mh_parser/vol_split/44 - Acts/Chapter 2.xml

<div2 id="Acts.iii" n="iii" next="Acts.iv" prev="Acts.ii" progress="1.43%" title="Chapter II">
<h2 id="Acts.iii-p0.1">A C T S.</h2>
<h3 id="Acts.iii-p0.2">CHAP. II.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Acts.iii-p1">Between the promise of the Messiah (even the
latest of those promises) and his coming many ages intervened; but
between the promise of the Spirit and his coming there were but a
few days; and during those days the apostles, though they had
received orders to preach the gospel to every creature, and to
begin at Jerusalem, yet lay perfectly wind-bound,
incognito—concealed, and not offering to preach. But in this
chapter the north wind and the south wind awake, and then they
awake, and we have them in the pulpit presently. Here is, I. The
descent of the Spirit upon the apostles, and those that were with
them, on the day of pentecost, <scripRef id="Acts.iii-p1.1" osisRef="Bible:Acts.2.1-Acts.2.4" parsed="|Acts|2|1|2|4" passage="Ac 2:1-4">ver.
1-4</scripRef>. II. The various speculations which this occasioned
among the people that were now met in Jerusalem from all parts,
<scripRef id="Acts.iii-p1.2" osisRef="Bible:Acts.2.5-Acts.2.13" parsed="|Acts|2|5|2|13" passage="Ac 2:5-13">ver. 5-13</scripRef>. III. The sermon
which Peter preached to them hereupon, wherein he shows that this
pouring out of the Spirit was the accomplishment of an
Old-Testament promise (<scripRef id="Acts.iii-p1.3" osisRef="Bible:Acts.2.14-Acts.2.21" parsed="|Acts|2|14|2|21" passage="Ac 2:14-21">ver.
14-21</scripRef>), that it was a confirmation of Christ's being the
Messiah, which was already proved by his resurrection (<scripRef id="Acts.iii-p1.4" osisRef="Bible:Acts.2.22-Acts.2.32" parsed="|Acts|2|22|2|32" passage="Ac 2:22-32">ver. 22-32</scripRef>), and that is was a
fruit and evidence of his ascension into heaven, <scripRef id="Acts.iii-p1.5" osisRef="Bible:Acts.2.33-Acts.2.36" parsed="|Acts|2|33|2|36" passage="Ac 2:33-36">ver. 33-36</scripRef>. IV. The good effect of this
sermon in the conversion of many to the faith of Christ, and their
addition to the church, <scripRef id="Acts.iii-p1.6" osisRef="Bible:Acts.2.37-Acts.2.41" parsed="|Acts|2|37|2|41" passage="Ac 2:37-41">ver.
37-41</scripRef>. V. The eminent piety and charity of those
primitive Christians, and the manifest tokens of God's presence
with them, and power in them, <scripRef id="Acts.iii-p1.7" osisRef="Bible:Acts.2.42-Acts.2.47" parsed="|Acts|2|42|2|47" passage="Ac 2:42-47">ver.
42-47</scripRef>.</p>
<scripCom id="Acts.iii-p1.8" osisRef="Bible:Acts.2" parsed="|Acts|2|0|0|0" passage="Ac 2" type="Commentary"/>
<scripCom id="Acts.iii-p1.9" osisRef="Bible:Acts.2.1-Acts.2.4" parsed="|Acts|2|1|2|4" passage="Ac 2:1-4" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Acts.2.1-Acts.2.4">
<h4 id="Acts.iii-p1.10">The Day of Pentecost.</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Acts.iii-p2">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.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Acts.iii-p3">We have here an account of the descent of
the Holy Ghost upon the disciples of Christ. Observe,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Acts.iii-p4">I. When, and where, this was done, which
are particularly noted, for the greater certainty of the thing.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Acts.iii-p5">1. It was <i>when the day of pentecost was
fully come,</i> in which there seems to be a reference to the
manner of the expression in the institution of this feast, where it
is said (<scripRef id="Acts.iii-p5.1" osisRef="Bible:Lev.23.15" parsed="|Lev|23|15|0|0" passage="Le 23:15">Lev. xxiii. 15</scripRef>),
<i>You shall count unto you seven sabbaths complete,</i> from the
day of the offering of the first-fruits, which was the next day but
one after the passover, the sixteenth day of the month Abib, which
was the day that Christ arose. This day was <i>fully come,</i> that
is, the night preceding, with a part of the day, was fully past.
(1.) The Holy Ghost came down at the time of a solemn feast,
because there was then a great concourse of people to Jerusalem
from all parts of the country, and the proselytes from other
countries, which would make it the more public, and the fame of it
to be spread the sooner and further, which would contribute much to
the propagating of the gospel into all nations. Thus now, as before
at the passover, the Jewish feasts served to toll the bell for
gospel services and entertainments. (2.) This feast of pentecost
was kept in remembrance of the giving of the law upon mount Sinai,
whence the incorporating of the Jewish church was to be dated,
which Dr. Lightfoot reckons to be just one thousand four hundred
and forty-seven years before this. Fitly, therefore, is the Holy
Ghost given at that feast, in fire and in tongues, for the
promulgation of the evangelical law, not as that to one nation, but
to every creature. (3.) This feast of pentecost happened on the
<i>first day of the week,</i> which was an additional honour put on
that day, and a confirmation of it to be the Christian sabbath,
<i>the day which the Lord hath made,</i> to be a standing memorial
in his church of those two great blessings—the resurrection of
Christ, and the pouring out of the Spirit, both on that day of the
week. This serves not only to justify us in observing that day
under the style and title of <i>the Lord's day,</i> but to direct
us in the sanctifying of it to give God praise particularly for
those two great blessings; every Lord's day in the year, I think,
there should be a full and particular notice taken in our prayers
and praises of these two, as there is by some churches of the one
once a year, upon Easter-day, and of the other once a year, upon
Whit-sunday. Oh! that we may do it with suitable affections!</p>
<p class="indent" id="Acts.iii-p6">2. It was when <i>they were all with one
accord in one place.</i> What place it was we are not told
particularly, whether in the temple, where they attended at public
times (<scripRef id="Acts.iii-p6.1" osisRef="Bible:Luke.24.53" parsed="|Luke|24|53|0|0" passage="Lu 24:53">Luke xxiv. 53</scripRef>), or
whether in their own upper room, where they met at other times. But
it was at Jerusalem, because this had been the place which God
chose, to put his name there, and the prophecy was that thence the
word of the Lord should go forth to all nations, <scripRef id="Acts.iii-p6.2" osisRef="Bible:Isa.2.3" parsed="|Isa|2|3|0|0" passage="Isa 2:3">Isa. ii. 3</scripRef>. It was now the place of the
general rendezvous of all devout people: here God had promised to
meet them and bless them; here therefore he meets them with this
blessing of blessings. Though Jerusalem had done the utmost
dishonour imaginable to Christ, yet he did this honour to
Jerusalem, to teach his remnant in all places; he had this in
Jerusalem. Here the disciples were in one place, and they were not
as yet so many but that one place, and no large one, would hold
them all. And here they were <i>with one accord.</i> We cannot
forget how often, while their Master was with them, there were
<i>strifes among them, who should be the greatest;</i> but now all
these strifes were at an end, we hear no more of them. What they
had received already of the Holy Ghost, when Christ breathed on
them, had in a good measure rectified the mistakes upon which those
contests were grounded, and had disposed them to holy love. They
had prayed more together of late than usual (<scripRef id="Acts.iii-p6.3" osisRef="Bible:Acts.1.14" parsed="|Acts|1|14|0|0" passage="Ac 1:14"><i>ch.</i> i. 14</scripRef>), and this made them love one
another better. By his grace he thus prepared them for the gift of
the Holy Ghost; for that blessed dove comes not where there is
noise and clamour, but moves upon the face of the still waters, not
the rugged ones. Would we have the Spirit <i>poured out upon us
from on high?</i> Let us be all of one accord, and, notwithstanding
variety of sentiments and interests, as no doubt there was among
those disciples, let us agree to love one another; for, where
<i>brethren dwell together in unity,</i> there it is that <i>the
Lord commands his blessing.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Acts.iii-p7">II. How, and in what manner, the Holy Ghost
came upon them. We often read in the old Testament of God's coming
down in a cloud; as when he took possession first of the
tabernacle, and afterwards of the temple, which intimates the
darkness of that dispensation. And Christ went up to heaven in a
cloud, to intimate how much we are kept in the dark concerning the
upper world. But the Holy Ghost did not descend in a cloud; for he
was to dispel and scatter the clouds that overspread men's minds,
and to bring light into the world.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Acts.iii-p8">1. Here is an audible summons given them to
awaken their expectations of something great, <scripRef id="Acts.iii-p8.1" osisRef="Bible:Acts.2.2" parsed="|Acts|2|2|0|0" passage="Ac 2:2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>. It is here said, (1.) That it came
<i>suddenly,</i> did not rise gradually, as common winds do, but
was at the height immediately. It came sooner than they expected,
and startled even those that were now together waiting, and
probably employed in some religious exercises. (2.) It was <i>a
sound from heaven,</i> like a thunder-clap, <scripRef id="Acts.iii-p8.2" osisRef="Bible:Rev.6.1" parsed="|Rev|6|1|0|0" passage="Re 6:1">Rev. vi. 1</scripRef>. God is said to <i>bring the winds
out of his treasuries</i> (<scripRef id="Acts.iii-p8.3" osisRef="Bible:Ps.135.7" parsed="|Ps|135|7|0|0" passage="Ps 135:7">Ps. cxxxv.
7</scripRef>), and <i>to gather them in his hands,</i> <scripRef id="Acts.iii-p8.4" osisRef="Bible:Prov.30.4" parsed="|Prov|30|4|0|0" passage="Pr 30:4">Prov. xxx. 4</scripRef>. From him this sound
came, like the voice of one crying, <i>Prepare ye the way of the
Lord.</i> (3.) It was the sound of a wind, for the way of the
Spirit is like that of the wind (<scripRef id="Acts.iii-p8.5" osisRef="Bible:John.3.3" parsed="|John|3|3|0|0" passage="Joh 3:3">John
iii. 3</scripRef>), <i>thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst
not tell whence it comes nor whither it goes.</i> When the Spirit
of life is to enter into the dry bones, the prophet is told to
<i>prophecy unto the wind: Come from the four winds, O breath,</i>
<scripRef id="Acts.iii-p8.6" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.37.9" parsed="|Ezek|37|9|0|0" passage="Eze 37:9">Ezek. xxxvii. 9</scripRef>. And though
it was not <i>in the wind</i> that the Lord came to Elijah, yet
this prepared him to receive his discovery of himself in the
<i>still small voice,</i> <scripRef id="Acts.iii-p8.7" osisRef="Bible:1Kgs.19.11-1Kgs.19.12" parsed="|1Kgs|19|11|19|12" passage="1Ki 19:11,12">1 Kings
xix. 11, 12</scripRef>. <i>God's way is in the whirlwind and the
storm</i> (<scripRef id="Acts.iii-p8.8" osisRef="Bible:Nah.1.3" parsed="|Nah|1|3|0|0" passage="Na 1:3">Nah. i. 3</scripRef>), and
out of the whirlwind he spoke to Job. (4.) It was a <i>rushing
mighty wind;</i> it was strong and violent, and came not only with
a great noise, but with great force, as if it would bear down all
before it. This was to signify the powerful influences and
operations of the Spirit of God upon the minds of men, and thereby
upon the world, that they should be <i>mighty through God, to the
casting down of imaginations.</i> (5.) <i>It filled</i> not only
the room, but <i>all the house where they were sitting.</i>
Probably it alarmed the whole city, but, to show that it was
supernatural, presently fixed upon that particular house: as some
think the wind that was sent to arrest Jonah affected only the ship
that he was in (<scripRef id="Acts.iii-p8.9" osisRef="Bible:Jonah.1.4" parsed="|Jonah|1|4|0|0" passage="Jon 1:4">Jon. i. 4</scripRef>),
and as the wise men's star stood over the house where the child
was. This would direct the people who observed it whither to go to
enquire the meaning of it. This wind filling the house would strike
an awe upon the disciples, and help to put them into a very
serious, reverent, and composed frame, for the receiving of the
Holy Ghost. Thus the convictions of the Spirit make way for his
comforts; and the rough blasts of that blessed wind prepare the
soul for its soft and gentle gales.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Acts.iii-p9">2. Here is a visible sign of the gift they
were to receive. They saw <i>cloven tongues, like as of fire</i>
(<scripRef id="Acts.iii-p9.1" osisRef="Bible:Acts.2.3" parsed="|Acts|2|3|0|0" passage="Ac 2:3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>), and <i>it
sat</i>—<b><i>ekathise</i></b>, not <i>they</i> sat, those cloven
tongues, but he, that is the Spirit (signified thereby), rested
upon each of them, as he is said to rest upon the prophets of old.
