Acts
2
1 “And
when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one
accord in one place.” Was now come for was
fully come, Authorized Version;
all together for with one
accord, Authorized Version and Textus
Receptus.
When the day of
Pentecost was now come; literally, when the day of Pentecost —
i.e., of the fiftieth
day — was in the course
of being completed. The fiftieth day
(reckoned from the end of the 16th
of Nisan, on which Jesus was crucified) was
actually come, but was not
ended (compare Luke 9:11). All together; ὁμοῦ - homou -
together - for ὁμοθυμαδόν
–
homothumadon – with one accord : but ὁμοθυμαδόν
—
a favorite word in
the Acts (ch. 4:24, note) — seems preferable to ὁμοῦ, which
occurs only in John. In one place (see ch.1:15, note).
The purpose, doubtless, of
their coming together was for prayer, as in ch.1:14; and
the third hour (9 a.m.,
v. 15), the hour of offering the morning sacrifice, was
close at hand (compare
ch. 3:1 and Luke 1:10).
2 “And
suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing
mighty wind, and it filled all the house
where they were sitting.”
From heaven a sound for
a sound from heaven, Authorized Version;
as of the
rushing of a for as
of a rushing, Authorized Version. All the house; showing that
it was in a private dwelling, not in the temple (as in
ch.3:1) that they were
assembled (see v. 46). Perhaps the word “church” (ὁ κυριακὸς οῖκος
– ho
kuriakos oikos – the
Lord’s house) derives its use from these early
meetings
of the disciples in a house, as distinguished from
the temple (τὸ ἱερὸν
–
to hieron - temple).
3 “And
there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon
each of them.” Tongues parting asunder for
cloven tongues, Authorized Version;
each one for each, Authorized
Version. There
appeared. They had heard the sound,
now they see the
tongues of fire, and then they feel the
Spirit working in them
(see v. 2). Tongues parting asunder. The idea of the cloven tongue, i.e. a tongue
parted into two, which is thought to have been the origin
of the miter, is
not suggested either by the Greek or by the circumstances,
and is clearly a
mistaken one. Διαμεριζόμεναι
– Diamerizomenai
– dividing - means distributing
themselves or being distributed. From the central apparition,
or rather place of sound,
they saw issuing forth many several tongues, looking
like small flames of fire, and
one such tongue sat upon each one of the brethren or
disciples present.
Each one. That Chrysostom is right (‘Hom.’4.) in interpreting the
each
one of this verse of the hundred and twenty, and not of the
twelve, and the
all in v. 4 of all present besides the apostles, may be demonstrated.
For
not only must the all
of v. 1 refer to the same company as was described
in the preceding chapter (vs. 15-26), but it is quite clear
in v. 15 of this
chapter that Peter and the eleven (v. 14), standing up
separate from the
body of the disciples, say of them, “These are not drunken, as ye suppose;”
which is a demonstration that those of whom they thus spoke
had been
speaking with tongues (see also ch.10:44).
that the hundred and twenty all received the Holy Spirit.
To the same effect
Meyer, Wordsworth, Alford (who adds, “Not the hundred and
twenty only,
but all the believers in Christ then congregated at
Lange). Farrar well remarks, “It
was the consecration of a whole Church to
be all of them a chosen generation, a royal priest- hood,
a holy nation, a
peculiar people”
(‘Life of
apostles, but all the disciples, were filled with the Holy
Ghost. There is a
universal priesthood of all believers, and the Holy Ghost is
the anointing
which consecrates and qualifies for this priesthood”
4 “And
they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other
tongues, as the Spirit gave them
utterance.” Spirit for Ghost, Authorized
Version.
Other tongues (I Corinthians 14:21; Isaiah
28:11); the same as the “new tongues”
of Mark 16:17. Paul speaks
of them as “the tongues of men and of
angels”
(I Corinthians 13:1), and as “kinds of tongues” (ibid. ch.12:10).
His habitual
phrase
is “speaking in
[or with] a tongue [or tongues]” (ibid. ch.14:2, 4-6, etc.), and the
verb is always λαλεῖν
– lalein
– to be speaking, as here. What these
tongues were
on this occasion we are explicitly informed in vs. 6, 8, and 11.
They were the
tongues of the various nationalities present at the feast —
Parthians, Medes,
Elamites, Mesopotamians, Egyptians, Phrygians,
Arabians, etc. This is so clearly
and so distinctly stated that it is astonishing
that any one should deny it who
accepts Luke’s account as historical. The only room for doubt is
whether the
speakers spoke in these divers languages, or the hearers heard
in them though
the speakers spoke in only one tongue. But not to mention
that this is far more
difficult to imagine, and transfers the miracle from those who had the
Holy Spirit
to those who had it not, it is against the plain language of
the text, which tells
us that “they began to speak with other tongues,” and
that “every
man
heard them speaking in his own language.” “Speaking,” said
they, “in our
own tongues the
mighty works of God.” There may,
indeed, have been
something ecstatic besides in these utterances, but there
is no reference to
such made either by Luke or by the audience whose words he
reports.
The narrative before us does not hint at any after use of the
gift of tongues
for missionary purposes. In
ch.10:46; 11:15-17; 19:6, as well as in the passages
above referred to in the First Epistle to the Corinthians,
the speaking with tongues
is always spoken of — often in connection with prophecy — simply as a gift and
a manifestation
(I Corinthians 12:7) OF THE POWER OF THE
HOLY SPIRIT!
In this case and in ch.10:46 the
subject matter of the utterance is THE
GREATNESS
OF GOD’S WORKS - τὰ
μεγαλεῖα τοῦ Θεοῦ
μεγαλυνόντων
τὸν Θεὸν – ta megaleia
tou Theou megalunonton ton Theon. In I Corinthians 14:2 it is “mysteries;” in v. 15,
prayers
and psalms; in v. 16 it is blessing and thanksgiving (εὐλογῇς
– eulogies -
to give a blessing
and εὐχαριστία
– eucharistia - thanksgiving). But nowhere,
either in Holy Scripture or in the Fathers of the
three first centuries, is the gift
of tongues spoken of in connection with preaching to foreign nations.
Some suggest that the whole conception of speaking with
tongues arose from
the anticipation on the part of the apostles that great
difficulty would arise
in propagating the gospel from the impossibility of
learning to speak the
necessary languages. The solution with some was that, under
the ecstasy
caused by the Holy Spirit, the hearers would be able to
translate what they
heard into their own tongue; others rather thought that by
the same power
the apostles would be able to speak any dialect they
pleased at the moment.
Hence the conception of the day of Pentecost as described
by St. Luke!
The significance of the miracle seems to be that it points
to the time when all
shall be ONE IN CHRIST and shall all speak and understand the same speech;
and not only all men, but men and angels, “the whole family in heaven and
earth,”
“things in the heavens and things upon
the earth” ALL GATHERED TOGETHER
IN ONE IN CHRIST! (“That
in the dispensation of the fullness of times He
might
gather together in one all things in
Christ, both which are in heaven,
and
which are on earth, even in HIM!”
The Symbols of the Spirit’s Presence (vs.
1-4)
It is important that we mark with some precision what
actually occurred on
this memorable day. On the day of Pentecost the company of
disciples met
together as usual at the customary hour of morning prayer,
but whether in
one of the thirty rooms which Josephus tells us were
connected with the
courts of Herod’s temple, or in the private house where
they lodged, is
uncertain. As we know that they attended morning prayer in
the temple
(see ch. 3:1), there is much in favor of the scene
occurring within the
temple precincts. There a large company could be
readily and conveniently
assembled, and there the high priest and Levitical
guard would have the
necessary authority to arrest “disturbers of the peace.” While
the apostolic
company was engaged in prayer, a sudden rushing sound was heard, like
that which accompanies an earthquake. It seemed to sweep
through the
room, and fill it with a new and inspiring atmosphere; and
then, as each one
of them looked in astonishment upon his companion, he saw a
central
flame come and part, settling in divided streams upon each
head. The
mystic symbols soon passed away, but they left the
disciples conscious of a
new life; they were as men moved beyond themselves by a
mighty inward
impulse. The glow of A
DIVINE KINDLING was upon their faces,
the passion
of a Divine urging was within their souls, the freedom of a
Divine utterance
was upon their lips; they began to speak to the people
around about the
Messiahship of Jesus, the crucified. The rumor soon spread
among the
excitable multitudes, gathered from all parts, who were
present at the feast.
They crowded round the apostles; they felt the influence of
their
enthusiasm; they heard one and another of them speaking in
the familiar
language of their birthplace; they were moved by the power
of a Divine
presence, and that day three thousand bowed the knee to
Christ. Those
disciples had been told to wait for spiritual power
— inward, heart-power.
And the signs that attended the gift were designed to
indicate the kind of
power that came. It was a mighty breath filling them with
larger life. They
were caught up, and encircled as with a great wind of
Divine energy, and in
this atmosphere they breathed more freely, and lived more
nobly. Just as if the
temperature of this northern atmosphere were raised
suddenly, and a
mighty tropical river were to pour its fertilizing
inundation ever the
country, the result would be the impartation of a vigorous
and gigantic
growth to the vegetation already in existence, and at the
same time the
development of life in seeds and germs which had long lain
latent in the
soil, incapable of vegetation in the unkindly climate of
their birth. Exactly
in the same way, the flood of a Divine life, poured suddenly
into the souls
of men, enlarged and
ennobled qualities which had been used already, and
at the same time developed powers which never could have
become
apparent in the cold, low temperature of natural life. It may be well to
recall the associations of the Feast of Pentecost,
especially noting that it
was held to commemorate the giving of the Law on
Law came as a series of formal commandments; now Law
came as an
inward impulse to righteousness; it was “written
in the mind and the heart.”
The symbols designed to show the character of the Spirit’s
work in the
disciples are three, viz. wind, fire, tongues.
used in conversation with the
inquiring Nicodemus (John 3:8), “The
wind bloweth where
it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but
canst not tell
whence it cometh, and whither it goeth:
so is every one
that is born of
the Spirit.” It would also remind of
the later
incident when Jesus “breathed
on them, and said, Receive ye the Holy
Ghost” (John 20:22). The figure in the Hebrew word for Spirit (punch)
is “breath,” or “wind.” We may
note that the wind suggests the freeness of
the Spirit, the force of the Spirit, and the elevating and inspiring influence
of the Spirit.
the baptizer, “He
shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire.”
Fire is conceived as the great purging
and purifying agent. John could not
forgive sin, or cleanse souls, or
sanctify. For this work he prepared the
way. Christ cleanses and
sanctifies, by His Spirit, with a fullness and a
power that can only be
represented by the work of fire on precious metal.
A Power like fire is
needed to destroy and root out SELF and
SIN..
precisely the form of the gift
that came to these first disciples. Afterwards
we find the gift of tongues
explained as an ecstatic utterance, which
required interpretation. Here we
may assume that the gospel message was
delivered by different
individuals, in different languages, and in different
parts of the temple courts. We
should see that it fulfilled the promise made
to the disciples of power to witness. The first sign
of the Power came in
adaptation to the particular
circumstances and needs of the day, and they
might see in this the assurance
that the power would come in adaptation to
every day’s needs. Not always as power
to speak a foreign language, but
always as power to speak, as the
freed loosened tongue, as a new tongue,
so that they might preach
Christ, and witness everywhere for the “Prince
and Savior,
exalted to give repentance, and remission of sins.”
The same Spirit is still with
the Church and with us; and is as certainly and
precisely adapting his grace and
help to the work and the witness we are
called to render.
The Epoch of the Spiritual Dispensation (vs.
1-4)
festival of harvest. What
associations of joy! It was a focus of national life.
It was a convenient season for
the designs of
thronged, and the multitude was
alive with thought. A sound now heard
from the depths of the world of
spirit must vibrate through the conscience
of mankind for ages.
whole house from top to bottom.
The phenomena of the wind and of the
storm have ever been the natural
symbolism of Divine presence and power
to the human intelligence. The sense of hearing is the peculiarly
believing
sense; all through the grades of
language faith “cometh by hearing.” Now it
is the soft voice of love, and
now that of power, which speaks; in the
zephyr or in the boreal blast.
sense, and either confirms or
corrects the report of the ear. Thomas was in
the meeting, and would possibly
have explained the sound away. The
testimony of the eye is needed
for full satisfaction, and is given. Not one
but many tongues, cleft and as
of fire, are seen; on the head of each disciple
rests a tongue. The picture is
that of a wing of flame, distributed into
manifold parts according to the
number of those present. And this is the
analysis of the symbol: cleansing,
all-penetrating Divine activity; the love
that consumes evil, and fuses
the material of life to ends of refinement;
unity of principle with
distributive and various operation in this power. As
the burning ray reveals the gem,
so does the dispiriting flame reveal the
love that ever burns in the
center of things, in the heart of the living God.
Here, then, was the “Spirit of power
and of love” made known through ear
and eye in inmost conscience and
feeling.
forth in wondrous action. All
things are for this epoch possible. They begin
to speak in foreign tongues.
Their utterances are felt to be not their own. It
is “according as the Spirit granted
them utterance.” They are the AEolian
harps on which the wind is
playing. The best of our speech and thought is
in like manner from an inner
fullness, and is felt not to be our own. What
we do as we say “unconsciously,”
i.e. conscious that it is not we but God
in us, is our true deed. Mozart
could not explain to his friend the process
of his marvelous musical
constructions. At times the thoughts flowed into
him in full stream, and he
merely reported them as they came. We cannot
artificially bring on the hour
of inspiration. We must watch and wait and
pray. For every faithful heart
there are Pentecostal epochs. And of each it
will be recorded, “suddenly
it came,” like all Divine comings, to leave
unlooked-for power and blessing
behind.
The Great Lesson of the Pentecost (v. 4)
It seems a strange thing that our Lord, when preparing His
disciples for the
coming of the Spirit, should set a higher value on that
Spirit’s work than
on the continuance of His own (John 16:7-11). The only
satisfactory
explanation is this — that the
Spirit’s work was the continuance of His
own. It continued
that Divine
presence which was essential to the stability
and culture of the disciples; for both while He lived among
men and when
He passed beyond human vision, our Savior’s words were
true, “Without
me ye can do nothing.”
(John 15:5) No
longer is Christ outside us, only to be
seen by the eye, heard by the ear, and touched by the hand;
we are now the
“temples of the Holy
Ghost;” He dwelleth with us, and is in
us. We do not
rightly apprehend the scene of Pentecost if we regard it
only as the first of
a series of separate gifts of the Spirit, which may be made
in answer to
prayer. We take a much more comprehensive and truthful view
when we
regard it as the entrance of
God the Holy Ghost upon His special mission in
relation to THE FULL
REDEMPTION OF MANKIND! It was, as it were, the
opening of the heavens, and the sending forth of the Divine
Spirit, to brood forever
over the
waters, quickening life. It was His reception in the hearts prepared
for Him, that He might begin a work which, ever spreading
and widening,
seeks to enthrone God the Father in EVERY HEART and EVERY LIFE! As God
the Son entered and won first a mother’s heart, that He
might get a foothold
from which to enter the heart of the whole world; so God
the Spirit
came into the souls of a few disciples first, only that He might extend His
sway, spreading from heart to heart, entering, subduing,
teaching, and
sanctifying, ever working for that glorious day when the “people shall be
all holy.” We fix attention on this one point: The disciples gained,
and kept
from that day, a deep sense of their entire dependence
on God, and on God
as the indwelling, in working Spirit. They could never recall that “day of
Pentecost” without contrasting what they were before it
came, and what
they were after it had passed. There was contrast in their measure of
spiritual vision, and
contrast in the energy and joy of their work. And so
they learned, in a most effective way, that their sufficiency was of God.
The secret of all moral strength is DEPENDENCE ON GOD! —
open-
heartedness to receive, and simple readiness to obey and
work out, all the
inward impulses and leadings of His Holy Spirit. Because the
disciples learned
this lesson of Pentecost so well, therefore it can be thus
reported concerning
them, “They went forth, and preached everywhere,
the Lord working with
them, and confirming the Word with signs following.”
Application of this lesson may be made to the Christian.
higher truth to reach, clusters
of graces to ripen, and the power of a holy
example to wield. But we “are
not sufficient of ourselves even to think
anything as of
ourselves.” “Our sufficiency is of God.” We too need the
Quickener,
Comforter, and Teacher.
And who “dares to do the warfare
at his own charges”? We are only strong
in God either to fight or to bear.
must learn to say after the
great apostle, “I can do all things through Him
who strengtheneth
me.” What we need is spiritual
power, Spirit-power, the
Pentecostal power. When
shall we fully grasp the inspiring truth — the
Holy Ghost is with us?
The
Day of Pentecost: The Manifestation of the Spirit (1-4)
world and of the Jewish Church. Harvest
festival. Connection with the
Passover, from which it was
reckoned — seven weeks. The gifts of God
poured out at
judgments. The new must be
grafted on the old, according to the promises
in the prophets, that there
should still be a remnant according to the
election of grace. Favorable
position of
world’s religious life.
Distinction from
absolutisms of the East.
Providential education of the Jews to be the
world’s messengers in Christ’s
Name. Rebuke of human pride. Not to the
wise, not to the wealthy, not to
the politically powerful, was the function
assigned, but to the small and
despised people in whom the gracious
preparation was made, to the Church when it was in the ATTITUDE OF
PRAYER!
Ø
Tongues; not swords, not scepters, but the sign of persuasion and
moral
victory over men’s hearts.
Ø
Fire, changing, subduing, penetrating, purifying, irresistible.
The
element
of the world’s destruction. So the power of truth brings about
the
overthrow of error and the destruction of the evil world.
Ø
Accompanied with the sound of a mighty rushing wind
from heaven,
symbol of the vastness of
the spiritual forces now to be sent upon earth,
of their mysteriousness of
operation, of their super-earthly origin; not
brought about by any devices or
machinery of man’s, but the free gift
of God, that His Name alone be
glorified.
Ø
Distributed amongst God’s people; “sat upon each of them,” “cloven
tongues,” probably referring to the flames being divided into
portions -
“parting asunder” (Revised
Version). Whether the all of
v. 1 mean all
the twelve apostles alone,
or all the disciples, is of little consequence,
for the
promise of the Spirit was declared by
Peter to be FOR ALL
FLESH! (see below).
Ø
The voice of the Spirit. Either an unknown tongue
which the Spirit
interpreted, partly by
inspiration of those who heard it, and partly by
communication of its meaning to individuals,
or the special gift of
languages imparted for the
occasion, by a miraculous elevation of the
faculties, so that the
uneducated Jew spoke a foreign tongue. The
former seems the most likely.
But the one great fact is THE
UTTERANCE OF THE
SPIRIT’S VOICE!
Baptism of the Holy Ghost (v. 4)
Connect with facts; the position and responsibilities of
the Church, the
promise given, the antecedent state of the world, the need
of a Divine
power for the mission of grace, the importance of such a miracle
for the
confirmation of faith and the establishment of
Christianity, the uplifting of
the agents above natural infirmities, errors, and sins.
thoughts, speculations,
strivings, powers; capable of much, but the great
want the Spirit. Truth, love,
life, for a false world — a world at enmity
with itself, fall of disorder; a
dying world, needing to be renewed and
restored.
from man’s claims and merits;
upon all, without respect of persons, for the
selection of the few believing
Jews, with a view to the abolition of Judaism
and of all restrictions; abundantly
— “all filled,” to their own astonishment,
with supernatural powers. Spiritual
gifts above all other gifts. Even science
points to a continuous ascent of
man. He is only highest when he is filled
with THE SPIRIT
OF GOD!
anticipate a similar baptism of the
Holy Ghost, not with the same external
manifestation, but with
substantially the same
elevation of faith and life.
