Wednesdays are for the New Testament
1/24/24
Bruce, F.F. (1988). "Acts 2." In The Book of Acts (Revised). (pp. 49-75). William B. Eerdmans Publishing,
Acts chapter two brings us to the Day of Pentecost, the fiftieth day after the Passover. The celebration of Pentecost was also sometimes called "the feast of weeks" or "the day of the firstfruits" (Bruce 1988, p. 49). Bruce notes that this may also have been the day of the giving of the Law at Sinai (Bruce 1988, p. 50). The disciples were gathered in an upper room, which may or may not have been the one used in 1:13. In Acts 2:2, the text records a sudden sound of wind. Bruce is clear that there is no way of answering many of the questions we may have about the wind (Bruce 1988, p. 50). We do know, however, that wind typically is symbolic of the Holy Spirit. The phenomenon of "tongues as of fire" may or may not be related to the tongues in which the people speak. Bruce observes that scholars have radically different views of how the incident occurred. Further, we don't know if the place of the incident itself was the upper room or possibly one of the temple courts (Bruce 1988, p. 51). Bruce considers this question one which cannot be answered definitively. In Acts 2:4, the disciples are "filled with the Holy Spirit" (Bruce 1988, p. 51). Bruce observes that there are examples in the Old Testament of people who are filled with the Holy Spirit or who evidence spiritual phenomena. He does distinguish between the phenomenon in Acts 2, where the speech was readily understood by others, and that recorded in Corinth, where an interpreter was needed (Bruce 1988, p. 52). The focus of all the signs recorded is to draw attention to God and His actions (Bruce 1988, p. 53).
The sign of the Holy Spirit from Acts 2:1-4 was witnessed by a crowd of bystanders. The interaction is described in verses 5-13. Bruce observes that there were Jews from many different nationalities represented in Jerusalem for the feast of Pentecost (Bruce 1988, p. 53). These people reported hearing the speakers using their native language or dialect, despite the fact that the speakers did not know those dialects (Bruce 1988, p. 54). Based on the concept of Pentecost as the time of God's giving of the Law (see p. 50) this event has suggested that God has no made his Law known to all nations (Bruce 1988, p. 54). Verses 9-11 provide a list of nations who were visiting Jerusalem. Bruce notes that the visitors from the East can be recognized as from areas to which Jews were dispersed in the Assyrian conquest (Bruce 1988, p. 55). The Babylonian exile is also included in this catalog. Many of these people are mentioned in Josephus (Bruce 1988, p. 56). For other regions, Bruce notes abundant evidence of Jewish communities, as he illustrates briefly. Bruce does observe the possibility that the visitors from Rome having received the gospel, may have returned to Rome with the Christian message and spread it immediately (Bruce 1988, p. 57). Bruce discusses the pattern of proselytization, especially at Rome, which would have led to the growth of a Jewish community. The ecstatic utterances drew the attention of this wide variety of people, convincing them of God's presence and work (Bruce 1988, p. 59).
In Acts 2:14-36, Peter explains what the people have just witnessed. Bruce, though the location cannot be documented, thinks the outer court of the temple is the most likely location for this interaction (Bruce 1988, p. 60). Peter is now speaking in a language he knows, explaining that the disciples are sober but that they have experienced what Joel had predicted. Bruce observes that the explorations and attempts to understand Old Testament prophets have come to an end in Jesus, who has made it all clear (Bruce 1988, p. 61). While Peter may not have imagined the scope of God's Spirit coming to all the world, Luke, at the time of writing, would realize that God is bringing the gospel to every people group. The move of the Spirit is accompanied by various miraculous signs (vv. 19-21). These signs not only demonstrate the presence of the Holy Spirit, but they also foreshadow a return of Christ (Bruce 1988, p. 62).
Bruce notes that apostolic preaching normally contains four critical elements. There is "(1) the announcement that the age of fulfillment has arrived; (2) an account of the ministry, death, and triumph of Jesus; (3) citation of Old Testament scriptures whose fulfillment in these events proves Jesus to be the one to whom they pointed forward; (4) a call to repentance" (Bruce 1988, p. 62). These are the chief elements found in Peter's proclamation. Bruce describes the elements in some detail as Peter's sermon continues. A critical element is that the earthly ruler's judgment and Jesus' death had been overturned by the work of God, who raised Jesus from the dead (Bruce 1988, p. 64). The message of the resurrection serves Peter as a means to speak directly in terms of Jesus as Messiah.
