Summary of Acts 2:37-47 Early Church
Acts 2:37-47: The Early Church
Acts 2:37-47 describes the aftermath of Peter's Pentecost sermon, where he proclaims Jesus as the Messiah to a crowd of Jews from various nations. The passage outlines the response of the crowd, the characteristics of the early Christian community, and the growth of the church [2].
The crowd's response to Peter's sermon is one of conviction and inquiry, with many asking, "What shall we do?" (Acts 2:37). Peter's response is to call for repentance and baptism in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38). This marks the beginning of the Christian church, with approximately 3,000 people baptized on that day (Acts 2:41) [1].
The early Christian community is characterized by several key features. They devote themselves to the apostles' teaching, fellowship, breaking bread, and prayer (Acts 2:42). They also share their possessions, selling their goods and distributing the proceeds to those in need (Acts 2:44-45). This practice has been interpreted in various ways, with some seeing it as a form of communism or a renunciation of private property. However, according to Charles Hodge, it is more likely that the early Christians regarded their possessions as a trust for the benefit of others, rather than abandoning private ownership altogether [4].
The community's practices and attitudes are marked by a sense of unity and shared purpose. They meet together regularly, sharing meals and participating in worship (Acts 2:46). They also receive praise from the wider community, with "all the people" having a favorable view of them (Acts 2:47) [3].
The growth of the church is attributed to the Lord's action, with the text stating that "the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved" (Acts 2:47). This verse highlights the role of divine agency in the expansion of the early Christian community.
The passage has been interpreted in various ways across different Christian traditions. For example, John Calvin sees the early Christian community as a model for the church, emphasizing the importance of apostolic teaching, fellowship, and prayer [6]. In contrast, some Catholic interpreters, such as Thomas Aquinas, have used this passage to support the idea of a communal or monastic lifestyle [7].
The early Christian community's practices and attitudes continue to be studied and emulated by Christians today. As Matthew Henry notes, the passage provides a model for Christian living, highlighting the importance of devotion, fellowship, and generosity [5].
Sources
- Treasury of Scripture Knowledge “Acts 27:37 cross-references: Acts 2:41, Acts 7:14, Romans 13:1, 1 Peter 3:20”
- Acts “Acts 2:47 (LITV) — praising God, and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church those being saved from day to day.”
- Acts (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Acts 2:47: Praising God--"Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart, for God now accepteth thy works" (Ecc 9:7, also see on Act 8:39). having favour with all the people--commending themselves by their lovely demeanor to the admiration of all who observed them. And the Lord--that is, JESUS, as the glorified Head and Ruler of the Church. added--kept adding; that is, to the visible community of believers, though the words "to the Church" are wanting in the most ancient manuscripts. such as should be saved--rather, "the saved," o”
- CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 3, section 50: .) Some indeed say that these passages do not imply any actual community of goods. Having “all things common” is understood to mean, “No one regarded his possessions as belonging absolutely to himself, but as a trust for the benefit of others also.” This interpretation seems inconsistent with the whole narrative. Those who had possessions sold them. They renounced all control over what was once their own. The price was handed over to the Apostles and distributed by them or under their direction. 429 On the narrative as given in the Acts i”
- Acts (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Acts 2:42: We often speak of the primitive church, and appeal to it, and to the history of it; in these verses we have the history of the truly primitive church, of the first days of it, its state of infancy indeed, but, like that, the state of its greatest innocence. I. They kept close to holy ordinances, and abounded in all instances of piety and devotion, for Christianity, admitted in the power of it, will dispose the soul to communion with God in all those ways wherein he has appointed us to meet him and promised to meet us. 1. They were diligent and constant inn their att”
- CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 109: 15:5 15:6 15:10 15:16 15:16 15:16 15:19 16:2 16:7 16:7 16:12 16:12 16:13 16:13 16:20 16:26 17:3 17:3 17:3 17:3 17:5 17:5 17:6 17:9 17:12 17:12 17:15 17:19 17:19 17:19 17:19 18:36 18:37 19:33 19:34 19:36 20 20:5 20:17 20:17 20:19 20:22 20:22 20:22 20:23 20:23 20:23 20:23 20:28 20:31 21:15 21:15 21:18 Acts 1 1:10 1:11 1:23 2:4 2:21 2:23 2:23 2:24 2:24 2:33 2:37 2:37-38 2:38 2:39 2:41 2:42 2:42 3:6 3:6 3:15 3:21 3:25 4:12 4:12 4:18 4:28 4:28 4:32 5:29 5:31 5:41 6:2 6:3 6:3 6:6 6:10 7:21 7:30 7:44 7:48 7:48 7:55 7:56 7:59 8:13-18 8:14”
- theology (Catholic (Scholastic)) “Aquinas, Summa Theologica, Third Part (Tertia Pars), Of the Way in Which Christ Is in This Sacrament, Art. 8: Article: Whether Christ's body is truly there when flesh or a child appears miraculously in this sacrament? I answer that, Such apparition comes about in two ways, when occasionally in this sacrament flesh, or blood, or a child, is seen. Sometimes it happens on the part of the beholders, whose eyes are so affected as if they outwardly saw flesh, or blood, or a child, while no change takes place in the sacrament. And this seems to happen when to one person it is seen under the species o”