What Was God Doing At Pentecost?

[Teflon93]

The risen Christ having left the Apostles just prior to Pentecost, we find them assembled in Acts 2:

1And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.

2And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.

3And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.

4And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

5And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.

6Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language.

7And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans?

8And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?

9Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia,

10Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes,

11Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God.

12And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another, What meaneth this?

13Others mocking said, These men are full of new wine.

14But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words:

15For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day.

16But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;

17And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:

18And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:

19And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke:

20The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and notable day of the Lord come:

21And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

22Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know:

23Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:

24Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.

25For David speaketh concerning him, I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved:

26Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope:

27Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.

28Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance.

29Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day.

30Therefore 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;

31He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption.

32This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses.

33Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.

34For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand,

35Until I make thy foes thy footstool.

36Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made the same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.

37Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?

38Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

39For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the LORD our God shall call.

40And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation.

41Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.

42And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.

43And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles.

44And all that believed were together, and had all things common;

45And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.

46And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,

47Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.

What is God Almighty doing in this passage?

 

[wardrandolph]

Starting His Church.

 

[Della]

Teflon93, what do you think God is doing? Just quoting Bible verses doesn’t really help us know what you are driving at/want to know.

 

[Teflon93]

Starting His Church.

Amen!

Catholics have noted contra Protestants that Christ did not come to write a book but to found a church, a contention which is crystal clear in this account of Pentecost.

Christ abided with the apostles for some time before Pentecost and yet the Gospels were not composed during this time but afterward. The formation of the Church was the priority. Note in this passage we have St Peter asserting authority as the temporal head of the Church. We have the birth of the sacraments empowered through the Holy Spirit. We have the mechanism of apostolic succession established.

THIS is the coming of the Kingdom.

THIS is the foundation of that Church against which the Gates of Hell have never prevailed.

THIS is the emergence into the world of a slice of heaven.

All of which would be for naught if it would not be for another 1,500 years—or 1,600 or 1,700 or 1,800 or 2,000 depending upon your outlook—that the “true” church would emerge.

For why would God breathe such power into an institution which would fail in due time?

 

[JustaServant]

Amen!

Catholics have noted contra Protestants that Christ did not come to write a book but to found a church, a contention which is crystal clear in this account of Pentecost.

Christ abided with the apostles for some time before Pentecost and yet the Gospels were not composed during this time but afterward. The formation of the Church was the priority. Note in this passage we have St Peter asserting authority as the temporal head of the Church. We have the birth of the sacraments empowered through the Holy Spirit. We have the mechanism of apostolic succession established.

THIS is the coming of the Kingdom.

THIS is the foundation of that Church against which the Gates of Hell have never prevailed.

THIS is the emergence into the world of a slice of heaven.

All of which would be for naught if it would not be for another 1,500 years—or 1,600 or 1,700 or 1,800 or 2,000 depending upon your outlook—that the “true” church would emerge.

For why would God breathe such power into an institution which would fail in due time?

Acts1:1In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach 2until the day he was taken up to heaven…

As a fundamentalist, I was always confused about why Luke put it this way in the first verse of Acts. As a Catholic, I get it.

 

[Teflon93]

As a fundamentalist, I was always confused about why Luke put it this way in the first verse of Acts. As a Catholic, I get it.

This is a terrific observation!

Does the Fundamentalist view of soteriology emphasize Christ’s crucifixion, death, and resurrection over the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost?

In our Pentecostal community, the emphasis was certainly on the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, but it was not seen as within the context of the Church but rather as an example of the gifts given to all true believers. In that sense, the opening was not troubling, since it was interpreted as ongoing gifts of the Holy Spirit and “Jesus began…” was quite what one would expect.

How do Fundamentalists unpack this?

 

[Teflon93]

Here’s the last chapter of Luke:

25Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken:

26Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory?

27And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.

28And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they went: and he made as though he would have gone further.

29But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry with them.

30And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them.

31And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight.

32And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?

33And they rose up the same hour, and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and them that were with them,

34Saying, The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon.

35And they told what things were done in the way, and how he was known of them in breaking of bread.

36And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.

37But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit.

38And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts?

39Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.

40And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them his hands and his feet.

41And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat?

42And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb.

43And he took it, and did eat before them.

44And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.

45Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures,

46And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:

47And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

48And ye are witnesses of these things.

49And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.

50And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them.

51And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven.

52And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy:

53And were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God. Amen.

Christ did not dictate the Gospels at this time but instead ensured that the Apostles properly understood the Old Testament Scripture, placed his blessing upon them, and told them to remain together until Pentecost. To this day we practice the sacrament of confirmation in the same fashion—education, repentance and reconciliation, blessing, and coming together with the Church for praising and worshiping God.

 

[JustaServant]

This is a terrific observation!

Does the Fundamentalist view of soteriology emphasize Christ’s crucifixion, death, and resurrection over the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost?

In our Pentecostal community, the emphasis was certainly on the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, but it was not seen as within the context of the Church but rather as an example of the gifts given to all true believers. In that sense, the opening was not troubling, since it was interpreted as ongoing gifts of the Holy Spirit and “Jesus began…” was quite what one would expect.

How do Fundamentalists unpack this?

They generally ignore the verse.
But I think the average evangelical would say that verse was speaking on a more personal level, that each of us continues the ministry of Christ individually. Now, there is a sense in which that is true (funneled through the evangelical philosophy of a ‘personal relationship’ with Jesus. But its obvious as the book unfolds that it is much bigger than this. God was starting His Church. The life of Christ would now continue through His Church corporately and individually.
Evangelicals see only individually.
Its not a denial of the Church, its an ignoring.