Or, as Dr. Hammond describes it, "There was an appearance of
something like flaming fire lighting on every one of them, which
divided asunder, and so formed the resemblance of tongues, with
that part of them that was next their heads divided or cloven." The
flame of a candle is somewhat like a tongue; and there is a meteor
which naturalists call <i>ignis lambens—a gentle flame,</i> not a
devouring fire; such was this. Observe,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Acts.iii-p10">(1.) There was an outward sensible sign,
for the confirming of the faith of the disciples themselves, and
for the convincing of others. Thus the prophets of old had
frequently their first mission confirmed by signs, that all Israel
might know them to be established prophets.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Acts.iii-p11">(2.) The sign given was fire, that John
Baptist's saying concerning Christ might be fulfilled, <i>He shall
baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire;</i> with the Holy
Ghost as with fire. They were now, in the feast of pentecost,
celebrating the memorial of the giving of the law upon mount Sinai;
and as that was given in fire, and therefore is called a fiery law,
so is the gospel. Ezekiel's mission was confirmed by a vision of
<i>burning coals of fire</i> (<scripRef id="Acts.iii-p11.1" osisRef="Bible:Acts.1.13" parsed="|Acts|1|13|0|0" passage="Ac 1:13"><i>ch.</i> i. 13</scripRef>), and Isaiah's by <i>a coal
of fire</i> touching his lips, <scripRef id="Acts.iii-p11.2" osisRef="Bible:Acts.6.7" parsed="|Acts|6|7|0|0" passage="Ac 6:7"><i>ch.</i> vi. 7</scripRef>. The Spirit, like fire, melts
the heart, separates and burns up the dross, and kindles pious and
devout affections in the soul, in which, as in the fire upon the
altar, the spiritual sacrifices are offered up. This is that fire
which Christ came to send upon the earth. <scripRef id="Acts.iii-p11.3" osisRef="Bible:Luke.12.49" parsed="|Luke|12|49|0|0" passage="Lu 12:49">Luke xii. 49</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Acts.iii-p12">(3.) This fire appeared in cloven tongues.
The operations of the Spirit were many; that of speaking with
divers tongues was one, and was singled out to be the first
indication of the gift of the Holy Ghost, and to that this sign had
a reference. [1.] They were tongues; for from the Spirit we have
the word of God, and by him Christ would speak to the world, and he
gave the Spirit to the disciples, not only to endue them with
knowledge, but to endue them with a power to publish and proclaim
to the world what they knew; for <i>the dispensation of the Spirit
is given to every man to profit withal.</i> [2.] These tongues were
cloven, to signify that God would hereby divide unto all nations
the knowledge of his grace, as he is said to have divided to them
by his providence the light of the heavenly bodies, <scripRef id="Acts.iii-p12.1" osisRef="Bible:Deut.4.19" parsed="|Deut|4|19|0|0" passage="De 4:19">Deut. iv. 19</scripRef>. The tongues were
divided, and yet they still continued all of one accord; for there
may be a sincere unity of affections where yet there is a diversity
of expression. Dr. Lightfoot observes that the dividing of tongues
at Babel was the casting off of the heathen; for when they had lost
the language in which alone God was spoken of and preached, they
utterly lost the knowledge of God and religion, and fell into
idolatry. But now, after above two thousand years, God, by another
dividing of tongues, restores the knowledge of himself to the
nations.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Acts.iii-p13">(4.) This fire sat upon them for some time,
to denote the constant residence of the Holy Ghost with them. The
prophetic gifts of old were conferred sparingly and but at some
times, but the disciples of Christ had the gifts of the Spirit
always with them, though the sign, we may suppose, soon
disappeared. Whether these flames of fire passed from one to
another, or whether there were as many flames as there were
persons, is not certain. But they must be strong and bright flames
that would be visible in the day-light, as it now was, for the day
was fully come.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Acts.iii-p14">III. What was the immediate effect of this?
1. <i>They were all filled with the Holy Ghost,</i> more
plentifully and powerfully than they were before. They were filled
with the graces of the Spirit, and were more than ever under his
sanctifying influences—were now holy, and heavenly, and spiritual,
more weaned from this world and better acquainted with the other.
They were more filled with the comforts of the Spirit, rejoiced
more than ever in the love of Christ and the hope of heaven, and in
it all their griefs and fears were swallowed up. They were also,
for the proof of this, filled with the gifts of the Holy Ghost,
which are especially meant here; they were endued with miraculous
powers for the furtherance of the gospel. It seems evident to me
that not only the twelve apostles, but all the hundred and twenty
disciples were <i>filled with the Holy Ghost</i> alike at this
time—all the seventy disciples, who were apostolic men, and
employed in the same work, and all the rest too that were to preach
the gospel; for it is said expressly (<scripRef id="Acts.iii-p14.1" osisRef="Bible:Eph.4.8 Bible:Eph.4.11" parsed="|Eph|4|8|0|0;|Eph|4|11|0|0" passage="Eph 4:8,11">Eph. iv. 8, 11</scripRef>), <i>When Christ ascended on
high</i> (which refers to this, <scripRef id="Acts.iii-p14.2" osisRef="Bible:Acts.2.33" parsed="|Acts|2|33|0|0" passage="Ac 2:33"><i>v.</i> 33</scripRef>), <i>he gave gifts unto men,</i>
not only <i>some apostles</i> (such were the twelve), but <i>some
prophets</i> and <i>some evangelists</i> (such were many of the
seventy disciples, itinerant preachers), and some <i>pastors and
teachers</i> settled in particular churches, as we may suppose some
of these afterwards were. The <i>all</i> here must refer to the
<i>all</i> that were together, <scripRef id="Acts.iii-p14.3" osisRef="Bible:Acts.2.1 Bible:Acts.1.14-Acts.1.15" parsed="|Acts|2|1|0|0;|Acts|1|14|1|15" passage="Ac 2:1;Ac 1:14,15"><i>v.</i> 1; <i>ch.</i> i. 14, 15</scripRef>.
2. <i>They began to speak with other tongues,</i> besides their
native language, though they had never learned any other. They
spoke not matters of common conversation, but the word of God, and
the praises of his name, <i>as the Spirit gave them utterance,</i>
or gave them to speak
<b><i>apophthengesthai</i></b>—<i>apophthegms,</i> substantial and
weighty sayings, worthy to be had in remembrance. It is probable
that it was not only one that was enabled to speak one language,
and another another (as it was with the several families that were
dispersed from Babel), but that every one was enabled to speak
divers languages, as he should have occasion to use them. And we
may suppose that they understood not only themselves but one
another too, which the builders of Babel did not, <scripRef id="Acts.iii-p14.4" osisRef="Bible:Gen.11.7" parsed="|Gen|11|7|0|0" passage="Ge 11:7">Gen. xi. 7</scripRef>. They did not speak here
and there a word of another tongue, or stammer out some broken
sentences, but spoke it as readily, properly, and elegantly, as if
it had been their mother-tongue; for whatever was produced by
miracle was the best of the kind. They spoke not from any previous
thought or meditation, but <i>as the Spirit gave them
utterance;</i> he furnished them with the matter as well as the
language. Now this was, (1.) A very great miracle; it was a miracle
upon the mind (and so had most of the nature of a gospel miracle),
for in the mind words are framed. They had not only never learned
these languages, but had never learned any foreign tongue, which
might have facilitated these; nay, for aught that appears, they had
never so much as heard these languages spoken, nor had any idea of
them. They were neither scholars nor travellers, nor had had any
opportunity of learning languages either by books or conversation.
Peter indeed was forward enough to speak in his own tongue, but the
rest of them were no spokesmen, nor were they quick of
apprehension; yet now not only <i>the heart of the rash understands
knowledge, but the tongue of the stammerers is ready to speak
eloquently,</i> <scripRef id="Acts.iii-p14.5" osisRef="Bible:Isa.32.4" parsed="|Isa|32|4|0|0" passage="Isa 32:4">Isa. xxxii.
4</scripRef>. When Moses complained, <i>I am slow of speech,</i>
God said, <i>I will be with thy mouth,</i> and <i>Aaron shall be
thy spokesman.</i> But he did more for these messengers of his: he
that made man's mouth new-made theirs. (2.) A very proper, needful,
and serviceable miracle. The language the disciples spoke was
Syriac, a dialect of the Hebrew; so that it was necessary that they
should be endued with the gift, for the understanding both of the
original Hebrew of the Old Testament, in which it was written, and
of the original Greek of the New Testament, in which it was to be
written. But this was not all; they were commissioned to <i>preach
the gospel to every creature, to disciple all nations.</i> But here
is an insuperable difficulty at the threshold. How shall they
master the several languages so as to speak intelligibly to all
nations? It will be the work of a man's life to learn their
languages. And therefore, to prove that Christ could give authority
to preach to the nations, he gives ability to preach to them in
their own language. And it should seem that this was the
accomplishment of that promise which Christ made to his disciples
(<scripRef id="Acts.iii-p14.6" osisRef="Bible:John.14.12" parsed="|John|14|12|0|0" passage="Joh 14:12">John xiv. 12</scripRef>), <i>Greater
works than these shall you do.</i> For this may well be reckoned,
all things considered, a greater work than the miraculous cures
Christ wrought. Christ himself did not speak with other tongues,
nor did he enable his disciples to do so while he was with them:
but it was the first effect of the <i>pouring out of the Spirit</i>
upon them. And archbishop Tillotson thinks it probable that if the
conversion of infidels to Christianity were now sincerely and
vigorously attempted, by men of honest minds, God would
extraordinarily countenance such an attempt with all fitting
assistance, as he did the first publication of the gospel.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Acts.iii-p14.7" osisRef="Bible:Acts.2.5-Acts.2.13" parsed="|Acts|2|5|2|13" passage="Ac 2:5-13" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Acts.2.5-Acts.2.13">
<h4 id="Acts.iii-p14.8">The Day of Pentecost.</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Acts.iii-p15">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 Galilæans?
  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 Judæa, 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?   13 Others mocking said, These men are full of new
wine.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Acts.iii-p16">We have here an account of the public
notice that was taken of this extraordinary gift with which the
disciples were all on a sudden endued. Observe,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Acts.iii-p17">I. The great concourse of people that there
was now at Jerusalem, it should seem more than was usual at the
feast of pentecost. <i>There were dwelling</i> or abiding <i>at
Jerusalem</i> Jews that were <i>devout men,</i> disposed to
religion, and that had the fear of God before their eyes (so the
word properly signifies), some of them <i>proselytes of
righteousness,</i> that were circumcised, and admitted members of
the Jewish church, others only <i>proselytes of the gate,</i> that
forsook idolatry, and gave up themselves to the worship of the true
God, but not to the ceremonial law; some of those that were at
Jerusalem now, <i>out of every nation under heaven,</i> whither the
Jews were dispersed, or whence proselytes were come. The expression
is hyperbolical, denoting that there were some from most of the
then known parts of the world; as much as ever Tyre was, or London
is, the rendezvous of trading people from all parts, Jerusalem at
that time was of religious people from all parts. Now, 1. We may
here see what were some of those countries whence those strangers
came (<scripRef id="Acts.iii-p17.1" osisRef="Bible:Acts.2.9-Acts.2.11" parsed="|Acts|2|9|2|11" passage="Ac 2:9-11"><i>v.</i> 9-11</scripRef>),
some from the eastern countries, as the <i>Parthians, Medes,
Elamites, and dwellers in Mesopotamia,</i> the posterity of Shem;
thence we come in order to Judea, which ought to be mentioned,
because, though the language of those in Judea was the same with
that which the disciples spoke, yet, before, they spoke it with the
north-country tone and dialect (<i>Thou art a Galilean, and thy
speech betrays thee</i>), but now they spoke it as correctly as the
inhabitants of Judea themselves did. Next come the inhabitants of
Cappadocia, Pontus, and that country about Propontis which was
particularly called <i>Asia,</i> and these were the countries in
which those strangers were scattered to whom St. Peter writes.
<scripRef id="Acts.iii-p17.2" osisRef="Bible:1Pet.1.1" parsed="|1Pet|1|1|0|0" passage="1Pe 1:1">1 Pet. i. 1</scripRef>. Next come the
dwellers in <i>Phrygia and Pamphylia,</i> which lay westward, the
posterity of Japhet, as were also the <i>strangers of Rome;</i>
there were some also that dwelt in the southern parts of <i>Egypt,
in the parts of Libya about Cyrene;</i> there were also some from
the island of Crete, and some from the deserts of Arabia; but they
were all either Jews originally, dispersed into those countries; or
<i>proselytes</i> to the Jewish religion, but natives of those
countries. Dr. Whitby observes that the Jewish writers about this
time, as Philo and Josephus, speak of the Jews as <i>dwelling every
where through the whole earth;</i> and that <i>there is not a
people upon earth among whom some Jews do not inhabit.</i> 2. We
may enquire what brought all those Jews and proselytes together to
Jerusalem at this time: not to make a transient visit thither to
the feast of pentecost, for they are said to dwell there. They took
lodgings there, because there was at this time a general
expectation of the appearing of the Messiah; for Daniel's weeks had
just now expired, the sceptre had departed from Judah, and it was
then generally thought that <i>the kingdom of God would immediately
appear,</i> <scripRef id="Acts.iii-p17.3" osisRef="Bible:Luke.19.11" parsed="|Luke|19|11|0|0" passage="Lu 19:11">Luke xix. 11</scripRef>.
