When Peter stood up on the day of Pentecost and declared that the last days had come (Acts 2:16,17) he demonstrated that he was totally ignorant of God's plan to usher in another dispensation. Of grace. That would be interjected between Acts and the tribulation period.
It wasn't a failing in Peter himself, on the day of Pentecost the followers of Christ were all FILLED WITH THE HOLY GHOST"(Acts 2:4).
What Peter said was, ACCORDING TO PROPHETIC SCRIPTURES, CORRECT. In the face of what had happened and what was happening, they were indeed in the last days.
This is clear if we simply remember not to ANTICIPATE REVELATION. If we remember that God's PURPOSE concerning THIS PRESENTY DISPENSATION was then STILL A MYSTERY. As far as God's REVEALED PROPHETIC PLAN was concerned, the last days- that had so long been prophesied and hoped for (Gen.49:1, Num. 24:14; Deut.4:30; Isa. 2:2; Dan. 2:28; Hos. 3:5; Mic. 4:1, Joel 2:28,29) had begun. Israel's long-promised Messiah had appeared, had died, and risen again, had ascended to God the Father's right hand and had sent the Holy Spirit to guide and empower His believers as they prepared to go through Daniel's 70th week, the tribulation. The next item on the prophetic program would be the tribulation period with the judgment of the nations (the gentiles) and Messiah's return, to set up His kingdom. (The kingdom they asked Him about in Acts1:6).
This is why Peter stood up and said "THIS IS THAT which was spoken by the prophet Joel:" (Acts 2:15-20). So this was the situation on the day of Pentecost. The apostles didn't preach Christ dying for our sins, because they didn't know that yet. They had a ministry of prophecy concerning Messiah and His kingdom, of which they were to rule in, judging the 12 tribes of Israel.
This is the whole point of OT prophecies: the coming of Messiah and the establishment of His kingdom in the last days. Even the NT Scriptures view Christ's coming and kingdom as the great climax of the prophetic program (Mark 1:15, Luke `:68-75; Acts 3:21-24, 1 Peter 1:11).
Peter's great Pentecostal message was given to a large body of Jews from many countries who had gathered a t Jerusalem to observe the feast of Pentecost. It represented the beginning of the harvest for the nation of Israel, from a scattered nation to a complete nation.
When the Holy Spirit came and they began speaking in tongues, they knew what was happening. Joel's prophecy was being fulfilled. This is why you will not read of Peter stating that Christ died for our sins, and preaching the cross as good news, or declaring the gospel of the grace of God. He did not know this yet. And he would not know it until Paul. Paul was given the dispensation of the grace of God to minister to the Gentiles and believing Jews.
Peter and the 11 were doing exactly as Christ had commissioned them to do: Preach the GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM.
Anticipating revelation is what confuses the situation. If Acts (and the whole Bible for that matter) is read just as it is written, you will see that the prophecy of the OT, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, and Acts up to the point of Acts 9, and Hebrews through Revelation is all about prophecy. The Messianic Kingdom. Only Acts 9-28, and Romans through Philemon speak of a mystery, hid in God from before the foundation of the world until revealed to Paul who revealed it to us. That was the commission Christ gave to him. Peter and the 11 could not preach of the mystery, and the grace of God, and the preaching of the cross as good news because it was HID IN GOD UNTIL IT WAS REVEALED TO PAUL.
Here is an example of this: "When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou AT THIS TIME RESTORE AGAIN the KINGDOM TO ISRAEL?" (Acts 1:6).
"And he said unto them, It is NOT FOR YOU TO KNOW THE TIMES OR THE SEASONS, which the FATHER HAS PUT IN HIS OWN POWER." (Acts 1:7.
Times and seasons. Dispensations. That God the Father has in His own power. That are given according to His purposes and will.
**Zuriel, I don’t want to leave you with the impression that I’m dismissing your posts**
Well, when you admit that you don’t want to discuss Cornelius, and don’t even acknowledge Paul meeting the certain disciples in Ephesus (Acts 19), and baptizng them in the name of the Lord Jesus.......
**It’s just that we need a starting point with this. A foundation.**
It doesn’t get any more basic than this:
“But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; But unto them which are called, BOTH Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God”. 1Cor. 1:23,24
And also:
“But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:” 1Cor. 1:30
I do appreciate your earnest effort to present your position, smvoice.
God bless.
Well done!