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ACTS CHAPTER TWO
(v. 4) "And they [the disciples] were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance.
(v. 5) Now there were Jews living in Jerusalem, devout men, from every nation under heaven.
(v. 6) And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together, and were bewildered, because they were each one hearing them speak in his own language.
(v. 7) And they began to be amazed and to marvel, saying, 'Why, are not all these who are speaking Galileans?'
(v. 8) And how is it that we each hear them in our own language to which we were born?
[Notice that tongues speaking here is limited to one's native born language]
(v. 9) Parthians and Medes and Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia,
(v. 10) Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the districts of Libya around Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes,
(v. 11) Cretans and Arabs - we hear them in our own tongues speaking of the mighty deeds of God.
(v. 12) And they continued in amazement and great perplexity, saying to one another, 'What does this mean?'
(v. 13) But others were mocking and saying, 'They are full of sweet wine.'
(v. 14) But Peter, taking his stand with the eleven, raised his voice and declared to them: 'Men of Judea, and all your who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give heed to my words.
(v. 15) For these men are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only the third hour of the day;
(v. 16) but this is what was spoken of through the prophet Joel.
(v. 17) 'In the last days, God says,.....
[And then Peter goes on to quote Joel 2:28-32.
Since what occurred at Pentecost is not the same as what was prohesied in Joel chapter 2 and since Peter stated, "this is what [the Holy Spirit] was spoken of through the prophet Joel" and not 'this is what is being fulfilled as spoken of through the prophet Joel'; then the word "this"can and does refer to the Holy Spirit's enablement of the supernatural occurrence of the disciples' "declaring the wonders of God in tongues" (i.e., the native born languages of Jews who camefrom foreign countries, (vv. 11-12). Peter again repeats what he was referring to later on in verse 33 which corroborates the point that it is the Holy Spirit Whom Peter is referring to, not the fulfillment of the prophecy in Joel]:
"Exalted to the right hand of God, He has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear."
Then after referring the Joel 2:28-32a, Peter quotes it. This passage is a part of a chapter which begins with the description of the horrors of God's judgment on the world at the end of human history as we know it:
(v. 1) "Blow a trumpet in Zion, [Israel]
And sound an alarm on My [God's] holy mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble, For the day of the Lord is coming; surely it is near,
["the day of the Lord" = that period of time beginning with the rapture of the church, (1 Thes 4:13-18; 2 Thes 2:1-12; Jn 14:1-4); then the 7 year tribulation, (Isa 2:12, 19; 13:9-11, 13; 26:20-21; 34:1-2, 8; Ezek 30:2-3; Joel 1:15; 2:1-3; 2:30-32; 3:12-16, 18; Amos 5:18, 20; Obad vs. 15-17; Zeph 1:14-15, 17; Zech 12:2,9,10; 14:1-5, 8-9, 20; Mal 4:1-3; 1 Thes 5:2-3; 2 Pet 3:8, 10; Mt 24:1-28; Rev 6:1-19:10) and then the Second Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring in His Millennial Kingdom, (Rev 19:11-20:4; Mt 24:29-25:46), and finally the Great White Throne Judgment and eternity future with a new heaven and a new earth, (Rev 20:7-22:21)]
B cont.) [Joel 2:1-2; 28-32a cont.]:
(v. 2) "A day of darkness and gloom,
A day of clouds and thick darkness.
As the dawn is spread over the mountains, So there is a great and mighty people; There has never been anything like it, Nor will there be again after it
To the years of many generations."
[The rest of this passage up to verse 18 continues to describe the future horrors of the tribulation period before Jesus Christ appears at His Second Coming. Verses 18-27 then describe our Lord's coming and His setting up of the millennial kingdom. This brings us to the part which the Apostle Peter quoted in Acts 2:17]:
B cont.) [Joel 2:1-2; 28-32a cont.]:
(Joel 2:28) And it will come about after this, that I will pour out My Spirit on all mankind, And your sons and daughters will prophesy,
Your old men will dream dreams,
Your young men will see visions."
["And it" = The Kingdom with the Lord ruling, (vv 18-27).
"And it will come about after this" = And the Millennial Kingdom will come about after the tribulation period and our Lord's Second Coming which were described earlier. The phrase "after this" is located in the text such that it tells us that the Rapture, the 7 year tribulation period and our Lord's Second Coming must occur BEFORE the pouring out of the "Spirit on all mankind"]
(v. 28 cont.) And it will come about after this, that I will pour out My Spirit on all mankind, And your sons and daughters will prophesy,
Your old men will dream dreams,
Your young men will see visions."
(v. 29) And even on the male and female servants
I will pour out My Spirit in those days.
(v. 30) And I will display wonders in the sky and on the earth,
Blood, fire, and columns of smoke.
(v. 31) The sun will be turned into darkness,
And the moon into blood,
Before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes.
(v. 32a) And it will come about that whoever calls on the name of the Lord Will be delivered..."
