I have never eaten ... - In the Old Testament God had made a distinction between clean and unclean animals. See Leviticus 11:2-27; Deuteronomy 14:3-20. This law remained in the Scriptures, and Peter pled that he had never violated it, implying that he could not now violate it, as it was a law of God, and that, as it was unrepealed, he did not dare to act in a different manner from what it required. Between that law and the command which he now received in the vision there was an apparent variation, and Peter naturally referred to the well known and admitted written Law. One design of the vision was to show him that that Law was now to pass away.

That is common - This word properly denotes "what pertains to all," but among the Jews, who were bound by special laws, and who were prohibited from many things that were freely indulged in by other nations, the word "common" came to be opposed to the word "sacred," and to denote what was in common use among the pagans, hence, that which was "profane," or "polluted." Here it means the same as "profane," or "forbidden."

Unclean - Ceremonially unclean; that is, what is forbidden by the ceremonial law of Moses.

Common or unclean - By common, κοινον, whatever was in general use among the Gentiles is to be understood; by ακαθαρτον, unclean, every thing that was forbidden by the Mosaic law. However, the one word may be considered as explanatory of the other. The rabbins themselves, and many of the primitive fathers, believed that by the unclean animals forbidden by the law the Gentiles were meant.

But Peter said, not so, Lord,.... God forbid I should do this, so contrary to the law of God, and to my own practice, throughout the whole course of my life:

for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean; in a ceremonial sense, which was in common use with Gentiles, but unclean by the law of Moses: this shows that Peter as yet closely adhered to the ceremonial law, nor did he know that it was abolished by Christ; and notwithstanding the commission given to him and the rest of the apostles to preach the Gospel to every creature, and the extraordinary gifts of speaking with divers tongues for that purpose, bestowed on them at the day of Pentecost; yet he and they remained greatly strangers to the calling of the Gentiles, and the admitting of them to a civil and religious conversation with them; the knowledge of every truth was not at once communicated to them, but gradually, as it pressed the Lord to enlighten their minds.

Not so (μηδαμῶς)

Stronger: by no means. "With that simple and audacious self-confidence which in his (Peter's) character was so singularly mingled with fits of timidity and depression, he boldly corrects the voice which orders him, and reminds the divine Interlocutor that he must, so to speak, have made an oversight" (Farrar, "Life and Works of Paul"). Compare Matthew 16:22.

Common (κοινὸν)

Unholy.

{2} But Peter said, Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten any thing that is common or unclean.

(2) Peter learns daily in the knowledge of the benefit of Christ, yea, even after he had received the Holy Spirit.

10:11-15 Saw heaven opened. The meaning of the vision is plain. Peter was hungry (Ac 10:10). He saw, let down from heaven, all kinds of animals, those ceremonially unclean and prohibited by the Mosaic law, as well as others (Ac 10:11,12), and was told to kill and eat (Ac 10:13). When he answered that he had never eaten anything common (as opposed to holy) and unclean (Ac 10:14), that is, forbidden by Moses, he was told that what God had cleansed was not common or unclean (Ac 10:15). This could only mean that the ceremonial distinctions of the law were abrogated (Le 11:2-45 De 14:3-21). It was at this time that the messengers from a Gentile, one of a class, with which even Peter would not eat, yet for which Christ had died, presented themselves (Ac 10:21). The object of the vision was to show Peter that it was the will of the Lord that he should go.

10:14 But Peter said, In nowise, Lord - When God commands a strange or seemingly improper thing, the first objection frequently finds pardon. But it ought not to be repeated. This doubt and delay of St. Peter had several good effects. Hereby the will of God in this important point was made more evident and incontestable. And Peter also, having been so slow of belief himself, could the more easily bear the doubting of his brethren, Acts 11:2, and c.

14. Not so, Lord-See Marginal reference.

I have never eaten anything that is common-that is, not sanctified by divine permission to eat of it, and so "unclean." "The distinction of meats was a sacrament of national distinction, separation, and consecration" [Webster and Wilkinson].

10:9-18 The prejudices of Peter against the Gentiles, would have prevented his going to Cornelius, unless the Lord had prepared him for this service. To tell a Jew that God had directed those animals to be reckoned clean which were hitherto deemed unclean, was in effect saying, that the law of Moses was done away. Peter was soon made to know the meaning of it. God knows what services are before us, and how to prepare us; and we know the meaning of what he has taught us, when we find what occasion we have to make use of it.