Click to join the conversation with over 500,000 Pentecostal believers and scholars
Click to get our FREE MOBILE APP and stay connected
| PentecostalTheology.com
- What makes this work so important?
- Did the empowerment of the Holy Spirit establish a universal language by which all would understand glories unto God?
- Was this understanding the work of the spirit drawing those near by to God’s truth?
- Did this drawing of the spirit assist Peter as he gave his message, garnering such a large response from the masses?
- Would the church have experienced such growth without the spirit, or does Acts chapter two establish the necessity of the spirit for missionary and evangelical work?
- Would this have even been possible without the moving of the Holy Spirit?
- Why was the day of Pentecost chosen for day that Holy Spirit would be poured out?
- When did the last days begin?
- Why did Peter bring up in his sermon that Jesus is seated by the right hand of God?
- What does this mean (in Acts chapter 2)?
- What happened to the power they received?
- Were they really drunk?
- Why did the Spirit wait a full 10 days after the ascension of Christ to come upon the disciples?
- Is the gift of languages the only way one could know they had been baptized by the Spirit?
- Is baptism necessary for the forgiveness of sins, or is it a rite of passage for new believers?
RichardAnna Boyce
Acts 2:1-8
2:1. Luke narrates that when the Day of Pentecost—fifty days from the Passover feast, cf. 20:16—had fully come all the believers had gathered with one accord.
2:2. A sudden sound came from heaven where the Lord Jesus had just ascended (thus implying His agency in the ensuing events). The rushing mighty wind corresponds to the characterization of the Holy Spirit as wind, as well as to His power as deity (cf. John 3:5-6).
2:3. The appearance of divided tongues may correspond to the diverse dialects or languages in which the verbal witness to the risen Savior would take place. The fire hearkens back to the characterization of the baptism they would undergo as encompassing the Holy Spirit and fire (cf. Luke 3:16). The various fiery or flame-like tongues sat upon each of them. The scene reflected the unity and diversity evident in the Body of Christ. The tongues only alighted on believers and the Holy Spirit left none out.
B. God Again Appeals to the Jewish Nation (2:4-47)
2:4. As a result they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, thus fulfilling Jesus’ words and the Father’s pledge. Consequently, they all began to speak with other tongues (recognizable languages as indicated in v. 6 and the context). Their speaking took place as the Spirit gave them utterance—not as a self-initiated exercise. The filling of the Spirit here indicates a special enablement which on this specific occasion as well as others resulted in spiritually enhanced and empowered speech.
2:5. On that unique Day of Pentecost there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews. Their provenance from every nation under heaven indicates the presence of Judaism beyond the limits of Palestine throughout the Roman Empire. The opportunity to reach every nation under heaven from Jerusalem potentially placed the fulfillment of the messianic promise within reach. A Jewish welcome for Messiah—on an international scale—could bring the establishment of the promised kingdom. All the essential elements appear—Jerusalem, the capital, the potential belief of the nation in Jesus the Messiah, and the Twelve, the rulers (under Messiah) of the regathered nation (cf. Luke 22:24-30).
2:6. The sound of the rushing Wind aroused the crowd’s curiosity. They had not anticipated the multilingual scenario and were confused. Each person in the multitude heard them speak in his own language. This narrates a miracle involving speech by the believers rather than an auditory enablement in the hearers. They heard them speak because the speakers spoke in the diverse dialects represented there.
2:7. As prevalent and characteristic in the Lucan writings they were all amazed (Acts 2:12,47; 8:13; 9:21; 10:45; 12:16; 24:22). Their amazement intensified once they perceived the fluency of these Galileans in their own languages.
2:8. The emphasis on each individual dialect highlights the miracle of the perfect utterance in each respective native language despite the clear Galilean provenance of all who spoke. This does not necessarily picture a reversal of Babel because diverse nations will still exist in the future millennial and eternal kingdoms (cf. Rev 20:8; 22:2). Rather, it expresses the desire of God to reach everyone and His divine enablement for the international endeavor expressed in Acts 1:8.
RichardAnna Boyce
Acts 2:9-20
2:9-11. Luke enumerates the representative Jewish people (and proselytes) present. The multinational multitude said, “we hear them speaking in our own tongues the wonderful works of God.” The tongues spoken here were actual dialects recognizable in the Roman Empire of the first century. Furthermore the ability did not involve prophetic or revelatory speech but rather the Spirit-enabled expression of God’s greatness and deeds.
2:12. The bestowal of the ability to speak in unlearned languages caused the desired effect. The listeners inquired, “Whatever could this mean?” The question gave way to an explanation and an accompanying appeal by the apostle Peter.
2:13. Some allowed their perplexity to degenerate into ridicule. They offered their own rationale: “They are full of new wine.” New wine would make someone particularly susceptible to drunkenness and erratic behavior. Ironically their mockery contained a hint of truth. These believers had in fact received new wine that not all outsiders would comprehend (cf. Luke 5:37-39).