This brought those who were most zealous and devout to Jerusalem,
to sojourn there, that they might have an early share in the
kingdom of the Messiah and the blessings of that kingdom.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Acts.iii-p18">II. The amazement with which these
strangers were seized when they heard the disciples speak in their
own tongues. It should seem, the disciples spoke in various
languages before the people of those languages came to them; for it
is intimated (<scripRef id="Acts.iii-p18.1" osisRef="Bible:Acts.2.6" parsed="|Acts|2|6|0|0" passage="Ac 2:6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>)
that the spreading of the report of this abroad was that which
<i>brought the multitude together,</i> especially those of
different countries, who seem to have been more affected with this
work of wonder than the inhabitants of Jerusalem themselves.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Acts.iii-p19">1. They observe that the speakers are all
Galileans, that know no other than their mother tongue (<scripRef id="Acts.iii-p19.1" osisRef="Bible:Acts.2.7" parsed="|Acts|2|7|0|0" passage="Ac 2:7"><i>v.</i> 7</scripRef>); they are despicable men,
from whom nothing learned nor polite is to be expected. God chose
the weak and foolish things of the world to confound the wise and
mighty. Christ was thought to be a Galilean, and his disciples
really were so, unlearned and ignorant men.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Acts.iii-p20">2. They acknowledge that they spoke
intelligibly and readily their own language (which they were the
most competent judges of), so correctly and fluently that none of
their own countrymen could speak it better: <i>We hear every man in
our own tongue wherein we were born</i> (<scripRef id="Acts.iii-p20.1" osisRef="Bible:Acts.2.8" parsed="|Acts|2|8|0|0" passage="Ac 2:8"><i>v.</i> 8</scripRef>), that is, we hear one or other of
them speak our native language. The Parthians hear one of them
speak their language, the Medes hear another of them speak theirs;
and so of the rest; <scripRef id="Acts.iii-p20.2" osisRef="Bible:Acts.2.11" parsed="|Acts|2|11|0|0" passage="Ac 2:11"><i>v.</i>
11</scripRef>, <i>We do hear them speak in our tongues the
wonderful works of God.</i> Their respective languages were not
only unknown at Jerusalem, but probably despised and undervalued,
and therefore it was not only a surprise, but a pleasing surprise,
to them to hear the language of their own country spoken, as it
naturally is to those that are strangers in a strange land. (1.)
The things they heard the apostles discourse of were the
<i>wonderful works of God,</i> <b><i>megaleia tou
Theou</i></b>—<i>Magnalia Dei, the great things of God.</i> It is
probable that the apostles spoke of Christ, and redemption by him,
and the grace of the gospel; and these are indeed the <i>great
things of God,</i> which will be for ever <i>marvellous in our
eyes.</i> (2.) They heard them both praise God for these great
things and instruct the people concerning these things, <i>in their
own tongue,</i> according as they perceived the language of their
hearers, or those that enquired of them, to be. Now though,
perhaps, by dwelling some time at Jerusalem, they were got to be so
much masters of the Jewish language that they could have understood
the meaning of the disciples if they had spoken that language, yet,
[1.] This was more strange, and helped to convince their judgment,
that this doctrine was of God; for <i>tongues were for a sign</i>
to those that believed not, <scripRef id="Acts.iii-p20.3" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.14.22" parsed="|1Cor|14|22|0|0" passage="1Co 14:22">1 Cor.
xiv. 22</scripRef>. [2.] It was more kind, and helped to engage
their affections, as it was a plain indication of the favour
intended to the Gentiles, and that the knowledge and worship of God
should no longer be confined to the Jews, but the partition-wall
should be broken down; and this is to us a plain intimation of the
mind and will of God, that the sacred records of God's wonderful
works should be preserved by all nations <i>in their own
tongue;</i> that the scriptures should be read, and public worship
performed, in the vulgar languages of the nations.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Acts.iii-p21">3. They wonder at it, and look upon it as
an astonishing thing (<scripRef id="Acts.iii-p21.1" osisRef="Bible:Acts.2.12" parsed="|Acts|2|12|0|0" passage="Ac 2:12"><i>v.</i>
12</scripRef>): <i>They were all amazed,</i> they were in an
<i>ecstacy,</i> so the word is; and they were in doubt what the
meaning of it was, and whether it was to introduce the kingdom of
the Messiah, which they were big with the expectation of; they
asked themselves and one another <b><i>ti an theloi touto
einai</i></b>;—<i>Quid hoc sibi vult?—What is the tendency of
this?</i> Surely it is to dignify, and so to distinguish, these men
as messengers from heaven; and therefore, like Moses at the bush,
they will <i>turn aside, and see this great sight.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Acts.iii-p22">III. The scorn which some made of it who
were natives of Judea and Jerusalem, probably the scribes and
Pharisees, and chief priests, who always resisted the Holy Ghost;
they said, <i>These men are full of new wine,</i> or <i>sweet
wine;</i> they have drunk too much this festival-time, <scripRef id="Acts.iii-p22.1" osisRef="Bible:Acts.2.13" parsed="|Acts|2|13|0|0" passage="Ac 2:13"><i>v.</i> 13</scripRef>. Not that they were so
absurd as to think that wine in the head would enable men to speak
languages which they never learned; but these, being native Jews,
knew not, as the others did, that what was spoken was really the
languages of other nations, and therefore took it to be gibberish
and nonsense, such as drunkards, those <i>fools in Israel,</i>
sometimes talk. As when they resolved not to believe the finger of
the Spirit in Christ's miracles, they turned it off with this, "He
casteth out devils by compact with the prince of the devils;" so,
when they resolved not to believe the voice of the Spirit in the
apostles' preaching, they turned it off with this, <i>These men are
full of new wine.</i> And, if they called the Master of the house a
wine-bibber, no marvel if they so call those of his household.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Acts.iii-p22.2" osisRef="Bible:Acts.2.14-Acts.2.36" parsed="|Acts|2|14|2|36" passage="Ac 2:14-36" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Acts.2.14-Acts.2.36">
<h4 id="Acts.iii-p22.3">Peter's Sermon at Jerusalem.</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Acts.iii-p23">14 But Peter, standing up with the eleven,
lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judæa, and all
<i>ye</i> 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 <i>but</i> 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 show 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, <i>that</i> whosoever
shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.   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 <i>and</i> 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 <span class="smallcaps" id="Acts.iii-p23.1">Lord</span> 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.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Acts.iii-p24">We have here the first-fruits of the Spirit
in the sermon which Peter preached immediately, directed, not to
those of other nations in a strange language (we are not told what
answer he gave to those that were amazed, and said, <i>What meaneth
this?</i>) but to the Jews in the vulgar language, even to those
that mocked; for he begins with the notice of that (<scripRef id="Acts.iii-p24.1" osisRef="Bible:Acts.2.15" parsed="|Acts|2|15|0|0" passage="Ac 2:15"><i>v.</i> 15</scripRef>), and addresses his
discourse (<scripRef id="Acts.iii-p24.2" osisRef="Bible:Acts.2.14" parsed="|Acts|2|14|0|0" passage="Ac 2:14"><i>v.</i> 14</scripRef>)
<i>to the men of Judea and the inhabitants of Jerusalem;</i> but we
have reason enough to think that the other disciples continued to
speak to those who understood them (and therefore flocked about
them), in the languages of their respective countries, <i>the
wonderful works of God.</i> And it was not by Peter's preaching
only, but that of all, or most, of the rest of the hundred and
twenty, <i>that three thousand souls were</i> that day converted,
and added to the church; but Peter's sermon only is recorded, to be
an evidence for him that he was thoroughly recovered from his fall,
and thoroughly restored to the divine favour. He that had
sneakingly denied Christ now as courageously confesses him.
Observe,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Acts.iii-p25">I. His introduction or preface, wherein he
craves the attention of the auditory, or demands it rather:
<i>Peter stood up</i> (<scripRef id="Acts.iii-p25.1" osisRef="Bible:Acts.2.14" parsed="|Acts|2|14|0|0" passage="Ac 2:14"><i>v.</i>
14</scripRef>), to show that he was not drunk, <i>with the
eleven,</i> who concurred with him in what he said, and probably in
their turns spoke likewise to the same purport; those that were of
greatest authority stood up to speak to the scoffing Jews, and to
confront those who contradicted and blasphemed, but left the
seventy disciples to speak to the willing proselytes from other
nations, who were not so prejudiced, in their own language. Thus
among Christ's ministers, some of greater gifts are called out to
instruct those that oppose themselves, to take hold of sword and
spear; others of meaner abilities are employed in instructing those
that resign themselves, and to be vine-dressers and husband-men.
<i>Peter lifted up his voice,</i> as one that was both well assured
of and much affected with what he said, and was neither afraid nor
ashamed to own it. He applied himself to <i>the men of Judea,</i>
<b><i>andres Ioudaioi</i></b>—<i>the men that were Jews;</i> so it
should be read; "and you especially <i>that dwell at Jerusalem,</i>
who were accessory to the death of Jesus, <i>be this known unto
you,</i> which you did not know before, and which you are concerned
to know now, <i>and hearken to my words,</i> who would draw you to
Christ, and not to the words of the scribes and Pharisees, that
would draw you from him. My Master is gone, whose words you have
often heard in vain, and shall hear no more as you have done, but
he speaks to you by us; hearken now to our words."</p>
<p class="indent" id="Acts.iii-p26">II. His answer to their blasphemous calumny
(<scripRef id="Acts.iii-p26.1" osisRef="Bible:Acts.2.15" parsed="|Acts|2|15|0|0" passage="Ac 2:15"><i>v.</i> 15</scripRef>): "<i>These
men are not drunken, as you suppose.</i> These disciples of Christ,
that now <i>speak with other tongues,</i> speak good sense, and
know what they say, and so do those they speak to, who are led by
their discourses into the knowledge of <i>the wonderful works of
God.</i> You cannot think they are drunk, for <i>it is but the
third hour of the day,</i>" nine of the clock in the morning; and
before this time, on the sabbaths and solemn feasts, the Jews did
not eat nor drink: nay, ordinarily, <i>those that are drunk are
drunk in the night,</i> and not in the morning; those are besotted
drunkards indeed who, <i>when they awake,</i> immediately <i>seek
it yet again,</i> <scripRef id="Acts.iii-p26.2" osisRef="Bible:Prov.23.35" parsed="|Prov|23|35|0|0" passage="Pr 23:35">Prov. xxiii.
35</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Acts.iii-p27">III. His account of the miraculous effusion
of the Spirit, which is designed to awaken them all to embrace the
faith of Christ, and to join themselves to his church. Two things
he resolves it into:—that it was the fulfilling of the scripture,
and the fruit of Christ's resurrection and ascension, and
consequently the proof of both.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Acts.iii-p28">1. That it was the accomplishment of the
prophecies of the Old Testament which related to the kingdom of the
Messiah, and therefore an evidence that this kingdom is come, and
the other predictions of it are fulfilled. He specifies one, that
of <i>the prophet Joel,</i> <scripRef id="Acts.iii-p28.1" osisRef="Bible:Acts.2.28" parsed="|Acts|2|28|0|0" passage="Ac 2:28"><i>ch.</i>
ii. 28</scripRef>. It is observable that though Peter <i>was filled
with the Holy Ghost, and spoke with tongues as the Spirit gave him
utterance,</i> yet he did not set aside the scriptures, nor think
himself above them; nay, much of his discourse is quotation out of
the Old Testament, to which he appeals, and with which he proves
what he says. Christ's scholars never learn above their Bible; and
the Spirit is given not to supersede the scriptures, but to enable
us to understand and improve the scriptures. Observe,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Acts.iii-p29">(1.) The text itself that Peter quotes,
<scripRef id="Acts.iii-p29.1" osisRef="Bible:Acts.2.17-Acts.2.21" parsed="|Acts|2|17|2|21" passage="Ac 2:17-21"><i>v.</i> 17-21</scripRef>. It
refers to <i>the last days,</i> the times of the gospel, which are
called <i>the last days</i> because the dispensation of God's
kingdom among men, which the gospel sets up, is the last
dispensation of divine grace, and we are to look for no other than
the continuation of this to the end of time. Or, <i>in the last
days,</i> that is, a great while after the ceasing of prophecy in
the Old-Testament church. Or, in the days immediately preceding the
destruction of the Jewish nation, in the last days of that people,
just before <i>that great and notable day of the Lord</i> spoken
of, <scripRef id="Acts.iii-p29.2" osisRef="Bible:Acts.2.20" parsed="|Acts|2|20|0|0" passage="Ac 2:20"><i>v.</i> 20</scripRef>. "It was
prophesied of and promised, and therefore you ought to expect it,
and not to be surprised at it; to desire it, and bid it welcome,
and not to dispute it, as not worth taking notice of." The apostle
quotes the whole paragraph, for it is good to take scripture
entire; now it was foretold,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Acts.iii-p30">[1.] That there should be a more plentiful
and extensive effusion of the Spirit of grace from on high than had
ever yet been. The prophets of the Old Testament had been <i>filled
with the Holy Ghost,</i> and it was said of the people of Israel
<i>that God gave them his good Spirit to instruct them,</i>
<scripRef id="Acts.iii-p30.1" osisRef="Bible:Neh.9.20" parsed="|Neh|9|20|0|0" passage="Ne 9:20">Neh. ix. 20</scripRef>. But now <i>the
Spirit shall be poured out,</i> not only upon the Jews, but <i>upon
all flesh,</i> Gentiles as well as Jews, though yet Peter himself
did not understand it so, as appears, <scripRef id="Acts.iii-p30.2" osisRef="Bible:Acts.11.17" parsed="|Acts|11|17|0|0" passage="Ac 11:17"><i>ch.</i> xi. 17</scripRef>. Or, <i>upon all flesh,</i>
that is, upon some of all ranks and conditions of men. The Jewish
doctors taught that the Spirit came only upon wise and rich men,
and such as were of the seed of Israel; but God will not tie
himself to their rules.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Acts.iii-p31">[2.] That the Spirit should be in them a
Spirit of prophecy; by the Spirit they should be enabled to foretel
things to come, and to <i>preach the gospel to every creature.</i>
This power shall be given without distinction of sex—now only
<i>your sons,</i> but <i>your daughters shall prophesy;</i> without
distinction of age—both <i>your young men and your old men shall
see visions, and dream dreams,</i> and in them receive divine
revelations, to be communicated to the church; and without
distinction of outward condition—even the <i>servants and
handmaids</i> shall receive of <i>the Spirit, and shall
prophesy</i> (<scripRef id="Acts.iii-p31.1" osisRef="Bible:Acts.2.18" parsed="|Acts|2|18|0|0" passage="Ac 2:18"><i>v.</i> 18</scripRef>);
or, in general, men and women, whom God calls his servants and his
handmaids. In the beginning of the age of prophecy in the Old
Testament there were <i>schools of the prophets,</i> and, before
that, <i>the Spirit of prophecy</i> came upon <i>the elders of
Israel</i> that were appointed to the government; but now the
Spirit shall be poured out upon persons of inferior rank, and such
as were not brought up in the schools of the prophets, for the
kingdom of the Messiah is to be purely spiritual. The mention of
<i>the daughters</i> (<scripRef id="Acts.iii-p31.2" osisRef="Bible:Acts.2.17" parsed="|Acts|2|17|0|0" passage="Ac 2:17"><i>v.</i>
17</scripRef>) and <i>the handmaidens</i> (<scripRef id="Acts.iii-p31.3" osisRef="Bible:Acts.2.18" parsed="|Acts|2|18|0|0" passage="Ac 2:18"><i>v.</i> 18</scripRef>) would make one think that <i>the
women</i> who were taken notice of (<scripRef id="Acts.iii-p31.4" osisRef="Bible:Acts.1.14" parsed="|Acts|1|14|0|0" passage="Ac 1:14"><i>ch.</i> i. 14</scripRef>) received the extraordinary
gifts of the Holy Ghost, as well as the men. Philip, the
evangelist, had <i>four daughters who did prophesy</i> (<scripRef id="Acts.iii-p31.5" osisRef="Bible:Acts.21.9" parsed="|Acts|21|9|0|0" passage="Ac 21:9"><i>ch.</i> xxi. 9</scripRef>), and St. Paul,
finding abundance of the gifts both of tongues and prophecy in the
church of Corinth, saw it needful to prohibit women's use of those
gifts in public, <scripRef id="Acts.iii-p31.6" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.14.26 Bible:1Cor.14.34" parsed="|1Cor|14|26|0|0;|1Cor|14|34|0|0" passage="1Co 14:26,34">1 Cor. xiv. 26,
34</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Acts.iii-p32">[3.] That one great thing which they should
prophesy of should be the judgment that was coming upon the Jewish
nation, for this was the chief thing that Christ himself had
foretold (<scripRef id="Acts.iii-p32.1" osisRef="Bible:Matt.24.1-Matt.24.51" parsed="|Matt|24|1|24|51" passage="Mt 24:1-51">Matt. xxiv.</scripRef>) at
his entrance into Jerusalem (<scripRef id="Acts.iii-p32.2" osisRef="Bible:Luke.19.41" parsed="|Luke|19|41|0|0" passage="Lu 19:41">Luke xix.
