Acts 2:41

Οἱ μὲν οὖν : a truly Lucan formula, see Acts 1:6. There is no anacoluthon, but for the answering δέ see Acts 5:42. The words therefore refer to those mentioned in Acts 5:37; in contrast to the three thousand fear came upon every person, ψυχή, so Mr. Page, on μὲν οὖν, in loco. Mr. Rendall finds the answering δέ in Acts 5:42; two phases of events are contrasted; three thousand converts are added in one day they clave stedfastly to the Christian communion. See also his Appendix on μὲν οὖν, p. 162. ἀποδεξάμενοι τὸν λόγον αὐτοῦ : used in classical Greek, especially in Plato, of receiving a teacher or his arguments with acceptance, and in the N.T. of receiving with approval; cf. Acts 24:3. The verb is only found in St. Luke in the N.T. with varying shades of meaning, twice in his Gospel, and five times in Acts in all parts. Only found in LXX in Apocryphal books, Tob 7:17, Jdt 13:13 (but see Hatch and Redpath, sub v.), and in the Books of the Maccabees; cf. Acts 18:27; Acts 21:17; Acts 24:3; Acts 28:30, see below. ἐβαπτίσθησαν. There is nothing in the text which intimates that the Baptism of the three thousand was performed, not on the day of Pentecost, but during the days which followed. At the same time it is not said that the Baptism of such a multitude took place at one time or in one place on the day of the Feast, or that the rite was performed by St. Peter alone. Felten allows that others besides the Twelve may have baptised. See his note, in loco, and also Zöckler, Apostelgeschichte, p. 183. προσετέθησαν, cf. Acts 2:47, and Acts 5:14; Acts 11:24. In the LXX the same verb is used, Isaiah 14:1, for a proselyte who is joined to Israel, so too Esther 9:27. ψυχαὶ, “souls,” i.e., persons. See on Acts 2:43. ὡσωὶ τρισχίλιαι : the adverb is another favourite word of St. Luke (Friedrich) it is not found in St. John, and in St. Mark only once, in St. Matthew three times, but in St. Luke's Gospel eight or nine times, and in Acts six or seven times. As in Acts 1:15 the introduction of the adverb is against the supposition that the number was a fictitious one. We cannot suppose that the influence and the recollection of Jesus had vanished within a few short weeks without leaving a trace behind, and where the proclamation of Him as the Christ followed upon the wonderful gift of tongues, in which many of the people would see the inspiration of God and a confirmation given by Him to the claims made by the disciples, hearts and consciences might well be stirred and quickened and the movement once begun was sure to spread (see the remarks of Spitta, Apostelgeschichte, p. 60, on the birthday of the Church, in spite of the suspicion with which he regards the number three thousand).