Textual Analysis in Advanced Preaching Lesson #4
Textual Analysis in Advanced Preaching – Lesson #4
Study of Acts 2:36-47 - Baptisqhtw / eis / metanohsate -”baptize”/ ”’unto’, ‘for’, ‘with a view’”/ “’repent ye’ or ‘you repent’”
Introduction- There has been much study concerning the passage under consideration, especially as it relates to salvation. This passage, especially vs. 38, deals with three questions dealing with the matter of salvation.
1. What does “be baptized,” mean? (from the Greek word, Baptisqhtw) This involves the “mode” of baptism. (Discuss and use the reference books to find help with this.)
2. Why should we be baptized? What is the efficacy wrought by this act of submission? This can be determined from the Greek word “eis”. Is there an immediate and/or long-term benefit in baptism? (Discuss and use reference books to find answers to this) (By the way, the translation of this one Greek word is one of the big things that separates the churches of Christ from most of the Baptists in regard to whether or not baptism is necessary for salvation, or if it is a work to show that you have already been saved…..the answer to that question is in the Greek text in vs. 38)
3. Baptism doesn’t stand alone in God’s plan for saving man. In this 38th verse, we find the phrase, “you repent” or “repent ye”-KJV from the Greek word metanohsate. Specifically what does the idea of repenting mean? Is it the same for everyone?
4. In this chapter, up to verse 36, Peter has shown the crowd that not only are they guilty of murder, but they are guilty of murdering the Son of God, the very Messiah that God had promised to send them to save them. They had murdered Jesus, but what had God done for Him?
5. In vs. 37, we find that they feel so guilty about what they have done that the multitude cries out asking what question?
6. If you kill the son of a man, what kind of trouble are you in? Could you not call upon God to help you? If you have killed the Son of God, to whom do you turn for help?
7. In vs. 37, what happened to their hearts? Check several translations and Vines Expository Dictionary & commentaries.
8. In vs. 38, what two things should man do for salvation?
9. In vs. 38, what two things does God then do in our salvation?
10. In vs. 38, who is responsible for being baptized? Can we therefore be baptized by “proxy” as one of the cults teaches and practices?
11. In vs. 39, in your research, who is it that is “afar off” that God is calling?
12. From vs. 40, how do we know that we don’t have Peter’s full sermon?
13. What else does Peter exhort his hearers to do? Vs. 40
14. Who were the people who were baptized? Vs. 41 Therefore, what connection might there be between this and baptism?
15. How many were baptized that day? Vs. 41 Now, if baptism weren’t essential for salvation as some teach, why then did they go to all the trouble to baptize that many people?
It is interesting to note that in the original Greek language, as in most English versions, it doesn’t say that there were about 3000 “people” baptized, it says that there were about 3000 “souls” that were baptized. The immortal soul is what is also cleansed in baptism, (1 Pet 3:21 KJV) “The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:” This cleansing is more than just for time, it is for eternity.
16. From vs. 42, just getting them into Christ and as members of the church wasn’t enough, what did they next have to continue to do? They needed to excel in what four areas?
17. In vs. 43, the Greek word for fear in English is “phobos” from which we get the word “phobia” or “fear”. But it also can be translated “amazement” or even “reverential fear”.
18. What were some of the signs and wonders (miracles) that the Apostles could do? (See Mark 16:17&18)
19. In vs. 43, it is also of interest to note that it is mentioned that only the Apostles were able to do the miracles, not the Christians as a whole.
20. From your commentaries and other books, can you tell if the early church was practicing communism, or communal living, or what? Vs. 44 (Koina-Common, means “belonging equally to several” – from the Analytical Greek Lexicon)
21. In vs. 44 & 45 to get a fuller understanding of why this took place you must study the history of what had happened here. Jewish people had come from all over the civilized world to attend the feast of Passover and they often stayed the 50 days for the Feast of Pentecost (50). Now they have stayed beyond that time and they had also begun to stay beyond their financial mean that they had brought with them. (the inns of that time wouldn’t take Visa, Master Card, or even American Express) It was a crisis situation! Drastic problems call for drastic measures. You will also notice that this was not commanded as something that we all have to do today. They shared with others as they had NEED; it was not a welfare system of just giving people what they wanted. They did this to meet the basic needs.
22. From vs. 46, how often did they meet and eat together? Were they glad to get to do this, or was it drudgery and a forced duty for them?
23. In vs. 47, whom did they praise?
24. From vs. 47, what was the standing of the church in the local community? If the church does not have good standing and a good name in the community, it is very difficult to gain new members.
25. Who is it that “adds” us to the church? Whose church is it? And who is it that He adds?
Conclusion: In these few verses you have a summary of most of the basic religious teachings about salvation and the worship and work of the church.
May God bless you as you continue to study His Word. You will not only improve your own Bible knowledge, but you will also be able to better impart that knowledge to your hearers through your sermons and lessons. You can’t teach something that you do not first know yourself.
Hint for the Week: You will find that in most congregations, the members do not enjoy nor appreciate a lot of preaching on giving, stewardship, money, etc…If you preach textual sermons (maybe take a chapter at time and go through a whole book of the Bible) you will have parts of Scripture that will talk about giving and stewardship. You can make a lot of good points there without getting into too much trouble. But, if you preach topical sermons and if they quite frequently revolve around the theme of giving, money, stewardship, you may soon find yourself in trouble with your hearers. In preaching topical sermons, probably you do not want to speak on giving over a couple of times a year. If it comes up more often in a textual or exegetical study, that is probably O.K.. Don’t make the topic into a “hobby” that you preach constantly. Preaching too frequently on any emotionally charged topic might get you into trouble with your listeners. Make your point; hit it hard a time or two; then leave it alone for a while! You will be glad you did!