41</scripRef>); and when he was going to die (<scripRef id="Acts.iii-p32.3" osisRef="Bible:Luke.23.29" parsed="|Luke|23|29|0|0" passage="Lu 23:29">Luke xxiii. 29</scripRef>); and these judgments were to
be brought upon them to punish for their contempt of the gospel,
and their opposition to it, though it came to them thus proved.
Those that would not submit to the power of God's grace, in this
wonderful effusion of his Spirit, should fall and lie under the
pourings out of the vials of his wrath. Those shall break that will
not bend. <i>First,</i> The destruction of Jerusalem, which was
about forty years after Christ's death, is here called <i>that
great and notable day of the Lord,</i> because it put a final
period to the Mosaic economy; the Levitical priesthood and the
ceremonial law were thereby for ever abolished and done away. The
desolation itself was such as was never brought upon any place or
nation, either before or since. It was <i>the day of the Lord,</i>
for it was the day of his vengeance upon that people for crucifying
Christ, and persecuting his ministers; it was <i>the year of
recompences for that controversy;</i> yea, and for all the blood of
the saints and martyrs, <i>from the blood of righteous Abel,</i>
<scripRef id="Acts.iii-p32.4" osisRef="Bible:Matt.23.35" parsed="|Matt|23|35|0|0" passage="Mt 23:35">Matt. xxiii. 35</scripRef>. It was a
little day of judgment; it was a <i>notable day:</i> in Joel it is
called a <i>terrible day,</i> for so it was to men on earth; but
here <b><i>epiphane</i></b> (after the Septuagint), <i>a glorious,
illustrious</i> day, for so it was to Christ in heaven; it was the
epiphany, his appearing, so he himself spoke of it, <scripRef id="Acts.iii-p32.5" osisRef="Bible:Matt.24.30" parsed="|Matt|24|30|0|0" passage="Mt 24:30">Matt. xxiv. 30</scripRef>. The destruction of
the Jews was the deliverance of the Christians, who were hated and
persecuted by them; and therefore that day was often spoken of by
the prophets of that time, for the encouragement of suffering
Christians, <i>that the Lord was at hand, the coming of the Lord
drew nigh, the Judge stood before the door,</i> <scripRef id="Acts.iii-p32.6" osisRef="Bible:Jas.5.8-Jas.5.9" parsed="|Jas|5|8|5|9" passage="Jam 5:8,9">James v. 8, 9</scripRef>. <i>Secondly,</i> The terrible
presages of that destruction are here foretold: <i>There shall be
wonders in heaven above, the sun turned into darkness and the moon
into blood; and signs</i> too <i>in the earth beneath, blood and
fire.</i> Josephus, in his preface to his history of the wars of
the Jews, speaks of the signs and prodigies that preceded them,
terrible thunders, lightnings, and earthquakes; there was a fiery
comet that hung over the city for a year, and a flaming sword was
seen pointing down upon it; a light shone upon the temple and the
altar at midnight, as if it had been noon-day. Dr. Lightfoot gives
another sense of these presages: <i>The blood of the Son of God,
the fire of the Holy Ghost</i> now appearing, the vapour of the
smoke in which Christ ascended, <i>the sun darkened, and the moon
made blood,</i> at the time of Christ's passion, were all loud
warnings given to that unbelieving people to prepare for the
judgments coming upon them. Or, it may be applied, and very fitly,
to the previous judgments themselves by which that desolation was
brought on. <i>The blood</i> points at the wars of the Jews with
the neighbouring nations, with the Samaritans, Syrians, and Greeks,
in which abundance of blood was shed, as there was also in their
civil wars, and the struggles of the <i>seditious</i> (as they
called them), which were very bloody; there was no peace to him
that went out nor to him that came in. <i>The fire and vapour of
smoke,</i> here foretold, literally came to pass in the burning of
their cities, and towns, and synagogues, and temple at last. And
this turning of <i>the sun into darkness, and the moon into
blood,</i> bespeaks the dissolution of their government, civil and
sacred, and the extinguishing of all their lights. <i>Thirdly,</i>
The signal preservation of the Lord's people is here promised
(<scripRef id="Acts.iii-p32.7" osisRef="Bible:Acts.2.21" parsed="|Acts|2|21|0|0" passage="Ac 2:21"><i>v.</i> 21</scripRef>): <i>Whosoever
shall call upon the name of the Lord Jesus</i> (which is the
description of a true Christian, <scripRef id="Acts.iii-p32.8" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.1.2" parsed="|1Cor|1|2|0|0" passage="1Co 1:2">1 Cor.
i. 2</scripRef>) <i>shall be saved,</i> shall escape that judgment
which shall be a type and earnest of everlasting salvation. In the
destruction of Jerusalem by the Chaldeans, there was a remnant
sealed to be hid in <i>the day of the Lord's anger;</i> and in the
destruction by the Romans not one Christian perished. Those that
distinguish themselves by singular piety shall be distinguished by
special preservation. And observe, the saved remnant are described
by this, that they are a praying people: <i>they call on the name
of the Lord,</i> which intimates that they are not saved by any
merit or righteousness of their own, but purely by the favour of
God, which must be sued out by prayer. It is <i>the name of the
Lord</i> which <i>they call upon</i> that is <i>their strong
tower.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Acts.iii-p33">(2.) The application of this prophecy to
the present event (<scripRef id="Acts.iii-p33.1" osisRef="Bible:Acts.2.16" parsed="|Acts|2|16|0|0" passage="Ac 2:16"><i>v.</i>
16</scripRef>): <i>This is that which was spoken by the prophet
Joel;</i> it is the accomplishment of that, it is the full
accomplishment of it. This is that effusion of the Spirit upon all
flesh which should come, and we are to look for no other, no more
than we are to look for another Messiah; for as our Messiah ever
lives in heaven, reigning and interceding for his church on earth,
so this Spirit of grace, the Advocate, or Comforter, that was given
now, according to the promise, will, according to the same promise,
continue with the church on earth to the end, and will work all its
works in it and for it, and every member of it, ordinary and
extraordinary, by means of the scriptures and the ministry.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Acts.iii-p34">2. That it was the gift of Christ, and the
product and proof of his resurrection and ascension. From this
<i>gift of the Holy Ghost,</i> he takes occasion to preach unto
them Jesus; and this part of his sermon he introduces with another
solemn preface (<scripRef id="Acts.iii-p34.1" osisRef="Bible:Acts.2.22" parsed="|Acts|2|22|0|0" passage="Ac 2:22"><i>v.</i>
22</scripRef>): "<i>You men of Israel, hear these words.</i> It is
a mercy that you are within hearing of them, and it is your duty to
give heed to them." Words concerning Christ should be acceptable
words to the men of Israel. Here is,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Acts.iii-p35">(1.) An abstract of the history of the life
of Christ, <scripRef id="Acts.iii-p35.1" osisRef="Bible:Acts.2.22" parsed="|Acts|2|22|0|0" passage="Ac 2:22"><i>v.</i> 22</scripRef>. He
calls him <i>Jesus of Nazareth,</i> because by that name he was
generally known, but (which was sufficient to roll away that
reproach) he was <i>a man approved of God among you,</i> censured
and condemned by men, but approved of God: God testified his
approbation of his doctrine by the power he gave him to work
miracles: <i>a man marked out by God,</i> so Dr. Hammond reads it;
"signalized and made remarkable among you that now hear me. He was
sent to you, set up, a glorious light in your land; you yourselves
are witnesses how he became famous by <i>miracles, wonders, and
signs,</i> works above the power of nature, out of its ordinary
course, and contrary to it, <i>which God did by him;</i> that is,
which he did by that divine power with which he was clothed, and in
which God plainly went along with him; <i>for no man could do such
works unless God were with him.</i>" See what a stress Peter lays
upon Christ's miracles. [1.] The matter of fact was not to be
denied: "They were done <i>in the midst of you,</i> in the midst of
your country, your city, your solemn assemblies, <i>as you
yourselves also know.</i> You have been eyewitnesses of his
miracles; I appeal to yourselves whether you have any thing to
object against them or can offer any thing to disprove them." [2.]
The inference from them cannot be disputed; the reasoning is as
strong as the evidence; if he did those miracles, certainly God
approved him, <i>declared him to be,</i> what he declared himself
to be, <i>the Son of God</i> and <i>the Saviour of the world;</i>
for the God of truth would never set his seal to a lie.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Acts.iii-p36">(2.) An account of his death and sufferings
which they were witness of also but a few weeks ago; and this was
the greatest miracle of all, that a man approved of God should thus
seem to be abandoned of him; and a man thus approved among the
people, and in the midst of them, should be thus abandoned by them
too. But both these mysteries are here explained (<scripRef id="Acts.iii-p36.1" osisRef="Bible:Acts.2.23" parsed="|Acts|2|23|0|0" passage="Ac 2:23"><i>v.</i> 23</scripRef>), and his death
considered, [1.] As God's act; and in him it was an act of
wonderful grace and wisdom. He <i>delivered him to death;</i> not
only permitted him to be put to death, but gave him up, devoted
him: this is explained <scripRef id="Acts.iii-p36.2" osisRef="Bible:Rom.8.32" parsed="|Rom|8|32|0|0" passage="Ro 8:32">Rom. viii.
32</scripRef>, <i>He delivered him up for us all.</i> And yet he
was approved of God, and there was nothing in this that signified
the disapproving of him; for it was done by <i>the determinate
counsel and foreknowledge of God,</i> in infinite wisdom, and for
holy ends, which Christ himself concurred in, and in the means
leading to them. Thus divine justice must be satisfied, sinners
saved, God and man brought together again, and Christ himself
glorified. It was not only according to the will of God, but
according <i>to the counsel of his will,</i> that he suffered and
died; according to an eternal counsel, which could not be altered.
This reconciled him to the cross: <i>Father, thy will be done;</i>
and <i>Father, glorify thy name;</i> let thy purpose take effect,
and let the great end of it be attained. [2.] As the people's act;
and in them it was an act of prodigious sin and folly; it was
fighting against God to persecute one whom he approved as the
darling of heaven; and fighting against their own mercies to
persecute one that was the greatest blessing of this earth. Neither
God's designing it from eternity, nor his bringing good out of it
to eternity, would in the least excuse their sin; for it was their
voluntary act and deed, from a principle morally evil, and
therefore "they were <i>wicked hands with which you have crucified
and slain</i> him." It is probable that some of those were here
present who had cried, <i>Crucify him, crucify him,</i> or had been
otherwise aiding and abetting in the murder; and Peter knew it.
