When Pentecost day came round, they [ Not the hundred and twenty, 1:15-26, but the group mentioned in 1:13-14.] had all met in one room, when suddenly they heard what sounded like a powerful wind from heaven, [ The Spirit is like the wind, and the same word is used for both 'spirit' and breath'.] the noise of which filled the entire house in which they were sitting; and something appeared to them that seemed like tongues of fire; [ The shape of the flames (Is. 5:24; cf. Is. 6:6-7) is here associated with the gift of tongues.] these separated and came to rest on the head of each of them.
They were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak foreign languages as the Spirit [ One element, vv. 4,11,13, of the Pentecost miracle is the gift of glossolalia common in the early Church: see 10:46; 11:15; 19:6; 1 Cor. 12-14; cf. Mark 16:17, cf. early prophecy in Israel, Numbers 11;25-29; 1 Sam. 10:5-6, 10-13; 19:20-24; 1 Kings 22:10. Cf. the promise of Joel, 3:1-5, quoted by Peter, vv. 17f.] gave them the gift of speech.
Now there were devout men [ 'devout men' Sin. Western Text 'Now the Jews who were living in Jerusalem were men from every nation under 'heaven'. The other texts have both 'devout men' and 'Jews'.] living in Jerusalem from every nation under heaven, and at this sound they all assembled, each one bewildered to hear these men speaking his own language. [ A second characteristic of the Pentecost miracle: the apostles speak a universal language: the unity lost at Babel is restored. This symbolises and anticipates the apostles' worldwide mission.] They were amazed and astonished. 'Surely' they said 'all these men speaking are Galileans? How does it happen that each of us hears them in his own native language?
Parthians, Medes and Elamites; people from Mesopotamia, Judaea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya round Cyrene; as well as visitors from Rome - Jews and proselytes [ Pagans converts to Judaism who joined the chosen race by being circumcised. These proselytes are not the same as the God-fearers, 10:2+, who admire the Jewish religion and attend the synagogue but do not accept circumcision or the ritual prescribed by the Law. Jews and proselytes are not here additional classes of people: the terms qualify the nations just enumerated.] alike-Cretans and Arabs; we hear them preaching in our own language about the marvel of God.
Everyone was amazed and unable to explain it; they asked one another what it all meant. Some, however, laughed it off. 'They have been drinking too much new wine' they said. - Acts 2:1-13 -
Peter's address to the crowd
Then Peter stood up with the Eleven [ Peter speaks as head of the apostolic body and occupies a leading position, cf. 1;15; 2:37; 3:4,6,12; 4:8,13; 5:3,8,9,15,29; cf. 10-11. See Matthew 19:19+.] and addressed them in a loud voice:
'Men of Judaea, and all you who live in Jerusalem, make no mistake about this, but listen carefully to what I say. These men are not drunk, as you imagine; why, it is only the third hour of the day. [ About 9a.m.] On the contrary, this is what the prophet [ Add. 'Joel'. Vv. 17-21 quoted as in Western Text: Alexandrian Text favours the LXX.] spoke of:
In the days to come [ The messianic age.] - it is the Lord who speaks-
I will pour out my spirit on all mankind.
Their sons and daughters shall prophesy,
your young men shall see visions,
your old men shall dream dreams.
Even on my slaves, men and women,
in those days, I will pour out my spirit.
I will display portents in heaven above
and signs on earth below.
The sun will be turned into darkness
and the moon into blood
before the great Day of the Lord dawns. [ The day of the Lord's coming in glory, the 'day of Yahweh', Amos 5:18+. In Christian preaching, this 'day' is that of Christ's return. Matt. 24:1+.]
All who call on the name of the Lord will be saved. [ The Christians style themselves 'those who invoke the name of the Lord'. 9:14,21; 22:16; 1 Cor. 1:2; 2 Tim. 2:22; the title 'Lord' no longer indicates Yahweh but Jesus, cf. Phil. 2:11; Acts 3:6+. On Judgement day people will be received or rejected according as they have or have not invoked this name, that is, acknowledged Jesus as Lord: see Acts 4:12 and Romans 10:9.]
