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Acts study & commentary

Acts 2

By Doug Ford
Coming of the Holy Spirit;
The Crowd's Response;
Peter's Sermon;
A Vital Church Grows;

Imagine being tasked with the job of documenting an event that changed the world.  It would be an intimidating and daunting task!  Imagine writing about Abraham Lincoln or the civil war.  Imagine writing about the World War II.  How do you write down the feelings?  How can you possibly capture the emotions and every part of the events deeply affected life?  How do you properly document events that not only changed the world but changed the day to day lives of all people?

That's what Luke has done in the book of Acts.  Luke is able to write this down by the hand of the very Holy Spirit about which his is writing.  Luke was a physician; clinical minded, detail oriented and focused on facts.  Yet, still, to Luke the person, the individual, this had to be an intimidating task. 

Dear Theophilus, you're not going to believe what happened next.........

The 11 disciples were restored to their number of 12.  The apostles and entire 120 believers present in the upper room were charged with making disciples; with being a witness to Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and the ends of the earth.  But for now, they waited.  They were waiting on the Promise of the Holy Spirit.

 

Acts 2:1-4

This is the second time we've seen this "one accord".  This words means this group of believers were "of like mind".  They were single-minded in the focus, all in agreement in their waiting.  They weren't running ahead of God attempting ministry as they saw fit.  They didn't run out and started their own denomination; the First Church of 'those who don't wait."  They didn't grab hold of their own interpretation of the words of Christ.  They were together in their commitment to follow the words of Jesus, everyone on the same plan.

They were also together in one place.  This one place was probably the temple as it appears the early church continued to meet in the courts of the temple. Verse 2 says 'house' but this word is also used to describe the temple.  We don't know for sure, but the 120 we gathered in one place and it must have been near the crowds that had come for Pentecost. 

Pentecost is the feast of weeks and is celebrated 50 days after the Passover and celebrates the end of the grain harvest.  "Pentecost" comes from the Greek word meaning "fifty."  It is one of 3 feasts that God commanded Israel to celebrate. (Ex 23:16) (Leviticus 23)   Pentecost is also called the "the Feast of weeks" and "Feast of Harvest" because of its relationship with harvest season. 

The "Feast of unleavened Bread" was a seven-day feast that started the day after Passover, on a Sunday.  The following Sunday was the "Day of First Fruits" which marked the beginning of the harvest.  Pentecost marks the end of the harvest season, so Israel was commanded to present two loaves of newly ground grain to the Lord.  This was leavened bread and the only time this is done.  Leaven is symbolic of sin.  These loaves become representative of sinful man relying on God's provision for them.  When these loaves were presented, there were other offerings including a sin offering of a kid goat. 

35 And Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.  (John 6:35)

17 For we, though many, are one bread and one body; for we all partake of that one bread. (1 Corinthians 10:17)

Some also see the 2 loaves of bread a remembrance of the 2 tablets of the Law.  Although the bible doesn't specifically make a link, Pentecost also became a commemoration of the giving of the law at the mountain of God.  This is when God established these feasts.  We know the first Passover was in Egypt when they put blood on their doorposts so that the death angel would pass over them.  They were protected and safe behind the blood of the Lamb.  They then left Egypt the next day.  Passover was on the 14th of Nissan.  Israel came to the Mt Sinai in the third month.  They then consecrated themselves for 2 days before the ascended on the mountain on the third day.  So, if there 16 days left in Nissan, 29 days in Iyar, the day of arrival, 2 days of consecration, the Lord descended on the mountain the 3rd day.  We can see it is around this 50th day that the Lord gave them the Ten Commandments.

As Pentecost marks the end of the harvest and final gathering it also marks the beginning of the church.  These years of the church, though they seem like many to us, are the final days, the 'last days' before the return of the Lord.  Even though Pentecost was the close of harvest there was an offering of first fruits.  The Holy Spirit coming on Pentecost is the power of God moving among men to bring the First fruits of the final harvest.  The Holy Spirit also comes as guarantee of our inheritance of Christ.

 

13 In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.   (Ephesians 1:13, 14)

It's worth noting that we see 3000 people die when Moses came down the mountain, just 40 days after the covenant promise of the law (Exodus 32:28).  In contrast we see 3000 people saved into new life on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:41), 50 days after the resurrection of Christ and the new covenant.   