2:14. Luke presents a second picture of Peter’s post-Resurrection leadership (cf. 1:15-26). The apostle stood up with the eleven for a unified testimony, addressing the multitude.
2:15. Peter offered a practical argument against their misperception of drunkenness “since it is only the third hour of the day.” Undoubtedly drunkenness could not explain this experience. Nevertheless Peter had to refute what amounted to the detractors’ best explanation of the event.
2:16. Peter appealed to the OT, affirming, “this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel.”
The original OT prophecy describes eschatological or last days realities for Israel. The outpouring of the Spirit only on Israelites at Pentecost validated that they now lived in an eschatological era of fulfillment—an era already begun during the ministry of John the Baptist and the Lord Jesus. Most importantly the advent of the Spirit evidences the return of Jesus to the privileged right hand of the Father in heaven.
2:17. Joel’s prophecy would see its realization “‘in the last days’”—the period initiated by the arrival of John the Baptist and visitation of Jesus the Messiah (Matt 3; 17:10-13; Mark 1:1-15; 1 Cor 10:11; 1 Tim 4:1-5; 2 Tim 3:1-9; Heb 1:1-4; 9:26; James 4:8; 1 Peter 1:20; 1 John 4:1-4). God the Father promised, “‘I will pour out of My Spirit’”—the Holy Spirit who corresponded to His own nature as deity and thus enjoyed the same eternality, power, and character/attributes. And He would do so “‘on all flesh’” in contradistinction to the OT where the Spirit empowered only kings, prophets, priests, and other select servants (cf. Gen 41:37-45; Ex 31:1-11; Num 11:16-30; Judg 3:9-11; 6:34; 11:29; 14:5-6,19; 15:14-20; 1 Sam 16:1-13; Dan 5:10-21; Mic 3:5-8). Now God’s special enablement for ministry would extend to all believers regardless of social status, age, or gender. Israel’s “‘sons and…daughters would prophesy’”—speak perfectly accurate predictive messages from God (cf. Deut 13:1-5; 18:9-22). Additionally Israel’s “‘young men would see visions and old men would dream dreams.’” Prophesying, seeing visions, and dreaming dreams all entailed special revelation from God.
2:18. In the first chapter of Luke (1:46-55,67-75) OT prophecies began with what God had already done for His people Israel and transitioned to what He would do in the future—as contingent on their response of belief and national repentance. Likewise here, the subsequent verses (Acts 2:19-20) foretell the prophetic future Day of the Lord.
2:19. God promised, “‘I will show wonders in heaven above as well as signs in the earth beneath.’” Nothing in the historical Gospel record fits the description of “‘blood and fire and vapor of smoke’” (in the NT only in Rev 9:2; 18:9,18). While some of the language here could potentially fit the battle scenario of Jerusalem in AD 70, the text assigns the portents to God rather than to consequences of war brought forth by men. The signs pertain to the future end times.
2:20. The celestial signs described here fit well the picture of the last times in the Synoptic Gospels (Matt 24:29; Mark 13:24-27; Luke 21:25-28). Nothing recorded about the first century corresponds to this. Furthermore the “‘great and awesome day of the LORD’” has not yet transpired. The language suggests a unique and ultimately climactic eventuality.
RichardAnna Boyce
Acts 2:21-22
2:21. A comparison of this passage with Rom 11:25-27 clearly connotes the deliverance from God’s outpouring of wrath at the culmination of the seventieth week. The Lord provides deliverance from eschatological (and present) wrath to anyone—without discrimination—“‘whoever calls on His name.’” However, they must appeal to Him. At this point it could apply to deliverance from the wrath that would come on the wayward generation that rejected and crucified Messiah.
2:22. As in v 14 Peter focused his message on the Jews.
RichardAnna Boyce
Acts 2:37-38
2:37. Lord and Christ, the last words the audience hears applied to Jesus, finally awaken them to the truth of His identity as the Messiah. Luke records that they were cut to the heart—a reaction that underscores their utmost conviction regarding Jesus as Messiah and their role in His death. Their sensitized conscience (borne from the conviction that they had crucified the Savior) leads to a question that reveals their belief in Jesus. They asked “Men and brethen, what shall we do?” Their question and Peter’s answer indicate that they had believed in Jesus.
Peter did not speak to an uninformed multitude. They knew both the Scriptures and the miraculous ministry of Jesus (cf. v 22). The apostle Peter presented a case for Jesus as Messiah from the OT that they could both follow and correlate with contemporary events and past Jewish history. By the time Peter had clarified the truth of Jesus’ resurrection and ascension and they had correlated it with the events at Pentecost (cf. vv 29-35), everything fell into place. They unequivocally identified Jesus as the Messiah—and so believed in Him. Now they wanted to know what to do to reestablish fellowship with Him.
