ACTS 2: 42-47
THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE BELIEVERS
After the birth of the church at Pentecost Luke describes the church by telling us what distinguished those who were saved by believing in who Jesus is and what He has done for their salvation from sin. The Spirit now brings believers together to form the local church. Its life was completely defined by the devotion to those spiritual responsibilities which make up the unique identity of the church. This section begins by recounting the character of the early Christian community’s worship, focusing on four key practices: devotion to the apostles’ teaching, to fellowship, to communal meals, and to prayer. It also describes their life together as one of spiritual and material sharing among all.
In this brief picture of life in the Early Church three distinguishing dimensions emerge that enabled them to become a flourishing assembly. This community of believers were devoted to the Lord and His word, they were unified in mutual concern, and they experienced both spiritual and numeric growth.
Nothing outside the living Lord, the Spirit, and the Word define life for the early church. The local church of today will be effective in bringing sinners to Christ when it manifests the same key elements of spiritual responsibilities that marked this first fellowship. [MacArthur, Moody Press. Chicago.]
I. A DEVOTED COMMUNITY, 2:41-43.
II. A UNIFIED COMMUNITY, 2:44–45.
III. A GROWING COMMUNITY, 2:46-47.
Verse 41 tells of the Spirit’s work to begin His church though the preaching of the word and the saving and baptizing of a multitude of individuals. Those who [gladly] accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.”
The result of the Spirit-filled preaching on Pentecost was truly amazing. Believers in Jesus grew from 120 to over 3,000 and the church was born. The work of the Spirit does not end there. Not only is evangelism evident here, but growth in the church is evident as well. Each one saved was then gathered together and nurtured in the faith.
Verse 42 is a compact description of Christian discipleship. “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
We use the nomenclature “church” today to reference a building, but in the New Testament it indicates a local group of people. Not just any group, but a group that had certain characteristics. Those characteristics are listed here.
The new converts didn’t merely add Christianity to their already busy lives, but devoted themselves to their Christian experience. The verb translated “devoted” (proskartereo) connotes a steadfast and single-minded faithfulness to a course of action. Each one saved was nurtured in the faith to learn the doctrine of the apostles, to fellowship with the believers, to sit in equality at the Lord’s table, to pray and share his burdens with others of like precious faith.
First the distinct community gathered to listen to and follow the preaching and teaching of the apostles from—and based on—the Scriptures (compare Acts 2:14–41; Luke 24:27). The apostles’ teaching would have included Jesus’ earthly teaching plus what He taught the apostles in His 40 days of resurrection appearances. In due course this apostolic teaching took on written shape in the NT scriptures.
“The fellowship” (Gk. Te koinonia, “participation, sharing”) with the definite article implies that these were distinctive gatherings of the early believers. These gatherings provided the group(s) with a local and distinguishable identity.
The word “communion,” koinonía, means sharing or having in common. It also means fellowship. There is no true fellowship without Christ’s Spirit in us and between us. He is what we have in common. And that is greater than anything or anyone else. He draws us into oneness and loves each of us through each other. Sharing what we have is a natural result of this communion. [Ogilvie, L. J., & Ogilvie, L. J. (1983). Acts (Vol. 28, pp. 72–73). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.]
The fellowship included “the breaking bread.” This refers to participation in the Lord’s Supper, and most probably also to the sharing of other meals together, as in Acts 2:46 [the same language is used for each practice (e.g., Luke 22:19; Acts 20:7; 27:35; 1 Cor 10:16)].
There were prayers in the house meetings as well as in the temple and in their personal life. Prayers demonstrate dependence on God, hope in the future, and desire for the advancement of God’s work (e.g., Acts 1:24; 12:5; 14:23).
This pattern became normative for Christianity. People heard and received the word of God; they followed this with confession and public baptism; then they united in the fellowship of the church, continued in the apostles’ doctrine, remained in fellowship with the brethren, and frequently observed the Lord’s Supper and prayer as a part of responsible church life. Church membership was a privilege granted to those who had experienced genuine conversion followed by believer’s baptism. Such membership is indeed a privilege and responsibility, not a right.
