Acts 2

Teacher: Rusty Kennedy
Series: Acts

Rusty's Notes

The Date: The book of Acts closes with Paul in prison for two years in Rome (acts 28:16, 30-31).

• The apostle Paul was taken to Rome as a prisoner about 61-62 AD.
• It is likely the book was written at the end of Paul’s two-year imprisonment (63-64 AD), which was a little over 30 years after the crucifixion of Christ.

 
PENTECOST
Acts 2
1 When the day of Pentecost had arrived, they were all together in one place.

• Pentecost - Shavuot, the Feast of Weeks
• The Hebrew is shah-voo-oat, but it is also correct to say Shavuos (shah-voo-ohs).
• Shavuot means weeks.” The Greek word for this holiday is Pentecost, which means “50th.”
• Shavuot in the Old Testament (see Leviticus 23:15-21)
• Shavuot occurs 50 days or seven weeks after Passover. In the month of Sivan (May/June)
• It is a harvest celebration commemorating God’s provision for and sustenance of His people.
• Shavuot shares two important characteristics with the holidays Pesach (Passover) and Sukkot (The Feast of Tabernacles):
• All three holidays involved a pilgrimage to Jerusalem.
• All three holidays involved firstfruit offerings at the Temple.
• Passover, in early spring, included firstfruits from the first harvest, barley.
• Shavuot, in late spring, included firstfruits from the wheat harvest.
• Among the many offerings given, was a “wave offering” of two loaves of leavened bread. This was the firstfruits offering.
• Sukkot, in the fall, was the final harvest and included firstfruits of olives and grapes.
• Jerusalem is less than 1 square mile
• Population of 60,000
• 125,000-500,000 show up for Pentecost
• According to Jewish tradition, Moses received the Law from God at Mount Sinai during Shavuot.
• Jewish tradition also suggests that King David both was born and died on Shavuot.
• The Ten Commandments are read to commemorate the giving of the Law.
• Some Jewish people stay up all night studying the Torah (Law) to “re-live” the revelation at Mount Sinai.
• Jewish people traditionally decorate their homes and synagogues with flowers and greens.
• An older tradition prescribes that two loaves of leavened bread be baked; some say they represent all of humanity (one loaf is the Jewish people, the other Gentiles), while others see them as representing the two tablets Moses brought down from Sinai.

 
Shavuot in the New Testament

• (see Acts 2)
• Peter seemed to know the tradition that King David was born and died on Shavuot as he gave his sermon. He used the prophecies of David in the Psalms to speak of the resurrection of Jesus, the Son of David.

 
Prophecy fulfilled

• Peter pointed out to the crowd that what they were witnessing was a fulfillment of prophecy from the book of Joel (Joel 2:28).
• An experience of revelation and community
• A mighty revelation occurred that day as 3,000 Jewish people understood the truth of Peter’s words and became followers of Jesus.

 
Shavuot in the future: the harvest festival to come

• Just as there was an outpouring of the Holy Spirit so that Jewish people heard and accepted Jesus in a supernatural way on Pentecost, so an even greater outpouring is predicted by the prophet Zechariah: “And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn” (Zechariah 12:10).
• Yes, there will be mourning when all of Israel finally realizes who Jesus is, but after the mourning and the repentance there will be great joy. Yeshua said this regarding the end-time harvest of souls:
• “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest”
• Matthew 9:37, 38[1]

 
2 Suddenly a sound like that of a violent rushing wind (pnoe –no-eee) came from heaven, and it filled the whole house where they were staying. 3 They saw tongues like flames of fire that separated and rested on each one of them. 4 Then they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different tongues, as the Spirit enabled them.

• The picture is that of one great flame representing the Spirit, which separates into many tongues of flame with one resting on each individual.[2]
• The tongues of fire symbolized the powerful witness of the church to the people.
• They were able to speak with Jewish pilgrims of many languages from all over the Mediterranean world.[3]
• There would be two changes: the Spirit would dwell in people and not just come on them, and His presence would be permanent, not temporary[4]

5 Now there were Jews staying in Jerusalem, devout people from every nation under heaven.

• Jews of the “diaspora” (dispersion; cf. James 1:1; 1 Peter 1:1) were … in Jerusalem for the feast.
• Perhaps they were bilingual, speaking both Greek and their native languages.
• They were dumbfounded to hear Jews from Galilee speaking the languages of peoples surrounding the Mediterranean Sea.[5]

6 When this sound occurred, a crowd came together and was confused because each one heard them speaking in his own language. 7 They were astounded and amazed, saying, “Look, aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 How is it that each of us can hear them in our own native language? 9 Parthians, Medes, Elamites; those who live in Mesopotamia, in Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome (both Jews and converts), 11 Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the magnificent acts of God in our own tongues.” 12 They were all astounded and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” 13 But some sneered and said, “They’re drunk on new wine.”

