Act 2, 3:11 | JFB | STEP | 1-4. when the day of Pentecost was fully come-- The fiftieth from the morrow after the first Passover sabbath ( , ). with one accord-- the solemnity of the day, perhaps, unconsciously raising their expectations.

‏ Acts 2

CHAPTER 2 Ac 2:1-13. Descent of the Spirit--The Disciples Speak with Tongues--Amazement of the Multitude.

1-4. when the day of Pentecost was fully come--The fiftieth from the morrow after the first Passover sabbath (Le 23:15, 16).

with one accord--the solemnity of the day, perhaps, unconsciously raising their expectations.

5-11. there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men out of every nation--not, it would seem, permanently settled there (see Ac 2:9), though the language seems to imply more than a temporary visit to keep this one feast.

Ac 2:14-36. Peter for the First Time, Publicly Preaches Christ.

14-21. Peter, standing up with the eleven--in advance, perhaps, of the rest.

22-28. a man approved of God--rather, "authenticated," "proved," or "demonstrated to be from God."

by miracles ... which God did by him--This is not a low view of our Lord's miracles, as has been alleged, nor inconsistent with Joh 2:11, but is in strict accordance with His progress from humiliation to glory, and with His own words in Joh 5:19. This view of Christ is here dwelt on to exhibit to the Jews the whole course of Jesus of Nazareth as the ordinance and doing of the God of Israel [Alford].

29-36. David ... is ... dead and buried, &c.--Peter, full of the Holy Ghost, sees in this sixteenth Psalm, one Holy Man, whose life of high devotedness and lofty spirituality is crowned with the assurance, that though He taste of death, He shall rise again without seeing corruption, and be admitted to the bliss of God's immediate presence. Now as this was palpably untrue of David, it could be meant only of One other, even of Him whom David was taught to expect as the final Occupant of the throne of Israel. (Those, therefore, and they are many, who take David himself to be the subject of this Psalm, and the words quoted to refer to Christ only in a more eminent sense, nullify the whole argument of the apostle). The Psalm is then affirmed to have had its only proper fulfilment in Jesus, of whose resurrection and ascension they were witnesses, while the glorious effusion of the Spirit by the hand of the ascended One, setting an infallible seal upon all, was even then witnessed by the thousands who stood listening to Him. A further illustration of Messiah's ascension and session at God's right hand is drawn from Psa 110:1, in which David cannot be thought to speak of himself, seeing he is still in his grave.

37-40. pricked in their hearts--the begun fulfilment of Zec 12:10, whose full accomplishment is reserved for the day when "all Israel shall be saved" (see on Ro 11:26).

what shall we do?--This is that beautiful spirit of genuine compunction and childlike docility, which, discovering its whole past career to have been one frightful mistake, seeks only to be set right for the future, be the change involved and the sacrifices required what they may. So Saul of Tarsus (Ac 9:6).

Ac 2:41-47. Beautiful Beginnings of the Christian Church.

41-47. they that gladly received his word were baptized--"It is difficult to say how three thousand could be baptized in one day, according to the old practice of a complete submersion; and the more as in Jerusalem there was no water at hand except Kidron and a few pools. The difficulty can only be removed by supposing that they already employed sprinkling, or baptized in houses in large vessels. Formal submersion in rivers, or larger quantities of water, probably took place only where the locality conveniently allowed it" [Olshausen].

the same day there were added to them about three thousand souls--fitting inauguration of the new kingdom, as an economy of the Spirit!

‏ Acts 3:11

CHAPTER 3 Ac 3:1-26. Peter Heals a Lame Man at the Temple Gate--Hs Address to the Wondering Multitude.

1-11. Peter and John--already associated by their Master, first with James (Mr 1:29; 5:37; 9:2), then by themselves (Lu 22:8; and see Joh 13:23, 24). Now we find them constantly together, but John (yet young) only as a silent actor.

went up--were going up, were on their way.