Act 2:1 ¶ And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. COMMENT: The congregation Jesus personally built in the Holy Ghost before the Ascension, was united in the Spirit of Love and in The Knowledge of God. Jerusalem was filled with Jewish pilgrims from all over Israel and other countries where they lived as well as converts to Judaism to observe Pentecost, a memorial of one of the many miracles the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob worked to establish Israel as his people.

Act 2:2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. COMMENT: They heard a sound of a mighty rushing wind from outside of the house where they were sitting, and the sound filled the house. They were all certainly aware something supernatural was taking place!

Act 2:3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. COMMENT: God does not do anything unless it is wondrous. First the LORD got their attention with the sound of a mighty rushing wind. Then they saw into the unseen where tongues of fire sat upon each of them, so they not only heard and saw what ordinary men could not hear and see, but tongues of fire were upon upon them and you would presume they felt the heat of it; but this was not the CONSUMING FIRE by which the wicked and rebellious are burned up until they are no more. This was the visitation they were to all wait for in Jerusalem which the Lord promised would not be long in coming. Were they consumed by the fire, it was for the good and not for evil. They were truly on fire for God.

Act 2:4 "And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. COMMENT: Be aware of the difference between 120 fully trained totally committed disciples in spiritual warfare and a churchman who is employed in the secular world. This group was hearing, seeing and feeling in the supernatural realm as they received the baptism of the Holy Ghost to empower them in the work of the Lord. The churchman feels the baptism of the Holy Ghost but his baptism is not accompanied by signs and wonders, since he must return to secular employment where his focus will not be totally on God.

Act 2:5 ¶ And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven. COMMENT: Jerusalem was paced with Jewish pilgrims from all over the known world of those days. They were devout men desiring to know and experience more of God. They were educated in the Law of Moses and the prophets. They knew the glorious history of their nation. They were at least somewhat aware a Jesus miracle worker by the name of Jesus had been crucified by the Romans and that there was some controversy over whether or not he had risen from the dead.

Act 2:6 Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language. COMMENT: The word got out that there had been a marvelous divine visitation from the God of Israel and a multitude came together to find out about it; when they did, they were confounded because they understood in their own native language what the Galileans were saying.

Act 2:7 And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans? COMMENT: They could not understand why God would do such a thing. Why would he speak through Galileans in their tongue and have the listeners understand it in their own native languages. What was the purpose of such a miracle?

Act 2:8 And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born? COMMENT: They asked how, but they really wanted to know how it was possible and why.

Act 2:9 Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia, COMMENT: They named the different languages present to make their point.

Act 2:10 Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes, COMMENT: There were Jewish pilgrims and men from other nations. Some of them converts or proselytes.

Act 2:11 Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God. COMMENT: And no matter what nation or people they were, they understood the tongues in their own language!

Act 2:12 And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another, What meaneth this? COMMENT: They want to know why!

Act 2:13 Others mocking said, These men are full of new wine. COMMENT: There were doubters and sinners willing to mock what they had no faith to believe. They blamed the phenomonon on drunkeness from new wine which makes men crazy temporarily. And since they could not understand what was going on, they thought the perpetuaters must be crazy.

Act 2:14 ¶ But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, You men of Judaea, and all you that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words: COMMENT: Saint Peter is a consummate preacher. He knew the temper of the Jewish population so he singled out the men of Judaea first, then all those who dwell at Jerusalem. He not only let them know they were first above the other Jewish and Gentile men present in the multitude. He also showed himself a master of crowd control knowing how easily the situation could get out of hand were an objection to be raised by them which could turn the curious multitude into an unruly mob.

Act 2:15 For these are not drunken, as you suppose, seeing it is [but] the third hour of the day. COMMENT: Saint Peter proclaimed a disclaimer to the crowd concerning the objectionable doubt that had arisen among them saying it was too early in the morning to be drunk. Then he immediately put them on the right track Scripturally.

Act 2:16 "But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; COMMENT: Joel, the Prophet spoke to future generations in his written prophecies.

Act 2:17 "And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: COMMENT: We have been in THE LAST DAYS since Pentecost, but keep in mind if you think it odd; that a day is like a thousand years to God's perception of life upon the earth. So much takes place in a day upon this planet for the all seeing all hearing God to take in.

Act 2:18 "And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy: COMMENT: For those who try to prophesy of their own selves, here is the truth. When God poured out his Spirit upon the congregation of disciples the Lord personally trained in his miracle working ministry, they prophesied. Watch out for those who think they can prophesy any time they want without training or seeking the Lord the way the 120 did on Pentecost.

