What message does Peter preach to the Jews in Acts 2?
Peter preaches to the Jews that Jesus of Nazareth was a man approved of God among them by miracles, wonders, and signs, which God did through Him. He addresses them as men of Israel and repeats the same message John the Baptist, Jesus, and the twelve had proclaimed, with verse 38 repeating it almost word for word.
Les explains that in Acts 2 Peter is speaking on the Day of Pentecost to Jews, calling them “ye men of Israel.” Peter declares that Jesus of Nazareth was a man approved of God among them by miracles, wonders, and signs, which God did through Him. Les emphasizes that Peter brings them the same message John the Baptist, Jesus, and the twelve had proclaimed, and that verse 38 almost repeats it word for word. Israel is still being approached with the same message Jesus and the twelve proclaimed during His earthly ministry.
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 Ghost.
What did Peter's hearers in Acts 2 have to do before receiving the Holy Spirit?
Repentance and baptism for the remission of sins were required first; after that, Peter's hearers would receive the Holy Spirit. Their faith was in who Jesus was—the Christ, the Messiah of Israel, whom God raised from the dead—not in an explicit mention of death, burial, and resurrection.
What did Peter tell the children of Israel to do at Pentecost and what did he promise them?
At Pentecost, Peter instructed the children of Israel to repent and be baptized every one in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sin. He promised that they would receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. This process applied to Israel; for Gentiles, the format is inverted.
How does the Gentile conversion process differ from the Jewish process Peter preached?
For Israel, the order was repentance, baptism in Jesus' name for remission of sins, then receiving the Holy Spirit. For Gentiles, the format is inverted; the entire order is reversed, though the context does not yet detail the Gentile sequence.
More Questions
What was Peter's message to the Jews at Pentecost?
Peter preached to the children of Israel that they should repent, be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.