Acts 2 DN

Structure

1. Signs: the Coming of the Spirit 2.1-13

2. Sermon: the Explanation of Pentecost 2.14-40

3. Salvation: the Results of the Preaching 2.41-47

The Day of Pentecost was marked by an explosion of supernatural phenomena carefully recorded by Luke and interpreted for the Jewish audience by Peter, whose words had a remarkable effect upon the crowd, leading to the conversion of 3000. The Spirit of God here commenced a new work in the world, a work of (i) incorporation (Acts 1.5; 1 Cor 12.13), uniting all saints of this era in the body of Christ to which each believer is thereafter joined at the moment of conversion, (ii) indwelling (John 14.17; 1 Cor 6.19; 2 Tim 1.14), taking up permanent residence inside the individual bodies of His people, and (iii) empowerment (Acts 1.8; 2.3-4; 4.8,31), equipping the disciples for service. Pentecost, the birthday of the church, teaches us much about the character and conduct of believers of this age.

Comments

1. Signs: the Coming of the Spirit 2.1-13

The action (vv 1-11) relates the arrival of the Spirit of God to commence a new ministry in accordance with Gospel predictions (John 7.39; 15.26; Luke 3.16b; 24.49). The setting (‘Pentecost was fully come [‘was being fulfilled’, RV margin]’, v 1) highlights the fulfilment of a divine plan. God’s calendar of redemption in Leviticus 23 charted out crucial New Testament events in advance. The Passover had culminated in Calvary (1 Cor 5.7), Firstfruits at the resurrection (1 Cor 15.23), and now Pentecost had come, not in consequence of the disciples’ prayers but in fulfilment of the divine programme. It was therefore, with all its attendant signs, as unrepeatable as the Lord’s death and resurrection. The sound as of a ‘rushing mighty wind [pnoe, ‘a blowing, blast’, as 17.25, ‘breath’]’ (v 2) suggested the Spirit’s power. In both Old and New Testaments the word for wind also means spirit (Gen 1.2, ruach; as in Gen 3.8, ‘cool’; 8.1; Exo 10.13, ‘wind’) and the Lord Himself played upon this ambiguity in likening the Spirit’s work to the unpredictable, immeasurable energy of the wind[1] (pneuma in John 3.8). The sight (‘cloven tongues like as of fire’, v 3) attested the purity of the Spirit. Although the baptism of fire predicted in the Gospels looks ahead to future eternal judgment (Matt 3.11-12; 13.41-42; 25.41,46), the One who came upon the disciples was characteristically holy (Acts 1.2,5,8,16; 2.4). The supernatural speech of the newly endowed disciples (‘all filled...and began to speak with other tongues’, v 4) suggested the communication the Spirit would empower. In the Old Testament foreign languages were often a signal of divine judgment (Gen 11.7-9; Deut 28.49; Isa 28.11-12; 33.19) and their appearance here anticipated the judgment to fall upon apostate Judaism in AD 70. This sign (vv 5-11) was validated by visitors recognising their own languages and dialects spoken by untutored Galilean disciples, for what sounded like nonsense to locals (v 13) was understood by the many foreign Jews in Jerusalem (v 8).[2]

The Reaction of the people (vv 12-13) was to marvel (v 12) and to mock (v 13). ‘What meaneth this?’ is a good question to ask as long as we are prepared to submit to the answer of scripture (Exo 12.26-27; 13.14-16). The Bible’s one doctrinal explanation of tongues is found in 1 Corinthians 14.21-22: it was a sign of judgment to unbelieving Jews.

The Present Ministry of the Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit has now commenced His new work in the world and the marvels of Pentecost cannot be repeated. What then happens to the believer today at the moment of conversion? He is instantaneously born of the Spirit (John 3.5), and thus brought into new life; he is baptized in the Spirit (1 Cor 12.13), individually coming into the good of what happened historically at Pentecost, being united to Christ and His people; he is indwelt by the Spirit (1 Cor 6.19), his body becoming a temple wherein the Holy Spirit is pleased to set up His residence; and he is sealed by the Spirit (Eph 1.13; 4.30) as a permanent mark of divine ownership.

