Replies

From: Acts 2:14a, 36-41

Peter's Address (Continuation)

[14a] But Peter, standing with the Eleven, lifted up his voice and
addressed them, [36] "Let all the house of Israel therefore know assuredly
that God has made Him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified."

The Baptism

[37] Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to
Peter and the rest of the Apostles, "Brethren, 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
shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. [39] For the promise is to
you and to your children and to all that are far off, every one whom
the Lord our God calls to Him." [40] And he testified with many other
words and exhorted 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.

Commentary:

14. In his commentaries St. John Chrysostom draws attention to the
change worked in Peter by the Holy Spirit: "Listen to him preach and
argue so boldly, who shortly before had trembled at the word of a
servant girl! This boldness is a significant proof of the resurrection
of his Master: Peter preaches to men who mock and laugh at his
enthusiasm. [...] Calumny ('they are filled with new wine') does not
deter the Apostles; sarcasm does not undermine their courage, for the
coming of the Holy Spirit has made new men of them, men who can put up
with every kind of human test. When the Holy Spirit enters into hearts
He does so to elevate their affections and to change earthly souls,
souls of clay, into chosen souls, people of great courage [...]. Look
at the harmony that exists among the Apostles. See how they allow
Peter to speak on behalf of them all. Peter raises his voice and
speaks to the people with full assurance. That is the kind of courage
a man has when he is the instrument of the Holy Spirit. [...] Just as
a burning coal does not lose heat when it falls on a haystack but
instead is enabled to release its heat, so Peter, now that he is in
contact with the life-giving Spirit, spreads his inner fire to those
around him" ("Hom. on Acts", 4).

36. During His life on earth Jesus had often presented Himself as the
Messiah and Son of God. His resurrection and ascension into Heaven
reveal Him as such to the people at large.

In Peter's address we can see an outline of the content of the
apostolic proclamation ("kerygma"), the content of Christian preaching,
the object of faith. This proclamation bears witness to Christ's death
and resurrection and subsequent exaltation; it recalls the main points
of Jesus' mission, announced by John the Baptist, confirmed by miracles
and brought to fulfillment by the appearances of the risen Lord and the
outpouring of the Holy Spirit; it declares that the messianic time
predicted by the prophets have arrived, and calls all men to
conversion, in preparation for the Parousia or second coming of Christ
in glory.

37. St. Peter's words were the instrument used by God's grace to move
the hearts of his listeners: they are so impressed that they ask in all
simplicity what they should do. Peter exhorts them to be converted, to
repent (cf. note on 3:19). The "St. Pius V Catechism" explains that in
order to receive Baptism adults "need to repent the sins they have
committed and their evil past life and to be resolved not to commit sin
henceforth [...], for nothing is more opposed to grace and power of
Baptism than the outlook and disposition of those who never decide to
abjure sin" (II, 2, 4).

38. "Be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ": this does not
necessarily mean that this was the form of words the Apostles normally
used in the liturgy, rather than Trinitarian formula prescribed by
Jesus. In the "Didache" (written around the year 100) it is stated
that Baptism should be given in the name of the Father and of the Son
and of the Holy Spirit, but this does not prevent it, in other
passages, from referring to "those baptized in the name of the Lord."
The expression "baptized in the name of Christ" means, therefore,
becoming a member of Christ, becoming a Christian (cf. "Didache", VII,
1; IX, 5).

"Like the men and women who came up to Peter on Pentecost, we too have
been baptized. In baptism, our Father God has taken possession of our
lives, has made us share in the life of Christ, and has given us the
Holy Spirit" ([St] J. Escriva, "Christ Is Passing By", 128). From this
point onwards, the Trinity begins to act in the soul of the baptized person.
"In the same way as transparent bodies, enlightened by the Holy Spirit
become spiritual too and lead others to the light of grace. From the Holy
Spirit comes knowledge of future events, understanding of mysteries and of
hidden truths, an outpouring of gifts, Heavenly citizenship, conversation
with angels. From Him comes never-ending joy, perseverance in good,
likeness to God and--the most sublime thing imaginable--becoming God" (St.
Basil, "On the Holy Spirit", IX, 23).

