Signs and Wonders

Acts 2: 42-47 (May 15, 2011)

1) The Text

42They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. 43Awe came upon everyone, because many wonders and signs were being done by the apostles. 44All who believed were together and had all things in common; 45they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts, 47praising God and having the goodwill of all the people. And day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.

2) The Context

This book is the sequel to the gospel according to Luke. Beginning with Jesus' ascension, Luke tells the story of the beginnings of the church. By no means a comprehensive history, it does describe the spread of the church from Jerusalem to all of Palestine, and as far as Greece. The episodes show how Christianity arose out of Judaism and describes the struggles the church underwent in accepting Gentiles as members.

In the book of Acts three summaries connect narratives to miracle stories and miracle stories to narratives (2:42-47; 4:32-35; 5:12-16). These summaries provide a picture of the activities the new believers engaged in when they congregated under the leadership of the apostles. This text, 2:42-47, the first summary, follows the massive baptism resulting from Peter's first speech at Pentecost. The summaries tell how the nascent group of believers constituted a community.

3) Interpretation

It is important that community building starts on the right foot. Verse 42 begins "And they were committing themselves (proskartereo) to the teaching of the apostles and to the koinonia” (i.e., the Christian fellowship or communion with God or with fellow Christians; in particular of the early Christian community). This is the first mention of the apostles' teaching in Acts. Many persons have now joined the Jesus movement who may never have heard Jesus' teachings. It is not clear in the Greek text whether the breaking of bread and prayers at verse 42 constitutes the koinonia or if they are activities distinct from the koinonia. Nevertheless, koinonia signifies mutuality and commonality among the new believers beyond potluck meals; it consists of building a shared existential reality and anticipatory future.

The Greek verb proskartereo describing the believers' mutual devotion is the same verb used for the disciples' commitment as they gathered in the upper room waiting for the outpouring of God's Spirit (1:14). The presence of proskartereo in both texts may demonstrate a paradigmatic relationship between Acts 1:14 and 2:42-47. Acts 1:14 is the model upon which the first (and subsequent) summary is based. Acts 2:42 reflects the charismatic growth of the community quantitatively and qualitatively expanding upon that first upper room gathering. Proskartereo occurs a second time at 2:46 where the focus shifts to how the believers committed themselves to the Temple and to house-to-house breaking of bread. If it were not for the proskartereo of the believers, their attention to the apostles' teaching, prayers, eucharistic celebrations, and participation in signs and wonders would be less than koinonia, but merely activities that they engage in simultaneously and in the same place. Proskartereo engenders koinonia mutuality--the giddy sharing of goods, self and time for the welfare of all.

Luke repeats here two other phrases used in 1:14 to describe the pre-Pentecostal assembly: "at the same place and at the same time" and they "were having all things common (koina)." It is not enough to share space and time, but an intentional act of koina is required. Verse 45 delineates more tangibly how the believers held all things common: "they sold their goods and their real property, and they distributed the proceeds to whoever among them was in need." Commonality and sharing was not limited to spiritual things, but included material possessions. This koina is what many scholars find least credible. These words are either descriptive of actual events or as a prescriptive ideal picture of how Luke envisioned a koinonia-governed community.

The Greek adverb homothumadon (in one accord) also occurs both at 2:46 and at 1:14. In both texts homothumadon follows proskartereo demonstrating a unified devotion among the disciples in the second floor room and among the early community after the Pentecostal increase (cf. 4:32-35; 5:12-16; 7:57). The harmonious commitment of the early believing community could be partly motivated by the many signs and wonders that the apostles performed (2:43).

We are called to bring about tangible signs and wonders on the earth. Signs and wonders signify that God's Spirit is at work. When we act with homothumadon to do our part to eliminate hunger, homelessness, child abuse, discrimination, and inequality in education, inter alia, God's Spirit, in and through us, performs signs and wonders on the earth. Mutual and unified commitment engenders marvelous acts of social justice within the community and beyond.

Our summary finally describes how the community praised God and demonstrated favor or grace toward one another. And the Lord (God) saved many more who were brought into the community. Ultimately, it is God who saves and expands the community, but not without our cooperation. God worked in and through people willing to teach and be taught, to believe in, perform and receive signs and wonders, and to create mutual koinonia.

4) Thought Exercise

What signs and wonders have you seen that show God’s spirit at work?

What signs and wonders are you producing to the show God’s spirit at work?