Act 9:43 | TNotes | STEP | 9:43 living with Simon, a tanner of hides: Tanning was an unclean business in Jewish eyes, which might suggest that Peter was not scrupulous in observing Jewish traditions (cp. Gal 2:11-14 ). Thematic note: Visions Visions are closely related to other revelatory experiences such as dreams (Gen 37:5-10 ; 40:5-19 ). Classic examples include Ezekiel’s vision of the valley of dry bones (Ezek 37:1-14 ) and Isaiah’s vision of God’s throne (Isa 6 ). Visions were often the means by which the Old Testament prophets received messages from the Lord. These visions often contained very striking imagery. The imagery generally offered a graphic, metaphorical depiction of an earthly reality, which was then interpreted for the one seeing the vision by God or an angel. Visions are also prominent in the book of Acts, and they are usually connected with prayer (Acts 9:10-12 ; 16:9-10 ; 22:17-21 ; 23:11 ; see Luke 1:8-20 ). On one occasion, Cornelius, a Roman officer, was visited by an angel (Acts 10:1-6 , 30-32 ), who told him to send for Peter. The following day, Peter received a vision as he prayed (10:9-16 ; see 11:5-10 ) that directly related to his subsequent encounter with Cornelius. In Acts 9, the visions of Paul and Ananias likewise highlight God’s involvement in their lives (9:3-6 , 10-16 ). These visions are not chance coincidences but the providential outworking of God’s saving purposes in the world. Visions give divine direction and show Christian workers the way in which they should carry out the Great Commission. Paul had visions on the Damascus road at his conversion (Acts 9:3-6 ; 22:6-10 ; 26:12-19 ), on the threshold of his missionary advance into Europe (16:9 ), at Corinth (18:9-11 ), in the Temple (22:17-21 ), and again in Jerusalem before he set out on his trip to Rome (23:11 ). Through visions God is active in guiding the affairs of the church and in extending its mission (see the study notes on 10:3, 9-16; 22:17-22; 23:11; see also Gal 1:8-9 and study note there). Passages for Further Study Gen 37:5-10 ; 40:1–41:36 ; Isa 6:1-13 ; Jer 14:14 ; Ezek 37:1-14 ; Dan 8:1-27 ; 9:21 ; Hos 12:10 ; Obad 1:1 ; Hab 2:3 ; Luke 1:8-20 ; Acts 9:3-6 , 10-16 ; 10:3-6 , 9-16 , 30-32 ; 11:5-9 ; 16:9-10 ; 18:9-11 ; 22:6-10 , 17-21 ; 23:11 ; 26:14-19 ; 2 Cor 12:1-10 ; Rev 1:9

9:43 ^a living with Simon, a tanner of hides: Tanning was an unclean business in Jewish eyes, which might suggest that Peter was not scrupulous in observing Jewish traditions (cp. Gal 2:11-14 ^b).

Thematic note: Visions
Visions are closely related to other revelatory experiences such as dreams (Gen 37:5-10 ^c; 40:5-19 ^d). Classic examples include Ezekiel’s vision of the valley of dry bones (Ezek 37:1-14 ^e) and Isaiah’s vision of God’s throne (Isa 6 ^f). Visions were often the means by which the Old Testament prophets received messages from the Lord. These visions often contained very striking imagery. The imagery generally offered a graphic, metaphorical depiction of an earthly reality, which was then interpreted for the one seeing the vision by God or an angel.
Visions are also prominent in the book of Acts, and they are usually connected with prayer (Acts 9:10-12 ^g; 16:9-10 ^h; 22:17-21 ⁱ; 23:11 ^j; see Luke 1:8-20 ^k). On one occasion, Cornelius, a Roman officer, was visited by an angel (Acts 10:1-6 ^l, 30-32 ^m), who told him to send for Peter. The following day, Peter received a vision as he prayed (10:9-16 ⁿ; see 11:5-10 ^o) that directly related to his subsequent encounter with Cornelius. In Acts 9, the visions of Paul and Ananias likewise highlight God’s involvement in their lives (9:3-6 ^p, 10-16 ^q). These visions are not chance coincidences but the providential outworking of God’s saving purposes in the world.
Visions give divine direction and show Christian workers the way in which they should carry out the Great Commission. Paul had visions on the Damascus road at his conversion (Acts 9:3-6 ^r; 22:6-10 ^s; 26:12-19 ^t), on the threshold of his missionary advance into Europe (16:9 ^u), at Corinth (18:9-11 ^v), in the Temple (22:17-21 ^w), and again in Jerusalem before he set out on his trip to Rome (23:11 ^x). Through visions God is active in guiding the affairs of the church and in extending its mission (see the study notes on 10:3, 9-16; 22:17-22; 23:11; see also Gal 1:8-9 ^y and study note there).

Passages for Further Study
Gen 37:5-10 ^z; 40:1–41:36 ^aa; Isa 6:1-13 ^ab; Jer 14:14 ^ac; Ezek 37:1-14 ^ad; Dan 8:1-27 ^ae; 9:21 ^af; Hos 12:10 ^ag; Obad 1:1 ^ah; Hab 2:3 ^ai; Luke 1:8-20 ^aj; Acts 9:3-6 ^ak, 10-16 ^al; 10:3-6 ^am, 9-16 ^an, 30-32 ^ao; 11:5-9 ^ap; 16:9-10 ^aq; 18:9-11 ^ar; 22:6-10 ^as, 17-21 ^at; 23:11 ^au; 26:14-19 ^av; 2 Cor 12:1-10 ^aw; Rev 1:9–22:7 ^ax