We left the twelve apostles, with the addition of Matthias to replace Judas, gathering together – about 120 people, including the other followers of the risen Lord Jesus – in constant prayer and waiting for the promised Holy Spirit. This chapter details the events of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit descended on the disciples in an amazing way. We also hear the first sermon of Peter to the crowd of Jews witnessing the disciples’ empowerment, and we see the amazing result – 3000 people were added to their number! Let’s take a look.
1) V1-13 – 1When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. 5Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. 6When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard them speaking in his own language. 7Utterly amazed, they asked: ‘Are not all these men who are speaking Galileans? 8Then how is it that each of us hears them in his own native language? 9Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome 11(both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs – we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!’ 12Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, ‘What does this mean?’ 13Some, however, made fun of them and said, ‘They have had too much wine.’
The Jewish Pentecost is the Festival of Weeks, celebrating both the giving of the Law at Mount Sinai and the harvest of the first fruits; it always occurs in mid May to early June, 50 days (seven full weeks) after Passover. Whereas Passover celebrates the giving of deliverance from physical bondage, Pentecost (Shavu’ot) celebrates the giving of deliverance from spiritual bondage. For the Jew, that means the Law, which is received daily because of repeated sin and the need for renewal, but for the Christian, that means the Spirit, who is received daily because of repeated sin and the need for renewal.
Verses 2-4 describe the Holy Spirit’s coming, and they are most intriguing. Allow me to paraphrase John Calvin’s comments: Because of our laziness in considering the gifts of God, it was necessary for God to provide a visible sign of His promise fulfillment. God could have given the gift without the tangible signature, as He does oftentimes for us today, and they would have come to recognize it, but others may have missed it. Therefore, the violent wind (John 3:8; 20:22; Ezekiel 1:4) caused fear and humility, preparing them rightly to receive the grace of God; the shape and diversity of tongues fit their circumstance, a symbol of what their ministry would entail, namely preaching to the multitude of nations (whereas the Spirit descended on Jesus like a dove (John 1:32), representing His ministry of peace); that the tongues were of fire symbolizes the effect their message will have, enflaming the hearts of men (Luke 24:32), and purging the darkness in favor of light. Finally, that the disciples immediately spoke in other languages is not questioned. But some suggest the miracle was in the hearers as well, for they each heard the speakers in their own language (v6), though it appears they lacked understanding of multiple languages. Whatever precisely may have been the case remains elusive, but we move on appreciating that many confirmed God’s giving of the Holy Spirit by the visible and audible evidence provided.
There were Jews – not just cultural Jews, but God-fearing Jews (v5) – in Jerusalem from all over the known world, and each was amazed to hear the apostles, “declaring the wonders of God” (v11). They recognized them as Galileans and didn’t understand how they could be speaking the languages of their representative nations. Some simply wondered; others thought the disciples were drunk. But God had brought them to Jerusalem for this divine appointment with the apostles of Jesus. And the content of their message was just as important as the fact that that the onlookers heard them in their own languages. Had they been babbling or simply repeating nursery rhymes, it isn’t likely that they would have garnered as much interest. But these God-fearers were ripe to be harvested by the gospel truth, and they needed to hear it in a language that made sense to them.
2) V14-24 – 14Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: ‘Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. 15These men are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning! 16No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: 17‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out My Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. 18Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out My Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. 19I will show wonders in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke. 20The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord. 21And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ 22Men of Israel, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through Him, as you yourselves know. 23This man was handed over to you by God’s set purpose and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put Him to death by nailing Him to the cross. 24But God raised Him from the dead, freeing Him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on Him.’
Calvin says, “The sum of this sermon is this, he gathereth that Christ is already revealed and given by the gift of the Holy Ghost, which they saw.” Peter is simply explaining what the audience has already seen; and he does so through the words of the prophets, which the audience would have believed. V22-24 challenge the audience. They know that Jesus did “miracles, wonders and signs” (v22 = awareness that Jesus is Messiah). And Peter reveals to them – speaking in terms of God’s sovereignty in the most heinous activity ever performed by man, the crucifixion of an entirely innocent man – that they, “with the help of wicked men,” put Jesus to death (v23 = conviction that they killed Messiah). Peter then explains how God made it right by raising Jesus from the death – “because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on Him” (v24 = God undid their hideous action against Jesus). These three verses are all the audience needs to move on. But before moving on, Peter will continue to show that what he is saying is true by showing proofs from the Scriptures (v25-36).
3) V25-36 – 25‘David said about Him: ‘I saw the Lord always before me. Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. 26Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will live in hope, 27because You will not abandon me to the grave, nor will You let Your Holy One see decay. 28You have made known to me the paths of life; You will fill me with joy in Your presence.’ 29Brothers, I can tell you confidently that the patriarch David died and was buried, and his tomb is here to this day. 30But he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that He would place one of his descendants on his throne. 31Seeing what was ahead, he spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that He was not abandoned to the grave, nor did His body see decay. 32God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of the fact. 33Exalted to the right hand of God, He has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear. 34For David did not ascend to heaven, and yet he said, ‘The Lord said to my Lord: ‘Sit at My right hand 35until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet.’ 36Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.’
