Acts, Chapter 2
© Copyright 2007 Darroll Evans, all
rights reserved
Acts 2:1 And when the day of
Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
Pentecost is a very special
day of the Lord within Judaism and Christianity, although today, most Churches
ignore Pentecost.
There are seven special
feasts, or days of the lord. You will
find them in Leviticus 23. They are
Passover, the feast of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Firstfruits (Resurrection
day), the Feast of weeks (Pentecost), the Feast of Trumpets, The Day of
Atonement, and the Feast of tabernacles.
The Springs Holy days have
been fulfilled, as has Pentecost. The
fall days are yet to be fulfilled!
The fourth “Feast” is
Pentecost. It is the “servant lamp” of
the Feasts of the Lord. It gives light
to all the other Feasts.
When the day of Pentecost
arrived, the sun had risen, and the disciples were in one place and acting in
complete agreement.
Pentecost is the Greek name
for the Hebrew day of Shavuot. It is a
harvest day unto the Lord God, Yahweh.
It is determined as being seven Sabbaths plus one day, 50 days after the
crossing of the
During the Passover
celebration, there is one day known as the “Feast of Firstfruits.” We need to understand this time-frame in
Christian terms, and not in the weak manner, which has marked its presentation
to the Church at large.
Christ arose from death and
the grave on the day of the Feast of Firstfruits! In that action, He became the Firstfruits of
the earth by His resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:23).
There are two
“firstfruits.” There are the early and
the latter firstfruits. As Christ was
the early Firstfruits, we (the true Church) shall be the latter firstfruits
through the work of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. The latter firstfruits are those who are His
at His coming (1 Corinthians 15:23).
That second “firstfruits,” or
Pentecost represents the end of the barley harvest, the harvest of the Church
of Jesus Christ according to grace, and may speak of the fullness of the
Gentiles (Rom. 11:25).
Those who were among the
first of the “latter” firstfruits were in one place and in one accord, or of
one mind (total unity). Whenever the
Church has acted with “one accord,” the result is glory to God. Acting with one accord does not speak of
acting in lock-step, but it does indicate an action taken in full unity of
purpose.
Acts 2:2-4
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.
3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon
each of them.
4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other
tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
Suddenly (Gr. aphnoo-afnw), or unexpectedly the sound of a mighty rushing wind
came from heaven. It was not a physical wind, but the sound of a wind. That
sound filled the entire house.
Then something like cloven
tongues of fire appeared, and sat (Gr. ekathisen-ekaqise), or rested upon each
disciple. The “tongues like as of fire” indicates the light that is found in
Pentecost.
And (Gr. kai-kai), as a consequence, each
was filled (Gr. epleestheesan-eplhsqhsan), or came under
the full influence of the Holy Ghost. At
that point they began to speak with other tongues (Gr. heterais
gloosais-eteraiV glwsaiV), as the Spirit gave utterance.
The people there were not
initiating the “tongues.” They were
God-given.
Acts 2:5-11
5 And there were dwelling 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.
7 And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one
to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans?
8 And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?
9 Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the
dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia,
10 Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts
of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes,
11 Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our
tongues the wonderful works of God.
At that time, Pentecost, many
devout Jews and proselytizes were in
When this “activity” was
known to the public, a great multitude (Gr. pleethos-plhqoV) gathered to see what
was happening. They and were confounded
(Gr. sunechuthee-sunecuqh), perplexed, bewildered, because each and every (Gr. hekastos-ekastoV) one of them heard the disciples speak in his own
native language.
Hebrew may have been the
Israeli national language, but it was not the native language of all in
attendance. English is the national
language of
They were all amazed! And
they said, “What is going on? Aren’t all these Galileans? And yet, we are
hearing them in our native languages. We hear them in the language of the
Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, Mesopotamians, Judaeans, Cappadocians, in the
Many suppose that the miracle
was in the speaking. The miracle may
have been in the hearing. That is not
meant to diminish speaking in what is known as tongues or a heavenly language.
Acts 2:12-13
12 And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another, What meaneth this?
13 Others mocking said, These men are full of new wine.
They were all amazed,
perplexed and in doubt (Gr. dieeporoun-dihporoun), or baffled. They asked, “What does all this mean?”
