Acts 2

And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.

And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.

And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.

And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.

Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language.

And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans?

And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?

Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia,

Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes,

Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God.

And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another, What meaneth this?

Others mocking said, These men are full of new wine.

But Peter, standing up with the eleven, 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:

For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day.

But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;

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:

And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:

And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke:

The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come:

And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

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:

Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:

Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.

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:

Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope:

Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.

Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance.

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.

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;

He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption.

This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses.

Therefore being by the 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.

For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand,

Until I make thy foes thy footstool.

Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.

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?

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.

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.

And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation.

Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.

And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.

And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles.

And all that believed were together, and had all things common;

And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.

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,

Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.

What does Acts 2:30 mean?

Explanation

Acts 2:30 speaks about the promise God made to David regarding his lineage and the coming of Christ.

This verse is part of a sermon given by the Apostle Peter on the Day of Pentecost, where he cites a prophecy from the Old Testament to prove that Jesus is the Messiah.

The "prophet" referred to in this verse is King David.

The "oath" that God had sworn to him is the divine promise that a descendant ("fruit of his loins") would come from David's line, and this descendant, in the flesh, would be Jesus Christ.

Peter is using this reference to attest that Jesus is the promised Messiah who would sit on David's throne, fulfilling the Old Testament prophecies about the eternal kingship that was to come from David’s lineage.

Top Rated Acts Books

Historical Context

When Peter delivered this speech, it was approximately 50 days after Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection, during a Jewish festival known as Pentecost.

This was a time when Jews from various nations were gathered in Jerusalem.

The original promise to David comes from 2 Samuel 7:12-16, where God tells David that his kingdom would be established forever through one of his descendants.

Peter is connecting this ancient promise to Jesus, affirming his role as the long-anticipated Messiah to the Jewish people who were expecting a savior from David's line.

Theological Insights

From a Christian theological perspective, this verse reinforces the belief that Jesus is the fulfillment of Old Testament Messianic prophecies.

The term "Christ," meaning "anointed one," is synonymous with "Messiah." It signifies Jesus' royal and divine anointing as the King in the line of David.

Theologically, it is important because it establishes Jesus' legitimacy as the prophesied king and asserts the continuity of God's salvation plan through the Jewish history into the Church Age.

Practical Applications

This verse encourages believers to trust in the fulfillment of God's promises. Just as the prophecy regarding Jesus Christ was fulfilled, it reassures believers that God remains faithful to His word. This can be a source of hope and assurance in times of doubt.

Additionally, understanding God's plan throughout biblical history can deepen one's faith and appreciation for the scriptures.

Cross-References

2 Samuel 7:12-13: "And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom.

He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever."

Psalm 132:11: "The LORD hath sworn in truth unto David; he will not turn from it; Of the fruit of thy body will I set upon thy throne."
Isaiah 9:6-7: "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace."
Luke 1:32-33: "He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end."

Language Study

The key phrase "of the fruit of his loins" uses the Greek word "κοιλίας" (koilias), meaning "belly" or "womb" and refers to physical descent.

"According to the flesh," refers to Jesus' human nature, contrasting the spiritual nature of his divinity.

"He would raise up Christ," uses the verb "ἀνίστημι" (anistemi), meaning "to raise up," which in this case indicates God's action to bring forward Jesus as the prophesied ruler.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

In many ancient cultures, there were legends of gods or chosen individuals who are destined to rule or deliver their people.

For instance, in Mesopotamian texts, there are references to divinely chosen kings.

The notion of a divine promise to a royal line can also be seen in Egyptian pharaohs, who were considered gods in their own right.

However, the Davidic Covenant in the biblical context is unique, emphasizing a spiritual and religious significance rather than just a political one.

Scientific Perspectives

From a scientific perspective, the idea of a promise passed through the "loins" or genetic lineage is consistent with inheritance.

However, the theological implications of the verse are beyond the purview of scientific analysis.

The verse deals with faith-based beliefs about prophecy and divine intervention in history; these concepts are not within the realm of empirical science but rather are matters of personal or religious conviction.

Commentaries

Different biblical commentaries note the significance of Peter's sermon and his use of Old Testament prophecy to establish Jesus as the Messiah.

For instance, the Matthew Henry's Commentary emphasizes the importance of this prophecy in proving that the Messiah would not just be a spiritual entity but would have a physical lineage through David's bloodline.

The Pulpit Commentary elaborates on how Peter is pointing out the necessity of Christ's resurrection to fulfill the promise of an eternal throne.

Most commentators agree on the centrality of this verse in confirming Jesus' messianic credentials and God's faithfulness to His covenants.

Acts 2

Acts 2

What does Acts 2:30 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Acts Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?

What does Acts 2:30 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Acts Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?