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 2:36 mean?

Explanation

The verse Acts 2:36 is a part of the sermon delivered by the Apostle Peter to the Jews on the day of Pentecost.

This sermon is significant as it marks the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and the beginning of the Christian church's evangelistic mission.

Peter addresses the people of Israel, affirming with certainty that Jesus, whom they crucified, has been exalted by God to a position of authority and messiahship.

The literal meaning is quite straightforward: Peter is telling his listeners that Jesus Christ is both "Lord" and "Christ." "Lord" implies divinity, sovereignty, and ultimate authority, while "Christ" means "Messiah" or "Anointed One." The deeper meaning here involves a realization and acknowledgement of guilt (they have crucified Jesus), the recognition of Jesus’s divinity, and the call for repentance.

Top Rated Acts Books

Historical Context

The verse is situated within the events of Pentecost, as narrated in the Book of Acts.

Pentecost occurred fifty days after the Passover (which was closely associated with Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection) and was a time when Jews from various nations gathered in Jerusalem for one of the three major Jewish festivals.

At the time, the early Christian message was controversial, especially the message that Jesus had risen from the dead and was the prophesized Messiah.

The crowd consisted predominantly of Jewish people who were familiar with the Old Testament prophecies about the coming Messiah but had not recognized Jesus as that figure.

Theological Insights

From a Christian theological perspective, this verse captures several key doctrines. Firstly, the deity of Christ is affirmed when Peter calls Jesus "Lord". The emphasis on Jesus's crucifixion underlines the Christian belief in the atoning sacrifice.

Finally, the identification of Jesus as the "Christ" reinforces the fulfillment of Old Testament Messianic prophecies.

Different denominations interpret Acts 2:36 with slight variations.

However, the majority view is that the verse attests to the central Christian claim about Jesus's identity and purpose. It also underscores the responsibility of the people for Jesus’ death, thus highlighting the need for repentance and forgiveness.

Practical Applications

This verse can inspire believers to a deeper understanding of the gravity of Jesus's sacrifice and the importance of acknowledging Jesus's roles as both Savior and Lord.

It encourages personal repentance and informs the Christian message to others by emphasizing the significance of Jesus's death and resurrection.

It also implores contemporaries to consider their responsibility in moral failings and collective injustices, pointing to the need for communal acknowledgment and change.

Cross-References

Philippians 2:9-11: "Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: (KJV)"
Romans 14:9: "For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living. (KJV)"
Luke 24:46-47: "And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: (KJV)"
Isaiah 53: Old Testament prophecy often associated with Jesus Christ suffering for the sins of humanity.

Language Study

Key words in the original Greek of this passage include:

"Know assuredly" (γνωστὸν ἔστω): The phrase translates to a definite or sure knowledge, something indisputable.

Peter is not suggesting, he is declaring a certainty.

"God hath made" (ἐποίησεν ὁ θεός): The verb "made" here indicates that God actively exalted Jesus, an intentional divine action.
"Lord" (κύριον): This can denote 'master' or 'ruler' and is also used in the Septuagint (a Greek translation of the Old Testament) to represent the Hebrew name for God, YHWH.
"Christ" (Χριστόν): The Greek equivalent of "Messiah," meaning the anointed one.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Jesus's crucifixion, and the subsequent claim of his Lordship and role as the Christ, can be compared to other religious and cultural myths where a figure undergoes suffering or death and is later exalted.

However, the resurrection and exaltation of Jesus are unique to Christianity. In other mythologies, such characters are not typically portrayed as redeeming humanity through their death in the way the Christian narrative presents Jesus.

Scientific Perspectives

Science does not typically intersect with claims of deities, exaltation, or religious roles such as "Lord" and "Christ." The historical fact of Jesus’s crucifixion is generally accepted, but the supernatural claims surrounding His resurrection and divine status are faith-based and thus outside the purview of scientific analysis.

Commentaries

Expert commentaries on Acts 2:36 often focus on the transformative moment this verse represents for the budding Christian community.

John Calvin comments on the efficacy of Peter's sermon in revealing the truth about Jesus to the Jews.

Matthew Henry emphasizes that it was God’s predetermined plan that Jesus would be both Lord and Christ, despite being crucified by the people.

Scholars such as F.F. Bruce underline the significance of Peter's pronouncement in establishing Jesus's Messianic identity, agreeing with the early church's interpretation of Jesus's role and fulfillment of scripture as paramount to Christian confession and theology.

Acts 2

Acts 2

What does Acts 2:36 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 2:36 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?