Act 2:19 "And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke: COMMENT: Now, the Prophet Joel has turned the corner in his prophecy to the end times. The 120 were in THE LAST DAYS as we are at this writing, but the the end times of THE LAST DAYS are coming in what is known as the Tribulation.

Act 2:20 "The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come: COMMENT: Here the Prophet Joel is specifically addressing THE GREAT SHAKING OF THE SIXTH SEAL which takes place in the middle of the seven year global Tribulation.

Act 2:21 And it shall come to pass, [that] whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. COMMENT: THE GREAT SHAKING of the whole earth is so terrible, it would result in the death of all flesh were it not cut short. During THE GREAT SHAKING, the world population becomes aware of "HIM THAT SITS ON THE THRONE," and of "THE WRATH OF THE LAMB." (Revelation 6:16b) So there is abundant evidence of the need for the world to repent, and the Prophet says, "it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved." There are many purposes to THE GREAT SHAKING OF THE SIXTH SEAL, but one of them would have to be the salvation of many who seeing three and a half years of worldwide trouble, would come to a right mind and make their peace with God.

Act 2:22 ¶ 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: COMMENT: We are back to Saint Peter's wonderful message to the multitude. He has made a disclaimer regarding drunkeness and has introduced the prophecies of Joel the Prophet to explain the supernatural phenomenon taking place that day on Pentecost. Now he addresses all of the population of Jewish men in attendance from all over Israel as well as those already named who inhabit Jerusalem and Judaea. In doing so, he makes it clear to them that they are preferred before the Gentiles from all over the known world who are present on that day. Then he introduced Jesus of Nazareth into his message telling them he came as "a man approved of God" working "miracles and wonders and signs" in Israel which the more devout Israelites present did not deny. Had Peter referred to the deity of Christ he would have lost his audience. The justification for crucifying him was his testimony that he was the Son of God implying that he was deity. Saint Peter continued to proclaim his message, saying:

Act 2:23 "Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, you have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: COMMENT: A great uproar could have taken place in the multitude but Saint Peter is mesmerizing them with the audible power of his message. The words in his mouth are "QUICK AND POWERFUL AND SHARPER THAN ANY TWO EDGED SWORD, PIERCING EVEN TO THE DIVIDING IN TWO OF SOUL AND SPIRIT, AND OF THE JOINTS AND MARROW, ..." of the multitude. (Hebrews 4:12) Saint Peter captivated his audience by informing them that Jesus was " delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God" but that they were guilty of it, and having turned the Lord over to the wicked hands of the Romans they had him crucified. Peter goes on to say:

Act 2:24 "Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it. COMMENT: Peter's timing is exquisite. Now Peter is overriding the Pharisees who would have the Jewish people believe the body of the Lord was stolen from the tomb because it was not there. Peter is telling the multitude Christ was raised from the dead by God because it was not possible he could be held in death's power.

Act 2:25 For David speaketh concerning him, I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved: COMMENT: Peter proves the case he is making by quoting King David, telling the multitude in essence that the same Lord Jesus was alive in David's time and cannot be subject to death because he is the second person of the godhead. His nature is God. But Peter in the wisdom of the Spirit is avoiding saying so directly, knowing how easily a multitude of Israelites in those days could turn into a mob.

Act 2:26 "Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope: COMMENT: Peter continues to quote King David in regard to the Lord who says the thought of it all causes his heart to rejoice, makes his tongue glad; and his flesh to rest in hope.

Act 2:27 Because you will not leave my soul in hell, neither will you suffer your Holy One to see corruption. COMMENT: Peter continues to quote David who is a Prophet, that the Lord's soul would not be left in hell (which is where he went to preach to the lost souls there.) Then he mentioned the promise that the Lord's body would not be left in the tomb long enough for his flesh to "see corruption," to decay or be eaten by worms. The multitude now knew from the Prophet David that it was no accident the Lord rose from the dead on the third day. It was in the prophecies and Peter's choice of persuasion in the power of the Spirit is one of the most powerful messages we can find in the holy Book. Anyone hoping to become a preacher ought to study it over and over to come to a full understanding of it. Peter finishes quoting from David who said to God:

Act 2:28 "You have made known to me the ways of life; you shall make me full of joy with thy countenance. COMMENT: The multitude are made hungry for more of God here, knowing God can make known to them "the ways of life" so they too can be "full of joy."

Act 2:29 Men [and] brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day. COMMENT: Now Peter tells the multitude more about David confirming facts they all know well, that "his sepulchre" was there in Jerusalem.

Act 2:30 Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne; COMMENT: Peter makes the multitude aware of the promise God made to David that of his seed, "according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne." So it was becoming increasinly clear to his audience that they were corporately guilty of having permitted the killing of their own Messiah. Peter went on to say of David the Prophet:

Act 2:31 "He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption. COMMENT: Peter is repeating the quote from David to make it clear to his audience how it was in the prophecies that Christ would rise from the dead on the third day.

