COME THE DAY OF PENTECOST 2012

Acts 2
When The Day of Pentecost  Acts 2:1  the day of Pentecost (Or Jubilee=50th day, May 23)


was fully come,

(Lit. in the day...being completed. This refers to the completion of the 7 weeks [50 days inclusive] from the waiving of the sheaf of first-fruits [Lev. 23:15,16].)

they were all with one accord in one place.

(In other words, they had come in for the feast of Pentecost and people gathered to Jerusalem from all over from the known world at that time, and from all areas. We here in America are very blessed that we can drive 3,000 miles and the language is still the same, but in most countries, especially in the Middle East at this time, you didn’t have to go three city blocks until it was a totally different language. So at the gathering of Pentecost they would have people of many tongues [which is many languages] present there.)

2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind,

(Gr. pnoê, to breathe, or blow, whence pneuma.)

and it filled all the house where they were sitting.

(The Holy Spirit was with them as God had promised. So this is the Spirit moving. It is talking about God’s elect here, where they were sitting, the Spirit touched them and they were filled.)

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

(They are receiving what was promised. Now this was a one-time thing where visibly God would use this particular vision so that they could see what was happening to them. Cloven means going out in many directions. The Greek word that is translated here means “distributed”.Acts 2

Acts 2:1 and when the day of Pentecost (Or Jubilee = 50th day. May 23rd.)

Was fully come,

(Lit. in the day...being completed. This refers to the completion of the 7 weeks [50 days inclusive] from the waiving of the sheaf of first-fruits [Lev. 23:15, 16].)

they were all with one accord in one place.

(In other words, they had come in for the feast of Pentecost and people gathered to Jerusalem from all over from the known world at that time, and from all areas. We here in America are very blessed that we can drive 3,000 miles and the language is still the same, but in most countries, especially in the Middle East at this time, you didn’t have to go three city blocks until it was a totally different language. So at the gathering of Pentecost they would have people of many tongues [which is many languages] present there.)

2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind,

(Gr. pnoê, to breathe, or blow, whence pneuma.)

and it filled all the house where they were sitting.

(The Holy Spirit was with them as God had promised. So this is the Spirit moving. It is talking about God’s elect here, where they were sitting, the Spirit touched them and they were filled.)

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

(They are receiving what was promised. Now this was a one-time thing where visibly God would use this particular vision so that they could see what was happening to them. Cloven means going out in many directions. The Greek word that is translated here means “distributed”.

Strong's G1266 – diamerizō

1) to cleave asunder, cut in pieces

2) to be divided into opposing parts, to be at variance, in dissension

3) to distribute

The Greek word which is translated as tongue here is "glossa".

G1100γλῶσσαglōssagloce'-sahOf uncertain affinity; the tongue; by implication a language (specifically one naturally unacquired): - tongue.

So we see that we are not talking about the [literal] tongue of your mouth but the language of your mouth and the fact that it is in many directions. What does that mean? It is important to know first of all where we have all these languages pulled together that to be able to communicate as a witness then certainly we have an interesting subject. Let us listen to the Spirit as we continue with verse 4.)

Act 2:4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit,

(Not by themselves.)

and began to speak with other tongues,

(Not unknown.)

as the Spirit gave them utterance.

(Gr. apoththengomai. There was nothing said that anyone didn't understand. There was no need for an interpreter. Man can't do that).

5 And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews,

(Has 2 meanings, 1] of the tribe of Judah; or 2] resident of the land of Judea.)

devout men, out of every nation under heaven.

(Every language of the world present.)

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

(Not unknown. No need for an interpreter. This is the evidence of the presence of the Holy Spirit. This is how you can tell the true from a person imitating it. All the tongues of the world coming out of one mouth without an interpreter. Now we understand where the Greek word cloven or distributed comes in to play because [the language they were speaking] was being distributed in more than one language at one time. Now it's important in your research that you know what this word language is in the Greek because it really says more in the Greek than it does in the English. Because there is more to your own language. We speak English in many parts of the world, but certainly dialect has a great deal to do with identifying where someone is from. God is being very specific here. The Greek word that was translated “language” here is dialektos.