2. Sermon: the Explanation of Pentecost 2.14-40

Clearly the miraculous tongue-speaking was not evangelistic in content (v 11), for Peter had to address the crowd in the common language for all to understand.

The Message: what he preached

His message was specific to a particular time, place and people. The time was the unique Pentecostal effusion of the Spirit (vv 16,33,38b), which gave Peter his opportunity to argue that Jesus of Nazareth was the Messiah. The place, Jerusalem, the gathering centre of Judaism and the site of David’s sepulchre (vv 14, 29), was the announced starting point for gospel proclamation (Luke 24.47-48; Rom 1.16). The people were all Jews, whether local, well aware of the recent life and death of Jesus of Nazareth (vv 14, 22-23, 36, 40), or visitors of the dispersion who had travelled to Israel for the feast (v 5). Peter addressed himself especially to the indigenous population of Judaea (v 14), as those responsible for the rejection of God’s anointed one. The argument (climaxing in verse 36, ‘therefore’) is that Jesus is the Messiah; God would have mercy upon guilty Israel if they repented of their national sin and identified themselves in baptism with the one God had made both Lord and Christ, a token of submissive faith as well as a signal of separation from the rest of the nation. The prospect implicitly held out was the return of Messiah to establish His kingdom and reign from Jerusalem. Peter’s quotation from Joel (vv 16-21) significantly omitted Joel 2.32b - 3.2, which refers to a coming deliverance of Israel before the kingdom age. ‘Peter stops at the general statement of salvation, true for all dispensations, but carefully forbears quoting to the end, which is applicable only to the future.’[3] Yet his phraseology (‘this is that’) hinted at the possibility that a positive national response to the message might bring about the imminent fulfilment of the rest of Joel’s words in the inauguration of the millennial reign.

The Method: how he preached

Although the precise details of his address applied only to Israel at that point in history, Peter’s sermon stands as a model of good preaching. First, he was united with the saints (v 14, ‘with the eleven’; v 32, ‘we all’), for gospel work is not free-lance but inextricably tied up with the responsibilities of assembly fellowship (13.3; 14.26; 1 Thess 1.8). He was audible (‘lifted up his voice’, v 14; 14.10; 16.28), Luke using a word (‘said [apophthengomai, as in 2.4]’) meaning ‘to speak out, declare boldly or loudly’.[4] There can be no excuse for mumbling. He was focused, aiming at a target audience of primarily local Jews (v 14). It makes sense to bear in mind the condition of those to whom we speak. He was topical, responding to the crowd’s mockery (v 15) by explaining the supernatural events which his audience could ‘see and hear’ (v 33). Like the Lord Jesus Himself, he used immediate circumstances as fuel for his message (John 4.7-10). His whole approach was logical: a coolly rational answer to a ludicrous charge (v 15) was followed by a repeated ‘therefore’ (vv 30,33,36) as he carefully demonstrated from scripture that Jesus of Nazareth was the long-promised Messiah because of His miracles (v 22), resurrection (vv 23-32), and exaltation (vv 33-36). He was emphatically biblical: he selected, quoted, and expounded the scriptures. Joel 2.28-32 (Acts 2.16-21) establishes the general principle of spiritual blessing; Psalm 16.8-11 (2.25-28) proves that David’s assurance of resurrection related not primarily to himself but to his descendant, the Messiah; while Psalm 110.1 (2.34-35) shows David’s prophetic acknowledgement of Messiah’s deity and exaltation to glory. The preacher did not expect his hearers simply to take his word on trust: rather, ‘the faith of Peter’s audience, if his statements were received, would be established on the written word’.[5] True evangelism points to the Lord and the word rather than tying the convert to the preacher (Acts 8.35,39; 17.11; 1 Thess 2.13).