Notice that what is described in Joel 2:28-32a has not occurred yet.
For example:
"I will pour out My Spirit on all mankind" = God's Spirit has not yet been poured out on all people - not at that 'first' Pentecost and not throughout history.
"The sun will be turned into darkness,
And the moon into blood,
Before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes." = All of this which is just preceding when our Lord comes in glory in His Second Coming in the clouds of heaven, (Dan 7:13-14; Mt 24:30-31), has not occurred yet.
So these events as described by the prophet Joel having not happened yet raises the question about Peter's statement: "This is what was spoken of through the prophet Joel". Since Joel 2:28-32 cannot be a fulfillment in every detail of what was going on that day of Pentecost when Peter preached, then one must rule out a prophecy in detail and review the contexts of both passages to determine the points of identity that Peter is referring to. The main point of context in both passages is the working of God the Holy Spirit. In Acts chapter 2, Peter is referring to the Holy Spirit's working in the believers' the gift of speaking "in other tongues [i.e., national languages] as the Spirit enabled them." So Peter says to the "utterly amazed" bewildered crowd:
(v. 15) "These men [who are speaking in other tongues supernaturally] are not drunk, as you suppose. It is only nine in the morning!
(v. 16) No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel..."
[Notice that Peter does not say that this is a fulfillment of what was spoken by the prophet Joel. Instead, he says "this is what was spoken [about] by the prophet Joel..." And what was it that Joel spoke about that is a common point of identity? It was the working of God the Holy Spirit:
"And it will come about after this
That I will pour out My Spirit on all mankind;..."
It is God the Holy Spirit Who will be acting in the future time of the Day of the Lord and Who acted at the time in the past on that day of Pentecost 2000 years ago. The point of identity that Peter is making is that just as God the Holy Spirit will work in all men beginning at the time of the millennial rule of our Lord, so the disciples were expressing the working in them of God the Holy Spirit when they "began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance."
So the prophecy of Joel which Peter mentions in Acts 2:17 has yet to be literally fulfilled, but the Agent behind the events is One and the Same God the Holy Spirit. That's what Peter was referring to in a point of comparison of fulfillment. Verse 33 summarizes what Peter was referring to when he quoted the passage in Joel:
"Exalted to the right hand of God, He has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear."
(v. 17) " 'In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams.
(v. 18) Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy.
(v. 19) I will show wonders in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke.
(v. 20) The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord.
(v. 21) And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.''"
Notice that all that is required is to be saved from physical destruction during those last terrible days is to call on the name of the Lord, i.e., trust in the name of the Lord to deliver you.
(v. 22) "Men of Israel, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know.
(v. 23) This man was handed over to you by God's set purpose and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross.
(v. 24) But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him.
(v. 25) David said about him: 'I saw the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.
(v. 26) Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will live in hope,
(v. 27) because you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay.
(v. 28) You have made known to me the paths of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence.'
(v. 29) Brothers, I can tell you confidently that the patriarch David died and was buried, and his tomb is here to this day.
(v. 30) But he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that he would place one of his descendants on his throne.
(v. 31) Seeing what was ahead, he spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to the grave, nor did his body see decay.
(v. 32) God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of the fact.
(v. 33) Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear.
(v. 34) For David did not ascend to heaven, and yet he said, 'The Lord said to my Lord: 'Sit at my right hand
(v. 35) until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.' "
Notice that Peter's sermon is totally focused on Who Jesus Christ is and that fact He was raised to life and is both Lord and Christ the Messiah of all Israel:
(v. 36) "Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.
[So convincing and convicting fellow Jews that 'Jesus, Whom you crucified, [is] both Lord and Christ.' was Peter's message - not in view was Peter's exhorting to behave better or feel remorse or commit to a holy lifestyle]
(v. 37) Now when they [Jews, (vv. 22, 29)] heard this, they were pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, 'Brothers, [Jews, (vv. 22, 29)] what shall we do?'
['They were pierced to the heart', i.e., they felt remorse = the other kind of repentance = "metamelomai" which led them to the first kind of repentance: a change from not believing to faith alone in Christ/Messiah alone unto eternal life, (cf., 2 Cor 7:10). Notice Peter in the next verse tells his Jewish brothers to do the first kind of 'Repent' = "metanoEsate" = change your mind from unbelief to belief in Christ as their Lord and Christ, i.e., Messiah/Savior]:
(v. 37) "When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, 'Brothers, what shall we do?'
(v. 38) Peter replied, 'Repent [plural] (and let each one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, [singular = after being forgiven and Holy Spirit received],) for the forgiveness of your sins [plural]. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit [plural].'
(v. 39) The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off [=Gentiles]--for all whom the Lord our God will call."
