Acts 2, Verse by Verse

Pentecost means “fiftieth” and refers to the Jewish Feast of Weeks (Ex 34:22-23), a harvest festival (Lev 23:16), celebrated seven weeks and one day (50 days) after Passover, the first Sabbath of the Feast of Unleavened Bread (Deut 16:9; Lev 23:16; Ex 23:16).  In Ex 34:22, it is called the “firsfruits of the wheat harvest.”  It was one of three annual feasts for which the nation of Israel was to come to Jerusalem (Ex 23:14-19).  At Pentecost, an offering of firstfruits was made (Lev 23:20).  

The “they” within this verse is defined for the reader within Acts 1:13-15 –

And when they were come in, they went up into an upper room, where abode both Peter, and James, and John, and Andrew, Philip, and Thomas, Bartholomew, and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon Zelotes, and Judas the brother of James. These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren. And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples, and said, (the number of names together were about an hundred and twenty,)

‘like’ fire – it was not actual fire.

For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: (1 Cor 1:22)  

The “they” in this verse included the apostles and the 120 disciples mentioned in Acts 1:15.  “Tongues” are known languages (1 Cor 14:1-25), not ecstatic utterances.

The Spirit is poured out on believing Israel as prophecy had spoken it would (Isa 44:3; Prov 1:23).

The Acts 2 dispensationalist argues that the primary distinguishing event, arguing for the beginning of the Church as happening in Acts 2 at Pentecost, is that the Holy Spirit was sent and indwells believers here on this day.  If that is the case, why does the Acts 2 dispensationalist not argue for John 20:22 as being the beginning of the body of Christ?  Neither position is correct.

The noise is the rushing mighty wind mentioned in v.2, not the sound of people speaking in various languages.  As the Hebrew men were speaking, each pilgrim in the crowd was able to recognize the language or dialect from his own country.

The Kingdom restoration of language began here as prophesied (Zeph 3:9).

Galileans speaking many different languages would have been astonishing to Judean Jews.

God will one day reverse Gen 11:9 and the confounding of languages (Zeph 3:8-9).

The listing of the various districts and countries within verses 9 through 11 emphasizes the point that these utterances (tongues) were known human languages.

Parthians:  they lived in what is modern Iran.

Medes:  during Daniel’s day, they ruled with the Persians and had settled in Parthia.

Elamites:  from the southwestern part of the Parthian Empire.

Mesopotamia:  this means “between the rivers,” the Tigris and Euphrates.

Judea:  all the region once controlled by David and Solomon, including Syria.

Cappadocia, Pontus, Asia:  these were districts in Asia Minor, what is now Turkey.

Do not miss the emphasis again as to who the audience is within this chapter:  Jews and proselytes.  A proselyte was a Gentile who converted to Judaism, was circumcised, and observed the Law of Moses.

Phrygia and Pamphylia:  districts in Asia Minor.

Egypt:  it had a large Jewish population, especially in the city of Alexandria.

Cyrene:  districts west of Egypt, along the North African coast.

Rome:  a sizeable Jewish population lived in the capital city of the Roman empire.

Cretans:  those residing on the island of Crete, on the southern coast of Greece.

Arabians:  Jews who lived south of Damascus, among the Arabs.

These various Jewish pilgrims were hearing the apostles and the 120 disciples speaking in their native language the wonderful works of God (Example:  Ex 15:11; Ps 40:5; 77:11; 96:3; 107:21).  

Peter begins his sermon.  Who was Peter addressing?  A: “Ye men of Judea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem” – Peter addressed only Jews!  He obeyed Jesus’ command in Acts 1:8.  This is clear from the verses Acts 2:14, 22, 29, 36-39.  

The apostle Peter would have nothing to do with a Gentile as late as Acts 10 (see Acts 10:28; 11:1-3; 11:19).  To put Gentiles into Acts 2 is intellectually dishonest.

This is Prophecy!  What the apostle Peter is about to elaborate upon is not Mystery information given to the apostle Paul (Rom 16:25-26; 1 Cor 2:7; Eph 3:3-4; Col 1:26-27), but rather Prophecy information that can be found in the Old Testament.  Compare Acts 3:21 against Romans 16:25.  

The prophet Joel’s prophecy (Joel 2:28-32) will not be completely fulfilled until Christ’s Second Coming.  Peter is recognizing that prophecy could be fulfilled if the nation Israel would repent and accept Jesus the Christ as their Messiah.  A “re-offer” of the prophesied Kingdom is made by Peter in Acts 3.  If the nation of Israel would have accepted Jesus as the Messiah, Daniel’s 70th Week would have come and Jesus would have returned to establish His Millennial Kingdom.