Most significantly, he was Christ-centred (vv 22-36). The fundamental aim of the Holy Spirit’s ministry is to cast the spotlight upon Christ (John 16.13-14), which is why Peter’s message was about the Saviour, not about the Spirit. Whenever the Lord Jesus is glorified we can guarantee that the Holy Spirit is at work in His own self-effacing way. Thus, after the Joel explanation of the Spirit’s outpouring, the entire sermon was about Christ, covering His life and miracles as a man ‘approved [apodeiknumi, ‘to point out, show forth, exhibit’] of God’ (v 22), His death which united divine sovereignty and human responsibility (v 23), His resurrection (v 24), and exaltation (vv 33-35) to a position of heavenly majesty. Peter asserted His humanity (‘that same Jesus’, vv 22,36), deity (‘Lord’, vv 33-36), Messiahship (‘Christ’, v 30-32, 36), holiness (v 27), and delight in doing God’s will (vv 26-28; Heb 12.2). The very way he preached was God-glorifying, for he constantly emphasised God’s hand at work in the life and ministry of Christ (vv 22-24, 36). The listeners found they had nothing to boast of. Further, he was diagnostic in exposing the specific sinnership of his audience: they belonged to that generation of Israel which had crucified the Messiah (v 23, ‘ye have taken’; v 36, ‘ye have crucified’). Men’s fearful condition by nature as God’s enemies must be proven from scripture. He was urgent (vv 20-21), for his Joel quotation hinted that the day of the Lord with all its attendant judgment upon the ungodly was on the horizon. Gospel preaching cannot be complacent and relaxed for no tomorrow is guaranteed (2 Cor 6.2); the wicked may be removed in death or God’s ambassadors may at any time be recalled before war is declared upon a rebellious world (Rev 6.1). The presentation was authoritative (‘hear these words’, v 22; ‘know assuredly’, v 36). ‘How bold now, and uncompromising, is Peter, who had once quailed before a woman!’[6] He was exhortatory, telling his hearers exactly what to do: ‘repent...be baptized...save yourselves’ (vv 38-40). Once the diagnosis has been made the remedy must plainly be set forth. This was an embracing remedy (vv 21,39, ‘whosoever...you...your children...afar off’), in context comprehending Jews of the dispersion but ultimately looking beyond to the Gentiles (Eph 2.13,17,19), an extension of blessing as yet not even grasped by the apostle himself. The scope of the gospel is the world. It was also paradoxical: men are to call upon God for salvation (v 21) yet in the final analysis it is God who irresistibly calls His own (v 39; John 6.37,44), for only ‘as many as’ He calls will be saved, no more and no less. Such preaching was both thorough and earnest, for Peter used ‘many other words’ (v 40) not recorded here to stir his audience. New Testament servants were no preaching machines, mechanically relaying a message like an answerphone, but impassioned deliverers of divine truth.

3. Salvation: the Results of the Preaching 2.41-47

The divine response to Peter’s preaching was blessing - 3000 were saved (v 41). This contrasts dramatically with the giving of the law at Sinai, an Old Testament event which the Jews believed Pentecost commemorated (Exo 19.1,11). There 3000 were slain for idolatry (Exo 32.28). The God who had made known His inflexible law to Israel was now manifesting His infinite grace. Of course, much that happened here was exceptional: the conversions were accompanied by apostolic miracles (v 43; 2 Cor 12.12; Acts 4.30; 5.12; 6.8; 8.6), new believers engaged in voluntary communal living (vv 44-45), still attended temple services (v 46), and enjoyed general popularity with the nation as a whole (v 47a). Some of this was probably a consequence of imminent messianic expectation, for ‘the early church expected the Lord to return soon and establish His kingdom. This may explain why the practice [of community of goods] was not continued.’[7] The temple would be central in the worship of the kingdom age (Isa 2.1-3; 56.7), the miracles were themselves miniature foretastes of future blessing, ‘powers of the age to come’ (Heb 6.5, RV), and voluntary sharing was understandable in the light of the righteous redistribution of possessions to accompany the Lord’s reign.[8]