Instances of such a baptism in
great preachers and workers, in lowly men
and women, in periods of the
Church’s history. Suddenly the fact may
appear, but, like the first
Christians, our duty is to be ready for it, waiting,
expecting, with one accord,
often in one place. Revival of the Church,
conversion of the world, should
be viewed in their relation to this
stupendous change, and what came
out of it. Baptism is consecration. The
Holy Ghost is not given for
signs and wonders, but to endow the
Church
for its mission
to the world. The power of utterance
is the great test of
Divine endowment, not in the
sense of human eloquence, but in the
fulfillment of the Spirit’s
work, to convince:
Ø
“the world of sin,
Ø
of
righteousness, and
Ø
of judgment” (John 16:8-10). And so:
pledge of the future. It is the
gate through which we can see endless glory:
“angels of God
ascending and descending.” “All the families of the earth”
blessed in the true children of
Abraham. We must admit of no compromise
in the proclamation of such a
message. If Christianity is no more than a
moral doctrine, then Pentecost
is lost in the background of a primitive
antiquity; if it is “life from the dead,”
then we must ceaselessly repeat the
watchword, “This is He that baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.” We can do
nothing without a Divine Christ, a
Divine Spirit, the promise of
the
Father, A NEW CREATION! To this opened heaven all are alike invited.
The conditions of such a baptism
were proclaimed by Jesus Himself on the
mount, through all His ministry.
“Come unto me;” “Ask, and it shall be
given unto you;”
“Walk in the light, and be children of light.”
5 “And
there were dwelling at
every nation under heaven.” Now for and, Authorized Version; from for out of,
Authorized
Version. Dwelling; either Jews come up for
the feast, or perhaps
rather domiciled at
6 “Now
when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together,
and were confounded, because that every man
heard them speak in
his own language.” And when this sound (φωνῆς – phonaes - sound) was
heard for now when
this was noised abroad Authorized Version, which the
words cannot mean; speaking for speak, Authorized Version. This sound.
The question still remains whether the sound (φωνή) refers to
the sound
(ἤχος – echos –
resound; blare) of the rushing mighty wind mentioned
in
v. 2, or to the voices of those who spake with tongues. If
the last, we should
rather have expected sounds or voices in the
plural; and it is further in
favor of the former that γενομένης
τῆς φωνῆς ταύτης
–
genomenaes taes
phonaes tautaes –
now when this sound – seems to
take up the ἐγένετο
ἤχος –
egeneto echos – there came a blare - of v. 2. The word φωνή is applied to
πνεῦμα – pneuma – spirit - in John 3:8. Nor is it likely, at
first sight, that the
disciples in the house where they were sitting should have
spoken loud enough
to attract the notice of people outside. Whereas the sound of a rushing mighty
wind, sufficient (as in
ch. 4:31) to shake the house, would naturally be heard
by passers-by. On the other
hand, however, φωνή seems to point decisively
to the human voice (see its use, I Corinthians 14:10).
7 “And
they were all amazed and marveled, saying one to another,
Behold, are not all these which speak
Galilaeans?” Saying for saying one
to another, Authorized Version and Textus Receptus. Amazed
(ἐξίσταντο
–
existanto – they are amazed). Galilaeans; describing merely
their nationality. The Galilaean accent was peculiar
and well known
(see Mark 14:70; Luke 22:59; Matthew 26:73).
8 “And how
hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were
born?” Language
for tongue, Authorized
Version. Language (διαλέκτῳ
-
dialekto – dialect;
vernacular, as in Acts 1:19). It only occurs in the New
Testament in the Acts, and may mean either language or dialect.
Here it
is properly rendered language, and is
synonymous with γλώσσαις
–
glossais –
languages in v. 11.
9 “Parthians,
and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in
Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia,
in
In Judaea for and in
Elamites. These would be the Israelites of the first dispersion, the
descendants of those of the ten tribes who were deported by
the Assyrians,
and of whom the Afghans are
perhaps a remnant, and of the first
Babylonian captivity. Mesopotamia and
possession of the Parthians.
“the princes of the Captivity,” and of one of the great
rabbinical schools.
right, both from its situation between Mesopotamia and
because Jews (Judaeans) are mentioned again in v. 10
(where, however,
see note).
(‘Hem.’4., end of [3]),
suggested as conjectural emendations. One might have
expected
with its different Celtic dialect, and which goes with
and
were many Jews in those provinces: Aquila, too, was a Jew
from
(ch. 18:2). ΛΨΔΙΑ,
manuscripts read
10 “Phrygia,
and Pamphylia, in
Authorized
Version; the parts for in the parts, Authorized
Version; sojourners
from for strangers of, Authorized Version; both Jews for Jews,
Authorized Version.
Asia; i.e. “the western coast region of Asia
Minor, including
Some of this part of the dispersion are mentioned as very
hostile to Stephen (ch.6:9).
“Two-fifths of the population of
quarter of the population of
Matthew 27:32). And
sojourners from
and couples the οἱ
ἐπιδημοῦντες Ῥωμαῖοι
– hoi
epidaemountes Romaioi – the
repatriated Romans; the strangers of
Μεσοποταμίαν
– hoi
katoikountes taen Mesopotamian – the dwellers in
at
sojourners, whether they were Jews whose home was at
they were proselytes; and it is an interesting fact that there were
such proselytes
in the great capital of the heathen world. Sojourners, as
in ch.17:21, the
strangers sojourning at
11 “Cretes
and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful
works of God.” Cretans for Cretes,
Authorized Version ; speaking for speak,
Authorized
Version; mighty for wonderful, Authorized
Version. (τὰ
μεγαλεῖα –
ta megaleia – the
greatnesses;the great things).
12 “And
they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to
another, What meaneth this?” Perplexed for in doubt, Authorized Version
and Textus Receptus
13 “Others
mocking said, These men are full of new wine.”
But others for others, Authorized
Version; they are filled with for these men
are full of, Authorized Version. New wine; more literally, sweet wine. These
mockers, men
incapable of serious and devout appreciation of
the work of the
Holy Spirit, attributed the tension of feeling which they saw, and the
unintelligible words which they heard, to the effect of
wine.
Ø
So Festus said, “Paul,
thou art mad.” (ch. 26:24)
Ø
So the unbelieving
Jews of Pontus and
that the Christians should
live holily, and spake evil of
them
in consequence (I Peter 4:4, 14).
Ø
So Ishmael mocked
Isaac (Genesis 21:9); and
so
in all times “they that are born after the flesh do
persecute
them that are born after the Spirit” (Galatians 4:29).
The Unity of the Spirit (vs. 1-13)
If, with the idea of
unity in our minds, we read this description of the first
outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the Church, we cannot
but be struck
with the manner in which that great idea is exhibited and
illustrated.
together in one place. Many in
number, but all of that many come together;
drawn by one common impulse to
merge their separate existences, their
various pursuits, their divergent
vocations, their several movements, their
independent actions, in one
common action, and by that action to come
together to one
place. All the different reasons and
motives which would
have kept them separate, and
which would have attracted them to different
places, were overcome by the common reason and motive which drew
them to one
place. Nor must we overlook some of
the aspects of this local
unity. It reveals to us that
there was something in the heart of each one of
the assembly which felt the need
of contact with the others, because there
was known to be
in those others a like nature and a like spirit and a like
yearning to
their own. No one felt himself
sufficient to himself; there was
an outlook in each breast for
that which should make up the complement
of its own wants, and that
complement could only be found in the love of
the brethren. It reveals also that sense which each had of mutual
support
and encouragement, that
expectation of strength and countenance to be
derived from the presence and
the communion of the rest. The Christian
instinct told each one, “It
is not good to be alone;” faith, love, courage,
holy enthusiasm, heavenly zeal,
power to act for Christ and His kingdom,
wisdom to know, and boldness to
execute, counsel before the time of
action comes, and decision when
it is come, — all are increased and
perfected “by that which every joint
supplieth.” (Ephesians 4:16) And
then,
again, this local unity had its
immense importance considered in regard to its
outward aspect —
the aspect which it IT PRESENTED TO THE WORLD!
The individual Simon, or John,
or James, might be thrust aside with contempt
as an ignorant enthusiast or an
eccentric fanatic; but the compact body of the
twelve, with the hundred and
twenty firmly attached to them, already presented
a front to the world imposing
from its compactness and the close coherence of
all its parts. And, in like
manner, a little thought will reveal other aspects of
this local unity. The one temple
at
the unity of the twelve tribes,
who looked upon it as their common center,
and who met together
periodically at that one center for the offices of their
common faith. And so this local
unity of the Church, to whom the upper
chamber — consecrated, perhaps,
by the Lord’s presence at the Paschal
feast, and endeared by the hours
of prayer and waiting passed in it between
Easter and Pentecost-was the
common place of meeting, was a material
prop and buttress to that spiritual unity of which THE LORD JESUS
CHRIST WAS THE
CHURCH as
contemplated by the Holy Ghost. It is not only that the
disciples felt their unity, and
displayed it in the local unity of which we
have spoken, but God the Holy Ghost looked upon them as one, and
treated them as
one. We read in v. 3 that “it
sat upon each one of them;”
not upon the apostles only, not
upon certain favored persons, but upon
each one of the assembled
saints. It was the one Spirit filling the one body
(see Exposition, v. 3). It is
added with emphasis, “They were all filled
with the Holy
Spirit, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit
gave them
utterance.” Here, then, we have
clearly and most impressively
set before us the unity of the
Church in the sight of God; its unity in respect
of privilege and covenanted
possession. It is an exposition in practice of
Paul’s saying, “If any man hath not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His”
(Romans 8:9), which is here laid
before us. It is the baptism with the Holy
Ghost, promised by Christ to all
His disciples. Here there is neither Jew nor
Greek, neither male nor
female. Sons and daughters alike, bond and free,
apostles and children, are all
partakers of that one Spirit, because all have
been baptized
into one body. The invisible bands
which tie together in one
bundle of spiritual life each
particular member of the mystical Body of
Christ are discerned by the Holy
Ghost.
CHURCH stands out
prominently in the passage before us: the unity i.e. of
will and purpose, resulting from
the common possession and indwelling of
one and the same Spirit, and the
fixed desire to act together. Their voices
were many, but their theme was
one — “the mighty works of God.” Their
voices were many, but they had
one end and aim — to proclaim
God’s
glory, to praise
God’s works, and to draw all men, however diverse, to his
blessed worship
and service. The grand design of uniting all mankind in the
faith of our Lord Jesus
Christ, of bringing men of all creeds and all colors,
of all nations and all
languages, into one close unity and fellowship, was
present to all their minds and
influenced their common action. It was the
work they had to
do together. The end was dear to each
single heart
among them, but it was to be
accomplished by united effort. And what
wonders can be
accomplished by united effort! Where
one spirit runs
through and moves many wills in
one direction with an unbroken
movement, and those many wills
run willingly, harmoniously, and unitedly
in their onward course,
realizing their union with the Divine will, and
rejoicing in the harmony of
their own several wills, — what can withstand
them? It is the waste of force
in the antagonistic movement of the several
wills which hinders and checks
progress; when one thwarts another, and
subtracts his own
motive power from that of his brother,
instead of
adding
it thereto. Hence the slow progress of Christianity in our own day
compared with that of the
apostolic age; hence the weakness of the
Church, its feebler victories
over sin, its almost defeats by the spirit of
infidelity, its apparent
inability to cope with the powers of this world.
Surely the
contemplation of the unity of the Spirit, as seen on the day of
Pentecost, should kindle in
every Christian breast a longing for a like
unity
among ourselves.
in
its completeness. The long list of nationalities detailed by the
historian, when he enumerates
Parthians and Medea and Elamites, and so
many other nations of
Europe, Asia, and
several languages the mighty
works of God; the striking narrative of the
Holy Spirit of God lighting upon
the heads of the Galilaean disciples, and,
by enabling them to speak with
other tongues, removing the barrier of
separation between man and man
caused by the confusion of tongues; the
exhibition of
many sons and daughters, the
center of union between the apostles of the
Lord and believers “out of every nation under heaven”
(v. 5); — all this
was surely intended to lead our
thoughts and our hopes forward to that
blessed day, seen by John in
vision, when “the great multitude, which
no man can number,
out of every nation, and of all tribes and peoples and
tongues, shall
stand before the throne and before the Lamb, arrayed in
white robes, and
palms in their hands, crying with a loud voice and saying,
SALVATION UNTO OUR GOD
WHICH SITTETH ON THE THRONE
AND UNTO THE LAMB!”
(Revelation 7:9-10) It is to this blessed
consummation, when all things
shall be gathered together into one in Christ,
that every weary heart should
look forward. It is a vision of glory to keep
before the mind amidst the
strife and discord, the divisions and separations,
of the existing age. It is light
which, seen even at the end of the long
perspective of this world’s
troublous way, should reflect back a
softening cheering ray upon each
step of our wearisome path, and
encourage us to press forward
with unfaltering purpose till we reach
Mount
of the Pentecostal
day pale before the beauty of that day of Christ, and
God’s purpose will
be accomplished in the perfect unity of heart and voice,
of will and
purpose, of thought and speech, of work and habitation, of the
whole multitude
whom Christ has redeemed and made kings and priests,
that they may reign
for ever in the new Jerusalem of God.
The Coming of God in Power (vs. 1-13)
The ascended Savior was about to come in mighty power to
the disciples.
They were in
they had no anticipation of the way in which that promise would
be
fulfilled, and must have
been struck with the utmost awe and wonder when
they found themselves wrought upon with such Divine energies.
Our
thought is directed to:
through the media of air and
fire; the one in unusual, indeed supernatural
agitation; the other in
unkindled, lambent flame. Both air and fire are fitting
elements for the vehicle of
Divine manifestation; their ubiquity, their
beneficence, the secret and
indeed mysterious powers which reside in them,
the mighty and even awful forces
which slumber in them, and which, when
aroused or kindled, work such
terrible results (“Our God is a
consuming
fire” - Hebrews 12:29), —
these qualities make them suitable agencies to
signify the presence of the
Divine. But while our God is in the elemental forces
of nature, both when they render
the kind and constant ministry to mankind
and when they are in unusual and
quite exceptional activity — though He is
in the soft airs and the
life-giving heats which breathe and brighten round
us, and though He is in
the storm and in the fire which rage above and
about us — yet the way in
which He manifests Himself in answer to our
earnest prayer and reverent
waiting is not thus. Our Lord comes now to us
in:
Ø
illumination of the
mind,
Ø
enlargement of the
heart,
Ø
multiplication of
spiritual faculty and force,
Ø
renewal of the will
and the whole spiritual nature — we are
“filled with the
Holy Ghost.”
were “all of one accord in one place”
(v. 1). When acting together,
praying together, feeling
together, hoping and expecting together, then He
appeared in glorious
manifestation. If we who “wait for His appearing”
really desire His coming and
would do our best to bring Him, we must act
in the same way; we must be
united in thought, in feeling, in prayer, in
expectation, in activity.
only to “sound a bell” calling
attention to the birth of a new dispensation
that Christ thus came in power. It was to CONVEY REDEEMING
TRUTH
to many minds and many peoples (vs. 5-11). “Devout men out of every
nation” heard “the wonderful works of God,” and carried back with them,
whithersoever they returned, the
knowledge of the great things God had
wrought for the children of men.
When men say to us “See here!” or “Lo
there!” “Behold these strange
phenomena, these supernatural appearances,
these remarkable displays of
Divine power,” etc., let us dismiss them with
incredulity unless they are
working to the Divine end, the spiritual
enlightenment
and moral elevation of mankind. By
their fruits we shall
know them. If they “work
not the righteousness of God,” they are not of
Him; if they do, they are. So
shall we “try the spirits whether they are of
Him.”
Divine power on this occasion
excited amazement and incredulity. Of these
the former is wholly
insufficient and the latter altogether wrong. Only too
often this is the result in our
case.
Ø
We are surprised when we
ought to be simply grateful; it ought to be a
surprise to us when, in response
to our prayer and holy expectation, God
does not come to us in
renewing, fertilizing power. When the Son of man
does come, does He find the
expectancy of faith or the astonishment of
unbelief (Luke 18:8)?
Ø
We are incredulous,
and perhaps derisive, when we ought to be
congratulatory. Some Christian men can account for Divine energy and
agency on any principle but
the one which should be readiest to their
mind, viz. THAT GOD IS WITH US
willing
to appear on our behalf,
prepared to
outpour His Spirit in rich effluence
on our souls and on
our labors. By our incredulity
we
o
displease Him,
o
hinder the cause we
should help,
o
make impossible any
blessed share for ourselves in the shouts of
victory.
Men’s Attitudes toward Things Beyond
Explanation (vs. 5-13)
There are marked differences in the dispositions of men. At
first sight the
differences may seem to be so many and so great, that it is
hopeless to
attempt any classification of them. And yet, in the
relations in which
dispositions stand to revealed truth and the mysterious,
there is a simple
division, and a repetition of characteristic attitudes in
each age. Observe
the peculiar phenomena here, which tested the dispositions
of the crowding
multitudes. Uneducated, countrified Galilaeans were speaking to the
comprehension of men who came from various parts of the
earth and used
several distinct languages. We do not know whether the
disciples
themselves understood the new words which they were
empowered to
utter, but it is certain that what the hearers heard was no
jargon or
incoherent speech; it was
the story of Christ crucified and risen,
given in
the languages with which they were familiar. Manifestly
here was a
mystery, something surprising, needing explanation,
something to exercise
thought about; something which men of different
dispositions would regard
in different ways; something which would bring into
expression the marked
peculiarities of each class. Compare the way in which
Paul’s preaching
at
mocked, and others said, We will hear thee again of this
matter… certain
men clave unto him, and believed.” In our passage the attitudes taken
towards the mystery were, at first two, and
afterwards three.
(v. 12.) They were struck with
surprise, confused, perplexed. They did
not know what to make of these
remarkable incidents; but they were not
disposed to put them away from
consideration, as necessarily delusions or
impostures, because beyond a
ready explanation. Their attitude was a right
and a hopeful one. Denial of the “supernatural” is:
Ø
a sign of mental
weakness or
Ø
prejudiced
obstinacy.
Doubt about the “supernatural” is rational, and leads to inquiry, consideration,
and due weighing of argument and proof.
There is “honest doubt,” and merely
“willful doubt.” (“for
this they willingly are ignorant” – II Peter 3:5)
Ø
The first disposition
finds expression in sincere and earnest
inquiry for the solution
and satisfaction and removal of the
doubt.
Ø
The second disposition
rejects inquiry, and keeps the doubting,
priding itself upon
its ability to doubt. No proofs can
satisfy
this class of doubters.
Both these are still found in
our Christian society; and the times tend to
multiply that hopeless class
that prides itself on doubting. Our Lord gave us
the best remedy for the doubting
disposition when he said, “If any man will
do My will, he shall know of the doctrine.” (John 7:17)
Such dispositions even our
Lord had to deal with. Some who saw His miracles
declared that He wrought
them “by
the power of the devil;” showing in this
their exceeding folly, for
our Lord’s works were all good and kind and helpful,
and not in any sense mischievous
or hurtful, as the work of devils is. So here,
we find some who would not
think, would not doubt, but at once rejected the
mystery, and showed their
folly in their insulting suggestion, “These men are
full of new wine.” This kind of disposition is a hopeless one. Such men have
no susceptibility, No
argument or proof can reach them. To this class belong
the deniers and mockers of the
“supernatural” in our day. The infidel
class
of all ages and of
this has been very largely made up of those
who were
determined not to believe. The hard heart is too
often the one great
hindrance to belief.
TRUTH WHICH WAS DECLARED AND ATTESTED IN THE
STRANGE PHENOMENA.
