And this was done thrice. And presently the vessel was taken up into heaven.
τουτο δε εγενετο επι τρις και παλιν ανεληφθη το σκευος εις τον ουρανον
5 Church Fathers comment on this verse
The threefold repetition signifies baptism. The fact that the voice was heard from there, that this was repeated three times, that heaven was opened, and that the vessel was let down from there and taken up again, is great proof of the divine character of the event.
Three times the voice of the Lord sounded. This was done for our salvation: the Begetter and the Begotten together with the Holy Spirit thus revealed it. Arius, hostile to this faith, fell by denying that the One abides in three Persons. Sabellius, confessing the One but only the Father, asserts that the same One is called in turn both Son and Holy Spirit. He says that the single principle contains these three forms and appears in them, while remaining wholly the same. Both teachings are refuted. For the thrice-sounded command reveals the unity of the Persons distinguished by Their properties. The command by which He called the nations must be believed.
For the mystery of the Holy Trinity had to be proclaimed to the four quarters of the world by the twelve Apostles. Therefore four corners were let down from heaven three times.
Or, as blessed Ambrose explains, the image repeated three times expressed the action of the Trinity. Even in the mysteries three questions are asked, and three confirmations are expected.
No one can be cleansed except by a threefold confession.
Therefore Peter himself is asked three times in the Gospel whether he loves the Lord, Jn 21:15-17, so that the bonds upon him from his denial of the Lord might be loosed.
This was shown to Peter at the right time, when Cornelius the Gentile sent for him, so that he would not hesitate to transmit the Christian faith to the uncircumcised.
For he was among those living creatures shown in the vessel of the Gospel. Therefore the Holy Spirit also confirms this.
Augustine of Hippo, Sermones 149.9-10, PL 38:803.
After the sheet had descended three times, it was raised again to heaven. For after the life of this age, in which the Church, cleansed by faith and baptism, sojourns as a stranger, there follows a blessed and eternal dwelling in heaven.
The vision occurred three times to signify the unquestionable truth of what was being communicated in the vision, and to assure Peter of the immutability of the divine decree concerning this. Then the vessel was taken up again into heaven, into the pure and holy realm. This signified that what is clean and what has been cleansed anew, though formerly unclean, are equally received by God into heaven.
The eating of various animals was mentioned three times, probably because the Apostle Peter, having once refused such food, either said the same thing a second time or remained silent. Therefore it was said a third time.
This partly recalls his threefold confirmation by Jesus Christ in the apostolate, from which he had in a sense denied himself, when in the high priest's courtyard he said that he did not even know Jesus.
There the matter concerned Peter's love for the Lord. Here it concerned his love for other nations, whom he, like the other Jews, regarded in general as unclean.
In particular, he considered them unworthy to pass directly and immediately into Christianity while bypassing Judaism.
In the allegorical words of the Lord there is much that clarifies this question. It stood before the Church for urgent resolution because of the universal purpose of the Gospel.
For everyone remembered the Lord's word: preach the Gospel to every creature, Mk 16:15.
But now the Apostle Peter finds that many creatures are unclean. Why? Because, according to the law of the Old Testament, some were recognized as fit for use, and others as unfit.
Yet the same Lawgiver, God, declares that when He has cleansed anything, it can no longer continue to be regarded as unclean.
Consequently, when it was commanded that the Gospel be proclaimed to every creature, then it must be preached to all.
Those who accept this preaching must no longer be considered unclean, but must be received into communion equally with the Jews.
The miraculous character of the appearance, and the threefold instruction, certainly had to lead Peter more deeply into the meaning of the vision.
He had to understand that it was not to be taken in the ordinary sense of food. What he saw descended from heaven and was raised there again as something immaterial and spiritual.
Therefore it had to be considered spiritually.
The command to the Apostle to arise is significant. He was either praying on his knees, or, seeing heaven opened and what descended from it, he fell on his face.
So the Old Testament prophets did at especially overwhelming visions; see Dan 10:9.
The adaptation of the vision to Peter's felt hunger is also significant. It shows that, when eating food, one must firmly remember that man does not live by bread alone.
It is good to share food with the one most in need of it, verse 23. Still better is it to share spiritual bread.
According to blessed Theophylact, "Peter, the first of the Apostles, needed a divine revelation concerning the calling of the Gentiles to the Christian faith.
For he did not know that circumcision and uncircumcision make no difference in relation to faith.
Certainly he did not clearly know that the Lord had said that, when service through faith was revealed, the Gentiles also were to be taught that faith.
They did not know this until His ineffable will, through this appearance, revealed the mysteries."
"The vision occurred three times as a sign of the undoubted truth of what was communicated in it, and to assure Peter of the unchangeable divine decree concerning this matter."
Passages read together with this verse.
Greek text, 13 words with lemma, transliteration and Strong’s number. Tap to expand.
THEOSIS