Acts 5:32

     Acts 5:32 is often used to "prove" that the Holy Spirit literally, bodily, and
personally dwells within the body of a believer. I have long believed that it is a
misuse of this text to cite it as proof of the so-called personal indwelling of the Holy
Spirit. Acts 5:32 does not teach that the Holy Spirit personally, bodily, or literally
dwells in anyone.

     The text itself, within its context, contains the "clues" that lead to the correct
interpretation of its meaning. It is our aim to be true to scripture's own testimony.
We strive to allow scripture to interpret scripture when possible. The passage says,
"And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit whom God has given
to those who obey him."

     First, let us ask, "Who spoke those words?" According to verse 29 the
words were spoken by "Peter and the apostles." To whom were they spoken?
Verse 27 says "the high priest."  Why were the words spoken? They were
spoken in response to the high priest's statement "We strictly charged you not
to teach in this name, yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and you
intend to bring this man's blood upon us." (v. 28) Peter responds by saying, "The
God of our fathers raised Jesus whom you killed by hanging him on a tree. God
exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and
the forgiveness of sins." (v.31)  It is at this point that Peter and the apostles said,
"And we are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit whom God has
given to those who obey him."

     Now let us look more closely at the text. "...we are witnesses of these things."
To whom does the word "we" refer? Peter and the apostles. (v.29) Were they the
only witnesses? No. The text says, "and so is the Holy Spirit..." The apostles were
not the only witnesses, neither was the Holy Spirit the only witness. This is directly
in line with what Jesus told the apostles while he was with them. "When they
deliver you up, do not  worry how you are to speak or what you are to say; for what
you are to say will be given to you in that hour; for it is not you who speak, but the
Spirit of your Father speaking through you." (Mat. 10:19-20) "But when the Helper
comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, who
proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me; and you also are
witnesses, because you have been with me from the beginning." (Jno. 15:26-27)
Acts 5:32 and Jno. 15:26-27 compliment each other and each confirms what is
taught in the other . They are parallel in teaching and meaning. They teach the same
thing.

     Someone may ask, "But what about the fact that the text says God has given
the Holy Spirit "to those who obey him?" In this passage the phrase "those who
obey him" is not to be understood generically as applicable to "all" who obey him,
but it refers only to the ones about whom Peter is speaking. Who are they? When
Peter and the apostles were told, "We strictly charged you not to teach in this
name...," they responded, "We must obey God  rather than human beings." (v. 29)
In this passage "those who obey him" refers to the apostles of Christ. They chose to
disobey human authorities and to obey God, and in doing so, both they and the Holy
Spirit were testifying to the things pertaining to the death and exaltation of Jesus. The
Holy Spirit was speaking through them and they were speaking to the high priest.
Therefore, both they and the Holy Spirit were bearing witness. Acts 5:32 is limited
in application.

                                                                                                                  RD

Copyright 2010