Strong's G1258 – dialektos

1) conversation, speech, discourse, language

2) the tongue or language peculiar to any people

As you probably have clicked on the word in verse 6, does it look and sound familiar? It's almost the same as the English. In other words, not only did they hear their own language, but they heard it in the dialect in which they spoke. What was heard was in their own, local dialect. We see here the miracle of the Holy Spirit at work within this. We have many people from around the world that speak English, but there are many different dialects. But with the miracle of the Holy Spirit, [they heard what was spoken even unto their own dialect] and this is what stunned them.)

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

8 And how hear we every man in our own tongue,

(= dialect. Gr. dialektos, as in v. 6.)

wherein we were born?

(In other words they're saying, “they are from Nazareth, but talk like they are from Bethlehem!” [More than just different dialects;] totally different languages but still [heard even] in their own dialects. That is the evidence of the presence of the Holy Spirit. They heard it and they understood it, each and every person. There was nothing unknown about it. So regarding the the Holy Spirit then, make a note, when the Holy Spirit speaks through a person, it is a language that is heard in every dialect of the world in whatever language they may speak. That, my friend, no man can fake. That is the evidence of the presence of Almighty God through the Holy Spirit, and that He is utilizing that person. If it sounds anything different than what was just mentioned, then it is obvious that the Holy Spirit is not present. Because the mark or evidence of this specific tongue, the Pentecostal day tongue, is that it is understood by every language of the world all at one time even down to the neighborhood in which you were born and raised. For example, picture someone from the United Nations that would get up to speak [to the entire] world and no one would need an interpreter. Everyone there would hear it in their own tongue as they were gathered in from around the world, just as they were in this case, here [in Acts]. And that’s what the Word says. There is nothing unknown about the so-called “speaking in tongues”. Some might say, "How do we know that there were different peoples there?" Well, give Him a chance to declare it.) §
Acts 2:9 Parthians,

(People from India.)

and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia,

(These first 4 were within the limits of The Persian Empire. Mesopotamia is the same Padan-Aram [Gen. 24:10; 28:2].)

and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia,

(These last 3 provinces of Asia Minor. Asia here means the district comprising Mysia, Lydia, &c., on the Western coast, governed by a Roman pro-consul. Cp. Rev. 1:4.)

10 Phrygia,

(Asia Minor.)

and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene,

(These were from Africa.)

and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes,

(Not only of Judah, see Matt. 23:15.)

11 Cretes

(See Tit. 1:12.)

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

(Even from the basics all the way back to the beginning to His creation of the world.)

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

(Certainly they had never seen anything like that before.)

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

(This was an excuse. They pass off anything they don't understand.) ‎14-47. Among the Brethren.

14-36. Peter's address.
37-47. Results.

14-36. Peters Address.

14,15. Appeal. Men of Judea.
16-21. Reference to Joel.
22-24. Appeal. Men of Israel.
25-28. Reference to Ps.16.
29-33. Appeal. Men and Brethren.
34-36. Reference to Ps.110.

Acts 2:14 But 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:

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

(Cp. 1 Thess. 5:7. In other words, it was only 9 o’clock in the morning and it was against the law of the land; for on the Holy day (the feast day), to partake of anything that early in the day. Thus Peter brings it forth. He explains it then. Do you really want to know what the Pentecost tongue is about? Peter’s standing up, he’s got their attention, and he’s going to tell you.)

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

"This is that"

1. "This is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel". There is nothing in the words to tell us what is "this" and what is "that". The word "this" is Emphatic and the word "But", with which Peter's argument begins, sets what follows in contrast. This shows that the quotation was used to rebut the charge of drunkenness-v.13.