Peter’s words were a stern rebuke of the
“mockers,” with whom he would not deign to argue; he would utter no
more than the words that should
declare their folly. He preached to the
doubting and inquiring. He may
not have satisfied them all that day. Many
may have needed to think quietly
about it all, and seek further for
themselves; but then, even that very day, in response to his word, three
thousand
accepted the Pentecostal wonders as the
Spirit’s witness to Jesus
as the “Messiah,”
and “risen” to become the
present, living
Savior. Peter
gives the example of bringing
the doubting and inquiring to God’s Holy
Word: “To the Law and to the
testimony.” And still there can be no better
way of guiding the seeking soul.
The mysterious, the supernatural, is a
stumbling-block in these days of
the enthronement of human science
(secular humanism – CY – 2016),
more serious than it has been in any
previous age. (We seem to be
living in a fantasy world without the
conception of reality – CY –
2016) The dispositions of men towards it
remain the same; but the company
of the scorners, who put the
subject away as unworthy of
consideration, is larger than ever. Yet there
are still multitudes of
susceptible and open-hearted doubters; and, with our
Bibles in our hands, and our
personal convictions and experiences giving
tone to our words, we may
hopefully plead with them to recognize God in
nature, and God beyond nature;
God’s working within human explanation,
and God’s working beyond human
explanation: a sphere “unseen and
spiritual,” that is altogether more
real and permanent than the sphere “seen
and temporal.” (“While we look not on things which are seen,
but at the
things which are
not seen: for the things which are seen
are temporal;
but the things which are not seen are ETERNAL.” II Corinthians 4:18)
In conclusion, the things of the soul,
religion, and GOD must of necessity
lie in this “beyond,” “within,”
“spiritual,” “supersensuous,”
sphere.
The Amazement of the Multitude (vs. 5-13)
ORDER AND CUSTOM OF THE WORLD. It is so in the kingdom of
nature, and here in that of
spirit. The country-folk of
all likely to
acquire the power to speak the tongues of nations with which
they were seldom
or never in contact. And here unlettered men are found
speaking the
tongues of ancient and cultivated peoples. It is a type and
prophecy of what the gospel in
its simplicity is to do for all the varieties of
mankind.
AS THE MANNER OF THE MESSAGE. The burden of this deliverance
in diverse tongues was the “great deeds” or “mighty works” of
God.
Notice that power is the great
theme. In any new beginning of spiritual life
or fresh era of revelation,
perhaps it may be said, the power of God must
first be felt by the heart
before His mercy and love can be rightly received.
Our weakness needs the
disclosure of the power working within us to
make all things possible, and
our pride may need chastising by the proof
that one touch
of that power brings the wisdom of this
world to NAUGHT!
INTERPRETATIONS, The
elation and exaltation of the mind produced by
the incoming of Divine power
outwardly resembles the intoxication of
wine, and may readily be
mistaken for it. With allusion to this, doubtless,
Paul said, “Be not drunk with wine, but be
filled with the Spirit”). This is
an example of the coincidence of
extreme opposites. Spiritual things are
spiritually discerned, and only
the spiritual man can distinguish the spurious
from the genuine enthusiasm, the
superficial effervescence of bodily excitement
from the sublime manifestation
of the presence of God in the soul. (I Corinthians
2:14) Here, too, lies a trial of faith. The enthusiast
is liable to be confounded
with the madman or the fanatic
by the many who judge according to appearances.
The results can alone show the
reality or otherwise of influence. Genuine
spiritual power
is ever followed by MORAL REGENERATION in
the
community.
Spiritual Facts in a World Unprepared to
Receive Them (vs. 5-13)
apprehension and experience (v.
5). To many conscientious and sober-
minded people the manifestations
of the Spirit is a perplexity. Hence the
importance of a progressive
faith, a praying and expectant attitude.
Religion is apt to grow stagnant
and perfunctory.
They need to be roused and quickened
with great and enthusiastic
utterances. The natural tendency
of man is to rest in mere second causes.
How could these “Galilaeans” so speak? Yet God has something
which
each one can feel, “his own language.” The gospel
message must be
brought home to men’s “business and besoms.” Speak to them, not in a
learned, or philosophical, or
theological phraseology, but in a dialect with
which they are familiar.
information, others will mock
and scorn, revile and blaspheme. Yet the first
opposition or indifference may
be followed by a blessed ingathering of souls.
the multitude — east, west,
north, south — reminds us that God hath
chosen the weak to confound the
mighty. The field is the world, but the
small beginning is yet an
announcement of the “wonderful
works of God.”
To Him there is no small and
great.
14 “But
Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said
unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye
that dwell at
this known unto you, and hearken to my
words:” 15 “For
these are not
drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but
the third hour of the day.”
16 “But this
is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;”
Spake forth for said,
Authorized Version; give ear unto for
hearken to,
Authorized
Version; hath been spoken for was spoken, Authorized
Version.
But Peter, etc. Peter
stands up before the eleven as their primate, foremost
in the authority of action as in precedence of place; and
the apostles stand up
before the multitude of believers, as those to whom Christ
committed the
government of His Church (see ch. 1:15). Spake forth (ἀπεφθέγξατο
–
apephthegxato – said;
utters; declaims - the same word as in v. 4,
“utterance”); implying
the utterance of a loud and grave oration.
In I Chronicles 25:3 it is the phrase of the Septuagint for those who prophesied
with harps. From it is derived the word apophthegm, “a
remarkable saying.”
Ye that dwell at
Jerusalem; the same as those described
in v. 5. They were
foreign Jews who, either for the feast or for other causes,
had taken up their
abode at
who were natives of
here in the New Testament, but frequent in the Septuagint as the rendering of
the Hebrew הֶאֶזִין (Genesis
4:23; Job 33:1; Isaiah 1:2). It is not classical Greek,
and seems to have been coined by the Septuagint as the equivalent of the above-
named Hebrew word.
It seems to be a rhetorical phrase. The thing to be known
unto them was that they saw the fulfillment of Joel’s
prophecy in what had
happened; for it was quite a mistake to attribute it to
drunkenness. By the prophet
(διὰ - dia - through, not ὑπὸ -
hupo); spoken by God through the prophet. The full
phrase occurs in Matthew 1:22; 2:5, 15. And so it is added
in v. 17, “saith God.”
17 “And it
shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out
of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons
and your daughters shall
prophesy, and your young men shall see
visions, and your old men
shall dream dreams:” Be for come to pass, Authorized Version; pour forth
for pour out, Authorized Version. In the last days. This does not agree with
either the Hebrew or the Septuagint in the existing
texts, where we read merely
afterwards (אַהְרֵי
כֵן – Greek - μετὰ ταῦτα). The phrase, “in the last days,” which
occurs in Isaiah 2:2 and elsewhere, denotes the days of Messiah.
Peter is perhaps
expounding the passage as relating to the days of Messiah; or בְ
אַחְֲרִית
הַיָמִים may
have been another reading. Saith God is no part of Joel’s prophecy, but
Peter’s words. Your
young men shall see visions, etc. The order of this
and the following clause is inverted. In the Hebrew and Septuagint the old men
are mentioned first.
18 “And on
my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days
of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:” Yea and for and, Authorized
Version;
pour forth for pour
out, Authorized Version; in those days will
I pour for I will
pour… in those days, Authorized Version. And they shall prophesy. These words
are not found in the Hebrew or the Septuagint. The Septuagint differs
from the
Hebrew in the addition of μοῦ
- mou –
my - after
δούλους – doulous – men slaves –
and δούλας – doulas – women
slaves. The
Hebrew has merely “the servants and the
handmaids,” men and women of servile condition.
19 “And I
will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath;
blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke:” The heaven for heaven, Authorized Version;
on for in, Authorized Version. I will show (δώσω – doso – I will show; I shall be
giving, as in
Matthew 24:24). This follows the Hebrew and the Codex Alexandrinus.
The Vatican Codex has, They will show or give (δώσωσι - dososi). In the heavens
above… on the earth beneath. Above and beneath are not in the Hebrew
or the
Septuagint. With these exceptions, the text of the Septuagint is followed.
20 “The
sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before
the great and notable day of the Lord
come:” The day of the Lord come, that
great and notable day for that great and notable day of the Lord come, Authorized
Version
and Textus Receptus
21 “And it
shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of
the Lord shall be saved.” Be for come to pass, Authorized Version.
Prophecies of the Times of the Spirit
(14-21)
Some reference may be made to the Prophet Joel, the time
when he wrote,
and the first reference of his prophecy. The principles on
which we
discover Messianic allusions in the Old Testament books may
be detailed
and illustrated. Especially the two following principles: —
1. Any reference which
cannot fairly be fitted to or exhausted by any
passage of history, or the history of any individual, may
be referred to
Messianic times, or to the Messiah himself. This principle
guides us both in
the Book of Psalms and in the prophets. It helps to decide
the intention of
Joel, in the passage before us, which no page of ordinary
human history
satisfies.
2. Any reference from
the Old Testament which an inspired apostle is led
to use as proof of the Messiahship of Christ, must be
accepted as having
that for its proper
application. On this ground Joel’s prophecy must be
received as dealing with the times and dispensation of the
Holy Ghost. The
prophecies given by the Scripture writers are of the utmost
importance, as
tending to check the material conceptions of the
Messiah, which the later
circumstances and history of the Jewish nation seem to have
greatly
encouraged. Those prophecies keep prominently before men’s
minds the
suffering aspects of
Messiah’s life, so suggesting that His power would be
moral, not material;
and the spiritual aspects of the kingdom He would set
up, whose features should be “righteousness, peace, and joy in
the Holy
Ghost.” The
prophetical figures are often difficult, and need for their
apprehension some knowledge of the sphere of poetical
imagery from
which Eastern writers used to draw their illustrations.
Western composition
is more formal and precise; and we should be careful not to
press our
associations with prophetic language in front of those
associations which
were familiar to the Scripture writer. Forgetting this, men
have mistaken
the meaning of the figures given in vs. 19-20.
be brought out by comparing it
with the earlier “dispensation of the Law.”
Under that, God’s Law was
written on “tables,” for
men’s eyes to read;
under this, God’s Law is written
on hearts, and becomes an
inward
impulse. Under that, goodness
was regarded as right conduct; under this,
goodness is regarded as right
motive inspiring right doing. Other similar
contrasts may be urged; and it
should be impressed that, in the gift of
His
Son and Spirit,
God sought to lay hold of men’s souls, and win them, in
love and trust,
for Himself.
explains the present signs:
the high enthusiasm of the disciples, the bold
preaching, the power of the
tongues, etc. We may go on to show what are
the permanent effects, in
present-day endowments for Christian work and
witness. Still we only work
truly and successfully as we work in the
“power of the
Holy Ghost.”
imagery is drawn as from one of
the great thunderstorms of
There is a lurid blood-red hue
of clouds and sky; there are the fiery flashes,
the columns or pillars of
smoke-like clouds boiling from the abyss. These,
in their turn, were probably
thought of as symbols of bloodshed and fire
and smoke, such as are involved
in the capture and destruction of a city
like
old dispensation
of Mosaism, and the full establishment of the new
dispensation of
the Spirit. In conclusion, the sublime
hopes for
mankind lie in this “dispensation.” Especially
note v. 21: there is
now full and free soul-salvation
for every one that calls upon the Lord in
faith. The moral and spiritual
redemption can now be applied to every
open-hearted man by the energy
of the abiding, indwelling, regenerating
Spirit. (I highly recommend Dispensational Truth by
Clarence Larkin –
CY – 2016)
Interpretation of the Phenomena of the Spirit (vs. 14-21)
SENSUOUS INTOXICATION.
In this case the latter was not in the least
likely, for it was still early
morning. Indeed, Peter waves aside the
explanation with an air of
contempt.
SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCE.
Ø
The teaching of the prophets — the most inspired and
enlightened of the
race — must be fallen back upon.
The prophet lived near to the fount of
truth, and was the mouthpiece of the oracles of God.
The oracle quoted
from Joel lies in the center of
his short roll, and burns there like a core of
fire. It seems the one portion
of his prophecy which looks beyond the
circumstances of his time, and
can only be satisfied by repeated
fulfillments in the course of
all future history.
Ø The contents of the
oracle of Joel.
o
At some epoch
undefined there is to be an outpouring of
God’s
Spirit upon all mankind.
o
The effect of this
will be a general outburst of sacred utterance;
an intense inward illumination.
o
The whole
manifestation is to be accompanied by wonders,
symbolic
and significant of a spiritual revelation, and the passing
away
of old and outworn customs.
o
It will be an era of deliverance, of salvation. Men will cry to
Jehovah,
of old the Deliverer, and will be heard and saved from
their
distresses, with these prophetic hints the apostle would
explain
the wondrous events of the day. Christianity begins
with
a new effusion of the Divine into the human, the
strengthening
and illumination of the finite mind, the
enlargement
of its gifts of expression; a profound and
general
impression of the nearness of God, and the joy
of
a new-found freedom and salvation.
The Common Salvation (v. 21)
“And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on
the name of the Lord
shall be saved!”
Ø
Salvation, both present and eternal, in the great
day of the Lord; amid
the terrors of judgment.
Ø
Spiritual life,
given by God, given to all and of every
condition,
manifested in the life and in
the character, opening the eyes
of the soul
to Divine
realities and future glories; flesh receives
it, and
is made
spiritual; a new creation is pledged by it; flesh
lifted up into the
immortality of
heaven.
Ø
Salvation through the Name
of the Lord, wrought by Him,
illustrated
by
the wonderful facts of His history, secured by His
infinite merit.
description of faith in Old
Testament language, including:
Ø
The soul’s cry for help in the sense of sin and
misery;
call as one dying.
Ø
Apprehension of
the Savior. The name is the person, the
character, the
claim, the authority, the
promise.
Ø
Prayerful consecration
in response to the Divine grace. The day of
salvation is light around us. We
accept the light as the light of life.
Ø
Universality of the proclamation — “whosoever.” The spiritual gifts
are
not poured out upon all, but the moving of a new life is the
invitation
to growth in grace. The words of Joel remind us that there
are
special crises of opportunity, which it is awful sin to slight. Where
many
are “calling
on the Lord,” shall we be dumb? “Who shall abide
the day of His coming?”
22 “Ye men
of
of God among you by miracles and wonders
and signs, which God did by Him
in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also
know:” Unto you for among you,
Authorized
Version; mighty works for miracles, Authorized Version; even as ye
yourselves know for as
ye yourselves also know, Authorized Version.
Ye men
of
the dispersion, to whatever tribe they belonged. Approved of God.
Observe the distinct reference to the miracles of Christ, as the proofs that
He came from God,
the authenticating evidences of His Divine mission. So
Peter again, in his address to Cornelius, declares how God
anointed
Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power, who
went about
doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the
devil; for God was
with Him (Acts 10:38). The miracles of the gospel are, and
were
intended to be, a demonstration of the truth of
Christianity, and it is at their
peril that Christians allow themselves to give up this
argument at the
bidding of the skeptic. Mighty works and
wonders and signs. δυνάμεσιν –
dunamesin - are powers, acts of healing and such like, done by the supernatural
power of the Holy Spirit (see the above reference
to ch.10:38); τέρασιν – terasin –
are wonders or portents, such as are spoken
of by the Prophet Joel, “wonders
in heaven above,” the darkening of the sun, the discoloration or the moon,
or any ether wonder considered only with reference to its
portentous
character; σημείοις – saemeiois - are signs,
not necessarily miraculous,
but things which are proofs, either by their miraculous
character or from
the time or mode of their occurrence, of the truth of the
things spoken.
“Miracles, wonders, and signs” occur together in II Corinthians 12:12.
The three seem to include every kind of miracle viewed:
(1) according to their nature,
(2) according to their appearance,
(3) according to their destination
or proposed end.
Which God did by
Him. So we read Hebrews 1:2, “Through [or
‘by’]
whom also He made the worlds.” And so our Lord said of
Himself, “My
Father worketh hitherto, and I work;” and “The Son can do nothing of
Himself, but what He seeth the Father do” (John 5:17, 19; compare
Matthew 28:18). On the other hand, our Lord often speaks of
His own
power, as John 2:19; 10:18 (compare John 2:11). As Mediator, Christ
did all things by His Father’s appointment, and for His
Father’s glory.
Even as ye yourselves know. Mark the confidence with which Peter appeals
to their
personal knowledge of the miracles of Christ. This was a fitting
preparation for the announcement of that mighty power,
wonder, and sign
which he was now about to proclaim to them — THE RESURRECTION
OF THE LORD JESUS FROM THE DEAD!
The Divine Humanity (v. 22)
“Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God.”
Ø
Viewed in the light of
human work. A man, to teach, to atone, to lead,
as never man did. Compare the
human supply of such wants with that
provided by God in Christ.
Ø
Viewed in the light of
Scripture promises. The line of prediction from
the protevangel to the promise
of the “Sun of Righteousness with
healing in His
wings.” (Malachi 4:2)
Ø
The superhuman
character of Christ’s humanity; as spotlessly pure,
coming forth out of an impure
nation and decayed religious life;
as supreme in spiritual
qualities — love, self-sacrifice, etc.
Ø
The direct testimonies
given by God, at birth, baptism, with a voice
from
the cloud, etc.
Ø
The works of the
Lord Himself. Their authority thus
solemnly and
conspicuously put forth by the
Apostle Peter; their embodiment in the
gospel; their harmony with the
character and mission of the Savior;
their superiority to all others,
before or since. “God did them.”
Ø
A “great
salvation!” “How can we escape, if we neglect” it?
(Hebrews
2:3)
Ø
A Man amongst men,
touched with fellow-feeling, tenderly claiming
obedience.
Ø
A Name which gathers
round it the testimony of the multitude which no
man can number, approved by the
facts of salvation in the past, waiting to
find in us another proof that He is “able to save them to the uttermost,
that come unto
God by Him!” (Hebrews 7:25)
23 “Him,
being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God,
ye have taken, and by wicked hands have
crucified and slain:” Delivered up for
delivered, Authorized Version; by the hand of lawless men did
crucify and slay for
have taken and by wicked hands have crucified and
slain, Authorized Version and
Textus
Receptus. The determinate counsel. God’s counsel,
that Christ
should
suffer for sins, was not a vague, indistinct purpose,
leaving much to accident and
the fluctuating will of man; it was
determinate and defined in respect of time
and manner and the instruments used for carrying it out. (In fact, it was decided
that
Christ would die for man before the world began! Revelation 13:9 – CY – 2016)
Foreknowledge is coupled with counsel or will, perhaps in
order to show us that the
counsel or will of God, as far as it comprehends the action
of free agents, is
indissolubly connected with His foreknowledge, and does
not involve any force
put upon the will of man. (Compare the saying of Joseph to
his brethren, “Be not
angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me
before you to
preserve life” (Genesis 45:5); also Judges 14:4; I Kings 12:15, etc. Delivered up
(ἔκδοτον
–
ekdoton – given up, only found here) is by
many understood of
the action of Judas in betraying Jesus into the hands of
His enemies (John 19:11) —
ἔκδοτον being taken as equivalent to what πρόδοτον – prodoton – betrayed;
abandoned - would
mean if it were in use. But it may with equal propriety be
applied to the action of the chief priests and elders in delivering Jesus to Pontius
Pilate (Matthew 27:2)to be crucified (ibid. v. 26). Our Lord Himself alludes to
Pilate’s power as circumscribed by the will of God (John
19:11, ὁ
παραδιδούς μέ
σοι –
ho paradidous me
soi – the one giving up me to you: compare
Matthew 26:45). By
the hand of
lawless men. “By the hand of” is
the common Hebrew phrase
בְיַר,, by means of, through the agency of. The Jewish nation (ἄνδρες Ἰουδαῖοι
–
andres Ioudaioi) had crucified the Lord of glory by the hand of the
heathen
Romans. Lawless, equivalent to the sinners of
Matthew 26:45 (compare for the
special application of the term to the heathen, Galatians
2:15; I Corinthians 9:21).
