Act 2:38, 5:31, 10:43, 13:38, 26:18 | Clarke | e4.org | Verse 38. Peter said unto them, Repent ] μετανοησατε; Humble yourselves before God, and deeply deplore the sins you have committed; pray earnestly for mercy, and deprecate the displeasure of incensed justice. For a definition of repentance, . And be baptized every one of you ] Take on you the public profession of the religion of Christ, by being baptized in his name ; and thus acknowledge yourselves to be his disciples and servants . For the remission of sins ] ειςαφεσιναμαρτιων, In reference to the remission or removal of sins : baptism pointing out the purifying influences of the Holy Spirit; and it is in reference to that purification that it is administered, and should in consideration never be separated from it. For baptism itself purifies not the conscience; it only points out the grace by which this is to be done. Ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. ] If ye faithfully use the sign , ye shall get the substance . Receive the baptism, in reference to the removal of sins, and ye shall receive the Holy Ghost, by whose agency alone the efficacy of the blood of the covenant is applied, and by whose refining power the heart is purified. It was by being baptized in the name of Christ that men took upon themselves the profession of Christianity; and it was in consequence of this that the disciples of Christ were called CHRISTIANS.

‏ Acts 2:38

Verse 38. Peter said unto them, Repent] μετανοησατε; Humble yourselves before God, and deeply deplore the sins you have committed; pray earnestly for mercy, and deprecate the displeasure of incensed justice. For a definition of repentance, See Clarke on Mt 3:2.

And be baptized every one of you] Take on you the public profession of the religion of Christ, by being baptized in his name; and thus acknowledge yourselves to be his disciples and servants.

For the remission of sins] ειςαφεσιναμαρτιων, In reference to the remission or removal of sins: baptism pointing out the purifying influences of the Holy Spirit; and it is in reference to that purification that it is administered, and should in consideration never be separated from it. For baptism itself purifies not the conscience; it only points out the grace by which this is to be done.

Ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.] If ye faithfully use the sign, ye shall get the substance. Receive the baptism, in reference to the removal of sins, and ye shall receive the Holy Ghost, by whose agency alone the efficacy of the blood of the covenant is applied, and by whose refining power the heart is purified. It was by being baptized in the name of Christ that men took upon themselves the profession of Christianity; and it was in consequence of this that the disciples of Christ were called CHRISTIANS.

‏ Acts 5:31

Verse 31. Him hath God exalted with his right hand] By a supereminent display of his almighty power, for so the right hand of God often means; he has raised him from the dead, and raised his human nature to the throne of his glory. Instead of δεξια, the right hand, the Codex Bezae has δοξη, to glory.

A Prince] The leader or director in the way. See the notes on Ac 3:15, 19.

And a Saviour] σωτηρα, A deliverer or preserver. The word σωτηρ comes from σωω to save, deliver, preserve, escape from death or danger, bring into a state of security or safety. JESUS and SAVIOUR are nearly of the same import. See Clarke on Joh 1:17. He alone delivers from sin, death, and hell: by him alone we escape from the snares and dangers to which we are exposed: and it is by and in him, and in connection with him, that we are preserved blameless and harmless, and made the sons of God without rebuke. He alone can save the soul from sin, and preserve it in that state of salvation.

To give repentance] See this explained, Mt 3:2.

Forgiveness of sins.] αφεσιντωναμαρτιων, The taking away of sins. This is not to be restrained to the mere act of justification; it implies the removal of sin, whether its power, guilt, or impurity be considered. Through Jesus we have the destruction of the power, the pardon of the guilt, and the cleansing from the pollution, of sin. And was Jesus Christ exalted a Prince and a Saviour to give repentance and remission of sins to ISRAEL? Then none need despair. If such as were now before the apostles could be saved, then the salvation of the very worst of transgressors, of any or all on this side perdition, is gloriously possible. Yes, for he tasted death for every man; and he prayed for his murderers, compared to some of whom JUDAS himself was a saint.

The two words in Italics, in this text, to be, are impertinently introduced; it reads much better without them.

‏ Acts 10:43

Verse 43. To him give all the prophets witness] See Isa 9:6; 52:7; 53:5, 6; 59:20; Jer 31:34; Da 9:24; Mic 7:18, &c.; and Zec 13:1. As Jesus Christ was the sum and substance of the law and the Mosaic dispensation, so all the prophets bore testimony, either directly or indirectly, to him; and, indeed, without him and the salvation he has promised, there is scarcely any meaning in the Mosaic economy, nor in most of the allusions of the prophets.

Remission of sins.] The phrase, αφεσιςαμαρτιων, means simply the taking away of sins; and this does not refer to the guilt of sin merely, but also to its power, nature, and consequences. All that is implied in pardon of sin, destruction of its tyranny, and purification from its pollution, is here intended; and it is wrong to restrict such operations of mercy to pardon alone.

‏ Acts 13:38

Verse 38. Be it known unto you, therefore] This is the legitimate conclusion: seeing the word of God is true, and he has promised an endless succession to the seed of David; seeing David and all his family have failed in reference to the political kingdom, a spiritual kingdom and a spiritual succession must be intended, that the sure covenant and all its blessings may be continued. Again: seeing the person by whom this is to be done is to see no corruption;-seeing David has died, and has seen (fallen under the power of) corruption;-seeing Jesus the Christ has wrought all the miracles which the prophets said he should work;-seeing he has suffered all the indignities which your prophets said he must suffer;-seeing after his death he has most incontestably risen again from the dead, and has not fallen under the power of corruption,-then he must be the very person in whom all the predictions are fulfilled, and the person through whom all the blessings of the covenant must come.

Through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins] See the notes on Ac 5:30, 31. Remission of sins, the removal of the power, guilt, and pollution of sin comes alone through this man, whom ye crucified, and who is risen from the dead.

‏ Acts 26:18

Verse 18. To open their eyes] To be the instrument of informing their understanding in the things of God.

To turn them from darkness to light] From heathenism and superstition to the knowledge and worship of the true God.

From the power of Satan unto God] τηςεξουσιαςτουσατανα, From the authority and domination of Satan; for as the kingdom of darkness is his kingdom, so those who live in this darkness are under his dominion; and he has authority and right over them. The blessed Gospel of Christ is the means of bringing the soul from this state of spiritual darkness and wretchedness to the light and liberty of the children of God; and thus they are brought from under the power and authority of Satan, to be under the power and authority of GOD.

That they may receive forgiveness of sins] That all their sins may be pardoned, and their souls sanctified; for nothing less is implied in the phrase, αφεσιςαμαρτιων, which signifies the taking away or removal of sins.

And inheritance] By remission of sins, i.e. the removal of the guilt and pollution of sin, they become children of God; and, if children, then heirs; for the children of the heavenly family shall alone possess the heavenly estate. And as the inheritance is said to be among them that are SANCTIFIED, this is a farther proof that αφεσιςαμαρτιων signifies, not only the forgiveness of sins, but also the purification of the heart.

By faith that is in me.] By believing on Christ Jesus, as dying for their offenses, and rising again for their justification. Thus we see that not only this salvation comes through Christ, but that it is to be received by faith; and, consequently, neither by the merit of works, nor by that of suffering.