i Joel ii. 28. ch. iii. 25.

k ch. x. 45: xi. 15, 18:

3. S. 14.

Eph. ii. 13, 17.

8 render, exhort them. i render, crooked.

h

thinking Jesus an impostor, and scorning Him as one crucified, to being baptized in His name, and looking to Him for remission of sins, and the gift of the Spirit. The miserable absurdity of rendering this word by do penance,'-so the Rheims (Roman-Catholic) Version,-or understanding it as referring to a course of external rites, is well exposed by this passage-in which the internal change of heart and purpose is insisted on, to be testified by admission into the number of Christ's followers. be baptized every one of you] Here, on the day of Pentecost, we have the first mention and administration of CHRISTIAN BAPTISM. Before, there had been the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins, by John, Luke iii. 3; but now we have the important addition, in (or, on) the name of Jesus Christ,-in the Name-i. e. on the confession of that which the Name implies, and into the benefits and blessings which the Name implies.The Apostles and first believers were not thus baptized, because, ch. i. 5, they had received the BAPTISM BY THE HOLY GHOST, the thing signified, which superseded that by water, the outward and visible sign.-The result of the baptism to which he here exhorts them, preceded by repentance and accompanied by faith in the forgiveness of sins in Christ, would be, the receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39.] your children, viz. as included in the prophecy cited ver. 17, your little ones: not, as in ch. xiii. 32, 'your descendants,' which would be understood by any Jew to be necessarily implied. Thus we have a providential recognition of Infant Baptism, at the very founding of the Christian Church.

to all that are afar off] i. e. to the Gentiles; see Eph. ii. 13. There is no difficulty whatever in this interpretation. The Apostles always expected the conversion of the Gentiles, as did every pious Jew who believed in the Scriptures. It

was their conversion as Gentiles, which was yet to be revealed to Peter. It is surprising to see Commentators finding a difficulty where all is so plain. The very expression, as many as the Lord our God shall call, shews in what sense Peter understood those afar off; not all, but as many as the Lord our God shall summon to approach to Him,-bring near,—which, in his present understanding of the words, must import-by becoming one of the chosen people, and conforming to their legal observances. 40.] The words cited appear to be the concluding and inclusive summary of Peter's many exhortations, not only their general sense: just as if ver. 36 had been given as the representative of his whole speech above. The Apostle's command is improperly rendered in A. V. 'save yourselves:' it is strictly passive,-be saved, let us save you'let God by us save you.' In saying this crooked generation, St. Peter alludes to Deut. xxxii. 5. 41.] This first

baptism of regeneration is important on many accounts in the history of the Christian Church. It presents us with two remarkable features: (1) It was conferred, on the profession of repentance, and faith in Jesus as the Christ. There was no instruction in doctrine as yet. The infancy of the Church in this respect corresponded to the infancy of the individual mind; the simplicity of faith came first,the ripeness of knowledge followed. Neander well observes that, among such a multitude, admitted by a confession which allowed of so wide an interpretation, were probably many persons who brought into the church the seeds of that Judaizing form of Christianity which afterwards proved so hostile to the true faith; while others, more deeply touched by the Holy Spirit, followed humbly the unfolding of that teaching by which He perfected the apostolic age in the doctrine of Christ.

421 And they con- 1 ver. 46. ch.

m

i. 14. Rom.✔ xii. 12. Eph. vi. 18. Col.

x. 25.

iv. 2. Heb. Mark xvi.

(2) Almost without doubt, this first baptism must have been administered, as that of the first Gentile converts was (see ch. x. 47, and note), by affusion or sprinkling, not by immersion. The immersion of 3000 persons, in a city so sparingly furnished with water as Jerusalem, is equally inconceivable with a procession beyond the walls to the Kedron, or to Siloam, for that purpose.

42-47.] DESCRIPTION OF THE LIFE

AND HABITS OF THE FIRST BELIEVERS.

