one you're looking for.
Why have you come?"
22 The men replied, "We have come from Cornelius the centurion. He is a
righteous and God-fearing man, who is respected by all the
Jewish people. A holy angel told him to have you come to his house so that
he could hear what you have to say."
23 Then Peter invited the men into the house to be his guests. The next
day Peter started out with them, and some of the brothers from Joppa went
along.
24 The following day he arrived in Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them
and had called together his relatives and close friends.
25 As Peter entered the house, Cornelius met him and fell at his feet in
reverence.
26 But Peter made him get up. "Stand up," he said, "I am only a man
myself."
27 Talking with him, Peter went inside and found a large gathering of
people.
28 He said to them: "You are well aware that it is against our law for
a Jew to associate with a GENTILE or visit him. But God has shown me
that I should not call any man impure or unclean.
Again,
notice what Peter’s interpretation of the vision was. He did not believe
God was now telling him not to follow the kosher laws. Rather, he
believed that God was against labeling PEOPLE as unclean.
But, what law is Peter talking about when he
says it is “against the law for a Jew to associate with a Gentile or to
visit him?” This is NOT a law found in the Torah. At this time in Jewish
history, however, there was an anti-Gentile movement among the followers
of Shammai who instituted the 18 edicts or measures.