'Men of Israel, listen to what I am going to say: [ The content of the earliest apostolic preaching (the 'kerygma') is here summarised for the first time; cf. the five discourses of Peter, Acts 2:14-39; 3:12-26; 4:8-12; 5:29-32; 10:34-43, and the discourse of Paul, 13:16-41. The kerygma is (1) a witness, 1:8+, to Christ's death and resurrection, 2:24+, and to his exaltation, 2:33+; 2:36+. (2) It also provides certain details of Christ's ministry; how it was heralded by John the Baptist, 10:37; 13:24, inaugurated by teaching and miracle, 2:22; 10:38, completed by the appearances of the risen Christ, 10:40,41; 13:31, and by the gift of the Spirit, 2:33; 5:32. (3) It places the story in its wider setting: it appeals to the past, adducing the O.T. prophecies, 2:23+; 2:25+, and it surveys the future, the advent of the messianic era, inviting Jews and pagans to repentance, 2:38+, so that Christ's glorious return may come the sooner, 3:20-21. The gospels, which are developments of the primitive preaching, adopt the same scheme.]
Jesus the Nazarene was a man commended to you by God by the miracles and portents and signs that God worked through him when he was among you, as you all know. This man, who was put into your power by the deliberate intention [ The O.T. prophecies demonstrate this divine plan: Acts 3:18; 4:28; 13:29, cf. 8:32-35; 9:22; 10:43; 17:2-3; 18:5,28; 26:22-23,27; 28:23; Luke 18:31+; 22:22; 24:25-27,44.] and foreknowledge of God, you took and had crucified by men outside the Law. [ In this case the Romans. The primitive kerygma accused the Jews in the same way, and confronted them with that act of God which raised up Jesus, 2:32,36; 3:13-17; 4:10; 5:30-31; 7:52; 10:39-40; 13:27-30; 17:31; cf. Romans 1:4+; 1 Thess. 2:14+.]
You killed him, but God raised him to life, freeing him from the pangs of Hades; [ 'of Hades' Western Text; 'death' Text Rec. Cf. vv.27 and 31. 'Hades' in LXX is sheol, Numbers 16:33+; Matthew 16:18+.] for it was impossible for him to be held in its power since, as David says to him: [ Quoted according to LXX. In the Hebrew text the psalmist prays only for deliverance from imminent death 'You will not allow your faithful one to see the pit.' Hence the argument presupposes the Greek version which, by translating 'pit' (=grave) as 'corruption'. introduces a new idea.]
I saw the Lord before me always,
for with him at my right hand nothing can shake me.
So my heart was glad
and my tongue cried out with joy;
my body, too, will rest in the hope
that you will not abandon my soul to Hades
nor allow your holy one to experience corruption.
You have made known the way of life to me,
you fill me with gladness through your presence.
'Brothers, no one can deny that the patriarch David himself is dead and buried: his tomb is still with us. But since he was a prophet, and knew that God had sworn him an oath to make one of his descendants succeed him on the throne, what he foresaw and spoke about was the resurrection of the Christ: he is the one who was not abandoned to Hades, and whose body did not experience corruption. God raised this man Jesus to life, and all of us are witnesses to that.
Now raised to the heights by God's right hand, [ Words borrowed from Psalms 118 (v.:16 LXX 'The right hand of the Lord has raised me up') used in their preaching by the apostles who took it to be messianic: Acts 4:11; 1 Peter 2:7; Matthew 21:9p,42p; 23:39; Luke 13:35; John 12:13; Hebrews 1:3,13; 8:1 10:12; 12:2; 1 Peter 3:22.] he has received from the Father the Holy Spirit, who was promised, [ According to the prophets, the gift of the Spirit would character the messianic era, Ezekiel 36:27+. Peter explains the miracle his hearers have witnessed as the 'pouring out' of this spirit, foretold in John 3:1-2, by the risen Christ.] and what you see and hear is the outpouring of that Spirit.
For David himself never went up to heaven; [ The argument is, apparently, that David lies in his tomb and therefore did not ascend into heaven; hence God's summons was addressed not to him but to the one who came out from the tomb. A variant reading 'for he himself says', in place of 'and yet these words are his' (that is, it was said by, not to, him), reduces the argument to that of Matthew 22:43-45.] and yet these words are his:
The Lord said to my Lord:
Sit at my right hand
until I make your enemies
a footstool for you.
'For this reason the whole House of Israel can be certain that God has made this Jesus whom you crucified both Lord and Christ.' [ Conclusion of the argument from sacred scripture: it is by his resurrection that Jesus has been constituted the 'Lord' of whom Psalms 110 speaks, and the 'Messiah' (Christ) to whom Psalms 16 refers. From Psalms 2:7 (Son of God). Acts 13:33+; Hebrews 1:5; 5:5; Romans 1:4+ develop a similar argument. Cf. also Acts 5:31 (leader and saviour); 10:42 and Romans 14:9 (Judge and Lord of living and dead); Phil. 2:9-11 (glorified Lord).] - Acts 2:14-36 -
The first conversions
WELCOME TO SACRED SCRIPTURE/HOLY BIBLE READER'S COMMUNITY.