It is maintained by some that verse 37 indicates that the Jews had already come to saving faith because of the phrase 'what shall we do' which they declare indicates that they have reacted with remorse in realizing their guilt in crucifying their Messiah and have already accepted by faith the message of Peter: that Jesus Christ was indeed the Messiah Whom they crucified. Furthermore there is the insistence that the word "brothers" spoken in verse 37 corroborates this concept by signifying Christian "brothers" rather than Jewish 'brothers'. So by this reasoning some conclude that the phrase, 'Brothers what shall we do?' in verse 37 indicates that the Jews were already saved "Christian brothers" and now wanted to address their guilt of supporting the crucifixion of Christ through confession and repentance/change of lifestyle and as Peter commanded, water baptism. The view is that if national Israel does not repent of complicity at Calvary then God will judge her severely. Since national Israel did not repent, it is maintained that the destruction of Jerusalem and further scattering of Israel in AD 70 was the result. So the command to repent is to be an act of a repentant believer then water baptism to receive forgiveness of sins relative to national Israel's complicity at Calvary not an action to be saved unto eternal life.
However, "forgiveness of your sins" plural is in view - not forgiveness of the one sin of crucifying/rejecting Christ.
Furthermore, the reception of the Holy Spirit as a result of demonstrating repentant behavior/intention is not supported anywhere else in Scripture. One received the Holy Spirit as a result of being a believer in Christ as Savior either at the moment of repentance/believing in the gospel, (Eph 1:13-14) which is the norm or in the transition book of Acts period shortly thereafter for those who were believers who were still alive as Old Testament believers before our Lord ascended and sent the Holy Spirit, (Acts 19:1-6) to indwell all believers into the Church, the body of Christ.
4) BUT NOT ALL ARE STIPULATED AS HAVING BELIEVED IN CHRIST AS MESSIAH/SAVIOR
Notice that the question 'Brothers, what shall we do' cannot be dogmatically viewed as being asked by 100% of the thousands who were present at Peter's sermon which then signfied that all 100% then believed in Christ as Messiah unto forgiveness of sins. Many in Peter's audience may not have thought to ask this at the time - hence many may not have believed before Peter spoke verse 38. Furthermore, since Peter was not privy to the thoughts of everyone and wouldn't have known who believed and who did not, he rightfully answered the question for all to hear as rendered in verses 38-39 - a statement of what a man must do to have forgiveness of sins unto eternal life. Hence, by the time we get to verse 37 &/or 38, forgiveness of sins unto salvation is still yet to be received along with the "the gift of the Holy Spirit", and is portrayed, therefore, as imminent for those who repent/believe in verses 37 or 38, which ever the case may be.
5) BUT "BROTHERS" REFERS TO "MEN OF ISRAEL" NOT CHRISTIAN BROTHERS
Furthermore, the term "brothers" must refer to Jewish brothers, especially since verse 22 calls them "men of Israel" and since the term is applied to them in verse 29 before forgiveness of sins is in view. The context in verse 29 has not changed from verse 22 where they are being addressed as "men of Israel" and not as Christians. Peter's sermon to them is steeped in Old Testament references as if his audience being Jewish would understand:
(v. 22) "Men of Israel, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know.
(v. 25) David said about him: 'I saw the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.
(v. 26) Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will live in hope,
(v. 27) because you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay.
(v. 28) You have made known to me the paths of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, [Ref. Ps 16:8-11].' "
(v. 29) "Brothers, I can tell you confidently that the patriarch David died and was buried, and his tomb is here to this day."
Having just become a born again believer in verse 37, one would hardly expect the individual to immediately address Peter and fellow believers with him as 'brothers' meaning brothers in Christ until they came to that understanding through further instruction in the doctrines of the faith.
Finally verse 39 settles the matter as it indicates that the promise of forgiveness unto eternal life applies to both Jew to whom Peter is addressing as "brothers" and Gentiles to whom verse 39 refers to as "for all who are far off [=Gentiles]", (cf. Eph 2:13, 17, 19), upon a moment of repentance/belief in Jesus "as both Lord and Christ." So a special forgiveness for Israel relative to their involvement in the crucifixion of Christ is not in view:
"The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off [=Gentiles]--for all whom the Lord our God will call."
a) [Compare Acts 2:39, 44, 47b]:
(v. 39) "The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off [=Gentiles]--for all whom the Lord our God will call."
[Notice that the promise of salvation unto eternal life is for the "men of Israel", (v. 22) and their "children and for all who are far off [=Gentiles]", (cp. Eph 2:13, 17, 19]
(v. 44) "All the believers were together and had everything in common."
[Notice that all who have repented, (v. 38), are described as "believers", so repent = believe]
(v. 47b) "And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved."
[And all who have repented/believed are described as being saved - unto eternal life. So those who accepted Peter's command to repent were called believers such that they were described as being saved unto eternal life.]
b) [Compare Acts 10:43]:
"All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins through His name."
VI cont.) [Acts 2:37-39 cont.]:
(v. 37) "When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, 'Brothers, what shall we do?'
