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We have spent a considerable time in the endeavour rightly to place Pentecost, and
feel that there is no call unduly to lengthen our exposition by analyzing the Psalms
quoted, profitable as that would be. The Book of the Acts itself is our theme, and its bulk
prohibits excursions that will not directly carry forward the theme.
It is essential to the theme that we notice the statement of verse 30:--
"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."
Although to stay here breaks the statement of the apostle, we pause to draw attention
to the permanent fact that Pentecost, instead of speaking of Christ as the Head of the
Church, focuses attention upon His right to the throne of David. What possible meaning,
other than a literal one, can be given to this passage or to the Psalm that is quoted. If
Pentecost sets forth Christ as King in connection with the throne of David, in what way
can it be connected with the Church?
Continuing our quotation at verse 33 we read:--
"Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father
the promise of the Holy Spirit, He hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear."
"He hath shed forth THIS": "THIS is that."--Peter is still maintaining his theme. He
is still explaining Pentecost: it is the evidence that Christ is King and that the kingdom
will one day restored. Further proof is given by quoting from Psa. 110: David's son is
David's Lord (Matt. 22: 41-46). The Lord is now there at the right hand of God "from
henceforth expecting" (Heb. 10: 13). The heaven must receive Him until the times of
restitution (Acts 3: 21). The first thing that Peter commanded his awakened hearers
to do was to "repent". In this he was continuing the ministry of John the Baptist
(Matt. 3: 2) and of the Lord (Matt. 4: 17). As shown above the interval between the two
prophecies of Joel is a consequence of Israel non-repentance. Baptism for the remission
of sins is not church truth. Not a single passage in any one of Paul's epistles can be
found to countenance such teaching. How can we therefore speak of "continuing
stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine" when the very first principles of that doctrine are by
us set aside?
"Save thyself" is Soson seauton, as in Luke 23: 37, but in Acts 2: 40 the Greek
reads Sothete, "Be ye saved". The "untoward generation" is but another description
given to "that wicked and adulterous generation" to which no sign, but the sign of the
prophet Jonah, was to be given. Here that sign is evident. The apostles were witnesses of
His resurrection: the signs and wonders were witnesses of His resurrection: Pentecost
was a witness that "Jesus of Nazareth, a Man approved of God", "This Jesus", "That
same Jesus", This Son, yet Lord, of David, was "Lord and Christ". The day of the Lord
was His day. The name of the Lord, upon which they called, was His name, the miracle