However, it was justly looked upon as a national act, because done
both by the vote of the great council and by the voice of the great
crowd. It is a rule, <i>Refertur ad universos quod publice fit per
majorem paretm—That which is done publicly by the greater part we
attribute to all.</i> He charges it particularly on them as parts
of the nation on which it would be visited, the more effectually to
bring them to faith and repentance, because that was the only way
to distinguish themselves from the guilty and discharge themselves
from the guilt.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Acts.iii-p37">(3.) An attestation of his resurrection,
which effectually wiped away the reproach of his death (<scripRef id="Acts.iii-p37.1" osisRef="Bible:Acts.2.24" parsed="|Acts|2|24|0|0" passage="Ac 2:24"><i>v.</i> 24</scripRef>): <i>Whom God raised
up;</i> the same that delivered him <i>to death</i> delivers him
<i>from death,</i> and thereby gave a higher approbation of him
than he had done by any other of <i>the signs and wonders wrought
by him,</i> or by all put together. This therefore he insists most
largely upon.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Acts.iii-p38">[1.] He describes his resurrection: God
<i>loosed the pains of death, because it was impossible that he
should be holden of it;</i> <b><i>odinas</i></b>—<i>the sorrows of
death;</i> the word is used for <i>travailing pains,</i> and some
think it signifies <i>the trouble and agony</i> of his soul, in
which <i>it was exceedingly sorrowful, even to the death;</i> from
<i>these pains and sorrows of soul, this travail of soul, the
Father loosed him</i> when at his death he said, <i>It is
finished.</i> Thus Dr. Godwin understands it: "Those terrors which
made Heman's soul lie like <i>the slain</i> (<scripRef id="Acts.iii-p38.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.88.5 Bible:Ps.88.15" parsed="|Ps|88|5|0|0;|Ps|88|15|0|0" passage="Ps 88:5,15">Ps. lxxxviii. 5, 15</scripRef>) had hold of Christ;
but he was too strong for them, and broke through them; this was
<i>the resurrection of his soul</i> (and it is a great thing to
bring a soul <i>out of the depths</i> of spiritual agonies); this
was not leaving his soul in hell; as that which follows, <i>that he
should not see corruption,</i> speaks of the resurrection of his
body; and both together make up the great resurrection." Dr.
Lightfoot gives another sense of this: "Having <i>dissolved the
pains of death,</i> in reference to all that believe in him, God
raised up Christ, and by his resurrection <i>broke all the power of
death,</i> and destroyed its pangs upon his own people. He <i>has
abolished death,</i> has altered the property of it, and, because
<i>it was not possible that he should be</i> long <i>holden of it,
it is not possible that they should be</i> for ever holden." But
most refer this to the resurrection of Christ's body. And death
(says Mr. Baxter) is by privation a penal state, though not
dolorous by positive evil. But Dr. Hammond shows that the
Septuagint, and from them the apostle here, uses the word for
<i>cords</i> and <i>bands</i> (as <scripRef id="Acts.iii-p38.2" osisRef="Bible:Ps.18.4" parsed="|Ps|18|4|0|0" passage="Ps 18:4">Ps.
xviii. 4</scripRef>), to which the metaphor of loosing and being
held best agrees. Christ was imprisoned for our debt, was thrown
into the bands of death; but, divine justice being satisfied, it
was not possible he should be detained there, either by right or by
force; for he had life in himself, and in his own power, and had
conquered the prince of death.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Acts.iii-p39">[2.] He attests the truth of his
resurrection (<scripRef id="Acts.iii-p39.1" osisRef="Bible:Acts.2.32" parsed="|Acts|2|32|0|0" passage="Ac 2:32"><i>v.</i> 32</scripRef>):
<i>God hath raised him up, whereof we all are witnesses</i>—we
apostles, and others our companions, that were intimately
acquainted with him before his death, were intimately conversant
with him after his resurrection, <i>did eat and drink with him.</i>
They <i>received power,</i> by <i>the descent of the Holy Ghost
upon them,</i> on purpose that they might be skilful, faithful, and
courageous witnesses of this thing, notwithstanding their being
charged by his enemies as having stolen him away.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Acts.iii-p40">[3.] He showed it to be the fulfilling of
the scripture, and, because the scripture had said that he must
rise again before he saw corruption, therefore <i>it was impossible
that he should be holden</i> by <i>death</i> and <i>the grave; for
David speaks</i> of his being raised, so it comes in, <scripRef id="Acts.iii-p40.1" osisRef="Bible:Acts.2.25" parsed="|Acts|2|25|0|0" passage="Ac 2:25"><i>v.</i> 25</scripRef>. The scripture he refers
to is that of David (<scripRef id="Acts.iii-p40.2" osisRef="Bible:Ps.16.8-Ps.16.11" parsed="|Ps|16|8|16|11" passage="Ps 16:8-11">Ps. xvi.
8-11</scripRef>), which, though in part applicable to David as a
saint, yet refers chiefly to Jesus Christ, of whom David was a
type. Here is,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Acts.iii-p41"><i>First,</i> The text quoted at large
(<scripRef id="Acts.iii-p41.1" osisRef="Bible:Acts.2.25-Acts.2.28" parsed="|Acts|2|25|2|28" passage="Ac 2:25-28"><i>v.</i> 25-28</scripRef>), for it
was all fulfilled in him, and shows us, 1. The constant regard that
our Lord Jesus had to his Father in his whole undertaking: <i>I
foresaw the Lord before me continually.</i> He set before him his
Father's glory as his end in all—<i>for he saw</i> that his
sufferings would redound abundantly to the honour of God, and would
issue in his own joy; these were <i>set before him,</i> and these
he had an eye to, in all he did and suffered; and with the prospect
of these he was borne up and carried on, <scripRef id="Acts.iii-p41.2" osisRef="Bible:John.13.31-John.13.32 Bible:John.17.4-John.17.5" parsed="|John|13|31|13|32;|John|17|4|17|5" passage="Joh 13:31,32,17:4,5">John xiii. 31, 32; xvii. 4, 5</scripRef>. 2.
The assurance he had of his Father's presence and power going along
with him: "<i>He is on my right hand,</i> the hand of action,
strengthening, guiding, and upholding that, <i>that I should not be
moved,</i> nor driven off from my undertaking, notwithstanding the
hardships I must undergo." This was an article of the covenant of
redemption (<scripRef id="Acts.iii-p41.3" osisRef="Bible:Ps.89.21" parsed="|Ps|89|21|0|0" passage="Ps 89:21">Ps. lxxxix.
21</scripRef>), <i>With him my hand shall be established, my arm
also shall strengthen him;</i> and therefore he is confident the
work shall not miscarry in his hand. If God be at our right hand we
shall not be moved. 3. The cheerfulness with which our Lord Jesus
went on in his work, notwithstanding the sorrows he was to pass
through: "Being satisfied <i>that I shall not be moved,</i> but the
good pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in my hand, therefore
<i>doth my heart rejoice, and my tongue is glad,</i> and the
thought of my sorrow is as nothing to me." Note, It was a constant
pleasure to our Lord Jesus to look <i>to the end of his work,</i>
and to be sure that the issue would be glorious; so well pleased is
he with his undertaking that it does his heart good to think how
the issue would answer the design. <i>He rejoiced in spirit,</i>
<scripRef id="Acts.iii-p41.4" osisRef="Bible:Luke.10.21" parsed="|Luke|10|21|0|0" passage="Lu 10:21">Luke x. 21</scripRef>. <i>My tongue
was glad.</i> In the psalm it is, <i>My glory rejoiceth;</i> which
intimates that our tongue is our glory, the faculty of speaking is
an honour to us, and never more so than when it is employed in
praising God. Christ's <i>tongue was glad,</i> for when he was just
entering upon his sufferings, in the close of his last supper, he
<i>sang a hymn.</i> 4. The pleasing prospect he had of the happy
issue of his death and sufferings; it was this that carried him,
not only with courage, but with cheerfulness, through them; he was
putting off the body, but <i>my flesh shall rest;</i> the grave
shall be to the body, while it lies there, a bed of repose, and
hope shall give it a sweet repose; <i>it shall rest in hope,</i>
<b><i>hoti,</i></b> <i>that thou wilt not leave my soul in hell;</i>
what follows is the matter of his hope, or assurance rather, (1.)
That the soul shall not continue in a state of separation from the
body; for, besides that this is some uneasiness to a human soul
made for its body, it would be the continuance of death's triumph
over him who was in truth a conqueror over death: "<i>Thou wilt not
leave my soul in hell</i>" (in <i>hades,</i> in <i>the invisible
state,</i> so <i>hades</i> properly signifies); "but, though thou
suffer it for a time to remove thither, and to remain there, yet
thou wilt remand it; <i>thou wilt not leave it</i> there, as thou
dost the souls of other men." (2.) That the body shall lie but a
little while in the grave: <i>Thou wilt not suffer thy Holy One to
see corruption;</i> the body shall not continue dead so long as to
begin to putrefy or become noisome; and therefore it must return to
life on or before the third day after its death. Christ was God's
<i>Holy One,</i> sanctified and set apart to his service in the
work of redemption; he must die, for he must be <i>consecrated by
his own blood;</i> but he must <i>not see corruption,</i> for his
death was to be unto God <i>of a sweet smelling savour.</i> This
was typified by the law concerning the sacrifice, <i>that no part
of the flesh of the sacrifice which was to be eaten should be kept
till the third day,</i> for fear it should see corruption and begin
to putrefy, <scripRef id="Acts.iii-p41.5" osisRef="Bible:Lev.7.15-Lev.7.18" parsed="|Lev|7|15|7|18" passage="Le 7:15-18">Lev. vii.
15-18</scripRef>. (3.) That his death and sufferings should be, not
to him only, but to all his, an inlet to a blessed immortality:
"<i>Thou has made known to me the ways of life,</i> and by me made
them known to the world, and laid them open." When <i>the Father
gave to the Son to have life in himself, a power to lay down his
life and to take it again,</i> then he showed him <i>the way of
life,</i> both to and fro; <i>the gates of death were open to him
and the doors of the shadow of death</i> (<scripRef id="Acts.iii-p41.6" osisRef="Bible:Job.38.17" parsed="|Job|38|17|0|0" passage="Job 38:17">Job xxxviii. 17</scripRef>), to pass and repass through
them, as his occasion led him, for man's redemption. (4.) That all
his sorrows and sufferings should end in perfect and perpetual
felicity: <i>Thou shalt make me full of joy with thy
countenance.</i> The reward set before him was <i>joy,</i> a
<i>fulness of joy,</i> and that in God's <i>countenance,</i> in the
countenance he gave to his undertaking, and to all those, for his
sake, that should believe in him. The smiles with which the Father
received him, when, at his ascension, he was <i>brought to the
Ancient of days,</i> filled him <i>with joy unspeakable,</i> and
that is <i>the joy of our Lord,</i> into which all his shall enter,
and in which they shall be for ever happy.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Acts.iii-p42"><i>Secondly,</i> The comment upon this
text, especially so much of it as relates to the resurrection of
Christ. He addresses himself to them with a title of respect,
<i>Men and brethren,</i> <scripRef id="Acts.iii-p42.1" osisRef="Bible:Acts.2.29" parsed="|Acts|2|29|0|0" passage="Ac 2:29"><i>v.</i>
29</scripRef>. "You are men, and therefore should be ruled by
reason; you are brethren, and therefore should take kindly what is
said to you by one who, being nearly related to you, is heartily
concerned for you, and wishes you well. Now, give me leave
<i>freely to speak to you concerning the patriarch David,</i> and
let it be no offence to you if I tell you that David cannot be
understood here as speaking of himself, but of the Christ to come."
David is here called a patriarch, because he was the father of the
royal family, and a man of great note and eminency in his
generation, and whose name and memory were justly very precious.
Now when we read that psalm of his, we must consider, 1. That he
could not say <i>that of himself,</i> for <i>he died, and was
buried, and his sepulchre remained in Jerusalem till now,</i> when
Peter spoke this, and his bones and ashes in it. Nobody ever
pretended that he had risen, and therefore he could never say of
himself that he <i>should not see corruption;</i> for it was plain
he did see corruption. St. Paul urges this, <scripRef id="Acts.iii-p42.2" osisRef="Bible:Acts.13.35-Acts.13.37" parsed="|Acts|13|35|13|37" passage="Ac 13:35-37"><i>ch.</i> xiii. 35-37</scripRef>. Though he <i>was a
man after God's own heart, yet he went the way of all the
earth,</i> as he saith himself (<scripRef id="Acts.iii-p42.3" osisRef="Bible:1Kgs.2.2" parsed="|1Kgs|2|2|0|0" passage="1Ki 2:2">1 Kings
ii. 2</scripRef>), both in death and burial. 2. Therefore certainly
he spoke <i>it as a prophet,</i> with an eye to the Messiah, whose
sufferings the prophets testified beforehand, and with them <i>the
glory that should follow;</i> so did David in that psalm, as Peter
here plainly shows. (1.) David knew that the Messiah should descend
from his loins (<scripRef id="Acts.iii-p42.4" osisRef="Bible:Acts.2.30" parsed="|Acts|2|30|0|0" passage="Ac 2:30"><i>v.</i>
30</scripRef>), <i>that God had sworn to him, that of the fruit of
his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit
on his throne.</i> He promised him a Son, <i>the throne of whose
kingdom should be established for ever,</i> <scripRef id="Acts.iii-p42.5" osisRef="Bible:2Sam.7.12" parsed="|2Sam|7|12|0|0" passage="2Sa 7:12">2 Sam. vii. 12</scripRef>. And it is said (<scripRef id="Acts.iii-p42.6" osisRef="Bible:Ps.132.11" parsed="|Ps|132|11|0|0" passage="Ps 132:11">Ps. cxxxii. 11</scripRef>), <i>God swore it in
truth unto David.</i> When our Lord Jesus was born, it was promised
<i>that the Lord God would give him the throne of his father
David,</i> <scripRef id="Acts.iii-p42.7" osisRef="Bible:Luke.1.32" parsed="|Luke|1|32|0|0" passage="Lu 1:32">Luke i. 32</scripRef>. And
all Israel knew that the Messiah was to be the Son of David, that
is, that, <i>according to the flesh,</i> he should be so by his
human nature; for otherwise, <i>according to the spirit,</i> and by
his divine nature, he was <i>to be David's Lord,</i> not his son.