2:38. Repentance provided the answer to their dilemma. They needed to reestablish their relationship with the Messiah they had just believed in. Peter does not here require additional conditions for eternal life. Belief in Jesus counts as the singular condition for guaranteed eternal life in both the OT and the NT. Apparently in the case of those who had had the privilege of seeing Jesus’ earthly ministry (cf. v 22), and yet disbelieved both Him and John (cf. Luke 7:31-35), God required a public identification with Jesus by baptism (and a corresponding rescinding of participation in the sin of that generation). Much like the way God requires confession of sins in order for Christians to maintain and enjoy fellowship with Him, in these unique cases God required repentance and baptism for the initiation of the Christian life.
The Gentile Cornelius and those in his household who believed received the Holy Spirit before their baptism (10:43-48; 11:15-18). Palestinian Jews, however, believed in Jesus and received eternal life before receiving the Holy Spirit (2:37-39). The initial Samaritans who believed—after the Crucifixion—also received the Holy Spirit after their baptism as well as the laying on of hands by the apostles Peter and John (cf. 8:14-17). Repentance, although required for fellowship, did not constitute a condition for eternal life, since Peter recommended it to believers in Jesus already. Likewise, baptism was not a condition for eternal life.
Jesus had likened His own baptism to the death He would suffer (cf. Luke 12:50). Furthermore, the Holy Spirit came upon Him at His baptism (cf. Luke 3:21-22). Now those of that generation who condemned Him would publicly associate themselves with Him and receive the Holy Spirit by whom they would join other believers in the Body of Christ. They did not recant their Jewishness, but rather their role in the crucifixion of the Messiah. Furthermore these conditions do not hold today, since no one of that particular generation remains.
RichardAnna Boyce
Acts 2:39-41
2:39. “The promise” of the Spirit naturally applied to them as the covenant nation (cf. Isa 32:9-20; 44:1-5; Ezek 39:25-29; Zech 12:8-10), while the phrase “to all who are afar off” seemingly refers to Gentiles. However, the Acts 10 narrative demonstrates unequivocally how far indeed the Gentiles stood in the apostle’s mind. From Peter’s perspective it probably refers to Jews scattered in other parts of the empire. Nevertheless geography did not constitute the main issue but rather God’s drawing of people to Himself—“as many as the Lord our God will call.”
2:40. Peter urged them, “Be saved from this perverse generation.” The Lord Jesus had already characterized the contemporary nation as wayward (cf. Luke 9:41; 13:34-35). Wrath would fall on Israel during the Jewish War of AD 66-70 which would climax in the destruction of the Holy City and the temple. Whereas once they had approved of Jesus’ death by crucifixion, now they would publicly align themselves—by water baptism—with the very Messiah they had rejected before. They would not repudiate their Jewishness but rather would recant their previous stance against Jesus (shared especially by the nation’s religious leaders).
2:41. This verse confirms the above interpretation. The qualification those who gladly received his word rules out infant baptism. Infants, if present, would not have the ability to reason and respond to Peter’s persuasive message. Nor would infants qualify as men of Israel (v 22) and men and brethren (v 29). Luke reports that that day about three thousand souls were added to them (i.e., to the approximately 120 disciples who had obediently awaited the advent of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost; cf. 1:15). The adding encompassed more than the simple numeric addition. It entailed their incorporation into the body of Christ (cf. 1 Cor 12:12-13) and the ensuing spiritual bond or unity effected by the Holy Spirit (cf. Eph 4:1-6). They had received eternal life only by believing in Jesus as Savior. They then restored their fellowship with God by a public identification with Jesus by water baptism. Now, they enjoyed communion with the Church—still essentially Jewish at this point in its history.
RichardAnna Boyce
Acts 2:47. They praised God and experienced favor with all the people (mirroring the Savior’s own early life as recorded in Luke 2:40,52). In this context Luke gives his first progress report: the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved. As a transitional conclusion to this unit (1-2) and introduction to the next (3:1-6:7) it validates the Church and the apostles as the agents God now worked with vis-à-vis the religious leaders in Jerusalem. Thus the early Jewish believers in Jesus departed from the misguided religion of their day, worshiped God in the same temple, and experienced sincere fellowship with God and with each other. Thus far the early church enjoyed a thoroughly positive experience.
Varnel Watson
Philip Williams Can the ark answer any of these for us?
RichardAnna Boyce you addressed 3 or 4 what about the other 10?
Link Hudson would a baptist VBS answer these ?
Charles Page seems like you are staying away from the NAR topic nowadays What say ye? How does nAR theology changes our perspective on ACTS 2?
Davidking Manelli
Please visit india to troy day
Varnel Watson
Robert Erwine why dont see you take a shot here
Robert Erwine
soem are simple yes and no
Varnel Watson
Robert Erwine for the rest you give a go