Acts 2:37Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Do you see what a great good meekness is? It wounds our hearts more than severity, and inflicts a more sensitive wound.

When a man strikes hardened bodies, he produces no very strong sensation. But if he first softens them and makes them tender, then he strikes more deeply. So it is here also. First one must soften, and only then strike.

It is not anger that softens, nor vehement accusation, nor reproaches, but meekness. Anger increases hardness, while meekness destroys it.

Therefore, if you wish to touch someone who has wronged you, deal with him with great meekness. See here also what meekness does.

Do you see how much condescension there is, and how it can penetrate and soften men's hearts more than severity?

Although blessed Peter reminds them here of their bold offenses, he does so meekly, adding nothing insulting to them.

They were put to shame by Peter's condescension. That is, he spoke with concern, as a father and teacher, to those who had handed over the Lord Himself to death.

They had raised their hands against the Apostles themselves and wished to destroy them.

It is said, "They were cut to the heart." They were not simply persuaded, but came to know themselves. Therefore they say, "What shall we do?" as though perplexed and troubled over their bold offenses.

And they, the Jews, saw in the apostles that same power of His which they had thought had perished together with His body. When they saw that the name of the slain Christ restored the dead, His death appeared greater in their eyes than His life. For during His life He Himself raised the dead. But when He was reckoned dead, the name of the dead One began to work wonders over death. This made it clear that even if He had subjected His name to death, since He died, death could in no way resist His living power.

Be assured that the prophecy of Joel was fulfilled, and note that the warmth of compunction follows the fire of the Holy Spirit. Smoke usually draws tears.

Those who had laughed begin to weep. They beat their breasts and offer prayers to God as sacrifices, so that they may be able to taste that saving Blood which they, as transgressors, had formerly called down upon themselves and their children.

See Joel 2:28. See Mt 27:25.

Bede the Venerable understands the words of the Apostle Matthew literally. Thus he sees in them the Jews' acceptance of condemnation, not an ironic analogy with the sprinkling of the lamb at the feast of atonement.

Nor does he see there, in this sense, a proleptic reception of the fruits of Christ's self-sacrifice.

All this, together with what was known about Jesus' own deeds and teaching, made such an impression on the apostle's hearers that about three thousand of them immediately repented of their sins. They received Baptism and formed with the apostles the first community of the Church of Christ. On the day of Pentecost, gifts from the harvest gathered from the fields were customarily brought in the Jewish temple. Here the fruits of the whole Old Testament harvest were brought.

The evangelical speech of the Apostle Peter had a powerful effect upon his hearers.

The divinely inspired word of the Apostle was strikingly confirmed by the miraculous event then being witnessed: the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon Christ's disciples.

It was also founded upon the testimony of Holy Scripture, which possessed unquestioned authority in the eyes of an Israelite.

Thus it decisively convinced them of the messianic dignity of Jesus of Nazareth, and they asked the Apostles: "What shall we do, men and brethren?"

In this question one cannot fail to hear a feeling of repentance, and a pain of heart over their former conduct.

"This Jesus, whom you crucified," the Apostle said to the Jews. After all that had been said before this, with what weight must such words have fallen upon the conscience of his hearers. Thus, when the hearers of the Apostle Peter had listened to the speech, they were pierced to the heart. At once they began to say both to Peter and to the other apostles, "What shall we do, men and brethren?" Peter continued the conclusion of his speech.

The Apostle finished his speech, but its words still rang in the ears of those in the crowd like the terrible thunder of heavenly justice. Only fifty days earlier, in senseless frenzy, they had cried, "Crucify, crucify Him!" With a cry of despair, many rushed to Peter and the other apostles, exclaiming, "What shall we do, men and brethren?"

They were moved in heart. More precisely, they were crushed in heart and came to heartfelt contrition. Sorrow pierced their heart through the Apostle's words; cf. Ps 50:19; Ps 108:16; Sir 14:1; Sir 12:12.

They were contrite because He whom they had now come to know as the Messiah had been humiliated and crucified by the people.

Therefore they had gravely sinned before God and the Messiah, and had to expect righteous judgment and punishment from God.

They were contrite because until then they had not believed in the Lord Jesus as the Messiah, but had remained in blindness and hardness of heart.

The effect of the Apostle Peter's speech upon his hearers was most beneficial.

Everything spoken by the Apostle was pleasing to them as something worthy of the fullest reverence and devotion. Thus there arose in them an irrevocable desire to share in this good and saving work.

So they ask what they must now do in order not to be deprived of salvation. As a sign that they accept the whole teaching of the Apostles, they call them brethren.

By this they make clear their complete readiness to join them.

"As a man overtaken by shipwreck or illness, seeing a pilot or physician, entrusts everything to him and obeys him in all things, so they confessed that they were in extremity and had not even hope of salvation.

The multitude of the people was struck by the miracle of the descent of the Holy Spirit, by Peter's accusation of the murder of Christ, and by the testimony to Christ's Resurrection. Being ready to receive Christianity, they asked Peter and the other apostles, "What shall we do, men and brethren?"