Criswell, W. A., Patterson, P., Clendenen, E. R., Akin, D. L., Chamberlin, M., Patterson, D. K., & Pogue, J. (Eds.). (1991). Believer’s Study Bible (electronic ed., Ac 2:41). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
Verse 43 indicates that the awe that began at Pentecost continued. “Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles.”
The truth of the Apostles’ message is confirmed by the wonders and signs they perform through the work of the Holy Spirit. The church (and others-“everyone”) were continually (“to be,” ginomai, imperfect tense) experiencing awe or reverent awareness in response to the miracles and signs of the Spirit’s power and presence among them.
These wonders (terata, “miracles evoking awe”) and miraculous signs (semeia, “miracles pointing to a divine truth”) authenticated the veracity of the apostles (2 Cor. 12:12; Heb. 2:3–4) and their message. The apostles performed many such “signs and wonders” as these miracles were occurring regularly. (Acts 4:30; 5:12; 6:8; 8:6, 13; 14:3; 15:12). There were many, many more miracles than Luke record.
II. A UNIFIED COMMUNITY, 2:44–45.
The depth of their sense of unity in illustrated in verse 44. “All the believers were together and had everything in common.”
The selling of property and the common possession of the proceeds may imply that the early church expected the Lord to return soon and establish His kingdom. This may explain why the practice was not continued. Holding everything in common was not socialism or communism because it was voluntary (4:32, 34–35; 5:4). Also their goods were not evenly distributed but were given to meet needs as they arose. [Toussaint, S. D. (1985). Acts. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 2, p. 360). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.]
At the birth of the church, this system was absolutely necessary for many who came to know the Lord were repudiated by society and disinherited by family. This system was temporary, and had its problems (Acts 5:1; 6:1). It is a system which gave rise to laziness (2 Thess 3:7–10) in some and had to be clarified by the Apostle Paul.
The primary emphasis here is upon the unity of the church. If the disciples were united prior to Pentecost, their unity was even more evident when the Spirit of unity came.
Verse 45 illustrates how the church was learning to live with and care for each other. “They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need.”
For a limited time, Jerusalem Christians distributed possessions according to need. This experiment did not last long due to contribution/distribution problems (see chaps. 4–6). Again, the voluntary sharing of possessions among members of the community distinguishes the early church (v. 44; 4:32). Along with almsgiving and showing hospitality, Luke presents it as one way to use possessions responsibly.
[Some erroneously interpret this passage to support communism. What was essentially a spiritual unity in this early instance of Christian communal life lends no substantiation to communism of any kind. First, it rested upon the fact that immediately upon being baptized, a Jew would be ostracized socially and economically by the Hebrew nation. Had it not been for wealthy men like Barnabas (4:36ff.), whose generosity prompted them to give lavishly out of their resources to the church, many baptized believers would have starved. Second, it should be noted that this Christian common life was never practiced again in exactly this way. [Criswell, W. A., Patterson, P., Clendenen, E. R., Akin, D. L., Chamberlin, M., Patterson, D. K., & Pogue, J. (Eds.). (1991). Believer’s Study Bible (electronic ed., Ac 2:44). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.]
III. A GROWING COMMUNITY, 2:46-47.
The early church was marked by faithful attendance as they even meet together daily as we read in verse 46. “Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts,”
Their fellowship included hospitality. No home would be large enough for many to meet together so they met in more and more different homes as they continue growing. Because they practiced the presence of Jesus their hearts were “glad and sincere” (homothumadon).
In the harmony of the early church, verse 47 indicates that these likeminded, unified people experience spiritual and numerical growth. “... praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.”
Praising marked the early church as Luke continually uses the word (ainoutes-7 times) to describe their fellowship. Maybe it was their overflow joy and love that touch so many others for they enjoyed the favor of the common folk. This joy, love and unity of purpose produced much fruit and “daily the Lord added” to His church. First their was unity and godly relationships, then there was growth.
