Hearings this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the apostles, 'What must we do, brothers?' 'You must repent,' [ Each of the great apostolic discourses closes with a call to repentance (cf. Matthew 3:2+) to obtain forgiveness of sins: Acts 3:19,26; 5: 32; 10:43; 13:38; cf. 17:30; 26:20; Luke 1:77; 3:8; 5:32; 13:3.] Peter answered 'and everyone of you must be baptised in the name of Jesus Christ [ Baptism is administered 'in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ' (cf. 2:21+; 3:16+): 8:16; 10:48;19:5; 22:16; 1 Cor. 1:13,15; 6:11; 10:2; Gal. 3:27; Romans 6:3; cf. James 2:7. Such expressions are not necessarily the actual liturgical formulae of baptism, cf. Matthew 28:19, they may simply indicate its significance, namely, that baptised profess their faith in Christ, and Christ adopts those who thenceforth are dedicated to him.] for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
The promise [ The promise is addressed primarily to the Jews, 3:25-26; 13:46; Romans 9:4.] that was made is for you and your children, and for all those who are far away. [ That is, the pagans, alluding to Isaiah 57:19 quoted and explained in Ephesians 2:13-17; cf. also Acts 22;21.] for all those whom the Lord our God will call to himself.' He spoke to them [ Or 'he bore witness', cf. 8:25; 28:23.] for a long time using many arguments and he urged them, 'Save yourselves from this perverse generation.' They were convinced by his arguments, and they accepted what he said and were baptised. That very day about three thousand were added their number. [ Luke repeatedly and deliberately notes the Church's numerical growth: v. 47; 4:4; 5:14; 6:1,7; 9:31+; 11:21-24; 16:5; cf. 12:24; 13:48-49; 19:20.] - Acts 2:37-41 -
The early Christian community [ Cf. this passage with 4:32-35 and 5:12-16. These three composite editorial 'summaries' paint similar pictures of life in the first Christian community.]
These remained faithful to the teaching of the apostles, [ Not the proclamation of the Good News to non-Christians, cf. 15:35, but instruction for the newly converted in which the sacred scriptures were explained in the light of the Christian Event.] to the brotherhood, [ What constitutes this 'brotherhood' or 'fellowship' is a united purpose, cf. Galatians 2:9; Philemon 6; 1 John 1:3,6,7, and a care for the poorer members to the extent of holding all goods in common, cf. Romans 15:26; 2 Cor. 8:4; 9:13; Phil. 1:5+. In a word: charity.] to the breaking of bread [ See v. 46; 20:7,11; 27:35; Luke 24:30,35. In itself the phrase suggests a Jewish meal at which the one who presides pronounces a blessing before dividing the bread. For Christians, however, it implies the Eucharistic ceremony, 1 Cor. 10:16; 11:24, Luke 22:19p; 24:35+.] This, v. 46, was celebrated not in the Temple but in private houses; an ordinary meal would accompany it, cf. 1 Cor. 11:20-34.] and to the prayers.
[Prayers in common, with the apostles presiding, 6:4; 4:24-30, is one example. Cf. 1:14,24; 12:15. There are many examples in Acts of the constant prayer Jesus recommended (Matthew 6:5) and practised (Matthew 14:23+). There is the prayer in common presided over by the apostles (1:14; 4:24-30; 6:4) with the breaking of bread as the central ceremony (2:42,46; 20:7,11); prayer for special occasions like the election and ordination to office in the Church (1:24; 6:6; 13:3; 14:23 - accompanied in the last two cases by fasting); the confirmation of the Samaritans (8:15); the prayer in time of persecution (4:24-30; 12:5,12).
There are also individual prayers: that of Stephen for himself and his persecutors (7:59-60), the prayer of Paul after his vision (9:5), of Peter and Paul before they work miracles (9:40; 28:8), of Peter when God sends him to Cornelius (10:9; 11:5) who is himself a man of prayer (10:2,4,30,31), of Paul and Silas in prison (16:25), of Paul when he bids farewell at Miletus (20:36) and at Tyre. In most of these cases the prayer is a petition (see also the petition for forgiveness in 8:22-24), but there is also the prayer of praise (16:25) and thanksgiving (28:15). Prayer is evidence of faith: 'to invoke the name of Jesus Christ' is the mark of a Christian (2:21,38; 9:14,21; 22:16).]
The many miracles and signs worked through the apostles made a deep impression on everyone. [ Add. 'In Jerusalem, and upon all there was great fear.'] The faithful all lived together and owned everything in common; they sold their goods and possessions and shared out the proceeds among themselves according to what each one needed.
