Acts 2

Acts 2:1

On the approach of the Lord’s day following the sabbath, on which the Jewish Pentecost was celebrated, they were (all the apostles together) assembled at the service of God, in their accustomed place. (See ch. i. 13, and note [c]).

[a] fully come] The word συμπληροῦσθαι here is all one with the simple πληροῦσθαι in other places. And that is taken in a peculiar notion when it is applied to times, signifying that such a time is come. So Gen. xxv. 24, when her days to be delivered were fulfilled, that is, when her time of childbirth was come. For which the evangelist reads, ἐπλήσθη ὁ χρόνος τοῦ τεκεῖν αὐτὴν, the time of her bringing forth was filled, Luke i. 57. So Gen. xxix. 21, my days are fulfilled, that is, the time agreed upon for my taking her to marriage is now come. So Mark xi. 15, πεπλήρωται ὁ καιρὸς, the time is fulfilled, that is, now is that due season come, the critical point, wherein if they repent not, they shall perish. So Luke xxi. 24, Jerusalem shall be trodden down by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles, πληρωθῶσι, be fulfilled, that is, till the peculiar season concerning the Gentiles (see the place) do come. And this very συμπληροῦσθαι is so used Luke ix. 51. ἐν τῷ συμπληροῦσθαι τὰς ἡμέρας τῆς ἀναλήψεως αὐτοῦ, when the days were fulfilled, that is, were come, of his being taken up. Accordingly, ἐν τῷ συμπληροῦσθαι ἡμέραν τῆς πεντηκοστῆς here is no more than when the day of Pentecost was come, or upon that day.

Acts 2:2

And whilst they were so employed, suddenly they heard a great noise come down from heaven, like that of a mighty boisterous wind, (to note the efficacy of this Spirit of God now descending,) and it came into the upper room where they were assembled, and filled all the room.

Acts 2:3

And there was an appearance of somewhat, like flaming fire, lighting on every one of them, which divided asunder, and so became the resemblance of

Acts 2:4

And they were endued every one with gifts of the Holy Ghost—that of speaking with tongues, which they never had learnt, and other miraculous powers, this coming of the Holy Ghost bestowed on them.

abiding at Jerusalem many Jews, that came up to that feast of Pentecost, and likewise proselytes, (see ver. 10,) which had come from several nations of all quarters of the world to worship the true God at Jerusalem. (See note [e] Matt. xxiii., and note [a] John xii.)

and were astonished, because they being of several nations, every of them heard the apostles speak the language of his nation.

men born in Galilee, and that have lived there all their times?

Acts 2:8

And how doth every of us hear them speak every of those languages which are native to us?

preaching the doctrine of Christ, and the great things which God hath wrought by him and on him, every of us in our own language.

This certainly abodes some great matter.

to speak, ἀποφθέντησθαι. were abiding, κατοικοῦντες. both Jews and, Ἰουδαῖοι τε καί. What will this be? Τί ἂν θίλοι τοῦτο εἶναι;

Acts 2:15

That these men are not drunk, as ye say, for it is but nine in the morning, the time of morning prayers, to which the Jews generally came fasting: (see note [a] Matt. xii.)

Acts 2:16

But the truth is, that which is now done is the completion of a famous prophecy, Joel ii. 28; 17, 18. In the days of the Messias, saith God, there shall be a most remarkable effusion of the Spirit of God upon men of all ranks and qualities, enabling them which were never brought up in the schools of the prophets to go and preach the gospel of Christ in every city, (and this was fulfilled in the descent of the Holy Ghost upon the disciples, sending them to preach, and fitting them with the gift of prophecy, and of tongues, both as a miracle to beget faith, and as a means to speak intelligibly to men of all languages.) 19—21. And after that there shall be many fearful stupendous sights and prodigies, and many great slaughters in Judæa, as forerunners and presignifications of the great famous destruction (see Matt. iii. 11, 12.) which shall befall this people (foretold by Christ, Matt. xxiv., see note [a] Heb. x.) for their crucifying of Christ, and from which the only way to rescue any is to repent and acknowledge Christ, which to gain men to was the design of the coming of the Holy Ghost, John x. 8.

Acts 2:17

[b] last days] Ἔσχαται ἡμέραι, the last days, do in that place of Joel literally signify the last days of the Jews immediately preceding their destruction, called there, the great and terrible day of the Lord: and accordingly the last days have among the Jews proverbially signified the days of the Messias, which they call אַחֲרִים הֵימִים, the last days; and both these notions are very reconcilable. For as the coming of the Messias signifies, beside the coming of him in the flesh, his entering on his kingdom, and as a branch of that, his coming to be avenged on his crucifiers, Matt. xxiv. 1, so the last days here signify peculiarly the time beginning after the resurrection and ascension of Christ, as here appears by the pouring of the Spirit, and the prodigies, ver. 19, before the great and terrible day of the Lord, ver. 26, that is, this destruction of Jerusalem. So 2 Tim. iii. 1, ἐν ἑσχάταις ἡμέραις, in the last days, that is, not long after the resurrection of Christ, should come those hard times, to wit, before the destruction of the Jews, and so in the latter times, 1 Tim. iv. 1. So Hebr. i. 2, ἐν ἑσχάταις ἡμέραις, the days of the Messias, and 1 Cor x. 11, we, that is, Christians, on whom τὰ τέλη τῶν αἰώνων κατήντησεν, the end of the ages are come. So James v. 3, speaking of the wealthy Jews, he saith that they have

