Big Ideas
The Holy Spirit empowered the Church to bear witness about Jesus. This text has proven to be confusing for many people, though it need not be. Jesus had commissioned the disciples to disciple the nations. This would require a special linguistic bridge. In this text, we read how the Holy Spirit empowered the disciples to speak the languages (dialects) of the nations, though they themselves had no previous experience speaking these foreign languages. These languages were known and understood by those who heard the preaching (Acts 2:7-8).
Jesus didn’t come to start a new religion or movement. Rather, he came as the fulfillment of the Old Testament. As Peter addresses the crowd, he reminds them that what has taken place in the life of Jesus is nothing less than what the Old Testament prophets had foretold. He then goes on to quote from Joel the Prophet. Additionally, Peter appeals to King David, being careful to point out how David himself, through the Psalms, had spoken of the coming of Jesus Christ. Furthermore, Peter refers to the promise God made to Abraham, connecting Jesus with the most famous of Jewish Patriarchs (Acts 2:39). He proves that Jesus did not come to do away with the Old Testament, but rather to fulfill it (Matthew 5:17).
The Gospel demands a response. This is the first sermon recorded in Acts. In it, we have a faithful and biblical model of Gospel preaching. Peter did not stand up to give the people good advice or practical wisdom on how to live their lives. Peter stood up to proclaim that Jesus Christ is Lord and that he was crucified and raised on the third day just as the Scriptures had foretold. This was proclaimed both faithfully and forcefully so that the people knew a decision had to be made. Peter called the people to turn from their sins and to put their faith and trust in Jesus. He called the people to repent and be baptized. In doing so, Peter gives us a powerful example of what preaching is supposed to look like in the Church.
Study Questions
1. Acts 2:1-13 can be a confusing text. What questions do you have about what is happening in this part of the story?
2. In what sense is Acts 2:1-13 an answer to the curse at the Tower of Babel in Genesis 11?
3. What Old Testament evidence does Peter offer to prove that Jesus is the Christ?
4. What effect did the Gospel have upon those who heard it? How would you explain the crowd’s response?