So far from these signs and wonders being a proof that "these men" were drunken, "this", said the apostle, is "that" [same kind of thing] which Joel prophesied would take place "In the last days". Peter does not say these were the last days, but this [that follows] is what Joel says of those days. He doesn't say "then was fulfilled", nor "as it is written", but merely calls attention to what the prophet said of similar scenes yet future.

Therefore to understand what Peter really meant by "this is that", we must turn to the prophecy of Joel. And in order to understand that prophecy, we must see exactly what it is about.

Is it about the Christian Dispensation? or, The dispensation of Judgment

which is to follow it? or, Is it about the Jew and the Gentile? or, Is it about the Church of God?

2. The Structure gives the scope of Joel as a whole, and a detail of B in which occurs the "signs" to which Peter points in connection with "this is that". From this it will be seen that the prophecy of Joel links up with the last clause of the "Song of Moses" in Deut.32:43 (see Rev.15:3), which ends:-

"And He will be merciful to His Land and to His People."

So Joel 2:18 begins:-

"Then will Yahaveh be jealous for His Land, and pity His People"

Structure of the Book of Joel as a whole.
1:2,3. Call to hear. B 1:4-13. Judgments. Inflicted.
1:14-2:17. Call to Repent.
2:18-3:21. Judgments. Removed.

Detail of above:

2:18,19. Good bestowed. Land and People.
2:20. Evil removed. Enemy cut off.
2:21-32. Good bestowed. Land and People.
3:1-16-. Evil removed. Enemy cut off.
3:-16-18. Good bestowed. Land and People.
3:19. Evil Removed. Enemies cut off.
3:20,21. Good bestowed. Land and People.

"THIS" therefore, is "THAT". It is the subject matter and remote context of Acts 2:16. It concerns Yahaveh's Land and Yahaveh's People, and has consequently nothing to do with the church of this Dispensation (see note on Acts 2:47). Peter calls "the house of Israel"-v.36- to the very repentance spoken of in the call to repentance of Joel-1:14-2:17; see A in Structure.
3. But the key to the correct understanding of Peter's quotation lies in the word "afterward" of Joel 2:28. The question is, after what? This we can learn only from Joel himself. Peter does not explain it, nor can we understand it from Peter's words alone.
The Structure shows us that the whole subject of 2:18-3:21 is - evil removed from the Land and the People, and blessings bestowed on both; and these are set forth alternately. In 2:28,29 we have spiritual blessings connected with the temporal of the previous verses, introduced thus: "And it shall come to pass AFTERWARD,
that I will pour out My Spirit upon all flesh,"&c.

After what? The answer is AFTER the temporal blessings of vv.23-27. It is important to note that the temporal precede the spiritual blessings. The Holy Spirit was NOT poured out on all flesh at Pentecost: only on some of those present. None of the great signs in heavens and on earth had been shown. No deliverance took place in Jerusalem: both Land and People were still under the Roman yoke.
4. Thus, from a careful study of the two passages, it will be seen that there is a wide divergence between the statements of apostle and prophet on the one hand, and the general belief of Christendom, which the majority hold so tenaciously, not to say acrimoniously, that "the church" was formed at Pentecost, on the other (see note on Act 2:47).
(a) There can be no mistake about the meaning of Joel's word "afterward". It is not the simple Heb. word 'ahar = after [Gen.5:4], but the compound 'aharey-ken = after that [as in Gen.6:4].
(b) It is therefore certain that the word "this" in Acts 2:16 refers to what follows, and not to what precedes; to the future events predicted by Joel, and not to those then taking place in Jerusalem.
(c) As Joel speaks of no gift of tongues, "this" cannot refer to these Pentecost tongues, the outstanding cause of all the wonder and excitement.
(d) None of the things detailed in vv.17,19 came to pass. "This" therefore could not be the fulfillment of Joel's prediction, as the "pouring out" was only on the apostles and those associated with them.

