Act 2:38-41, 8:12-18 | PNT | STEP | Repent, and be baptized . For the first time the terms of pardon under the New Covenant and the Great Commission are given; given once for all time, and always the same. The convicted, broken-hearted, sorrowing sinner, believing that Jesus is the Christ, is to repent and be baptized. Repent . Not sorrow. They already sorrowed; but a change of purpose; the internal change which resolves to serve the Lord. The Greek term "metanoeo", rendered "repent", means a change of mind. The act of obedience in baptism is an outward expression of both faith and repentance. In the name of Jesus Christ . "Upon the name" (Revised Version). Upon the ground of the name. In submission to the authority of Jesus Christ. For the remission of sins . Thus, by complying with the conditions just named, they shall receive remission of sins. No man can receive pardon without faith and repentance, nor can he without submission to the will of Christ. Meyer says: ``"Eis" (for) denotes the "object" of baptism, which is the remission of the guilt contracted in the state before "metanoia" (repentance).'' And Prof. Hackett writes: ``"In order to the forgiveness of sins" we connect naturally with both the preceding verbs. This clause states the motive or object which should induce them to repent and be baptized.'' The gift of the Holy Spirit . Promised as a comforter to all who obey Christ, but whom "the world cannot receive" ( ).

Acts 2:38-41

Repent, and be baptized. For the first time the terms of pardon under the New Covenant and the Great Commission are given; given once for all time, and always the same. The convicted, broken-hearted, sorrowing sinner, believing that Jesus is the Christ, is to repent and be baptized.

Repent. Not sorrow. They already sorrowed; but a change of purpose; the internal change which resolves to serve the Lord. The Greek term "metanoeo", rendered "repent", means a change of mind. The act of obedience in baptism is an outward expression of both faith and repentance.

In the name of Jesus Christ. "Upon the name" (Revised Version). Upon the ground of the name. In submission to the authority of Jesus Christ.

For the remission of sins. Thus, by complying with the conditions just named, they shall receive remission of sins. No man can receive pardon without faith and repentance, nor can he without submission to the will of Christ. Meyer says: ``"Eis" (for) denotes the "object" of baptism, which is the remission of the guilt contracted in the state before "metanoia" (repentance).'' And Prof. Hackett writes: ``"In order to the forgiveness of sins" we connect naturally with both the preceding verbs. This clause states the motive or object which should induce them to repent and be baptized.''

The gift of the Holy Spirit. Promised as a comforter to all who obey Christ, but whom "the world cannot receive" (Joh 14:17). For the promise. Of pardon, and the gift of the Spirit.

Unto you. Even unto those who rejected the Lord.

To your children. Your children after you.

To all that are afar off. To the Gentiles. That he refers to the Gentiles is shown in the next clause, [even] as many as the Lord our God shall call. Peter spoke as the Spirit gave him utterance, and perhaps did not fully comprehend his own words. Save yourselves. This was the object of the "many other words". They could "save themselves" by complying with the conditions named in Ac 2:38, and thus accepting Christ as their Savior.

From this perverse generation. The wicked Jewish race. They that gladly received his word. Every believing penitent would gladly receive it.

Were baptized. Not indefinitely in the future, but that day.

The same day there were added about three thousand souls. Hackett, in his "Commentary on Acts", writes: ``It is proper to add that pools numerous and large which encircled Jerusalem, as both those still in use, and as the remains of others testify of at the present day, afforded ample means for the celebration of the rite of baptism. The habits of the East, as every traveler knows, would present no obstacle to such a use of the public reservoirs.'' It has been objected to the immersion of the three thousand that the apostles could not have done it in one day. We are not told that the apostles only were the baptists, or even baptized at all. There were at least 120 disciples there; perhaps even more on this great day. Perhaps the Seventy were all there. But the apostles alone could have discharged the office. There would be 250 to each one. Sixty persons have been immersed easily in an hour by one person. At this rate the whole work could have been accomplished by twelve men in about four hours. The celebrated Chrysostom, aided by his elders, baptized (immersed) 3,000 in a day in A.D. 404.

Acts 8:12-18

When they believed Philip. This verse states in the concisest manner the apostolic order of converting men: (1) Philip preached; (2) he preached the kingdom and name of Jesus Christ; (3) faith came by hearing, for the Samaritans believed; (4) when they believed they were baptized. This describes the uniform course in apostolic days.

Both men and women. Note that (1) only believers are baptized, (2) that men and women are both included, but children are not named. Then Simon himself believed also. There has been much needless discussion whether Simon was sincere. It would never have been doubted had we not been told that later he fell into sin. It is best to take the Scripture in its manifest sense. He became a believer like the rest. He was baptized like the rest; then, like many others, at a later period, under temptation, he fell into sin. It is impossible to believe that a man of his power and influence in Samaria would have yielded outwardly to the gospel and shown the deference he manifested to Philip unless he was at the time sincere. But he was of the class described by the Savior when the seed of the sower fell among among thorns (Mt 13:22 Mr 4:18,19). The apostles . . . received the word of God. They had remained at Jerusalem. The word reached them of Philip's faithful work. Christ had directed that the gospel be carried to "Jerusalem, and unto Judea, and unto Samaria, and unto the uttermost parts of the earth" (Ac 1:8). In this order it had been carried to Samaria and been received. The preacher sent there was not an apostle. He had miraculous powers, but could not confer them. It seemed needful, now that the gospel was accepted by a new people, not Jewish, that spiritual gifts, such as had been given to the apostles on the day of Pentecost and imparted through them to others, should be bestowed upon this alien nation. Observe, (1) when the Jews first had the gospel on the day of Pentecost these gifts were imparted by the descent of the Holy Spirit (Ac 2:2-4); (2) when the Samaritans were converted these were imparted by the presence of the apostles (Ac 8:17); (3) when the first Gentiles were converted, an apostle being present, they were imparted (Ac 10:44-47). There is no record of their impartation, save in or by apostolic presence. See Ro 1:11.

Sent to them Peter and John. This is positive proof that Peter was not a pope. The body which sends is superior to the one sent. He and John go at the bidding of which the whole apostolic body. This is the last mention of John in Acts. Prayed for them. That the Holy Spirit might fall on them. They had been born of water and the Spirit (Joh 3:5), but had not received that baptism of the Spirit, which conferred miraculous powers. This was bestowed by apostolic prayer and the laying on of hands. I suppose, not on all, but on those selected for teachers and preachers among the Samaritans. Plumptree states: ``The prayer clearly pointed to such a power of the Holy Spirit as had been bestowed on Pentecost.'' And Calvin writes: ``Luke speaks not of the common grace of the Holy Spirit, but of the singular gifts with which God would have certain endowed at the beginning of the gospel.'' They laid [their] hands on them. Whedon says: ``This was part of that miraculous supremacy of the apostles that they could not communicate to any successor.'' This reception of the Holy Spirit was manifest in speaking with tongue and other powers. When Simon saw . . . he offered them money. Uninstructed in the lofty spirit of the gospel, ambitious to possess this power peculiar to the apostles, he is sordid enough to offer money for it. His sin was not that he aspired to this power, but that he sought to buy it. He had very crude conceptions of the spirit of Christianity. It is not stated, but it is easy to infer, that he was not one of those upon whom the apostles had bestowed the divine gift.