Act 2:32 This Jesus has God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses. COMMENT: Once again Peter emphasizes the humanity of Christ in saying God raised him from the dead, for the Jewish people were taught they had one God and the idea of a godhead was foreign to them. Peter went on to say:

Act 2:33 Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he has shed forth this, which you now see and hear. COMMENT: Even the way Peter worded this statement speaks to the humanity of Christ rather than his deity, that he was "by the right hand of God exalted,"....but is nonetheless the Son of God, for Peter says "having received of the Father"...it is Jesus who has "shed forth this," phenomonon they had seen and heard on Pentecost.

Act 2:34 "For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, COMMENT: Peter points out how much greater Jesus is in comparison to David, not directly saying Jesus ascended into heaven, but that David did not. And in quoting the Prophet David, we hear what God the Father said to Jesus upon his ascending into heaven. "The LORD said unto my Lord, 'Sit on my right hand,...So the multitude who by that time had heard claims of the Lord's ascension were now getting the confirmation of it from the Scriptures.

Act 2:35 Until I make thy foes thy footstool. COMMENT: The timing of this quote by Peter from the Prophet David would tend to put the fear of God in the multitude, they having been made guilty corporately of the crucifixion of Christ, now are threatened with becoming his footstool.

Act 2:36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God has made that same Jesus, whom you have crucified, both Lord and Christ. COMMENT: Now Peter expands his message to the entire house of Israel, making them all corporately guilty of the crucifixion of Jesus whom God has made both Lord and Christ.

Act 2:37 Now when they heard [this], they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men [and] brethren, what shall we do? COMMENT: Peter has three thousand devout Jewish men on his hook. He has truly become a fisherman of men as Christ prophesied to him when he first made him his disciple. They are pricked in their hearts and are humbled by the overpowering weight of persuasion. They look around one to another and realize they have all come to the same conclusion, so they ask, "What shall we do?" Americans do not move corporately, so an audience here would respond, asking: "What shall I do?"

Act 2:38 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. COMMENT: Peter delivers a New Testament will of God answer, for the Jews had little or no knowledge of the godhead before that time. Now the select crowd of three thousand Jewish men are told to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins rather than offer sacrifice in the temple. How strange a twist of fate that must have been for them.

Act 2:39 For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, [even] as many as the Lord our God shall call. COMMENT: This New Testament promise is not only for them and their children, but for all who have not been born yet; "as many as the Lord our God shall call" which will include the Gentiles as we shall discover later in the book of Acts.

Act 2:40 ¶ "And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation. COMMENT: Peter's powerful message was recorded so we could benefit from it, but not all of his message was recorded; as he held his audience's attention testifying and exhorting them to choose God rather than the "untoward generation" of sinful Jewish people whom Jesus had described as "wicked and perverse."

Act 2:41 Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added [unto them] about three thousand souls. COMMENT: The last of their objections melted away and they "gladly received his word." What an incredible day's work! Three thousand devout Jewish men added to the powerful little congregation of a 120 whom the Lord had raised up!

Act 2:42 And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. COMMENT: They were stedfast "in the apostles' doctrine" having nothing to do with the doctrines of men the Pharisees were teaching, and in keeping themselves from the corruption of their religion, they advanced spiritually into the "breaking of bread, and in prayers."

Act 2:43 "And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles. COMMENT: The closer men draw to God, the more they should come to fear him; for he draws near to those who draw near to him, and "many wonders and signs were done by the apostles." So the three thousand were persuaded all the more they had done the right thing in getting out of the box of their religion into the things of the Spirit.

Act 2:44 And all that believed were together, and had all things common; COMMENT: When the Spirit of the Lord is present in great power, what need would they have of materialistic possessions distracting them from focusing in singleness of eye upon the Spirit of the Lord? So the treasury of a commonwealth was created.

Act 2:45 "And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need. COMMENT: The way their commonwealth treasury worked was based on need. Otherwise what was given remained in the treasury until it was needed.

Act 2:46 And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, COMMENT: The three thousand were now living the lives of disciples "continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house," within their fellowship of believers. You hear of no discord among them. They were occupied in partaking of holy communion and in seeking the Lord.

Act 2:47 Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved. COMMENT: It is difficult for you to imagine what it must have been like in the streets of Jerusalem where a holy revolution was taking place. Devout Jews were walking in public praising God, and quite the contrary to what you might expect, they had "favour with all the people." Their praise being in the beauties of holiness would be found acceptable to all who wanted true religion. This of course was not pleasing to religious leaders as we will learn later on in the book of Acts.