Acts 2:38
SOME BELIEVE ACTS 2:38 MEANS “BECAUSE OF.” IS THIS TRUE?
A.
Is
the allegation that Acts 2:38 means “because of” true?
B.
Part
of this study is designed to examine and answer this question.
C. Some have said "yes" based on Lk. 5:14.
D.
According
to Lk. 5:12 a certain man was “full of leprosy.”
E.
This
man said that Jesus if willed He could make him “clean.”
F.
The
Lord said that He was willing to perform the healing.
G.
This
man was completely cured – VERSE 13 – READ.
H.
Some
have appealed to Lk. 5:14 to argue that Acts 2:38 means “because of.”
I.
Let’s
read Lk. 5:14 – READ.
J.
This
man was told to make an offering “for” his cleansing.
K.
It
has been said that the word “for” in Lk. 5:14 means “because of.”
L.
Because
this man was healed he was to make an offering.
2.
This
point is exactly right.
3.
This
man was healed and for this reason he was to make a sacrifice.
4.
Some
have said that if “for” means ‘because of’ in Lk. 5:14 it means
“because of” in Acts 2:38.
5.
This
part of the conclusion is incorrect.
6.
In
English the preposition is the same in Acts 2 and Lk. 5 (both places
have the word “for”).
7.
In
the Greek text the prepositions are not the same.
8.
Acts
2:38 Peter used the word (eis).
9.
Luke
used the preposition peri.
10.
If
people are going to make an argument based upon the wording, the proper
text must be used.
11.
In
the example I have just given there is no valid comparison.
12.
People
must use other places that have the word eis before translating
the text “because of.”
13.
The
preposition eis is a common word.
14.
It
is used about 1800 times in the New Testament.
15.
Here
are some examples:
A.
Mt.
2:1 – Wise men came “to” Jerusalem.
B.
Mt.
2:13 – The Lord’s family fled “into” Egypt.
C.
Acts
8:38 – Philip and the eunuch went “into” the water.
D.
Acts
14:22 – People enter “into” the kingdom of God.
16.
This
preposition had a wide variety of meanings.
17.
I
did not study the more than 1700 places where this term is found.
18.
I
did do this.
19.
I
check the KJV translation for the words “because of.”
20.
These
two words are found together 41 times.
21.
I
then checked the Greek text in all 41 one of the places that have “because
of.”
22.
Not
one time did I find that writers used the preposition eis, the
preposition used in Acts 2:38.
23.
A
variety of language authorities were then consulted.
24.
To
make a long story short they said that there is no basis for saying that
“eis” can mean because of.
25.
This
preposition pointed forward to something; it was not retrospective.
26.
The
translation because of is retrospective; it looks to the past.
27.
The
preposition eis is a word that looks forward to the future.
A.
If
this is what the word means in Acts 2:38 the word looked forward to
forgiveness.
B.
Be
baptized “for” (in order to receive; in order to obtain; to get)
forgiveness.
28.
This
preposition was often used to express purpose (i.e. in order to receive
something).
29.
A
good example of this is Mt. 26:28.
30.
The
Lord’s blood was shed “unto” (eis) the forgiveness of sins.
31.
Consider
the meaning of the Lord’s words if this preposition can mean “because
of.”
32.
The
thought would be that Jesus died because sins had been forgiven.
33.
This
interpretation makes the death of Jesus unnecessary.
34.
Some
insist that “because” is wrong in Mt. 26 but affirm that it is right in
Acts 2.
35.
Translators
had nearly 1800 places to translate this preposition “because” but they
never did that.
36.
Here
is another little detail that you may find interesting.
37.
This
is found in Acts 2:27 – READ.
38.
The
word “because” does occur in Acts 2.
39.
The
word translated “because” is a little preposition called hoti.
40.
This
preposition meant because.
41.
Since
Peter used this preposition we know that he was familiar with it.
42.
Peter
knew how to say “because” in the Greek language.
43.
The
Holy Spirit was also familiar with this term.