But the God who was concluding His dealings with Israel was simultaneously commencing His out-calling of the church. The salvation recorded here involved, as it does for all believers today, forgiveness of sins (v 38), reception of the Holy Spirit (v 38), and incorporation into the body of Christ (v 41). Further, these early saints provide a pattern for us. They were marked by conviction of personal sin (v 37, ‘pricked [katanusso, ‘to pierce, to sting sharply, to stun, to smite.’[9]]’), an evidence of the deep ground-breaking ministry of the Spirit (John 16.7-11; Eph 6.17) through the word. ‘It was not mere remorse, still less a change of mind only, but real judgment of self before God.’[10] And self-judgment produced genuine conversion (v 38, ‘repent’), a total change of mind about who Jesus of Nazareth really was, manifested outwardly in glad compliance with the apostolic mandate to be baptized (v 41). Where the word is truly ‘received [apodechomai, ‘to welcome’, as in Luke 8.40]’ there will always be prompt obedience to its commands. But baptism was by no means the end. Conversion is but the beginning of a lifetime’s conformity to God’s will, and the new believers followed with commitment to the gathering of saints (v 41, ‘added unto them’; 2 Tim 2.22; Acts 9.19), for we are to travel heavenwards in company. Every believer is expected to be in the fellowship of a local assembly. Continuance is vital (v 42; Ruth 1.16-18; 2 Tim 3.14): it is not starting enthusiastically but continuing steadfastly which proves a work of God in the soul.

The believers continued, first, in spiritual activities: learning from the apostles (v 42; 10.33), for biblical fellowship is always based upon sound doctrine; sharing[11] in the service of God (‘fellowship [koinonia, ‘partnership’; related to koinonos, ‘partners’ in Luke 5.10]’); remembering the Lord (‘breaking of bread’ here, in the context of spiritual exercises, clearly alludes to the Lord’s supper of Luke 22.19-20, whereas Acts 2.46 and 27.35 refer to the partaking of an ordinary meal); and praying (Acts 12.5 ; Luke 18.1), the great sign of dependence upon God. They also continued in a godly attitude, characterised by oneness (v 46, ‘with one accord [homothumadon, as 2.1]’), gladness (agalliasis, ‘exultation, exuberant joy’, as Luke 1.14,44; Heb 1.9; Jude 24), and ‘singleness of heart [aphelotes]’, an ‘unworldly simplicity...an unalloyed benevolence expressed in act’.[12] Finally, they persevered in heartfelt adoration, ‘praising [aineo; a Lukan word; see Luke 2.13; Acts 3.8-9] God’ (v 47). Biblical salvation will always issue in worship.

[1] The disciples might have been reminded of Ezekiel 37.9-14.

[2] ‘It was no unmeaning jargon, no babbling, no gibberish, but intelligent language’ (C E Stuart, 227).

[3] C E Stuart, Acts, 231

[4] Cited in R Earle, 99

[5] C E Stuart, Acts, 234-5

[6] C E Stuart, 232

[7] S Toussaint in J F Walvoord and R B Zuck (eds), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: New Testament, Victor, 1983, 360

[8] ‘With an aroused expectation of the imminency of the divine kingdom, in which there would be a divine rectification of historic maladjustments [in property], it cannot be surprising that these Pentecostal converts did not attach very much value to existing possessions and property titles’ (A McClain, 402)

[9] Cited in R Earle, 100

[10] W Kelly, 27

[11] ‘Few weigh how much they owe to the presence and living commentary on the truth which sharing it all together in practice furnishes.’ (W Kelly, 29)

[12] W E Vine, 35