24 “Whom
God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was
not possible that He should be holden of it.” Raised for hath raised, Authorized
Version; pangs for pains, Authorized
Version. Pangs. Luke follows the Septuagint
who render the מָוֶת or
חֶבְלֵי of Psalm 18:5-6; 116:3, by
ὠδῖνας
θανάτου – odinas
thanatou – pangs
of death, as if the Hebrew word were חֵבֶל, the pains or pangs of
a woman in childbirth, whereas it really is חֶבֶל, a cord, as it is rendered in the
margin of Psalm 18:5, meaning the snare of the fowler. The
variation is very similar
to that of the “fruit of our lips” in Hebrews
13:15, compared with the “calves of our
lips” of Hosea 14:2. It is manifest that “loosed” applies better
to cords than to pangs.
It was not possible. Why, not possible?
1. Because of the
union of the Godhead and manhood in the one Person of Christ.
2. Because of God’s
character, which makes it impossible that one who
trusts in Him
should be forsaken, or that God’s Holy One should see
corruption.
3. Because the
Scripture, which cannot be broken, declared the resurrection of Christ.
25 “For
David speaketh concerning Him, I foresaw the Lord always
before my face, for He is on my right hand,
that I should not be
moved:”
Saith for speaketh, Authorized Version; he held for foresaw,
Authorized
Version. Psalm
16 is ascribed to David in the title prefixed to it
in the Hebrew
and the Septuagint.
Without pronouncing the titles to be infallible,
we must confess that they carry great weight with them in the
absence of any
strong internal evidence against them. We may safely rest on the authority of
Peter here and Paul (ch. 13:35-36), and be satisfied that
it is really David’s.
The manner in which it is quoted by the two apostles is
also very strong evidence
that by the Jews of that day it was generally admitted to
be a Messianic psalm.
The following quotation is verbatim from the Septuagint.
26 “Therefore
did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover
also my flesh shall rest in hope:” My heart was
glad for did my heart rejoice,
Authorized
Version; rejoiced for was glad,
Authorized Version; my flesh also
for also my flesh, Authorized Version; dwell for rest, Authorized Version.
27 “Because
thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer
thine Holy One to see corruption.” Hades for hell, Authorized Version;
give thy Holy One for suffer
thine Holy One, Authorized Version, surely not
so good a rendering. Hades. The “hell” of the Authorized
Version .
is the exact English representative of ᾅδης – hades - Hades.The article in
the Creed, “He
descended into hell,” is based upon this text especially, the
other two alleged in support of it (Ephesians 4:9; I Peter
3:18-19) being less
conclusive. It is a pity to lose the word “hell” in its true meaning. Corruption;
Greek διαφθρόραν
– diaphthroran
– corruption; decay,
Hebrew שַׁחַת. The
Hebrew word always
means a pit (from שׁוּחַ); but the Septuagint here
render
it διαφθορά
-
diaphthora - , as if from שָׁחַת; (in
Pihel, to destroy, waste; in
Hophal and Niphal, to be corrupted, spoiled, to rot). In the Authorized Version
it is rendered corruption, here and in Job 17:14,
where it answers to “the
worm,” in the parallel
clause. It is very probable that the Septuagint
is right.
Nothing is more common than for Hebrew verbs to take the
meaning of
verbs with similar radicals. Holy One. So the Septuagint and the Keri of the
Hebrew text. But the Cethib has Holy Ones in the
plural. It is obvious that
the singular, Holy One, agrees far better with the
singulars which precede
and follow it — my heart, my glory, my flesh,
my soul, thou wilt show me
— than the plural, which is entirely out of place. The two
clauses taken
together show the full liberation
of Christ from the dominion of death —
that of His human soul from hell, and that of his body from
the grave before
it saw corruption (compare ch. 13:34-37).
28 “Thou
hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me
full of joy with thy countenance.” Madest for hast
made, Authorized Version;
unto for to, Authorized Version; gladness for joy, Authorized Version.
The Parable of the Resurrection in David’s
Psalm (vs.25-28)
The apostle quotes one of the few utterances in the Old
Testament which
yield with any distinctness the hope of a life after the
grave. But, speaking
generally, the psalms, as the choicest expressions of the
spiritual life of
which they immediately refer. In this psalm we find:
GOD. And this is a presence which, once enjoyed, carries with it the
promise of its
enjoyment forever. God can never be
less to me than He is at
the moment of my highest
spiritual joy in the possession of Him. This
sense
of His presence gives perfect
security.
soul will not be left in the
gloom of Hades, to live on a life but the cold and
shadowy reflection of the Bright
life on earth. This cannot be believed and
God’s goodness be believed. This
cannot be believed and the filial feeling
retained. At last all arguments
for the immortality of the soul fall back upon
this deepest basis, the
ineradicable conviction of THE GOODNESS OF
GOD!
FUTURE. “Thou
madest known…the ways of life; thou shalt make me full
of gladness.” And the argument may be applied in a wider sense than that
present to the mind of the
psalmist. For he was a prophet; and all prophecy
is a germ which unfolds into
endless meanings which history brings to light.
The greatest and most
signal fulfillment of the prophecy was in THE
RESURRECTION OF
JESUS CHRIST!
IN ONE ARGUMENT FOR THE RESURRECTION. The facts were, that
the risen Jesus had been seen by
many. That now, after an interval from His
departure, there had been a remarkable effusion of spiritual power. With
these must be connected the fact
that He had spoken of the coming of the
Holy Ghost, the “promise
of the Father.” Putting the whole of the facts
together, the conclusion was: Jesus, the despised and crucified, had been
exalted to sovereign dignity, and
in reference to
Messiahship; to
be anointed Prophet, Priest, and King over His people
FOR EVER! The
coincidence of extreme opposites is to be observed
throughout the scheme of the
gospel. It is illustrated, above all, in:
Ø
the humility and glorification,
Ø
the weakness and power,
Ø
the human
contempt, and the Divine honor
associated with THE PERSON OF JESUS CHRIST!
The First Facts of Gospel Preaching (vs.
22-28)
From the very first the gospel preaching was made to rest
on an historical
basis. Apostles fearlessly appealed to certain known facts,
which could not
be gainsaid. It has been left to these later times to find myth
and legend,
when the contemporaries of the apostles dare not dispute
the literal and
truthful character of their statements. The interest of
Peter’s sermon — the
first gospel sermon — lies mainly in its indicating what
were early regarded
as the essential facts of the gospel, and so the points to which the faith of
men was called. The interest of the occasion of this sermon
may be shown,
and it should be impressed that we properly expect, at such
a time, the
utmost clearness and definiteness. Whatever
is essential to Christianity
surely found expression then, in broad statement and
general principle. We
find”|:
possibility of confusion or
mistake. There were doubtless many persons
named “Jesus” in the country,
but he speaks of Jesus of
Teacher who was so well known by
this name; the man whom the elders of
the nation despised and
crucified. Peter, like Paul afterwards,
testifies for “Jesus,” whatever
may be the disabilities that seemed to attach
to Him, and however Jew and
Greek may despise Him. They take Jesus, and
His whole story, shameful crucifixion and all, and will not let any man
doubt
who it is that they preach.
did them by Him.” The miracles as
facts could not be denied, but their
testimony to the mission,
authority, and power of Christ might be turned
aside if it could be made out
that they were impostures, clever medical
triumphs, or works wrought by
Satanic power. Therefore Peter so
earnestly declares that the
miracles are signs of God’s power in Christ.
Show how this, once admitted,
involves the truthfulness, sincerity, and
goodness of Christ, since God
would not work gracious healing works
through a bad agent; and
so it follows that Jesus rightly claimed the office
and mission of Messiahship. This
line of argument from the miracles is of
permanent value in Christian
evidence. In our Lord’s words. “Believe
for the very works’ sake.” (John 14:11)
DEATH. There is
permitted no dispute as to the personal guilt of Jesus; He
was admittedly innocent, freed from charge by
every court that tried Him,
and made a victim to prejudice
and malice and religious bigotry. There
could be no dispute as to His real
death on the cross; Peter seems to
remind the Jews that their
council held the Roman centurion’s certificate of
death, and that council had set “watchmen”
to keep the grave. And still
there are two foundation facts
of the gospel system:
Ø Jesus was crucified as an innocent man.
Ø
Jesus actually yielded
up his life on the cross. (“I
lay down my life
that I might take
it again. No man taketh it from me, but
I lay it
down of
myself. I have power to lay it down, and
I have power to
take it again.” John
10:17-18)
In Christ’s blood, a “lamb
without blemish” was the only fitting “burnt
offering” for humanity; it was consumed upon the altar, and the
sacrifice
accepted of God.
DIVINE APPROVAL.
Apostles constantly urge the fact that Jesus had
risen from the grave. It is
significant that the men of their day could not
deny the fact. Give the lame and
poor attempts to make out that the
disciples had stolen the body.
But apostles carefully say God raised Him,
and so publicly
declared His acceptance of Him
and of His sacrifice. They
do not say “He was raised,” or
“He raised Himself.” We know, therefore,
that with Him
“God is well pleased.” Peter seeks to carry home his
teachings by appeal to Scripture.
His plea is this — Jesus, crucified and
risen, asks our faith, and to all who believe in Him He
gives “eternal life.”
29 “Men
and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch
David, that he is both dead and buried, and
his sepulchre is with us
unto this day.” Brethren for men
and brethren, Authorized Version; I may
say
unto you freely for let me
freely speak unto you, Authorized Version; both died
and was buried for is both
dead and buried, Authorized Version; tomb
for sepulcher,
Authorized
Version. Brethren; literally,
men who are my brethren. Observe how
gentle and conciliatory the
apostle’s language is; how exactly in accordance with
his own precept (I Peter
3:8-9), “Not rendering railing for
railing,” etc. In
addressing them as brethren,
he silently claims the good will and fairness due
to one who was a
brother in blood and in the faith of the God of Israel. The
patriarch David. The term patriarch is elsewhere in Scripture
applied
only to Abraham and the twelve sons of Jacob (ch. 7:8-9;
Hebrews 7:4).
It is a title of dignity, signifying the head of a house.
It seems to be
here applied to David, because he is spoken of as head of
the family from
which Christ sprang. Abraham was the head of the whole
Hebrew race:
“Abraham our father.”
The twelve patriarchs were the heads of their
respective tribes. The Septuagint use the word πατριάρχου
–
patriarchou –
patriarch as
the rendering of רֹאושׁ
הָאָבות “chief of the fathers’ houses”
(I Chronicles 24:31; II
Chronicles 19:8; 26:12); which they elsewhere render
by ἄρχων
–
archon - , or ἀρχαὶ πατριᾶς – archai patrias
- heads of their
father’s houses (Exodus 6:25, etc.). In common parlance, the term is also
applied to those chief persons who lived before the time of
Moses, and
have their record in his books. His tomb is with us, etc. Josephus speaks
of David’s tomb (calling it, as Peter here does, his μνῆμα – mnaema - tomb) as
consisting of several chambers, and relates how one of
these chambers was opened
by the high priest Hyrcanus, who took from it three
thousand talents of gold
to give to Antiochus Pius, who was at that time laying
siege to
He adds that another chamber was opened later by King
Herod, who
abstracted a great quantity of golden ornaments from it;
but that neither of
them penetrated to the vaults where the bodies of David and
Solomon
were deposited, because the entrance to them was so
carefully concealed.
He further mentions that Herod, having been terrified by
the bursting out
of flames, which stopped his further progress, built a most
costly marble
monument at the entrance of the tomb (‘Jud.
7:1). For the sense, supply “and therefore he could not be
speaking of
himself.” The explanation follows that he was a prophet,
etc.
30 “Therefore
being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with
an oath to him, that of the fruit of his
loins, according to the flesh,
He would raise up Christ to sit on his
throne;” Being
therefore for therefore
being, Authorized Version; that of the fruit of his loins
he would set one upon
for that of the fruit of his loins according to the
flesh He would raise up Christ
to sit on, Authorized Version and Textus Receptus. Had sworn, etc. The first
record of God’s promise to David is in II Samuel 7:11-16:
“The Lord telleth thee that He will make thee an house.
And… I will set up
thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy
bowels, and will
establish His kingdom…. Thy throne shall be established
forever;” and in
Ibid. v. 28, David speaks of it as God’s promise: “Thy words be true, and thou
hast promised this
goodness unto thy servant.” But there is
no mention
there of an oath. But in Psalm 89:19-37, great stress is
laid upon God having
sworn to David: “I have made a
covenant with my chosen, I have sworn
unto David my servant, Thy seed will I establish for ever,
and build up thy
throne to all generations” (vs. 3-4); and again, v. 35, “Once
have I
sworn by my holiness that I will not lie unto David” 1 Samuel 7 and Psalm
89, should be read through carefully (compare also ch. 13:23; Isaiah 4:3).
(For the phrase, “I
have sworn by my holiness,” see Amos
4:2.)
31 “He
seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that His
soul was not left in hell, neither His
flesh did see corruption.”
Foreseeing this for seeing
this before, Authorized Version; neither
was He
left in Hades for His soul was not left in hell, Authorized Version and Textus
Receptus; nor did His flesh for neither His flesh did, Authorized
Version
32 “This
Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses.”
Did God raise up for hath
God raised up, Authorized Version. Are witnesses
(see ch.1:22, note).
33 “Therefore
being by the right hand of God exalted, and having
received of the Father the promise of the
Holy Ghost, He hath shed
forth this, which ye now see and
hear.” Being
therefore for therefore being,
Authorized
Version; poured for shed, Authorized
Version; see for
now see,
Authorized
Version. By
the right hand, etc. Some
render it, “being exalted to
the right hand,” etc.; or, “being at the right hand of God exalted.” It
is very
questionable whether the Greek will bear the first rendering;
and it would have
been more natural to express the second by εἰς
τὴν δεξιάν – eis taen dexian
–
to
the right hand. It
is best, therefore, to take it as the Authorized Version and the
Revised
Version do. The phrase is equivalent to that in Psalm
98:1, “His
right hand,
and His holy arm, hath gotten Him the victory,” and numerous other passages.
The promise of the
Holy Ghost (see ch. 1:4, note).
The Explanation of the Signs of
Pentecost (v. 33)
Recall what those sensible signs had been. We may not think
that the sound
of the wind was still heard, and it seems hardly
likely that the tongues of
flame continued to
rest on the heads of the disciples. But the ability to
speak in foreign languages was the sign that chiefly
arrested the people’s
attention, and this may have continued throughout the day.
Some of the
audience had, no doubt, also seen the “tongues of flame.” Peter here
makes three distinct points.
he had been so distinctly
referring. Here is an advance to a conclusion from
the facts which the
apostles witnessed. They declared the facts of
resurrection and ascension.
Peter now says — Admit the facts, and
what follows? Surely this: God has
acknowledged, accepted, and exalted
Jesus, so affirming
His Messiahship, and entrusting Him with Lordship in
the new spiritual kingdom (v. 35). In no sublime way could the Divine
attestation of Jesus have been
given.
CHRIST. In John’s
Gospel we have the promises of the Spirit as Teacher
and Comforter. The truth of our Savior rested on
the fulfillment of those
assurances. Peter bids the
people see, in Pentecostal signs, the fulfillment
of both the general promise
of the Spirit given through ancient prophets,
and the special and
precise promises of the Holy Ghost given through
the Lord Jesus.
He is given because Jesus is
glorified. As exalted, as entrusted with holy
authority and power, the Lord Jesus has
“shed
forth this, which ye now see
and hear.” The Spirit witnesses to Christ, and especially to His
present claim,
as Lord, to the allegiance
of every heart, the surrender of every will, and the
obedience of every life.
Royal Bounty (v. 33)
“Being therefore by the right hand of God exalted,” etc.
of the Father. “Righteousness and peace have
kissed each other.” (Psalm
85:10) The obedience of Christ rewarded. The highest manifestation of
the Divine in the Man Christ
Jesus. The only true view of infinite
power
is that which sees it on
Christ’s throne as the source of the Spirit of life.
Man’s power
destroys, God’s power creates and saves. The thrones of
this world fall, because they
are so unlike Christ’s throne.
exalted. He did not throw off
humanity, but carried it with Him. For the
sake of it He endured the cross. The glory of the throne shines through the
earthly scenes of His history.
So we can see the summit of our blessedness
beyond and through the steep
sides of the earthly path. Exalted for us,
Jesus shows us that there is a
holy ambition which is not self-worship, but
self-sacrifice. James and John were not reproved for desiring to sit beside
Jesus, but for desiring it apart
from Divine appointment — as mere
personal favor.
Spiritual power is given that it
may be manifested; not in the world’s
forms, not as ecclesiastics have
claimed to exhibit it, but with Pentecostal
grace — distinguished men, subduing and captivating messages. The
poverty of the Church without
this gift. The evidence of its presence in the
spirit of loyalty to the King from whose throne it descends. Christ-like
power is what we want. The
individual appeal: “Ye see and hear.” The gift
is already bestowed. Why should any be without it? An appeal (as in v. 36)
to the Crucifixion. “Ye slew Him; yet He offers
you His grace. Ye said,
‘We will not have
this man to reign over us;’ yet He holds out His scepter,
and invites you to sit down with
Him on his throne.” (“….him
that
overcometh will I
grant to sit with me on my throne, even as I overcame
and am set down with my Father in His throne!”
(Revelation 3:21)
Is not this a love TO PUT ON THE THRONE OF OUR HEARTS!”
34 “For
David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself,
The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my
right hand,”
Ascended not for is
not ascended, Authorized Version . For David, etc. The
ascension of Christ is inferred from the previous prophecy,
“Thou wilt
show me the path of life,” (Psalm 16:11); and is there distinctly proved from
Ibid. 110:1, which
Peter (remembering, probably, our Lord’s application of it
as recorded in Matthew 22:42-45, which he had doubtless
heard) shows could
not apply to David himself, but only to David’s Lord.
35 “Until
I make thy foes thy footstool.” Till for until, Authorized
Version;
thine enemies for thy
foes, Authorized Version; the footstool of thy feet for
thy footstool, Authorized Version.
36 “Therefore
let all the house of
made the same Jesus, whom ye have
crucified, both Lord and Christ.”
Let all the house of
Authorized
Version; Him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom
ye
crucified for that
same Jesus whom ye have crucified, both Lord and
Christ, Authorized Version, a change very much for the worse, inasmuch
as the Revised Version is
not an English phrase, and adds nothing to the sense.
The Homily (vs. 14-36)
The first preached sermon was a great event in the history
of the Church.
When we recollect the enormous influence that preaching has
had amongst
mankind — the preaching of Peter and John, the preaching of
Paul, the
preaching of the Augustines, Chrysostoms, Basils of the
Church; the
preaching of the great monks, St. Bernard, St. Francis,
Peter the Hermit,
and the preaching friars; the preaching of the Reformers,
Wycliffe, Luther,
Tyndale, Latimer; the preaching of the Puritans, Knox,
Calamy, Baxter; the
preaching of the Methodists, Wesley, Whitfield, Fletcher;
the preaching of
the Evangelicals,
Huguenots, Camisards, Lollards, Vaudois; the preaching of
the great
divines in the Church of England, and of the great pulpit
orators outside
her pale — we cannot but feel that a peculiar interest
attaches to the first
sermon preached in the Christian Church. It was a great
occasion, and
there was a great preacher raised up to profit by it. It
will be interesting, as
well as instructive, to mark some of the chief features of
this primary
discourse of the Church’s inspired primate.
CHARACTER OF THIS SERMON: I mean its direct, pointed, personal
application. The apostle is not
reading an essay for the use of men in
general; he is not beating the
air with philosophical speculations or
rhetorical flourishes; he is aiming a shaft straight at the mind and
conscience of his
hearers. He is speaking with
impassioned fervor, albeit
also with clear intelligence and
logical precision, to the men who stand
before him; speaking to them of
things which concerned them specially and
individually; speaking to them
with a view to influence their conduct
decisively, and to affect
their condition presently and ETERNALLY!