They went as a body to the Temple everyday but met in their houses for the breaking of bread; they shared their food gladly [ Joy is the sequel of faith: 8:8,39; 13:48,52: 16:34; cf. 5:41; Luke 1:14+; Romans 15:13.] and generously; they praised God [ Cf. 3:8,9; 4:21; 13:48; 21:20; Luke 2:20+.] and were looked up to everyone. Day by day the Lord added to their community those destined to be saved. [ When judgement comes the members of the Christian community are assured of salvation, 2:21+, cf. 13:48 and Saint Paul's letters. The Church is thus identified with the 'remnant of Israel', Isaiah 4:3+, Cf. Romans 9:27.] - Acts 2:42-47 -
The cure of a lame man
Once, when Peter and John were going up to the Temple for the prayers at the ninth hour, [ The time of evening sacrifice, cf. Exodus 29:39,42; Luke 1:8-10+; Acts 3:3,30.] it happened that there was a man being carried past. He was a crippled from birth; and they used to put him down everyday near the Temple entrance called the Beautiful Gate so that he could beg from the people going in. When this man saw Peter and John on the way into the Temple he begged from them. Both Peter and John looked straight at him and said, 'Look at us'. He turned to them expectantly, hoping to get something from them, but Peter said, 'I have neither silver nor gold, but I will give you what I have: in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, walk!' [ Var. 'get up and walk', cf. Luke 5:23-24, etc.]
Peter then took him by the hand and helped him to stand up. Instantly his feet and ankles became firm, he jumped up, stood, and began to walk, and he went with them into the Temple, walking and jumping and praising God, and they recognised him as the man who used to sit begging at the Beautiful Gate of the Temple. They were all astonished and unable to explain what had happened to him. - Acts 3:1-10 -
Peter's address to the people
Everyone came running towards them in great excitement, to the Portico of Solomon, as it is called, where the man was still clinging to Peter and John. When Peter saw the people he addressed them, 'Why are you so surprised at this? Why are you staring at us though we had made this man walk by our own power of holiness? You are Israelites, and it is the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our ancestors, who has glorified his servant [ The Christians see in Jesus the mysterious 'servant' of Isaiah 52:13-53:12 (quoted in part in Acts 8:32-33), cf. Isaiah 42:1+. See below, v. 26; 4,27,30. His 'glorification' by God is his resurrection, v. 15. Cf. John 17:5+.]
Jesus, the same Jesus you handed over [ Cf. Isaiah 53;12. Same allusion to the Servant Song in Romans 4:25; 8;32; Galatians 2:20; Ephesians 5:2,25; Acts 7:52.] and then disowned [ As their disowned Moses, 7:35, himself a figure of Christ.] in the presence of Pilate after Pilate had decided to release him. It was you who accused [ Var. 'disowned.'] the Holy One, [ Cf. with Acts 4:27,30: Jesus is 'the holy servant of God'. He is also 'the holy one of God' and 'the holy one' par excellence; Acts 2:27; Luke 1:35; 4:34; Mark 1:24+; John 6:69; Revelation 3:7.] the Just One, [ Cf. Isaiah 53:11; Acts 7:52; 22:14. See also Matthew 27:19; Luke 23:47; 1 Peter 3:18; 1 John 2:1.] you who demanded the reprieve of a murderer while you killed the prince of life. [ The one who leads his subjects to full life, imparting his own life to them. In the Roman liturgy the Easter Sequence borrows the expression Dux vitae mortuus regnat vivus. This same title of 'leader' is given, 7:27,35, to Moses who prefigures Christ. Cf. 5;31+; Hebrews 2:10.]
God, however, raised him from the dead, and to that fact we are the witnesses; and it is the name of Jesus which through our faith in it, has brought back the strength of this man whom you see here and who is well known to you. It is faith in that name that has restored this man to health, as you can all see. [ The 'name' according to the ancients, is inseparable from the person and shares his perogatives, see Exodus 3:14+. By invoking the name of Jesus 2:21+, 38+, his power is stirred to action, 3:6; 4:7, 10,30; 10:43; 16:18; 19:13; Luke 9:49; 10:17; see also John 14:13,14; 15:16; 16:24,26; 20:31. Faith is of course required if this invocation is to be effective, cf. Acts 19:13-17; Matthew 8:10+.]
'Now I know, brothers, that neither you nor your leaders had any idea what you were really doing; [ Apparently an allusion to Luke 23:34; cf. Acts 7:60.] this was the way God carried out what he had foretold, when he said through all his prophets that his Christ would suffer. Now you must repent and turn to God, [ By 'repentance' man 'comes back' to God, cf. Matthew 3:2+. The pagans must return to God by forsaking idols; see 1 Thess. 1:9; Galatians 4:9; 1 Cor. 10:7,14; Acts 14:15; 15:19; 26:18,20; the Jews must turn to the Lord by acknowledging Jesus as Lord: cf. 2 Cor. 3:16; Acts 9:35. The expression of Luke 1:16; Acts 11:21; cf. 1 Peter 2:25 is somewhat different. Cf. also Isaiah 6:10, quoted in Acts 28:27; Matthew 15:15; Mark 4:12; cf. John 12;40.]
