This verse is a direct quote from the prophet Joel 2;31. This is in the first sermon preached in the New Testament age after Jesus Christ had been crucified and had risen from the dead and showed himself alive to certain chosen disciples for 40 days before his ascension to heaven where he is presently.
This was the festival of Pentecost, the Feast of Weeks.
The order of events in Acts 2, 10 days later after Jesus ascended, began with the pouring out of the Holy Ghost on the 120 in the room who had previously received the indwelling Holy Spirit in John 20. There is no evidence in the scriptures that this man Peter, who preached this first sermon to Israel,( nor any other of the 120 who were in the upper room that day), concluded it with the command for them to repent, be baptized in water in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and they will receive the Holy Ghost, was ever baptized in water himself.
This sermon was preached to a specific group of people and it had instructions that could apply to this specific people only. It was a very narrow command to these people. It was a kingdom sermon. The key phase in the command of Peter when he was asked by his audience what they must do at the end of his sermon was "every one of you." Remember that Jesus had told these men that they would minister in his very power and what Peter said to this nation was as if Jesus himself was speaking.
I do want to quote the passages that tell us who Peter and the others were addressing because it matters to Bible believers.
Acts 2:4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
5 And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.
They were not just men from every nation under heaven, but Jews from every nation under heaven, devout Jews.
They could not all speak Hebrew! Here is what is said about them.
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 Galilaeans?
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 Judaea, 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?
Now, that is what he said to those people. Afterwards he shifts gears and speaks and addresses the nation. The Jews who dwell in Jerusalem and Judaea.
Watch it!
13 Others mocking said, These men are full of new wine.
14 But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words:
These others were obviously not devout men
He speaks directly to them through v21 and then this:
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:
There were not only miracles and signs but the sun refused to shine and though we are not told directly, the moon was turned to blood just like Acts 2:20 says. Jesus had performed many miracles in the previous 3 years and it is actually true that this prophecy of Joel was actually and literally fulfilled in the person and works of Jesus Christ and his death on the cross. Now he has risen from the dead and his complete nation, all the tribes were gathered together by him to assure them that all his promises to them would be fulfilled but Israel is a collective and must be saved as a collective to receive their national promises. God gave them 7 years and at the end of that 7 years you can read their answer in in the last few verses of Acts 7.
There was a transition there at that time but had they repented history would have been written much differently because all the promises of God, to whomever he makes them, are yea and Amen, and they cannot fail.
Ex 4:22 And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith the Lord, Israel is my son, even my firstborn:
Jn 3:5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
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 (in the nations), even as many as the Lord our God shall call.
This might be one of the greatest sermons ever preached. It shows us the gracious and merciful character of our God and the prideful and arrogant and rebellious nature of man
How would your religious group handle these verses in Acts 2?
This was the festival of Pentecost, the Feast of Weeks.
The order of events in Acts 2, 10 days later after Jesus ascended, began with the pouring out of the Holy Ghost on the 120 in the room who had previously received the indwelling Holy Spirit in John 20. There is no evidence in the scriptures that this man Peter, who preached this first sermon to Israel,( nor any other of the 120 who were in the upper room that day), concluded it with the command for them to repent, be baptized in water in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and they will receive the Holy Ghost, was ever baptized in water himself.
This sermon was preached to a specific group of people and it had instructions that could apply to this specific people only. It was a very narrow command to these people. It was a kingdom sermon. The key phase in the command of Peter when he was asked by his audience what they must do at the end of his sermon was "every one of you." Remember that Jesus had told these men that they would minister in his very power and what Peter said to this nation was as if Jesus himself was speaking.
I do want to quote the passages that tell us who Peter and the others were addressing because it matters to Bible believers.
Acts 2:4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
5 And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.
They were not just men from every nation under heaven, but Jews from every nation under heaven, devout Jews.
They could not all speak Hebrew! Here is what is said about them.
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 Galilaeans?
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 Judaea, 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?
Now, that is what he said to those people. Afterwards he shifts gears and speaks and addresses the nation. The Jews who dwell in Jerusalem and Judaea.
Watch it!
13 Others mocking said, These men are full of new wine.
14 But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words:
These others were obviously not devout men
He speaks directly to them through v21 and then this:
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:
There were not only miracles and signs but the sun refused to shine and though we are not told directly, the moon was turned to blood just like Acts 2:20 says. Jesus had performed many miracles in the previous 3 years and it is actually true that this prophecy of Joel was actually and literally fulfilled in the person and works of Jesus Christ and his death on the cross. Now he has risen from the dead and his complete nation, all the tribes were gathered together by him to assure them that all his promises to them would be fulfilled but Israel is a collective and must be saved as a collective to receive their national promises. God gave them 7 years and at the end of that 7 years you can read their answer in in the last few verses of Acts 7.
There was a transition there at that time but had they repented history would have been written much differently because all the promises of God, to whomever he makes them, are yea and Amen, and they cannot fail.
Ex 4:22 And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith the Lord, Israel is my son, even my firstborn:
Jn 3:5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
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 (in the nations), even as many as the Lord our God shall call.
This might be one of the greatest sermons ever preached. It shows us the gracious and merciful character of our God and the prideful and arrogant and rebellious nature of man
How would your religious group handle these verses in Acts 2?
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