How does Acts 11:16 connect with Jesus' promise in Acts 1:5? Setting the Scene Peter has returned to Jerusalem after the dramatic conversion of Cornelius (Acts 10). Some Jewish believers question his fellowship with Gentiles. In response, Peter recounts the events and anchors them in Jesus’ own words. Jesus’ Promise in Acts 1:5 “For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” • Spoken by the risen Christ on the Mount of Olives • Anticipated a real, historical event—the Spirit’s outpouring • Distinguished between John’s preparatory water baptism and the coming Spirit baptism initiated by Christ Himself The Recollection in Acts 11:16 “Then I remembered the word of the Lord, as He used to say, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’” • Peter recognizes the identical wording • He interprets Cornelius’s experience as the very baptism Jesus foretold • The phrase “I remembered” underscores Scripture’s reliability—what Jesus said happened, exactly as said Direct Links Between the Two Passages • Same promise, same wording—Peter intentionally echoes Jesus • Fulfillment timeline: – Promise spoken (Acts 1:5) – Jewish Pentecost fulfillment (Acts 2:1-4) – Gentile Pentecost fulfillment (Acts 10:44-48) • Sign of the Spirit—speaking in tongues (Acts 2:4; 10:46)—confirms continuity • Peter’s logic: If God gave the Spirit to Gentiles in the same manner, no one can oppose their inclusion (Acts 11:17) Broader Biblical Confirmation • Joel 2:28 — Prophecy of outpouring “on all flesh” • John 14:16-17 — Jesus promises the Spirit will dwell “with you and will be in you” • Acts 2:38-39 — Promise of the Spirit “for you and your children and for all who are far off” • 1 Corinthians 12:13 — “For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body” Key Takeaways for Us Today • God’s Word is exact; what Jesus promised, He performed—first for Jews, then for Gentiles • The baptism with the Holy Spirit unites believers into one body, abolishing ethnic and cultural barriers • Peter’s reliance on Jesus’ words models how Scripture interprets experience, not the other way around • Every believer shares in the same Spirit, confirming salvation and empowering mission (Acts 1:8) |
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