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The Acts of the Apostles |
J. Deering, AncientPath.net
Chapter 1 Summary Outline:
II. The Gospel in
Jerusalem: Origins, 1:12-8:3
1. The ministry
of Peter, 1:12-5:42
2. The ministry of Stephen, 6:1-8:3
Acts 2:1-4,
The Foreshadow Becomes Truth
2:1 Now when the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. 2:2 Suddenly a sound like a violent wind blowing came from heaven and filled the entire house where they were sitting. 2:3 And tongues spreading out like a fire appeared to them and came to rest on each one of them. 2:4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit, and they began to speak in other languages as the Spirit enabled them.
COMMENTS:
Pentecost comes to us from
the Old Testament, although they did not call it Pentecost, that's the Greek
name for the holiday. The Jews called it "The Feast of Harvest," or "The Feast
of Weeks." It was the celebration of the beginning of the early weeks of the
harvest. God chose this day, following the death and resurrection of Jesus, to
mark a new meaning for this time. Now it would refer to the "early weeks of the
harvest" of those who would enter into the saving faith relationship with Jesus
Christ, through the Holy Spirit. After the establishment of the "Church" the
"Times" would be called the "Latter Days" of the harvest. We are now in those
"Latter Days."
The members of this early assembly of believers in Jesus assembled on this 50th day following the celebration of "First fruits." For the believer, the resurrection of Jesus Christ marks this "First Fruits" event, as He is the First Fruit of resurrection. He would be the first of million of millions who will be resurrected, in Jesus Christ, as a result of their position as Children of God - through adoption. This is the day when God would eternally mark each believer with the sealing of the Holy Spirit (the term sealing comes from ancient letter writing where-by "sealing wax," a hard wax substance, which would be melted upon the flap of an envelope and quickly chilled by the application of a signet or a ring - thus "sealing" the envelope with a strong fixed seal). Thus the child of God is "sealed" with the indwelling Holy Spirit of God as evidence of our becoming the special possession of God through believing (faith) in The Father's Son, Jesus the Christ.
At this first "Pentecost" celebration authentication miracles abounded (loud sound from heaven, tongues like fire came and rested on each believer there, and all at once they were filled with the Holy Spirit of God which enabled them to speak the languages (unknown to them) of all those who came from other dialects and countries of different languages from their own. God moved in such a way as to make it obvious that He was "authenticating" this event and the coming of the Holy Spirit into the heart and life of each believer. The last sentence of this paragraph makes it clear that this new ability came not from the believer, but came "as the Spirit enabled them."
Acts 2:5-13, Wonderment and Unbelief
2:5 Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven residing in Jerusalem. 2:6 When this sound occurred, a crowd gathered and was in confusion, because each one heard them speaking in his own language. 2:7 Completely baffled, they said, “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? 2:8 And how is it that each one of us hears them in our own native language? 2:9 Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and the province of Asia, 2:10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, 2:11 both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabs – we hear them speaking in our own languages about the great deeds God has done!” 2:12 All were astounded and greatly confused, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” 2:13 But others jeered at the speakers, saying, “They are drunk on new wine!”
COMMENTS:
Luke goes on to make sure
we understand this event and what happened there. This was a Jewish event. The
Old Testament declares that "The Jew requires a sign (miracle) to authenticate
an act of God (Deuteronomy 13:5. The New Testament also speaks of the need of a
"sign" (1 Corinthians 1:22; Matthew 16:4).
It's clearly stated that each Jew heard them speaking in his own language (2:8). "What does this mean?" they asked. With their great wisdom they answered themselves with "They are drunk on sweet (or new) wine" - which doesn't answer the question asked because of what they heard.
Acts 2:14-21, The Evidence of The Holy Spirit
2:14 But Peter stood up with the eleven, raised his
voice, and addressed them: “You men of Judea and all you who live in Jerusalem,
know this and listen carefully to what I say. 2:15 In spite of what you think,
these men are not drunk, for it is only nine o’clock in the morning. 2:16 But
this is what was spoken about through the prophet Joel:
2:17 ‘And in the last days it will be,’ God says,
‘that I will pour out my Spirit
on all people,
and your
sons and your daughters will prophesy,
and your young men will see visions,
and your old men will dream dreams.
2:18 Even on my servants, both men and women,
I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will
prophesy.
2:19 And I
will perform wonders in the sky above
and miraculous signs on the earth below,
blood and fire and clouds of smoke.
2:20 The sun will be changed to darkness
and the moon to blood
before the great and glorious day of the Lord comes.
2:21 And then everyone who calls on the name of the
Lord will be saved.’
COMMENTS:
Once again we see the
growing maturity of Peter. "This is what was spoken about through the prophet
Joel." Peter has the answer for these unbelieving Jews... "God says..." What
happened in Jerusalem on that Pentecost afternoon was a miracle meant to wake up
both believers and unbelievers. Joel states a number of miracles, most of which
have not yet come to pass - but they will! Most importantly Joel, and now Peter,
put emphasis upon that last verse of Joel's, "And then everyone who calls on the
name of the Lord will be saved."