44.
There
are only a few verses between Acts 2:27 and Acts 2:38.
45.
Had
Peter used the same preposition in both places there would be no
question about what he meant.
46.
In
verse 38 he used a different preposition.
47.
This
different preposition was not one that Peter arbitrarily selected.
48.
This
apostle spoke by inspiration.
49.
Acts
2:4 says the Spirit gave them utterance.
50.
The
Bible says that we are to live by “every word” from God.
51.
Under
divine guidance Peter did not use the preposition that meant “because.”
52.
Yet,
people try to insist that this is what verse 38 means.
53.
saying
that “for” means “because your sins have been forgiven” is an
untrue argument.
54.
If
baptism is not for the forgiveness of sins this is the wrong way to
prove it.
IF YOU EVER HEAR SOMEONE MAKE THIS ARGUMENT ASK THEM TO DO SOME RESEARCH. STANDARD BOOKS THAT DEFINE BIBLE WORDS ARE VERY CLEAR ABOUT THE MEANING OF EIS IN ACTS 2:38. HERE ARE FOUR DEFINITIONS FROM STANDARD RESOURCES:
A.
For
the forgiveness of sins
(Theological Lexicon of the New Testament).
B.
In
order to receive
(Exegetical Dictionary of the New Testament).
C.
To
obtain the forgiveness of sins
(Thayer).
D.
For
forgiveness of sins, so that sins might be forgiven
(Arndt & Gingrich).
55.
Members
of the church did not write these sources.
56.
These
are standard resources that anyone who studies New Testament Greek uses.
57.
This
pretty well covers one common argument over Acts 2:38.
58.
I
want to introduce a second.
59.
Some
have said that there is a different in the grammar.
60.
This
argument goes something like this:
A.
The
command to repent is plural.
Since it is plural it applied to everyone.
B.
The
command to be baptized is singular.
C.
Thus,
all needed to repent for salvation.
D.
After
people were saved each one had the option of being baptized.
E.
This
is the option that is made based upon the grammar.
61.
Part
of this argument is true.
62.
The
command to repent is plural.
The command to be baptized is singular.
A.
This
argument is very creative.
B.
Our
criteria for truth is not creativity.
Truth is based upon what is right.
C.
Let’s
take a look at another passage – Gal. 6:1.
D.
This
is a well known verse.
E.
Paul
spoke of restoring a fallen brother.
F.
Here
is what he said – READ.
G.
This
verse begins with a plural word (brethren”).
H.
Towards
the end of the verse Paul switched to the singular.
I.
He
spoke of “considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.”
J.
This
part of the verse is in the singular.
63.
According
to some what is plural is applied to all and is necessary.
64.
What
is in the singular is not necessary.
65.
Gal.
6:1 uses the same type of construction but we would reject this
conclusion out of hand.
66.
Even
though the end of the verse is in the singular it applied to the entire
group.
67.
In
Gal. 6:1 we find that Paul dealt with a specific group of people.
68.
He
then switched to the singular to emphasize the command.
69.
This
was a technique to stress a certain point.
70.
This
is exactly what we find in Acts 2:38.
71.
Peter
dealt with a specific group of people (those who wanted to be saved).
72.
This
group was told to repent.
This command was plural.
73.
Peter
then issued the command to be baptized and he used the singular to
emphasize it.
74.
Peter’s
emphasis on baptism is seen in another way.
75.
When
Peter spoke of baptism he used an aorist imperative verb.
76.
A.
T. Robertson was a widely respected Baptist scholar.
77.
Concerning
Acts 2:38 and the aorist imperative verb he said this:
78.
This
was the most urgent form of command that Peter could have uttered.
79.
It
was like people were in a house that was on fire.
80.
Peter
said, get out. Repent and
be baptized for the forgiveness of sins.
81.
This
is why the Bible also says that Peter exhorted them with “many other
words.”
82.
Acts
2:38 means exactly what it says.
83.
Is
this what we have done and are encouraging others to do?