Peter's message, in verses 29-36, points out the difference between David and Jesus. David had received a promise of a descendant who would be enthroned (Bruce 1988, p. 66). Peter identifies this descendant as Jesus, who was raised from the dead, and who has ascended to the right hand of the Father (v. 33). Peter identifies Jesus as the one who has sent the Holy Spirit. The message, a radical claim, is made certain by Jesus' resurrection and ascension and by the gift of the Holy Spirit (Bruce 1988, p. 67). His location at the right hand of the Father is, according to Peter, reason to recognize that the Father has exalted him (Bruce 1988, p. 68).
Acts 2:37-40 describes the response of Peter's audience, as they ask what they should do about their guilt. Bruce observes that Peter's response, that they should repent and be baptized, was likely amazing to an audience which was convinced of condemnation (Bruce 1988, p. 69). Bruce compares this concept to the claim of John the Baptist in Mark 1:4 that Jesus would give the Holy Spirit. Bruce takes the ongoing practice of baptism in water to have been retained as "part of a more comprehensive initiation which took its character especially from the receiving of the Spirit (Bruce 1988, p. 69). There is no hint at a controversy about baptism, which had already become a familiar practice. But here the baptism is "in the name of Jesus Christ" and is related to the Holy Spirit (Bruce 1988, p. 70). Bruce emphasizes that the call to repent is firmly tied to reception of baptism. He sees repentance as the essential element in forgiveness, though he acknowledges that baptism is assumed to be performed in conjunction with repentance. The promised forgiveness is specifically inclusive of all nations at the time of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, as well as to all the future ages (Bruce 1988, p. 71).
Verses 41-47 describe the life of the earliest Christians in very brief terms. Some three thousand were baptized and continued as a Christian community (Bruce 1988, p. 72). They are characterized by joy, by receiving teaching, breaking bread, and prayers. Bruce takes "breaking of bread" to have signified reception of communion, rather than simply sharing meals (Bruce 1988, p. 73). The prayers would likely follow the Jewish patterns and times of prayer with which the people were already familiar. Verses 44-45 describe the life of community and sharing which emerged. The idea of a sharing community had existed in Judaism (Bruce 1988, p. 73). Bruce notes the response was voluntary. According to verses 46-47, the believers continued to assemble, probably in Solomon's colonnade, at the east side of the temple (Bruce 1988, p. 74). Bruce sees the fellowship as noteworthy but not altogether novel, as communities of devoted Jews had existed at different times. The distinctive here was Jesus' work at the center of the community.
1/24/24
Bruce, F.F. (1988). "Acts 2." In The Book of Acts (Revised). (pp. 49-75). William B. Eerdmans Publishing,
Acts chapter two brings us to the Day of Pentecost, the fiftieth day after the Passover. The celebration of Pentecost was also sometimes called "the feast of weeks" or "the day of the firstfruits" (Bruce 1988, p. 49). Bruce notes that this may also have been the day of the giving of the Law at Sinai (Bruce 1988, p. 50). The disciples were gathered in an upper room, which may or may not have been the one used in 1:13. In Acts 2:2, the text records a sudden sound of wind. Bruce is clear that there is no way of answering many of the questions we may have about the wind (Bruce 1988, p. 50). We do know, however, that wind typically is symbolic of the Holy Spirit. The phenomenon of "tongues as of fire" may or may not be related to the tongues in which the people speak. Bruce observes that scholars have radically different views of how the incident occurred. Further, we don't know if the place of the incident itself was the upper room or possibly one of the temple courts (Bruce 1988, p. 51). Bruce considers this question one which cannot be answered definitively. In Acts 2:4, the disciples are "filled with the Holy Spirit" (Bruce 1988, p. 51). Bruce observes that there are examples in the Old Testament of people who are filled with the Holy Spirit or who evidence spiritual phenomena. He does distinguish between the phenomenon in Acts 2, where the speech was readily understood by others, and that recorded in Corinth, where an interpreter was needed (Bruce 1988, p. 52). The focus of all the signs recorded is to draw attention to God and His actions (Bruce 1988, p. 53).
The sign of the Holy Spirit from Acts 2:1-4 was witnessed by a crowd of bystanders. The interaction is described in verses 5-13. Bruce observes that there were Jews from many different nationalities represented in Jerusalem for the feast of Pentecost (Bruce 1988, p. 53). These people reported hearing the speakers using their native language or dialect, despite the fact that the speakers did not know those dialects (Bruce 1988, p. 54). Based on the concept of Pentecost as the time of God's giving of the Law (see p. 50) this event has suggested that God has no made his Law known to all nations (Bruce 1988, p. 54). Verses 9-11 provide a list of nations who were visiting Jerusalem. Bruce notes that the visitors from the East can be recognized as from areas to which Jews were dispersed in the Assyrian conquest (Bruce 1988, p. 55). The Babylonian exile is also included in this catalog. Many of these people are mentioned in Josephus (Bruce 1988, p. 56). For other regions, Bruce notes abundant evidence of Jewish communities, as he illustrates briefly. Bruce does observe the possibility that the visitors from Rome having received the gospel, may have returned to Rome with the Christian message and spread it immediately (Bruce 1988, p. 57). Bruce discusses the pattern of proselytization, especially at Rome, which would have led to the growth of a Jewish community. The ecstatic utterances drew the attention of this wide variety of people, convincing them of God's presence and work (Bruce 1988, p. 59).