These men were sitting in one place.  The word 'house' could mean dwelling place or it could mean the temple.  It is used many times both ways.  Wherever they were, they were together and the waiting was over.  The Spirit came suddenly and with great intensity.  This sound, similar to a mighty rushing wind filled the entire house. The sound came from heaven.  This 'mighty' is a word that means violent and intense.  It also can imply a great energy or emotional intensity.

Then they saw these tongues of fire.  There's not a hidden meaning, no surprises here.  The words mean exactly as they say.  And a tongue of fire set upon each person.   Each believer was filled with the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit sounded like a tornado and looked like a firestorm.

These believers began to speak in tongues.  These 'tongues' mean they spoke in a language they didn't really know or spoke their language and it was understood by those who didn't know it.  At the tower of Babel, the languages of men were confused in response to their rebellion against the Lord.  This speaking of tongues is overcoming that confusion as all believers are one in the Lord.  This speaking came, not as they willed, but as the Spirit gave utterance.  "Utterance" is the ability to articulate your opinion.  The Spirit gave this ability and the opinion was the testimony of Jesus.  This is the Spirit giving them the words to speak and the ability to speak them correctly and understand them.

 

Acts 2:5-13

These 120 followers of Christ would have used Aramaic as their primary language.  Some, no doubt, knew some Greek.  But these weren't people educated in multiple languages.  They were fishermen, farmers, tax collectors; average people that included a former prostitute, those who were beggars and invalids who had been healed.  There were many languages in the Mediterranean area and Jerusalem would have many visitors speaking many languages, especially at the time Pentecost.  The sound as the mighty rushing wind must have been widespread.  When they heard it the multitude came together, "What's that sound?  Did you hear it?  What do you suppose it is?  What do we do?"  This is consistent with the work of the Holy Spirit as He draws all men and points them to Jesus.  It appears they came together near this place where the disciples stayed.  They were confused because everyone heard these men speak in his own language. 

These disciples were told to go to the ends of the earth and give testimony of the resurrection of Jesus.  They had to wonder, and maybe even fear, how that might be possible.  The message of the cross, the power of the Holy Spirit, won't be bound by language and cultural barriers.   For this beginning, He brought the ends of the earth to them, to hear their testimony as they gave witness to the resurrection. 

Not all these followers were from Galilee but the majority were and they certainly would have appeared to the crowd as a group of Galileans.  What does a Galilean look and sound like?  One commentator put it this way:

Rude, unpolished, and unlearned men; who had never been brought up in any school of learning, and had never learned any language but their mother tongue; and that they pronounced with an ill grace, and in a very odd manner.  (Gill)

 

  • Parthians - east Iran area
  • Medes - a relatively small area in northwest Iran region
  • Elamites - east of the Tigris, SW Iran, one of earliest known civilizations
  • Mesopotamia - between Tigris and Euphrates, Iraq
  • Cappadocia - Turkey
  • Pontus - south of Black Sea: turkey
  • Phrygia and Pamphylia - turkey
  • Egypt, Libya & Cyrene - northern Africa
  • Rome - Italy
  • Cretans - from Crete, Mediterranean Island south of Greece

The wonderful works of God crossed all boundaries and barriers of language.  These folks were astounded.   In their mind there was no reasonable explanation for what was going on.  There were two clear responses to this:

  • A desire to understand, knowing this was a big deal that shouldn't be ignored. 
    • The wonderful works of God were presented to them in a miraculous way, they needed to know how to respond to that. 
  • Mocking.  A need to dismiss it, put it out of mind, to explain it away. 
    • It's as if they also understood something was required, yet they were not willing.

The church ushered in a "the last days".  The bible warns us that the last days there would be mockers and scoffers.  It all started right here.  To acknowledge this miraculous presentation as something from God forced sinful man to respond.  To acknowledge God is to acknowledge the sin and darkness we so dearly love to hold tightly to.  The world makes mocking easy; the crowd will join in.  We draw comfort in joining a crowd of mockers, deep inside we think, surely God won't judge us all.  It's as if we think we can live our way, lord over our own lives and force God to judge on a curve. 

God is patient, longsuffering so that none would perish but He is Holy and just.  He won't change the standard to accommodate sinful men.  Mocking the works of God is simply a way of ignoring and distracting ourselves from the undeniable truth that exists in each of us. 

Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. (Galatians 6:7-9)

The Spirit moved each person in different ways, but there was no doubt that all were affected by Him moving.  Some just had to work extra hard to close their ears. 