This description anticipates; embracing a period extending beyond the next chapter. This is plain from ver. 43: for the miracle related in the next chapter was evidently the first which attracted any public attention: vv. 44, 45, again, are taken up anew at the end of chap. iv., where we have a very similar description, evidently apply ing to the same period. 42.] the apostles' doctrine: compare Matt. xxviii. 20. and in community] The living together as one family, and having things in common. It is no objection to this meaning, that the fact is repeated below, in ver. 45: for so is the breaking of bread in ver. 46, and the continuing in prayers. The meaning given in the A. V., "in the Apostles' fellowship," is not objectionable in itself, but still I conceive bears no meaning defensible in construction. See further in my Greek Test. breaking of bread] or, the breaking of the bread. This has been very variously explained. / Chrysostom, "In mentioning bread here he seems to me to signify fasting, and ascetic life: for they partook, not of luxuries, but simply of subsistence." And similarly Bengel: "The breaking of bread, that is, a frugal diet, common among them all." But on ver. 46 he recognizes a covert allusion to the Eucharist.-The interpretation of the breaking of bread here as the celebration of the Lord's supper has been, both in ancient and modern times, the prevalent one. Chrysostom himself, in another place, interprets it, or at all events the whole phrase, of the Holy Communion. And the Romanist interpreters have gone so far as to ground an argument on the passage for the administration in one kind only. But, referring for a fuller discus

17. ch. iv. 33: v. 12.

sion of the whole matter to the notes on 1 Cor. x. xi.,-barely to render [the] breaking of [the] bread to mean the breaking of bread in the Eucharist, as now understood, would be to violate historical truth. The Holy Communion was at first, and for some time, till abuses put an end to the practice, inseparably connected with the agapæ, or love-feasts, of the Christians, and unknown as a separate ordinance. To these agape, accompanied as they were at this time by the celebration of the Lord's supper, the "breaking of [the] bread" refers,-from the custom of the master of the feast breaking bread in asking a blessing; see ch. xxvii. 35, where the Eucharist is out of the question.

in prayers] or, in the prayers: the appointed times of prayer: see ver. 46. But it need not altogether exclude prayer among themselves as well, provided we do not assume any set times or forms of Christian worship, which certainly did not exist as yet. See notes on Rom. xiv. 5; Gal. iv. 10. 43.] every soul, designating generally the multitude,-those who were not joined to the infant Church. This is | evident by the words "all that believed," when the church is again the subject, ver. 44. They were filled with fear, dread, reverential astonishment, at the effect produced by the outpouring of the Spirit. On the anticipatory character of the latter part of the verse, see general remarks at the beginning of this section. 44.] If it surprise us that so large a number should be continually assembled together (for such is certainly the sense of were together, not that they were joined by brotherly love, as Calvin)—we must remember that a large portion of the three thousand were persons who had come up to Jerusalem for the feast, and would by this time have retured to their homes. and had all things (in) common] i. e. no individual property, but one common stock: see ch. iv. 32. That this was literally the case with the infant church at Jerusalem, is too plainly asserted in these passages to admit of a doubt. Some have supposed the expressions to indicate merely a partial community of goods: contrary to

p ch. i. 14.

53. ch. v. 42.

r ch. xx. 7.

8 Luke ii. 52.

ch. iv. 33.

Rom.

xiv.

t ch. v. 14: xi. 24.

a ch. ii. 46.

18.

s

rendering.

P render, were going.

:

the express assertion of ch. iv. 32. In order, however, rightly to understand this community, we may remark: (1) It is only found in the church at Jerusalem. No trace of its existence is discoverable any where else on the contrary, St. Paul speaks constantly of the rich and the poor, see 1 Tim. vi. 17; Gal. ii. 10; 2 Cor. viii. 13, 15; ix. 6, 7; 1 Cor. xvi. 2: also St. James, ii. 1-5; iv. 13.-And from the practice having at first prevailed at Jerusalem, we may partly perhaps explain the great and constant poverty of that church, Rom. xv. 25, 26; 1 Cor. xvi. 1-3; 2 Cor. viii. ix.; also ch. xi. 30; xxiv. 17.-The nonestablishment of this community elsewhere may have arisen from the inconveniences which were found to attend it in Jerusalem: see ch. vi. 1. (2) This community of goods was not, even in Jerusalem, enforced by rule, as is evident from ch. v. 4 (xii. 12), but, originating in free-will, became perhaps an understood custom, still however in the power of any individual not to comply with. (3) It was not (as Grotius thought) borrowed from the sect of the Essenes, with whom the Apostles, who certainly must have sanctioned this community, do not appear historically to have had any connexion. But (4) it is much more probable that it arose from a continuation, and application to the now increased number of disciples, of the community in which our Lord and His Apostles had lived (see John xii. 6; xiii. 29) before. The practice probably did not long continue even at Jerusalem: see Rom. xv. 26, note.

