Bible Version: New International Version (NIV)
Application Notes: Life Application Study Bible (NIV)
ACTS 2
The Holy Spirit Comes at Pentecost
1 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They 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.
5 Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. 6 When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. 7 Utterly amazed, they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language? 9 Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia 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!” 12 Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?”
13 Some, however, made fun of them and said, “They have had too much wine.”
Peter Addresses the Crowd
14 Then 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. 15 These people are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning! 16 No, 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.
18 Even on my servants, both men and women,
I will pour out my Spirit in those days,
and they will prophesy.
19 I will show wonders in the heavens above
and signs on the earth below,
blood and fire and billows of smoke.
20 The sun will be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood
before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord.
21 And everyone who calls
on the name of the Lord will be saved.’
22 “Fellow Israelites, 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. 23 This man was handed over to you by God’s deliberate plan and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross. 24 But 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. 25 David said about him:
“ ‘I saw the Lord always before me.
Because he is at my right hand,
I will not be shaken.
26 Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices;
my body also will rest in hope,
27 because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead,
you will not let your holy one see decay.
28 You have made known to me the paths of life;
you will fill me with joy in your presence.’
29 “Fellow Israelites, I can tell you confidently that the patriarch David died and was buried, and his tomb is here to this day. 30 But he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that he would place one of his descendants on his throne. 31 Seeing what was to come, he spoke of the resurrection of the Messiah, that he was not abandoned to the realm of the dead, nor did his body see decay. 32 God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of it. 33 Exalted 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. 34 For David did not ascend to heaven, and yet he said,
“ ‘The Lord said to my Lord:
“Sit at my right hand
35 until I make your enemies
a footstool for your feet.” ’
36 “Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.”
37 When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”
38 Peter 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.”
40 With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” 41 Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.
The Fellowship of the Believers
42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43 Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. 44All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. 46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
Application Notes
2:1 Held 50 days after Passover, Pentecost was also called the Festival of Weeks. It was one of three major annual festivals (Deuteronomy 16:16), a festival of thanksgiving for the harvested crops. Jesus was crucified at Passover time, and he ascended 40 days after his resurrection. The Holy Spirit came 50 days after his resurrection and ten days after his ascension. Jews of many nations had gathered in Jerusalem for this festival. Thus, Peter's speech (Acts 2:14-37) was given to an international audience, and rt resulted in a worldwide harvest of new believers—the first converts to Christianity who had not followed Jesus during his earthly life.
2:3-4 This was a fulfilment of John the Baptist's words about the Holy Spirit's baptising with fire (Luke 3:16) and of the prophet Joel's words about the outpouring of the Holy Spirit (Joel 2:28-29).
Why tongues of fire? Fire symbolises God's purifying presence, which burns away the undesirable elements of our lives and sets our hearts aflame to ignite the lives of others. On Mount Sinai, God confirmed the validity of the Old Testament law with fire from heaven (Exodus 19:16-18). On Mount Carmel, God sent fire from heaven to burn up Elijah's sacrifice, signifying God's consuming power (1 Kings 18:22-40). At Pentecost, God confirmed the validity of the Holy Spirit's ministry by sending fire.
2:3-4 God made his presence known to this group of believers in a spectacular way—violent wind (2:2), fire, and his Holy Spirit. Would you like God to reveal himself to you in such recognisable ways? He may do so, but be wary of forcing your expectations on God. In 1 Kings 19:10-13, Elijah also needed a message from God. First came a great wind, then an earthquake, and finally a fire. But God's message came in a gentle whisper. God may use dramatic methods to work in your life—or he may speak in gentle whispers. Wait patiently and always listen.
2:4-11 These people were literally speaking in other languages—a miraculous attention-getter for the international crowd gathered in town for the festival. All the nationalities represented recognised their own languages being spoken. More than just miraculous speaking drew the people's attention, however; they saw the presence and power of the Holy Spirit. The apostles continued to minister in the Holy Spirit's power wherever they went.
2:7-8 Jesus does not limit his kingdom to any race or group of people. He offers salvation to all people without regard to nationality. Visitors in Jerusalem were surprised to hear the apostles and other believers speak
ing in languages other than their own, but they need not have been. God ing in languages other than their own, but they need not have been. God does all kinds of miracles to spread the gospel, using many languages as he calls all kinds of people to become his followers. No matter what your race, colour, sex, nationality, or language, God speaks to you. What do you need him to say to you, and in what area of your life would you like to hear his voice? Are you listening?
2:9-11 Why are all these places mentioned? This is a list of many lands from which Jews had come to the festival in Jerusalem. These Jews were not from Palestine, because their ancestors had been dispersed to other parts of the world through captivities and persecutions. Very likely, some of the Jews who responded to Peter's message returned to their homelands with God's Good News of salvation. Thus, God prepared the way for the spread of the gospel. As you read Acts, you will see how the way was often prepared for Paul and other messengers by people who had become believers at Pentecost. The church at Rome, for example, was probably begun by such Jewish believers. Every believer has a story. Be encouraged by asking others to share what God has done in their lives.
2:12-14 When the crowd recognized that something supernatural was taking place, they were curious for an explanation. At this point, Peter stepped forward and explained what was happening. This, of course, gave him an opportunity to talk about God and the Good News of Jesus. This should be the pattern in our lives as well. There are events and circumstances in the world and in people's lives every day that cause them to ask, “What does this mean?” These give us the opportunity to explain our hope of salvation and how these people's stories fit into God's greater story (1 Peter 3:15). If our lives are different because of the light of Christ in us, others will be all the more curious about why. What is different about your life? What supernatural evidence about your life story could only be explained by God's handiwork? Share those stories and you will be sharing the Good News about Jesus!