Others ridiculed the
disciples saying “These men are full of new wine.” They were “mocking” the Holy Spirit of
God! That mockery continues today with
many who attend Church, and even preach what they suppose to
be the gospel. They mock God by their
preaching, teaching, and beliefs. They
speak against the baptism in/of and by the Holy Spirit.
Questioning and mockery are
two different issues. God is not offended by our questioning. He is offended by mockery of His gospel.
Acts 2:14-15
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 Jerusalem, be 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.
However, Peter stood up,
boldly lifted his voice, and responded, “You men of Judaea, and all you that
dwell at
Acts 2:16-20
16 But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;
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:
18 And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my
Spirit; and they shall prophesy:
19 And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath;
blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke:
20 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that
great and notable day of the Lord come:
Peter continued, “This is
what the prophet Joel spoke about, ‘It shall come to pass in the last days,
says God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh. Your sons and your
daughters shall prophesy! Your young men shall see visions, and your old men
shall dream dreams! On my servants and
my handmaidens I will pour out My Spirit, and they shall prophesy! I will
show wonders (Gr. terata-terata), miracles in the heaven above, and then miraculous
signs (Gr. seemeia-shmeia) in the earth beneath. There shall be blood, and fire, and vapor of
smoke.
‘The sun shall be turned into
darkness, and the moon into blood. All
that shall happen before the great and notable day of the Lord come.’”
Acts 2:21 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever
shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Then Peter said, “It shall
come to pass that whosoever
shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
That is a major theme in the
Bible. It is used in Romans 10:13 and
Joel 2:32. So, that declaration is both
Old and New Testament theology, and perhaps the least understood concept in the
Bible. (In Prophecy of Joel, the “name” of the Lord is the Hebrew spelling of “Yahweh.”)
Acts 2:22-25
22 Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved 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:
23 Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye
have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:
24 Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was
not possible that he should be holden of it.
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:
26 Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my
flesh shall rest in hope:
27 Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.
28 Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy
with thy countenance.
Then Peter continued, “You
men of
Then Peter said, “For David
spoke concerning Him, ‘I foresaw the Lord always before My face, for He is on
My right hand, that I should not be moved. Therefore My heart rejoiced, and My
tongue was glad. Moreover My flesh shall
rest in hope, because You will not leave My soul in hell, and neither will You
suffer Your Holy One to see corruption.
You have made known to Me the ways of life. You shall make Me full of joy with Your
countenance.’”
Acts 2:29 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.
Peter then challenged those
present. “Let me speak plainly. The patriarch, David is dead and buried.”
Of all the men who have been
known as the leaders of all of the world’s religions, Muhammad, Buddha, and all
the rest, they too are dead and buried.
Only Jesus of Nazareth, Christ Jesus, Yahshua haMessiach,
has been raised from the dead and is seated at the right hand of God the
Father. All the others will bow to Him
and proclaim, “Jesus Christ is Lord!”
Acts 2:30-32
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;
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.
32 This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses.
Peter went on, “Therefore
being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn 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. And, he knowing that such
was spoken prior to the resurrection of Christ, and that His soul was not to be
left in hell, neither His flesh to see corruption. And that God has raised that
same Jesus, and we are all witnesses to that event.”
At that time the resurrection
was common knowledge! But, today Orthodox Jews around the world deny what their
fathers knew to be fact.
Acts 2:33 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.
Then Peter said, “Therefore
being by the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise
of the Holy Ghost, He (God the Father) has initiated this which you now see and
hear.”
All Peter was saying was to
confirm the coming of the promise, the Holy Spirit.
Acts 2:34-35
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,
35 Until I make thy foes thy footstool.
Peter told them that David
had not ascended to heaven. Instead, David left this Prophetic testimony, “The
LORD said unto my Lord, Sit at My right hand, until I make Your enemies Your
footstool.”
Unfortunately that simple
statement had been abused and perverted, and used as a proof text for
Post-Millennialism and Amillennialism. Both of those teachings are bogus!
Acts 2:36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know
assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both
Lord and Christ.
Peter said, “Therefore let
all the house of
Acts 2:37 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?
