Acts 2 (WEB)
Some scholars in the past said that the baptism of 3,000 persons was unlikely since there was inadequate water supply to baptize this many people in a single day. Discovery of about 30 mikveh were found at the southern wall of the Temple Mount.
I'm standing above a number of mikveh found at the southern wall of the Temple Mount, between the various steps that lead up to the gates into the Temple.
Mikveh is a Hebrew word, refers to what we might call a baptismal pool or purification pool, a place for washing, for entering into the Temple having spiritually cleansed oneself through physical means.
In the days of Peter, he was up here and the Holy Spirit had come and started the church, and a new gospel message had begun, that Jesus was the Messiah sent to the Jewish people and even to all the world.
Acts chapter 2 tells us the sermon of Peter, in which he says, "Men and brethren, let me speak freely to you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his tomb is with us to this day, therefore…"
And he goes on to talk about the fact that God has raised up Jesus, and that they, in fact, were witnesses, and that Jesus had been exalted to the right hand of the Father and had sent the promise of the Holy Spirit.
After this, Peter has a word for these people, thousands of whom are listening to him.
"Repent, and let each one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus the Messiah for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit."
Right after that, in verse 41 in chapter 2 of Acts, we find out that those who gladly received Peter's word were baptized, and that day about 3,000 souls were added to them.
Why do I bring this up?
It's a very interesting passage of Scripture.
People have used it for a number of different teachings regarding sometimes baptismal regeneration, that is, you must be baptized to be saved.
It's been used to say that you should only be baptized in the name of Jesus, rather than the name of the Trinity, as Matthew 28 has given us.
Many teachings have been given in this particular passage of Scripture, much of which we can't take the time to discuss now.
But I think there is something we can clarify where we are in Jerusalem, at the southern wall of the temple.
Scholars for many years said it was not possible for these several thousand people to be baptized anywhere around here.
They would have to go down to the Jordan, too far away.
How could 12 apostles have baptized thousands of people?
And yet here we see an example of why the Bible, again, is true once archaeology has caught up with it.
Years ago, when they were doing these southern excavations and they were restoring the particular location in which I am standing, they discovered a number of these baptismal pools,
showing us that twelve apostles had ready access to baptismal pools that could easily have accommodated several thousand people being baptized by twelve apostles in one day.
I think it's important as we read Scripture, we realize that not everything is solved immediately.
If we're just patient, God eventually will let us know that history, in fact, is not contrary to believing and having faith in Scripture.
1Now when the day of Pentecost had come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2Suddenly there came from the sky a sound like the rushing of a mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. 3Tongues like fire appeared and were distributed to them, and one sat on each of them. 4They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other languages, as the Spirit gave them the ability to speak.
5Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under the sky. 6When this sound was heard, the multitude came together and were bewildered, because everyone heard them speaking in his own language. 7They were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, “Behold, aren’t all these who speak Galileans? 8How do we hear, everyone in our own native language? 9Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and people from Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus, Asia, 10Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, the parts of Libya around Cyrene, visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, 11Cretans and Arabians—we hear them speaking in our languages the mighty works of God!” 12They were all amazed and were perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” 13Others, mocking, said, “They are filled with new wine.”
14But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice and spoke out to them, “You men of Judea and all you who dwell at Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to my words. 15For these aren’t drunken, as you suppose, seeing it is only the third hour of the day. 16But this is what has been spoken through the prophet Joel:
17‘It will be in the last days, says God,
that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh.
Your sons and your daughters will prophesy.
Your young men will see visions.
Your old men will dream dreams.
18Yes, and on my servants and on my handmaidens in those days,
I will pour out my Spirit, and they will prophesy.
19I will show wonders in the sky above,
and signs on the earth beneath:
blood, and fire, and billows of smoke.
20The sun will be turned into darkness,
and the moon into blood,
before the great and glorious day of the Lord comes.
21It will be that whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.’
22“Men of Israel, hear these words! Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved by God to you by mighty works and wonders and signs which God did by him among you, even as you yourselves know, 23him, being delivered up by the determined counsel and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by the hand of lawless men, crucified and killed; 24whom God raised up, having freed him from the agony of death, because it was not possible that he should be held by it. 25For David says concerning him,
‘I saw the Lord always before my face,
for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved.
26Therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced.
Moreover my flesh also will dwell in hope,
27because you will not leave my soul in Hades,
neither will you allow your Holy One to see decay.
28You made known to me the ways of life.
You will make me full of gladness with your presence.’
29“Brothers, I may tell you freely of the patriarch David, that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. 30Therefore, being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his body, according to the flesh, he would raise up the Christ to sit on his throne, 31he foreseeing this, spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that his soul wasn’t left in Hades, and his flesh didn’t see decay. 32This Jesus God raised up, to which we all are witnesses. 33Being therefore exalted by the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this which you now see and hear. 34For David didn’t ascend into the heavens, but he says himself,
‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit by my right hand
35until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.”’
36“Let all the house of Israel therefore know certainly that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”
37Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”
38Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are far off, even as many as the Lord our God will call to himself.” 40With many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation!”
41Then those who gladly received his word were baptized. There were added that day about three thousand souls. 42They continued steadfastly in the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and prayer. 43Fear came on every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. 44All who believed were together, and had all things in common. 45They sold their possessions and goods, and distributed them to all, according as anyone had need. 46Day by day, continuing steadfastly with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread at home, they took their food with gladness and singleness of heart, 47praising God and having favor with all the people. The Lord added to the assembly day by day those who were being saved.