Lesson 4600

 (Lesson 4600)(09-07-24) Acts 2:40-41 

   “And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation. Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.” 

 

  In today’s quote, Peter exhorted the crowd to be saved from a "perverse generation." Those who gladly received his message were (past tense) baptized, and about three thousand people were added to the church that day. Although the baptism that Peter referred to has been traditionally understood as water baptism, the context strongly suggests that Peter was referring to the baptism of the Holy Spirit, as Peter had just spoken about the outpouring of the Spirit (Acts 2:17-18). Logistically, it would have been virtually impossible for twelve men to baptize three thousand people in water in such a relatively a short time, which according to the text was approximately nine hours. Such a feat would have required each of the twelve apostles to baptize one person every three minutes for nine straight hours with no breaks. Also, that many water baptisms would have been impossible to accomplish given the limited access to baptismal water in Jerusalem. This reasoning emphasizes the extreme likelihood that theirs was a baptism of the Holy Spirit rather than immersion in water, that would be in line with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. ~