Almost everything in his sermon
draws its propriety and its pungency from
its close relation to the
circumstances, the actions, the belief, the knowledge,
the education, the whole
character and condition, of those to whom he speaks.
The sermon could not have been
addressed to any other congregation than
that to which it was addressed.
Spoken to the
Spoken to the men of Judaea and
those that dwelt at
eventful days; to the men of
and in the
common hope of redemption; spoken to those who knew the
voices of the
prophets and gloried in David their king, who
were expecting
the advent of
Messiah, and yet were partners in the
guilt of crucifying
THE LORD OF
GLORY - the
sermon was a sharp arrow, piercing even to
the dividing of soul and spirit,
and discerning the thoughts and intents of
their hearts. This feature in
Peter’s sermon ought to be noted and imitated by
all whose office it is to “preach
the Word.” Thus much as to the manner of
the sermon. But if we turn to
the matter of it, we notice:
CHRIST CRUCIFIED, RISEN, AND ASCENDED. The statement of
facts, the reasoning, the
quotations from Scripture, the arguments, the
reproofs, the exhortations, — all point to one central object, which is
JESUS CHRIST THE
LORD! Without Christ as the subject-matter and
end of the preaching, the sermon
would go out in darkness. But in the apostle’s
skilful though simple treatment,
the Lord Jesus stands out to the soul’s view
with great distinctness and with
vivid delineations of His office and work. He
appeals to the miracles done by
Christ in the presence of his hearers, as
proofs of His Divine mission. He
points to His betrayal and passion; he
proves His resurrection from the
dead, from the united testimony of the jury
of twelve whom they saw standing
up before them, from the witness of
their own prophets, and from the
marvelous signs and sounds which they
had just seen and heard. And
then he brings home to them the awful guilt
of His crucifixion, that, their hearts being pricked and pierced with
penitential sorrow, they may turn to Him for forgiveness of their sins and
for the reception
of His Holy Spirit. In this respect
also Peter is to be
imitated by every evangelist and
preacher of the Word.
ACQUAINTANCE WITH HOLY SCRIPTURE DISPLAYED IN IT. The
descent of the Holy Ghost, the
death of Jesus, His descent into hell, His
resurrection from the dead, His
ascension to the right hand of God, His
office as Christ and Lord, His
succession to the throne of His father David,
are all proved and illustrated
by infallible warrants of Holy Scripture. The
hidden meanings of the Word of
God, its prophetic wisdom, its most
blessed
revelations, are all brought forth
from the treasury of the
preacher’s mind, to enrich his
discourse and to give depth and solidity to
his utterance; teaching us that a thorough knowledge of Holy Scripture is a
necessary
qualification of every successful preacher of the gospel of Christ,
If we add to these the boldness
and straightforwardness, the sincerity and
the courtesy, with which the
whole discourse was uttered, and the absence
of the least appearance of
egotism or vain-glory in the whole style of his
preaching, we shall feel that we
have indeed a good model in this primary
sermon for us to copy, and that
in proportion as we frame our own
sermons upon this great example
we may hope to be like Peter in the
abundance and fullness of our
success.
ABUNDANCE WERE THE FRUITS OF THAT PROTOPREDICATION
OF THE GOSPEL. The
hearts of stone turned to hearts
of flesh, and pricked to the quick
with the stinging sense of sin; the
blood-stained crucifiers of the
Lord hastening to wash away their sins in the
mystical waters of holy baptism;
the bold deniers and blasphemers of the
Lord confessing Him to be both
Lord and Christ; the scoffers who had said,
“These men are
full of new wine,” now acknowledging
them as brethren,
and inquiring of them, “What shall we do?”
(I recommend How to be
Saved - #4 – this website and Lord Save Me! - #5 – this website - CY – 2016)
and and in one hour, three thousand
souls added to the company of the disciples.
From that moment the Church
stood out before the world as a house built upon
an imperishable rock. It took
its form and shape among men as:
Ø
a building
of God,
Ø
the habitation of
His Spirit, never to be taken down.
And it has stood
ever since, defying the power of
weather and of time; and it
will stand
through all the fluctuations of human opinion and the convulsions
of human
institutions, till He whom Peter proclaimed
as Lord and Christ
shall
appear IN HIS GLORY and His Church
shall be glorified with Him.
O Lord,
add to thy Church daily, through the power of thy preached Word,
such as shall be saved!
The Connection of the Christian Events (vs.
22-36)
All history has an inner logic and meaning, contained in
the person and the
love of God. The secret links of events may be in part
traced by us.
Ø
His simple and homely humanity. “Jesus of
Nazareth,” a name of scorn
to many, of unpretentious
lowliness to all.
Ø
His gracious, divinely attested career. Though poor and
despised of
men, the favor of God was upon
Him. And the proof was in the energy
which went forth from Jesus.
Again we come upon the note of power.
“Mighty works” or “powers,” “wonders” which called
attention to
introducing change, and “signs,”
or all-significant acts which pointed to
an unusual meaning, attested
that Jesus was the Organ of Divine power
and will.
Ø
This career was public, led in the light
of day. The evidence was not
only of the highest quality, but
of the most unquestioned universality:
“as you all know.”
one knowing the facts only from
the outside — a Jewish or Roman
historian of the time — it might
appear that Jesus perished as Judas the
Gaulonite had done, the victim
of the conflicts of the time. Jewish and
Roman interest and passion
seemed to unite against Him, and He perished,
the Victim of hate and
misconception. But this was but a small part of the
truth. To one instructed in the
Divine logic of history, the death of Jesus
was no accident; it lay in
the laws of the moral order, in the “definite
counsel and
foreknowledge of God.” Yet it was an
act of wickedness to
put Him to death. Possibly we
cannot solve in thought the seeming
contradiction of the
foreknowledge of God and the freedom of man.
Enough that we can recognize
separately the perfect truth of each.
grasp of death. Here, again, was
the operation of necessary law. It was
impossible that He should be mastered by death — He who is the very
affirmation of life. The
absolute life cannot live beneath its negative. And
here, again, the past furnishes
its hints to the solution of the truth of the
present. Spiritual life is IMPERISHABLE;
he who possesses it has an
immediate consciousness of immortality, and
can find parables of the
victory of life over death
everywhere.
The First Argument for the Resurrection (vs.
29-36)
The apostles distinctly witnessed to the facts of
the Resurrection, as having
come within their own personal knowledge. But they also
argued from
Scripture, that the Lord’s resurrection was the natural and
necessary
completion of Messiah’s earthly mission. In the above
passage is given the
first specimen of such argumentation; and it should be
carefully noted that
it is fitted to Eastern rather than to Western modes of
thought. The late Dr.
Robert Vaughan says, “The Oriental intellect is not
logical. Its faculty is to
a high degree intuitive; it reasons, but it rarely does so
formally. It passes
to its conclusions with a subtle celerity, resembling what
we see in women,
much more than by those scientific processes which are
familiar to our
Western habits of thought.” The audience which Peter at
this time
addressed was composed of devout, God-fearing Jews, who
were
attending the feast, and it was therefore especially
appropriate that his
argument should be based upon the Scriptures, and take
Scripture form.
The passage which he first quotes is taken from Psalm
16:8-11, and he
argues that it could not be of himself that the psalmist
there spake, for they
had evidence that the words could not be truly said of him;
but that, having
regard to God’s promise, he spake of Him who was to be born
from his
line, as identified with himself. The second quotation is from Psalm 110.,
and is taken to suggest that David went down to the grave,
and “slept
with
his fathers;” and
the allusion to ascension and place at Jehovah’s right hand
could not possibly apply to him, but must refer to
his “greater
Son,” of
whose resurrection and ascension the apostles gave their
witness. The
argument may be followed through its several stages.
ASCENSION OF SOME ONE. He does not deal, in these psalms, in
vague generalities and pious
sentiment. He was a prophet, and under
Divine inspiration, and speaks
with distinctness and definiteness. We must
seek for the person to
whom he refers.
thought of the reader of his
words, but it will not bear examination. The
expressions are too large to be
satisfied in the experience of any mere man.
And, if taken literally, as they
should be, they cannot be applied to David
himself. They must refer to some
great one who has no earthly sepulcher,
because, though He died, He rose, and no tomb holds
His body. But David’s
sepulcher was then recognized,
and all regarded him (like us
all) as awaiting
the general resurrection of the
just.
prophetic utterance. And the
Messianic character of both these psalms has
been generally admitted by the
Jews; so that Peter’s proof-texts would not
be disputed by his audience as
unsuitable. The only difficulty would be the
identification of Messiah. To
this point he leads the argument.
WITNESSED CONCERNING JESUS
OF
Ø
He only had been thus raised after death to the spiritual and
incorruptible life.
Ø
He only had passed, after resurrection, into the eternal world
without another experience of
death.
Ø
He alone met the conditions of the psalmist, and therefore
He must be the promised Messiah.
The other cases of
resurrection narrated in Old and New Testament Scriptures
should be examined, and the
points of contrast between them and our Lord’s
case should be carefully
noted; especially the most marked peculiarity in our
Lord’s case, that ascension followed resurrection,
whereas all other raised
persons died a second time.
If, then, Jesus be the Christ, the
Messiah, to
Him our “knees should bow, and our tongue
confess.”
Truths from Peter’s Sermon (vs. 14-36)
A more glorious opportunity than that now presented no man
could desire.
Peter was the last man in the world likely to let it go
unused. He instantly
and, no doubt, eagerly appropriated it. In an animated and
forcible address
he repelled the idea that the apostles were acting under
lower excitements,
and showed that a new era had
dawned upon the race, of which they
should hasten to avail themselves. We gather from his words:
MUCH HIGHER, AS IT MAY BE VERY MUCH LOWER, THAN IS
SUPPOSED. (vs. 15-17.)
It is true enough that what passes for Divine
inspiration is often nothing
more or better than earth-born excitement,
mental or moral heats which are
kindled by man and not by God — of the
flesh, fleshly. This is
abundantly proved by the test of time, and, in these
cases, the last state is usually
worse than the first. But, on the other hand, it
sometimes happens that what is
ignorantly mistaken for human passion is
nothing less than a Divine
afflatus. So here: these men “were not drunken;”
God was “pouring
out his Spirit” upon them. So has it
been in the history
of the Christian Church. Men that God has raised up and inspired to do His
work have been either contemptuously
disregarded, or cruelly decried, or
systematically persecuted. Such facts as these should make us wait,
examine, inquire, before we
dismiss as worthless, or denounce as evil,
those who profess to speak for
Christ in ways other than our own.
BEFORE GOD, AND THAT HIS HAND IS LAID UPON IT. (vs. 17-20.)
The Prophet Joel tells us what
God will do. His words are necessarily
obscure, for only the facts when
they have occurred can make clear and
plain their full significance.
But we perceive that it was God’s purpose,
looking on to the future of the
world, to pour down at one epoch a very
rich effusion of
His Spirit on the race, and to “show
wonders” of the most
extraordinary kind before the
end of the dispensation. Everything is
foreseen, arranged; the eye of
God looks on, and all is before Him; His
hand, too, is stretched out, and
at various points He makes His almighty
power to be felt.
IS
call on the Name
of the Lord shall be saved.” Whatever
visions are seen, or
dreams are dreamed, or
prophesyings are uttered on earth; whatever
wonders may be wrought in
heaven, — the man that makes God his
Refuge has no need to fear; he
shall be hidden in the everlasting arms of
strength and
love.
FREEDOM. (v. 23.)
Christ Jesus was “delivered by the determinate
counsel and
foreknowledge of God,” yet He was not
so delivered but that
they were “wicked hands” that crucified and slew Him. The
providence of
God makes all things possible to us — the
noblest achievements and also
the darkest crimes; it is our faithfulness which makes us the agents of
the
one, and our sin which makes us the perpetrators of the other.
THRONE OF THE HUMAN WORLD. (Vs. 24-36.) Peter showed:
Ø
That David had
predicted the resurrection of Christ (vs. 25-31).
Ø
That they could bear
positive testimony that he had risen from the dead
(v. 32).
Ø
That prophecy pointed
him out as One reigning in power, awaiting the
final and complete overthrow of
all his enemies (vs. 34-35). Wherefore
let every knee bow to Him, every
heart be subject to His sway; for
o
all power as well as
all authority is His;
o
on His side, we are
sure of victory and blessedness;
o
ranged against Him, we
shall be overcome, with terrible
disaster
to ourselves.
The Spirit Speaking through the Voice of an
Apostle (vs. 14-36)
Notice:
the facts of the present, going
back to the facts of the past, and ending in
the solemn appeal to enter the
promise of Messiah; the glory of
the latter days; the prophetic psalms ;
thus showing that the unbelief
of those who despised that day of grace
was inexcusable.
the rejection of the Messiah;
the facts openly proclaimed, and their
disproof challenged; the
present, ascended glory of Jesus published as the
glad tidings which should, if
welcomed, obliterate the gloom of the last
few years in
discourse. A true Israelite is
speaking as a brother to those who were the
“house of
37 “Now
when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and
said unto Peter and to the rest of the
apostles, Men and brethren,
what shall we do?” The rest for to the rest, Authorized Version; brethren for
men and brethren, Authorized Version. Pricked in their heart (κατενύγησαν
–
katenugaesan – they
were pricked with compunction [a feeling of guilt]).
The
Septuagint rendering of Psalm 109:16
(15, Prayer-book), “broken,” or
“vexed
at the heart.”
Genesis 34:7 it is rendered “grieved.” Unto Peter and
the rest of the
apostles. It is important to note from the beginning the relative
position of
Peter and the other apostles; a certain primacy and
precedence, both in
place and in action, he has undoubtedly. He is always named
first, and he
acts first, in preaching both to Jews and Gentiles. The keys are in his hands,
and the door is first opened as he turns the lock. But it is equally clear
that
he is but one of the apostles; he is not set over them, but
acts with them; he
is not their superior, but their fellow; they are not
eclipsed by his presence,
but only animated by his example; inquirers after salvation do not ask at his
mouth only, but of the whole college of the apostles. Brethren
(see v. 29).
The Jews and Israelites now hold out the right hand of
brotherhood to
those whom before they reviled (v. 13). What shall we do? It is a sign
of the working of God’s Spirit in the heart, renewing it
to repentance,
when men feel the need of changing their old course of
thought and action,
and inquire anxiously what they must do to inherit eternal life (compare
ch. 9:6; 16:30; Mark 10:17;).
The Soul’s Questions Answered (v. 37)
“Now when they heard this,” etc.
Ø
It is towards God. The inner man recognizing the facts, responding to
the appeal, turning the heart
from its perversity and selfishness, feeling and
acknowledging the
greatness of the sin and the danger of condemnation.
.
Ø
It is towards man. They addressed themselves to Peter and the rest of
the apostles. Religious life is not
a solitary thing, not a mere matter
between the soul and God; but
between the man and his fellow-man —
between the individual believer
and the
questions of the anxious and
seeking souls should be drawn out by the
Church. The Church should
present itself to the world in such a way
that the questions should be
both humbly and affectionately asked.
There is an authority of
superior knowledge and experience and
tried character which should be
able to make itself felt. Yet men
should see that
we are their brethren, and that love to their souls
is our ruling
motive. “What
shall we do?” It is well to
follow the apostolic precedents,
and seal impression and resolve,
with decided action and public
testimony. We must cast ourselves on
God. We are safer in the Church than in the world. Everywhere
there
is temptation, but the pledged
Christian will have help in his holy vows.
38 “Then
Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of
you in the name of Jesus Christ for the
remission of sins, and ye
shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” And for then, Authorized Version;
said (in italics) for
said, Authorized Version and Textus
Receptus;
repent ye
for repent Authorized Version; unto for for, Authorized
Version; your
sins
for sins, Authorized Version. Repent, etc. We have in this
short verse the
summary of Christian doctrine as regards man and God. Repentance and faith
on the part of
man; forgiveness
of sins, or justification,
and the gift of the
Holy Ghost, or sanctification, on the part of God.
And both these are
expressed in the
sacrament of baptism, which as it were ties the act of man
TO THE PROMISE OF GOD!
For the sacrament expresses man’s faith
and repentance on one side, and God’s forgiveness and gift
on the other.
39 “For
the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that
are afar off, even as many as the LORD our
God shall call.”
To you is the promise for
the promise is unto you, Authorized Version; shall
call unto Him for shall
call. To you is the promise
(see ch. 1:4; here v.33).
There is also a reference to the prophecy in Joel 3:28-32,
quoted in vs. 17-21.
To all that are
afar off; i.e. the Gentiles, as appears clearly from
Ephesians 2:17,
where the same phrase is applied to the Ephesian
Christians, and the Jewish
Christians are spoken of as “those that were nigh.” The fulfillment to the
Gentiles is specially recorded (ch.10:45; 11:15, 18, etc.). Shall call unto Him
(compare Romans 1:6; 8:28, 30; 9:24; I Corinthians 1:2; Galatians 1:6 (etc.),
which confirm the application
of the “afar off” to the Gentiles.
The Gospel Demands from Men (vs. 37-39)
The moral influence exerted by Peter’s speech, in the power
of the
present Spirit, should be noticed. Many of his audience
were “pricked
in
their heart;” that
is, were “stung with remorse at the enormity of the
wickedness which had been committed in the crucifixion [of Messiah],
and at the blindness with
which the whole nation had closed their eyes to the
teaching of the prophecies which had spoken of the Messiah.” They asked,
“What shall we
do?” to
escape the penalties which must fall on the nation
that has so sinned against light and knowledge; who
have had the true
Light in their
midst, but have comprehended
it not, and have crucified
THE LORD OF GLORY!” By unfolding and
illustrating the intense feelings
with which the Jews anticipated the coming of their
Messiah, we may set forth
the terrible revulsion
of feeling, and the overwhelming shame
that smote
them, when they were convinced that they had actually crucified their
Messiah, offering Him thus the
greatest insult, and rendering themselves
guilty of the gravest crime. Peter demands three things:
o repentance,
o
faith, and
o
confession.
The first and last of these are distinctly stated, the
second is implied.
of John the Baptist, and of our
Lord when He sent forth His apostles on
their trial mission. It is the
proper and necessary preparation for
forgiveness; it is the state
of mind and feeling to which alone forgiveness
can come, and by which alone it
can be appreciated, Here the conviction of
the one particular sin of
crucifying Messiah becomes a revelation of general
sinfulness; and so definite
repentance is attended with a humiliation and
humility which can be a basis
of faith, an openness to receive further truth,
and a condition fitted
for a gracious forgiveness. Repentance is still the
first gospel demand. Possibly modern preaching greatly fails because
adequate prominence
is not given to it.
faith should be dwelt on. The repentance of these Jews involved
their
believing that Jesus of Nazareth
was indeed their Messiah. But this was not
saving faith. It only crushed and humbled. The faith required is PERSONAL
TRUST in THE LIVING, EXALTED
LORD JESUS CHRIST, THE
PRESENT SAVIOUR, and actual surrender of heart and life to
Him.
It is belief in HIS NAME AS SAVIOUR. This distinction
should be fully
unfolded and illustrated, with earnest pleadings for that faith, or personal
trust, which actually links us to the living Savior.
meaning of the rite of baptism,
which is the public act in which our faith in
Christ is declared. If we
are sincere in our faith we shall be willing to make
it known. If we are earnest in our faith we
shall want to make it known.
And Christ’s kingdom is to be
spread by just this confession and
acknowledgment of Him. Therefore
the demand is, “If thou shalt confess
with thy mouth the
Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God
hath raised him
from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” (Romans 10:9)
This duty of “public confession” is sadly neglected
in our day, and there is
consequently a perilous
vagueness, indefiniteness, and indistinctness
characteristic of religious
life. The gospel response to those who meet its
demands is forgiveness, involving acceptance with God and the privileges
of restored sonship; and that this is SEALED TO US BY THE GIFT OF
THE HOLY GHOST!