This divinization which occurs in the baptized person shows how
important it is for Christians to cultivate the Holy Spirit who has
been infused into their souls, where He dwells as long as He is not
driven out by sin. "Love the Third Person of the Blessed Trinity.
Listen in the intimacy of your being to the divine motions of
encouragement or reproach you receive from Him. Walk through the earth
in the light that is poured out in your soul. [...] We can apply to
ourselves the question asked by the Apostle: 'Do you not know that you
are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you?' (1 Corinthians
3:16). And we can understand it as an invitation to deal with God in a
more personal and direct manner. For some, unfortunately, the
Paraclete is the Great Stranger. He is merely a name that is
mentioned, but not Someone--not one of the three Persons in the one
God--with whom we can talk and with whose life we can live. No: we
have to deal with Him simply and trustingly, as we are taught by the
Church in its liturgy. Then we will come to know our Lord better, and
at the same time, we will realize more fully the great favor that was
granted us when we became Christians. We will see the greatness and
truth of this divinization, which is a sharing in God's own life"
([St] J. Escriva, "Christ Is Passing By", 133-134).

39. The "promise" of the Holy Spirit applies to both Jews and Gentiles,
but in the first instance it concerns the Jews: it is they to whom God
entrusted His oracles; theirs was the privilege to receive the Old
Testament and to be preached to directly by Jesus Himself. St. Peter
makes it clear that this promise is also made "to all that are far
off"--a reference to the Gentiles, as St. Paul explains (cf. Ephesians
2:13-17) and in line with Isaiah's announcement, "Peace, peace to the
far and to the near" (Isaiah 57:19). Cf. Acts 22:21.

40. "This crooked generation" is not only that part of the Jewish
people who rejected Christ and His teaching, but everyone who is
estranged from God (cf. Deuteronomy 32:5; Philippians 2:5).

41. St. Luke here concludes his account of the events of the day of
Pentecost and prepares to move on to a new topic. Before he does so he
adds a note, as it were, to say that "about three thousand souls"
became Christians as a result of Peter's address.

St. Luke often makes reference to the numerical growth of the Church
(2:47; 4:4; 5:14; 6:1, 7; 9:31; 11:21, 24; 16:5). Interesting in
itself, this growth clearly shows the effectiveness of the Gospel
message boldly proclaimed by the Apostles. It proves that if the
Gospel is preached with constancy and clarity it can take root in any
setting and will always find men and women ready to receive it and put
it into practice.

"It is not true that everyone today--in general--is closed or
indifferent to what our Christian faith teaches about man's being and
destiny. It is not true that men in our time are turned only toward
the things of this earth and have forgotten to look up to Heaven.
There is no lack of narrow ideologies, it is true, or of persons who
maintain them. But in our time we find both great desires and base
attitudes, heroism and cowardice, zeal and disenchantment--people who
dream of a new world, more just and more human, and others who,
discouraged perhaps by the failure of their youthful idealism, take
refuge in the selfishness of seeking only their own security or
remaining immersed in their errors.

"To all those men and women, wherever they may be, in their more
exalted moments of in their crises and defeats, we have to bring the
solemn and unequivocal message of St. Peter in the days that followed
Pentecost: Jesus is the cornerstone, the Redeemer, the hope of our
lives. 'For there is no other name under Heaven given among men by
which we must be saved' (Acts 4:12)" ([St] J. Escriva, "Christ Is Passing
By", 132).

Source: "The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries". Biblical text
taken from the Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries
made by members of the Faculty of Theology of the University of
Navarre, Spain. Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock,
Co. Dublin, Ireland.