God having sworn to David that the Messiah, promised to his
fathers, should be his son and successor, the fruit of his loins,
and heir to his throne, he kept this in view, in penning his
psalms. (2.) Christ being <i>the fruit of his loins,</i> and
consequently in his loins when he penned that psalm (as Levi is
said to be in Abraham's loins when he paid <i>tithes to
Melchizedek</i>), if what he says, as in his own person, be not
applicable to himself (as it is plain that it is not), we must
conclude it points to that son of his that was then in his loins,
in whom his family and kingdom were to have their perfection and
perpetuity; and therefore, when he says that <i>his soul should not
be left in its separate state, nor his flesh see corruption,</i>
without doubt he must be understood to speak of the resurrection of
Christ, <scripRef id="Acts.iii-p42.8" osisRef="Bible:Acts.2.31" parsed="|Acts|2|31|0|0" passage="Ac 2:31"><i>v.</i> 31</scripRef>. And as
<i>Christ died,</i> so <i>he rose again, according to the
scriptures;</i> and <i>that he did so we are witnesses.</i> (3.)
Here is a glance at his ascension too. As David did not rise from
the dead, so neither did he <i>ascend into the heavens,</i> bodily,
as Christ did, <scripRef id="Acts.iii-p42.9" osisRef="Bible:Acts.2.34" parsed="|Acts|2|34|0|0" passage="Ac 2:34"><i>v.</i> 34</scripRef>.
And further, to prove that when he spoke of the resurrection he
meant it of Christ, he observes that when in another psalm he
speaks of the next step of his exaltation he plainly shows that he
spoke of another person, and such another as was his Lord
(<scripRef id="Acts.iii-p42.10" osisRef="Bible:Ps.110.1" parsed="|Ps|110|1|0|0" passage="Ps 110:1">Ps. cx. 1</scripRef>): "<i>The Lord
said unto my Lord,</i> when he had raised him from the dead, <i>Sit
thou at my right hand,</i> in the highest dignity and dominion
there; be thou entrusted with the administration of the kingdom
both of providence and grace; <i>sit there</i> as king, <i>until I
make thy foes</i> either thy friends or <i>thy footstool,</i>"
<scripRef id="Acts.iii-p42.11" osisRef="Bible:Acts.2.35" parsed="|Acts|2|35|0|0" passage="Ac 2:35"><i>v.</i> 35</scripRef>. Christ rose
from the grave to rise higher, and therefore it must be of his
resurrection that David spoke, and not his own, in the <scripRef id="Acts.iii-p42.12" osisRef="Bible:Ps.16.1-Ps.16.11" parsed="|Ps|16|1|16|11" passage="Ps 16:1-11">16th Psalm</scripRef>; for there was no
occasion for him to rise out of his grave who was not to ascend to
heaven.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Acts.iii-p43">(4.) The application of this discourse
concerning the death, resurrection, and ascension of Christ.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Acts.iii-p44">[1.] This explains the meaning of the
present wonderful effusion of the Spirit in those extraordinary
gifts. Some of the people had asked (<scripRef id="Acts.iii-p44.1" osisRef="Bible:Acts.2.12" parsed="|Acts|2|12|0|0" passage="Ac 2:12"><i>v.</i> 12</scripRef>), <i>What meaneth this?</i> I
will tell you the meaning of it, says Peter. <i>This Jesus being
exalted to the right hand of God,</i> so some read it, to sit
there; <i>exalted by the right hand of God,</i> so we read it, by
his power and authority—it comes all to one; and <i>having
received of the Father,</i> to whom he has ascended, <i>the promise
of the Holy Ghost,</i> he hath given what he received (<scripRef id="Acts.iii-p44.2" osisRef="Bible:Ps.68.18" parsed="|Ps|68|18|0|0" passage="Ps 68:18">Ps. lxviii. 18</scripRef>), and <i>hath shed
forth this which you now see and hear;</i> for the Holy Ghost was
to be given when Jesus was glorified, and not before, <scripRef id="Acts.iii-p44.3" osisRef="Bible:John.7.39" parsed="|John|7|39|0|0" passage="Joh 7:39">John vii. 39</scripRef>. You see and hear us
speak with tongues that we never learned; probably there was an
observable change in the air of their countenances, which they saw,
as well as heard the change of their voice and language; now this
is from the Holy Ghost, whose coming is an evidence that Jesus is
exalted, and he has <i>received this gift from the Father,</i> to
confer it upon the church, which plainly bespeaks him to be the
Mediator, or middle person between God and the church. <i>The gift
of the Holy Ghost</i> was, <i>First,</i> A performance of divine
promises already made; here it is called <i>the promise of the Holy
Ghost;</i> many <i>exceedingly great and precious promises</i> the
divine power has given us, but this is <i>the promise,</i> by way
of eminency, as that of the Messiah had been, and this is the
promise that includes all the rest; hence God's giving <i>the Holy
Spirit to those that ask him</i> (<scripRef id="Acts.iii-p44.4" osisRef="Bible:Luke.11.13" parsed="|Luke|11|13|0|0" passage="Lu 11:13">Luke
xi. 13</scripRef>) is his giving them all <i>good things,</i>
<scripRef id="Acts.iii-p44.5" osisRef="Bible:Matt.7.11" parsed="|Matt|7|11|0|0" passage="Mt 7:11">Matt. vii. 11</scripRef>. Christ
received <i>the promise of the Holy Ghost,</i> that is, the
promised gift of the Holy Ghost, and has given it to us; for all
<i>the promises are yea and amen in him. Secondly,</i> It was a
pledge of all divine favours further intended; what you now see and
hear is but an earnest of greater things.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Acts.iii-p45">[2.] This proves what you are all bound to
believe, that Christ Jesus is the true Messiah and Saviour of the
world; this he closes his sermon with, as <i>the conclusion of the
whole matter,</i> the <i>quod erat demonstrandum—the truth to be
demonstrated</i> (<scripRef id="Acts.iii-p45.1" osisRef="Bible:Acts.2.36" parsed="|Acts|2|36|0|0" passage="Ac 2:36"><i>v.</i>
36</scripRef>): <i>Therefore let all the house of Israel know
assuredly</i> that this truth has now received its full
confirmation, and we our full commission to publish it, <i>That God
has made that same Jesus whom you have crucified both Lord and
Christ.</i> They were charged to <i>tell no man that he was Jesus
the Christ</i> till after his resurrection (<scripRef id="Acts.iii-p45.2" osisRef="Bible:Matt.16.20 Bible:Matt.17.9" parsed="|Matt|16|20|0|0;|Matt|17|9|0|0" passage="Mt 16:20,17:9">Matt. xvi. 20; xvii. 9</scripRef>); but now it must
be <i>proclaimed on the housetops, to all the house of Israel; he
that hath ears to hear, let him hear it.</i> It is not proposed as
probable, but deposed as certain: <i>Let them know it
assuredly,</i> and know that it is their duty to receive it as <i>a
faithful saying, First,</i> That God has glorified him <i>whom they
have crucified.</i> This aggravates their wickedness, that they
crucified one whom God designed to glorify, and put him to death as
a deceiver who had given such pregnant proofs of his divine
mission; and it magnifies the wisdom and power of God that though
they crucified him, and thought thereby to have put him under an
indelible mark of infamy, yet God had glorified him, and the
indignities they had done him served as a foil to his lustre.
<i>Secondly,</i> That he has glorified him to such a degree as to
make him <i>both Lord and Christ:</i> these signify the same; he is
<i>Lord of all,</i> and he is not a usurper, but is <i>Christ,
anointed</i> to be so. He is <i>one Lord to the Gentiles,</i> who
had had lords many; and <i>to the Jews he is Messiah,</i> which
includes all his offices. He is <i>the king Messiah,</i> as the
Chaldee paraphrast calls him; or, as the angel to Daniel,
<i>Messiah the prince,</i> <scripRef id="Acts.iii-p45.3" osisRef="Bible:Dan.9.25" parsed="|Dan|9|25|0|0" passage="Da 9:25">Dan. ix.
25</scripRef>. This is the great truth of the gospel which we are
to believe, <i>that that same Jesus,</i> the very same <i>that was
crucified at Jerusalem,</i> is he to whom we owe allegiance, and
from whom we are to expect protection, as <i>Lord and
Christ.</i></p>
</div><scripCom id="Acts.iii-p45.4" osisRef="Bible:Acts.2.37-Acts.2.41" parsed="|Acts|2|37|2|41" passage="Ac 2:37-41" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Acts.2.37-Acts.2.41">
<h4 id="Acts.iii-p45.5">Peter's Sermon at Jerusalem.</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Acts.iii-p46">37 Now when they heard <i>this,</i> they were
pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the
apostles, Men <i>and</i> 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,
<i>even</i> 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.   41 Then they that
gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were
added <i>unto them</i> about three thousand souls.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Acts.iii-p47">We have seen the wonderful effect of the
pouring out of the Spirit, in its influence upon the preachers of
the gospel. Peter, in all his life, never spoke at the rate that he
had done now, with such fulness, perspicuity, and power. We are now
to see another blessed fruit of the pouring out of the Spirit in
its influence upon the hearers of the gospel. From the first
delivery of that divine message, it appeared that there was a
divine power going along with it, and <i>it was mighty, through
God,</i> to do wonders: thousands were immediately brought by it to
the <i>obedience of faith;</i> it was <i>the rod of God's strength
sent out of Zion,</i> <scripRef id="Acts.iii-p47.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.110.2-Ps.110.3" parsed="|Ps|110|2|110|3" passage="Ps 110:2,3">Ps. cx. 2,
3</scripRef>. We have here the first-fruits of that vast harvest of
souls which by it were gathered in to Jesus Christ. Come and see,
in these verses, the exalted Redeemer riding forth, in these
chariots of salvation, <i>conquering and to conquer,</i> <scripRef id="Acts.iii-p47.2" osisRef="Bible:Rev.6.2" parsed="|Rev|6|2|0|0" passage="Re 6:2">Rev. vi. 2</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Acts.iii-p48">In these verses we find the word of God the
means of beginning and carrying on a good work of grace in the
hearts of many, <i>the Spirit of the Lord working by it.</i> Let us
see the method of it.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Acts.iii-p49">I. They were startled, and convinced, and
put upon a serious enquiry, <scripRef id="Acts.iii-p49.1" osisRef="Bible:Acts.2.37" parsed="|Acts|2|37|0|0" passage="Ac 2:37"><i>v.</i>
37</scripRef>. <i>When they heard,</i> or <i>having heard,</i>
having patiently heard Peter out, and not given him the
interruption they had been used to give to Christ in his discourses
(this was one good point gained, that they were become attentive to
the word), <i>they were pricked to the heart,</i> or <i>in the
heart,</i> and, under a deep concern and perplexity, applied
themselves to the preachers with this question, <i>What shall we
do?</i> It was very strange that such impressions should be made
upon such hard hearts all of a sudden. They were Jews, bred up in
the opinion of the sufficiency of their religion to save them, had
lately seen this Jesus crucified in weakness and disgrace, and were
told by their rulers that he was a deceiver. Peter had charged them
with having a hand, a <i>wicked hand,</i> in his death, which was
likely to have exasperated them against him; yet, when they heard
this plain scriptural sermon, they were much affected with it.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Acts.iii-p50">1. It put them in pain: <i>They were
pricked in their hearts.</i> We read of those that were <i>cut to
the heart</i> with indignation at the preacher (<scripRef id="Acts.iii-p50.1" osisRef="Bible:Acts.7.54" parsed="|Acts|7|54|0|0" passage="Ac 7:54"><i>ch.</i> vii. 54</scripRef>), but these were <i>pricked
to the heart</i> with indignation at themselves for having been
accessory to the death of Christ. Peter, charging it upon them,
awakened their consciences, touched them to the quick, and the
reflection they now made upon it was as <i>a sword in their
bones,</i> it pierced them as they had pierced Christ. Note,
Sinners, when their eyes are opened, cannot but be <i>pricked to
the heart</i> for sin, cannot but experience an inward uneasiness;
this is having the <i>heart rent</i> (<scripRef id="Acts.iii-p50.2" osisRef="Bible:Joel.2.13" parsed="|Joel|2|13|0|0" passage="Joe 2:13">Joel ii. 13</scripRef>), <i>a broken and contrite
heart,</i> <scripRef id="Acts.iii-p50.3" osisRef="Bible:Ps.51.17" parsed="|Ps|51|17|0|0" passage="Ps 51:17">Ps. li. 17</scripRef>.
Those that are truly sorry for their sins, and ashamed of them, and
afraid of the consequences of them, are <i>pricked to the
heart.</i> A prick in the heart is mortal, and under those
commotions (says Paul) I died, <scripRef id="Acts.iii-p50.4" osisRef="Bible:Rom.7.9" parsed="|Rom|7|9|0|0" passage="Ro 7:9">Rom. vii.