45.] possessions probably mean landed property, ch. v. 1-goods, any other possession; moveables, as distinguished from land. parted them, i. e. their price; see a similar way of speaking,

q omit.

Matt. xxvi. 9. with one accord in the temple] See Luke xxiv. 53. The words need not mean, though they may mean, that they were assembled in Solomon's porch, as in ch. v. 12-but most probably, that they regu larly kept the hours of prayer, ch. iii. 1.

46. continuing daily

at home] i. e. privately, as contrasted with their public frequenting of the temple: not, from house to house,' as A. V.: the words may bear that meaning (see Luke viii. 1), but we have no trace of such a practice, of holding the agape, or love-feasts, successively at different houses. -The breaking of bread took place at their house of meeting, wherever that was: cf. ch. xii. 12. did eat their meat]

i. e. they partook of food: viz. in these agape, or breakings of bread. singleness of heart] The word rendered singleness originally implies freedom from stones or rocks, and thus simplicity, evenness, purity.

47.] praising God does not seem only to refer to giving thanks at their partaking of food, but to their general manner of conversation, including the recurrence of special ejaculations and songs of praise by the influence of the Spirit. more that were in the way of salvation: compare the Apostle's command, ver. 40;-those who were being saved. Nothing is implied by this word, to answer one way or the other the question, whether all these were finally saved. It is only asserted, that they were in the way of salvation when they were added to the Christian assembly. Doubtless, some of them might have been of the class alluded to Heb. x. 26-29: at least there' is nothing in this word to preclude it.

CHAP. III. 1-10.] HEALING OF A LAME MAN BY PETER AT THE GATE OF THE

b

C

6

66

Beautiful Gate" (1) The gate thus described by Josephus: "Nine of the gates were covered with gold and silver, as were also the posts and lintels. But one gate, that outside the temple itself, was of Corinthian brass, and far surpassed the silver and gilt gates in splendour." This gate was also called Nicanor's gate, and lay on the Eastern side of the Temple, towards the valley of Kedron. Josephus mentions it again, as the Eastern gate of the inner enclosure, which is of brass," and gives a remarkable account of its size and weight: adding, that when, before the siege, it was discovered supernaturally opened in the night, "this to unskilled persons seemed a most favourable omen: for they said, that God had opened to them the gate of prosperity." But some find a difficulty in this. The lame man, they say, would not be likely to have been admitted so far into the Temple (but it appears that lepers used to stand at Nicanor's gate): and besides, he would have taken up his station naturally at an outer gate, where he might ask alms of all who entered. These conditions suit better (2) the gate Susan; as does also the circumstance mentioned ver. 11, that the people ran together to Solomon's porch; for this gate was on the east side of the court of the Gentiles, and close to Solomon's porch. Another suitable circunstance was, that by this gate the market was held for

sheep and cattle and other offerings, and therefore a greater crowd would be attracted. (3) Others again refer the epithet

Beautiful" to two gates opening towards the city on the western side. So that the matter must remain in uncertainty.

4. Look on us] Calvin's note is important: "Peter would not have thus spoken without being certain of the design of God; and his words command the man to look for some singular and unusual benefit. Yet we may enquire, whether the Apostles had the power of working miracles when it pleased them. I answer, that their ministration of divine influence did not empower them to attempt any thing of their own will or motive, but the Lord wrought by them when He saw it expedient. Hence it arose, that they healed one, not all without distinction. So that in this, as in other things, they had God's Spirit for their guide and direction. Therefore, before Peter orders the lame man to rise, he cast and fixed his eyes on him. That look was not without the express prompting of God's Spirit. And hence it was that he spoke with such certainty of the coming miracle. The Apostle summoned the lame man by this command to receive the gift of God: he for his part looked for nothing but an alms." 6.] "There is no doubt, that it was the custom to give alms even to those who were not of the community of the faithful, but Peter then either had nothing about him, going as he was to the temple, or he could not bestow enough to help the poor man's need. Notice the Apostle's moderation in his discharge of so important a stewardship: compare ch. ii. 45; iv. 35." Bengel. But perhaps it is more simple to conclude that Peter spoke here of his own station and means in life- I am no rich man, nor have I silver or gold to give thee.' 7. "Thus also did Christ: He often cured by a word, often by an