This particular day of Pentecost was a pre-fulfillment, a taste of what will happen in the Millennial Kingdom when the Holy Spirit is poured out on all flesh (Jer 31:31-34). 

[Joel 2:28] And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:

There is much in prophecy concerning God pouring out His Spirit upon the nation Israel in view of their Kingdom being established on the earth:  Is 32:15-18; 44:3-7; Ezek 39:26-29; Zech 12:10. 

[Joel 2:29] And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit.

These things noted in Acts 2:17-18 occurred during the apostolic age.

[Joel 2:30] And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.

Blood, fire, and vapour of smoke are phenomena that are all connected with events surrounding Christ’s Second Coming and the establishment of His Millennial Kingdom.  Whereas verses 17-18 were being fulfilled in that moment, verses 19-21 have a future fulfillment.  

[Joel 2:31] The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come.

This “day of the Lord” will come with Christ’s Second Coming (2 Pet 3:10; Rev 19:11-15).

The Day of the Lord includes God’s wrath and judgment of the earth, the return of Christ, and the establishment of His kingdom on earth (Amos 5:20; Is 24:19-23; 13:9-13; Mt 24:29).

The events of Acts 2:19-21 have not occurred yet.  They are God’s judgment on the earth and Christ’s return.  Peter thought everything in Joel’s prophesy would occur in his lifetime.  It would have, had the nation Israel repented.

[Joel 2:32] And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call.

Notice that Acts 2:21 does not include the red text above from Joel 2:32.  “Mount Zion,” “Jerusalem,” and the “remnant” – this has only to do with the Jews and the remnant is believing Israel, the little flock of Lk 12:32, the way of Acts 19:9, 23; 22:4; 24:14, 22, the Kingdom church of Mt 16:18; 18:17; and Acts 2:47.

The prophecy of Joel 2:28-32 is always correctly referenced here within commentaries related to Acts 2, but just who is it that this prophecy is speaking about?  Joel 2:27 answers that question:

And ye shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am the LORD your God, and none else: and my people shall never be ashamed. (Joel 2:27)

Peter only knew God’s prophetic program.  He knew nothing of the Church, the body of Christ, and its doctrines.  “Calling on the name of the Lord” was to believe the Gospel of the Kingdom (Mt 4:23; Mk 1:14-15; Lk 9:1-6), to believe that Jesus was the Messiah, the King of that Kingdom promised to the nation Israel.

Again, who is Peter’s audience?  A: “Ye men of Israel”.

Peter now changes the subject from “this is prophecy being fulfilled” to the fact that Jesus the Christ was and is their Messiah.

For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: (1 Cor 1:22)

This is a murder indictment that the apostle Peter is levying against the nation Israel.  This is not “glorying in the Cross” as we see from the apostle Paul:

But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world. (Gal 6:14)

The resurrection of Jesus Christ is mentioned here in this verse.  The resurrection is a key component to the Gospel of the Grace of God, preached by the apostle Paul (Eph 6:19), but recognize that the death and resurrection of Christ was prophesied (Is 53; Ps 22; Dan 9:26; Zech 12; Ps 16:10; Jonah 1:17; 2:2, 6, 10 (Mt 12:39-40)), just as it is stated within the definitive passage regarding the only Gospel that saves today:

Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: (1 Cor 15:1-4)

Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection, the Gospel of our Salvation, is the only Gospel that saves today.  Peter is not preaching a Gospel message here – he is preaching a murder indictment.  As we will see, Peter continued to preach the Gospel of the Kingdom, in which the identity of Jesus (the Son of God, the Messiah – Jn 20:31) was what a Jew had to place their faith in. 

The Lord was speaking of His resurrection prophetically through David (Ps 16:8):

I have set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.

This is a reminder to the Jews that David’s body had never been raised from the dead.  Thus, he could not have been the fulfillment of the prophecy found in Psalm 16:8-11.

Peter quoted Ps 132:11.  As God’s spokesman, David knew that God would keep His oath (2 Sam 7:11-17) and that the Christ would come.  Again, the emphasis here is on Prophecy and not upon the Mystery preached by the apostle Paul.

God’s promises to Israel included a Kingdom on the earth (2 Sam 7:13).  Peter confirms the fact that Christ, the fruit of David’s loins according to the flesh, was raised up from the dead to sit on David’s throne.  The “oath” here within this verse is a reference to the Davidic Covenant.

Peter quoted Ps 16:10 –

For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.

David is still in Abraham’s Bosom, awaiting the Second Coming of Christ and his resurrection, and is not ascended into the heavens.  Peter quoted Ps 110:1 concerning the exaltation of Messiah by ascension to the right hand of God, and reminds his audience that it was not fulfilled by David, but by Jesus the Christ.