From: 1 Peter 2:20b-25

Duties Towards Masters--Christ's Example

[20b] But if when you do right and suffer for it you take it patiently, you
have God's approval. [21] For to this you have been called, because Christ
also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his
steps. [22] He committed no sin; no guile was found on His lips. [23] When
He was reviled, He did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not
threaten; but He trusted to Him who judges justly. [24] He Himself bore our
sins in His body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to
righteousness. By His wounds you have been healed. [25] For you were
straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of
your souls.

Commentary:

18-25. The sacred writer now addresses all domestic servants (the Greek
word means all who work in household tasks). He exhorts them to obey
their masters, even if they are harsh (verse 18), because God is pleased
if they put up with unfairness for His sake (verses 19-20); in doing so
they are imitating the example of Jesus (verses 21-25). St. Paul, when
addressing slaves in his letters (cf. Ephesians 5:5-9; Colossians
3:22-24), never encourages them to rebel. Christian teaching on social
issues is not based on class struggle but on fraternal love: love
eventually does away with all discrimination, for all men have created
in the image of God and are equal in His sight. This peaceable policy
gradually made for the suppression of slavery, and it will also lead to
the solution of all social problems (cf. "Gaudium Et Spes", 29).

The fact that St. Peter addresses only servants and does not go on to
say anything to masters (as St. Paul usually does: cf. Ephesians 6:5-9;
Colossians 3:23ff) has led some commentators to suggest that most of the
Christians addressed in this letter must have been people of humble
condition.

21-25. This passage is a beautiful hymn to Christ on the cross.
Christ's sufferings, which fulfill the prophecies about the Servant of
Yahweh contained in the Book of Isaiah (52:13-53:12), have not been in
vain, for they have a redemptive value. He has taken our sins upon
Himself and brought them with Him on the cross, offering Himself as an
atoning sacrifice. This means that we are free of our sins ("dead to
sin") and can live "to righteousness", that is, can live for holiness
with the help of grace.

The example of the suffering of Christ is always a necessary reference
point for Christians: however great the trials they experience, they
will never be as great or as unjust as those of our Lord. Reflecting on
Christ's suffering led St. Bernard to comment: "I have come to see that
true wisdom lies in meditating on these things [...]. Some have
provided me with wholesome, if bitter, drink, and I have used others as
gentle and soothing unction. This gives me strength in adversity and
helps me to be humble in prosperity; it -allows me to walk with a sure
step on the royal road of salvation, through the good things and the
evil things of this present life, free from the dangers which threaten
to right and left" ("Sermons on the Song of Songs", 43, 4).

25. The messianic prophecy about the Servant of Yahweh includes the
image of the scattered flock (cf. Isaiah 53:6), to which Jesus alludes
in His allegory of the Good Shepherd (cf. John 10:11-16). St. Peter, to
whom our Lord had given charge of His flock (cf. John 21:15-19), would
have had a special liking for imagery connected with shepherding.

Jesus Christ is "the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls" and "the chief
Shepherd" (1 Peter 5:4). The etymology of the Greek word--"episcopos"
(guardian)--means "overseer"; the word was used in civic life to
designate those who were responsible for seeing that the law was kept.
In the Dead Sea manuscripts the Hebrew equivalent ("mebaqqer") is used
to designate the religious leaders of the schismatic community of
Qumran. Whatever might be the origin of the term, in the New Testament
the word "episcopos" (bishop) is often used to mean the pastor of the
Church (cf., e.g., Acts 20:28; see the note on 1 Peter 5:1-4). Here St.
Peter applies to Christ the words the prophet Ezekiel places on the lips
of God: "I will seek out My sheep and I will rescue them from all places
where they have been scattered" (Ezekiel 34:12). Our Lord founded the
Church as a sheepfold "whose sheep, although watched over by human
shepherds, are nevertheless at all times led and brought to pasture by
Christ Himself, the Good Shepherd and prince of shepherds (cf. John
10:11; 1 Peter 5:4), who gave His life for His sheep (cf. John
10:11-16)" (Vatican II, "Lumen Gentium", 6).