God’s Promise of the Spirit (v. 39)
“For to you is the promise,” etc.
dispensation of mercy under
which man was placed when he fell.
Ø
Trace it through the
bestowments of the Old Testament, and show that
while God was ever bestowing his
Spirit, both in special manifestations
as in the inspiration of His
messengers, and in individual life, yet the
requirement of man was that in
connection with a larger communication
of truth and redeeming love
there should be the lifting up
of humanity
itself, of the
spirits of men BY DIVINE GIFTS!
Ø
Such is God’s method always. With gifts from
without He
sends gifts within. The gifts of
science and discovery accompany an
elevation of the mind and life
of the world. Moreover, it is a
Divine gift to be
able to speak for Christ.
Ø
Apart from all
restrictions of human merit. To the crucifiers of Jesus —
for God is merciful; to the Jew,
notwithstanding his abuse of special
privileges; to the Gentile,
notwithstanding ignorance and degradation.
Ø
Apart from all
restrictions of age. To the children as well as to the
adults; to the families as well
as the heads of households: for though the
word “children” does not
necessarily denote infants, it does not exclude
them, and in such ways as by the
analogy of Scripture we can interpret
the “promise to the children,”
the word applies to the youngest. The
Jew might well understand it as
a covenant, which, like that of
circumcision, was applied in its
signs to the infant.
Ø
This is wider than the
utmost limits of human knowledge and belief. It
is
not for us, as it was not for the Apostle Peter, to say “whom the Lord
our God should call.” He has no respect of persons. He calls those
whom
we should not call. Peter himself was soon taught that God’s
purposes
cannot be judged by man. The universality of the Spirit is
the
basis of all missionary efforts — the bond of the true
Church.
40 “And
with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save
yourselves from this untoward
generation.” He testified, and exhorted
for did he testify and exhort, Authorized
Version;
crooked for
untoward,
Authorized
Version. Save
yourselves, etc. The idea is that the
crooked generation which denied and crucified the Lord is HURRYING
ON
TO
THEIR DESTRUCTION!
Those who would not
perish with them MUST
COME OUT FROM AMONGST THEM and BE SEPARATE FROM
THEM!
(II Corinthians 6:17), and
seek safely in the ark of Christ’s Church (I
Peter 3:21),
o
as Noah did in the
ark, and
o
as
So the jailer at
This was the drift and end of all Peter’s exhortations.
The Gospel according to Peter (vs. 37-40)
That which followed immediately on the preaching of Peter’s
sermon
brought out the truths of the gospel quite as fully and
forcibly as the
discourse itself. We learn from these verses:
outset of the new dispensation,
that the range of God’s redeeming love
would be “exceeding broad.”
Ø
It was to go from
generation to generation: “to
you and to your
children.”
Ø
It was to extend to
remotest regions: “to all that are afar off.”
Ø
It was to embrace
every one whom the summons of the inviting Lord
should
reach: “as many as the Lord our God shall call.” Thus, at the
beginning,
the apostles gave a true idea of the fullness of that “kingdom
of God” of which their Master had spoken so much, and which He
lived
and died
to establish.
Ø
Spiritual agitation.
Ø
Earnest inquiry.
“When they heard this, they were pricked in their heart;” they said, “What
shall we do?” This is the simple, natural, constant course of things
divine in
the heart of man. When the truth
of God is faithfully preached, and when
the seed falls on good soil,
there is spiritual agitation; the soul is smitten,
the heart pierced; there are “great
searchings of heart” (Judges 5:16;
the old
apathy, self-sufficiency,
equanimity, is disturbed and broken up, and the
spirit
is troubled with a deep
disquietude. It discovers that:
Ø
everything is wrong:
Ø
the past is guilty,
Ø
the present utterly
unsatisfactory, the
future clouded.
Then comes earnest
inquiry: “Men and brethren, what shall we do?”
“Wherewithal shall
we come before the Lord?” How shall we be forgiven,
justified, accepted? What is the path of
reconciliation and peace? Through
what spiritual experiences must
we pass? What is the way into the kingdom
of God? The soul, thus in earnest,
turns to the sacred Scriptures or
addresses those
who speak in the name of Christ.
` (vs. 38, 40.)
Ø
Repent; i.e. turn from sin and selfishness to righteousness
and holy
service;
abandon the old and evil life of folly, thoughtlessness,
worldliness,
wrong-doing; put that away with shame and sorrow,
and
enter the opposite path — turn Godwards,
truthwards, heavenwards.
Ø
Accept the Lord
Jesus Christ as your Teacher, Lord, Savior; be baptized
into Him. Heartily accept Him, and
honestly avow Him, as your Divine
Redeemer.
Ø
Separate yourself from
the sin which surrounds you; “save
yourselves,”
etc.
(v. 40); have no participation in guilt, and have
no sympathy or
fellowship
with sinners, as such.
POWER. These
conditions fulfilled, there will be:
Ø
Remission of sins (v. 38).
Ø
The indwelling of
the Holy Ghost (v. 38). Christ, our almighty Savior,
our Divine Friend, being with us, we shall have above us a reconciled
heavenly Father to whom we can look up with rejoicing, childlike trust
and love; and we shall have within us the
Holy Spirit, cleansing the
thoughts of our heart by His inspiration; sanctifying our
nature;
empowering us for the burden, the witness, and the battle
of life;
preparing us for the companionships and engagements of immortality.
41 “Then
they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the
same day there were added unto them about
three thousand souls.”
They then for then
they, Authorized Version; received for
gladly received,
Authorized
Version and Textus Receptus; there were added unto them in that
day for the same
day there were added unto them, Authorized Version.
Gladly received. The best
manuscripts omit ἀσμενως
– asmenos
- gladly,
which, indeed, is superfluous, as the word ἀποδέχομαι
–
apodechomai –
welcoming -
contains in itself the idea of a kind reception — a welcome
(ch.15:4; 24:3; Luke 8:40).
The Day of Pentecost, and Its Immediate
Gifts (vs. 1-41)
“And when
the day of Pentecost… And the same day there were added
about three thousand souls.” The day of Pentecost is emphatically the
complement of the great days of the New Testament. The
visible glories of
this day are the fitting sequel, the almost natural sequel,
of the more veiled
glories of certain days that had preceded it. The heavenly
luster and music
of the day of incarnation, unique as they were, reached the
eye and ear of
but few. The world was
asleep. The dread, tremendous glory of
the day of
crucifixion, charged though it was with fullest
significance, was not seen to
be such at the time. The
glories of the day of resurrection undeniably
opened eyes and hearts to the keenest and most thankful
appreciation of
them, but their
appeal was to a very limited number. When the calm, sweet,
strange glory of Ascension Day revealed a vision of
literally endless light,
the scene undoubtedly began to widen, if only that it so
heightened. And
now but a short interval has passed, and there is a certain manifestation
given to this day of Pentecost which reflects floods of
glory upon the
Giver, and pours light and hope, new and amazing, upon a world well-nigh
prostrate. It is the
simply told history of this day that is written for us in
this chapter. And it tells us of:
PRESENCE. (vs. 2-4). Observe:
Ø
The signs of THE PRESENCE. It is distinguished
by
o
the sound of wind,
apparently without the usual other
accompaniments of it to the
feeling.
o
The sound of wind of irresistible
and conquering energy. It is
not as when” the Spirit of
God moved on the face of the”
archaic “waters” (Genesis
1:2), and it is not “as summer
evening’s latest sigh, that
shuts the rose. No; nor is it as the
stormy wind and tempest.”
The elements are not in confusion,
and the wind is not furious. But
it sweeps along, nevertheless,
with a certain irresistible
majesty; rather, it distinctly thus
sweeps down from heaven. It is
wind that bears itself down,
and is full of might.”
o
Its facile pervading
and penetrating of “all the house where”
the disciples “were
sitting.” John, for certain, was there, and
learned then the grand
original of his later — nay, much later —
All in “that house” were
enveloped, bathed, “baptized”
in the Holy Spirit.
o
An added appearance;
an appearance of fire, manifold fire,
every several portion of
the bright burning shaped as the
tongue, and one of these
speeding to settle on each of the
startled assembly of
disciples.
Ø The first and
direct results of THE PRESENCE.
o
Those to whom it was
vouchsafed, and who “were sitting in the
house,” are “all filled with the Holy Spirit.”
This is the
testimony, the assertion, of the
historian at a somewhat later
period. Whether those who
experienced the wonderful force
knew in that same hour what had
thus taken possession of them
may be a question. If they knew
it not in name, they very
certainly began to know it in
its marvelous nature. We justly give
our imagination some leave of
exercise here, and the more
happily if that imagination can
assist itself in any degree from
the materials of our own
experience of the quickening,
invigorating
influences of the Spirit in our heart.
Evidently in
degrees, ranging from little to
the largest, does that Spirit
vouchsafe His visits and His
work in human hearts. What would
it be if we knew Him
today IN SOME REALLY LARGE
MEASURE! What conviction it would be to the individual
heart! What commanding joy,
inexpressible, overflowing to
the very life and soul of any
one disciple! But if such a
visitation were granted to a
gathering of disciples — just one
meeting of Christian people —
making account of the different
time of day, the greater
enlargement of scope of the day, the
crowded people around, millions
for thousands, the rapidity
and trustworthiness of
communication, — surely
would scarce contain the
excitement, and the Church might
well be beside herself for very
joy. The mere imagination of this
will help to reproduce for us
some more vivid idea of the surprise
of that moment, that hour of the
day of Pentecost.
o
Those who were thus
filled with the Holy Spirit are not rapt in
ecstatic feeling, do not
improvise celestial psalm and music,
but
they speak the many languages of earth. They speak, but
the
Spirit gives them the speech. They speak, but it is
now
literally
fulfilled that the Spirit gives
them in that same hour
what
they shall speak. The case is one of genuine verbal
inspiration. There is
little doubt, perhaps, that these numerous
disciples spoke words which
they did not understand the
meaning of (I Corinthians
14:22), nor could have “interpreted”
had they been called to do so.
They uttered sounds, their
faculties of speech being
subject to the mighty and condescending
power of the Holy Spirit. What
of loss of dignity this may at first
seem to the disciples, is far
more than counterbalanced, not only
by the suggestions of honor set
on the organs of human speech
in the use of them by One who may for the moment be called the
Maker and Giver
of them, hut also by the gain of a
clearly more
impressive result. There
was far less mixture of the human
element in the Divine
communication that purported to pass
from the Spirit to the ear and
mind of a large number of
various-speaking peoples. It is
the difference to us of
a correspondent who indeed
uses an amanuensis, as Paul often
did in his Epistles, but
who keeps with himself the dictating
of every word. Such a one
has not left the selection of words,
or style, or turn of expression
to another; and this is the chief
thing we care about, though we
should have prized his
handwriting as well. Nor need it
seem at all too far-fetched an
inference, if any one
hesitated to count it a designed
arrangement, that through this speaking
being so essentially
the act of the Holy Spirit, a
very strong suggestion of the
personality of that Spirit should be borne in on the
disciples then, and much
more on disciples of succeeding
ages. Absolute speech does
not come from what is merely
an influence, an energy, a
power. It is the function of a
person. And it is one of the
highest of prerogatives of the
human being. The disciples had
lost a personal Presence, in the
person of Jesus, which could
never be replaced, and which
never was to be replaced
till he should “so come” again,
“in like manner as
they had seen Him go into heaven.”
And yet, though the personal
presence of Jesus
was not to
be replaced by another personal
presence, it was most
surely to be replaced by
the presence of a Person. Would it
not be calculated to assist
disciples both to believe correctly
and to
feel grateful that the ever-invisible Spirit was none
the less a Personage, a Being —
not a vague influence nor a
phantom? And now there is
probably no cardinal fact of
Christianity less honored, less
operative, than that of the
personality of the Holy Spirit.
It is one of the disastrous
causes of His being too often slighted, sinned against,
grieved, and “quenched,”
Ø
Certain incidents in THE PRESENCE. It is fitted:
o
to a certain time. “When
the day of Pentecost was fully come.”
The time was certain; it
was fore-spoken by Jesus; it was waited
for by His disciples. But
though certain, alluded to, and awaited,
neither “the
day nor the hour” was revealed.
o
To a certain place.
The place certainly was
same Being who told the
disciples “not to depart from
“the place,”
the “one
place,” of His loved people’s loved
meeting, as He had once
well known “the place” of His own
agony — the garden.
o To a certain temper of heart. “They were all with one accord,”
i.e. together, “in one place.”
Juxtaposition and visible
association do not always
infer the purest of harmony by any
means. But they did infer
it now; and that the disciples were
all with one accord in
one place was the real fruit of their being
all “of one accord.” Since
that blessed day, true it is —
too true — that Christ’s
people have very often been “together”
when they have not been “of
one accord,” “of one mind,”
“having the same love,” “like-minded.” But it was so now.
And if it had not been, the
grandeur of the
day would either
never have been at all, or
would have “set in darkness”
and shame.
o
Of undoubted design,
to a congregate body, and one,
comparatively speaking, numerous.
No longer to a woman
by herself, no longer to two
disciples alone, no longer to the
twelve, or the eleven, but
at all events to some ten times that
number (ch. 1:15). The
Spirit often whispers silently, stealthily
almost, in the ear of the
soul most solitary. Not so now.
The sacred illumination, sacred
quickened faculty, and sacred
joy shall possess “each”
and “all
together” of that new style
of family, that infant
Church — that little company of fellow-
pilgrims, of
fellow-voyagers, of a mere handful of an army.
They need food, and
strength, and comfort, and the inspiration
of experiences — never,
never to be forgotten — shared
together. Grand uses frequently come of the Spirit’s force
over one individual, and
him the obscurest of the obscure;
but now grand uses were to
come for themselves, for one
another, for a world, in
that the disciples were associated so
variously, yet so closely,
in ecstatic privilege, in unbounded
surprise, and in the
consentaneous joy of the unwonted
inspiration that came
“wild-murmuring o’er their raptured
souls.”
o
To an occasion that
either admitted of the testimony or invited
the challenge of a large
and various multitude. There were
present the comparatively
large number of those who experienced
the power of the Holy
Ghost, but there were also near at hand a
very much larger number of
those who soon became spectators
of what was transpiring.
They were not only a large number, but
a very various number. They hailed from different regions; they
spoke different
languages; their objects and their modes of
life were, no doubt, very
various. It were inconceivable that
any collusion should obtain
here, so far as spectators, were
concerned. In their
excitement, and in the open expression
of it, so natural, some did
challenge, though the pitiful
challenge fell stillborn to
the ground. “New wine” never
wrought such marvel, each
nationality must have felt, when
addressed touching “the
wonderful works of God” in its own
language. But till then the Parthian, for instance,
might set
down to “new wine” the
discordant sounds, as they must seem
to him, of a dozen other
nationalities. Just so far there was
reason in the “mocking;”
and, at all events, there was use in it.
For the “new wine” theory
found expression, got a hearing,
and got a verdict too. Most
profitable was this occasion,
when “the multitude were
confounded…were all amazed
and marveled…were
all amazed, and were in doubt, saying
one to another,
What meaneth this?… and others mocking
said, These men are full of new wine.” Such awakening,
such spirit of inquiry and
investigation, such clear proof of a
readiness to challenge
appearances rather than succumb too
readily and run the chance
of delusion, made for every man
that was there a strong, convinced witness in time to come,
and in the home and
country of each. From being excited
spectators, they became,
man for man, so many intelligent
and determined witnesses of “the wonderful
works of God.”
From being gaping hearers,
they became instructed and
impressive preachers. And
the unsettledness of their mind
gave place to deep, unmoved
conviction. The adaptation
of occasion here gave two
great advantages — the advantage
of satisfactory and
conclusive evidence, and that of an
effective and
willing missionary service over large portions
of the earth.
This was a very gala-day of
prophecy. Often distrusted, often mocked,
and often saluted with the
taunting question, “Where is the promise of his
coming?” — now the scene which stirred all
demonstration of
that Spirit and power” which dwelt in
it. The day
witnessed in matter prophetic
the majestic force of the avalanche,
overwhelming doubt and disbelief
in deep destruction indeed, but carrying
no other destructiveness with it.
The piled predictions of ages past no
longer tower aloft so proudly
and forbiddingly, but they fall at the
feet of
an amazed, an
astounded, but a revived and gladdened nation. Or, if the
figure be permitted, the leases
of property of immeasurable value fall in this
day. And that this was a day of
most just pride in the career of prophecy, may
be testified by the thought:
Ø
Of the largeness of
the contents of it. The volume is an ample one
indeed. What treasures it unrolled,
and all the while seemed to say
spontaneously, “This
day is this Scripture fulfilled in your
hearing!” It
was an abounding harvest that
was now gathered in ripe, — a rich and
gladdening vintage. It is not
prophecy fulfilled for an individual king or
mighty man, nor for a caste of
priests, nor for a band of prophets, but it
includes “all flesh,...sons and daughters,…young men and old men my
servants and my
handmaidens.” It proved itself over a
wide variety of
human character and condition.
Ø
Of the intrinsic nature
of it. “They shall prophesy.”
It is a fulfillment in
spiritual sort. The Spirit is the
great Worker, and spiritual results
are still
what underlie great outer
wonders. Living powers of human nature,
immensely intensified and
diversified, — these are the phenomena at all
events. They are marked as “the
beginning,” not of “sorrows,” not of
“tribulation,” not of
“miracles,” but of “signs” that contain an amount
and a kind of signifying power
far
in excess of all which had ever been.
Now began — whatever its
duration should prove to be — this world’s
LAST AEON. And strongly marked are its characteristics from the
first. “All flesh” begin to answer
responsive to the might of the invisible
Spirit, and in a certain sense
the very presumption of Saul, and of those
who were stricken because they
touched the sacred ark, begins to be
the law. Directness of
individual contact with whatever should be
most holy, for each and all,
becomes the established, the enthroned
religion of the world.
COUCHED IN THE VERY WORDS OF ANCIENT REVERED
PROPHECY. (v. 21.)
That very prophecy that had seemed
to cover, now served to proclaim
loudly and distinctly the universal
mercy
of the one
universal “LORD!” The “gracious
word” now proceeds from its
lip, to begin its unresting
journey. What a word was this, “And it shall
come to pass, that
whosoever shall call on the Name of the Lord shall be
saved”! It is the disclosure in broadest daylight of the purpose of
ages past;
yes, of a purpose that had been purposed before the world began. Most
assuredly prophecy had held it,
and had made it visible, but to very few
who beheld, though it was
before their eyes. The eyes even of those to
whom it was given to see “were
holden that they knew” it not. And the
vast multitude outside were long
time dying without the knowledge or so
much as one glimpse of it. Of
the past three years Jesus had given
significant hints of it in some
of His works, and had whispered it sometimes
in the ears of His disciples,
and had distinctly uttered it in His parting
commission, “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every
creature.” But to the day of Pentecost “is this grace given,”
that it should
preach aloud, with a hundred
tongues, and a hundred better than silver
trumpets, THE RICHES OF THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST! Three things
mark what was then in
particular, and what must ever essentially be the
surprising riches of the
proclamation.
Ø
It is hope to
ALL and EVERY ONE!.
Ø
It is the call of a
human voice alone, no doubt drawn deep from the
heart, that is the method,
the one simple method of access to that hope.
