Do Not Call Anything Impure!

Peter was a special person, personally trained by Jesus with utmost care. He with his few colleagues received the Great Commission from Jesus, to go and make disciples of all nations. They also received the Master Plan of the Holy Spirit, which required them to be witnesses not only in Jerusalem and Judea, but in Samaria and in the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8). But Peter, a traditional Jew did not move out of his Jewish boundary of Jerusalem and Judea for quite some time. Interestingly, the revival with the Samaritans, with the so-called low caste people in Acts 8 was primarily because of Philip, the deacon! Apostles Peter and John went to Samaria and only had to confirm it with a “wow!”

Peter was heavily prejudiced to the extent that he had to undergo training of mind through a heavenly vision. The vision was repeated “thrice” to make him understand the simple, basic truth: not to call anything impure that God had made clean. Peter needed the series of visions from heaven to make him move out of his Jewish zone to his so-called “impure” zone, the Cornelius household. By the way, Cornelius, an Italian was a gem of a character according to Acts 10:2 and 4. The Cornelius household became fine believers only after Peter, the  apostle himself was converted.

Peter is termed a ‘hypocrite’ by Apostle Paul in another instance of Jewish arrogance. Fearing the Jews, Peter withdrew himself, not willing to eat with the believers of Antioch, another ‘unclean-clan!’ Barnabas and many other Jews were led astray following the hypocrisy of Peter (Galatians 2:11-13). Peter of the New Testament is more in likeness to Jonah, the disobedient prophet of the Old Testament. The people in the ship, all belonging to the ‘impure’ clan, feared the living God (Jonah 1:16). And the people of Nineveh, another ‘impure’ cluster repented of their sin. But did Jonah ever repent of his racial bias? This small Old Testament book ends with a clarion call for people like Jonah to repent from their racial discords.

Peters and Jonahs today have to undergo a conversion experience. The superiority attitude of the Jews, which is ungodly, unbiblical is seen in many ways in our present context . I know a pastor who uses his ‘high’ caste identity in his name. I also know Christian organisations that are heavily caste and regional biased. And why do Christians still choose marriage partners within their own caste, regional domains? Also try answering the bigger question: How many of us have the heart of God to look beyond our own lingual and ethnic identities and participate in the wider mission of God, to serve ‘unclean’ communities? 

"Do not call anything impure that God has made clean." (Acts 10:15)