Bible Study Series: Acts 2:14-21. God wants to give you gifts of inspired speech, to help and bless people. Are you open?
Friendly greetings and a warm welcome to this Bible study! I write to learn. Let’s learn together and apply these truths to our lives.
I also translate to learn. The translations are mine, unless otherwise noted. If you would like to see many others, please click on this link:
At the link to the original post, next, I write more commentary and dig a little deeper into the Greek. I also offer a section titled Observations for Discipleship at the end. Check it out!
In this post, links are provided in the commentary section for further study.
Let’s begin.
Scripture: Acts 2:14-21
14 Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted his voice and with inspiration spoke to them: “Men of Judea and all of you living in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and pay attention to my words! 15 For these men (and women) are not drunk as you assume, for it is the third hour of the day! 16 Rather, this is that spoken through the mouth of Joel:
17 ‘It shall be in the last days, says God,
I will pour out my Spirit on all people,
And your sons and daughters shall prophesy,
And your young people shall see visions,
And your elderly people shall dream dreams,
18 Even on my male servants and female servants in the last days
I shall pour out my Spirit and they shall prophesy.
19 I shall cause wonders in the sky above
And signs on the earth below—
Blood and fire and billows of smoke
20 The sun shall change into darkness
And the moon into blood
Before the coming of the great and splendid day of the Lord.
21 And it shall be that all who call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.’ (Joel 2:28-32). (Acts 2:14-21)
Comments:
Some scholars call this discourse the Pentecost Sermon, while Peter’s discourse in Acts 3 is called the Colonnade Sermon (after the location where Peter preached it).
Let’s comment on the whole passage before we get to the verses. The Spirit’s descent ushered in the last days or a new era. We have been in the last days for 2000 years. God is in no hurry. He counts one day as a thousand days, and a thousand days as one day (2 Peter 3:8; Ps. 90:4). Our timeline is not the same as his.
In this whole speech, Peter shows himself to be a “Bible guy” or a “word guy.” Who knew a humble fisherman from Galilee would know so much Scripture? Of course scholars say the speech is just educated Luke’s summary. That may be true up to a point, but Peter has to take credit somewhere and somehow. He learned the Bible as a child with a basic education. He probably went to synagogue where Messianic prophecies were discussed. He may have done his own reading in his spare time, with (expensive) biblical texts at the local synagogue. More immediately, he spent time discussing Scripture with those who knew it and came to believe in Jesus, before and after his resurrection. Jesus spent a fair amount of time explaining to two men on the road to Emmaus village how he fulfilled biblical prophecy (Luke 24:25-27). It is a sure thing he did the same with other disciples for the forty days from Passover to before Pentecost.
Please learn Messianic prophecies. They are important for your knowledge of God and your witness. Here is a table of them:
Jesus not only fulfills those quoted verses in the table, but he also fulfills the themes and patterns and concepts of Scripture, like the entire sacrificial system and the temple itself. His church is now the temple where God’s presence dwells.
14:
Peter stood up with the eleven, including Matthias. It must have been something to see the twelve together in unity (Ps. 133:1). However, everyone or all—not just them—received the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:2, 4). This gift is not just for the elite.
“Spoke with inspiration”: Prophecy makes the best and clearest sense when it is fulfilled right at that moment or shortly afterwards. And so it is here. Joel could not see the details, but now Peter, his audience and we can understand Joel’s prophecy more clearly.
15-16:
“third hour”: This is nine o’clock (9:00) in the morning. Peterson rightly sees Peter’s initial rebuttal as “good humor” (comment on vv. 14-15). “These men are not drunk as you suppose because it is only 9:00 in the morning” … implying that they may get drunk at another time! You can take this interpretation as you will.
In v. 15 the Greek says “men,” but this is generic for both sexes, like mankind. And in Joel’s prophecy both men and women are explicitly mentioned. Luke has a special place in his Gospel and Acts for womankind. Many times they are mentioned, but often only in passing, unfortunately. Here they are in a prominent place, receiving the gifts of the Holy Spirit, who is poured out on all peoples, everywhere. This outpouring is not static or abstract, but it is kinetic and moves and acts. Signs in people and signs in the heavens must happen.
17-18:
In v. 17, Peter says “in the last days” (plural). Joel, in contrast, says “afterwards.” So what does the “last days” refer to? It is probable that Peter is talking about the end of the Old Order of Judaism; it is Judaism as Moses established it that was in its last days, its last throes. Now we live in a new age, the Church Age. Hebrew 1:1: “In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe” (NIV, emphasis added). The Epistle to the Hebrews is all about the end of old Mosaic Judaism and the New Age launched by God’s Son (Heb. 8:8).
Please note, however, that the phrase “last days” (plural) can also refer to the Church Age (2 Peter 3:3; 2 Tim. 3:1). Further, the last day (singular) typically refers to the final day, the day when Jesus comes back and puts every human through the final judgment and recreates the heaven and earth to become a new heaven and earth (John 6:39, 40, 44, 54; 1 Cor. 1:8; 5:5; 2 Cor. 1:14; 1 Thess. 5:2; 2 Thess. 2:2; 2 Tim. 4:8; 2 Pet. 2:9; 3:10).
