CHAPTER 2

(A.D. 33)

PENTECOST

¹And when the Day of Pentecost was fully come (the Feast of Pentecost, one of the seven great Feasts ordained by God and practiced by Israel yearly; it took place fifty days after Passover), they were all with one accord in one place (not the Upper Room where they had been previously meeting, but rather the Temple [Lk. 24:53; Acts 2:46]).

²And suddenly there came a sound from Heaven as of a rushing mighty wind (portrays the coming of the Holy Spirit in a new dimension, all made possible by the Cross), and it filled all the house (the Temple) where they were sitting (they were probably in the Court of the Gentiles).

³And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire (the only record of such in the New Testament, and was the fulfillment of the Prophecy of John the Baptist concerning Jesus [Mat. 3:11]), and it sat upon each of them (refers to all who were there, not just the Twelve Apostles; the exact number is not known).

⁴And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit (all were filled, not just the Apostles; due to the Cross, the Holy Spirit could now come into the hearts and lives of all Believers to abide permanently [Jn. 14:16]), and began to speak with other Tongues (the initial physical evidence that one has been baptized with the Spirit, and was predicted by the Prophet Isaiah [Isa. 28:9-12], and by Christ [Mk. 16:17; Jn. 15:26; 16:13]), as the Spirit gave them utterance (meaning they did not initiate this themselves, but that it was initiated by the Spirit; as we shall see, these were languages known somewhere in the world, but not by the speaker).

⁵And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under Heaven (Jews were then scattered all over the Roman World, with thousands coming in from every nation to keep the Feast).

⁶Now when this was noised abroad (multitudes who were in the Temple heard and saw the proceedings, and as well, began to tell others), the multitude came together (what was happening attracted a multitude), and was confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language (means that these onlooking Jews heard these people speaking in many different languages, in fact languages of the nations of their residence, wherever that might have been, proving that this was not gibberish or babble as some claim).

⁷And they were all amazed and marveled (mostly centered upon this speaking with other tongues), saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans? (This means that the Galilaean accent was peculiar and well-known [Mk. 14:70; Lk. 22:59].)

⁸And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born? (This proves once again that this was not babble, mere chatter, or gibberish, but rather a language known somewhere in the world, but not by the speaker.)

⁹Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia,

¹⁰Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes,

¹¹Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful Works of God (this tells us what speaking in tongues actually is, a recitation of the Wonderful Works of God).

¹²And they were all amazed, and were in doubt (should have been translated, and were perplexed; they had no rational answer to their perplexity), saying one to another, What does this mean? (This was asking more in wonder than demanding an answer.)

¹³Others mocking said (they scoffed; whether by gesture or word, they jeered at the Testimony of this given by the Holy Spirit), These men are full of new wine (was actually an accusation that they were drunk, i.e., intoxicated; some were amazed and some mocked, which continues to be done even unto this hour).

PETER

¹⁴But Peter, standing up with the Eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them (Peter will now preach the inaugural Message of the Church on that Day of Pentecost), You men of Judaea, and all you who dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words (the Message was probably delivered on Solomons Porch, a part of the Court of the Gentiles; it was where debates and such like were commonly conducted):

¹⁵For these are not drunken, as you suppose (in effect, says they are drunk, but not in the common manner), seeing it is but the third hour of the day (9 a.m.).

¹⁶But this is that which was spoken by the Prophet Joel (please notice that Peter did not say, this fulfills that spoken by the Prophet Joel, but rather, this is that... meaning that it will continue);

¹⁷And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God (proclaims these last days as beginning on the Day of Pentecost, and continuing through the coming Great Tribulation), I will pour out of My Spirit upon all flesh (speaks of all people everywhere and, therefore, not limited to some particular geographical location; as well, it is not limited respecting race, color, or creed): and your sons and your daughters shall Prophesy (includes both genders), and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams (all given by the Holy Spirit; the Hebrew language insinuates, both your young men and old men shall see visions, and both your old men and young men shall dream dreams; it applies to both genders as well):

¹⁸And on My servants and on My handmaidens I will pour out in those days of My Spirit (is meant purposely to address two classes of people who had been given very little status in the past, slaves and women); and they shall Prophesy (pertains to one of the Gifts of the Spirit [I Cor. 12:8-10]):

¹⁹And I will show wonders in Heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke (pertains to the fact that these days of My Spirit will cover the entirety of the Church Age, even into the coming Great Tribulation; that time limit has now been nearly two thousand years):

²⁰The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood (not meant to be literal, but rather that the moon will look blood red because of atmospheric conditions), before that great and notable Day of the Lord come (the Second Coming):

²¹And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the Name of the Lord shall be saved (Joel 2:30-32; presents one of the most glorious statements ever made; it includes both Jews and Gentiles equally).

