Word Pictures in the New Testament - David Cox

Word Pictures in the NT [Acts: Chapter 2]
or with it as here, 8:25; 13:4; 14:3; 17:17; 23:31; 25:4. \Oun\
connects with what precedes as the result of Peter's sermon while
\men\ points forward to what is to follow. {Were baptized}
(\ebaptisth•san\). First aorist passive indicative, constative
aorist. Note that only those who had already received the word
and were converted were baptized. {There were added}
(\proseteth•san\). First aorist passive indicative of
\prostith•mi\, old verb to add, to join to. Luke means that the
3,000 were added to the 120 already enlisted. It is not stated
they were all baptized by Peter or the twelve or all on the same
day, though that is the natural implication of the language. The
numerous pools in Jerusalem afforded ample opportunity for such
wholesale baptizing and Hackett notes that the habit of orientals
would place no obstacle in the way of the use of the public
reservoirs. Furneaux warns us that all the 3,000 may not have
been genuine converts and that many of them were pilgrims at the
passover who returned home. {Souls} (\psuchai\). Persons as in
verse 43.
2:42 {They continued steadfastly} (\•san proskarturountes\).
Periphrastic active imperfect of \proskarture•\ as in Ac 1:14
(same participle in verse 46). {Fellowship} (\koin•ni•i\). Old
word from \koin•nos\ (partner, sharer in common interest) and
this from \koinos\ what is common to all. This partnership
involves participation in, as the blood of Christ (Php 2:1) or
co-operation in the work of the gospel (Php 1:5) or
contribution for those in need (2Co 8:4; 9:13). Hence there is
wide diversity of opinion concerning the precise meaning of
\koin•nia\ in this verse. It may refer to the distribution of
funds in verse 44 or to the oneness of spirit in the community
of believers or to the Lord's Supper (as in 1Co 10:16) in the
sense of communion or to the fellowship in the common meals or
\agapae\ (love-feasts). {The breaking of bread} (\t•i klasei tou
artou\). The word \klasis\ is an old word, but used only by Luke
in the N.T. (Lu 24:35; Ac 2:42), though the verb \kla•\ occurs
in other parts of the N.T. as in verse 46. The problem here is
whether Luke refers to the ordinary meal as in Lu 24:35 or to
the Lord's Supper. The same verb \kla•\ is used of breaking bread
at the ordinary meal (Lu 24:30) or the Lord's Supper (Lu
22:19). It is generally supposed that the early disciples
attached so much significance to the breaking of bread at the
ordinary meals, more than our saying grace, that they followed
the meal with the Lord's Supper at first, a combination called
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