THE GROWTH OF THE NEW PEOPLE OF GOD (2:1-9:31). The foundation of the new people of God having been re-established in chapter 1 we now enter a period of growth and expansion among the Jews and Samaritans, as, beginning with Pentecost, God begins to call to Himself the remnant who will respond to Hi... [ Continue Reading ]
‘ And when the day of Pentecost was now come, they were all together in one place.' The day of this event is clearly stated. It was on the Day of Pentecost, the Day of the Feast of Harvest, when Jerusalem would be filled with visitors, many of whom would flock to the Temple. But interestingly the p... [ Continue Reading ]
THE COMING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT (2:1-4). It must be recognised what Pentecost was. It was not the day of the crowning of the King. That had already taken place in Heaven (Matthew 28:18; Mark 16:19; Daniel 7:13). It was the day when His crowning was publicly declared to earth in His coming to dwell in... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And suddenly there came from heaven a sound as of the rushing of a mighty wind (pnoe), and it filled all the house where they were sitting.' Suddenly, as they were praying there, there came the ‘sound from heaven of a rushing, mighty wind (Gk. pnoe)' which filled the all the house where they were s... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And there appeared to them tongues dividing apart, like as of fire, and it sat on each one of them.' There also “appeared to them divided tongues as of fire” sitting on each of them. Previously such fire would descend on the Sanctuary. Now it is on His people. Once again it is not suggested that th... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.' This verse is very often the one emphasised when looking at Pentecost, and for the wrong reason. For the emphasis is then placed on ‘being filled with the Holy Spirit', (simply... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Now there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven. And when this sound was heard, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speaking in his own language.' In Jerusalem lived Jews (‘devout men' is elsewhere used mainly to... [ Continue Reading ]
THE REACTION OF THE HEARERS (2:5-13).... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying, Behold, are not all these that speak Galileans? And how hear we, every man in our own language wherein we were born? Parthians and Medes and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia; and Judaea, and Cappadocia, Pontus and those of Asia; and Phrygia a... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And they were all amazed, and were perplexed, saying one to another, “What does this mean?” But others mocking said, “They are filled with sweet wine.” ' Opinions about what was happening were divided. Some were intrigued and even recognised that it somehow held a message for them. They recognised... [ Continue Reading ]
‘But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and spoke forth to them, saying, “You men of Judaea, and all you who dwell at Jerusalem, be this known to you, and give ear to my words.” ' Peter stood up with the eleven. He did not sit as did the Rabbis, and put forth blessed thoughts,... [ Continue Reading ]
PETER'S REPLY (2:14-36). In his reply Peter reveals a combination of what he has learned through the ministry of Jesus, and what Jesus had made clear to His disciples over His resurrection appearances of which we have only been given a small amount of information. The sensible explanation for that l... [ Continue Reading ]
“For these are not drunk, as you suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day.” He first points out the unlikelihood of these men being drunk. It is too early in the day. Most Jews would only drink wine when they ate flesh and it was usual to eat flesh in the evening. Furthermore even hearti... [ Continue Reading ]
“But this is that which has been spoken through the prophet Joel.” He then explains what is really happening. Quoting Scriptures which may well have recently been drawn to his attention by Jesus, and citing the prophet Joel who had spoken of a coming effusion of the Spirit in the days when God bega... [ Continue Reading ]
“And it shall be in the last days, says God, I will pour out of my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters will prophesy, and your young men will see visions, and your old men will dream dreams. Yes, and on my servants and on my handmaidens in those days will I pour forth of my Spirit,... [ Continue Reading ]
“And I will show wonders in the heaven above, And signs on the earth beneath, blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke. The sun will be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the day of the Lord come, that great and notable day.” That day was also to be a time of vivid signs and wonders.... [ Continue Reading ]
“And it shall be, that whoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” In view then of what they have seen and of these coming wonders and catastrophes let them now recognise that if they wish to be saved they should ‘call on the name of the Lord', and in terms of Acts 2:36 this means o... [ Continue Reading ]
“You men of Israel, hear these words. Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God to you by mighty works and wonders and signs which God did by him in the midst of you, even as you yourselves know,” Having commenced with the prophetic word from the Old Testament he moves on to the second stage of the... [ Continue Reading ]
“Him, being delivered up by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, you by the hand of lawless men (or ‘by lawless hands') did crucify and slay.” And they also knew that they themselves were of the people who had caused Him to be crucified and slain. Peter pulls no punches. He will not al... [ Continue Reading ]
“Whom God raised up, having loosed the pangs of death, because it was not possible that he should be kept captive by it.” But His death had not been the end. For God had raised Him up, and had released Him from the pangs of death. Indeed it had not been possible for Him to be held by them because th... [ Continue Reading ]
“For David says concerning him, I beheld the Lord always before my face. For he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved. Therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced. Moreover my flesh also will dwell in hope, because you will not leave my soul to Hades, nor will you give your Holy On... [ Continue Reading ]
“Brethren, I may say to you freely of the patriarch David, that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. Being therefore a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins he would set one on his throne; he foreseeing this spoke of... [ Continue Reading ]
“This Jesus did God raise up, of which we all are witnesses. Being therefore by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured forth this, which you see and hear.” Having given his Scriptural proof Peter now applies it powerfully. This... [ Continue Reading ]
“For David ascended not into the heavens: but he says himself, The Lord said to my Lord, Sit you on my right hand, until I make your enemies the footstool of your feet.” He then again contrasts David's situation with that of Jesus. He had drawn attention to the fact that David was still in his tomb... [ Continue Reading ]
“Let all the house of Israel therefore know assuredly, that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.” Peter then brings them to his final conclusion. All the house of Israel, (all those who claimed descent from Jacob), should therefore recognise from a combination of th... [ Continue Reading ]
THE RESPONSE OF HIS HEARERS (2:37-41). ‘Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brethren, what shall we do?” ' What they had seen and heard had convinced many of them. Their hearts and consciences were pricked, and they appealed to the... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And Peter said to them, “Repent you, and be baptised every one of you on the name of Jesus Christ to the remission of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” Peter summarises what they must do. They are to ‘repent', to have a change of heart and mind about the Lord Jesus Chri... [ Continue Reading ]
“For to you is the promise, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call to him.” Peter then reminds them that what he is declaring is what God had already promised them and speaks in such a way as to remind them of Isaiah's prophecies. The promise... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And with many other words he testified, and exhorted them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.” ' We are now specifically informed that we have only been given the gist of Peter's message. He spoke many other things, testifying to them and exhorting them, and the continual heart... [ Continue Reading ]
‘They then who received his word were baptised, and there were added to them in that day about three thousand souls.' The result was the ‘adding' to them of around three thousand people. ‘Three thousand' indicates a goodly and complete number in great contrast with the one hundred and twenty. There... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread and the prayers. And fear came on every soul. And many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. And all that believed were together, and had all things common, and they sold their possessions... [ Continue Reading ]
THE KINGLY RULE OF GOD IS REVEALED AS PRESENT IN THE LIFE OF THE NEW CONGREGATION OF ISRAEL (2:42-47). Now, as a result of Pentecost, we have the beginnings of the Kingly Rule of God manifested on earth as the believers grow in faith together, share food together, pray together, share together, and... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And day by day, continuing steadfastly with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread at home, they took their food with gladness and singleness of heart, praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to them day by day those who were being saved.' And this continued o... [ Continue Reading ]