Acts 2:22-36, The Explanation of The Sign of God's Holy Spirit
2:22 “Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man clearly attested to you by God with powerful deeds, wonders, and miraculous signs that God performed among you through him, just as you yourselves know – 2:23 this man, who was handed over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you executed by nailing him to a cross at the hands of Gentiles. 2:24 But God raised him up, having released him from the pains of death, because it was not possible for him to be held in its power. 2:25 For David says about him,
‘I saw the Lord always in front
of me,
for he is at my
right hand so that I will not be shaken.
2:26 Therefore my heart was glad and my tongue
rejoiced;
my body also
will live in hope,
2:27
because you will not leave my soul in Hades,
nor permit your Holy One to experience decay.
2:28 You have made known to me the paths of life;
you will make me full of joy with your presence.’
2:29 “Brothers, I can speak confidently to you about our forefather David, that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. 2:30 So then, because he was a prophet and knew that God had sworn to him with an oath to seat one of his descendants on his throne, 2:31 David by foreseeing this spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was neither abandoned to Hades, nor did his body experience decay. 2:32 This Jesus God raised up, and we are all witnesses of it. 2:33 So then, exalted to the right hand of God, and having received the promise of the Holy Spirit from the Father, he has poured out what you both see and hear. 2:34 For David did not ascend into heaven, but he himself says,
‘The Lord said to my lord,
“Sit at my right hand
2:35 until I make your enemies a footstool for your
feet.”’
2:36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know beyond a doubt that God has made this Jesus whom you crucified both Lord and Christ.”
COMMENTS:
This miraculous event has
now prepared these men's hearts to hear Peter's introduction to the Gospel.
Peter begins by appealing to the authority of King David - The Hero of the Jews.
Peter leads them through David's words and rightly interprets them as belonging
to the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. Upon His death "David by
foreseeing this spoke about the resurrection of the Christ...." "and having
received the promise of the Holy Spirit from the Father, He has poured out what
you both SEE and HEAR."
Acts 2:37-42, The Spiritual Effects of The Power of The Holy Spirit
2:37 Now when they heard this, they were acutely
distressed and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “What should we do,
brothers?” 2:38 Peter said to them, “Repent, and each one of you be baptized in
the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive
the gift of the Holy Spirit. 2:39 For the promise is for you and your children,
and for all who are far away, as many as the Lord our God will call to himself.”
2:40 With many other words he testified and exhorted them saying, “Save
yourselves from this perverse generation!” 2:41 So those who accepted his
message were baptized, and that day about three thousand people were added.
2:42 They were devoting
themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread
and to prayer.
COMMENTS:
The profound effects of hearing the Gospel: "What
should we do?" And Peter answers, "Repent, be Baptized..." Please don't see
water baptism here. Peter is calling upon those Jews who repent and return to
God (emphasis on "return." These aren't Gentiles, these are national Jews who
know their responsibility to "repent" and return to God for they are already
His. They are "God's chosen people." When they stray and recognize that they
have, they Repent and return to God." A Gentile is not in the position of being
a "chosen race." A Gentile may repent of their sin(s), however, the repentance
here is to return to their God. The Gentile does not "return" to their God, they
are without Him to start with. As they return to their God they are to allow the
Holy Spirit of God to baptize them in His Spirit, in the name of Jesus Christ
which results in the indwelling of God's Holy Spirit. How many should do this?
"As many as the Lord our God will call unto Himself (2:39b).
The resulting change that comes over them is immediate and dynamic: "They were devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer." Devout Jews become devout Christians when the return to God, and receive His Son - being baptized in the Holy Spirit - which forever changes their lives.
Acts 2:43-47, The Physical Effects of The Power of The Holy Spirit
2:43 Reverential awe came over everyone, and many wonders and miraculous signs came about by the apostles. 2:44 All who believed were together and held everything in common, 2:45 and they began selling their property and possessions and distributing the proceeds to everyone, as anyone had need. 2:46 Every day they continued to gather together by common consent in the temple courts, breaking bread from house to house, sharing their food with glad and humble hearts, 2:47 praising God and having the good will of all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number every day those who were being saved.
COMMENTS:
"Reverential awe came over
everyone." What a statement! And there's more, more wonders, more miracles
(signs for the Jew) came about through the apostles. The results were "awesome."
Self was replaced by self-lessness. Ownership was shared. Greed was replaced
with sharing - as anyone had need. Their lives were totally changed and the
effects of those changes kept on continuing praising God. That day, and in the
immediate days following, thousands were saved and baptized by the Holy Spirit
of God.
If you'd like to see more concerning the Baptism of the Spirit and it's relationship to Water baptism, both Old and New Testament, take some time to read (here on AncientPath.net): A Commentary on Baptism.
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