(v. 38) Peter replied, 'Repent [plural] (and let each one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, [singular = after being forgiven and Holy Spirit received],) for the forgiveness of your sins [plural]. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit [plural].'
(v. 39) The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off [=Gentiles]--for all whom the Lord our God will call."
Repent = "metanoeo" comes from the combination of the Greek words meta meaning 'after', implying change and the Greek word noeo meaning the mind, the understanding = literally, 'after thought', i.e., rethinking, thus a change of mind. The implication here is that when you have an 'after thought' you have a change of mind. The sphere of this word is therefore limited to within the mind. Other kinds and spheres of activity are not in view.
[Vine's Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words, W.E. Vine, Revell Publishing, Old Tappan, New Jersey, 1981, pp. 279-280), states]:
"metanoeo... lit. to perceive afterwards (meta, after, implying change, noeo, to perceive; [comes from the Greek noun] nous, the mind, the seat of moral reflection), in contrast to pronoeo, to perceive beforehand, hence signifies to change one's mind or purpose..."
The words "repentance" and "repent" in God's Word are translated from the Greek words "metanoia", (noun); "metanoeO", (verb) respectively which refer to a turn about, a deliberate change of mind resulting in a change of direction in thought. When one believes a fact relative to God's revealed Word, one turns from doubt or unbelief to faith in that revealed truth.
(v. 24) "And the Lord's servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful.
(v. 25) Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance [metanoian] leading them to a knowledge of the truth."
Notice that Paul indicates that a servant of the Lord, more specifically a pastor/teacher, (v. 2:2), is to gently instruct in the Word of God, (v. 4:2), those who oppose him in the hope that God will grant them repentance, i.e., a change of mind which leads to a knowledge, i.e., an acceptance, belief in the truths of God's Word which were being taught. So repentance = metanoian here is not a feeling of regret, or an action of some kind, but simply a change of mind from opposing, i.e., rejecting or disbelieving truths from God's Word to a knowledge and acceptance of them, i.e., belief in them. From disbelief to belief.
[J. . Dwight Pentecost states, ('Things Which Become SOUND DOCTRINE, Fleming H. Revell Co., Westwood, N.J., 1965, pp. 62-63)]:
"Now, in laying down the qualifications for the servant of the Lord, the Apostle emphasizes that the Lord's servant must have the ability to teach. That, of course, which he teaches - according to II Timothy 4:2 - is the Word of God. As the servant of God teaches the Word of God, the truth of the Word of God will be brought home by the Spirit to the mind of the hearer, and the hearer will change his mind because of the truth that has been presented. This change of mind, in respect to a revealed truth from the Word of God, is called in II Timothy 2:25 'repentance.' "
In order to repent, i.e., turn to Christ alone for forgiveness of sins which means that you believe that He alone can and will forgive you, you must turn from your rejection of Him - from the belief that your sins are something you yourself can and will deal with in your own way and not God's way. So instead of rejecting faith alone in Christ alone you turn to faith placed in Him alone as Savior - that is God's way of dealing with your sins. That is what the Bible defines as 'repentance for the forgiveness of sins':
"Paul said, 'John's baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe 'in the One coming after him, that is, Jesus.' "
"repentance" = "metanoias" = a change of the mind from not believing to believing "in the One coming after him, that is, in Jesus."
Since John's baptism was a baptism that signified an individual's repentance,
and since the message of John to people was to repent/believe in Jesus Christ as Messiah/Savior thereupon he was water baptized,
then repentance here = "metanoias" = believing in the One coming after Him, Jesus Christ as Messiah/Savior.
John the Baptist "prepare[d] the way for the Lord [making] straight paths for Him", (Mt 3:3; Isa 40:3) by declaring "the Kingdom of God is near", (Mt 3:2), i.e., that the Messiah is coming now to bring His Kingdom into the world when all of Israel believes in Him. John further declared Who Jesus is:"Behold the Lamb of God Who takes away the sins of the world", (Jn 1:29), i.e., as testified to in Old Testament Scripture, (Isa 53:4-5); declaring "one must believe in Jesus", (Acts 19:4), being that Lamb of God Who takes away the sins of the world, i.e., "Repent [= believe in Christ as Messiah].. for the forgiveness of sins", (Acts 19:4; Mk 1:4) to gain entrance into this eternal Kingdom. Then John commanded those who believed in Jesus to demonstrate this change to faith in Him by a "baptism of repentance [/belief in Jesus] for the forgiveness of sins", (Acts 19:4; Mk 1:4).
Notice that baptism and washings in
general were perceived by Israelites as symbolic immersions and washings
and not acts which provided actual results of what they represented. This
would be consistent with what the Old Testament Scripture teaches,
[
]
So when an Israelite underwent John's or Jesus' baptism of repentance/belief in Jesus, what was in view was immersion into water as a symbol of ones actual identification with Israel's Messiah and His eternal kingdom when he believed in Jesus.
