The Relationship of Jewish and Gentile Believers to the Law Between A.D. 30 and 70 in the Scripture

85 support, however, are at least twofold: textual and historical. Dibelius has to qualify his assertion with the words "obviously, this has involved eating that which is unclean, " because the text does not do so. 90 The accusation of the brethren in Jerusalem was not directed toward what Peter ate, but rather , with whom he ate ; not his menu but his companions. Our misunderstanding of the sociology and culture of the first century has caused us to misread "you ate with them" as shorthand for "you ate unclean food." The distinction in Jewish society however was clear and significant. 91 Because a common table was the best expression of fellowship (cf. 2:42-46) , Peter had taken unclean Gentiles into an intimate fellowship by sharing meals and this was judged as inappropriate by his peers. Simply eating with Gentiles was a significant charge by itself and does not necessitate that Peter ate unclean food . This understanding is also corroborated textually by Peter ' s itlitial objections upon entering Cornelius ' house . His misgivings did not involve food -<' for the thought of eating was surely far from Peter's mind at that point. 92 His concern was simply being in the house of a Gentile and associating with him. "And as he talked with him he entered , and found many people assembled . And he said to them, 'You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a man who is a Jew to associate with a fo reigner or to visit him . ' " (10:27-28). Furthermore, to assert that Peter was non-kosher because he ate in the home of 90 Ibid . f. 11 :2-3, "And when Peter am up t J ru al m, th e ho re cir um– ci ed took i ue with him, aying, 'You went to uncircumci ed men and at ith th m . '" 91 "A in other contemporary ocietie , the ery que tion f tho could ha e wide pread ramification . The dining arrang ment r ported in G n 4 : particularly int re ting . Jo eph, although ruler of all g pt, a a mit uld n t at 1th gyptian •" cott, 'The orneliu Incident in the ight of it J i h etting," 476, n . . 92 At thi pomt P t r i till t lo a t h h ha ot hi ord m th n t er e, "And o I k for h t r a n (l :2 ). to rn liu ' h u nt f rm "