9</scripRef>. "All my good opinion of myself and confidence in
myself failed me."</p>
<p class="indent" id="Acts.iii-p51">2. It put them upon enquiry. <i>Our of the
abundance of the heart,</i> thus pricked, <i>the mouth spoke.</i>
Observe,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Acts.iii-p52">(1.) To whom they thus addressed
themselves: <i>To Peter and to the rest of the apostles,</i> some
to one and some to another; to them they opened their case; by them
they had been convinced, and therefore by them they expect to be
counselled and comforted. They do not appeal from them to the
scribes and Pharisees, to justify them against the apostles'
charge, but apply to them, as owning the charge, and referring the
case to them. They call them <i>men</i> and <i>brethren,</i> as
Peter had called them (<scripRef id="Acts.iii-p52.1" osisRef="Bible:Acts.2.29" parsed="|Acts|2|29|0|0" passage="Ac 2:29"><i>v.</i>
29</scripRef>): it is a style of friendship and love, rather than a
title of honour: "You are men, look upon us with humanity; you are
brethren, look upon us with brotherly love." Note, Ministers are
spiritual physicians; they should be advised with by those whose
consciences are wounded; and it is good for people to be free and
familiar with those ministers, as men and their brethren, who deal
for their souls as for their own.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Acts.iii-p53">(2.) What the address is: <i>What shall we
do?</i> [1.] They speak as men at a stand, that did not know what
to do; in a perfect surprise: "<i>Is that Jesus</i> whom we have
crucified both <i>Lord and Christ?</i> Then what will become of us
who crucified him? We are all undone!" Note, No way of being happy
but by seeing ourselves miserable. When we find ourselves in danger
of being lost for ever, there is hope of our being made for ever,
and not till then. [2.] They speak as men at a point, that were
resolved to do any thing they should be directed to immediately;
they are not for taking time to consider, nor for adjourning the
prosecution of their convictions to a more convenient season, but
desire now to be told what they must do to escape the misery they
were liable to. Note, those that are convinced of sin would gladly
know the way to peace and pardon, <scripRef id="Acts.iii-p53.1" osisRef="Bible:Acts.9.6 Bible:Acts.16.30" parsed="|Acts|9|6|0|0;|Acts|16|30|0|0" passage="Ac 9:6,16:30"><i>ch.</i> ix. 6; xvi. 30</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Acts.iii-p54">II. Peter and the other apostles direct
them in short what they must do, and what in so doing they might
expect, <scripRef id="Acts.iii-p54.1" osisRef="Bible:Acts.2.38-Acts.2.39" parsed="|Acts|2|38|2|39" passage="Ac 2:38,39"><i>v.</i> 38, 39</scripRef>.
Sinners convinced must be encouraged; and that which is broken must
be bound up (<scripRef id="Acts.iii-p54.2" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.34.16" parsed="|Ezek|34|16|0|0" passage="Eze 34:16">Ezek. xxxiv.
16</scripRef>); they must be told that though their case is sad it
is not desperate, there is hope for them.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Acts.iii-p55">1. He here shows them the course they must
take. (1.) <i>Repent;</i> this is a plank after shipwreck. "Let the
sense of this horrid guilt which you have brought upon yourselves
by putting Christ to death awaken you to a penitent reflection upon
all your other sins (as the demand of some one great debt brings to
light all the debts of a poor bankrupt) and to bitter remorse and
sorrow for them" This was the same duty that John the Baptist and
Christ had preached, and now that the Spirit is poured out is it
still insisted on: "<i>Repent, repent;</i> change your mind, change
your way; admit an after-thought." (2.) <i>Be baptized every one of
you in the name of Jesus Christ;</i> that is, "firmly believe the
doctrine of Christ, and submit to his grace and government; and
make an open solemn profession of this, and come under an
engagement to abide by it, by submitting to the ordinance of
baptism; be proselyted to Christ and to his holy religion, and
renounce your infidelity." They must be baptized <i>in the name of
Jesus Christ.</i> They did believe in the Father and the Holy Ghost
speaking by the prophets; but they must also believe in the name of
Jesus, that he is the Christ, the Messias promised to the fathers.
"Take Jesus for your king, and by baptism swear allegiance to him;
take him for your prophet, and hear him; take him for your priest,
to make atonement for you," which seems peculiarly intended here;
for they must be baptized <i>in his name</i> for the <i>remission
of sins</i> upon the score of his righteousness. (3.) This is
pressed upon each particular person: <i>Every one of you.</i> "Even
those of you that have been the greatest sinners, if they repent
and believe, are welcome to be baptized; and those who think they
have been the greatest saints have yet need to repent, and believe,
and be baptized. There is grace enough in Christ for every one of
you, be you ever so many, and grace suited to the case of every
one. Israel of old were baptized unto Moses in the camp, the whole
body of the Israelites together, when they passed <i>through the
cloud</i> and <i>the sea</i> (<scripRef id="Acts.iii-p55.1" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.10.1-1Cor.10.2" parsed="|1Cor|10|1|10|2" passage="1Co 10:1,2">1 Cor.
x. 1, 2</scripRef>), for the covenant of peculiarity was national;
but now <i>every one of you</i> distinctly must be <i>baptized in
the name of the Lord Jesus,</i> and transact for himself in this
great affair." See <scripRef id="Acts.iii-p55.2" osisRef="Bible:Col.1.28" parsed="|Col|1|28|0|0" passage="Col 1:28">Col. i.
28</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Acts.iii-p56">2. He gives them encouragement to take this
course:—(1.) "It shall be for <i>the remission of sins.</i>
Repent of your sin, and it shall not be your ruin; be baptized into
the faith of Christ, and in truth you shall be justified, which you
could never be by the law of Moses. Aim at this, and depend upon
Christ for it, and this you shall have. As the cup in the Lord's
supper is the New Testament in the blood of Christ for the
remission of sins, so baptism is in the name of Christ for the
remission of sins. Be washed, and you shall be washed." (2.) "You
shall <i>receive the gift of the Holy Ghost</i> as well as we; for
it is designed for a general blessing: some of you shall receive
these external gifts, and each of you, if you be sincere in your
faith and repentance, shall receive his internal graces and
comforts, shall be <i>sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise.</i>"
Note, All that receive the remission of sins <i>receive the gift of
the Holy Ghost.</i> All that are justified are sanctified. (3.)
"Your children shall still have, as they have had, an interest in
the covenant, and a title to the external seal of it. Come over to
Christ, to receive those inestimable benefits; for the promise of
the remission of sins, and the gift of the Holy Ghost, is <i>to you
and to your children,</i>" <scripRef id="Acts.iii-p56.1" osisRef="Bible:Acts.2.39" parsed="|Acts|2|39|0|0" passage="Ac 2:39"><i>v.</i>
39</scripRef>. It was very express (<scripRef id="Acts.iii-p56.2" osisRef="Bible:Isa.44.3" parsed="|Isa|44|3|0|0" passage="Isa 44:3">Isa. xliv. 3</scripRef>): <i>I will pour my Spirit upon
thy seed.</i> And (<scripRef id="Acts.iii-p56.3" osisRef="Bible:Isa.59.21" parsed="|Isa|59|21|0|0" passage="Isa 59:21">Isa. lix.
21</scripRef>), <i>My Spirit and my word shall not depart from thy
seed, and thy seed's seed.</i> When God took Abraham into covenant,
he said, <i>I will be a God to thee, and to thy seed</i> (<scripRef id="Acts.iii-p56.4" osisRef="Bible:Gen.17.7" parsed="|Gen|17|7|0|0" passage="Ge 17:7">Gen. xvii. 7</scripRef>); and, accordingly, every
Israelite had his son circumcised at eight days old. Now it is
proper for an Israelite, when he is by baptism to come into a new
dispensation of this covenant, to ask, "What must be done with my
children? Must they be thrown out, or taken in with me?" "Taken in"
(says Peter) "by all means; for the promise, that great promise of
God's being to you a God, is as much to you and to your children
now as ever it was." (4.) "Though the promise is still extended to
your children as it has been, yet it is not, as it has been,
confined to you and them, but the benefit of it is <i>designed</i>
for <i>all that are afar off;</i>" we may add, <i>and their
children,</i> for the blessing of Abraham comes upon the Gentiles,
through Jesus Christ, <scripRef id="Acts.iii-p56.5" osisRef="Bible:Gal.3.14" parsed="|Gal|3|14|0|0" passage="Ga 3:14">Gal. iii.
14</scripRef>. The promise had long pertained to the Israelites
(<scripRef id="Acts.iii-p56.6" osisRef="Bible:Rom.9.4" parsed="|Rom|9|4|0|0" passage="Ro 9:4">Rom. ix. 4</scripRef>); but now it is
sent to <i>those that are afar off,</i> the remotest nations of the
Gentiles, and <i>every one</i> of them too, <i>all that are afar
off.</i> To this general the following limitation must refer,
<i>even as many of them,</i> as many particular persons in each
nation, <i>as the Lord our God shall call</i> effectually into the
fellowship of Jesus Christ. Note, God can make his call to reach
those that are ever so far off, and none come but those whom he
calls.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Acts.iii-p57">III. These directions are followed with a
needful caution (<scripRef id="Acts.iii-p57.1" osisRef="Bible:Acts.2.40" parsed="|Acts|2|40|0|0" passage="Ac 2:40"><i>v.</i>
40</scripRef>): <i>With many other words,</i> to the same purport,
<i>did he testify</i> gospel truths, and exhort to gospel duties;
now that the word began to work he followed it; he had said much in
a little (<scripRef id="Acts.iii-p57.2" osisRef="Bible:Acts.2.38-Acts.2.39" parsed="|Acts|2|38|2|39" passage="Ac 2:38,39"><i>v.</i> 38,
39</scripRef>), and that which, one would think, included all, and
yet he had more to say. When we have heard those words which have
done our souls good, we cannot but wish to hear more, to hear many
more such words. Among other things he said (and it should seem
inculcated it), <i>Save yourselves from this untoward generation.
Be you free</i> from them. The unbelieving Jews were an untoward
generation, perverse and obstinate; they walked contrary to God and
man (<scripRef id="Acts.iii-p57.3" osisRef="Bible:1Thess.2.15" parsed="|1Thess|2|15|0|0" passage="1Th 2:15">1 Thess. ii. 15</scripRef>),
wedded to sin and marked for ruin. Now as to them, 1. "Give
diligence to save yourselves from their ruin, that you may not be
involved in that, and may <i>escape all those things</i>" (as the
Christians did): "<i>Repent, and be baptized;</i> and then you
shall not be sharers in destruction with those with whom you have
been sharers in sin." <i>O gather not my soul with sinners.</i> 2.
"In order to this continue not with them in their sin, persist not
with them in infidelity. <i>Save yourselves,</i> that is, separate
yourselves, distinguish yourselves, from this <i>untoward
generation. Be not rebellious like this rebellious house;</i>
partake not with them in their sins, that you share not with them
in their plagues." Note, To separate ourselves from wicked people
is the only way to save ourselves from them; though we hereby
expose ourselves to their rage and enmity, we really save ourselves
from them; for, if we consider whither they are hastening, we shall
see it is better to have the trouble of swimming against their
stream than the danger of being carried down their stream. Those
that repent of their sins, and give up themselves to Jesus Christ,
must evidence their sincerity by breaking off all intimate society
with wicked people. <i>Depart from me, ye evil doers,</i> is the
language of one that determines to keep <i>the commandments of his
God,</i> <scripRef id="Acts.iii-p57.4" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.115" parsed="|Ps|119|115|0|0" passage="Ps 119:115">Ps. cxix. 115</scripRef>.
We must <i>save ourselves</i> from them, which denotes avoiding
them with dread and holy fear, as we would save ourselves from an
enemy that seeks to destroy us, or from a house infected with the
plague.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Acts.iii-p58">IV. Here is the happy success and issue of
this, <scripRef id="Acts.iii-p58.1" osisRef="Bible:Acts.2.41" parsed="|Acts|2|41|0|0" passage="Ac 2:41"><i>v.</i> 41</scripRef>. The
Spirit wrought with the word, and wrought wonders by it. These same
persons that had many of them been eye-witnesses of the death of
Christ, and the prodigies that attended it, and were not wrought
upon by them, were yet wrought upon by the preaching of the word,
for it is this that is the <i>power of God unto salvation.</i> 1.
They received the word; and <i>then</i> only the word does us good,
when we do receive it, embrace it, and bid it welcome. They
admitted the conviction of it, and accepted the offers of it. 2.
