38 And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”
41 So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls. ACT 2:38, 41
Your people will offer themselves freely
on the day of your power,
in holy garments;
from the womb of the morning,
the dew of your youth will be yours. PSA 110:3
Rashi
Your people will offer themselves freely on the day of your power—When you gather an army to pursue them, your people and your friends will offer themselves freely to go out with you, as we find (Gen 14:14): “he led forth his trained men, born in his house,” and no more; and Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre volunteered by themselves to go out to his aid.
In holy garments; from the womb of the morning—And this will be to you in the merit of the beauty of holiness that was in you from your mother’s womb, for he recognized his Creator at the age of three.
From the womb of the morning—Heb. משחר, from the womb of the morning, like Beitzah 35b: “We may let fruit down (משילין) through a skylight on a festival,” and some learn משחירין.
The dew of your youth will be yours—For you will be considered your youth, the ways of uprightness with which you conducted yourself in your youth will be for you as pleasantness, like this dew, which is pleasant and comforting.
When the crowd asked Peter what they should do in response to his sermon, he gave them a three-fold answer: repent, be baptized, and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Thousands responded and were added to the fellowship of believers. The biblical pattern is that everyone who is baptized is also added. Every baptized disciple is expected to become an active member of a local fellowship.
Water baptism
In water baptism, we publicly identify with what Christ did for us on the cross. It is not a means for salvation, but an act of faith and obedience after believing the gospel and turning to God.
The Bible presents several illustrations to help us understand water baptism. One of these is a burial and resurrection. Paul compares a Christian baptism to a burial. In order to be buried, a person must first die. In the same way, the prerequisite for baptism is death to sin. After we are buried in baptism, then we are raised to live a new life.
1 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound?
2 By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?
But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. GAL 6:14
3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?
4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. ROM 6:1-4
We see, then, that water baptism shows the old life being put away, and a new life emerging in obedience to Christ.
The baptism of the Holy Spirit
It is impossible to live the Christian life apart from the power and presence of the Holy Spirit. Jesus promised that the Holy Spirit would come to lead us into all truth.
7 Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.
But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me. JOH 15:26
13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. JOH 16:7, 13
The Holy Spirit empowers us to be effective witnesses. A witness is one who not only tells the truth, but also lives the truth. As his witnesses, the Holy Spirit helps us to do what we cannot do on our own—to boldly proclaim and live out the truth about God.
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. ACT 1:8
John Gill
But you will receive power—From on high, with which they were to be endured (Luk 24:49) meaning the power of the Holy Spirit, strength from him to preach the gospel, and work miracles in confirmation of it, and courage and greatness of mind, amidst all reproaches and persecutions, to face and oppose their enemies, profess the name of Christ, abide by his truths and ordinances, make their way through all opposition and difficulties, and spread the gospel all over the world; for intend of enjoying worldly ease, honour, wealth, and riches, they were looking for, our Lord gives them to understand that they must expect labour, service, afflictions, and trials, which would require power and strength, and which they should have:
When the Holy Spirit has come upon you—From above, from heaven, as he did, and sat upon them in the form of cloven tongues, and of fire; upon which they were filled with knowledge and zeal, with strength and courage, and with all gifts and abilities necessary for their work:
And you will be my witnesses—Of the person of Christ, of his deity and sonship, of his incarnation, his ministry, and his miracles, of his suffering and death, of his resurrection from the dead, and his ascension to heaven. This was to be their work, and what belong to them, and not to enquire about a temporal kingdom, and the setting up of that, and the times and seasons of it; their business was to testify of the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that followed, and to preach a crucified Jesus, as the only Saviour of lost sinners: and this
In Jerusalem—The “metropolis” of the nation, and there, in the first place, where such dwelt who had been concerned in the crucifixion of Christ, many of whom were to be called by grace, and converted through their ministry:
And in all Judea—That part of the land of Israel which was distinct from Samaria and Galilee, and from beyond Jordan; where churches were to be planted, as afterwards they were; see (Act 9:31).
And Samaria—Where Christ had before forbid his disciples to go; but now their commission is enlarged, and they are sent there; and here Philip went upon the persecution raised against the church at Jerusalem, and preached Christ with great success, to the conversion of many; and here Peter and John went to lay their hands on them, and confirm them; see Act 8:5, 14
And to the end of the earth—Throughout the whole world, whither the sound of the apostles, and their words went (Rom 10:18).
How to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit
The baptism of the Holy Spirit is a gift promised for every believer, not just for those present during Pentecost. In Peter’s sermon, he told us how we can receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
38 And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” MAT 4:17
39 For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.” ACT 2:38-39
In order to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit, we must ask—and we must ask in faith.
If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him! LUK 11:13
37 On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink.
38 Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’ ”
39 Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. JOH 7:37-39
Many disciples in the New Testament received the baptism of the Holy Spirit through the laying on of hands.
Then they laid their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit. ACT 8:17
So the Lord said to Moses, “Take Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay your hand on him. NUM 27:18
Bava Kamma 92b:10
Rava said to Rabba bar Mari: From where is this matter derived whereby people say: While the wine belongs to its owner, the gratitude is given to the one who pours it? Rabba bar Mari said to him that the source is as it is written with regard to God commanding Moses to transfer his authority to Joshua: “So the Lord said to Moses, ‘Take you Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay your hand on him . . . that all the congregation of the people of Israel may obey” (Num 27:18-20). And it is written: “And Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom, for Moses had laid his hands on him. So the people of Israel obeyed him and did as the Lord had commanded Moses” (Deu 34:9). Although the spirit of God was not given to Joshua by Moses, as Moses was only a conduit, he was given credit for it.
Rashi
Take—Encourage him through fine words, saying, “Fortunate are you that you have merited to lead the children of the Omnipresent!” (cf. Sifrei Bamidbar 92 on 11:16).
For yourself—Someone who has been examined by you, someone with whom you are familiar.
A man in whom is the Spirit—As you requested; someone able to deal with the character of each one (Sifrei Bamidbar 140:1).
And lay your hand on him—Give him an interpreter, so that he will hold halachic discourses during your lifetime—in order that people may not say about him if he does this only after your death: he dared not raise his head during Moses days (cf. Sifrei Bamidbar 140:1).
Spiritual gifts
The baptism of the Holy Spirit is accompanied by the manifestation of spiritual gifts. In the biblical accounts of the baptism in the Holy Spirit, the most common spiritual gift manifested is the gift of tongues.
And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. ACT 2:4
And when Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking in tongues and prophesying. ACT 19:6
Empowered to be a witness
Jesus promised to fill us with the Holy Spirit so we can be effective witnesses. The Holy Spirit empowers us to proclaim the gospel wherever we go.
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. ACT 1:8