• Note that the believers were praising God, not preaching the Gospel, and that they used known languages, not an “unknown tongue” (Acts 2:6, 8).
• Luke named fifteen different geographical locations and clearly stated that the citizens of those places heard Peter and the others declare God’s wonderful works in languages they could understand.[6]
• Show Middle East Map
• Here for the first time appears a motif that runs throughout Luke-Acts—in itself, without the element of personal faith and experience, even the most profound aspects of the good news are not self-confirming but can lead to skepticism and even rejection (cf. Luke 24:11; Acts 17:32; 26:24).[7]

 
PETER’S SERMON
14 Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice, and proclaimed to them: “Fellow Jews and all you residents of Jerusalem, let me explain this to you and pay attention to my words. 15 For these people are not drunk, as you suppose, since it’s only nine in the morning.

• The joyful worship of the believers was not the result of too much wine; it was the evidence of the arrival of God’s Holy Spirit to dwell in His people.
• Orthodox Jews did not eat or drink before 9 a.m. on the Sabbath or on a holy day, nor did they usually drink wine except with meals.[8]

16 On the contrary, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel:
17 And it will be in the last days, says God,
that I will pour out my Spirit on all people;
then your sons and your daughters will prophesy,
your young men will see visions,
and your old men will dream dreams.
18 I will even pour out my Spirit
on my servants in those days, both men and women
and they will prophesy.
19 I will display wonders in the heaven above
and signs on the earth below:
blood and fire and a cloud of smoke.
20 The sun will be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood
before the great and glorious day of the Lord comes.
21 Then everyone who calls
on the name of the Lord will be saved.

• Peter did not say that Pentecost was the fulfillment of the prophecy of Joel 2:28–32, because the signs and wonders predicted had not occurred.
• When you read Joel’s prophecy in context, you see that it deals with the nation of Israel in the end times, in connection with “the Day of the Lord.”
• However, Peter was led by the Spirit to see in the prophecy an application to the church. He said, “This is that same Holy Spirit that Joel wrote about. He is here!”
• Such an announcement would seem incredible to the Jews, because they thought God’s Spirit was given only to a few select people (see Num. 11:28–29). But here were 120 of their fellow Jews, men and women, enjoying the blessing of the same Holy Spirit that had empowered Moses, David, and the prophets.[9]

22 “Fellow Israelites, listen to these words: This Jesus of Nazareth was a man attested to you by God with miracles, wonders, and signs that God did among you through him, just as you yourselves know. 23 Though he was delivered up according to God’s determined plan and foreknowledge, you used lawless people to nail him to a cross and kill him. 24 God raised him up, ending the pains of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by death.
 
25 For David says of him:
I saw the Lord ever before me;
because he is at my right hand,
I will not be shaken.
26 Therefore my heart is glad
and my tongue rejoices.
Moreover, my flesh will rest in hope,
27 because you will not abandon me in Hades
or allow your holy one to see decay.
28 You have revealed the paths of life to me;
you will fill me with gladness
in your presence.
29 “Brothers and sisters, I can confidently speak to you about the patriarch David: He is both dead and buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. 30 Since he was a prophet, he knew that God had sworn an oath to him to seat one of his descendants on his throne. 31 Seeing what was to come, he spoke concerning the resurrection of the Messiah: He was not abandoned in Hades, and his flesh did not experience decay.
32 “God has raised this Jesus; we are all witnesses of this. 33 Therefore, since he has been exalted to the right hand of God and has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit, he has poured out what you both see and hear. 34 For it was not David who ascended into the heavens, but he himself says:
The Lord declared to my Lord,
‘Sit at my right hand
35 until I make your enemies your footstool.’

• But Peter told them the truth: Jesus of Nazareth had indeed been raised from the dead, and the Resurrection proves that He is the Messiah!
• Peter gave them four proofs of the resurrection of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, and then he called on them to believe on Christ and be saved.