5. To sum up: As we have seen, there is in Acts 2:16 no fulfillment of Joel's prophecy either expressed or implied, and Peter's argument narrows down to this, namely that a charge of drunkenness can no more be sustained against "these" than it can be against those in the yet future scenes spoken of by Joel, when the wondrous spiritual blessing will be poured out on ALL flesh AFTER THAT, that is after all the temporal blessings spoken of have been bestowed upon Israel' Land and Israel's People. IT HASN"T HAPPENED YET FOLKS. NOBODY has spoken the Pentecost tongue since the apostles spoke it. Do not be deceived. The evidence of the presence of the Holy Spirit, so you can tell the True from a person imitating it is, ALL the languages of the world coming out of ONE mouth WITHOUT an interpreter. Anything else is a fake and is evil. § Acts 2:17 'And it shall come to pass in the last days,'

(Started in 1948 A.D. The parable of the fig tree. Cp. Mark 13. See Gen.49:1)

saith God, 'I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh:

(A Hebraism. Cp. Isa.40:5 66:24. Luke 3:6. John 17:2.)

and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:

(Again, there is the time element, not until the last days when that hour of temptation. Now if you don’t think that God intends to use females, then you’ve got sad trouble, because especially in the last days He specifically brings that out stating, “daughters shall prophesy”. That means to teach and to prophesy the Word of God with the Holy Spirit coming from the mouth of women. God will use His elect, the Holy Spirit as it was written in Mark 13, in the last days, that is to say when the spurious messiah is here and we are delivered up and the miracle to the world will be whoever is listening. These trials will be televised around the world and you are not going to need an interpreter. Now that is the miracle of the presence of God through the Holy Spirit and people will know and understand that it is from God and not some unknown thing, but just the opposite, it will be from God’s Word, and it is that which is known and heard whereby no one has an excuse to say “I didn’t understand it because it wasn’t in my dialect.”)

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

(It is written in Mark 13, it is written in Matthew 24, it is written in Luke 21, and it is written in the book of Joel. It wasn’t unknown. If you want to know what they spoke on Pentecost day, go to the book of Joel and read it. It’s all laid out for you what they said, the marvelous, glorious, wonderful works of God that was mentioned back in the eleventh verse of this chapter by all those foreign tongues.)

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

(Cp. Mt St. Helens eruption which occurred on Pentecost day in 1980 A.D. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xP2dreOI8gI&feature=player_embedded (AWESOME 7 MINUTE VIDEO ON THE ERUPTION) http://www.godsgeography.com/america/mtsthelens/mtsthelens.html Cp. the 12 times the word "smoke" appears in Rev. God's witnesses will prophecy the blood, fire, and vapour of smoke, and then those things will come to pass. Why? It is not the witnesses that speak, but the Holy Spirit speaking through them.)

20 The sun shall be turned into darkness,

(= changed. Cp. the eclipses of the moon in 1997-98. 4 eclipses with a 6 month period in between = 6,6,6 = 18 = bondage.)

and the moon into blood, before the great and notable day of the Lord come:

(Gr. epiphanês. The verb epiphainô = to shine, show light upon. In Joel, the word is "terrible". The kindred noun epiphaneia, is used of the Lord's coming. 2 Thess.2:8. 1 Tim.6:14, &c. Again you have the time that this tongue will be spoken nailed down. There is no room for confusion. Again, listen to God’s word and not man’s. It doesn't matter how many preachers have told you that this Pentecost tongue was unknown. It doesn't matter how many times you have heard it from whoever, or whomever. God’s Word states that it was just the opposite of unknown, that it was in the very dialect or brogue…

BROGUE = (a strong dialectal accent, especially a strong Irish accent.)

…of whatever person heard it that was born regardless of who the speaker was, because it was not the speaker that spoke, but the Holy Spirit. God knows you, He knows your dialect, He knows how you hear. That’s why the miracle cannot be copied, conned, or made up by man. It is so crystal clear that no one is without excuse of understanding the scripture of God.)

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

(Cp. 7:59; 9:14; 22:16. Rom.10:12-14. 1 Cor.1:2. Yes, even up to that last hour. Now that was on Pentecost day. Did it happen again? Of course it did. See Chapter 10:44-46.)

