Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary (4 vols)

Acts 2:39

Acts 2:39. For the promise is unto you. The promise contained in the prophecy of Joel, viz. the miraculous gifts and influences of the Spirit a characteristic, as far as regards the miraculous gifts, of the first days of the age of Messiah.

And to your children. Hackett explains ‘your children' as signifying ‘your posterity;' better, however, with Alford to limit it ‘to your little ones.'

And to all that are afar off. Three explanations of this are given (a) Reference to place, to all the Jews who do not dwell in Jerusalem or the Holy Land Hebrews and Hellenists. (b) Reference in point of time. The promise is not only to you but to your descendants far down the stream of time, (c) To the Gentiles. Of these, (c) is undoubtedly the one to be preferred, as the expression, an Old Testament one (Zechariah 6:15; Isaiah 49:1; Isaiah 57:19), is constantly used to describe the Gentiles. The rabbinic writers also employ it as synonymous with the heathen (Schottgen quoted by Hackett); see also St. Paul, Ephesians 2:13; Ephesians 2:17. The admission of the Gentiles into the Church of the future, although as a fact never contemplated with gratification by the exclusive Hebrew nation, was yet constantly taught with more or less distinctness by these prophets (see Micah 4:1; Amos 9:12; Isaiah 2:2-3, etc.; comp. also the note on Acts 2:17).

Even as many as the Lord our God shall call. An expression like this, a recorded saying of an inspired apostle, leads to the certain conclusion that in the wise counsels of God some are called, while others are left out of the divine invitation. It is not for us to argue on the justice or wisdom of Him whose ways are not our ways, nor His thoughts our thoughts, when He deals as He pleases with His creatures. That such a course of action is strictly analogous to what we see of the distribution of health and life, power and means, among men, is too plain. One solemn lesson, however, lies on the surface. Awful is the responsibility which attaches itself to those whom the Lord our God shall call. Woe be to them if they neglect the blessed invitation. With the fate of those who are not called, we have nothing to do. Only we may rest assured that our God, who in His eternal wisdom has placed no choice before them, is a Master ever tender and loving.

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Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary (4 vols)

Acts 2:39

Old Testament

New Testament