BIBLE STUDY LESSON 03

SERIES U --- THE EARLY CHURCH

GIVING FREELY

A COMMUNITY OF LOVE

From Acts 2:25-47

At Shavuot, Peter was preaching to fellow Jews who had gathered at Jerusalem from many parts of the surrounding world. [Let me tell you what David wrote about Yeshua,] Peter said. ‘I have fastened my eyes upon Adonai. Because He is at my right hand, I never have to worry about being separated from Him. Why shouldn’t my heart be filled with joy and my lips overflowing with praise? Even when my body dies, there is a living hope, for You will not leave my soul in the place of the dead, nor will You permit my body to decay. You will restore my life, and return me to the delights of Your presence.’ Of course, we know that David could not have been talking about himself here,] Peter continued. [David died and was buried, and we can still see his tomb here today. No, David was speaking as a prophet, aware that someday YHVH would raise up the Moshiach from among David’s own descendants and would place Him over David’s subjects. David saw the resurrection of Moshiach through the centuries ahead and spoke of it. Moshiach was not left in the place of the dead nor was His body allowed to decay. We who stand before you today can tell you for certain that YHVH raised Yeshua from the dead, for we have seen Him. Now He has ascended to live at YHVH’s right hand. As YHVH promised, Yeshua received Ruach HaKodesh and has sent Him to be with us. This is what you see and hear! Of course, David did not go up into heaven! Yet he said, ‘YHVH spoke to my Adonai and told Him to sit at His right hand while He made my Adonai’s enemies His footstool.’ Listen, men of Israel! Let this be clear beyond any doubt! YHVH has made Yeshua, Whom you crucified, to be the Adonai and Moshiach!] When the people heard what Peter said, they were deeply convicted. [What shall we do?] they asked Peter and the other apostles. [Turn away from your sin!] Peter answered. [Be baptized in the Name of Yeshua, every one of you! Then He will forgive your sins and you may receive the gift of Ruach HaKodesh. For Yeshua has promised Ruach HaKodesh to you who receive His call, as well as to your children and those in lands faraway.] Peter continued to preach to these people, pleading with them to accept what he said and turn away from the sins of Israel. About three thousand people believed in Peter’s message and were baptized. They began to fellowship regularly with the other believers, learning the apostles’ teaching, breaking bread together, and joining one another in prayer. A deep respect for YHVH came upon all these people, and the apostles worked many miracles and other wonderful things among them. The believers lived in a true community of love, sharing their possessions with one another. Many of them sold their possessions and distributed the money among those who needed it most. Day by day, they went to the temple as a group to worship, and met often in their homes to break bread together. With hearts filled with gladness, they ate and joined together in praising YHVH. The city of Jerusalem accepted the believers favourably, and daily the Adonai added new believers to their growing fellowship.

COMMENTARY

SHAVUOT

Jerusalem was filled to overflowing with throngs of Jews from all over the Roman world who came to celebrate the Passover. Seven weeks after those crowds went home, the streets and marketplaces of Jerusalem were once again bursting at the seams. This time the visitors came to observe the Feast of Weeks, the annual festival which marked the end of the grain harvest. The Greek-speaking Jews called this feast {Shavuot,} meaning {the fiftieth day,} because it was celebrated fifty days after Passover. When the harvest was plentiful, Shavuot was a joyful festival. With songs, dances and sacrifices, the people gave thanks to YHVH for His blessing upon the land. Because the Adonai made the rains fall and the sun shine, they returned the first-fruits of the harvest to Him as an offering of gratitude for all His goodness. The weeks between Passover and Shavuot were some of the busiest of the year. Everyone joined in the work of harvesting the grain. But on the day of the feast, all work stopped. The Law required every man and boy to go to the temple in Jerusalem. When they arrived at the borders of the city, the priests and Levites were waiting to welcome them. The men of Israel followed the priests to the temple, singing hymns of praise and carrying baskets of grain from their fields. In the temple, they offered their sacrifices to YHVH. In addition to the daily burnt offering and the required festival sacrifices, the priests made a special harvest offering. Two loaves of bread baked with the best of the new wheat were presented to Adonai. Because the bread was made with leaven, the Law ruled that it could not be burned on the altar. Instead, the priest waved the loaves before the altar in a gesture of offering. Using the same motions, he also presented two lambs to the Adonai. Following these offerings, the men of Israel performed a sacred altar dance while they sang the {Hallel,} a hymn of praise to YHVH. After the temple ceremony was over, everyone was invited to attend the harvest feast. No one was forgotten; widows, orphans and strangers joined the rest of Israel in the celebration. After the destruction of the temple in 70 A.D., no more sacrifices could be offered on the altar. But even though the temple lay in ruins, the Jews continued to celebrate Shavuot with a spirit of thankfulness. They still had the Law of YHVH, their most precious possession. Gradually the feast became a celebration of the day YHVH gave His Commandments to Moses on Mount Sinai, and remains so among Jews today. For believers, too, Shavuot has a new meaning. They celebrate this day because it is the birthday of the church. Many foreign visitors were in Jerusalem for the Jewish feast when the disciples received Ruach HaKodesh. After they heard the Gospel in their own languages, large numbers believed and were baptized on that day. Today, in some churches Shavuot is called {Whitsunday} {White-Sunday} because of the believer’s custom of wearing white robes for baptism.