Anchor My Faith

Acts 2:14–41 records Peter’s sermon on the Day of Pentecost, immediately after the Holy Spirit had come upon the disciples and enabled them to speak in other languages, astonishing the gathered crowd in Jerusalem. When some observers accused the disciples of being drunk, Peter stood with the eleven apostles and explained that what they were witnessing was the fulfillment of God’s promise spoken through the prophet Joel: God was pouring out His Spirit in the last days. Peter then directed the crowd’s attention to Jesus of Nazareth, whom God had authenticated through miracles, signs, and wonders, yet whom they had crucified according to God’s sovereign plan and foreknowledge. Drawing from the Psalms, Peter proclaimed that Jesus had been raised from the dead, exalted to the right hand of God, and made both Lord and Christ. Deeply convicted, the listeners asked, “Brothers, what shall we do?” (Acts 2:37, ESV). Peter called them to repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of their sins, assuring them that God’s promise extended to them, their children, and all whom the Lord would call. About three thousand people received Peter’s message and were baptized that day, marking a dramatic expansion of the newly Spirit-empowered church and demonstrating the power of the gospel to bring conviction, repentance, forgiveness, and new life through Jesus Christ.

Peter’s Sermon at Pentecost

¹⁴ But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them: “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words. ¹⁵ For these people are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day.^[a] 16 But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel:

¹⁷ “‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares,
that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh,
and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
    and your young men shall see visions,
    and your old men shall dream dreams;
¹⁸ even on my male servants and female servants
    in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy.
¹⁹ And I will show wonders in the heavens above
    and signs on the earth below,
    blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke;
²⁰ the sun shall be turned to darkness
    and the moon to blood,
    before the day of the Lord comes, the great and magnificent day.
²¹ And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.’

²² “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know— ²³ this Jesus,^[b] delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. ²⁴ God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it. ²⁵ For David says concerning him,

“‘I saw the Lord always before me,
    for he is at my right hand that I may not be shaken;
²⁶ therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced;
    my flesh also will dwell in hope.
²⁷ For you will not abandon my soul to Hades,
    or let your Holy One see corruption.
²⁸ You have made known to me the paths of life;
    you will make me full of gladness with your presence.’

²⁹ “Brothers, I may say to you with confidence about the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. ³⁰ Being therefore a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would set one of his descendants on his throne, ³¹ he foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption. ³² This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses. ³³ Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing. ³⁴ For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he himself says,

“‘The Lord said to my Lord,
“Sit at my right hand,
³⁵     until I make your enemies your footstool.”’

³⁶ Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”

³⁷ Now 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?” ³⁸ And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. ³⁹ For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.” ⁴⁰ And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.” ⁴¹ So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls

1. What prompted Peter to stand and address the crowd?

Answer:
Peter spoke after the Holy Spirit came upon the disciples at Pentecost and they began speaking in other languages. The crowd was amazed and confused, while some accused the disciples of being drunk. Peter stood with the eleven apostles and explained that what the people were witnessing was not drunkenness but the fulfillment of God’s promise concerning the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. His sermon interprets the events of Pentecost through Scripture and then directs the crowd’s attention to Jesus Christ. Peter’s boldness also demonstrates the transforming work of the Holy Spirit in a man who had previously denied Jesus out of fear.

2. Why does Peter quote the prophet Joel?

Answer:
Peter quotes Joel 2:28–32 to demonstrate that the events of Pentecost were part of God’s revealed plan. Joel had foretold a time when God would pour out His Spirit upon people broadly—sons and daughters, young and old, servants and free. Peter identifies Pentecost with the fulfillment of this promised outpouring. The quotation also places the event within the larger story of salvation, emphasizing that God was acting decisively and that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved.

3. What does Peter teach about Jesus’ miracles, wonders, and signs?

Answer:
Peter tells the crowd that Jesus of Nazareth was “a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs” (Acts 2:22, ESV). Jesus’ works were not merely impressive displays of supernatural power; they testified that God was working through Him. Peter reminds his listeners that these events occurred among them and were known to them. His argument therefore begins with facts his audience could recognize before explaining their deeper significance concerning Jesus’ identity.

4. How does Peter explain the crucifixion in relation to both human responsibility and God’s plan?

Answer:
Acts 2:23 places two truths together. Jesus was delivered up “according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God,” yet Peter also holds those who crucified Him responsible for their actions. The cross was not an unexpected defeat that disrupted God’s purposes. It was incorporated into God’s redemptive plan. At the same time, divine sovereignty does not erase human accountability. Scripture presents both truths together: God accomplished His saving purpose through the death of Christ, while those who acted wickedly remained responsible for what they did.

5. Why was it impossible for death to hold Jesus?

Answer:
Peter declares that God raised Jesus from the dead because “it was not possible for him to be held by it” (Acts 2:24, ESV). Jesus’ resurrection demonstrates His victory over death and confirms the truth of His identity and mission. The crucifixion appeared to be the end of Jesus’ ministry, but God overturned the verdict of His enemies by raising Him from the dead. The resurrection therefore stands at the center of Peter’s gospel proclamation: the Jesus who was crucified is alive.