The Old Testament prophecies of resurrection and exaltation provide evidence that overwhelmingly point to the crucified Jesus as the Messiah.  Jesus is God as well as Israel’s Messiah (Titus 2:13; Rom 1:4; 10:9; Phil 2:9, 11).

Peter addressed national Israel and proclaimed that the entire nation had to repent for Christ to return and establish His Kingdom (Mt 23:37-39).

Peter’s understanding that Christ was a Saviour only to Israel is reflected by his answer to the Jewish high priest in Acts 5:30-31. 

This news from Peter was sudden and unexpected.  Peter’s listeners were stunned by his indictment that they had killed their Messiah.

One nuance that must be recognized within this verse is the use of the word “we” by the Holy Spirit – “what must we (Israel) do” vs “what must I (Gentiles) do,” as seen in Acts 16:30-31. God does not deal with members of the body of Christ today on covenant grounds as He does with the nation Israel, He deals with them individually.

As we proceed further, we will need to watch to see if Peter’s response back to these Jews mirrors that of Paul’s when speaking to the Philippian jailer:

And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. (Acts 16:30-31)

To “repent” is to change one’s mind.  Peter is telling this audience of Jews to change their minds as to who Jesus the Christ was.  Peter wants the nation of Israel to change its mind from believing that Jesus was not the Son of God, the Messiah to Israel, to believing that He is indeed their Messiah.

In Acts 2:36, Peter accused the nation of Israel of crucifying its Messiah.  Convicted, they asked what they must do (Acts 2:37).  Peter did not tell them to believe Christ died for their sins and rose from the dead.  He told them to repent and be baptized for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38).  This continued the message that began with John the Baptist, the gospel of the Kingdom.  

Peter instructs this audience of Jews to be baptized, to be dipped or immersed in water.  This is not the baptism of the Holy Spirit that Paul speaks to in 1 Cor 12:13 and Eph 4:5 for Christians, but rather the ceremonial baptism for priesthood that John the Baptist preached in Mt 3:1-6 and Jesus preached in Mk 16:16 and Mt 28:19 (see Ex 19:5-6; Lev 8:6-9; 21:16-21; Ex 29:1, 4, 7; Mt 4:23).

“Repent and be baptized” is a commandment, requiring action (works) from the believer in order to be saved (stated here as “for the remission of sins.”)  Repentance (Mt 3:2, 4:17) and water baptism (Mk 1:4; 16:16; Lk 3:3; Acts 22:16) were required for salvation under the Gospel of the Kingdom.  Peter expressed this fact with the statement, “for the remission of sins.”  This is not the same message found in Romans 3:25.  

The promise is to you, Jews, the nation Israel.  “And to all that are afar off” – these are not Gentiles.  This is speaking to Jews who were scattered to Gentile nations (see Jer 50:17; 1 Kings 22:17; Ps 106:26-27; Jer 16:10-13; James 1:1; 1 Pet 1:1).

How the Jews responded to the word “Gentiles” when Paul was addressing the crowd in the temple in Acts 22:21-23 proves that Peter was not referring to the Gentiles in Acts 2:39.

When Peter referred to those “afar off” he was talking about the Jews of the dispersion (Dan 9:7).

“the apostles” is a reference to the 12 Jewish apostles to the nation Israel (Lk 22:30).  If you are following their doctrine, then you run the risk of placing yourself under the Law and not following the doctrine of the one apostle, the apostle to the Gentiles (Rom 11:13), that was sent to you.  The apostle Paul tells us very clearly that he is the one that has our, the body of Christ’s, doctrine:

If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord. (1 Cor 14:37)

This sentiment continues to be mentioned in the chapters that immediately follow:

And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common. (Acts 4:32) 

This one verse, referencing “the church,” has been used out of context to the complete dismay of Christendom.  The word “church” means a called out assembly.  There is more than one “church” within the Bible:

1. There was an Old Testament church (a Jewish assembly).  It was the “church in the wilderness” that Stephen referred to in Acts 7:38.
2. There was Peter’s Kingdom church at Jerusalem (the little flock, the way, the remnant).  See Lk 12:32; Mt 16:18; Mt 18:17; Acts 2:47; 1 Cor 15:9; Gal 1:13; Phil 3:6.
3. There is the Church, which is His body, that is according to the revelation of the mystery.  See Col 1:25-27; 1 Cor 10:32; Eph 1:22; 5:23; Col 1:18; 1:24; 1 Tim 3:15.

The Pentecostal church, the little flock, was meeting at the Jewish temple daily (Acts 2:46).  This assembly had a temple built with human hands whereas today’s called out assembly, the Church, the body of Christ, does not.  We are, both individually and collectively, the temple of God the Holy Spirit.