WAS NOW COME (εν τω συνπληρουσθα). Luke's favourite idiom of εν with the articular present infinitive passive and the accusative of general reference, "in the being fulfilled completely (perfective use of συν-) as to the day of Pentecost." Common verb, but only in Luke in N.T. In literal sense of... [ Continue Reading ]
SUDDENLY (αφνω). Old adverb, but in the N.T. only in Acts (Acts 2:2; Acts 16:26; Acts 28:6). Kin to εξαιφνης (Acts 22:61).A SOUND (ηχος). Our εχο. Old word, already in Luke 4:37 for rumour and Luke 21:25 for the roar of the sea. It was not wind, but a roar or reverberation "as of the rushing of... [ Continue Reading ]
PARTING ASUNDER (διαμεριζομενα). Present middle (or passive) participle of διαμεριζω, old verb, to cleave asunder, to cut in pieces as a butcher does meat (aorist passive in Luke 11:17). So middle here would mean, parting themselves asunder or distributing themselves. The passive voice would be "b... [ Continue Reading ]
WITH OTHER TONGUES (ετεραις γλωσσαις). Other than their native tongues. Each one began to speak in a language that he had not acquired and yet it was a real language and understood by those from various lands familiar with them. It was not jargon, but intelligible language. Jesus had said that the... [ Continue Reading ]
WERE DWELLING (ησαν κατοικουντες). Periphrastic imperfect active indicative. Usually κατοικεω means residence in a place (Acts 4:16; Acts 7:24; Acts 9:22; Acts 9:32) as in verse Acts 2:14 (Luke 13:4). Perhaps some had come to Jerusalem to live while others were here only temporarily, for the same... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEN THIS SOUND WAS HEARD (γενομενης της φωνης ταυτης). Genitive absolute with aorist middle participle. Note φωνη this time, not ηχο as in verse Acts 2:1. Φωνη originally meant sound as of the wind (John 3:8) or an instrument (1 Corinthians 14:7; 1 Corinthians 14:8; 1 Corinthians 14:10), then voi... [ Continue Reading ]
WERE AMAZED (εξισταντο). Imperfect middle of εξιστημ, to stand out of themselves, wide-open astonishment.MARVELLED (εθαυμαζον). Imperfect active. The wonder grew and grew.GALILEANS (Γαλιλαιο). There were few followers of Jesus as yet from Jerusalem. The Galileans spoke a rude Aramaic (Mark 14:... [ Continue Reading ]
CRETES AND ARABIANS . These two groups "seem to have been added to the list as an afterthought" (Knowling). Crete is an island to itself and Arabia was separate also though near Judea and full of Jews. The point is not that each one of these groups of Jews spoke a different language, but that whe... [ Continue Reading ]
WERE PERPLEXED (διηπορουντο). Imperfect middle of διαπορεω (δια, α privative, πορος) to be wholly at a loss. Old verb, but in N.T. only in Luke and Acts. They continued amazed (εξισταντο) and puzzled.WHAT MEANETH THIS? (Τ θελε τουτο εινα). Literally, what does this wish to be?... [ Continue Reading ]
MOCKING (διαχλευαζοντες). Old verb, but only here in the N.T., though the simple verb (without δια) in Acts 17:32. Χλευη means a joke.WITH NEW WINE (γλευκους). Sweet wine, but intoxicating. Sweet wine kept a year was very intoxicating. Genitive case here after μεμεστωμενο εισιν (periphrastic pe... [ Continue Reading ]
STANDING UP WITH THE ELEVEN (σταθεις συν τοις ενδεκα). Took his stand with the eleven including Matthias, who also rose up with them, and spoke as their spokesman, a formal and impressive beginning. The Codex Bezae has "ten apostles." Luke is fond of this pictorial use of σταθεις (first aorist pa... [ Continue Reading ]
AS YE SUPPOSE (ως υμεις υπολαμβανετε). Note use of υμεις (ye) for decided emphasis.THE THIRD HOUR (ωρα τριτη). Three o'clock in the day Jewish time, nine Roman. Drunkenness belongs to the night (1 Thessalonians 5:7). It was a quick, common sense reply, and complete answer to their suspicion.... [ Continue Reading ]
THIS IS THAT WHICH HATH BEEN SPOKEN BY THE PROPHET JOEL (τουτο εστιν το ειρημενον δια του προφητου Ιωηλ). Positive interpretation of the supernatural phenomena in the light of the Messianic prophecy of Joel 2:28-32. Peter's mind is now opened by the Holy Spirit to understand the Messianic prophec... [ Continue Reading ]