Acts 2:23

And the eleven, to whom this speech was addressed, ver. 15, 16, pitched upon, and proposed two, leaving it to the lots to decide which of them it should be, Joseph—

Him, being permitted by God to fall into your hands, God withdrawing that protection which was necessary to have preserved him from them, (and this by his decree, that he should lay down his life for his sheep, in order to that great design of man’s salvation, toward which he did by his foreknowledge discern this the fittest expedient,) ye apprehended and crucified most wickedly:

Acts 2:24

And the apostles prayed and said, O Lord, that knowest the secrets of all hearts, be thou pleased to direct the lot to him whom of these two thou hast chosen,

But God hath raised him again, delivering him from the power of death, not suffering him to continue dead, the goodness of God being engaged in this, not to suffer an innocent person (so unjustly and unthankfully handled by the Jews) to lie under death, and, besides many other things, the prophecies of him necessarily requiring that he should not.

[c] pains of death] The Hebrew חבל signifies two things, a cord, or band, and a pang, especially of women in travail. Hence the Septuagint meeting with the word Psalm xviii. 2, (where it certainly signifies σχωνία, cords, or bands) have yet rendered it ὠδίνες, pangs, and so again 1 Kings xx. 31, and in other places; and from their example here St. Luke hath used τὰς ὠδίνας θανάτου, the pains or pangs of death, when both the addition of the word λύσας, loosing, and κρανεῖσθαι, being holden fast, do shew that the sense is bands, or cords.

Acts 2:25

That he may take that part of the charge (which did, or should have belonged to Judas, but was deserted and forsaken by him) and so betake himself to the discharge of it.

For of him saith David, Psalm xvi. 8, I waited and looked with all affiance and confidence on God, for he is my defender, so as to keep me from miscarrying:

Acts 2:26

And they put in two lots, one for Joseph, another for Matthias: and Matthias being chosen by the lots, was received in to make up the number of the twelve apostles, and to perform that office which belonged to him as such, (see ver. 22,) viz. to preach Christ, and testify that he was risen from the dead, and was by that declared to be the Messias, or Son of God in power.

CHAP. II.

AND when the day of Pentecost was [a] fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.

For this, my glory, that is, my tongue (because that is the member, the instrument of glorifying God) shall rejoice, and my flesh shall rest confident:

Acts 2:27

For though I die, yet shalt thou not leave me so long dead as that my body should be putrefied, that is, thou shalt raise me from death before the third day be past.

Acts 2:28

Thou hast cheered me and abundantly refreshed me with thy favour.

Acts 2:29

Let me therefore speak to you freely and without any reservedness (see note on John vii. 13.) concerning that David that thus spake, that he died like other men, and had a solemn interment, and we still

Acts 2:30

And therefore not speaking of himself, but by way of prediction of the Messias, knowing that he should infallibly spring from his loins, that was to be prince and ruler of his church;

Acts 2:31

This speech of his was prophetic, referring to this resurrection of Christ, whereupon it is said, that his soul should not continue in state of separation from the body: in which state though it were for a while, yet it continued not so long, till the body was corrupted, that is, not the space of seventy-two hours, or three days.

Acts 2:32

And accordingly hath God raised up Christ within that space of time, within three days, and all we apostles are eyewitnesses of it.

Acts 2:33

Being therefore assumed to his regal state and office in heaven, and God having performed to him (as all his other, so peculiarly) this promise made to him, of giving him power to send the Holy Ghost, he hath accordingly now sent him, and this prodigy which ye now see and hear is an effect of that, viz., the speaking with tongues, which the hour before they understood not. 34, 35. For this cannot be interpreted of David himself, though he spake it in his own person, for he never went to heaven bodily, and so cannot be said to be exalted to God’s right hand, while his enemies are made his footstool; but he speaks of him of whom this was to be verified, as of his Lord, The Lord, saith he, said to my Lord, Psalm ex. 1.

Acts 2:36

This great important truth therefore I now proclaim unto you, that that Christ whom ye Jews have crucified God the Father hath raised up, and by assuming him to his right hand, settled him there, as a head of his church, instated him in the true kingly office of the Messias.

Acts 2:37

Upon these words of Peter they had great compunction, and as men that were willing to do any thing to rescue themselves from the guilt of so horrible a sin, as crucifying the Messias, they cried out most passionately to Peter and the rest of the apostles that were present, beseeching their directions what to do in this case.