 

1. His first proof was the person of Jesus Christ (vv. 22–24). Peter’s audience knew that Jesus was a real Person from the town of Nazareth and that He had performed many signs and miracles. (On “Jesus of Nazareth,” see Acts 2:22; 3:6; 4:10; 6:14; 10:38; 22:8; 26:9; also 24:5.) It was clear that God’s hand was on Him. They had heard Him speak and had watched His life. They had even seen Him raise the dead, yet they could find no fault in Him—and these things were not “done in a corner”! (Acts 26:26)

 
       2. Peter’s second proof was the prophecy of David (vv. 25–31). He quoted Psalm 16:8–11, verses that obviously              could not apply to David who was already dead and buried. Being a prophet of God, David wrote about the                Messiah, that His soul would not remain in hades (the realm of the dead) or His body in the grave where it would              decay. 
       3.  The third proof was the witness of the believers (v. 33). After His resurrection, Jesus did not appear to the                      world at large, but to His own followers whom He had commissioned to give witness to others that He was                     alive (Acts 1:3, 22).

• But were these people dependable witnesses? Can we trust them? We certainly can!
• Prior to Christ’s resurrection, the disciples did not even believe that He would be raised from the dead; and they themselves had to be convinced (Mark 16:9–14; Acts 1:3). They had nothing to gain by preaching a lie, because their message aroused official opposition and even led to the imprisonment and death of some of the believers.
• A few fanatics might be willing to believe and promote a lie for a time, but when thousands believe a message, and when that message is backed up by miracles, you cannot easily dismiss it. These witnesses were trustworthy.
  
• 4. Peter’s fourth proof of the resurrection of Christ was the presence of the Holy Spirit (vv. 33–35). Follow his logic.
• If the Holy Spirit is in the world, then God must have sent Him.
• Joel promised that one day the Spirit would come, and Jesus Himself had promised to send the gift of the Holy Spirit to His people (Luke 24:49; John 14:26; 15:26; Acts 1:4).
• But if Jesus is dead, He cannot send the Spirit; therefore, He must be alive.
• Furthermore, He could not send the Spirit unless He had returned to heaven to the Father (John 16:7); so, Jesus has ascended to heaven!
• To back up this statement, Peter quoted Psalm 110:1, a verse that certainly could not be applied to David (note Matt. 22:41–46).[10]

36 “Therefore let all the house of Israel know with certainty that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.”
 
CALL TO REPENTANCE
37 When they heard this, they were pierced to the heart and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles: “Brothers, what should we do?”
38 Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

1. Surrender… raise a hand… help!
2. Receive repentance
3. Receive forgiveness
4. Receive the Spirit
5. Be baptized

• From this point on in Acts, the gift of the Spirit became a normal connection of becoming a Christian believer (2:38).[11]

39 For the promise is for you and for your children, and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call.” 40 With many other words he testified and strongly urged them, saying, “Be saved from this corrupt generation!”

• Peter said, “Look around you… there is a lot of corruption going on around you that is accepted and be normalized. Turn from what is sucking you into a worldly view and be ready to be opposed because the corruptness cannot understand it.”
• There is a new view with the help of the Spirit who has come to live your life for you.

 
A GENEROUS AND GROWING CHURCH
41 So those who accepted his message were baptized, and that day about three thousand people were added to them. 42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayer.

• The stuck around to be taught by the Twelve and become their disciples.

43 Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and signs were being performed through the apostles.

• Can you see the “awe” of God?
• Have you ever experienced the “awe” of God?

44 Now all the believers were together and held all things in common. 45 They sold their possessions and property and distributed the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46 Every day they devoted themselves to meeting together in the temple, and broke bread from house to house. They ate their food with joyful and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. Every day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved. [12]

• The selling of property and the common possession of the proceeds may imply that the early church expected the Lord to return soon and establish His kingdom.
• This may explain why the practice was not continued.
• Holding everything in common was not socialism or communism because it was voluntary (cf. 4:32, 34–35; 5:4).

Also their goods were not evenly distributed but were given to meet needs as they arose.[13]

[1] https://jewsforjesus.org/newsletter-jun-2005/newsletter-jun-2005/newsletter-jun-2005/shavuot-the-feast-of-weeks/
[2] Polhill, J. B. (1992). Acts (Vol. 26, p. 98). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.
[3] Bond, S. (2003). Pentecost. In C. Brand, C. Draper, A. England, E. R. Clendenen, & T. C. Butler (Eds.), Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary (p. 1273). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[4] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 407). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
[5] Toussaint, S. D. (1985). Acts. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 2, p. 357). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
[6] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 408). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
[7] Polhill, J. B. (1992). Acts (Vol. 26, p. 104). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.
[8] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 409). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
[9] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 409). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
[10] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, pp. 409–410). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
[11] Polhill, J. B. (1992). Acts (Vol. 26, p. 98). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.
[12] Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (Ac 2:1–47). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[13] Toussaint, S. D. (1985). Acts. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 2, p. 360). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.