1 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 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.
The Doctrine of the Baptism with the Holy Ghost:
Pentecost was 50 days after Passover; this day was probably 8 or so days after Jesus’ ascension. They were told to wait for the Promise, the power from on high, and I believe they understood that that would take place on Pentecost. Thus, they were all excitedly together on this day, united, in one accord, in their typical meeting place, the church’s building.
Who were the ‘they’? The 120 disciples; i.e., that first church, a real, live assembly of born-again baptized believers. The ‘church’ began long before Pentecost (i.e. when Jesus called His first disciples).
I don’t know of any Charismatic ‘churches’ that have this type of phenomena occur! It happened this way so that they all knew that it was from God (i.e. wind, fiery tongues, speaking in tongues); it was authentication that the Holy Ghost had indeed come to empower them. We do not need such phenomena today, for we have the complete, perfect Word of God.
The Charismatics need to understand that it is speaking with ‘other tongues’, i.e. other (foreign) languages. It doesn’t mention it as being a private prayer language (at least in the context of this event here).
It doesn’t speak of ‘receiving’ the Holy Ghost here; this was mentioned earlier to be the ‘baptism with the Holy Ghost’. I believe that the disciples already had the indwelling Spirit but here they were ‘filled’. It is important to note that there is a huge difference between the one-time baptism with the Holy Ghost, and the repetitive filling with the Holy Ghost. The key result here of being filled with the Holy Ghost was to speak with other tongues…to speak the gospel to those who had not heard it… other people groups…as the Spirit told them to. The manifestation of the sign gift of tongues was not in having some spiritual experience after each church service; your eyes didn’t roll back in your head and you didn’t lay on the ground! The filling of the Holy Ghost is not to make you feel wonderful; it is not to show you and others that you personally have reached the highest spiritual level there is; it is to empower you, and, more specifically, the church body, to do the work that Jesus commanded us to do.
5 And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven. 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. 12 And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another, What meaneth this?
The Doctrine of Tongues: Many today say about the so-called ‘tongues movement’, “what meaneth this”? There is no doubt that the tongues mentioned here in Acts 2 were the Spirit given abilities of men to speak the gospel in other languages directly to people of those particular languages. There were many, many Jews from other countries visiting Jerusalem at this time for that special Holyday.
The tongues miracle here at Pentecost was to convey the gospel to people from every nation on earth. In essence, every nation had representatives that heard the gospel, and I believe got saved. It would take years for a preacher to learn a language well enough to preach the gospel in it. This is/was the main purpose for <TOPIC:tonttongues: quick dissemination of the Gospel to the world (Law of First Mention).
I am quite confounded when I hear tongues, but not when I hear someone speak my own language! Was the miracle that one man was speaking and they each heard him in their own language? Doubtful. It says ‘they’ spoke with other languages. If 12 different apostles (the ‘they’) were preaching in 1 different language each, that would be 12 different languages; but there were 16 different languages listed here. But, they could preach a bit in one and then switch to another language. This gift of tongues was not restricted to just one language for the individual. However, it is most probable that every church member present there (120 or so) spoke the gospel in a tongue, or tongues, to those devout Jews from across the world.
But, ‘what meaneth this’ concerning the so-called ‘tongues’ going on today? They are either ‘faked’, or a ‘psychological phenomena’, or demonically inspired! I believe it to be mostly (and maybe entirely) the latter!!! Can a true born-again believer be demonically inspired to speak in ‘tongues’? I believe, yes…. Just like a true believer can be inspired by a devil to do or experience a whole host of wickedness and lies.
13 Others mocking said, These men are full of new wine. 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. 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: 21 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.
The Doctrine of Prophecy: Why would they say that they appeared drunken? This seems absurd. Some today practice what is termed ‘being drunk in the spirit’; but this is nothing more than evil spirit possession!
This is from Joel 2:16-20 (‘But this is that’). This prophecy was indeed fulfilled (in part…vs 17,18) on that day of Pentecost (he quoted the whole prophecy, but only the first part was relevant then). The ‘last days’ began right after Jesus’ ascension. Verses 19 and 20 would be fulfilled later; i.e. during the Tribulation. And that great and notable day of the Lord is His 2nd Coming and setting up the Millenial Kingdom on Earth! This follows the ‘horizon principle’ of prophecy. Many churches wrongly teach that the prophecy in Joel 2 (vs 17,18) is just now being fulfilled (all starting around 1900 with the birth of the first wave of the Pentecostal movement). They are teaching that we are now on the 3rd or 4th wave of this! They’ve been hanging out at the beach too long! It’s plainly simple to see from the text and the context that this was fulfilled some 2000 years ago!
Verse 21 was also part of Joel’s prophecy; O.T. souls were saved the same way we are today (Acts 10:13)! This has been fulfilled, praise the Lord! We can call on Jesus for salvation! The prophet Joel refers to getting saved by believing the gospel here! Whosoever… not just the supposed ‘elect’, or Americans, or the ‘good people’…but anyone! Have you been that ‘whosoever’?! When did you do this? What did you actually do?!
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.
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. 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. 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. 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. 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.
The Doctrine of Signs & Wonders: Signs, wonders, and miracles were used to ‘approve’ a man being ‘of God’; this was necessary only during the dispensations that did not have the completed revelation of God’s word to man. Today, they approve a man of not being of God!