 

Acts 2:14-21

As the mockers became louder and prominent, Peter raised his voice to speak over them as stood with the eleven.  Peter's track record of speaking up wasn't too good and I would imagine the eleven cringed a little as he began to speak.  This is a different Peter now, though; a restored Peter.  He is filled with the Holy Spirit and not acting for his interest or pride.  Peter had denied himself and had picked up his cross to follow Jesus.  Peter took a stand and spoke boldly.  It must have felt good to Peter.

Peter mocked the mockers accusation of drunkenness.  The accusation of drunkenness was like bringing a charge someone wasn't a good Jew.  Peter silenced the mockers, at least momentarily. 

Note:  Orthodox Jews didn't eat or drink before nine in the morning on the Sabbath or holy day.  Normally they only drank wine with meals.

Peter spends little time on the mockers and focuses on the curious and those with honest questions.  He wanted to engage those who asked, "What does this mean?"  Peter quoted Joel 2:28-32.  This passage in Joel is a declaration that the Lord is coming.  The Day of the Lord is talked about repeatedly in the Old Testament.  It is the time when the Lord intervenes on behalf of Himself and His people.  It is the day when all things would be made right.  Joel says of this day:

For strong is the One who executes His word.

For the day of the Lord is great and very terrible;

Who can endure it?

Then Joel puts forth a call of repentance to the nation of Israel.  He would then bring healing to the land and restoration.  He would be in the midst of Israel and then finally He would pour out His spirit on His people.

Peter quotes Joel off the cuff here.  He wasn't reading and he probably didn't carry sermon notes around in his pocket in case he got a chance to speak.  Peter was filled with God's word and His spirit.  Peter didn't say that Pentecost was the fulfillment of this passage in Joel but he is declaring this is that same Spirit.  He speaks the passage to get to verse 21; that whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

This is the beginning of the church but it is also the final days. 

Maybe your response to these words presented today is similar to those people at Pentecost, "Whatever could this mean?"  What does it mean to be saved?  It is recognizing that you, like every other human, has sinned and fallen short of God's perfect and holy standard.  But God sent Jesus to die on the cross, taking all sin to the cross and paying it in full.  This allows us to identify with Jesus, letting his payment pay the debt we owe.  But also, Christ gave us His righteousness that we might stand before God, looking like Jesus when all we really are is a wretched sinner.

That's Grace and its amazing.  And it moves us then to become witnesses.  Witnesses are simply people who know, telling people who don't know, what God has made possible through the death, resurrection, and exaltation of his Son, Jesus Christ.

 

Acts 2:22-28

Peter has no need to prove these miracles, wonders and signs.  There was no dispute among these people.  Anyone in this region had heard of the miracles that Jesus had done.  Peter said, "you yourselves also know". 

  • The word 'miracle' means a display of great power (as in the calming of the sea). 
  • A 'wonder' is an amazing or wonderful occurrence that can't be explained.   How about the raising of Lazarus from the dead. 
  • A 'sign' is an supernatural event characterized by the communication of a message.  Jesus spoke of the sign of Jonah in Matthew 12:40:
    •  For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

Miracles, signs and wonders all seem very close and all testify that God was working through the Son. 

It's shocking that there remains a debate about whether Jesus even existed or who Jesus was and what he did.  Our world is characterized by the spirit of those mockers who want to deny and ignore what is evident.  Many believers can remember doing that very thing before they were saved (it seems like a different life, because it is!)  There is so much evidence that even the unbelieving historians acknowledge Jesus as a historical figure.  The only debate for the genuine unbeliever is if Jesus was really God in the flesh.  As believers, we know the Son of God walked the earth.  There is no debate about the signs and wonders.  No one in that time disputed that he was doing some awesome things.  The Pharisees didn't disbelieve the blind man was healed.  They were focused on who it was that did it and at other times what day he did it on.  The man said, I don't know; all I know is I was blind but now I see.  The evidence of Jesus and His works is overwhelming and John tells us:  

God wasn't surprised at the crucifixion; it was His purpose and plan from the beginning.  But that doesn't excuse the actions of the men.  The godless men drove the nails and put him to death.  Yet, He was there because of our sin and he stayed on the cross because he loved us.  He paid the debt we owe.  They are still accountable for what they did.  Jesus was taken by lawless hands and crucified unto death.  Then, this same Jesus was raised up, overcoming death because death couldn't hold Him.   Death had no power over him (Luke 24:36; John 2:18-22; 1 Corinthians 15:16-26).  Jesus is life (John 14:6).  Death, the wages of sin could not hold Him. 