They gladly received it. Herod <i>heard</i> the word gladly, but
these gladly <i>received</i> it, were not only glad that they had
it to receive, but glad that by the grace of God they were enabled
to receive it, though it would be a humbling changing word to them,
and would expose them to the enmity of their countrymen. 3. They
were baptized; believing with the heart, they made confession with
the mouth, and enrolled themselves among the disciples of Christ by
that sacred rite and ceremony which he had instituted. And though
Peter had said, "Be baptized in the name of <i>the Lord Jesus</i>"
(because the doctrine of Christ was the present truth), yet we have
reason to think that, in baptizing them, the whole form Christ
prescribed was used, <i>in the name of the Father, the Son, and the
Holy Ghost.</i> Note, Those that receive the Christian covenant
ought to receive the Christian baptism. 4. Hereby there were added
to the disciples to the number of about <i>three thousand souls
that same day.</i> All those that had received the Holy Ghost had
their tongues at work to preach, and their hands at work to
baptize; for it was time to be busy, when such a harvest was to be
gathered in. The conversion of these three thousand with these
words was a <i>greater work</i> than the feeding of four or five
thousand with a few loaves. Now Israel began to multiply after the
death of our Joseph. They are said to be <i>three thousand
souls</i> (which word is generally used for persons when women and
children are included with men, as <scripRef id="Acts.iii-p58.2" osisRef="Bible:Gen.14.21" parsed="|Gen|14|21|0|0" passage="Ge 14:21">Gen. xiv. 21</scripRef>, <i>margin, Give me the
souls;</i> <scripRef id="Acts.iii-p58.3" osisRef="Bible:Gen.46.27" parsed="|Gen|46|27|0|0" passage="Ge 46:27">Gen. xlvi. 27</scripRef>,
<i>seventy souls</i>), which intimates that those that were here
baptized were not so many men, but so many heads of families as,
with their children and servants baptized, might make up <i>three
thousand souls.</i> These were <i>added to them.</i> Note, Those
who are joined to Christ are added to the disciples of Christ, and
join with them. When we take God for our God, we must take his
people to be our people.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Acts.iii-p58.4" osisRef="Bible:Acts.2.42-Acts.2.47" parsed="|Acts|2|42|2|47" passage="Ac 2:42-47" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Acts.2.42-Acts.2.47">
<h4 id="Acts.iii-p58.5">The Fellowship of the
Disciples.</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Acts.iii-p59">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
<i>men,</i> 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.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Acts.iii-p60">We often speak of the primitive church, and
appeal to it, and to the history of it; in these verses we have the
history of the <i>truly primitive church,</i> of the <i>first
days</i> of it, its state of infancy indeed, but, like that, the
state of its greatest <i>innocence.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Acts.iii-p61">I. They kept close to holy ordinances, and
abounded in all instances of piety and devotion, for Christianity,
admitted in the power of it, will dispose the soul to communion
with God in all those ways wherein he has appointed us to meet him
and promised to meet us.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Acts.iii-p62">1. They were diligent and constant inn
their attendance upon the <i>preaching of the word.</i> They
<i>continued in the apostles' doctrine,</i> and never disowned nor
deserted it; or, as it may be read, <i>they continued constant to
the apostles' teaching</i> or <i>instruction;</i> by <i>baptism</i>
they were discipled to be taught, and they were willing to be
taught. Note, Those who have given up their names to Christ must
make conscience of hearing his word; for thereby we give honour to
him, and build up ourselves in our most holy faith.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Acts.iii-p63">2. They kept up the <i>communion of
saints.</i> They continued <i>in fellowship</i> (<scripRef id="Acts.iii-p63.1" osisRef="Bible:Acts.2.42" parsed="|Acts|2|42|0|0" passage="Ac 2:42"><i>v.</i> 42</scripRef>), and <i>continued daily with one
accord in the temple,</i> <scripRef id="Acts.iii-p63.2" osisRef="Bible:Acts.2.46" parsed="|Acts|2|46|0|0" passage="Ac 2:46"><i>v.</i>
46</scripRef>. They not only had a mutual affection to each other,
but a great deal of mutual conversation with each other; they were
much together. When they withdrew from <i>the untoward</i>
generation, they did not turn hermits, but were very intimate with
one another, and took all occasions to meet; wherever you saw one
disciple, you would see more, like <i>birds of a feather.</i> See
how these Christians love one another. They were concerned for one
another, sympathized with one another, and heartily espoused one
another's interests. They had fellowship with one another in
religious worship. They met <i>in the temple:</i> there was their
rendezvous; for joint-fellowship with God is the best fellowship we
can have with one another, <scripRef id="Acts.iii-p63.3" osisRef="Bible:1John.1.3" parsed="|1John|1|3|0|0" passage="1Jo 1:3">1 John i.
3</scripRef>. Observe, (1.) They were daily in the temple, not only
on the days of the sabbaths and solemn feasts, but on other days,
every day. Worshipping God is to be our daily work, and, where
there is opportunity, the oftener it is done publicly the better.
God loves the gates of Zion, and so must we. (2.) They were <i>with
one accord;</i> not only no discord nor strife, but a great deal of
holy love among them; and they heartily joined in their public
services. Though they met with the Jews in the courts of the
temple, yet the Christians kept together by themselves, and were
unanimous in their separate devotions.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Acts.iii-p64">3. They frequently joined in the ordinance
of the Lord's supper. They continued <i>in the breaking of
bread,</i> in celebrating that memorial of their Master's death, as
those that were not ashamed to own their relation to, and their
dependence upon, Christ and him crucified. They could not forget
the death of Christ, yet they kept up this memorial of it, and made
it their constant practice, because it was an institution of
Christ, to be transmitted to the succeeding ages of the church.
They broke bread <i>from house to house;</i> <b><i>kat
oikon</i></b>—<i>house by house;</i> they did not think fit to
celebrate the eucharist in the temple, for that was peculiar to the
Christian institutes, and therefore they administered that
ordinance in private houses, choosing such houses of the converted
Christians as were convenient, to which the neighbours resorted;
and they went from one to another of these little synagogues or
domestic chapels, houses that had churches in them, and there
celebrated the eucharist with those that usually met there to
worship God.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Acts.iii-p65">4. They continued <i>in prayers. After</i>
the Spirit was poured out, as well as before, while they were
waiting for him, they continued instant in prayer; for prayer will
never be superseded till it comes to be swallowed up in everlasting
praise. <i>Breaking of bread</i> comes in between the <i>work</i>
and <i>prayer,</i> for it has reference to both, and is a help to
both. The Lord's supper is a sermon to the eye, and a confirmation
of God's word to us; and it is an encouragement to our prayers, and
a solemn expression of the ascent of our souls to God.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Acts.iii-p66">5. They abounded in thanksgiving; were
continually <i>praising God,</i> <scripRef id="Acts.iii-p66.1" osisRef="Bible:Acts.2.47" parsed="|Acts|2|47|0|0" passage="Ac 2:47"><i>v.</i> 47</scripRef>. This should have a part in every
prayer, and not be crowded into a corner. Those that have received
the gift of the Holy Ghost will be much in praise.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Acts.iii-p67">II. They were loving one to another, and
very kind; their charity was as eminent as their piety, and their
joining together in holy ordinances knit their hearts to each
other, and very much endeared them to one another.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Acts.iii-p68">1. They had frequent meetings for Christian
converse (<scripRef id="Acts.iii-p68.1" osisRef="Bible:Acts.2.44" parsed="|Acts|2|44|0|0" passage="Ac 2:44"><i>v.</i> 44</scripRef>):
<i>All that believed were together;</i> not all those thousands in
one place (this was impracticable); but, as Dr. Lightfoot explains
it, they kept together in several companies or congregations,
according as their languages, nations, or other associations,
brought them and kept them together. And thus joining together,
because it was apart from those that believed not, and because it
was in the same profession and practice of the duties of religion,
they are said to be together, <b><i>epi to auto</i></b>. They
associated together, and so both expressed and increased their
mutual love.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Acts.iii-p69">2. They had <i>all things common;</i>
perhaps they had common tables (as the Spartans of old), for
familiarity, temperance and freedom of conversation; they <i>ate
together,</i> that those who had much might have the less, and so
be kept from the temptations of abundance; and they who had little
might have the more, and so be kept from the temptations of want
and poverty. Or, There was such a concern for one another, and such
a readiness to help one another as there was occasion, that it
might be said, They had <i>all things common,</i> according to the
law of friendship; one wanted not what another had; for he might
have it for the asking.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Acts.iii-p70">3. They were very cheerful, and very
generous in the use of what they had. Besides the religion that was
in their sacred feasts (their <i>breaking bread from house to
house</i>) a great deal of it appeared in their common meals; they
did <i>eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart.</i>
They brought the comforts of <i>God's table</i> along with them to
<i>their own,</i> which had two good effects upon them:—(1.) It
made them very pleasant, and enlarged their hearts with holy joy;
they did eat their bread with joy, and <i>drank their wine with a
merry heart,</i> as knowing that <i>God now accepted their
works.</i> None have such cause to be cheerful as good Christians
have; it is a pity but that they should always have hearts to be
so. (2.) It made them very liberal to their poor brethren, and
enlarged their hearts in charity. They did <i>eat their meat with
singleness of heart,</i> <b><i>en apheloteti
kardias</i></b>—<i>with liberality of heart;</i> so some: they did
not eat their morsels alone, but bade the poor welcome to their
table, not grudgingly, but with all the hearty freedom imaginable.
Note, It becomes Christians to be open-hearted and open-handed, and
in every good work to sow plentifully, as those on whom God hath
sown plentifully, and who hope to reap so.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Acts.iii-p71">4. They raised a fund for charity
(<scripRef id="Acts.iii-p71.1" osisRef="Bible:Acts.2.45" parsed="|Acts|2|45|0|0" passage="Ac 2:45"><i>v.</i> 45</scripRef>): They <i>sold
their possessions and goods;</i> some sold their lands and houses,
others their stocks and the furniture of their houses, and
<i>parted</i> the money to their brethren, <i>as every man had
need.</i> This was to destroy, not property (as Mr. Baxter says),
but selfishness. Herein, probably, they had an eye to the command
which Christ gave to the rich man, as a test of his sincerity,
<i>Sell that thou hast, and give to the poor.</i> Not that this was
intended for an example to be a constant binding rule, as if all
Christians in all places and ages were bound to sell their estates,
and give away the money in charity. For St. Paul's epistles, after
this, often speak of the distinction of rich and poor, and Christ
hath said that <i>the poor we always have with us,</i> and shall
have, and the rich must be always doing them good out of the rents,
issues, and profits, of their estates, which they disable
themselves to do, if they sell them, and give all away at once. But
here the case was extraordinary (1.) They were under no obligation
of a divine command to do this, as appears by what Peter said to
Ananias (<scripRef id="Acts.iii-p71.2" osisRef="Bible:Acts.5.4" parsed="|Acts|5|4|0|0" passage="Ac 5:4"><i>ch.</i> v. 4</scripRef>):
<i>Was it not in thine own power?</i> But it was a very commendable
instance of their raisedness above the world, their contempt of it,
their assurance of another world, their love to their brethren,
their compassion to the poor, and their great zeal for the
encouraging of Christianity, and the nursing of it in its infancy.
The apostles left all to follow Christ, and were to give themselves
wholly to the word and prayer, and something must be done for their
maintenance; so that this extraordinary liberality was like that of
Israel in the wilderness towards the building of the tabernacle,
which needed to be restrained, <scripRef id="Acts.iii-p71.3" osisRef="Bible:Exod.36.5-Exod.36.6" parsed="|Exod|36|5|36|6" passage="Ex 36:5,6">Exod.
xxxvi. 5, 6</scripRef>. Our rule is, to give according as God has
blessed us; yet, in such an extraordinary case as this, those are
to be praised who give <i>beyond their power,</i> <scripRef id="Acts.iii-p71.4" osisRef="Bible:2Cor.8.3" parsed="|2Cor|8|3|0|0" passage="2Co 8:3">2 Cor. viii. 3</scripRef>. (2.) They were Jews
that did this, and those who believed Christ must believe that the
Jewish nation would shortly be destroyed, and an end put to the
possession of estates and goods in it, and, in the belief of this,
they sold them for the present service of Christ and his
church.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Acts.iii-p72">III. God owned them, and gave them signal
tokens of his presence with them (<scripRef id="Acts.iii-p72.1" osisRef="Bible:Acts.2.43" parsed="|Acts|2|43|0|0" passage="Ac 2:43"><i>v.</i> 43</scripRef>): <i>Many wonders and signs were
done by the apostles</i> of divers sorts, which confirmed their
doctrine, and incontestably proved that it was from God. Those that
could work miracles could have maintained themselves and the poor
that were among them miraculously, as Christ fed thousands with a
little food; but it was as much for the glory of God that it should
be done by a miracle of grace (inclining people to sell their
estates, to do it) as if it had been done by a miracle in
nature.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Acts.iii-p73">But the Lord's giving them power to work
miracles was not all he did for them; he <i>added to the church
daily.</i> The word in their mouths <i>did wonders,</i> and God
blessed their endeavours for the increase of the number of
believers. Note, It is God's work to add souls to the church; and
it is a great comfort both to ministers and Christians to see
it.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Acts.iii-p74">IV. The people were influenced by it; those
that were without, the standers by, that were spectators. 1. They
<i>feared them,</i> and had a veneration for them (<scripRef id="Acts.iii-p74.1" osisRef="Bible:Acts.2.43" parsed="|Acts|2|43|0|0" passage="Ac 2:43"><i>v.</i> 43</scripRef>): <i>Fear came upon every
soul,</i> that is, upon very many who saw the <i>wonders</i> and
<i>signs</i> done by the apostles, and were afraid lest their not
being respected as they should be would bring desolation upon their
nation. The common people stood in awe of them, as Herod feared
John. Though they had nothing of external pomp to command external
respect, as the <i>scribes' long robes</i> gained them the
<i>greetings in the market-places,</i> yet they had abundance of
spiritual gifts that were truly honourable, which possessed men
with an inward reverence for them. Fear came upon <i>every
soul;</i> the <i>souls</i> of people were strangely influenced by
their awful preaching and living. 2. They <i>favoured them.</i>
Though we have reason to think there were those that despised them
and hated them (we are sure the Pharisees and chief priests did),
yet far the greater part of the common people had a kindness for
them—they <i>had favour with all the people.</i> Christ was so
violently run upon and run down by a <i>packed mob,</i> which
cried, <i>Crucify him, crucify him,</i> that one would think his
doctrine and followers were never likely to have an interest in the
common people any more. And yet here we find them <i>in favour with
them all,</i> by which it appears that their prosecuting Christ was
a sort of force put upon them by the artifices of the priests; now
they returned to their wits, to their right mind. Note,
Undissembled piety and charity will command respect; and
cheerfulness in serving God will recommend religion to those that
are without. Some read it, <i>They had charity to all the
people</i>—<b><i>charin echontes pros holon ton laon</i></b>; they
did not confine their charity to those of their own community, but
it was <i>catholic</i> and <i>extensive;</i> and this recommended
them very much. 3. They <i>fell over</i> to them. Some or other
were daily coming in, though not so many as the first day; and they
were such as <i>should be saved.</i> Note, Those that God has
designed for eternal salvation shall one time or other be
effectually brought to Christ: and those that are brought to Christ
are <i>added to the church</i> in a holy covenant by baptism, and
in holy communion by other ordinances.</p>
</div></div2>