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Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Acts 2:37-39

The gospel demands from men. The moral influence exerted by St. Peter's speech, in the power of the present Spirit, should be noticed. Many of his audience were "pricked in their heart;" that is, were "stung with remorse at the enormity of the wickedness which had been committed in the crucifixion [of Messiah], and at the blindness with which the whole nation had closed their eyes to the teaching of the prophecies which had spoken of the Messiah." They asked, "What shall we do? to escape... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Acts 2:37-40

The gospel according to Peter. That which followed immediately on the preaching of Peter's sermon brought out the truths of the gospel quite as fully and forcibly as the discourse itself. We learn from these verses— I. THE RANGE OF DIVINE LOVE . ( Acts 2:39 .) Peter declared, at this the outset of the new dispensation, that the range of God's redeeming love would be "exceeding broad." 1. It was to go from generation to generation: "to you and to your children." 2. ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Acts 2:37-42

The day of spiritual wonders. I. WROUGHT IN THE HEART . Repentance. Anxious inquiry. Submission to Divine teaching. Separation from the old life. Depth of the work revealed in progressive steadfastness. II. The fruit of HUMAN AGENCY accompanied by Divine power. Preaching, the testimony of believers, the sight of wonders, the open gate of the Church. III. SEALED with the appointed sign of the Spirit. Baptism, both selective and consecrative in meaning. It was to... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Acts 2:37-47

Holy baptism. As the sermon preached by St. Peter on the day of Pentecost was the first sermon preached in the Church of God, so the baptism of which we have here an account was the first ministration of that sacrament. Our Lord's last command to his apostles was, "Make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost", and now for the first time that command was carried out. A few points of special interest and importance are... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Acts 2:37-47

Effects of the Divine power upon the heart. I. COMPUNCTION . Fear is awakened by every drawing near of God to man. And with fear is closely connected the sense of sin. Stated from the other side, the truth is: behind the power of God lies his holiness, which is as a consuming fire. The deepest seat of fear is not in our physical but in our moral instincts. Thus the fear awakened by the revelation of the All-holy is itself a witness to the fact that conscience is the central unity of... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Acts 2:38

And for then, A.V. ; said (in italics) for said, A.V. and T.R.; repent ye for repent, A.V. ; unto for for, A.V. ; your sins for sins, A.V. Repent , etc. We have in this short verse the summary of Christian doctrine as regards man and God. Repentance and faith on the part of man; forgiveness of sins, or justification, and the gift of the Holy Ghost, or sanctification, on the part of God. And both these are expressed in the sacrament of baptism, which as it were ties the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Acts 2:38-41

The first practice of baptism as a Christian rite. "Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized … the Holy Ghost." "Then they that gladly received his word were baptized … three thousand souls." The sun of the day of Pentecost did not set without marking the moment of the inauguration of the rite of Christian baptism—a rite which has never ceased to prove the occasion of stir and difference of opinion down the history of the Church. Baptism, and the baptism of water, was of course a... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Acts 2:39

To you is the promise for the promise is unto you, A.V. ; shall call unto him for shall call . To you is the promise (see Acts 1:4 ; Acts 2:33 ). There is also a reference to the prophecy in Joel, quoted in verses 17-21. To all that are afar off ; i.e. the Gentiles, as appears clearly from Ephesians 2:17 , where the same phrase is applied to the Ephesian Christians, and the Jewish Christians are spoken of as "those that were nigh." The fulfilment to the Gentiles is... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Acts 2:39

God's promise of the Spirit. "For to you is the promise," etc. I. Consider it as the NEED of man, and the fulfillment of that whole dispensation of mercy under which man was placed when he fell. 1. Trace it through the bestowments of the Old Testament, and show that while God was ever bestowing his Spirit, both in special manifestations as in the inspiration of his messengers, and in individual life, yet the requirement of man was that in connection with a larger communication... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Acts 2:40

He testified, and exhorted for did he testify and exhort, A.V.; crooked for untoward, A.V. Save yourselves , etc. The idea is that the crooked generation which denied and crucified the Lord is hurrying on to their destruction. Those who would not perish with them must come out from amongst them and be separate from them ( 2 Corinthians 6:1-18 :19), and seek safely in the ark of Christ's Church ( 1 Peter 3:21 ), as Noah did in the ark, and as Lot did in Zoar. So the jailer at... read more

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