(v. 29) '''The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!
(v. 30) This is the one I meant when I said, 'A Man Who comes after me has surpassed me because He was before me.' "
(v. 31) I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water
[=a baptism of repentance meaning to believe in Christ as Messiah for the forgiveness of sins, (Mk 1:4; Acts 19:4)]
was that he might be revealed to Israel" '''
[=so that all Israelites might believe in Him unto the kingdom of heaven; and when all Israel believes, the Kingdom would , (Mt 1:4; Zech 12:1-13:4)].
"And so John came, baptizing in the desert region and preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins."
Notice that John's baptism was a baptism that represented having been forgiven of one's sins.
(v. 12) "When Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, he returned to Galilee."
(v. 17) "From that time on Jesus began to preach, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near."
Notice that our Lord continued John's message of repent/believing in the One coming after him, that is Jesus for His Kingdom is near = at hand ready to begin.
(v. 23) "[Peter said] 'From this man's [David's, (v. 22)] descendants God has brought to Israel the Savior Jesus, as He promised.
(v. 24) Before the coming of Jesus, John preached repentance and baptism to all the people of Israel."
Notice that John's preaching was directed to Israel - a preaching of corporate repentance of national Israel and individual water baptism. John the Baptist preached this as did our Lord Who continued this after John's death.
(v. 1) '''In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the Desert of Judea
(v. 2) and saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near."
["near" = "eggiken gar " = lit., 'has drawn near'
" eggiken" = to cause to approach, to be near, to be at hand
"gar" = a causal particle 'for' which introduces a reason, (which is that the Kingdom of God is potentially at hand), for the thing previously said, (which is that Israel must therefore repent in order to bring it in) = 'Israel repent, trust in the coming Messiah and all that the Scriptures relate about Him, for then the Kingdom of God will be caused to approach and enter into history, (i.e., a corporate trusting in Him by national Israel will result in eternal life in the Kingdom and that Kingdom will then commence on earth when the entire Israel nation accepts Jesus Christ as Messiah and Savior).'. However the Jews did not receive Him at the time, (Jn 1:11) - so the Kingdom did not commence]
(v. 3) This is he [John] who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah: "A voice of one calling in the desert, 'Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.' ", (Ref., Isa 40:3)
(v. 4) John's clothes were made of camel's hair, and he had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey.
(v. 5) People [from Israel, (Jn 1:31)] went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan.
(v. 6) Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.
[Once an Israelite trusted in Christ as Messiah/Savior unto the kingdom of heaven which was declared as near in conjunction with the Messiah's arrival as the Lamb of God Who takes away the sins of the world, (Jn 1:29), that Israelite believer thereupon confessed his sins, (Pr 28:13; 1 Jn 1:9), and was water baptized by John in the Jordan River. This water baptism was declared as a baptism of repentance, symbolic of changing one’s mind from not believing to faith alone in Christ alone as Messiah/Savior, (Acts 19:4). This baptism was symbolic of the Israelite believer's identification of national Israel with our Lord and His Kingdom which was to be ushered in had all Israel accepted Him as Messiah, hence John's statement, 'The Kingdom of God is near']
(v. 7) But when he [John] saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he said to them: "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?
[Evidently, before the Kingdom of God was to be at hand there would be a coming wrath of God on the earth]
(v. 8) Produce fruit in keeping with repentance."
Notice that producing fruit and repentance are two different things. One repents, i.e., believes in the Messiah Jesus Christ for forgiveness of sins so as to gain entrance into the kingdom of heaven and after that one is to produce fruit, i.e., godly behavior.
So the command is to produce fruit, i.e., change the behavior in keeping with the change of mind = repentance from unbelief to belief. If repentance were the same as producing fruit then this verse would make no sense: "produce fruit in keeping with producing fruit???
So John's message (and our Lord's message at first) of repentance was limited to the people of Israel and it was related to the coming of their Messiah Jesus Christ in Whom John exhorted Israel to repent/believe Him as "The Lamb of God Who takes away the sins of the world" unto the forgiveness of sins. Upon the nation Israel accepting her Messiah/Savior, the Kingdom would commence on earth. But Israel inevitably rejected and crucified Him:
(v. 10) "He was in the world, and though the world was made through Him, the world did not recognize Him.
(v. 11) He came to that which was His own [Israel], but his own did not receive Him."
So the ushering in of the Kingdom of God was postponed as prophesied in Scripture until after the Church was fully formed, the seven yearTribulation commences and at the end our Lord comes again in His Second Coming, (Zech 12:1-13:4).
Nevertheless, the offer remains open throughout this Church Age, but Israel will not accept her Messiah until the appointed time:
(v. 17) "Now, brothers, [= fellow Israelites] I know that you acted in ignorance, as did your leaders.
(v. 18) But this is how God fulfilled what He had foretold through all the prophets, saying that His Christ would suffer.