22 Ye 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:

23 Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God,

(Psalm 22 gives us the detail of how Christ would be crucified, and by God's controlling hand on the events, Jesus was taken, tried before their counsel, and by the wicked hands of these Kenite Priests and Pharisees, Jesus was hung on the cross, and slain for the sins of many. Psalm 22 gives us Jesus words on the cross, and the fact that He was pierced, and nailed to the cross. Those prophecies tell us not only the words that Jesus would say, but also the words that the High priest would say. That high priest was not appointed not by God, but by a Roman governor. Even those words are written in that Psalm 22.)

ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:

(= nailed up to the cross. Slain = Gr. anaireô, take off, or away.)

24 Whom God hath raised up,

(Means to make to stand up, i.e. to raise up, or to rise up, arise, rise again. Refers to the Resurrection. Cp. 13:32,33.)

having loosed the pains of death:

(= birth-pangs.)

because it was not possible that He should be holden of it.

(It was not possible that death could hold Christ because He was the Victor of death. That was His purpose.) Mount St. Helens @ God's Geography www.godsgeography.com Mount St. Helens, geography Acts 2:25 For David speaketh concerning Him,

(Ps.16:8-11.)

'I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for He is on my right hand, that I should not be moved:

(= shaken. The enemy is not going to move or shake you.)

26 Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad;

(= rejoiced exceedingly. See Matt.5:12. 1 Pet.1:8; 4:13.)

moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope:

(Rest = tabernacle. See Matt.13:32. Mark 4:32. Luke 13:19)

27 Because Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell,

(Gr. Hades; used by the Greeks for the unseen world. See Appendix 131 in Companion Bible.)

neither wilt Thou suffer Thine Holy One to see corruption.

(The subject here though is the Messiah's resurrection, after going to that place where the souls of the dead where held and releasing those that would hear and go with Him. Did Christ go to hell?

Only in as much as there is a place in paradise, that is documented in the Apocrypha, II Esdras 7:77, and in Luke 16:19-26 in the parable of Lazarus, where the rich man could see Lazarus in the bosom of Abraham. But there was a great gulf between the place where the rich man was, and that gulf could not be crossed.

Luke 16:26 "And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence."

Today you can call this hell if you please, but one thing is for sure, those in that place know that they did not overcome, and they are there by their own choosing. They did not accept Christ, nor did they repent. Those that are in that separated place in paradise, called "hell" are there waiting for judgment. They knew, and yet refused.

Because our heavenly Father is fair, Christ on that day that He was in the tomb went to those that were in that tomb and preached to them, as we are told in I Peter 3:18, 20 and this will be also discussed in Acts 4.

I Peter 3:18-20; "For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the Just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: By which also He went and preached unto the spirits in prison, Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing where few, the is, eight souls were saved by water."

Jesus went to them and preached salvation to them, for at this time He had died on the cross, and all those souls had the privilege of accepting or rejecting Him at that time. At that time Jesus Christ freed many prisoners. No, God did not leave Him there. He freed all those people back to the time of "Noah", which means "the beginning". He gave them the same privilege that you and I have today to accept Him.

It would have been very unfair of God to withhold salvation from those souls that were born of women in that first four thousand years, and offer salvation only to the generation from the time of Jesus. Even David was included in this, for David was a murderer.)

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

29 Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David,

(Applies to Abraham and the sons of Jacob, as founders of the nation, and to David, as founder of the monarchy.)

that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day.

30 Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him,

(This is your documentation that David was a prophet. See 2 Sam.7:12.)

that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on h His throne;

31 He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ,

(This is the Greek translation of the Heb. Messiah. Christos has the same meaning, from chriô, to anoint. Hence the Noun is used of for the Messiah, and in the Gospels should always be translated "Messiah", as well as in Acts, and sometimes in the latter Books of the N.T.)

that His soul was not left in hell, neither His flesh did see corruption.

(His flesh did not go through that state of returning to dust as David's did. He was transfigured.)