6. Why does Peter quote Psalm 16:8–11?

Answer:
Peter uses Psalm 16 to show that Scripture anticipated the resurrection of the Messiah. David wrote that God would not abandon His Holy One to corruption. Peter reasons that David could not ultimately have been speaking about himself because David died, was buried, and his tomb was known to Peter’s audience. As a prophet, David was looking ahead to the promised descendant whom God would place upon his throne. Peter therefore interprets the psalm as pointing beyond David to Jesus, whose body did not remain in the grave.

7. What evidence does Peter give for the resurrection of Jesus?

Answer:
Peter combines the testimony of Scripture with eyewitness testimony. Psalm 16 had anticipated that God’s Holy One would not be abandoned to decay, and Peter declares, “This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses” (Acts 2:32, ESV). The apostles were not merely teaching an abstract doctrine; they claimed to have personally encountered the risen Christ. Thus, Peter presents the resurrection as both the fulfillment of Scripture and an event witnessed by those proclaiming it.

8. How does Peter connect Jesus’ exaltation with the coming of the Holy Spirit?

Answer:
Peter explains that the risen Jesus had been exalted to the right hand of God and had received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit. Jesus then poured out the Spirit, producing the signs the crowd was witnessing at Pentecost. This means Pentecost serves as evidence of Christ’s exaltation. The visible and audible manifestations of the Spirit were not isolated supernatural events; they testified that the crucified and risen Jesus now reigns in exaltation.

9. What does Peter teach through his quotation of Psalm 110:1?

Answer:
Peter quotes David’s words, “The Lord said to my Lord, ‘Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool’” (Acts 2:34–35, ESV). Since David himself did not ascend into heaven, Peter understands the passage as referring to the Messiah. Jesus’ resurrection was followed by His exaltation to God’s right hand, the position of authority and honor. Peter therefore presents Jesus not merely as one who returned from death but as the exalted Messiah who reigns.

10. What is the central conclusion of Peter’s sermon?

Answer:
Peter brings his argument to its climax in Acts 2:36: “Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified” (ESV). “Christ” identifies Jesus as God’s promised Messiah, while “Lord” emphasizes His exalted authority. The one rejected and crucified by human beings has been vindicated and exalted by God. Peter therefore confronts his audience with the necessity of responding personally to Jesus.

11. What does it mean that the people were “cut to the heart”?

Answer:
The expression describes deep conviction. Peter’s message was no longer simply information for the crowd to consider; they recognized their guilt and the seriousness of what had happened. Their question—“Brothers, what shall we do?”—shows that genuine conviction seeks a response. The Holy Spirit was using the proclaimed Word to expose sin and turn people toward Christ. Their reaction illustrates the difference between merely hearing the gospel and being personally confronted by its truth.

12. What does Peter tell the people to do?

Answer:
Peter commands them to “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ” (Acts 2:38, ESV). Repentance involves a genuine turning away from sin and a turning toward God in faith. Baptism publicly identifies the believer with Jesus Christ and the new community formed around Him. Peter’s response demonstrates that hearing the gospel calls for more than intellectual agreement; it calls for a decisive response to Jesus.

13. What promise accompanies Peter’s call to repentance?

Answer:
Peter speaks of forgiveness of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit. The same Spirit whose coming had amazed the crowd was promised to those who responded to Christ. Salvation therefore involves both the removal of guilt and the gracious presence of God through His Spirit. Peter further explains that this promise extends beyond the immediate audience to their children and “for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself” (Acts 2:39, ESV). The scope of God’s saving invitation reaches far beyond those gathered in Jerusalem.

14. What does Peter mean when he says, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation”?

Answer:
Peter is urging his listeners to separate themselves from the unbelief and rejection of Christ characteristic of the surrounding generation. He is not teaching that people can earn or accomplish salvation by their own efforts. Throughout the sermon, salvation is grounded in what God has done through Jesus Christ and in God’s calling of people to Himself. Peter’s appeal stresses the urgency of responding: they must not remain aligned with those who reject Jesus but turn to the Messiah whom God has raised and exalted.

15. What was the result of Peter’s preaching at Pentecost?

Answer:
Acts 2:41 records that those who received Peter’s message were baptized and that about three thousand people were added that day. This remarkable response demonstrates the power of the Holy Spirit working through the proclamation of the gospel. The same Peter who had once denied knowing Jesus now publicly proclaimed Him before a large crowd, and thousands responded. Pentecost therefore marks a decisive expansion of the church’s witness and begins the outward movement of the gospel anticipated in Acts 1:8.

16. What central truth should be understood from Acts 2:14–41?

Answer:
The central truth is that Jesus Christ, crucified by men, was raised and exalted by God and must be personally responded to as Lord and Messiah. Peter builds this conclusion from the events of Pentecost, Old Testament prophecy, Jesus’ ministry, His crucifixion, His resurrection, and His exaltation. The passage shows that the gospel is rooted in God’s redemptive plan and calls people to repentance, faith, baptism, forgiveness, and new life through the Holy Spirit. Pentecost is therefore not merely the story of an extraordinary spiritual event; it is a powerful proclamation that the risen Jesus reigns and that salvation is offered in His name.