‘And this was done three times, and immediately the container was received up into heaven.'
The sheet was lowered three times. It would seem probable that three times Peter refused to eat. Whatever God said he could not bring himself to break the habits of a lifetime, especially in such an odious way (Peter would know of Ezekiel 4:9-15 where Ezekiel had, on pleading with God, obtained some relief. Possibly Peter was hoping for a similar concession.). But the threefold repetition, which emphasised the importance of the message that the vision was seeking to get over, made him feel more and more uneasy. It may well also have taken his mind back to when the Lord had three time called on him to tend His sheep (John 21:15-17). But what connection had sheep with these unclean animals? (He was soon to learn). Then to his relief the sheet was taken back up into heaven, temporarily at least resolving his dilemma.