3000 People/Souls Baptized

[ChristRocket]

I had heard somewhere along the lines that the 3000 people/souls mention in Act 2:41 as being baptized would have been in reference to just the men, (but would include the family as well.) That this would fit in with the way that families were addressed in those times.
Does anyone have reference to this or is this a faulty understanding?

 

[eightydeuce82]

I had heard somewhere along the lines that the 3000 people/souls mention in Act 2:41 as being baptized would have been in reference to just the men, (but would include the family as well.) That this would fit in with the way that families were addressed in those times.
Does anyone have reference to this or is this a faulty understanding?

Sounds like that is just an opinion. Plenty of those out there. (the danger of trying to comprehend scripture outside of tradition) Since we know the church has always baptized everyone its likely false since baptism in water (for every person) is a requirement and always has been of the Church.

 

[eightydeuce82]

I had heard somewhere along the lines that the 3000 people/souls mention in Act 2:41 as being baptized would have been in reference to just the men, (but would include the family as well.) That this would fit in with the way that families were addressed in those times.
Does anyone have reference to this or is this a faulty understanding?

Also welcome to the Church!!!

 

[TimothyH]

The 3000 souls/men is intended to show a reversal of the sin and falling away that happened at Mt. Sinai.

*And the sons of Levi did according to the word of Moses; and there fell of the people that day about three thousand men.(Exodus 32:28)

So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls. (Acts 2:41)*

Whether they were souls, males or just people misses the point.

The Israelites were in a covenant/family relationship with God. They lost friendship with God and three thousand fell when they worshiped the calf at Mt. Sinai. Three thousand added shows a reversal - the Holy Spirit comes to dwell in those who were sacramentally baptized that day and friendship with God is restored.

Pentecost is a reversal of Mt. Sinai. That’s the point.

Remember that the text was written by Jews. We have to always read the New Testament in the context of the events of the Old Testament Judaism.

-Tim-

 

[Bruce_Killian]

The context is the crowds at Pentecost a pilgrim feast. Only men were required to come to pilgrim feasts in the Law and because these men are in large part from a remote distance, e.g. Afghanistan to Rome, so any families are from local areas and the men are from the farther distances. Since most people were farmers, the family stayed home and cared for the animals and crops. So the majority of those converting would be adult males, and not whole families. This was I believe part of God’s plan to spread the faith as far and as widely as possible.
Grace and peace,
Bruce