I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on Acts 9-10

The nature of Saul’s conversion is not uncommon.  Often times those who are the most loudly and violently opposed to the faith become some of its most vocal and forceful proponents when the Holy Spirit reaches them.  In Saul’s case, we see someone who used violence and torture against those whose arguments he could not refute.  Saul was a student of Gamaliel, the man who advised the Sanhedrin that if the Jesus’ teachings were not of God His followers would disperse now that Jesus had been crucified.  So, in persecuting the Believers, Saul was going against the advice of his own rabbi.

The key phrase from the account of Peter visiting Cornelius comes from Peter’s vision: “Do not call something unclean if God has made it clean.”  There are many different ways in which this can be interpreted, but let’s look at how Peter interpreted it.  Before having this vision, Peter viewed Gentiles as unclean for failing to adopt Jewish cultural practices.   After the vision, Peter realized that anyone who fears God and does what is right is clean.  Peter felt this way when he began preaching.  Then the Holy Spirit validated his understanding by falling upon the Gentiles listening to him.  Also, let us note that these Gentiles were devout: they gave generously to the poor and prayed regularly.  Peter did not need to preach to them about this.