In Acts 2:14-36, Peter explains what the people have just witnessed. Bruce, though the location cannot be documented, thinks the outer court of the temple is the most likely location for this interaction (Bruce 1988, p. 60). Peter is now speaking in a language he knows, explaining that the disciples are sober but that they have experienced what Joel had predicted. Bruce observes that the explorations and attempts to understand Old Testament prophets have come to an end in Jesus, who has made it all clear (Bruce 1988, p. 61). While Peter may not have imagined the scope of God's Spirit coming to all the world, Luke, at the time of writing, would realize that God is bringing the gospel to every people group. The move of the Spirit is accompanied by various miraculous signs (vv. 19-21). These signs not only demonstrate the presence of the Holy Spirit, but they also foreshadow a return of Christ (Bruce 1988, p. 62).
Bruce notes that apostolic preaching normally contains four critical elements. There is "(1) the announcement that the age of fulfillment has arrived; (2) an account of the ministry, death, and triumph of Jesus; (3) citation of Old Testament scriptures whose fulfillment in these events proves Jesus to be the one to whom they pointed forward; (4) a call to repentance" (Bruce 1988, p. 62). These are the chief elements found in Peter's proclamation. Bruce describes the elements in some detail as Peter's sermon continues. A critical element is that the earthly ruler's judgment and Jesus' death had been overturned by the work of God, who raised Jesus from the dead (Bruce 1988, p. 64). The message of the resurrection serves Peter as a means to speak directly in terms of Jesus as Messiah.
Peter's message, in verses 29-36, points out the difference between David and Jesus. David had received a promise of a descendant who would be enthroned (Bruce 1988, p. 66). Peter identifies this descendant as Jesus, who was raised from the dead, and who has ascended to the right hand of the Father (v. 33). Peter identifies Jesus as the one who has sent the Holy Spirit. The message, a radical claim, is made certain by Jesus' resurrection and ascension and by the gift of the Holy Spirit (Bruce 1988, p. 67). His location at the right hand of the Father is, according to Peter, reason to recognize that the Father has exalted him (Bruce 1988, p. 68).
Acts 2:37-40 describes the response of Peter's audience, as they ask what they should do about their guilt. Bruce observes that Peter's response, that they should repent and be baptized, was likely amazing to an audience which was convinced of condemnation (Bruce 1988, p. 69). Bruce compares this concept to the claim of John the Baptist in Mark 1:4 that Jesus would give the Holy Spirit. Bruce takes the ongoing practice of baptism in water to have been retained as "part of a more comprehensive initiation which took its character especially from the receiving of the Spirit (Bruce 1988, p. 69). There is no hint at a controversy about baptism, which had already become a familiar practice. But here the baptism is "in the name of Jesus Christ" and is related to the Holy Spirit (Bruce 1988, p. 70). Bruce emphasizes that the call to repent is firmly tied to reception of baptism. He sees repentance as the essential element in forgiveness, though he acknowledges that baptism is assumed to be performed in conjunction with repentance. The promised forgiveness is specifically inclusive of all nations at the time of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, as well as to all the future ages (Bruce 1988, p. 71).
Verses 41-47 describe the life of the earliest Christians in very brief terms. Some three thousand were baptized and continued as a Christian community (Bruce 1988, p. 72). They are characterized by joy, by receiving teaching, breaking bread, and prayers. Bruce takes "breaking of bread" to have signified reception of communion, rather than simply sharing meals (Bruce 1988, p. 73). The prayers would likely follow the Jewish patterns and times of prayer with which the people were already familiar. Verses 44-45 describe the life of community and sharing which emerged. The idea of a sharing community had existed in Judaism (Bruce 1988, p. 73). Bruce notes the response was voluntary. According to verses 46-47, the believers continued to assemble, probably in Solomon's colonnade, at the east side of the temple (Bruce 1988, p. 74). Bruce sees the fellowship as noteworthy but not altogether novel, as communities of devoted Jews had existed at different times. The distinctive here was Jesus' work at the center of the community.
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