The Acts of The Apostles

Acts was taught by Dr. James Modlish

 

Chapter Two
(continued)
(2:29-36)

Section 4

Vs. 29

"...the patriarch David..."

[1]. The word indicates an old man who started or founded a nation. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob could be referred to in this fashion (Heb. 7:4) and the title goes on to the original twelve sons of Jacob (Acts 7:9). "...his sepulcher is with us unto this day" This seems to be in contradiction to (Matt. 27:50-54), where it is apparent that some O.T. saints bodies are not still in the grave and even though their "sepulchers" may be "with us unto this day," their bodies have gone (Eph. 4:8-10). For when Peter says, "David is not ascended into the heavens" (vs. 34) it would not exclude the possibility that he could have been taken up for...

A. "No man hath ascended into heaven" (Jn. 3:13) except Jesus Christ.

B. The only one who tried it (Isa. 14:12-14) will be brought down to hell.

C. Yet... Elijah, Enoch, and Moses all went up by some means!

D. Moses' body was "taken up" after he was dead (Jude 9), Elijah was "caught up" in a whirlwind (2 Kings 2), and Enoch was "translated" (Heb. 11:5).

E. None of them "Ascended," as the word is found in (Jn. 20:17), for the word in the dictionary means "to go up in your own power."

[2]. Evidently David did not come up with the "Saints" of (Matt. 27:52), for if he had been seen (Matt. 27:50-54), it would have been an event of such portent that Peter would have known about it and mentioned it. Who the "Saints" were of (Matt. 27:50-54) we do not know, and what happened to their bodies is a matter of conjecture. It is obvious that the souls of any O.T. saint could ascend directly into Heaven (Heb. 9:15) following the resurrection of Christ.

Vs. 30

"Therefore being a prophet..."

A. God swore an oath to David (II Sam. 7:12-16; Ps. 132:11) concerning his literal, visible, throne at Jerusalem; and that the king - Messiah would trace his genealogy back to David. "He would raise up Christ to sit on his throne;"

[1]. The "raise up" of vs. 30 is only connected with the "resurrection" (vs. 31,32 & 34).

[2]. The "his throne" of vs. 30 is David's throne (Lk. 1:30-33)

[3]. Furthermore, this throne is called "The Throne of His Glory" (Jer. 14:21) whenever it appears in the N.T. (Matt. 25:31), and it is on the earth at Jerusalem (Matt. 19:28).

[4]. This throne should never be confused with the "right hand" of the "Majesty on high" (Heb. 1:3)

Vs. 33

"Therefore fore being by the right hand of God exalted..."

A. This is a reference to a literal location in the physical universe (Rev. 5:1,7; Rom. 8:34; Eph. 1:20; Col. 3:1; Heb. 1:3,13; 8:1; 10:12; 12:2)

"The promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear"

B. This is the explanation of (Acts 2:1-5). Peter is now ready to answer "What meaneth this?" (vs. 12)

Vs. 34

"The Lord said unto my Lord..."

A. The quotation is from (Ps. 110) and is cited several times in the N.T. (Matt. 22:44; Mk. 12:36; Lk. 20:42; Heb. 1:13). The first "Lord" is the Father and the second "Lord" is the Son.

B. "Lord" is the word used for Jesus Christ in (Rev. 19:16 and Zech. 12:7-10).

C. The context of (Ps. 110) is a King who would return and fight a literal battle on this earth at the Second Advent.

Vs. 36

A. The message is to Israel and the "same Jesus" found in (Acts 1:11) clearly identifies the coming ruler as a Man, Jesus, a Jewish Man,from David, a Palestinian - of Nazareth, who will come back to earth - the Mount of Olives - and proceed to Jerusalem (Zech. 14:1-10), and reign over the house of Jacob forever (Lk. 1:30-33). He is both Lord (complete power and authority - Matt. 25:31) and Christ (the anointed Messiah promised to Israel). The comparative passages are (Dan. 9:7; 1 Chron. 16:14; Lk. 24:49; Zech. 10:9; Jer. 23:5).