(v. 19) Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord"
[Notice that Paul is now offering to Israel and all mankind the opportunity to repent [change one's mind from turning away from to] turn to God, i.e., turn to faith in His Christ, (v. 18), so that one's sins may be wiped out, i.e., forgiven, (Acts 2:38), and in God's appointed time, (when all Israel believes, ref. Zech 12:1-13:4), God will send the Christ]:
(v. 20) and that He may send the Christ, who has been appointed for you - even Jesus.
(v. 21) He must remain in heaven until the time comes for God to restore everything, as he promised long ago through His holy prophets."
So our Lord will come to commence His Kingdom rule at the moment of His Second Coming when all Israel will recognize her Messiah as a result of God's enablement and Israel's subsequent response of faith:
(v. 1) "This is the word of the LORD concerning Israel. The LORD, who stretches out the heavens, who lays the foundation of the earth, and who forms the spirit of man within him, declares:
(v. 2) 'I am going to make Jerusalem a cup that sends all the surrounding peoples reeling. Judah will be besieged as well as Jerusalem.
(v. 3) On that day, when all the nations of the earth are gathered against her, I will make Jerusalem an immovable rock for all the nations. All who try to move it will injure themselves.
[Notice that
this has not happened in history yet - nor any of the events as described
in the foregoing verses. But it is prophesied as occuring at the end of
the Tribulation period when the age of the Mosaic Law will commence again
[]
and end when our Lord comes in His Second Coming which will begin His
Kingdom rule]:
(v. 4) On that day I will strike every horse with panic and its rider with madness,' declares the LORD. 'I will keep a watchful eye over the house of Judah, but I will blind all the horses of the nations.
(v. 5) Then the leaders of Judah will say in their hearts, 'The people of Jerusalem are strong, because the LORD Almighty is their God.'
(v. 6) On that day I will make the leaders of Judah like a firepot in a woodpile, like a flaming torch among sheaves. They will consume right and left all the surrounding peoples, but Jerusalem will remain intact in her place.
(v. 7) The LORD will save the dwellings of Judah first, so that the honor of the house of David and of Jerusalem's inhabitants may not be greater than that of Judah.
(v. 8) On that day the LORD will shield those who live in Jerusalem, so that the feeblest among them will be like David, and the house of David will be like God, like the Angel of the LORD going before them.
(v. 9) On that day I will set out to destroy all the nations that attack Jerusalem.
(v. 10) And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son.
[Notice that all Israel will have the spirit of grace and supplication poured out on them by God and as a result of God's enablement all Israel will finally recognize and believe in her Savior Whom they pierced and this is ‘That Day’ of the Lord’s Second Coming]:
(v. 11) On that day the weeping in Jerusalem will be great, like the weeping of Hadad Rimmon in the plain of Megiddo.
(v. 12) The land will mourn, each clan by itself, with their wives by themselves: the clan of the house of David and their wives, the clan of the house of Nathan and their wives,
(v. 13) the clan of the house of Levi and their wives, the clan of Shimei and their wives,
(v. 14) and all the rest of the clans and their wives.
(v. 13:1) On that day a fountain will be opened to the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, to cleanse them from sin and impurity.
(v. 13:2) On that day, I will banish the names of the idols from the land, and they will be remembered no more,' declares the LORD Almighty. 'I will remove both the prophets and the spirit of impurity from the land.
(v. 13:3) And if anyone still prophesies, his father and mother, to whom he was born, will say to him, 'You must die, because you have told lies in the LORD"s name.' When he prophesies, his own parents will stab him.
(v. 13:4) On that day every prophet will be ashamed of his prophetic vision. He will not put on a prophet's garment of hair in order to deceive.
(v. 13:5) He will say, 'I am not a prophet. I am a farmer; the land has been my livelihood since my youth.'
(v. 13:6) If someone asks him, 'What are these wounds on your body?' he will answer, 'The wounds I was given at the house of my friends.'"
VI cont.) [Acts 2:37-39 cont.]:
(v. 37) "When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, 'Brothers, what shall we do?'
(v. 38) Peter replied, 'Repent [plural] (and let each one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, ) [singular = after being forgiven and Holy Spirit received]), for the forgiveness of your sins [plural]. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit [plural].'
(v. 39) The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off [=Gentiles]--for all whom the Lord our God will call."
D cont.) REPENTANCE FOR THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS IS A TURNING - A CHANGE OF MIND FROM NOT BELIEVING TO BELIEVING ALONE IN CHRIST ALONE, cont.
2) PETER SPOKE TO ISRAELITES IN ACTS CHAPTER 2.