Here in Acts 2, Peter is now speaking of a New Age of the Spirit, during which even elders and sons and daughters and male and female servants can be called to be prophetic. The Spirit’s outpouring is not just on extra-holy prophets and remnant in the OT, but for everyone. The door of the Spirit has swung wide open to all people, as many as the Father has called and sanctified. The Old Order is gone, and a New Order has arrived.
“pour out”: the verb suggests, in Greek, a torrential downpour (Bock, p. 113).
In the OT, only God, the LORD can pour out the Spirit; but here in Acts 2, Jesus also poured him out and baptized them (Matt. 3:11; Mark 1:8; Luke 3:16; cf. Acts 1:5). This is high Christology.
Let’s discuss these supernatural gifts.
First, daughters will prophesy. This is more than just inspired preaching and teaching, though it includes that. Prophecy is Spirit-inspired speech in a language the people understand. Philip, one of the seven in Acts 6:1-7, had four unmarried daughters who prophesied (Acts 21:9) at Caesarea, a town on the Mediterranean.
Continuing our voyage from Tyre, we landed at Ptolemais, greeted the brothers and sisters and we stayed one day with them. 8 The next day we departed and went to Caesarea and entered the house of Philip the evangelist, one of the seven, and stayed with him. 9 He had four unmarried daughters who prophesied. (Acts 21:7-9)
What did the four daughters speak? How did they minister? Were they told to keep quiet in the local Christian community as it gathered together? Doubtful.
In general terms, the purpose of prophecy is seen in 1 Cor. 14:3:
Edify, exhort, and comfort (KJV)
Edification, exhortation, and comfort (NKJV)
Strengthen, encourage, and comfort (NIV)
Strengthening, encouragement, and consolation (NET)
Edification, exhortation, and consolation (NASB)
Grow in the Lord, encouraging, and comforting (NLT)
Strength, encouragement, and comfort (NCV)
Helped, encouraged, and made to feel better (CEV)
Upbuilding, encouragement, and consolation (ESV)
Grow, be strong, and experience his presence with you (MSG)
Second, young men see visions and old(er) people will dream dreams. This means that God is not finished with revealing himself through special, Spirit-inspired revelations. Let’s not place too great an emphasis on the age groups, however. This is just Joel’s poetic and prophetic way of saying everyone can see visions and get dreams. Therefore, since the masculine endings of these nouns encompass both men and women, I translated them as the “young people” and the “elderly people,” leaves the door open to young women and elderly women. Though the nouns are in masculine, the context allows for the masculine endings to include women, much like our “mankind” does.
Please see the post for a deeper look.
6. Gifts of the Spirit: Prophecy
Third, God’s servants, both men and women, receive the outpouring of the Spirit. There is no sexism in the kingdom of God and in the last days.
Concerning dreams and vision, some pastors expand this text in Joel and Acts to teach that people should have long-term goals and life-long ambitions (Eccl. 5:7). “Do you have a dream to be famous and influential? Go for it!” This expanded interpretation may be allowed if we’re extra-generous, but that is not the original context and meaning of Joel 2:28-32 and here in Acts. Dreams and visions are clearly talking about communication from God to people through supernatural means, specifically prophecies, dreams received while sleeping, and divinely received visions in the day or night, asleep or awake.
Have you ever received a dream from God while you were sleeping or a vision before your eyes or mind’s eyes? How would you know it came from God? It is important to stay close to believers, if you get a lot of dreams and visions. Agabus was a prophet who functioned in a team (Acts 11:27-30). His predictions came true (see Acts 21:10-11). Study the word to get your mind renewed.
The arrow means “leads to”:
Teamwork + Fellowship + Scripture → accurate predictive or encouraging prophecies
Please see the post:
Dreams and Visions: How to Interpret Them
In the next post, one source only is right; two are wrong.
19-21:
Let’s continue with Joel’s prophecy. Peter’s point is that the eschatological clock is now ticking (Bock, p. 117).
He shifts to specific end-times events that have not yet been fulfilled—good thing, too, because we missed those signs in the sky and on the earth! The Day of the Lord is another way of saying his judgment (Joel 1:15; Amos 5:18, 8:11-14; Zeph. 1:14-17; 1 Cor. 3:12-15; 1 Thess. 5:2-3; 2 Peter 3:12); Israel’s restoration (Is. 10:20; 11:10-11; Zech. 9:16); the first coming of Christ (Mal. 3:1-3); the kingdom of Christ (Is. 4:2-6; Mic. 4:1-7); the end of the world (Is. 24:21-23; 27:12-13; Zech. 14:1-3); the day of Christ’s return (Mark 13:24-27; 1 Cor. 1:7-8; 2 Cor. 1:14; the day of blessings for Christians (1 Cor. 1:8; 2 Tim. 4:8). This is simply apocalyptic language, so we should not over-interpret it literally. If the sun were to turn dark, we would all die in a short time. If these events are to happen literally, then they occur when the new heaven and new earth are set up.