IN THE LAST DAYS (εν ταις εσχαταις ημεραις). Joel does not have precisely these words, but he defines "those days" as being "the day of the Lord" (cf. Isaiah 2:2; Micah 4:1).I WILL POUR FORTH (εκχεω). Future active indicative of εκχεω. This future like εδομα and πιομα is without tense sign, pro... [ Continue Reading ]
WONDERS (τερατα). Apparently akin to the verb τηρεω, to watch like a wonder in the sky,MIRACLE (μιραχυλυμ), marvel, portent. In the New Testament the word occurs only in the plural and only in connection with σημεια (signs) as here and in verse Acts 2:43. ButSIGNS (σημεια) here is not in the... [ Continue Reading ]
SHALL BE TURNED (μεταστραφησετα). Second future passive of μεταστρεφω, common verb, but only three times in the N.T. (Acts 2:20 from Joel; James 4:9; Galatians 1:7). These are the "wonders" or portents of verse Acts 2:19. It is worth noting that Peter interprets these "portents" as fulfilled on th... [ Continue Reading ]
SHALL CALL ON (επικαλεσητα). First aorist middle subjunctive of επικαλεω, common verb, to call to, middle voice for oneself in need. Indefinite relative clause with εαν and so subjunctive, punctiliar idea, in any single case, and so aorist.... [ Continue Reading ]
HEAR THESE WORDS (ακουσατε τους λογους τουτους). Do it now (aorist tense). With unerring aim Peter has found the solution for the phenomena. He has found the key to God's work on this day in his words through Joel.AS YE YOURSELVES KNOW (καθως αυτο οιδατε). Note αυτο for emphasis. Peter calls th... [ Continue Reading ]
HIM (τουτον). "This one," resumptive and emphatic object of "did crucify and slay."BEING DELIVERED UP (εκδοτον). Verbal adjective from εκδιδωμ, to give out or over. Old word, but here only in the N.T. Delivered up by Judas, Peter means.BY THE DETERMINATE COUNSEL AND FOREKNOWLEDGE OF GOD (τη ω... [ Continue Reading ]
GOD RAISED UP (ο θεος ανεστησεν). _Est hoc summum orationis_ (Blass). Apparently this is the first public proclamation to others than believers of the fact of the Resurrection of Jesus. "At a time it was still possible to test the statement, to examine witnesses, to expose fraud, the Apostle open... [ Continue Reading ]
CONCERNING HIM (εις αυτον). Peter interprets Psalms 16:8-11 as written by David and with reference to the Messiah. There is but one speaker in this Psalm and both Peter here and Paul in Acts 13:36 make it the Messiah. David is giving his own experience which is typical of the Messiah (Knowling).I... [ Continue Reading ]
WAS GLAD (ηυφρανθη). First aorist (timeless here like the Hebrew perfect) passive indicative of ευφραινω (cf. Luke 15:32). Timeless also is "rejoiced" (ηγαλλιασατο).SHALL DWELL (κατασκηνωσε). Shall tabernacle, pitch a tent, make one's abode (cf. Matthew 13:32). See on Matthew 8:20 about κατασκη... [ Continue Reading ]
IN HADES (εις Hαιδην). Hades is the unseen world, Hebrew Sheol, but here it is viewed as death itself "considered as a rapacious destroyer" (Hackett). It does not mean the place of punishment, though both heaven and the place of torment are in Hades (Luke 16:23). "Death and Hades are strictly para... [ Continue Reading ]
THE WAYS OF LIFE (οδους ζωης). Though dead God will show him the ways back to life.... [ Continue Reading ]
I MAY SAY (εξον ειπειν). Supply εστιν before εξον, periphrastic present indicative of εξειμ, to allow, permit. The Authorized Version has "Let me speak," supplying εστο present imperative.FREELY (μετα παρρησιας). Telling it all (παν, ρησια from ειπον, to speak), with fulness, with boldness. Luk... [ Continue Reading ]
FORESEEING (προιδων). Second aorist active participle. Did it as a prophet.OF THE CHRIST (του Χριστου). Of the Messiah. See under verse Acts 2:32. This is a definite statement by Peter that David knew that in Acts 2:16 he was describing the resurrection of the Messiah.... [ Continue Reading ]
THIS JESUS (τουτον τον Ιησουν). Many of the name "Jesus," but he means the one already called "the Nazarene" (verse Acts 2:22) and foretold as the Messiah in Acts 2:16 and raised from the dead by God in proof that he is the Messiah (Acts 2:24; Acts 2:32), "this Jesus whom ye crucified" (verse Acts... [ Continue Reading ]