THIS IS NOW POINTING TO THE CHURCH
And now the Apostle Peter, (referring to Acts chapter 2), in addressing the people of Israel en masse, speaks directly to their rejection and crucifixion of Jesus of Nazareth, (Acts 2:23, 36), their Lord and their Messiah, (v. 36). But he included Gentiles in his message, (v. 39), which now points to the Church and not Israel. Upon repenting/believing one was not only forgiven of one's sins, but one also received the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Many of the Jews acknowledged the validity of Peter's references from Old Testament Scripture being fulfilled in Jesus Christ - their Lord and Messiah, (v. 36), i.e., they believed in Him and were thus added to the growing number of the Church, (41, 47b). These references established Christ's diety, (Ps 110:1 quoted by Peter in vv. 34-35) and the truth of His resurrection from the dead, (Ps 16:8-11 quoted by Peter in vv 25-28), which proved His Diety and Messiahship to them. Thus a large number of them responded by faith in Christ as Messiah and Savior which they understood provided for them eternal life in the kingdom:
a) [Compare Acts 2:38-39, 41, 44, 47b]:
(v. 2:38) "Peter replied, 'Repent [plural] (and let each one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, [singular = after being forgiven and Holy Spirit received],) for the forgiveness of your sins [plural]. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit [plural].'
(v. 2:39) The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off [=Gentiles]--for all whom the Lord our God will call.' "
(v. 2:41) "So then, those who had received his [Peter's] word [i.e., believed in Christ as Messiah/Savior, see v. 44 below, cf. John 1:12]were baptized; and there were added [to the number of those being saved unto eternal life] that day about three thousand souls."
(v. 2:44) "And all those who had believed were together, and had all things in common"
(v. 2:47b) "And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved."
Peter exhorts his audience of fellow Jews, (v. 14, 22, 29, 36, 37), to repent = "metanoEsate" = 2nd person plural aorist imperative = a command to change their minds from not believing to believing in Jesus Christ as both Lord and Christ in order to receive forgiveness of their sins [plural] and the gift of the Holy Spirit [plural]. And Peter says, 'let each one of you be water baptized' [singular] which would follow this reception of forgiveness and reception of the Holy Spirit and be a symbolic representation of that event.
Note that Peter's audience was indeed largely Jewish and would have understood that water baptism was symbolic of something for the washings and baptisms in the Old Testament Scriptures were largely ceremonial, i.e., symbolic. Just as the Jews viewed John's water baptism as symbolic of their faith in the coming Messiah and His Kingdom as part of national Israel, in the same way, the water baptism commanded by Peter would be viewed as symbolic of their faith in the Messiah Who had come - but this time the message of the Kingdom was not in view, the message of the Church was.
The word which is translated "Repent", ("metanoesate"), is plural and therefore goes with the plural phrase
"eis .aphesin ......ton hamartion hymon
"for forgiveness the sins ............your [plural]
Then the phrase which is translated 'let each one of you be baptized', inserted in the middle would follow this repentance in time being in the singular:
"Baptistheto .ekastos .....umon"
"Be baptized each one ...of you" =
"ekastos ...umon" =
"each one of you" =
"ekastos" = nom. singular masc. adj. = "each one"
So the phrase "Baptistheto ekastos umon" = "let each one of you commence to be baptized" stands out as a singular one. It is a parenthetical statement, (hence we have shown it within parentheses) - an action which is to be taken after the fact of receiving forgiveness of sins and the gift of the Spirit.
Just as a union leader might say to a meeting of union members who were arguing greatly over a job issue, 'All of you vote and let each one of us grab a cup of coffee afterward so that we can all present our decision to the company with a strong unified front' is a legitimate statement and does not signify that getting a cup of coffee is required to accomplish the end of a unified front;
so "Repent and [let each one of you commence to] be baptized for the forgiveness of your sins [plural]. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit [plural]" does not signify that being baptized is required to accomplish the end of forgiveness and receiving the Holy Spirit.
Finally, upon finishing his exposition on Who Jesus Christ is, the Jews immediately responded with a feeling of remorse, the other kind of repentance, whereupon Peter commanded them to 'repent' ("metanoEsate") = change their minds about Who it is that they crucified and repent = believe that He is their 'Lord and Christ' unto the 'forgiveness of sins' and the reception of the 'gift of the Holy Spirit.'
1) [Compare Acts 10:43]:
"All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins through His name."
Notice that everyone who simply believes in Jesus Christ receives forgiveness of sins. No water baptism, not repentant behavior, simply a moment of faith alone in Christ alone.
[Compare what Dr. Stanley D. Toussaint states in the Bible Knowledge Commentary, (New Testament edition, John F. Walvoord and Roy B. Zuck editors, Victor Books, U.S.A., 1988, p.359)]:
"...The clause 'and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ' [is] parenthetical [= a digression from the subject of the verse which is salvation]....
(a) The verb [be baptized] makes a distinction between singular and plural verbs and nouns. The verb "repent" is plural and so is the pronoun "your" in the clause "so that your sins may be forgiven" (lit., "unto the remission of your sins," "eis aphesin ton hamartion hymon"). Therefore the verb "repent" must go with the purpose of forgiveness of sins. On the other hand the imperative "be baptized" is singular, setting it off from the rest of the sentence.