B. The Pauline Gospel of (1 Cor. 15:1-7) is not given in Peter's Pentecostal message, and the great doctrines of propitiation, justification, adoption, redemption, sanctification, and free grace are NOT found in the message unless the Pauline epistles are read back into the message by the student who has the complete N.T. in his hand.

C. Peter is preaching here what he preaches in (Acts 3:19-26), and he is preaching from Daniel, Joel, Isaiah, Psalms and Zechariah. All he knows about the "Kingdom of God" is the details that deal with the moral righteousness that will be on earth when the Messiah returns. He is preaching the truths as far as it has been revealed and if he says anything contradictory to Romans, Eph. & Gal., it is because these are advanced revelations given at a later date.

Section 5

(2:39-47)

Vs. 38

This verse can be summarized by saying that an opportunity is being offered to Israel for national repentance. This repentance will be evidenced by baptism - which was the same as John The Baptist baptism. In light of this statement we proceed:

Vs. 39

Those "afar off" and their "children" are the Jews of the dispersion who are represented at Pentecost by the list given in (Acts 2:6-11).

Vs. 40

"...Save yourselves from this untoward generation."
This generation is defined in (Matt. 23: 35,36). The "untoward" is the old English for "crooked" or "twisted." The believing Jewish remnant of (Acts 2) is a forecast of the Jewish remnant who will be saved in Joel 2 and they are to segregate themselves from the generation of Christ-rejectors who were responsible for the death of Christ (see Deut. 21: 1-9 for details).

Vs. 41

The Pentecostal message is concluded, the invitation is given, and 3000 believing Jews are baptized "in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins."

DO NOT FORGET:

[1]. There are no "christians" in (Acts 2).

[2]. The plan of salvation to a lost man is not given clearly.

[3]. None of the Apostles are baptized according to (Acts 2:38).

[4]. If you got baptized that way, without (Col. 2:11,12), you will go to hell.

[5]. No one asked, "What must I do to be saved?"

[6]. No baptism of fire occurs to any saved person in this chapter.

[7]. (Acts 2:1-5) is NOT the fulfillment of (Joel 2:28-32).

[8]. And the "Latter Rain" of (Joel 2:23) is NOT the Pentecostal experience of the 20th century.

For the sake of clarity we shall list the following devotional truths which occur in (Vss. 41-47), bearing in mind that the doctrinal import of the context is not wholly compatible with the exposition. "...received his word ... baptized... fellowship... prayers ... together ... continued daily ... gladness and singleness of heart ... Praising God ..." (vs. 41-47).

In spite of the Jewish setting of (Acts 2), and in spite of obvious truth that no "New Testament Church" today splits property and goods: and if they did they would be trying to get BACK to a Jewish National experience instead of going forward with Christian individual experience, we still can find beautiful spiritual application for the local church. God's people are to receive the word gladly (vs. 41), and they are to be baptized AFTER they have received (and believed) the truth (vs. 41), and they continued in fellowship with each other (vs. 42), and spent time in prayer together (vs. 42). In addition to this, they should meet TOGETHER (vs. 44), and share together (vs. 44), and witness DAILY (vs. 46) -not just on Sunday! - and they should praise God constantly (vs. 47), and rejoice and be thankful for material blessings (vs. 46).

New Testament Christianity is here found in embryo, and although it may not have the revelations given to Paul, and although its roots were still deep in Jewish national and religious life, the "primitive" church of the passage is a post-resurrection

LOCAL CHURCH: local churches begin before Pentecost and continue to the present time. It is a local church made up of regenerated sinners who have been baptized water. Christian principles and attitudes are found here, even where the great doctrines of Justification and Redemption have not yet been clearly set forth. Temple worship is still present (vs. 46), but it is not long in breaking up (Acts 8:1-4), and even the saved Jew in (Acts 15) retain the outward form of it, this is only for a testimonies sake (1 Cor. 10:29). The apostolic signs of Christ and Moses are present (vs. 43) and the Apostles' "DOCTRINE" (not creed) would be Genesis to Malachi, plus the forty days of private instruction found in (Acts 1:3).

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