2:1 And 1 when the day of Pentecost was a fully come, they
were b all with one accord in one place.
(1) The Apostles being gathered together on a most solemn feast
day in one place, that it might evidently appear to all the
world that they all had one office, one Spirit, and one
faith, are by a double sign from heaven authorised, and
anointed with all the most excellent gifts of the Holy
Spirit, and especially with an extraordinary and necessary
gift of tongues.
(a) Literally, "was fulfilled": that is, was begun, as in
(Lu 2:21). For the Hebrews say that a day or a
year is fulfilled or ended when the former days or
years are ended, and the other has begun; (Jer 25:12):
"And it will come to pass that when seventy years are
fulfilled, I will visit, etc." For the Lord did not
bring his people home after the seventieth year was
ended, but in the seventieth year: Now the day of
Pentecost was the fiftieth day after the feast of the
Passover.
(b) The twelve apostles, who were to be the patriarchs as
it were of the Church.
2:4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to
speak with c other tongues, as the d Spirit gave them
utterance.
(c) He calls them "other tongues" which were not the same as
the apostles commonly used, and Mark calls them "new
tongues".
(d) By this we understand that the apostles were not
speaking one language and then another by chance at
random, or as eccentric men used to do, but that they
kept in mind the languages of their hearers: and to be
short, that they only spoke as the Holy Spirit directed
them to speak.
2:8e And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we
were born?
(e) Not that they spoke one language, and different
languages were heard, but the apostles spoke with
different languages: for otherwise the miracle would
have been in the hearers, whereas it is really in the
speakers; Nazianzen in his oration of Whitsunday.
2:10 Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya
about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, f Jews and
proselytes,
(f) By Jews he means those that were both Jews by birth and
Jews by profession of religion, though they were born
in other places: and these latter ones were proselytes,
who were born Gentiles, and embraced the Jewish
religion.
2:122 And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one
to another, What meaneth this?
(2) God's word pierces some in such a way that it drives them
to seek out the truth, and it so chokes others that it
forces them to be witnesses of their own impudency.
2:13 Others g mocking said, These men are full of new wine.
(g) The word which he uses here signifies a kind of mocking
which is reproachful and insolent: and by this
reproachful mocking we see that no matter how great and
excellent the miracle, the wickedness of man still
dares to speak evil against it.
2:14 But Peter, standing up with the eleven, h 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:
(h) The holiness of Peter is to be marked, in which the
grace of the Holy Spirit is to be seen, even from the
very beginning.
2:15 For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is [but] the
i third hour of the day.
(i) After the sunrise, which may be about seven or eight
o'clock to us.
2:16 But this is that which was spoken by the k prophet Joel;
(k) There is nothing that can dissolve questions and doubt
except testimony taken out of the Prophets: for men's
reasonings may be overturned, but God's voice cannot be
overturned.
2:173 And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God,
I will pour out of my Spirit upon l all m flesh: and
your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young
men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:
(3) Peter setting forth the truth of God against the false
accusations of men, shows in himself and in his companions
that the prophecy of Joel concerning the full giving of the
Holy Spirit in the latter days has been fulfilled: and this
grace is also offered to the whole Church, to the certain
and undoubted destruction of those who condemn it.
(l) All without exception, both upon the Jews and Gentiles.
(m) That is, men.
2:214 And it shall come to pass, [that] whosoever shall n
call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.
(4) The most important use of all the gifts of the Holy Spirit
is to bring men to salvation by faith.
(n) These words "call on" signify in Holy Scriptures and
earnest praying and craving for help from God's hand.
2:225 Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth,
a man o 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:
(5) Christ, being innocent, was by God's providence crucified
by wicked men.
(o) Who is by those works which God did by him so
manifestly approved and admitted of, that no man can
deny him.
2:23 Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and p
foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked q
hands have crucified and r slain:
(p) God's everlasting foreknowledge, which can neither be
separated from his determinate counsel, as the
Epicureans say, neither yet be the cause of evil: for
God in his everlasting and unchangeable counsel
appointed the wicked act of Judas to an excellent end:
and God does that well which the instrument does
wickedly.
(q) God's counsel does not excuse the Jews, whose hands
were wicked.
(r) The fact is said to be theirs by whose counsel and
urging on it is done.
2:246 Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the s pains of
death: because it was not possible that he should be holden
of it.
(6) As David foretold, Christ did not only rise again, but also
was void of all decay in the grave.
(s) The death that was full of sorrow both of body and
mind: therefore when death appeared conqueror and
victor over those sorrows, Christ is rightly said to
have overcome those sorrows of death when, as being
dead, he overcame death, to live forever with his
Father.
2:27 Because thou wilt not t leave my soul in hell, neither
wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.
(t) You will not allow me to remain in the grave.
2:28 Thou hast u made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt
make me full of joy with thy countenance.
(u) You have opened to me the way of true life.
2:30 Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had x
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;
(x) Had sworn solemnly.
2:327 This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are
witnesses.
(7) Peter witnesses that Jesus Christ is the appointed
everlasting King, which he manifestly proves by the gifts
of the Holy Spirit and the testimony of David.
2:33 Therefore being by the y right hand of God exalted, and
having received of the Father the promise of the Holy
Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.
(y) Might and power of God.
2:36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that
God hath z made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified,
both Lord and Christ.
(z) Christ is said to be "made" because he was advanced to
that dignity, and therefore it is not spoken with
reference to his nature, but with reference to his
position and high dignity.
2:388 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.
(8) Repentance and remission of sins in Christ are two
principles of the Gospel and therefore of our salvation:
and they are obtained by the promises apprehended by faith,
and are ratified by us in baptism; and with our salvation
comes the power of the Holy Spirit (Ed.).
2:39 For the a 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.
(a) The word that is used here shows us that it was a free
gift.
2:409 And with many other words did he testify and exhort,
saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation.
(9) He is truly joined to the Church who separates himself
from the wicked.
2:4110 Then they that gladly received his word were baptized:
and the same day there were added [unto them] about three
thousand souls.
(10) A notable example of the power of the Holy Spirit: but
such are not baptized until they make confession of their
faith. (Ed.)
2:4211 And they continued stedfastly in the apostles'
doctrine and b fellowship, and in c breaking of bread,
and in prayers.
(11) The marks of the true Church are the doctrine of the
apostles, the duties of charity, the pure and simple
administration of the ordinances, and the true invocation
used by all of the faithful.
(b) Sharing of goods, and all other duties of charity, as
is shown afterwards.
(c) The Jews used thin loaves, and therefore they broke
them rather than cut them: so by breaking of bread
they meant living together, and the banquets which
they used to keep. And when they kept their love
feasts, they used to celebrate the Lord's supper,
which even in those days began to be corrupted, and
Paul corrects this in (1Co 11:17-34).
2:4312 And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and
signs were done by the apostles.
(12) As often as the Lord thinks it to be expedient, he bridles
the rage of strangers, so that the Church may be planted
and have some refreshing.
2:4413 And all that believed were together, and had all
things common;
(13) Charity makes all things common with regard to their use,
according as necessity requires.
2:4614 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,
(14) The faithful came together at the beginning with
tremendous results, not only for the hearing of the word,
but also to eat.
