A THRONG IN THE POOLS

          Jesus was crucified during the Jewish feast of Passover (He was offered up by God as the perfect Lamb/1Pet.1:18-29).  Fifty days later, many of those who had cried out for Jesus to be crucified (Mt.27:11-26) returned to Jerusalem for an another important Jewish pilgrimage feast know as Pentecost.  On that occasion the apostle Peter preached the first gospel sermon.  Without mincing words, Peter spoke of Jesus as One attested to by God with miracles, wonders and signs, a Man whom they nailed to the cross and put to death (Acts 2:22-23).   Peter punctuated his sermon say-ing:  …Let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and Christ - - this Jesus whom you crucified (Acts 2:36).  

          One can’t help but wonder if this throng of festival goers had arrived in Jerusalem burdened with sin and guilt.  The gravity of their sin could not have been greater - - they had crucified the very Son of God.  It was a sin so grave that it must have produced many sleepless nights through-out those seven weeks that followed the Passover feast.  F.F. Bruce writes, “If Jesus of Nazareth was indeed the appointed Messiah, then no guilt could be greater than treating Him as He had been treated.  They had refused Him in whom all their hope of salvation rested; what hope of salva-tion was left for them now?”  How would these godless men respond?  In his narrative that we call The Acts of The Apostles, Luke records:  Now when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, ‘Brethren, WHAT SHALL WE DO?’  And Peter said to them,  'Repent, and let each of you be baptized into Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins…’ (Acts 2:37-38).  Luke further notes, "those who received his word were baptized; and thee were added that day about three thousand souls” (Acts 2:41).  How exciting it would have been to witness such a dramatic turnaround on the part of such a multitude of people.  The text of Acts also reveals the blessings that comes with true re-pentance, noting how the multitude was taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart, praising God… (Acts 2:46-47).

          Not a few get hung up on the logistics of “the baptizing of 3,000”, arguing that such “baptisms” could not have been full-body immersions.

They postulate that the baptizing of so many in such a short period of time could not be orchestrated in a city without a river.  It is true that the ancient city of Jerusalem was lacking a river (the Jordan river was 20+ miles away).  But Jerusalem actually had a very impressive means of supply-ing an abundance of water via numerous sizable pools, cisterns and aqueduct conduits.  On that day, there could be found a throng in the pools.

                                                                                                                Terry Siverd / Cortland Church of Christ