The Lord Jesus Christ, promised to us that our mission on this earth is really and utmost important for our own salvation.
"I tell you solemnly, there is no one who has left house, wife, brothers, parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God who will not be given repayment many times over in this present time, in the world to come, Eternal Life." - Luke 18:28-30 -
'Why do you call Me, "Lord, Lord" and not do what I say?'
"Everyone who comes to Me and listens to My words and acts on them - I will show you what he/she is like. He is like a man who when he built his house dug, and dug deep, and laid the foundations on rock; when the river was in flood it bore down on that house but could not shake it, it was so well built.
But the one who listens and does nothing is like the man who built his house on soil, with no foundations: as soon as the river bore down on it, it collapsed; and what a ruin that house became!" - Luke 6:46-49 -
"EACH ONE OF US, HOWEVER, HAS BEEN GIVEN HIS OWN SHARE OF GRACE, GIVEN AS THE LORD JESUS CHRIST ALLOTTED IT. IT WAS SAID THAT HE WOULD:
WHEN HE ASCENDED TO THE HEIGHT, HE CAPTURED PRISONERS,
HE GAVE GIFTS TO MEN.
WHEN IT SAYS, 'HE ASCENDED,' WHAT CAN IT MEAN IF NOT THAT HE DESCENDED RIGHT DOWN TO THE LOWER REGIONS OF THE EARTH? THE ONE WHO ROSE HIGHER THAN ALL THE HEAVENS TO FILL ALL THINGS IS NONE OTHER THAN THE ONE WHO DESCENDED.
AND TO SOME, HIS GIFT WAS THAT THEY SHOULD BE APOSTLES; TO SOME, PROPHETS; TO SOME, EVANGELISTS; TO SOME, PASTORS AND TEACHERS; SO THAT THE SAINTS TOGETHER MAKE A UNITY IN THE WORK OF SERVICE, BUILDING UP THE BODY OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST.
IN THIS WAY WE ARE ALL TO COME TO UNITY IN OUR FAITH AND IN OUR KNOWLEDGE OF THE SON OF GOD, UNTIL WE BECOME THE PERFECT MAN, FULLY MATURE WITH THE FULLNESS OF CHRIST HIMSELF.
THEN WE SHALL NOT BE CHILDREN ANY LONGER, OR TOSSED ONE WAY AND ANOTHER AND CARRIED ALONG BY EVERY WIND OF DOCTRINE, AT THE MERCY OF ALL THE TRICKS MEN PLAY AND THEY CLEVERNESS IN PRACTISING DECEIT.
IF WE LIVE BY THE TRUTH AND IN LOVE, WE SHALL GROW IN ALL WAYS INTO CHRIST JESUS, WHO IS THE HEAD BY WHOM THE WHOLE BODY IS FITTED AND JOINED TOGETHER, EVERY JOINT ADDING ITS OWN STRENGTH, FOR EACH SEPARATE PART TO WORK ACCORDING TO IT FUNCTION. SO THE BODY GROWS UNTIL IT HAS BUILT ITSELF UP, IN LOVE." - EPHESIANS 4:7-16 -
Page 37
Faith . Hope . Love - Welcome donation. Thank You. God bless.
Name: Alex Chan Kok Wah
Bank: Public Bank Berhad account no: 4076577113
Country: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Bank: Public Bank Berhad account no: 4076577113
Country: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Sunday, May 24, 2009
I have through years of reading, pondering, reflecting and contemplating, the 3 things that last; FAITH . HOPE . LOVE and I would like to made available my sharing from the many thinkers, authors, scholars and theologians whose ideas and thoughts I have borrowed. God be with them always. Amen!
I STILL HAVE MANY THINGS TO SAY TO YOU BUT THEY WOULD BE TOO MUCH FOR YOU NOW. BUT WHEN THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH COMES, HE WILL LEAD YOU TO THE COMPLETE TRUTH, SINCE HE WILL NOT BE SPEAKING AS FROM HIMSELF, BUT WILL SAY ONLY WHAT HE HAS LEARNT; AND HE WILL TELL YOU OF THE THINGS TO COME.
HE WILL GLORIFY ME, SINCE ALL HE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE. EVERYTHING THE FATHER HAS IS MINE; THAT IS WHY I SAID: ALL HE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE. - JOHN 16:12-15 -
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