Peter quotes another scripture; this time it is Psalm 16, verses 8-11.  This is a prophecy from David.  And David prophesied that God would not leave His Holy One in the grave.   God made known to Him the 'ways of life'.   Up to this point, Peter and the other Jews would have thought this was speaking about David.  (How many scriptures had Peter memorized anyway?)

 

Acts 2:29-36

Peter makes the case that this Psalm wasn't talking about David, its talking about Jesus.  David's grave was right there among them and David's bones were still in it.  They knew that David was not raised from the grave. 

Peter declared David to be a prophet, prophesying of Jesus who would be raised up.  And there were quite a few standing right there with him who had seen the risen Savior; imagine Peter motioning to the 120 as if to say, "here are the witnesses!"  This is what they were to be; witnesses.  A witness is those who know, telling those who don't know, the hope that comes through the death, resurrection and soon to come return of Jesus Christ. 

The coming of the Holy Spirit was a promise that was kept and is to this day a testimony to Christ.

Peter then quoted Psalm 110.  David wasn't exalted to the right hand of God, Jesus was.  David was calling on who would descend from him 'Lord'.  In the Jewish culture you would never call a descendant or a younger person 'Lord".  In doing so, David was proclaiming the Messiah to be greater than just a descendant.  Peter proclaimed him both Lord and Christ.

To the house of Israel, Peter is saying that they killed Him as a criminal when in fact He was their hope and their salvation.  They killed Him as a criminal when in fact He was, and still is, the Son of God.

 

Acts 2:37-39

This was truth, harsh and bitter, tough on the ears, cutting the heart.  It was an emotional piercing of shame and guilt, of wanting to take it back, undo it.  The word 'cut' is 'to strike' or 'prick violently'.  Those that asked, "What can this mean?" had their answer.  However, what was done, was turned for good.  Their hearts are ready for the gospel, they want to know what to do.  Peter told them to repent.  This is a 'turning away' from former ways or behaviors.  We bring nothing to the salvation process, but our brokenness and baggage.  We do no work, but we do have to make a decision.  We acknowledge we are going the wrong way and then do something about it; stop and turn around.   This is to change your mind about yourself and about Jesus.

We need to dissect this verse because on the surface it seems to say that you must be baptized to be saved.  Yet, there's no where else in scripture that says that.  We are saved through faith alone.  We are to be baptized when we are saved.  Baptism is done in obedience as a visible representation of what has happened on the inside.  The word "for" is translated many different ways.  The word "for" would be better expressed as "on account of".   We don't get baptized for the remission of sins but 'on account of' that remission.

Who is called?  Peter says this later in his life:

The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.  (2 Peter 3:9)

This promise is good for everyone that God will call to Himself.  It seems He calls to all men but we know on a few will answer. 

 

Acts 2:40

Peter testified and exhorted this crowd.  To exhort is to emphatically urge someone to do something.  Peter declared Jesus and told them to run to Him.  The word 'perverse' means dishonest, immoral and evasive.  Peter classified the generation of his day, the generation that all these men walked in, remember, from many lands, as a dishonest, immoral and evasive generation.  Things haven't changed all that much in a few thousand years since we can't argue our generation has improved anything.

Three thousand people responded to this.  That was a big crowd Peter was preaching to.  They gladly received this, repented and trusted in Christ and were baptized immediately.  Then they didn't just go back home and go about their old lives.  These folks were changed.  They had a new heart, new desires.  They hungered for the things of God so they were continually devoting themselves to teaching, fellowship, breaking of bread and prayer.  This is the birth of the church right here; a group of those have been saved from their sins by Jesus gathered together in pursuit of Him.

We see the value system of a new life take hold quickly.  This life was no longer about accumulating wealth, power or fame.  Their eyes were opened to a new reality.  A reality more real than anything they could see, touch or possess.   They had a compassion for those in needs and desired to share their life with those in the church.  They did this willingly, not under any compulsion.  Every one became a giver.  Now there is no doubt that someone had to be taking if everyone was giving, but the church wasn't characterized by takers, but by givers. 

 

Acts 2:46-47

For the third time in Acts, we see them in one accord.  These new believers were living in a sense of awe.  Shouldn't we always live in a sense of awe?  We can't begin to understand the things of God.  We should live in awe.  These folks continued in one mind.  They took meals together and met daily praising God.  They sold their property and possessions shared all they had with others.  The world no longer had a hold of them.  They were free.

©2008, 2014, 2021 Doug Ford, Calvary Chapel Sweetwater