²²You men of Israel, hear these words (the inaugural Message of the Church); Jesus of Nazareth, a Man approved of God among you (Jesus must ever be the theme of our Message; He was approved of God, but not of men) by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by Him in the midst of you (what Peter knew firsthand, because he was there), as you yourselves also know (so many of these things were done that there was absolutely no excuse for them not to know):

²³Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God (it was the Plan of God that Jesus would die on the Cross; however, it was not the Plan of God for the religious leaders of Israel to do this thing; that was of their own making and choice), you have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain (presents a charge so serious it absolutely defies description! but yet, if they will seek mercy and forgiveness, God will forgive them, even as we shall see):

²⁴Whom God has raised up (concerns the Resurrection), having loosed the pains of death (death could not hold Him because He atoned for all sin, which occasions death [Rom. 6:23]): because it was not possible that He should be held by it (death would liked to have held Him in its grip, but it could not because He had taken away its legal right; as stated, He atoned for all sin, which defeated death, Satan, and all principalities and powers [Col. 2:14-15]).

²⁵For David speaks concerning Him (Ps. 16:8-11), I foresaw the Lord always before My face, for He is on My Right Hand, that I should not be moved (through the Cross, Christ would gain this position at the Fathers Right Hand, which speaks of power and authority, all on our behalf [Heb. 1:3]):

²⁶Therefore did My heart rejoice (concerns Christ rejoicing over His Fathers guarantee and protection regarding His descent into the death world; He knew that the Father would bring Him out), and My tongue was glad (refers to the things He said regarding His Resurrection [Mat. 16:21; 17:23; 20:17-19; Mk. 8:31]); moreover also My flesh shall rest in hope (refers to resting on the Promises of God relating to the Resurrection):

²⁷Because You will not leave My soul in hell (it was not the burning part of Hell [Lk. 16:19-31], neither will You (God the Father) suffer Your Holy One to see corruption (His physical body, being sinless, saw no corruption, which normally accompanies death; in fact, it was glorified and raised from the dead).

²⁸You have made known unto Me the ways of Life (presents Christ as the Pattern, and as well presents the Resurrection not only of Himself, but all Believers); You shall make Me full of joy with Your countenance (Gods Face did shine upon Christ, and it shines upon us as well, as we are in Christ).

²⁹Men and Brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the Patriarch David (presents the only time David is referred to in Scripture as a Patriarch), that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day (is given here to dispel the erroneous notions held by the Pharisees and religious leaders of Israel concerning the Messiah).

³⁰Therefore being a Prophet (concerns the many Prophecies given by David in the Psalms regarding Christ), and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh (II Sam. 7:11-16), He (God) would raise up Christ to sit on his throne (to sit on Davids Throne, which has not yet happened, but most surely will in the coming Kingdom Age; all of this portrays the Incarnation, God becoming Man and doing so through the lineage of David);

³¹He (David) seeing this before spoke of the Resurrection of Christ (tells the religious leaders of Israel David plainly Prophesied that Jesus would be raised from the dead [Ps. 16:8-11]), that His soul was not left in Hell (as stated, He did not go to the burning side of Hell, but rather into Paradise [Lk. 16], and as well to some particular prisons in that infernal region [I Pet. 3:19-20]), neither did His flesh see corruption (He was not tormented in Hell as some teach, neither was there any decay in His physical Body; rather it was Glorified).

³²This Jesus (the One you Crucified) has God raised up (speaks of the physical Jesus and not some spirit), whereof we all are witnesses (Peter is telling them that despite what they say, all of Israel knows that Jesus was raised from the dead).

³³Therefore being by the Right Hand of God exalted (Christ is now exalted, not only as Creator, but as well as Saviour, the latter made possible by the Cross), and having received of the Father the Promise of the Holy Spirit (proves that Jesus was accepted by the Father because the Holy Spirit was sent back, even as Promised [Jn. 16:7]), He has shed forth this, which you now see and hear (they saw the people, and they heard them speak with tongues).