Luke concluded with a summation statement. It is the first of seven summary progress reports in Acts (Acts 6:7; 9:31; 12:24; 16:5; 19:20; 28:30–31). Luke brought this section of Acts to a close recording that each day others were being saved. Initially, the movement’s success is marked with specific, impressively large numbers as the church grew rapidly right from the start. Eventually, this will give way to further growth and expansion as indicated in periodic summaries
In CLOSING
Here Acts 2 comes to a close, yet this chapter really is only beginning, for what happened on Pentecost is what the Lord wants for every Christian and congregation. Everything led up to Pentecost—the Virgin Birth, the Master’s ministry, the Cross, the empty tomb. Without Pentecost there would have been no church. Without the Spirit there would be no Pentecost nor the church. Without the Spirit creating worship and fellowship you cannot have true church.
In this passage one sees the pattern which became normative for Christianity. People heard and received the word of God; they followed this with confession and public baptism; then they united in the fellowship of the church, continued in the apostles’ doctrine, remained in fellowship with the brethren, and frequently observed the Lord’s Supper and prayer as a part of responsible church life. Church membership was a privilege granted to those who had experienced genuine conversion followed by believer’s baptism. Such membership is indeed a privilege and responsibility, not a right. [Criswell, W. A., Patterson, P., Clendenen, E. R., Akin, D. L., Chamberlin, M., Patterson, D. K., & Pogue, J. (Eds.). (1991). Believer’s Study Bible (electronic ed., Ac 2:41). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.]
Additional Information on the Spirit.
There are many misconceptions about the Holy Spirit. Some people think of the Holy Spirit simply as a mystical power we can plug into when we need spiritual power. Others think of the Spirit as an impersonal force. May the Force be with you! Through investigating the Scriptures, we can overturn misconceptions and learn truth about the Holy Spirit.
First, the Holy Spirit is fully God. The Holy Spirit is referred to as God (Ac 5:3–4) and the “eternal Spirit” (Heb 9:14). Along with the Son and the Father, the Holy Spirit was involved in the creation of the universe (Gn 1:2; Jb 33:4; Ps 104:30).
Second, the Holy Spirit is a person, not an impersonal force (Jn 14–16). This does not mean that the Holy Spirit is a human like you and me, but it does means that he exists as a Being who thinks, acts, relates, and loves. Therefore the Scripture says he is able to comfort, encourage, convict, and help us in our weaknesses (Rm 8:26).
Third, the Holy Spirit is distinct from the Son and the Father. Matthew 3:16 says, “When Jesus was baptized, he went up immediately from the water. The heavens suddenly opened for him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming down on him. And a voice from heaven said: ‘This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased.’ ” The Bible declares that only one God exists, yet we see here three distinct persons: The Father (speaking from heaven), the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Fourth, the Holy Spirit indwells Christians. Jesus told his disciples that the Holy Spirit would come and dwell within them once he left for heaven (Jn 14:16–18). He also said the Holy Spirit would guide them into truth and remind them of everything he told them while he was on earth (Jn 14:26). Because the Holy Spirit reminded the disciples of what Jesus taught them, we have the opportunity to own a Bible today—not only as a book written by men, but one inspired by God himself (2Pt 1:21).
Lastly, we learn that God gives the Holy Spirit to anyone who believes in Jesus. Jesus said, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. The one who believes in me, as the Scripture has said, will have streams of living water flow from deep within him” (Jn 7:37–38). Jesus said this about the Spirit. If you are spiritually thirsty and come to Jesus, he will fill you with his Holy Spirit just like he did the believers in the New Testament. The message at Pentecost was: “Repent,” Peter said to them, “and be baptized, each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Ac 2:38). For those who obey Peter’s instructions, this promise holds true today. Jesus will give you the gift of the Holy Spirit to walk in wisdom, purity, and the power to live an effective Christian life!
[Klassen, M., & Porter, S. E. (2017). Acts. In S. McDowell (Ed.), The Apologetics Study Bible for Students (p. 1346). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.]
