THEOSISJohn Chrysostom
“But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God.” As yet the name of Christ is nowhere visible. This promise is not His promise, but the Father’s.
Mark the Apostle’s prudence. He did not omit this point, nor did he at once speak of what belonged properly to Christ, namely, that He promised this after His crucifixion. Had he spoken so, he would have ruined everything.
But, you will say, this would have been enough to prove His Godhead. Yes, when people believe it. For the moment, the concern was only to bring them to faith. If they did not believe, the consequence would have been that they would stone them.
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“I will pour out of My Spirit upon all flesh.” He gives them also good hopes, if only they themselves desire it. He does not allow them to think this is only the privilege of the Apostles, since displeasure would arise from that. Thus he removes envy.
“And your sons shall prophesy,” he says. He is saying: This great thing does not belong to you, nor does this praise. Grace has passed to your children. By children he means himself together with the other Apostles, and by fathers, them.
“And your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall be instructed by dreams. And upon My servants and upon My handmaidens in those days I will pour out of My Spirit, and they shall prophesy.”
He continues to show that the Apostles obtained God’s favor, because they were counted worthy of the Holy Spirit. Those others did not, because they crucified Christ.
So too Christ, wishing to calm their anger, said, “By whom do your sons cast them out?” (Mt 12:27). He did not say, “My disciples,” lest He seem to flatter Himself.
Likewise Peter did not say that they were not drunk. He said that they spoke by the inspiration of the Spirit. Nor did he say this simply, but took refuge in the prophet. Shielded by him, he speaks with complete confidence.
Thus he himself freed them from the accusation. Yet concerning grace he brings the prophet as witness. “I will pour out of My Spirit upon all flesh.”
This is said because grace was poured out upon some in sleep, and upon others while awake. For even in sleep the prophets had visions and received revelations. [...] Peter added nothing of his own, but appended, “But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: And it shall come to pass in the last days.”
By this he shows that the end is already near. Therefore the words “in the last days” have a certain special force.
Then, lest they think this matter concerns only sons, he adds, “And your old men shall be instructed by dreams.” Mark the order. First come the sons, as David also says, “Instead of Your fathers were Your sons” (Ps 44:17). Malachi in turn says, “He will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children” (Mal 4:6).
Peter did not say that this is the Holy Spirit. He did not interpret the prophet’s words, but cited only the prophecy, leaving it to speak for itself.
For the moment he says nothing about Judas, because everyone knew what punishment had overtaken him. He keeps silence, knowing that nothing affects them so powerfully as speaking with them from prophecy. This is stronger even than the deeds themselves.
When Christ worked miracles, they often contradicted Him. But when Christ cited to them the words of prophecy, “The Lord said to my Lord: Sit at My right hand” (Ps 109:1), they were silent. They could no longer answer Him a word.
In many places He reminds them of the Scriptures, as when He says, “He called them gods, to whom the word of God came” (Jn 10:35). Rather, one may find this everywhere.
For this reason Peter says here, “I will pour out of My Spirit upon all flesh,” that is, upon the nations. Yet he does not yet unfold or explain the prophecy, because this was not profitable.