2:14-40 Peter told the people that they should listen to the testimony of the believers because (1) the Old Testament prophecies concerning Jesus had been entirely fulfilled in him (2:14-21), (2) Jesus is the Messiah (2:25-36), and (3) the risen Christ could change their lives (2:37-40).
2:14 Peter had been an unstable leader during Jesus' ministry, letting his bravado be his downfall and in the end even denying that he knew Jesus (John 18:15-18, 25-27). But Jesus had forgiven and restored him (John 21). This was a new Peter—both bold and humble. His confidence came from the Holy Spirit, who made him a powerful and dynamic speaker. Have you ever felt as if you've made such bad mistakes that God could never forgive you and work through you in powerful ways? No matter what sins you have committed, God promises to forgive you and make you useful for his kingdom. Ask God for opportunities to use your gifts to serve him, and when those opportunities come, boldly and confidently step into them. You will be amazed at all he wants to accomplish through you.
2:16-21 Not everything mentioned in Joel 2:28-29 was happening that particular morning. The last days include all the days between Jesus’ first and second comings, and here the words mean “from now on.” The “great and glorious day of the Lord” (Acts 2:20) denotes the whole Christian age. Even Moses yearned for God to put his Spirit on everyone (Numbers 11:29). At Pentecost the Holy Spirit was released throughout the entire world-to men, women, sons, daughters, Jews, Gentiles. Now everyone can receive the Spirit. This was a revolutionary thought for first-century Jews.
2:23 Everything that happened to Jesus was under God's control. His plans were never disrupted by the Roman government or the Jewish officials. This was especially comforting to those facing oppression during the time of the early Christian church.
2:24 Peter spoke forthrightly about the Resurrection. As Peter preached, the events of Jesus' death and resurrection were still hot news, less than two months old. Jesus' execution had been carried out in public before many witnesses. His empty tomb was available for inspection just a short distance away. If he had not truly died, Peter's message would have been laughed at or ignored. If he had not been resurrected, authorities could have produced his body and put an end to this new faith. But Peter and the apostles had witnessed the risen Jesus. Changed men, they announced the news with great passion and conviction.
Our faith and our credibility also rest on the truth of the empty tomb. Why? For a number of important reasons. According to the apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 15, the resurrection of Jesus means that he is the Son of God and that his word can be trusted. It means that his sacrifice for sin was acceptable to God, so we can be completely forgiven. It means that our Saviour is alive and active, able to help us in times of need. It also means that one day we, too, will conquer death. The Christian faith rests on the basic fact of the empty tomb. Don't neglect this essential part of the gospel when you share your faith with others.
2:25-33 Peter quoted from Psalm 16—a psalm written by David. He explained that David was not writing about himself, because David had died and was buried. Instead, he was writing as a prophet who was foretelling the Messiah who would be resurrected. Peter was emphasising that Jesus' body was not left to rot in the grave but has, in fact, been resurrected and glorified.
2:37 After Peter's powerful, Spirit-filled message, the people were deeply moved and asked, “What shall we do?” We must ask ourselves this same question! To be sorry for our sins is not enough—we must repent, ask God to forgive us, and then live like forgiven people. Has God spoken to you through His Word or through the words of another believer? Like Peter's audience, ask God what you should do, and then follow through.
2:38-39 To repent of your sins means to turn from them—to change the direction of your life from selfishness and rebellion against God's laws. At the same time, you must turn to Jesus Christ, depending on him for forgiveness, mercy, guidance, and purpose. We cannot save ourselves—only God can save us. Baptism identifies us with Jesus and with the community of believers. It is a condition of discipleship and a sign of faith.
2:40-43 About 3,000 people became new believers when Peter preached the Good News about Jesus. These new Christians were united with the other believers, taught by the apostles, and included in the prayer meeting and fellowship. New believers need to be in groups where they can learn God's Word, pray, and mature in the faith. If you have just begun a relationship with Jesus, seek out other believers for fellowship, prayer, and teaching. Engaging with a Christ-following community will help you to grow and mature in your faith.
2:44 Recognising the other believers as brothers and sisters in the family of God, the Christians in Jerusalem shared all they had so that all could benefit from God's gifts. It is tempting—especially if we have material wealth—to cut ourselves off from one another, concerning ourselves with only our own interests, providing for and enjoying only our own little pieces of the world. However, as part of God's spiritual family, we should find every way possible to help one another. God's family works best when its members work together.
2:46 A common misconception about the first Christians (who were Jews) was that they rejected the Jewish religion. But these believers saw Jesus' message and resurrection as the fulfilment of everything they knew and believed from the Old Testament. The Jewish believers at first did not separate from the rest of the Jewish community. They still went to the temple and synagogues for worship and instruction in the Scriptures. But their belief in Jesus created great friction with Jews who didn't believe that Jesus was the Messiah. Thus, believing Jews were forced to meet in private homes for communion, prayer, and learning about how Jesus was the fulfilment of the Old Testament Scriptures. By the end of the first century, many of these Jewish believers were excommunicated from their synagogues.
2:47 A healthy Christian community attracts people to Jesus. The Jerusalem church's zeal for worship and brotherly love was contagious. What are you doing to make your church the kind of place that will attract others to faith in Jesus?
Taken from Life Application Study Bible - Third Edition - (NIV)