Simon Peter is called into account by the Jewish Christians in Jerusalem to explain why he had made so bold as to eat unclean food in the presence of Gentiles. He explains that while he was in Joppa, a guest in the home of Simon the tanner, he had fallen into a trance and experienced a vision. Before going further, let us make a distinction at two points: 1. Simon the tanner. As the name suggests, Simon tanned hides, an occupation considered by Jews to be unclean, insofar as it involved handling dead things (Leviticus 11:39-40). 2. The vision. While on the rooftop of Simon’s house (11:5) Peter saw a great sheet being let down from heaven containing animals, beasts of prey, and wild birds. A voice instructed him to "rise, kill and eat," but refusing, he said, "No Lord, for nothing common or…