Acts 2:38

And Peter answered them, that there was now but one possible way left, and that was with true contrition, and acknowledgment of their sin, to hasten out of this infidelity, and with a sincere and thorough change to come as proselytes to Christ, and enter upon Christian profession with a vow of never falling off from it, and so to receive baptism from the apostles, that sacrament, wherein Christ enabled them to bestow, or convey from him, remission of sins to all true penitents, farther promising them that they should be made partakers of the Holy Ghost also, and of those gifts which by the descent of the Spirit were poured out on the church, and some among them of those miraculous powers which they now saw and admired in the apostles: (see ch. iv. 31, and note [r] ch. vi.)

[d] gift of the Holy Ghost] What δωρεὰ Πνεύματος ἁγίου, the gift of the Holy Ghost, signifies in relation to the persons that here are spoken to, as many as should now repent and believe on Christ, is apparent by the process of the story. There were that day three thousand which received the faith of Christ, ver. 41, and these associated and joined themselves with the apostles, ver. 42, and that in a wonderful charitable manner, had all things common, &c. ver. 44. In the

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Acts 2:39

For to you, saith he, the benefit of that promise appertains, if you will lay hold on it; and indeed primarily to you Jews this promise of the Holy Ghost was made, on purpose for this, that by our preaching to you ye might be converted, and convinced of the vileness of what you have done, and upon repentance be received into mercy, and receive absolution from us, as the deputies and proxies of Christ, which is gone. And as the advantage hereof belongs primarily to you, to whom our first address was to be made, so, in the next place, upon your rejecting it, it must be extended to the rest of the world, to all the Gentiles which shall obey and come in to Christ at his call, or upon our preaching to them.

Acts 2:40

And many other discourses he made to them, all to this effect, conjuring and hastening them with all speed to get (as the angel did Lot out of Sodom, Gen. xix. 17.) out of this state of high provoking infidelity, wherein the multitude of Jews were engaged.

Acts 2:41

And all that were really affected by what he said came and renounced their former courses, and approved the sincerity of their change, and received baptism: and that day about three thousand men were converted to Christianity.

Acts 2:42

And all that were so, continued assiduous in hearing the apostles teach, and in bringing their goods liberally for the use of them that wanted, ver. 45, and in eating the Lord’s supper, and praying together.

[e] fellowship] The word κοινωνία is to be rendered, (as from the verb κοινωνίω,) not communion, but communication, by that meaning distribution, liberality, effusion, or participation, by which any are made partakers of some gift, spiritual or temporal, such as here, beneficence to the poor, &c. Thus in Simplicius on Aristot. Phys. l. 1, describing magnanimous men, ὀλίγοις ἀρχουμένους, καὶ ὧν ἔχουσι κοινωνοῦντας ἑτοίμως, “they are,” saith he, “content with a little, and distribute, or communicate readily of that which they have.” And in Lucian, p. 974, Ἐπεστ. Κρον. κοινωνοῦντας ὧν ἔχουσι τοῖς πενεστέροις, “communicating to the poorer sort of what they have:” and again, εἰ φθονήσει κοινωνοῦντι καὶ διδόντι; “will he envy him that communicates and gives?” where it signifies liberality, or giving to the poor. Thus is almsgiving defined by the Arabians, communicatio in miseriis, Abul Faraii de Mor. Arab. p. 29. And thus Cassander out of Chrysostom renders μυστηρίων κοινωνίαν, mysteriorum communicationem, Liturg. p. 14. As excommunication is defined by Tertullian exclusion from communication, (not from communion, as that is now used for the sacrament,) a communicatione orationis, et conventus, et omnis sancti commercii relegatio, “a banishing from participation of all prayer, assembly, and sacred commerce,” (and not only of the sacrament,) so as the word be compounded, like exlex, without any change of the termination. In this notion is the word generally used in scripture for liberality, or some kind of distributing, or dispensing to others. So here προσκαρτεροῦντες τῇ κοινωνίᾳ, καὶ τῇ κλάσει ἄρτου, καὶ ταῖς προσευχαῖς, continuing in liberality, and breaking of bread, and prayers; where, as προσευχαὶ signifies public prayers, and κλάσις ἄρτου the breaking of bread in the administration of the sacrament, so κοινωνία is the people’s bringing and presenting of the bread and wine, and the fruits of the earth, for the acknowledging God the Creator of all, part of it to be eaten in commemoration of Christ’s sacrifice, and the rest to be distributed among the poor, ver. 44. Whereupon κοινωνήσαι in Hesychius and Phavorinus (for which the copies read corruptly κοινῶσαι) is προσενεγκείν, to offer, or present. From which Glossaries these explications also of the word are to be had, κοινωνείτω, μουταδιδότω, to distribute, or dispense, κοινωνία μετάληψις τῶν μυστηρίων ἁγίων, participation of the holy mysteries, κοινωνῶ

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