When those in attendance
during Pentecost heard this, they were stuck with great emotional sorrow, and
responded to Peter and to the rest of the apostles by asking, “Men and
brethren, what shall we do?”
That is the universal
question that each of the unsaved asks when he/she comes to a point of
understanding their grim circumstances.
Now, read the order of things
that they, Israelites, should do.
Acts 2:38-39
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.
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.
Peter replied, “Repent, and
be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of
sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. Because, the Promise is to you, and your
children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall
call.”
Peter was speaking to
Israelites, and not to Gentiles. That
fact is lost on most Preachers.
Later, when speaking to a
Gentile, Cornelius, things went a bit differently.
Acts 10:44-47
44 While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost
fell on all them which heard the word.
45 And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came
with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the
Holy Ghost.
46 For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered
Peter,
47 Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have
received the Holy Ghost as well as we?
In that instance, the Holy
Ghost fell on the Gentiles (indicating salvation had come to them) prior to
immersion in water.
Later still when Paul came
upon some Israelites that had been baptized in John’s baptism, he followed
Peter’s formula.
Acts 19:5-6
5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
6 And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and
they spake with tongues, and prophesied.
In that case when dealing
with fellow Israelites, Paul baptized them first prior to them receiving the
Holy Spirit.
However, when dealing with
the Gentile Philippian jailer, Paul did not mention baptism in water.
Acts 16:30-31
30 And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?
31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved,
and thy house.
If you read the
Now, back to Acts 3:39:
“Remission” (Gr. afesin-afesin) speaks of a complete
deliverance from the effects of sins.
“And” (Gr. kai-kai) means “as a consequence,” “in addition too,” or “as
a result.”
A “gift” is something you are given for which you cannot and did not
work.
As we shall see in this study,
the promise of the baptism in, of, and by the Holy Spirit is a separate work
from the action of salvation.
Those who first espoused
sprinkling as a replacement for immersion did so because they were ashamed of
baptism. They were ashamed of Christ, and His Church. They wanted to start a
man-made, tradition-based entity in an attempt to control men and not to lead
them to salvation in Christ. That may
seem strong but it is true!
Let me state clearly to those
of us who are Grace-based New Testament Christians. Christianity is God in search of men, and not
men in search of God!
Luke 19:10
For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.
1 Cor 12:3b
no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.
The unregenerate heart will
never seek a righteous Savior unless acted upon by the Holy Spirit. Unregenerate men never seek a Savior!
Rom 8:7
Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law
of God, neither indeed can be.
Salvation is not man’s
decision! It is God’s! The carnal mind cannot accept Christ Jesus
without interaction with the Holy Spirit!
Acts 2:40-41
40 And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves
from this untoward generation.
41 Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day
there were added unto them about three thousand souls.
With many other words, Peter
testified and exhorted the Jews there, saying, “Save yourselves from this
untoward (Gr. skolias-skoliaV), perverse generation.”
As a consequence of Peter’s
admonishment, they gladly received his words were baptized. That very day about three thousand souls were
added to the Church of Jesus Christ. The
baptism spoken of here was a “believer’s baptism,” and not a regenerational
baptism that was practiced by John the baptizer.
Acts 2:42-47
42 And they continued stedfastly in the apostles'
doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.
43 And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the
apostles.
44 And all that believed were together, and had all things common;
45 And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every
man had need.
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,
47 Praising God, and having favour with all the
people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.
Those who came to Christ during
the Shavuot/Pentecost period “continued stedfastly”
(Gr. proskarterountes-proskarterounteV), were constantly diligent in the apostles' doctrine
and fellowship, in eating together, and in prayers.
And, fear (Gr. fobos-foboV) came upon all who witnessed the many wonders and
signs that were done by the apostles.
And, at that time, all that
believed were united, and all that they owned were held in “common” (Gr. koina-koina). They sold their possessions and goods, and gave
them away to all others, as needed. They
also continued the daily meetings in the temple, and gathering for meals at
individual homes. They ate their food
with gladness and singleness of heart, praising God, and actually having favor
with the general public.
And, the Lord added to the
church daily those having been saved (Gr. soozomenous-swzomenouV).
The Church does not and cannot save any person, but when any person is called
out by the Holy Spirit he/she is added to the Church!