews. At this moment he is in spiritual and intellectual turmoil.

Make not thou common ( συ μη κοινου ). Note emphatic position of συ (thou). Do thou stop making common what God cleansed ( εκαθαρισεν ). The idiom of μη with the present active imperative κοινου means precisely this. Peter had just called "common" what God had invited him to slay and eat.

Thrice ( επιτρις ). For three times. Peter remained unconvinced even by the prohibition of God. Here is a striking illustration of obstinacy on the part of one who acknowledges the voice of God to him when the command of the Lord crosses one's preferences and prejudices. There are abundant examples today of precisely this thing. In a real sense Peter was maintaining a pose of piety beyond the will of the Lord. Peter was defiling what God had cleansed.

Was received up ( ανελημφθη ). First aorist passive indicative of αναλαμβανω, to take up. The word used of the Ascension (1:22).