So that your sins may be wiped out, and so that the Lord may send the time of comfort. [ This epoch coincides with that of Christ's coming and of 'the restoration of all things', cf. 1:7+; Romans 2:6+, a period which, as the apostles thought, would see the re-establishment of the kingdom in Israel. Acts 1:6-7. Repentance and conversion hasten its coming, cf. 2 Peter 3:12.] Then he will send you the Christ he has predestined, that is Jesus, [ Or 'Jesus who has been appointed Christ for you', cf. 2:36+. When the time comes, Christ who became King Messiah through his resurrection will return to establish his kingdom for ever and to make all creation new, v. 21, cf. Romans 8:19+.] whom heaven must keep till the universal restoration [ term use by the prophets for the return from Exile (foretaste of the messianic age), Jeremiah 15:19, etc.] comes which God proclaimed, speaking through his holy prophets. [ Add. 'from ancient times'.]
Moses, for example, said: The Lord God will raise up a prophet like myself for you, from among your own brothers; you must listen to whatever he tells you. The man who does not listen to that prophet is to be cut off from the people. In fact, all the prophets that have ever spoken, from Samuel onwards, have predicted these days. [ The earliest Christian preaching made a point of showing how Jesus fulfilled Old Testament prophesy: he was a descendant of David, 2:30; 13:34, he appeared as a prophet, Moses' successor, 3:22f, cf. Matthew 16:14+; John 1:21+, he suffered, Acts 2:23+, he was the stone rejected by the builders (the Jews) but now set in a place of honour, 4:11, he rose again, 2:25-31; 13:33-37, and is at God's right hand, 2:34f.]
'You are the heirs of the prophets, the heirs of the covenant God made with our ancestor when he told Abraham: in your offspring all the families of the earth will be blessed. It was for you in the first place that God raised up [ Thus, implementing the promise recalled in v. 22, because the Greek verb means both 'to raise up' and 'to raise up again'. God by raising Christ from the dead fulfills the promises made to the fathers, 13:32-34; 24:14-15; 26:6-8.] his servant and sent him to bless you [ Cf. 26:23; 2 Tim. 1:10; Gal. 3:4. Christ by his resurrection brought to the world the blessing promised to Abraham, v. 25.] by turning everyone of you from your wicked ways. [ Others translate 'so long as each of you turns from your wicked ways.'] - Acts 3:11-26 -
Peter and John before the Sanhedrin
"IT IS TRUE, GOD SENT HIS WORD TO THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL, AND IT WAS TO THEM THAT THE GOOD NEWS OF PEACE WAS BROUGHT BY JESUS CHRIST - BUT JESUS CHRIST IS LORD OF ALL MEN.
YOU MUST HAVE HEARD ABOUT THE RECENT HAPPENINGS IN JUDAEA; ABOUT JESUS OF NAZARETH AND HOW HE BEGAN IN GALILEE, AFTER JOHN THE BAPTIST HAD BEEN PREACHING BAPTISM. GOD HAD ANOINTED HIM WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT AND WITH POWER, AND BECAUSE GOD WAS WITH HIM, JESUS WENT ABOUT DOING GOOD AND CURING ALL WHO HAD FALLEN INTO THE POWER OF THE DEVIL.
HOW? AND IN WHAT WAY, WHEN IT COME TO UNDERSTANDING MATTERS: WHAT I WAS ALWAYS BEING TOLD IS: THERE ARE WAYS AND PREFERENCES TO COMPREHEND ALL MATTERS, WHETHER IT IS OF SPIRITUALITY AND OF UNSPIRITUALITY.
FIRSTLY, IN A LITERALLY MANNER: THAT IS, USED FOR EMPHASIS OR TO EXPRESS STRONG FEELING WHILE NOT BEING LITERALLY TRUE.
SECONDLY, IN A HUMANLY MANNER: THAT IS, FROM A HUMAN POINT OF VIEW, IN A HUMANLY MANNER, BY HUMAN MEANS; WITHIN ABILITY; WITH HUMAN FEELING OR KINDNESS.
THIRDLY, IN A SPIRITUALLY MANNER: THAT IS, IN A WAY THAT RELATES TO OR AFFECTS THE HUMAN SPIRIT OR, SOUL AS OPPOSED TO MATERIAL OR PHYSICAL THINGS.
FINALLY, IN AN UNSPIRITUAL MANNER: THAT IS, NOT SPIRITUAL. BUT SECULAR AND WORLDLY.
Page 38
Faith . Hope . Love - Welcome donation. Thank You. God bless.
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Name: Alex Chan Kok Wah
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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