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

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

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

35 Until I make thy foes thy footstool.'

(= the footstool of Your feet. See Ps.110:1.)

36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made the same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ."
‎37-47. Results.

37. Conviction.
38-40. Apostle's Counsel.
41-. Converts.
-41. Souls added.
42. Continuance.
43-. Fear.
-43. Apostles' Miracles.
44,45. Converts.
46,47-. Continuance.
-47. Souls added.

Acts 2:37 Now 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?"

(When they heard this they were pierced in their hearts. They wanted to know what they should do to accept Christ. This is the same that men and women ask today, but when they are told, they would rather play church with their traditions, and fly-away doctrines. Are you ready to take a stand, and prepare yourself to where this Spirit can speak through you when you are delivered up? If you are, many will hear the Word, and believe on His name.

You don't place the gospel armor on to fly away, you put it on to fight against Satan and his fiery darts which is a spiritual warfare, not with guns and tanks, but with words and ideas to change minds. The battle field is in the minds of people, not on some foreign soil.)

38 Then 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 Spirit.

(Peter is telling them how to be saved. Does this mean that they will now speak in tongues? For some it shall in this generation of the end times. However to all they must be ready to be used by the Holy Spirit when He gives them the utterances to mouth. The Holy Spirit has many gifts that are given to those that are saved, and part of the body of Christ. It does not say the gift of tongues here, but those gifts include being pastors, teachers evangelists, Sunday school teachers, and He uses others to just plant a seed with a smile now and then. That is the gift of the Holy Spirit.

When you have the Lord Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit is within you, and you don't have to wonder whether the Holy Spirit is there or no, it will show. They are the fruits of the Spirit that will be reflected. Galatians 5:22, 23; "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.")

39 For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off,

(I.e. the Dispersion of them and the Gentiles. Cp. 22:21. Eph.2:13,17)

even as many as the LORD our God shall call."

(He calls. You have to answer.)

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

(= the days of vv.17-21.)

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

42 And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine

(The apostles doctrine, is what Peter had just taught them. It was the Words of Christ, and the Words of the prophets. The apostles doctrine is everything that is written in God's Word; that is what they steadfastly followed. The apostles were sent for by Christ to teach His doctrine, they are one and the same. Look out for those creeds and oaths that are different then the doctrine that Christ taught.)

and fellowship, and in breaking of bread,

(This was the common meal. Cp. vv.44,46 and Matt.14:19. Isa.58:7.)

and in prayers.

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

(= by the Holy Sprint through the Apostles.)

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

(The whole church body of the early church thought as a unit, one for each other. In the doctrine of Christ, and in the Holy Spirit, there were no divisions amongst them at this time.)

45 And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men,

(I.e. to the believers.)

as every man had need.

46 And 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,

(They took communion together as a body of Christ, in singleness of heart. They all thought alike, with a common caring for each other. What it is talking about is the fact that it was not safe to teach the doctrine of Christ openly in the Temple, therefore they held home meeting. Remember the same Kenite religious leaders that killed Jesus, and plotted the murders against Him were still in charge of the temple. There was no writings of the New Testament at this time, so they had to carry the Word by mouth from one to another.

There were people that had the gift to teach, and they were sent from home to home in their teaching ministry, and they did not need a house, but lived where they ministering. Today the ministry is different in the methods being used. Today one can stay in one location, and thus possess properties, and use many different teaching tools to preach the gospel openly and boldly.

They sold all to be teachers of the Gospel, and the possibility of returning once you started to teach, was very slim. You became a marked person that was not popular in the Temple, nor amongst the Jews. So they went from house to house taking the Gospel.)

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

(It is not meant that all should have ears to hear, or eyes to see the plan of God, and be saved. Within that plan of God is the simplicity of salvation, not only to Israel, but as we will see in later chapters to the Gentiles. The Church started on Pentecost Day with these one hundred and twenty men and women, and on that first day, three thousand souls were added to the Church, the body of Christ. The church started to grow very fast.)http://youtu.be/xP2dreOI8gI