In this state, the external world with all its impressions is completely closed to the external senses of man, and the phenomena of another invisible world are revealed to his inner sense. The Holy Apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians 12:2-3 [55] expresses himself very characteristically about such a state, which he himself experienced: "Whether in the body I do not know, whether outside the body I do not know, God knows."

In this state, Peter saw the "open heaven" and from it descending, as it were, a large cloth, tied at the four corners above in the open sky. In this canvas, Peter saw all kinds of animals - quadrupeds, reptiles and birds.

"And a voice came to him, saying, Arise, Peter, kill and eat." Peter was probably on his knees or prostrate on the ground in a prayerful position. There were all kinds of animals in the linen - both clean and unclean. A voice from heaven seemed to invite Peter to eat any animal, without making a distinction. The Apostle turned his attention to this, in fact, side of the command as unusual, and therefore forcefully objected:

"Lord, I have never eaten anything filthy or unclean." To this the voice answered him: "What God has cleansed, you do not consider unclean, in contrast to God": in these words is the meaning of the whole vision, which Peter could not understand at first, but which was soon explained to him.

The meaning and purpose of the whole vision is this: all these animals symbolically signified all mankind; the clean animals denoted the chosen people of God – the Jews, and the unclean – the pagans, whom God cleansed by the death of Christ the Redeemer on the cross, and therefore in the new Kingdom of God on earth – the Kingdom of the Messiah or the Church of Christ, there is and should not be a difference between Jews and Gentiles – all are equally cleansed by the precious Blood of the Lamb of God Christ, and all are equally worthy to enter His Kingdom. As can be seen from v. 28, Peter later correctly understood the meaning of this vision.

This vision opened a new epoch in the history of the early Christian Church, the epoch of the calling of paganism to Christianity without the mediation of Judaism.

This vision was repeated three times, as a sign of its immutability, and then those sent by the centurion Cornelius came for Peter. Since Peter, who did not immediately understand the meaning of the vision, could be perplexed as to whether he, as a Jew, could follow the invitation of a pagan, he immediately received a new revelation from the Spirit of God: "Go with them, not doubting in the least; for I have sent them." Peter did not immediately depart, but invited the messengers to his house and entertained them, of course, because the journey was far away, and they set out on their journey only the next day.

On the following day, that is, on the fourth day after Cornelius had the vision, as is evident from v. 30, they arrived at Caesarea, where Cornelius was waiting for them, who had apparently summoned like-minded relatives and friends. Thus, in the house of Cornelius, a more or less significant society of pagans gathered, ready to believe in Christ. Meeting Peter, Cornelius bowed down to him, "falling at his feet." Something special was expressed in this earthly worship: it is possible that Cornelius, as a pagan, considered Peter to be someone higher than an ordinary man. And so Peter emphatically rejected such self-worship by saying, "Arise, I am also a man," that is, I am a man like all others. In this, of course, one can see Peter's deep humility. Finding many pagans gathered in the house, Saint Peter said that it was forbidden for a Jew to associate or approach a foreigner, but that God had revealed to him that he should not consider a single person to be filthy or unclean, and therefore he came unquestioningly, and asked for what purpose they had called him.

In the Law of Moses, in fact, there is no prohibition for a Jew to enter into communion with a Gentile, but later rabbiism, under the influence of Phariseeism, developed the teaching that for a Jew to enter the house of a Gentile is already considered a defilement. From Peter's words it is evident that he understood the meaning of the vision that had occurred to him. In response to Peter's question, Cornelius simply relayed a vision that had occurred to him. Then Peter began his preaching about Christ.

In Peter's speech, three components are clearly distinguished:

1) The introductory sentence on the reception into the Kingdom of God of virtuous and pious people from all nations without distinction (vv. 34-35);

2) A brief description of the activities of Jesus Christ before His death (36-39) and after His resurrection (40-42), and

3) a reference to the prophetic utterances about the salvation of all in Christ (43).

Saint Peter's speech was suddenly interrupted by a startling and unexpected appearance for all: the Holy Spirit descended upon all those who were listening. This is the only example in the entire apostolic history that the Holy Spirit descended on those who joined the Christian community even before their baptism and without any visible intermediary – the usual laying on of apostolic hands. This was a special sign from God for the admonition of those Jews who considered the Gentiles unclean and unworthy to be members of the Kingdom of the Messiah, at least without first accepting Judaism. We do not meet with such an extraordinary gift of the Holy Spirit in the history of Christianity.