Ø
The hope is that of no
mere respite, subterfuge, soothing relief, but of
SALVATION! Exclusiveness
“is finished;” ritual, ceremony, sacrifice,
the earthly priest, — each
“is finished; tantalizing expectancy, “is
finished;” and EVERLASTING SALVATION is to be had free, by
ANY ONE and by EVERY
ONE, for
the one
anguished or trustful
call of the heart “on
the Name of the Lord.” It is a fact worthy to
be noticed, that, as the
gospel of Jesus’ own public ministry began
from the quotation of
Isaiah’s prophecy (Luke 4:17-21; Isaiah 61:1),
so the gospel of the day of
Pentecost begins its illustrious career with
the motto of a quotation
from prophecy (Joel 2:28-32). These
two
links — were they the only
ones — how strongly they bind
together the
Scriptures of the old and new covenants, and
the
covenant themselves!
PREACHERS. (vs. 14,
29, 38). This honor was reserved for Peter, to be
the first of that “great
company which publish” the glad tidings of salvation
through Jesus Christ. He had
been preparing for this place now these three
years. He had passed through good fame and through ill, through
not a
little most merited rebuke; he
had passed through, not the discipline of
warning and correction alone,
but also through that of the genial influences
and constant stimulus of
priceless privileges. The memories of the fishing,
and the storm, and the walking
on the water, and the death-chamber, and
the brilliant heights of the
Transfiguration, and the darkest contrasts of the
shades of
vouchsafed from the very cross
after the terrible thrice denial, and of all the
rest, were now all upon him. And he has made, at all events,
this impression on us — the
impression as of a man of:
Ø
Native impetuosity of
temperament.
Ø
Imperious moral
judgments.
Ø
Liability to fearful
lapse.
Ø
Unbounded enthusiasm
and devotion to a great and good
Master
Ø
And now lastly,
of a man with the eye of an eagle for the object
dear to his heart.
(vs. 14-36). The character of a
model Christian sermon may be justly
claimed throughout for
this address of Peter to the multitude. The leading
features of it are strongly
marked.
Ø
It is one testimony to
Christ; the subject is variously approached, but it
is one. Whatever the then
reason, the subject is not lost sight of nor
allowed to linger. Each approach
to it, each conclusion from it,
become more telling, till the
pronounced assertion confronts the
people, “Therefore let
all the house of
that God hath made
that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified,
both Lord and
Christ.”
Ø
It is a summary of
indisputable historic facts. The incarnation and birth
of Jesus are, therefore, not
adverted to, as perhaps too remote. They did
not come directly within the
range of facts patent to the hearers of Peter.
“As ye yourselves
know” was an argument Peter loved to
use. He didn’t
beg reliance on his judgment,
opinion, or assertion, but he challenged
the knowledge of those to whom
he spoke. The “Man of
the approved of
God by miracles and signs and wonders… the
delivered” (though here Peter does insert the transcendent
statement of Divine “foreknowledge” and “counsel”), “the
taken
crucified and
slain… the raised up” from death’s
kingdom and
dominion, “the
exalted by the right hand of God,” and the
corroboration of these statements
of the Resurrection and Ascension
from the prophecies of
their
own prized oracles, — these are the vital
facts summarized now by
Peter. The chain breaks nowhere. Peter is
strong in his facts.
Ø
There was an
unflinching style in the address. The indiscriminate people
of Judaea and
passed since the Crucifixion,
and Peter brings the guilt home in
uncompromising language to the
heart and the hand of those whom he
addresses; and also declares
that the wonders of this day of Pentecost, of
which the fickle multitude were
no doubt the willing witnesses, are all
the work of that “Man of
treated, crucified. Many men
will bear to be told of their guilt, who
won’t stand the demonstration of
their exceeding folly. But the
hearers of Peter get both in his
faithfulness and unflinchingness
to his subject. “This
Jesus… hath shed forth this, which ye now
see and hear.”
Ø
There was intense earnestness
in the address of Peter. This, no doubt,
went naturally a long way
to disarm what might otherwise have seemed
the offensive character of the
matter of his indictment. The instance is an
interesting and a remarkable one
of the very severest rebuke consisting
with a kindliness only thinly
veiled. And without a word of kindness
expressed, the impression and effect are probably gained by the
manifest
intense earnestness and
strongest conviction of the speaker. These things,
so that they are not abused, are
legitimately within the province of the
Christian preacher. With this
proviso it is given to him to dogmatize, only
not in his own name; to rebuke
in the most uncompromising manner, only
not for any offence personal to
himself merely; and to wield the
denunciations of the future and
the unseen, only not otherwise than as
drawn, both for matter and for
justifiable occasion, and justly drawn, from
the warrant of revelation.
was to be expected, in no
respect is the transition from Judaism to
Christianity more worthy of
interested study than as it offers to view the
healthy young growth of
Christian institutions, taking root amid the ruins
of the old and corrupt
traditions of the “Jews’ religion.” Many a site that
witnessed long time crumbling
decay, stones no two of which lay together,
and the very squalidity of
disorder, now witnessed the surprising signs of
vigorous, determined, and
beautiful life. It were well if it had been possible
to secure that these should not
in their turn succumb, in lapse of time, to
the affronts of human
imperfection, and show again the pitiful sight of
diviner growths within cumbered,
choked, and finally killed, by fungus,
excrescence, and merciless
blight. Here, however, we have a fine example
of the vitality of roused
religious life, its own cries, and the methods of
treatment with which it was
blessed to meet. Observe:
Ø
The central fact — conviction. The conscience itself
is touched, wakens
responsive to the touch, and
takes upon itself to speak for its owner
sounds that have the sounds of life. Men hear, and are “pricked in the
heart.”
Ø
The first immediate
course resorted to under the circumstances. Those
whose hearts are thus “pricked,”
whose conscience is thus touched,
begin to make inquiry, and
inquiry of what they “shall do.” They play
not the role of excuse
for the past, of moralizing reminiscence, or of
any other of the pretexts for procrastination. It is the moment for
undoubted action, for decided
action, and, if honest ignorance exist
as to the shape of that action,
for prompt inquiry as to the way: “What
shall we do?” No doubt, when the men and the time and the
circumstances and those to whom
they now addressed themselves, —
when these all are put together,
it must be granted that there was here
the reality and the best part of
genuine confession.
Ø
Religious
interrogatories made, not under the probing of the
confessional-expert; not under
the conditions of morbidness, and it
goaded; not in secrecy
and solitariness. These, as between man and
his fellow-creature, may be
often more than doubtful. But it is in
open day that this
confessional-scene is placed. And safety invests it,
and spiritual health and even
symptoms of robustness are indicated.
Ø
Preachers not priest,
doctrine not ritual, practice not penance, lively
repentance not remorseful
reflection, are the order of that well-omened
hour. Yet, to speak of nothing
else, if ever remorseful reflection —
something short of remorse
itself — might have put in a reasonably
opportune claim, it was surely
now, while Peter’s stinging words still
rang in their ears: “This
Jesus whom ye crucified” (Revised Version).
But no; the answer to the
questions put at this honorable, open
confessional is “Repent,” altering
at once the thing you have been,
though alter you cannot the
crucifying thing that you have done;
“Repent,” and show it before men, by
being “baptized, every one of
you,” actually in that very Name, “the
Name of Jesus Christ,” whom
you rejected and crucified,
acknowledging thereby that you are bounden
to Him for “the remission of sins;” “Repent,” and be baptized, and
enter at once on the inheritance
of
long promise, “the gift of the
Holy Ghost.” That “gift of the Holy
Ghost,” after repentance and
offer baptism and after the remission of sins, as distinguished
from
the preeminent quickening effected by His sacred breath, would
be
the conclusive, surest token of
the absolution of sin. For them and
for ourselves this may
sufficiently distinguish the ever-necessary
working of the Holy Spirit in
quickening the human heart from death,
necessary equally with Abel and
Enoch as with Paul or any man of
modern days, from that special
endowment of the Spirit for other uses,
vouchsafed to the “new
covenant” from the day of Pentecost downward
to this day. This is the special grace and crown of the
Christian Church,
though probably still little
understood, and its conquering force
accordingly still little tested.
From the language of v. 40 we may
understand that we have but a
sketch of all that Peter said from the
moment that he stood up to
vindicate the prophesying army from
the charge of drunkenness, to
the moment that the actual administration
of the rite of baptism
began. Unstintingly he “testified,”
unweariedly
he “exhorted,” and this the
burden of his enthusiastic and impassioned
appeal, that those who heard
should show themselves willing, anxious,
eager to be rescued from the following and from the belongings of
an inherently “crooked generation.”
(vs. 41-47). Three thousand were
that day added to the hundred and
twenty or thereabout, who began
the day as believers in Christ. The
multiplication was twenty-five
for every one. They are those who “received
his word.” It will not be going beyond chapter and verse if we regard
this
as equivalent to “receiving the Word.” Still, this is not the exact meaning of
the historian, and as it is very
possible that some of these very thousands at
some subsequent time were guilty
of defection, we may prefer to hold that
those who came to be thus guilty
did not receive “with meekness the
engrafted Word,
which was able to save their souls.”
They only caught a
transient enthusiasm as they
listened to Peter. Any way, some then also did
not “receive” the word
of Peter. “Some” then also “believed and some
believed not.” Some tares then also were mingled with the “good seed.”
Glorious, therefore, as that
harvest was of the “latter day,” it falls very
short of the glory that shall be
of “the last day.” Then no
Peter shall
baptize, and no Church shall
charitably judge, and no adulteration shall be
possible. Then “the
angels shall come forth, and sever the
wicked from
among the just” (Matthew 13:49); “The Son of Man shall send forth His
angels, and they
shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and
them which do
iniquity” (Matthew 13:41); “The
Son of man shall come
in His glory, and
all the holy angels with Him And He shall
separate,” etc.
Meanwhile the spiritual harvest
and ingathering into the Church visible and
militant of that day of
Pentecost was glorious and heart-reviving. The
thought of it is so still. It is
still unique for one time, one place, and one
preaching. Yet these are but the
clothing of circumstance; and perhaps
many a day since, the eye that
surveys all, and sees everywhere at one and
the same time, may have
witnessed equal proofs of the converting power
of Word and Spirit, the one
spoken by the lip of man, the other teaching
that lip to speak.
42 “And
they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and
fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and
in prayers.”
Teaching for doctrine,
Authorized Version; in the breaking for
and in
breaking, Authorized Version and Textus Receptus; the
prayers for in prayer,
Authorized
Version. And
fellowship; better, as in the margin, in fellowship;
not meaning the apostles’ fellowship, but the fellowship
of the Church —
that common life of close brotherhood in which all that they did was done
in common, and all that they possessed was possessed in
common, so that
there seemed to be but one
heart and one mind amongst them all.
Breaking of bread; in the Holy Eucharist (see Matthew 26:26; Mark 14:22;
Luke 22:19; 24:30; I Corinthians 11:24; 10:16; here
ch.20:7). The prayers;
the common prayers of the Church.
The First Practice of Baptism as a Christian
Rite (vs. 38,41)
“Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized… the
Holy Ghost.”
“Then they that gladly received his word were baptized…
three thousand
souls.” The sun of
the day of Pentecost did not set without marking the
moment of the inauguration of the rite of Christian baptism
— a rite which
has never ceased to prove the occasion of stir and
difference of opinion
down the history of the Church. Baptism, and the baptism of
water, was of
course a familiar thing to the minds of the disciples of
Jesus. It was in no
sense a novelty, for they had known it from the preaching
and the practice
of John the Baptist. And with the original of even
this there can be no
doubt the Jewish nation as such had long been acquainted.
The rite,
however, unavoidably invests itself with fresh dignity and
fresh significance
from the time that Jesus, in the interval between the
Resurrection and
Ascension, and especially in His very parting words before
the latter event,
enjoined His disciples to observe it, in the sense, not of
submitting to it
themselves at the hands of one another, but of calling
others to it and
administering it to them. They are expressly advised by
Jesus that in their
own case it would be
utterly superseded by the baptism of the Holy Ghost,
which the day of Pentecost was to bring, and which it now had brought.
“This beginning,” therefore, of baptism in the Name of
Jesus Christ may
well attract most interested notice. It practically owned
to certain objects
or requirements, whether more explicit or implicit in their
character. And it
is our duty to study it in the appearances it then offered
to view.
CIRCUMSTANCES AND OPPORTUNITIES OF KNOWLEDGE IN
THEIR RELIGIOUS LIFE, MEN ARE CALLED TO ENTER INTO A
DEFINITE AND FIXED RELATIONSHIP TO CHRIST. Once the novel
appeal to men was, “Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Now
the more permanent appeal has
taken its place: “Repent, and be baptized in
the Name of Jesus
Christ.”
RELATIONSHIP TO CHRIST BE OF THE NATURE OF A
PROFESSION, AND MORE OR LESS PUBLIC PROFESSION. Not in
the retirement of sacred shrine,
or of more sacred closet, or of most sacred
heart alone, must the
relationship be established. There were reasons why a
certain kind of notoriety should
attend it. That notoriety might be expected
to have in it:
Ø
Some share of useful
influence on the individual character of the
person
making profession.
Ø
Some helpful influence
in the founding and holding together of the
Christian
society.
Ø
Some tribute of
grateful and willing acknowledgment to Him who
once
was put to “open shame.”
NATURE OF THE RITE SUBMITTED TO, OF THE TAINT
INHERENT IN NATURE, AND OF NATURE’S NEED OF
PURIFICATION. The
indistinctness of prophecy that went before by
centuries, and the unequivocal
distinctness of apostolic language in both
history and Epistle, give the
description of washing, cleansing, purifying,
as the symbolic significance of the
rite of baptism.
INQUISITORIAL ELEMENT OR SEARCHING INVESTIGATION ON
THE PART OF THE ADMINISTRATORS OF IT. It would seem
impossible, in the nature of the
circumstances described in the history
before us, that even apostles,
under the highest amount of inspiration,
could have done more than accept
simply the profession of those who
offered themselves for baptism.
The guarantee they took of the very
repentance which they urged and preached as the deepest matter
in
question, was only that which
belonged to the fact of the people’s
willingness and desire to be
baptized. That was indeed a great and open
change of mind, or repentance, which brought the people to this point. It
seems impossible to imagine that
baptism was now accepted as anything
but the very
first step toward holiness of heart and life. Those who were
baptized did thus much — they “set
their faces Zionward.” These are the
appearances that invest the first occasion of the observance or use of
baptism as a Christian rite.
These appearances by themselves scarcely
amount to the assertion of a
permanent institution; and they can scarcely be
accounted as speaking with
authority the subjects, or the convictions, or
the methods of its
administration for all time and all circumstances, even
upon the supposition of its permanent
obligation. They are not, therefore,
the less interesting; nay, they
may kindle keener and more observant
inquiry. But they need such
inquiry, and they must be interpreted under the
light of Christ’s ascending
commission to His disciples, of obedience to
which this is the first possible
occasion, and in the light of the succeeding
history of Christ’s followers
during the apostolic period. At present
baptism may be said to hold the
place of an initiatory rite. Through that
first Christian baptism three thousand persons were introduced into the
ranks of those who believed in
Christ
as the Messiah, and who were
prepared to become learners in
His school, and to put in practice (as was
immediately seen) His principles.
They no longer are of those who believe
in sacrifices and ceremonial
observances innumerable for “the remission of
sins,” but “in the Name of
Jesus Christ.” And they are introduced
within
the covenant of promise — that
covenant the abiding promise to which
was “the
gift of the Holy Ghost.”
The First Practice of Baptism as a Christian
Rite (vs. 38,41)
“Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized… the
Holy Ghost.”
“Then they that gladly received his word were baptized…
three thousand
souls.” The sun of
the day of Pentecost did not set without marking the
moment of the inauguration of the rite of Christian baptism
— a rite which
has never ceased to prove the occasion of stir and
difference of opinion
down the history of the Church. Baptism, and the baptism of
water, was of
course a familiar thing to the minds of the disciples of
Jesus. It was in no
sense a novelty, for they had known it from the preaching
and the practice
of John the Baptist. And with the original of even
this there can be no
doubt the Jewish nation as such had long been acquainted.
The rite,
however, unavoidably invests itself with fresh dignity and
fresh significance
from the time that Jesus, in the interval between the
Resurrection and
Ascension, and especially in His very parting words before
the latter event,
enjoined His disciples to observe it, in the sense, not of
submitting to it
themselves at the hands of one another, but of calling
others to it and
administering it to them. They are expressly advised by
Jesus that in their
own case it would be
utterly superseded by the baptism of the Holy Ghost,
which the day of Pentecost was to bring, and which it now had brought.
“This beginning,” therefore, of baptism in the Name of
Jesus Christ may
well attract most interested notice. It practically owned
to certain objects
or requirements, whether more explicit or implicit in their
character. And it
is our duty to study it in the appearances it then offered
to view.
CIRCUMSTANCES AND OPPORTUNITIES OF KNOWLEDGE IN
THEIR RELIGIOUS LIFE, MEN ARE CALLED TO ENTER INTO A
DEFINITE AND FIXED RELATIONSHIP TO CHRIST. Once the novel
appeal to men was, “Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Now
the more permanent appeal has
taken its place: “Repent, and be baptized in
the Name of Jesus
Christ.”
RELATIONSHIP TO CHRIST BE OF THE NATURE OF A
PROFESSION, AND MORE OR LESS PUBLIC PROFESSION. Not in
the retirement of sacred shrine,
or of more sacred closet, or of most sacred
heart alone, must the relationship
be established. There were reasons why a
certain kind of notoriety should
attend it. That notoriety might be expected
to have in it:
Ø
Some share of useful
influence on the individual character of the
person
making profession.
Ø
Some helpful influence
in the founding and holding together of the
Christian
society.
Ø
Some tribute of
grateful and willing acknowledgment to Him who
once
was put to “open shame.”
NATURE OF THE RITE SUBMITTED TO, OF THE TAINT
INHERENT IN NATURE, AND OF NATURE’S NEED OF
PURIFICATION. The
indistinctness of prophecy that went before by
centuries, and the unequivocal
distinctness of apostolic language in both
history and Epistle, give the
description of washing, cleansing, purifying,
as the symbolic significance of the
rite of baptism.
INQUISITORIAL ELEMENT OR SEARCHING INVESTIGATION ON
THE PART OF THE ADMINISTRATORS OF IT. It would seem
impossible, in the nature of the
circumstances described in the history
before us, that even apostles,
under the highest amount of inspiration,
could have done more than accept
simply the profession of those who
offered themselves for baptism.
The guarantee they took of the very
repentance which they urged and preached as the deepest matter
in
question, was only that which
belonged to the fact of the people’s
willingness and desire to be
baptized. That was indeed a great and open
change of mind, or repentance, which brought the people to this point. It
seems impossible to imagine that
baptism was now accepted as anything
but the very
first step toward holiness of heart and life. Those who were
baptized did thus much — they “set
their faces Zionward.” These are the
appearances that invest the first occasion of the observance or use of
baptism as a Christian rite.
These appearances by themselves scarcely
amount to the assertion of a
permanent institution; and they can scarcely be
accounted as speaking with
authority the subjects, or the convictions, or
the methods of its
administration for all time and all circumstances, even
upon the supposition of its
permanent obligation. They are not, therefore,
the less interesting; nay, they
may kindle keener and more observant
inquiry. But they need such
inquiry, and they must be interpreted under the
light of Christ’s ascending
commission to His disciples, of obedience to
which this is the first possible
occasion, and in the light of the succeeding
history of Christ’s followers
during the apostolic period. At present
baptism may be said to hold the
place of an initiatory rite. Through that
first Christian baptism three thousand persons were introduced into the
ranks of those who believed in
Christ
as the Messiah, and who were
prepared to become learners in
His school, and to put in practice (as was
immediately seen) His principles.
They no longer are of those who believe
in sacrifices and ceremonial
observances innumerable for “the remission of
sins,” but “in the Name of
Jesus Christ.” And they are introduced
within
the covenant of promise — that
covenant the abiding promise to which
was “the
gift of the Holy Ghost.”