(b) This concept fits with Peter's proclamation in Acts 10:43 in which the same expression "sins may be forgiven" ("aphesin hamartion") occurs. There it is granted on the basis of faith alone.
(c) In Luke 24:47 and Acts 5:31 the same writer, Luke, indicates that repentance [i.e., faith] results in remission of sins.........
....The problem with [the adverse] interpretation [that water baptism contributes towards remission of sins] is that elsewhere in Scripture forgiveness of sins is based on faith alone (John 3:16, 36; Rom. 4:1-17; 11:6; Gal. 3:8-9; Eph. 2:8-9; etc.). Furthermore Peter, the same speaker, later promised forgiveness of sins on the basis of faith alone (Acts 5:31; 10:43; 13:38; 26:18)."
(v. 17) "Now, brothers, [Peter is referring to fellow Jews] I know that you acted in ignorance, as did your leaders.
(v. 18) But this is how God fulfilled what he had foretold through all the prophets, saying that His Christ would suffer.
(v. 19) Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord."
"Repent" = "metanoEsate" = change your mind about Jesus Christ being the Messiah/Savior, i.e., trust in His name, (Acts 10:43), "so that your sins may be wiped out." Notice that Paul is now offering to Israel and all mankind the opportunity to repent [change one's mind from turning away from to] turn to God, i.e., turn to faith in His Christ, (v. 18), so that one's sins may be wiped out, i.e., forgiven, (Acts 2:38), and in God's appointed time, (when all Israel believes, ref. Zech 12:1-13:4), God will send the Christ]:
(v. 20) and that He may send the Christ, who has been appointed for you - even Jesus.
(v. 21) He must remain in heaven until the time comes for God to restore everything, as he promised long ago through His holy prophets."
So our Lord will come to commence His Kingdom rule at the moment of His Second Coming when all Israel will recognize her Messiah as a result of God's enablement and Israel's subsequent response of faith:
Notice that water baptism is not included here indicating that it is not essential in order to have 'your sins wiped out'
This corporate repentance and individual water baptism is nothing new, for John the Baptist preached this as did our Lord Who came after John:
(v. 23) " 'From the offspring of this man [David, (v. 22)] according to promise God has brought to Israel a Savior, Jesus,
(v. 24) after John had proclaimed before His coming a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel."
This corporate repentance of the nation Israel resulting in trusting in the coming Messiah Jesus Christ as Savior would then bring in the Kingdom had all Israel accepted her Messiah before He was crucified, (cp Mt 3:1-3, 11).
So the word which is translated "repent" in Acts 3:19 and Acts 2:38 = "metanoesate", the imperative form of the Greek verb "metanoeo", and the noun which is translated "repentance" = "metanoian" in Mt 3:11, are derived from the Greek word "metanoias". Both words mean a turn about, a deliberate change of mind resulting in a change of direction in thought, literally, to perceive afterwards.
Scripture teaches that this kind of repentance is to turn to God relative to dealing with ones sins such that one now seeks for God to remedy the situation through faith alone in Jesus Christ alone instead of whatever other way one was dealing with them.
Furthermore, compare Acts 2:44 which indicates that the key point of Acts 2:38 is believing in the gospel of salvation and not confession of the guilt of crucifying our Lord:
(v. 44) "And all those who had believed were together, and had all things in common"
Bob Wilkin states, (Cassette #510 entitled 'The Unhindered Gospel' by the Grace Evangelical Society, Irving, Tx.):
"When you come... to verse 44 it says, 'Now all those who believed were together." [mentioning belief and not confession] It doesn't say, 'Now all those who turned from their sins...' It says all those who believed. So... [in ] Acts 2:38... [the] reference to 'repent' means change your mind about Christ, and that's a synonym for faith - that's a synonym for believing Him..."
Peter's command to repent follows his sermon to the Jews on Who Jesus Christ is and that the Jews crucified Him in their unbelief. It does not have a change of behavior or a feeling of remorse in view but a change of belief in Who He is. Men should behave better no matter Who the Messiah is.
Finally, upon finishing his exposition on Who Jesus Christ is, the Jews immediately responded with a feeling of remorse, the other kind of repentance, whereupon Peter commanded them to 'repent' ("metanoEsate") = change their minds about Who it is that they crucified and repent = believe that He is their 'Lord and Christ' unto the 'forgiveness of sins' and the reception of the 'gift of the Holy Spirit.'
And after all of this we have forgiveness of sins via repent/believing in Jesus not only for the Jew but also for the Gentile, i.e., the whole world:
"The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off [i.e., Gentiles, i.e. all mankind]--for all whom the Lord our God will call."
a) [Compare Eph 2:13, 17, 19]:
(v. 13) "But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ."
(v. 17) He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near."
(v. 19) Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household."
