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 2:35 mean?

Explanation

This verse from Acts 2:35 speaks of a prophetic and triumphant declaration regarding the Messiah, whom Christians believe to be Jesus Christ.

The phrase "Until I make thy foes thy footstool" implies a period in which Jesus is exalted at the right hand of God until a time comes when his enemies are subdued and made subject to him.

The imagery of a footstool suggests complete control and domination over opponents.

This is a metaphor for Jesus' ultimate victory over all forms of opposition, whether it be sin, death, evil, or any entity that stands against his reign.

The verse envisions a period of waiting, signaling that the process of defeating enemies is ongoing but assured.

Top Rated Acts Books

Historical Context

Acts 2:35 is part of a sermon delivered by the Apostle Peter on the Day of Pentecost following the resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ. In this sermon, Peter connects Old Testament prophecy with the events the early Christians had recently witnessed.

The verse he quotes is from Psalm 110:1, which was understood in a messianic context by early Christians. This Psalm was a text often thought to be referring to the coming of an anointed king who would have authority from God to rule.

The historical setting of the Book of Acts is in the first century CE after the life, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus.

The early Christian community was grappling with understanding and explaining the nature of Jesus' mission and identity, and they used the Hebrew Scriptures for this purpose.

Theological Insights

From a Christian theological perspective, Acts 2:35 is loaded with Christological significance.

For many, it attests to Jesus' divinity and his seat at the right hand of God, which is an affirmation of His sovereignty and honor.

This text is also eschatological, suggesting a future fulfillment when Christ will return and every enemy, including the last enemy, which is death, is put under his feet (1 Corinthians 15:26).

Different Christian denominations may have varied interpretations of the 'enemies' and the timeline that this verse implies.

Some see this as already fulfilled in a spiritual sense through the Church's expansion and conquest over pagan ideologies. Others may see this as a reference to a literal future event when Christ will return to establish His kingdom on Earth.

Practical Applications

The verse encourages believers to trust in the ultimate justice and the sovereignty of God.

It can serve to strengthen faith during times of adversity, with the understanding that all forms of hostility and evil will eventually be overcome.

For individuals, it can be taken as a call to resist evil in their lives and to trust in the power of Christ's victory.

Cross-References

Psalm 110:1: "The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool."
Hebrews 1:13: "But to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool?"
1 Corinthians 15:25: "For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet."

Language Study

In this verse from Acts, the Greek word for "enemies" (echthros) suggests hostile adversaries, whether personal or spiritual.

The word for "footstool" (hupopodion) is a compound term from "under" (hypo-) and "foot" (pous), indicating something that is under feet, which was a common expression to denote subjugation.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

The concept of gods or divine beings placing enemies under their feet is not unique to Christianity.

In the ancient Near East, it was a common image for victory and dominion.

For instance, Egyptian and Assyrian art presents rulers with their feet on the necks of their enemies, symbolizing their dominance.

The language is also reminiscent of various royal and divine claims of other ancient religious traditions where the deities were depicted as far superior to their foes, ensuring their devotees of ultimate victory and peace.

Scientific Perspectives

As the passage from Acts deals with concepts of divine kingship and ultimate triumph, it is not directly related to scientific ideas.

However, the verse can be approached from the perspective of hope, resilience, and the psychological concept of belief in ultimate justice, which has been a subject of study within psychology and sociology.

Commentaries

Biblical scholars and theologians have offered various commentaries on this passage over time.

For instance, the Pulpit Commentary interprets it as a sign of Christ's exalted dignity and his power over all things after his ascension.

Matthew Henry's Commentary outlines this verse as assurance that though the enemies of Christ seem to prevail, they shall eventually be defeated.

Furthermore, some contemporary scholars may discuss the implications for understanding early Christian beliefs about Jesus and his role in eschatology.

Acts 2

Acts 2

What does Acts 2:35 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 2:35 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?