Notes and References
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Acts of the Apostles
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Acts Chapter 2:42-47 and Acts 3:1-26
THEY HAD ALL THINGS IN COMMON
Acts 2:42-47
42And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.
Who is they? We know from Acts 2:1 " devout men, out of every nation under heaven"
43And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles.
44And all that believed were together, and had all things common;
45And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.
46And 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,
47Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.
KJV
My ire was aroused numerous times with the A.D. mini series on television and this portion of scripture was one of them that has been severally misinterpreted throughout the ages and the 'Social Justice' folks, socialists, and communists, want to use it as an example of equality. This is really a very bad example, as you will soon learn as we go through this book and also read some of the Apostle Paul's letters referring to the poor 'saints' in Jerusalem.
Acts 2:1
5And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.
KJV
There were Jews who did not live in Jerusalem, but were there for the feasts of Passover and Pentecost. When they," devout men, out of every nation under heaven", heard the gospel of the kingdom and the imminent return of the Messiah, they sold their possessions to make their abode in Jerusalem and await Jesus' soon return. These early Jewish 'strangers', now believers, did not see a need to buy houses in Jerusalem after selling their possessions, they dwelt together in the houses of the resident believers.
Why do I know this? Let us read again the scripture, 2:46 "breaking bread from house to house". Not everyone sold their house and they most certainly did not move into a refugee camp, like the A.D. mini series portrayed. They shared their habitations with the 'stranger', and the stranger supplied money from their possessions sold in order to recompense the resident's hospitality.
These were truly charitable unselfish people, thus having favour with all the people, full of the joy of the Holy Spirit and enjoying the newness of their freedom from guilt and new-found Hope! This was a mutual arrangement between believers only!
44And all that believed were together, and had all things common;
Does it say all the sick and poor in Jerusalem moved in with these people? No! Does it say they went out and took care of all the poor? No! What does it say these new believers did?
46And 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,
47Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.
We will see years later that when the funds start to dwindle and troubles start to arise, men were appointed as overseers, and even years later in the Epistles of Paul, collections were taken from the Gentiles to support the poor believers in Jerusalem. (Not to the poor in general, but only "saints" or believers). Why? Because they communally used up all of their resources spreading the word of Christ and waiting for the return of Jesus!
These early believers continued "daily with one accord in the temple". They continued on with the Mosaic law and temple worship. They were fully Jewish. What differentiated these people, from the other Jews was the fact of their belief in the knowledge of Jesus as the Messiah, their repentance for crucifying their Messiah, their baptism in the name of Jesus showing publicly their belief, and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon them. They were going to wait for the return of Jesus Christ in Jerusalem.
Acts 2:43 is our Greek Word study "fear" or φοβος phobos, again we would recognize from the word phobia or fear of something. It is also translated as 'awe' or 'terror'. The power the apostles were given was truly amazing. We will see during this study, not all believers were given the same power or anointing as manifested in the apostles. Some current preachers would teach that we all have this same power and through some kind of conjuring we could develop it. I do not see anywhere in scripture that the apostles had to do anything but offer freely and the power was immediately present. No conjuring, no fasting, no mental exercises, no massive amounts of prayer, nothing beyond what the other believers were engaged in, they received a gift and freely imparted it.
PETER AND JOHN HEAL THE LAME MAN
Acts 3:1-11
3:1Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour.
2And a certain man lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple;
3Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms.
4And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us.
5And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them.
6Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.
7And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ancle bones received strength.
8And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God.
9And all the people saw him walking and praising God:
10And they knew that it was he which sat for alms at the Beautiful gate of the temple: and they were filled with wonder and amazement at that which had happened unto him.
11And as the lame man which was healed held Peter and John, all the people ran together unto them in the porch that is called Solomon's, greatly wondering.
KJV
Where did Peter and John go to pray? The TEMPLE! At the ninth hour, which was about 5pm as we learned in the last study, they went up at the hour of prayer.
This lame man was over 40 as we will read that later in:
Acts 4:22
22For the man was above forty years old, on whom this miracle of healing was shewed.