BY THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD (τη δεξια του θεου). This translation makes it the instrumental case. The margin has it "at" instead of "by," that is the locative case. And it will make sense in the true dative case, "to the right hand of God." These three cases came to have the same form in Greek. Roma... [ Continue Reading ]
ASCENDED NOT (ου--ανεβη). It is more emphatic than that: For not David ascended into the heavens. Peter quotes Psalms 110:1 as proof. No passage in the O.T. is so constantly quoted as Messianic as this. "St. Peter does not demand belief upon his own assertion, but he again appeals to the Scriptur... [ Continue Reading ]
TILL I MAKE (εως αν θω). Second aorist active subjunctive of τιθημ with αν after εως for the future, a common Greek idiom. This dominion of Christ as Mediator will last till the plan of the kingdom is carried out (1 Corinthians 15:23-28). Complete subjugation will come, perhaps referring to the c... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY WERE PRICKED IN THEIR HEART (κατενυγησαν την καρδιαν). Second aorist indicative of κατανυσσω, a rare verb (LXX) to pierce, to sting sharply, to stun, to smite. Homer used it of horses dinting the earth with their hoofs. The substantive κατανυξις occurs in Romans 11:8. Here only in the N.T. I... [ Continue Reading ]
REPENT YE (μετανοησατε). First aorist (ingressive) active imperative. Change your mind and your life. Turn right about and do it now. You _crucified_ this Jesus. Now _crown_ him in your hearts as Lord and Christ. This first.AND BE BAPTIZED EVERY ONE OF YOU (κα βαπτισθητω εκαστος υμων). Rather, ... [ Continue Reading ]
THE PROMISE (η επαγγελια). The promise made by Jesus (Acts 1:4) and foretold by Joel (verse Acts 2:18).TO YOU (υμιν). You Jews. To your descendants, sons and daughters of verse Acts 2:17.TO ALL THAT ARE AFAR OFF (πασιν τοις εις μακραν. The horizon widens and includes the Gentiles. Those "afar... [ Continue Reading ]
WITH MANY OTHER WORDS (ετεροις λογοις πλειοσιν). Instrumental case. Not necessarily "different" (ετεροις), but "further," showing that Luke does not pretend to give all that Peter said. This idea is also brought out clearly by πλειοσιν ("more," not "many"), more than these given by Luke.HE TESTIF... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY THEN (Hο μεν ουν). A common phrase in Acts either without antithesis as in Acts 1:6; Acts 5:41; Acts 8:4; Acts 8:25; Acts 9:31; Acts 11:19; Acts 16:5; or with it as here, Acts 8:25; Acts 13:4; A... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY CONTINUED STEADFASTLY (ησαν προσκαρτυρουντες). Periphrastic active imperfect of προσκαρτυρεω as in Acts 1:14 (same participle in verse Acts 2:46).FELLOWSHIP (κοινωνια). Old word from κοινωνος (partner, sharer in common interest) and this from κοινος what is common to all. This partnership i... [ Continue Reading ]
CAME (εγινετο). Imperfect middle, kept on coming.WERE DONE (εγινετο). Same tense. Awe kept on coming on all and signs and wonders kept on coming through the apostles. The two things went on παρ πασσυ, the more wonders the more fear.... [ Continue Reading ]
WERE TOGETHER (ησαν επ το αυτο). Some MSS. ησαν κα (were and). But they were together in the same place as in Acts 2:1.AND HAD (κα ειχον). Imperfect active, kept on having, a habit in the present emergency.COMMON (κοινα). It was not actual communism, but they held all their property ready for... [ Continue Reading ]
SOLD (επιπρασκον). Imperfect active, a habit or custom from time to time. Old and common verb, πιπρασκω.PARTED (διεμεριζον). Imperfect again of διαμεριζω, old verb for dividing or distributing between (δια) people.ACCORDING AS ANY MAN HAD NEED (καθοτ αν τις χρειαν ειχεν). Regular Greek idiom... [ Continue Reading ]
WITH ONE ACCORD IN THE TEMPLE (ομοθυμαδον εν τω ιερω). See on Acts 1:14 for ομοθυμαδον. They were still worshipping in the temple for no breach had yet come between Christians and Jews. Daily they were here and daily breaking bread at home (κατ' οικον) which looks like the regular meal.THEY DID T... [ Continue Reading ]
HAVING FAVOR (εχοντες χαριν). Cf. Luke 2:52 of the Boy Jesus.ADDED (προσετιθε). Imperfect active, kept on adding. If the Lord only always "added" those who join our churches. Note verse Acts 2:41 where same verb is used of the 3,000.TO THEM (επ το αυτο). Literally, "together." Why not leave i... [ Continue Reading ]