Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
Act 2:38
Any commentary that does not take into consideration the fact that Peter is a Jew addressing Jews is of little value. If we are to understand what Peter is saying we must understand what the ideas of “repentance,” “baptism,” and “remissions of sins” meant to Peter and to his Jewish audience. We must also understand what connection each of these concepts would have had with the others in the minds of these first century Jews. To do otherwise is to force our interpretation on what Peter meant and to care nothing for his true meaning.
This verse is a major proof text for those who believe that water baptism is essential for salvation today. This viewpoint encounters its greatest problem with passages that make the forgiveness of sin, and salvation in general, dependent on nothing but trust in Christ (e.g., Act. 16:31; Act. 10:43; Act. 13:38-39; Act. 26:18; Luke 24:47; Joh. 3:16; Joh. 3:36; Rom. 4:1-17; Rom. 11:6; Gal. 3:8-9; Eph. 2:8-9). 1The Expository Notes of Dr. Constable, Acts 2:38
Baptism in water was common in both Judaism and early Christianity. The Jews baptized themselves for ceremonial cleansing. Gentile converts to Judaism commonly baptized themselves in water publicly as a testimony to their conversion.
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