KJV
Now these verses also say he was laid there daily and we must assume that Jesus and the apostles passed him by on several occasions as they went into the temple. Why did Jesus not heal this lame man? Well we can only surmise that this was the appointed time for his healing, so that the signs and wonders would be shown of the apostles as witnesses of the resurrected Jesus Christ to Israel.
Notice how Luke specifically names Peter and John and specifically shows the dual role in this healing. Now Peter was speaking and was actually the one who lifted him up, but both apostles had the same anointing.
All the people were amazed and ran to Peter and John who were in the temple at Solomon's porch. When you see this reference you know it is in the temple. The lame man "entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God."
I am going to go on a little side trip here about witnesses again. You notice two men were named, Peter and John. You will notice that always two or more are referenced in order for the testimony or accounts to be true and would be lawfully acknowledged as a truth or actual historical occurrence. You will also see this with the Apostle Paul, as he is with Barnabas or Silas in his missionary travels. Interesting is there were seven witnesses, in Acts 10, of the first Gentiles to receive the Holy Spirit, before their repentance and baptism, but received only by believing on the words spoken to them. Finally during the judgment of God on the earth in Revelation the two witnesses will be the final offer of repentance.
In the follwing verses, I am going to bold Peter's accusations toward the people of Israel. Remember now, he is speaking in the temple, from Solomon's Porch, to Jews only.
Acts 3:12-4:1
12And when Peter saw it, he answered unto the people, Ye men of Israel, why marvel ye at this? or why look ye so earnestly on us, as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk?
13The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified his Son Jesus; whom ye delivered up, and denied him in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let him go.
14But ye denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you;
15And killed the Prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses.
16And his name through faith in his name hath made this man strong, whom ye see and know: yea, the faith which is by him hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.
17And now, brethren, I wot that through ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers.
18But those things, which God before had shewed by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled.
Peter is accusing Israel again of killing their Messiah, of this sin they must repent! Now according to Mosaic law, if a death occurs in ignorance or by accident, a person is guilty of manslaying and must dwell in a city of refuge until the death of the high priest and are then afterwards freed men. They are not freed men until then, because the avenger of blood has the right to kill the guilty person, if he is found outside the walls of the city of refuge.
If a person is to be put to death, the offense must be witnessed by two people. Now if the people do not repent of the killing of Christ, they in essence become active participants in His death and are judged guilty by two witnesses, through refusing the message of the two or more apostles. These are just my thoughts here, but then God can most assuredly condemn to everlasting death, those who refused the message of the apostle's admonition.
19Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;
20And he shall SEND Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you:
21Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.
22For Moses truly said unto the fathers, (Deut 18:15-19) A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you.
23And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people. (Jews)
24Yea, and all the prophets from Samuel and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of these days.
25Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed.
26Unto you first God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities.
KJV
The message of this early gospel is to all of Israel FIRST, which is to repent of their participation in the death of Jesus, to be converted to the belief or knowledge that Jesus is the Messiah or Christ, and they will have nothing to fear at Jesus' soon return. I don't read anywhere here of the cross, the blood sacrifice for the remission of sins, the propitiation, or anything of our Christian doctrine. Peter's words here are very clear! You - Israel - killed Him! You did it ignorantly so you can repent! According to Moses, if you do not hear Him, Jesus, you shall be destroyed from among the people! Who are the people? Israel!
It is perfectly plain here in Peter's first couple orations that there are 2 distinct and separate messages or gospels. One is to Israel - we are reading this now. Do you see anywhere that he is preaching to Gentiles? No! Does this message apply to Gentiles? No! So what is the gospel message to the Gentiles?
1 Corinthians 15:1-17
15:1Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;
2By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
3For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
4And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
5And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve:
6After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.
7After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles.
8And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.
17And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.
KJV
What are the Gentiles to keep in memory or their faith is in vain from verse 2? The resurrection!! Verse 17 answers verse 2.
Ephesians 1:13-14
13In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
14Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.
KJV
So this our FAITH, for all people on the planet, and is the faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, who is the Christ and Messiah, and are sealed with the Holy Spirit of Promise forever, so that we might have everlasting life.