The Beginning of Great Things (vs. 41-42)
“Then they that gladly received His word,” etc. Trace the instrumentality
from the shore of
Peter, to the day of Pentecost. One man standing up in that
multitude
endowed with spiritual gifts — with the proclamation of the
gospel, or the
sling and stone with which to conquer.
Ø
The victory over prejudice, indifference, fear — all the evil of heart
and
life. Full-grown men — Jews.
Jews of that degenerate age, in the midst
of anti-Christian influences,
accepting a Word which condemned
themselves — which incited them
to forsake their old life, and count
all things loss for Christ. Not
only moved and partially changed, but
wholly converted; ready to be
put, by baptism, into the new life
opened to them.
Ø
The vastness of the work accomplished. Not here and there one, but
three thousand souls, which, as
representatives of families and
connections, may be reckoned as
at least twenty thousand. Scarcely
possible that every one should be
individually solicited. The work
was spiritual, miraculous. While there is much in the effect of
numbers — the rapid spread of a common sentiment by contact
of
soul with soul, there is in the
narrative no appearance of undue
excitement. We must regard the
fact as specially ordained, that
there might be A MIGHTY IMPETUS given
to the gospel at its
starting-point. Many of the three thousand would become
messengers to prepare the way of
the Lord in heathen lands.
Ø
The signs of a new creation. In that multitude of
converts there is no
chaotic confusion, but the order
of a new world rising into view, in:
o
the leadership of
apostles;
o
the fellowship;
o
the observance of
the two ordinances of baptism and the
Lord’s
Supper;
o
the recognition
of prayer as an expression of faith and
o
the dependence on
the continual outpouring of
THE
HOLY SPIRIT!
The apostolic commencement of
the Church must be the model to
which we continually refer for
the corrections of those natural
errors
of development which, if not so
called back to the ideal of the
kingdom, will, by mixture with the world, destroy the fundamental
conception of Christianity. (Is this not the major shortcoming of
our day? CY – 2016)
Ø
Remark the entire
simplicity and sincerity of the agents. Much of our
failure caused by mixing up mere
human schemes and inventions with
the gospel. Danger of reactions.
The Word was clearly, boldly, and fully
preached, with direct personal
appeal to the conscience as well as to the
heart.
Ø The steadfastness was the result of a continued use of the
means of
grace — teaching,
fellowship, breaking of bread, prayers. We lose
many whom we reach with our word
by not throwing round them
quickly the net of our Christian community and institutions.
Ø
A great lesson on the
importance of waiting for God’s time, and being
ready to receive
the Spirit. All mere got-up revivals
result in failure.
God’s Spirit will Himself teach
us how and when to expect the success.
Follow the
leadings of
43 “And
fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were
done by the apostles.” Fear came, etc. This seems to be spoken of the awe
which fell upon the whole people, and restrained them from interfering
with the
disciples. Just as at the
first settlement of
laid the fear of them and the dread of them upon all the
land (Deuteronomy 11:25),
so now the fear engendered by the events on the day of
Pentecost, by the signs and
wonders which followed and by the wonderful unity and
holiness of the newborn
Church, so wrought upon
every soul at
and the disciples had time to multiply and to consolidate and establish
themselves
before the storm of persecution fell upon them.
44 “And
all that believed were together, and had all things common;”
Were together (ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτό
- epi
to auto – on the same place; see ch.1:15,
note,
and above, v. 42). Had all things common. Just as the
Transfiguration gave a
passing glimpse of the state of glory, so here we have a
specimen of what
Christian love and unity in its perfection, and unchecked
by contact with
the world without, would, and perhaps some day will,
produce. But even at
earthly dissensions
recorded in chapter 6; and the Christian community
received a timely lesson that things good in themselves are
not always
practicable in an evil world, where sluggish virtues
require the stimulants of
bodily wants to draw them out and strengthen them, and
where hypocrisy
often claims the kindly offices which are due only to
disciples indeed.
Early Impulses of Christian Disciples (vs.
41-44)
Estimate the fervor of feeling which those knew who had found the
Messiah; had found Him altogether more glorious, more
spiritual, than their
highest thoughts had ever conceived, and actually felt
the joy of
forgiveness from Him, and the inward witness of His
sealing Spirit. It was a
time of rapture and intensity, in which all selfish
thoughts would be easily
overcome, and the common joy bind all together in common
bonds. In their
enthusiasm they expected the Lord Jesus to return at once,
and therefore
they were so ready to resign even their worldly goods, and
devote all that
they possessed to the use of the brethren. The custom of
large numbers
living and eating together is familiar to Easterns, and may
be illustrated by
the daily meals provided for the citizens of
thought that came to the early disciples was that they
might realize, in the
larger sphere, the state of things existing between Christ
and His apostles
when He was in the flesh. Those apostles gave up their
trades to be with
Christ, and he and they had lived together, and had “all
things common.”
The company so gathered present the first model of a Church.
Circumstances soon modified the form of it; but we keep the
essential idea
of it, which is this: common
indebtedness to Christ, and devotion to him,
bring men together into a gracious sense of brotherhood and
fellowship.
They recognize their ONENESS IN CHRIST!
The center of the gathering was
naturally the apostolic company. A desire
to hear more about Christ was
awakened, and the converts would not
separate. Staying hour after
hour, there would arise the necessity for meals;
and though this may have been readily
met on the first day, some order and
provision would be necessary as
they kept together day after day. The
impulse to fellowship felt by
those sharing common opinions and beliefs is
constantly recognized, and is
the basis of all associations, clubs, and
societies of men. Those with the common opinions enjoy, and are benefited
by, each other’s
fellowship. Therefore the apostle bids
us “not
forsake the
assembling of
ourselves together, as the manner of some is.” (Hebrews 10:25)
Neglected fellowship is
the sign of weakened impulse, failing “first love,”
(see Revelation 2:4) and
inadequate impression of the “great grace”
received in Christ Jesus.
than self. There was a
general desire to imitate Christ by giving up for
others. This seems the idea in their “having all things common.”
Under the
strong and general feeling of
Christian charity, which sprang out of
Christian unity, men gave as
freely as if what they had were not really their
own, but only held by them in
trust for others. Practically, what was any
brother’s came to be the
brethren’s; no man asserted his private
proprietorship, or said that “aught
of the things that he possessed was his
own.” (ch. 4:32) The following points may be illustrated:
Ø
Community of goods
is a dream. One which earnest and
sentimental
philanthropists have
dreamed over and over again.
Ø
Community of goods
is an impossibility. Socialistic systems
have
always broken down. If the community
could be once established,
the disabilities of life and the
different dispositions of men would
immediately
introduce irregularities.
Religious communisms have
generally rested, like the
monastic orders, on an ascetic rather than
a social basis. The
fanaticism of the German Anabaptists, indeed,
did not lack force, but it involved the ruin
of society. Humanitarian
attempts to realize a
voluntary communism, lacking a religious
motive, have broken down.
Ø Community of goods is an extravagant assertion of a true
and high
principle, viz. that whatsoever a man holds, he holds in trust, and
in trust for the service of others.
Ø Community of goods is substantially realized in the
Christian Church,
where, ideally, each seeks not
his own but his brother’s good. There is
no real cure for
diseased society except THE REGENERATION
OF
THE INDIVIDUAL and the individual is regenerated when you have
substituted brotherly
kindness for selfishness as the
ruling motive or
ground of character.” Just in so
far as any man takes in the peculiar
teaching of the gospel, such as
the saving mercy of the Father in heaven,
our oneness in the incarnate
Son, and the binding common life of the
Holy Ghost — to that extent he
will cease to be a difficulty in the way
of social economics. He will
help others as much, and grasp as little
for himself, as possible.” We are to keep our hearts ever open to
the gracious and loving impulses
of God’s Holy Spirit; and also
press the relation to an earnest life
of charity, brotherhood, and
goodness which is found in “keeping our
first love.”
45 “And
sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men,
as every man had need.” They sold for sold, Authorized Version; all for all
men,
Authorized
Version; according as any for as every, Authorized Version.
46 “And
they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking
bread from house to house, did eat their
meat with gladness and singleness
of heart,” Day
by day continuing steadfastly for they
continuing daily,
Authorized Version; at home for from house to house, Authorized
Version;
they did take their food for did eat their meat, Authorized Version. In the temple.
It is very remarkable that at this early age of the
Church’s existence Christians did
not deem themselves separated from their Jewish brethren,
or from the
Old Testament institutions. Christianity was but Judaism
perfected; the gospel the
full blossoming of the Law. The first Christian Jews,
therefore, did not
conceive of themselves as quitting the religion of their
fathers, but rather
hoped that their whole nation would in a short time
acknowledge JESUS TO
BE THE CHRIST! Christian institutions, therefore — the prayers, the
breaking
of bread, the prophesyings and speaking with tongues, and the
apostolic
teachings — were supplemental to the temple service, not
antagonistic to
it; and the church took the place rather of the synagogue
than of the temple
(see ‘Dict. of Bible:’ “Synagogue”). At home. This version hardly
represents the true idea of the original; ; κατ οϊκον – kat oikon – according
to home represents the private Christian place of meeting, as
contrasted with the
temple. The meaning is not that every disciple broke bread
in his own house, but
that they broke bread at the house where the Christian
assemblies were held, whether
one or more. We have already seen the Church gathered
together “in an upper
room” (ch.1:13), in “one
place,” in “a house” (vs. 1-2),
and“together” (v. 44; see too
ch. 4:31); and we know that as the synagogue was called בֵּית תְפִּלָּה, house of prayer,
or בֵּית
הַכְּנֶסֶת, the house of assemblage,
so the Christian place of meeting was called
ὁ Κυριακὸς
οῖκος – ho Kuriakos oikos
- the Lord’s house, whence the word “church.”
(For breaking bread, see above, v. 42.) They
did take their food. The link of
connection is the ἀγάπη – agapae - or love-feast, which formed an important
part of
the κοινωνία
–
koinonia - fellowship,
or common life, of the early Christians.
The
whole description is a beautiful picture of Christian
unity, piety, love, and joy.
47 “Praising
God, and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to
the church daily such as should be
saved.” To
them day by day for to the Church
daily, Authorized Version and Textus Receptus; those
that were being saved for
such as should be saved, Authorized Version. Added to them
day by day. The
Received Text has instead of τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ - tae ekklaesia –
to the church, to
the out-called the
words ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτό
- epi to auto -, which in v.
1 are
properly
rendered “in one
place,” but do not seem to be
rendered at all in the Revised Version
of this verse. In fact, they have no sense unless you construe them with
τοὺς σωζομένους – tous sozomenous – the
ones being saved; those who
escaped to the same place, i.e. to the Church. But
it seems most probable
that the words ἐπὶ
τὸ αὐτό do
really belong to ch.3:1, where they are found
in the Textus Receptus. If τῇ
ἐκκλησίᾳ (the church) does not properly belong
to the text (it is wanting in A, B, C, א, and many versions), then προσετίθει –
prosetithei – added - must be taken absolutely, as προσετέθησαν
–
prosetethaesan -
were added - is
in v. 41, the Church, or the disciples, being understood. Those that
were being saved. The exhortation in v. 40 was “Save
yourselves from this crooked
generation.” Those who were added to the Church were those who complied
with
the exhortation, and escaped from complicity with their
unbelieving countrymen.
They were the remnant that escaped.
God’s Work Amongst Men (v. 47)
“And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be
saved.”
This last verse of
the chapter is connected with what goes before.
It is all a testimony to the Lord and His work. The
prejudice against
the supernatural is best overcome by pointing to the facts
of Christian
history and life. How could the Church have conquered the
world unless
the Divine had been manifested specially in the human? The
few verses
which describe the immediate sequel of the day of Pentecost
is like an open
door into the new temple, which should take the place of
the old. The
disciples clung to the building in
prophecy of a higher, spiritual edifice which should be
filled with a greater
glory. (“Ye
also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy
priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to
God by Jesus Christ.”
(I Peter 2:5) The
open secret of Christianity is the mingling together of
Divine power and human agency. Incarnation begins the
Gospels, the day
of Pentecost the Acts. The Lord must add to the Church. The
Church must
confess its own insufficiency, and seek the Lord. “Day
by day” the addition
was made, day by day the blessing falls. Ask for it,
individually and in
fellowship.
Effects of the Pentecostal Day (vs. 41-47)
were found receptive to the
truth, so powerfully attested in word and deed,
and submitted to baptism.
genuine is shown by their
diligent attention to the apostolic instruction, and
frequentation of the Christian
society. Perhaps no better tests of genuine
change can be found. The
breaking of bread and the prayers stand for the
regular ordinances of religion.
The life that is of God will ever prove its
worth by becoming a social
power, by seeking social nourishment and
common edification.
too, is symptomatic of an
outpouring of the Divine Spirit. It is not without
reason we speak of the general
“tone of society.” When and wherever the
Church is really alive unto God,
and Christians have received an unction
from the Holy One, public and
private life feels the influence; the
newspapers, books, gossip, turn
upon serious matters; and the scoffer is
shamed.
Wonders and signs by the agency
of the apostles; in other words,
indications of the Divine presence
with chosen men, intimating special
meanings directing to moral
ends. But the occasional ever rests upon the
constant and permanent. The
wonderful ever serves to direct attention to
the regular and the common. We
should forget the beneficent law of
spiritual things, did not
special interruptions arouse us from the stolid
apathy of custom.
unity, and consequently delight
in fellowship. They met together; they
instinctively sought a perfect
equality with one another. To carry this out
involved in many instances,
doubtless, great personal sacrifices — the
parting with personal property
and distribution to the needy. It was the
best proof of love that could be
given, and the best of sincerity. Usually the
instinct for property is the
last thing to go beneath the gracious expulsive
power of Divine love. They were
striving after the brightest ideal of life
that Christian love can dream
of; to make “all men’s good each man’s
rule.” A joyous religion inspired this
conduct. The temple became again
what it was designed in idea to
be — the house of the Father and the home
of man. By that sacred hearth
there was for a time a bright, visible picture
of the spiritual reunion between
God and man. They “sat at feast, enjoying
each the other’s good,” because
all conscious of partaking of the bread of
God. Joy
broke into thanksgiving, and the dark shadows of mutual envy
were dispersed. Finally, this life of the new Christian community became
an
irresistible center of
attraction; and daily men “in the way of salvation”
were added to the Church. This
episode is a type in history of the power
and effect of the gospel. That
life could not continue at this ideal height
only reminds us that the actual
world presents irresistible obstacles to the
attainment of our best wishes.
That it was manifested, though but for a
short time, proves the direction of love, and is prophetic of its final
dominion in the
life of mankind.
Holy Baptism (vs. 37-47)
As the sermon preached by Peter on the day of Pentecost was
the first
sermon preached in the
here an account was the first ministration of that
sacrament. Our Lord’s
last command to His apostles was, “Make disciples of all nations,
baptizing
them in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the
Holy Ghost”
(Matthew 28:19; Mark 16:16; ch.1:5), and now for the first
time that command
was carried out. A few points of special interest and
importance are brought out
in the narrative of this first Christian baptism.
preaches the Word with power,
the hearers are pricked in their heart, and
by his direction they are
baptized, and so put in possession of the promised
salvation. In like manner, in
Mark 16:16, faith comes by hearing the
gospel preached, and baptism is
the complement of faith. The first baptism
of Gentile believers — that
recorded in ch.10:48 — was the fruit of
Peter’s sermon to the house of
Cornelius.
of sins.” So Ananias said to
Saul, “Arise, and be baptized, and wash away
thy sins” (ch. 22:16). And Paul teaches that we are baptized into
the death of Christ, and so are freed
from sin. And so in the Baptismal
Service we pray that the water
may be sanctified to the mystical washing
away of sin, and that those who
come to it may receive remission of their
sins; and Peter speaks of those
who turn away from the holy
commandment delivered unto them
as having forgotten that they were
“purged from their
old sins” (II Peter 1:9). The clement
of water points
distinctly to this
characteristic feature of the sacrament of baptism, as
appears in the prophecy of
Ezekiel, “Then will I sprinkle clean water upon
you, and ye shall
be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols,
will I cleanse
you” (Ezekiel 36:25).
PART OF THE BAPTIZED,
as it is written, “Repent ye, and be baptized
every one of you
in the Name of Jesus Christ,” where
repentance is
expressly named, and faith is
necessarily implied in the phrase, being
baptized “in the Name of Jesus Christ.” And this is exactly the teaching of
the Church in the Catechism,
where the answer to the question, “What is
required of persons to be
baptized?” is, “Repentance, whereby they forsake
sin; and faith, whereby they
steadfastly believe the promises of God made
to them in that sacrament.”
TRULY REPENTED AND BELIEVED THE GOSPEL PREACHED TO
THEM, have been
baptized into Christ, viz. the gift of the
Holy Ghost.
“Repent, and be
baptized… and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
For the promise is
unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar
off, even as many
as the Lord our God shall call.” Upon
this promise we
shall all do well to fix our
thoughts, and to put in our own individual claim
to its fulfillment. To have THE HOLY SPIRIT
OF GOD dwelling in us is
our birthright,
as we are Christ’s. Our common
likeness to Christ as the Head
of the Christian family depends
upon our possession of the portion of the
one Spirit which is given to all
that are Christ’s. He is the
Fountain of all
true wisdom,
holiness, and love in man; and the
great Christian rite of
baptism is manifestly incomplete
unless we actually possess the great gift
which is promised to us in that
sacrament. We shall have read in vain the
inspired history of the first
Christian baptism on the day of Pentecost, when
the gift of the Holy Ghost to
the newly baptized was surrounded with such
striking incidents, and its
connection with holy baptism was made so visible
and apparent, if we disconnect
in our own thoughts the grace of baptism
with such an actual indwelling
of the Holy Spirit in our hearts as shall make
us holy in thought, word, and
deed. Rather this striking and, one may say,
awful narrative should fall upon
the ear of the whole Church as a message
to urge us who are “afar
off” to be at one with those who were “near,” in
surrendering
ourselves to the
Holy Ghost to dwell among us and in us as in
the holy
Spiritual Fervor (vs. 41-47)
The Pentecostal outpouring was more than a mere flashing
forth of Divine
energy, suddenly emitted and immediately withdrawn; it was the
communication of Divine power which remained in the Church
and
resulted in lasting
spiritual fervor. This fervor, no
doubt, took certain
exceptional and temporary forms.
1. There were miracles wrought by the apostles (v. 43).
2. There was a community of goods (vs. 44-45), which was so
far from
being permanent and general,
that it only lasted for a short time in the
one Church at
3. There was daily temple-worship, necessarily restricted both
as to time
and place (v. 46). But though
there were these peculiar and exceptional
features, there was much in the spiritual fervor of those earliest
days which
belongs to every age of the Christian
Church.
sever this passage from all that
precedes, but remember that this
remarkable manifestation of
sacred feeling was the outcome of Divine
influence. It was the gift
of the Holy Ghost, descending upon the
Church in
copious streams of sacred power,
which brought forth these abounding
signs of spiritual life. All
life in the soul of man is “born from
above.”
Whatever looks like it, in the
shape of extraordinary activity or intense
feeling, which is not awakened
by the Spirit of God, is but the semblance
and show of it, and is not the
vital thing itself.
Ø
In open
declaration of faith in Christ: “They
that gladly received his
word
were baptized” (v. 41).
Ø
In attachment to
saving truth: “They
continued steadfastly in the
apostles’
doctrine” (v.
42). Souls in earnest will not leave the truth by
which
they have been led to God to wander in byways of unsatisfying
human
fancies; still less to go off into the high-road of error.
Ø
In fellowship: with
man, and also with God (vs. 42, 44, 46). The
disciples
“continued
in fellowship, and in breaking of bread;” they
“were
together;” they “continued with one accord in breaking
bread.”
Here
was:
o
human fellowship — the cordial, frequent associating one