Peter has pointed out the prophecies of God sending His Holy Spirit; and he has shown how this would occur after the Messiah comes; and he revealed that Jesus was Messiah, and that the Jews killed Him, but God raised Him from the dead. Now Peter shows that David spoke about Messiah. And David’s conclusion is the same as Peter’s conclusion, that “this Jesus, whom you crucified,” is “both Lord and Christ” (v35). With this conclusion to the first New Testament public sermon, the audience is given an opportunity to respond. Let’s see what they do.
4) V37-47 – 37When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, ‘Brothers, what shall we do?’ 38Peter replied, ‘Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off – for all whom the Lord our God will call.’ 40With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, ‘Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.’ 41Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day. 42They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. 44All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. 46Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
In response to Peter’s words, many of which came straight from the Old Testament, the audience was “cut to the heart.” Now Peter did not cut them to the heart with the style of his speaking, or even with his words. Rather, the people were cut to the heart by “the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God” (Ephesians 6:17). Hebrews 4:12 says, “The word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates, even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” God Himself, in the role of the Holy Spirit, cuts people to the heart with His Sword, with His word – His word that created ex nihilo, His powerful word that sustains all things (Hebrews 1:3). And the slice of His sword brings a response from the people.
They asked, “What shall we do?” It’s the same question that the Philippian jailer will ask in Acts 16. There, the apostle Paul simply says, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved” (Acts 16:31). But here, Peter says, “Repent and be baptized…for the forgiveness of your sins.” Peter’s audience had just seen the manifestation of the Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:7), and so Peter explains how they can partake. Perceiving that the Spirit had cut them to the heart, even granting them faith, perhaps Peter moves on to the next steps, including genuine repentance and obedience in baptism. Paul, of course, later has the Philippian jailer baptized, but he first had to believe in Jesus, something Peter’s audience had done over the course of his convincing and convicting sermon.
Peter goes on to announce more good news, that this promise of the forgiveness of sins, the promise of the indwelling Holy Spirit to guide and transform lives, this promise of faith and repentance and, ultimately, eternal life is for you, and for your children, and for all who are far off. In other words, the promise of God to give His amazing grace stretches to all whom He will call. Yes, Peter, in this very first public sermon, is preaching the doctrine of election. Everyone who has their heart cut by the sword of the Spirit and responds in faith will certainly receive the forgiveness of sins.
Has your heart been cut? Have you seen your sinfulness, your utter darkness, in the light of the holiness of God, in the light of His justice and righteousness? Have you seen the horrible things you have done? Have you realized that you – on account of your sinfulness – “crucified the Lord of glory” (1 Corinthians 2:8)? If not, then I pray the Lord would open your blind eyes, unlock your deaf ears, remove your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh and slice it open. I pray He would wound you such that you would call on Him, for everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. If He doesn’t call you, if He doesn’t open your blind eyes, if He doesn’t unlock your deaf ears, if He doesn’t remove your heart of stone, if He doesn’t give you a heart of flesh, and if He doesn’t cut you to the heart, if He doesn’t penetrate to divide your soul and spirit with His double-edged, living and active word, then you will never ask, “What shall we do?” You will be like Governor Felix in Acts 24, who heard the gospel from the mouth of the apostle Paul over and over again, who even liked listening to him, who was well acquainted with the Way, and yet who repeated said, “That’s enough for now.” He was afraid, we read in Acts 24, so afraid that he tried to keep his distance from God; he tried to stay in the darkness and keep out of the light. John writes, “The light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed” (John 3:19-20). Hebrews 3:15 (and 4:7) says, “Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.” Step in to the light and make your calling and election sure.
Before moving to chapter 3, we need to cover the next step that was taken after Peter’s sermon. It’s not enough to ask, “What shall we do?” It’s a good first step, and it proves that God is at work. But when you are told to repent and be baptized, you ought to proceed. And 3000 people did on that very day. The church grew from 120 people to 3120 people in one afternoon. And the says after that, the Lord added more and more people to His advancing kingdom. It happened as the new believers “devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer” (v42). They had everything in common and enjoyed each other’s company and the favor of all the people as they praised God. The persecution that would come upon the church is kept far off for now as the Lord grows His body from infancy to adulthood. Trials would come, even as soon as the next chapter!
Footnotes
- 2:4 Or languages; also in verse 11
- 2:13 Or sweet wine
- 2:21 Joel 2:28-32
- 2:23 Or of those not having the law (that is, Gentiles)
- 2:28 Psalm 16:8-11
- 2:31 Or Messiah. "The Christ" (Greek) and "the Messiah" (Hebrew) both mean "the Anointed One"; also in verse 36.
- 2:35 Psalm 110:1
Bible text from Gospelcom.net. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society.