This post offers many OT passages that talk about nature being disturbed when God judges nations or a major shift happens.
Cosmic Disasters = Apocalyptic Imagery for Judgment and Major Change
Wonders and signs in v. 19 may refer to the signs and wonders down here on earth, which Jesus and the apostles did. However, Joel’s passage speaks of them in the sky. Be careful of any man who claims or actually works signs and wonders in the sky. The signs and wonders which Jesus and the Christian community worked were people-centered; they helped people.
Joel’s prophecy and Peter’s application of it means the outpouring of the Spirit to herald in the new era of life in the Spirit, for the church and eventually the whole world.
For your personal growth, the day of the Lord keeps you on the straight and narrow path and purifies your life (Matt. 7:13-14; 1 John 3:2-3).
“name”: this noun stands in for the person—a living, real person. You carry your father’s name. If he is dysfunctional, his name is a disadvantage. If he is functional and impacting society for the better, then his name is an advantage. In Jesus’s case, he has the highest status in the universe, under the Father (Col. 1:15-20). He is exalted above every principality and power (Matt. 28:18; Eph. 1:20-23; Heb. 2:14; 1 John 3:8). His character is perfection itself. His authority and power are absolute, under the Father. In his name you are seated in the heavenly places with Christ (Eph. 2:6; Col. 3:1). Now down here on earth you walk and live as an ambassador in his name, in his stead, for he is no longer living on earth, so you have to represent him down here. We are his ambassadors who stand in for his name (2 Cor. 5:20). The good news is that he did not leave you without power and authority. He gave you his. Now you represent him in his name—his person, power and authority. Therefore under his authority we have his full authority to preach the gospel and set people free from bondages and satanic spirits and heal them of diseases.
“saved”: It is in the passive voice “shall be saved,” which indicates that the one who saves is God. This is the divine passive, which says that God is behind the scenes, working. “Saved” is the verb sōzo. Since the theology of salvation (soteriology) is so critical for our lives, let’s look more closely at the noun salvation, which is sōtēria (pronounced soh-tay-ree-ah and used 46 times) and at the verb sōzō (pronounced soh-zoh and used 106 times).
Greek is the language of the NT. BDAG, which is considered by many to be the authoritative lexicon of the NT, defines the noun sōtēria as follows, depending on the context: (1) “deliverance, preservation” … (2) “salvation.”
The verb sōzō means “save, rescue, heal” in a variety of contexts, but mostly it is used of saving the soul. BDAG says that the verb means, depending on the context: (1) “to preserve or rescue from natural dangers and afflictions, save, keep from harm, preserve,” and the sub-definitions under no. 1 are as follows: save from death; bring out safely; save from disease; keep, preserve in good condition; thrive, prosper, get on well; (2) “to save or preserve from transcendent danger or destruction, save or preserve from ‘eternal’ death … “bring Messianic salvation, bring to salvation,” and in passive mood it means “be saved, attain salvation”; (3) some passages in the NT say we fit under the first and second definition at the same time (Mark 8:5; Luke 9:24; Rom. 9:27; 1 Cor. 3:15).
As noted throughout this commentary on Luke-Acts, the noun salvation and the verb save go a lot farther than just preparing the soul to go on to heaven. Together, they have additional benefits: keeping and preserving and rescuing from harm and dangers; saving or freeing from diseases and demonic oppression; and saving or rescuing from sin dominating us; ushering into heaven and rescuing us from final judgment. What is our response to the gift of salvation? You are grateful and then you are moved to act. When you help or rescue one man from homelessness or an orphan from his oppression, you have moved one giant step towards salvation of his soul. Sometimes feeding a hungry man and giving clothes to the naked or taking him to a medical clinic come before saving his soul.
All of it is a package called salvation and being saved.
Acts is about salvation of entire households and meeting in those saved households (2:2, 46; 5:42; 8:3, but be careful of persecution in 8:3! 10:2; 11:14; 16:15, 31, 34; 20:20; 21:8).
What Is the Work of Salvation?
How Do We Respond to God’s Salvation?
As noted, above, prophecy makes the best and clearest sense when it is fulfilled right at that moment or shortly afterwards. And so it is here. David could not see the details, but now Peter, his audience and we can understand it better.
Here Peter introduces the Son of David Christology (study or doctrine of Christ). In Acts 3:11-26, he will introduce Servant Christology. Jesus is the Messianic Son of David and the Servant Messiah. If you call on the name of the LORD in the OT, you will be saved. If you call on the name of the Lord Jesus you will be saved.
You can receive the gifts of dreams, visions and prophecies, through the Spirit. Just focus on Jesus, if you get them. They should edify, not tear down or cause you to obsess over them.
Grow App for Acts 2:14-21
1. He who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved (v. 21). When did you call on his name with saving faith? What happened to you?
2. How have you exercised the gift of prophecy? If so, what happened?
RELATED
The Historical Reliability of the Book of Acts
Book of Acts and Paul’s Epistles: Match Made in Heaven?
SOURCES
For the bibliography, please click on this link and scroll down to the very bottom:
Dr. Jim's Essential Bible Teaching 