ACC ~ Acts 10 v9

LEAVING BEHIND EARTHLY DESIRES. BEDE: This signifies that when the church has left behind earthly desires, it will have its way of life in heaven. COMMENTARY ON THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 10.9A.

SEEKING THINGS ABOVE. ORIGEN: But the apostle Peter, when he was in Joppa and “wanted to pray, ascended into the upper part” [of the house]. Immediately, I take these words to be not in vain, that he did not pray in lower places but “ascended to the higher.” For the reason that so great an apostle chose to pray “in a higher place” is not superfluous, but rather, I believe, to show that Peter, because “he had died with Christ, was seeking the things that are above, where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God” and “not the things upon the earth.”“He ascended” there, to that “roof,” to those heights about which the Lord also says, “Let the one who is on the roof not go down to remove anything from the house.” Then, so that you may know that we do not say these things suspiciously about Peter because “he ascends to the higher,” you will confirm it from the following. It says, “He went up to the higher place to pray, and he saw the heavens open.” Does it not yet appear to you that Peter had gone up “to the higher,” not only in the body but also in mind and spirit? . . .

It is appropriate that Peter stays “at the house of a tanner,” that one, perhaps, about whom Job says, “you clothed me with skin and flesh.” HOMILIES ON LEVITICUS 7.4.4-6.

FOR THE SALVATION OF THE WORLD. BEDE: At the sixth hour, in the midst of his prayer, Peter became hungry—hungry indeed for the salvation of the world, which in the sixth age the Lord had come to seek and to save.Christ himself also wished to indicate this when, at the same hour of the day, he became thirsty at the Samaritan well. COMMENTARY ON THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 10.9B.

THE HUNGER AND THIRST OF GOD. ARATOR: Peter proceeds to go to the high upper story as it is now the blazing middle of the day: the high place looking down upon the earth teaches Peter always to follow heavenly, not earthly things; the circuit of the sixth hour also discloses the [number of the] age in which Christ came into the world to dispense the wealth of him who saves. The number, with respect to days, manifests the pattern by which he earlier established the world which the Redeemer, coming in this very age, forbids to be crushed under the sway of sin. Finally it is said that these things also took place at the sixth [hour]; when the Master, weary from his journey [and] sitting at the mouth of the well, asks for a cup of water by means of the maid’s vessel, he is about to provide his church’s rest everywhere from the font. In the [same] hour that Peter was hungry, his godly Master thirsted, always loving to add to his gifts. He who increased the honor of [Peter’s] name enabled him at the same time to nourish faith. The earth will rejoice, filled by this hunger [of Peter’s] which, richer than any gift, flows deliciously and, as it brings eternal feasts, leaves no one empty. ON THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 1.

Acts