The Doctrine of The Messiah: This is taken from Psalms 16:8-11. Who is this referring to? Some may believe that this deals with the O.T. saints, specifically David here, knowing that they would not be left forever in ‘Paradise’, but would someday be taken to glory land. Or, it is referring to the fact that David (and O.T. saints) would not be left in hell…and would never even step foot in hell. However, verse 31 explains that it is speaking of Jesus Christ, vice David. It may also secondarily be referring to the fact that saved people do not go to Hell. Like the prophet Jonas, Christ would be 3 days and 3 nights in the ‘heart of the earth’ (hell ?). Did Jesus Christ suffer in Hell then? No. The ‘Holy One’ is Jesus Christ. It is speaking of the soul here; not the flesh (corruption). Upon Messiah’s death on the cross, His flesh would lie in the grave 3 days and 3 nights, but was embalmed and would not see corruption; i.e., it would not decay and be destroyed. For He rose again after 3 days. Also, He, His eternal being, was not going to Hell to suffer…for He had already paid the ransom! But, He did go to Paradise to preach to the captives and to set them free. Some say the word ‘hell’ here refers to the abode of the departed souls, whether lost or saved (Geena). Jesus’ soul did not go to suffer in the place of the wicked, but, rather, to the place of the righteous (Abraham’s bosom); He ‘led captivity captive’(those with Abraham); 1 Pet 3:18-20 states that Jesus ‘preached to unto the spirits in prison’. Nowhere does it allude to Jesus suffering in Hell…He suffered on the cross and then said ‘it is finished’!
What’s the point of Peter’s speaking here? He is preaching unto them ‘Jesus’. This is Jesus Christ’s honored position: seated on the right hand of the Father’s throne; and no-one on the left hand. He was exalted from being a humble, suffering Servant. He received this promise: I don’t believe He received the Holy Spirit in any way with this, but instead He received the ‘promise’ that was given to Him by His Father; He in turn sent this promise to usward. What they all did now see and hear was the Comforter coming in Jesus’ place. This was the big news that Peter was trying to tell them.
In v. 34, “The Lord” is God the Father; “my” is referring to David; “my Lord” is the Messiah, Jesus Christ. After His resurrection He was seated at the right hand of the Father and would eventually return to Earth to take it over as King.
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? 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. 40 And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation.
The Doctrine of Repentance: Hearing the preaching of God’s word should cause a ‘pricking in your heart’, and should lead you to do whatever God is telling you to do; it should cause you to say, ‘what shall I do?!’ If a lost person asks you ‘what shall I do?!’, it would be very right to respond with repent and be baptized. Repentance is part of the gospel message.
The Doctrine of Salvation: When one hears the preaching of the gospel they should ‘repent’; this here is referring to repenting of their sins, the foremost sin being ‘unbelief’ (or wrong belief). Then, they were to immediately be baptized.
Repent and be Baptists, every one of you! Why should you be baptized a Baptist? Because your sins have been remitted when you called on Jesus to save you, and the very next thing He wants you to do after salvation is to become part of one of His churches. The word ‘for’ in v.28 means ‘because of’, not ‘in order to’.
Back then the Holy Ghost was given out in a deliberate manner (i.e. with signs following) so that each one knew that it indeed had occurred. Today, we receive the gift of the Holy Ghost upon salvation; and there is no longer a need for signs to follow, for we have known of this through our godly generations for 1900 years; we have God’s completed word; we understand the doctrine of the Holy Ghost.
Who is this ‘promise’ of salvation given to? Who does the Lord ‘call’? Definitely the Jews and the Gentiles, which covers basically everybody. Everyone who is saved is automatically called by God and thus is elected, predestinated, to receive the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit of God.
41 Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. 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.
The Doctrine of Baptism: A person who truly gets saved should have ‘gladly received His word’ of salvation. And, then, should, without resistance, be baptized. These folks were well acquainted with baptism, via the preaching of John the Baptist, and Jesus. The ‘adding’ was unto the believers there (i.e. the church body) – these all were disciples of Jesus Christ and were members in that first church that He started there in Jerusalem. That church was already in existance prior to this event. Salvation, baptism, church membership, all in the same day. Some might say that baptism doesn’t automatically put you into the membership. They performed 3000 baptisms that day; thus, ‘the same day’ is referring to how many were added altogether that day; it doesn’t seem to necessarily imply that they were baptized and then later on added to the body that day. Thus, this supports that baptism adds one to the church’s membership. There must have been many more baptizers than just the 12 in order to baptize 3000. These baptisms continued on daily for some time.
The Doctrine of Church Unity: This is showing that all of them, even the newly baptized souls, were committed to this church and what they were doing in ever way. We should expect the new converts to jump right in on all that a Christian should be doing. They were steadfast, not half-hearted; there are way too many half-hearted so-called new converts out there; it makes me wonder. They all learned doctrine and followed it; they fellowshipped together a lot, they ate meals together, and prayed together. Even the new converts did this.
Commonism is scriptural…not Communism! If a church is truly in unity, they will practice ‘commonism’. Apparently they sold ‘extra’ non-necessary items they had and received money for them and then parted that money to those who had need.
The leaders watched carefully on this parting, so that it was done fairly and properly. There were a lot of ‘needy’ people who got saved and were added to the church that week.