³⁴For David is not ascended into the Heavens (given by Peter to prove that these Prophecies were not given to David concerning himself, but rather the One Who was to come, namely the Lord Jesus Christ; evidently, some of the religious leaders of Israel were claiming that these Prophecies pertained to David, and had nothing to do with Jesus, which Peter repudiates here): but he (David)said himself, The LORD said unto My Lord (God the Father said to God the Son), Sit Thou on My Right Hand ([Ps. 110:1] this is where Jesus now abides [Heb. 1:3]),

³⁵Until I make Your foes Your footstool (all made possible by the Cross [Col. 2:14-15], but will not be fully realized until the conclusion of the Kingdom Age [Rev., Chpt. 20; I Cor. 15:24-25]).

³⁶Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly (is leveled by Peter directly toward the religious leadership of Israel, and is inspired by the Holy Spirit), that God has made that same Jesus, Whom you have Crucified, both Lord and Christ (Jesus was and is Jehovah, and as well, Israels Messiah).

THE EFFECT

³⁷Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart (the convicting Power of the Holy Spirit), and said unto Peter and to the rest of the Apostles, Men and Brethren, what shall we do? (This proclaims these people, whomever they may have been, desiring to get right with God.)

³⁸Then Peter said unto them, Repent (admit that God is right, and we are wrong), and be baptized every one of you in the Name of Jesus Christ (by the authority of that Name; there is no baptismal formula given in the Book of Acts; the only formula given was given by Christ in Mat. 28:19) for the Remission of sins (should have been translated, because of remission of sins; one is Baptized in Water because ones sins have already been remitted due to Faith in Christ, and not that sins should be remitted), and you shall receive the Gift of the Holy Spirit (Repentance guarantees Salvation, which makes the Believer ready to be Baptized with the Holy Spirit; one is not Baptized with the Spirit automatically at conversion; it is an experience that follows Salvation, and is always accompanied by speaking with other tongues [Acts 2:4; 10:44-46; 19:1-7]).

³⁹For the Promise (of the Baptism with the Holy Spirit) is unto you (directed toward the many Jews standing in the Temple listening to Peter that day), and to your children (means that this great outpouring did not stop with the initial outpouring, but continues on), and to all who are afar off (meaning that its not only for those in Jerusalem, but the entirety of the world as well), even as many as the Lord our God shall call (that Call is whosoever will [Jn. 7:37-39; Rev. 22:17]).

⁴⁰And with many other words did he testify and exhort (tells us that we only have a part of Peters Message here), saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation (it is a call to Repentance).

⁴¹Then they who gladly received his word were baptized (some believed what Peter said, gave their hearts to God, and repented of their sins; they were then baptized in water): and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls (on the first Day of Pentecost, the Day the Law was given, some three thousand men died [Ex. 32:28]; on this Day of Pentecost, due to the Cross, some three thousand people were saved).

THE EARLY CHURCH

⁴²And they continued stedfastly in the Apostles Doctrine (that Doctrine is found in Verse 38) and fellowship, and in breaking of bread (had to do with the celebration of the Lords Supper, which was probably a much more informal setting than presently), and in prayers (simply meant it was a praying Church).

⁴³And fear came upon every soul (speaks of the Moving and Operation of the Holy Spirit; seeing the things that the Spirit was doing, all had a sense of awe, wonder, and fear): and many wonders and signs were done by the Apostles (the Holy Spirit did this in order to give the Church a great start; it continued, even as it is meant to continue, but on a more limited basis, as the latter part of the Book of Acts bears out).

⁴⁴And all who believed were together (due to the great animosity of the Jews against the followers of Christ, Believers had to band together), and had all things common (due to thousands losing their jobs because of persecution, those who had material goods shared with those who didnt);

⁴⁵And sold their possessions and goods (they sold things they did not absolutely need, in order that they may be able to help those who were in great need), and parted them to all men, as every man had need (proclaimed a Christlike community because of the great persecution at hand).

⁴⁶And they, continuing daily with one accord in the Temple (in a sense, the Temple had been turned into a Church, which must have been extremely irritating to the religious authorities), and breaking bread from house to house (means that the Church per se was actually ensconced in houses all over Jerusalem), did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart (they had a joy that persecution could not hinder),

⁴⁷Praising God, and having favour with all the people (Jerusalem as a whole was favorably impressed by what they saw respecting these followers of Christ). And the Lord added to the Church daily such as should be saved (many were coming to the Lord).