ACC ~ Acts 2 v14 - 21

OVERVIEW:

This is the first of the missionary or evangelistic discourses in Acts. It can be divided into two parts. In the first part, after a peroration (remarked upon by BEDE), Peter explains the phenomena the crowd is witnessing by an appeal to the prophecy of Joel in whose last line “the Lord” is considered to be a reference to Jesus. The Fathers are sensitive to the role of the authority of scriptural prophecy (CHRYSOSTOM) and are fascinated with the symbolism of the third hour (ARATOR, BEDE), that the Son who had been crucified on the third hour now sends the Spirit on the third hour (CYRIL OF JERUSALEM). They understand in their own way the eschatological application of Joel’s words and their imagery (BEDE, CHRYSOSTOM) though they do not seem to have appreciated Luke’s notion that the “Day of the Lord” and “the last days” refer to the age of the church now being inaugurated to be completed at the return of the Lord.

2:14 | Peter and the Eleven

ONCE FEARFUL, PETER IS NOW BOLD. CHRYSOSTOM: What is meant by “with the eleven”? They expressed themselves through a common voice, and he spoke for everyone. The eleven stood by as witnesses to what he said. “He raised his voice,” that is, he spoke with great confidence, that they might perceive the grace of the Spirit. He, who could not endure the questioning of a poor girl, now discourses with such great confidence in the middle of people all breathing murder upon him. This in itself became an indisputable proof of the resurrection. He spoke [among] people who could deride and make a joke of such sort things! … For wherever the Holy Spirit is present, people of clay are changed into people of gold. Look at Peter now, if you would, and scrutinize the timid one, the man without understanding (as Christ said, “Are you also still without understanding?”). This is the man who was called Satan after that marvelous confession. Consider also the unanimity of the apostles. Of their own accord they yielded to him the office of speaking, for there was no need for them all to speak. So “he raised his voice and addressed them” with every confidence. HOMILIES ON THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 4.

2:15 | The Third Hour of the Day

A TRIUNE SIGNIFICANCE. ARATOR: The third hour became celebrated by the heavenly sayings: the one God has this number, a single Substance distinguished by three Persons; [a Substance] that many proofs demonstrate to us is also at the same time demonstrated by the hour. ON THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 1.

THE THIRD HOUR. BEDE: In order to proclaim to the world the glory of the indivisible Trinity, the Holy Spirit descended appropriately at the third hour. And since it was said above, “They were persevering in prayer,” they quite rightly received the Holy Spirit at the hour of prayer, so that it might be shown to readers that it is not easy to receive the grace of the Holy Spirit unless the mind is raised from material things by concentration on the things that are above. Now we read that three times a day Daniel bent his knees and prayed, and the church understands these to have been the third, sixth and ninth hours. Also the Lord sent the Holy Spirit at the third hour, he himself ascended the cross at the sixth, and he yielded up his soul at the ninth. He thus saw fit to enjoin these same hours preeminently upon the rest of us and to sanctify them. COMMENTARY ON THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 2.15.

SIGNIFICANT EVENTS AT THE THIRD HOUR. CYRIL OF JERUSALEM: For he who, according to Mark, was crucified at the third hour, has now at the third hour sent his grace. For his grace is not one and the Spirit’s another, but he who was then crucified and had promised, fulfilled what he had promised. CATECHETICAL LECTURE 17.19.

2:16 | Spoken by the Prophet Joel

THE AUTHORITY OF THE PROPHETS. CHRYSOSTOM: He did not say that it was the Holy Spirit, nor did he mention the words of the prophet, but he brought in the prophecy by itself to fight its own battle. He also said nothing about Judas, although it was clear to everyone what sort of penalty he paid and the punishment he underwent. For nothing was more forceful than to argue with them from prophecy, which was even more forceful than facts. For when Christ performed miracles, they often contradicted him. But when Christ adduced the prophet, saying, “The Lord said to my Lord, Sit at my right hand,” they were silent, and “no one was able to give him an answer.” HOMILIES ON THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 5.

2:17-18 | The Lord’s Spirit Poured Out

BREATHING FORTH OF SPIRIT. BEDE: The word effusion shows the lavishness of the gift, for the grace of the Holy Spirit was not to be granted, as formerly, only to individual prophets and priests, but to everyone in every place, regardless of sex, state of life or position. The prophet subsequently explains what all flesh may be, saying, “Your sons and daughters will prophesy” and so forth, and “I will give prodigies in heaven above and signs on the earth beneath.” The prodigies in heaven were given when with the Lord’s birth a new star appeared, and with his ascending of the cross the sun was dimmed and heaven itself was covered with darkness. The signs on the earth were given when, with the Lord’s breathing forth of his spirit, it [the earth] trembled violently, broke open sepulchers, split apart rocks and brought forth alive again the bodies of many of the saints who had fallen asleep. COMMENTARY ON THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 2.17.

THE SPIRIT ON ALL FLESH. ORIGEN: I see, however, that the special coming of the Holy Spirit to people is declared to have happened after Christ’s ascension into heaven rather than before his coming into the world. Before that time the gift of the Holy Spirit was bestowed on prophets only and on a few others among the people who happened to have proved worthy of it. ON FIRST PRINCIPLES 2.7.2.

2:19 | Wonders in Heaven

BLOOD, FIRE AND SMOKE. BEDE: [The blood is] of the Lord’s side; the fire of the Holy Spirit; the vapor of compunction and tears, because just as smoke is produced from fire, so vapor is produced from the ardor of the Holy Spirit. And as for blood flowing in a vigorous stream from [the Lord’s] dead flesh, because this is contrary to the nature of our bodies it remains [for us] to believe that this was done for a sign. A sign of what, to be sure, if not of our salvation and the life that is born from his death? It is also possible to understand the fire as the enlightening of the faithful, and the vapor of smoke as the blindness of the Jews who did not believe. Similarly when about to give the law the Lord descended in fire and smoke because through the brilliance of his manifestation he enlightened the humble, and through the murky smoke of error he dimmed the eyes of the proud. COMMENTARY ON THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 2.19.

2:20 | The Great Day

DO NOT SIN WITH IMPUNITY. CHRYSOSTOM: At the same time, the apostle strikes fear into them by reminding them of the darkness that had lately occurred and leading them to expect things to come. “Before that great and glorious day of the Lord come.” He means: do not be confident because at present you sin with impunity. … Do you see how he shook and shattered their souls and turned laughter into a plea for acquittal? HOMILIES ON THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 5.

DAY OF JUDGMENT. BEDE: This is believed partly as something that had been done at the Lord’s passion and partly as something to be done in the future, before the great day of the Lord, that is, the day of judgment. For at that earlier time [of the passion], the sun was darkened, but the turning of the moon into blood could not have appeared openly to humankind, for inasmuch as it was then, at Passover, in the fifteenth [day of the lunar month], the moon was hidden by day from the sight of mortals by the interposition of the earth. COMMENTARY ON THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 2.20.

2:21 | Calling on the Name of the Lord

EACH ACCORDING TO DEEDS. CHRYSOSTOM: “Everyone,” he says (not yet revealing the meaning), be he priest, slave, free. There is no male, no female in Christ Jesus, no slave, no free, for all these are but shadow. For if in the palaces of kings there is no highborn or lowborn, but each arrives through his deeds, and if in craftsmanship each is shown by his works, all the more so it should be in the pursuit of wisdom. HOMILIES ON THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 5.