1 “And when the day of Pentecost was now come, they were 2 all together, in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound as of the rushing of a mighty wind, and it 3 filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them tongues parting asunder, like as of fire; 4 and it sat upon each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. 5 “Now there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, 6 from every nation under heaven. And when this sound was heard, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speaking in his own language. And they were all amazed and marveled, saying, 8 Behold, are not all these which speak Galileans? And how hear we, every man in our own language, wherein we were born? Parthians and Medes and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, in Judea and Cappadocia, in Pontus and Asia, in Phrygia and Pamphylia, in Egypt and the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and sojourners from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians, we do hear them speaking in our tongues the mighty works of God. And they were all amazed, and were perplexed, saying one to another, 13 What meaneth this? But others mocking said, They are filled with new wine.”
Golden Text.—“The promise is unto you and to your children.” Acts 2:39.
SUGGESTIVE QUESTIONS.
(1) What feast is referred to in this lesson? What is said of the Christian disciples? Verse 1. Note 1. (2) What strange thing suddenly occurred? What was the result? Verse 2. Note 2. (3) What appeared in connection with the sound? Verse 3. Note 3. (4) What was the effect upon the disciples? How did they manifest this effect? Verse 4. Note 4. (5) Who, besides the ordinary population, were now in Jerusalem? Verse 5. Note 5. (6) What did the multitude do at this time? Note 6. What greatly perplexed the people? Verses 7, 8. (8) What countrymen are specially mentioned? Verses 9-11. (9) And what was the subject of which they so marvelously heard? Verse 11, last clause. (10) How were they affected by what they heard? Verse 12. (11) How did some pretend to account for what they saw and heard? Verse 13. Note 7.
NOTES.
1. Pentecost means “fiftieth.” The occasion was a harvest festival on the fiftieth day after the Passover. In Ex. 23:16 it is called the “feast of harvest,” and in Num. 28:26 it is called the “day of the first-fruits.” On that day a sheaf of the first-fruits of the harvest was brought to the priest, and he waved it before the Lord. The Jews were forbidden to eat any of the new crop until after this service. Those assembled in the “one place” mentioned in this verse were disciples who believed in the resurrection of Jesus.
2. The sound was not of a wind, but as of a wind, and it was from heaven. Remember that the disciples were all “with one accord” (A. V.), in that place. They were there in obedience to the Lord’s command, and were expecting what He had promised—“power from on high.” Whenever the Lord’s people come together with one accord in obedience to His Word, and all expect it to be fulfilled, there is sure to be a visitation from heaven.
3. The tongues were not fire, but “like as of fire.” This divine manifestation indicated the special gift of tongues which was there bestowed to such a remarkable degree. It sat upon them, it was a permanent gift.
4. The inward working of the Spirit was the baptism which Christ had promised before His ascension. It was this, and not the manifestation, that gave utterance to the disciples. Being filled with the Holy Spirit, there was no room for any other spirit. The folly of worldly wisdom is shown by a certain “professor” who attempts to prove by the “science of hypnotism” that it was possible for the disciples to be so influenced. Where the Word of God is made dependent upon such backing as that, it ceases to have any influence for good; it is simply perverted. The only proof that such power was imparted to the disciples is the inspired record itself. This, and this only, is infallible.
5. An immense gathering of people came to Jerusalem at this season, which was more favorable than the Passover season. It is said that a census taken in the time of Nero shows an attendance of 2,700,000 at the Passover, and a still greater number at the Pentecost. This diversity of languages was a great natural obstacle to the spread of the Gospel by a few Galileans, unlearned in the languages of people outside their own little country. But we have here a most wonderful illustration of the power of God to overcome the difficulties that lie in the way of His work.
6. When this sound was heard.—It was not the sound that brought the multitude together. It was not the rumor or news of the wonderful meeting that did it. When the sound was heard, God had baptized His servants for witnessing. At that very time His Spirit brought the people who needed the story of witness. It was God’s working in both cases. He fitted the disciples for ministering; He sent the needy to be ministered unto. So God will co-operate always with him who is in accord with Heaven.
7. The disposition to explain spiritual phenomena by natural means, which is so prevalent to-day, also existed in that time. And it was manifest in the church as well as in the world. But here was an unusually difficult case to dispose of, so the skeptics thought to pass it off by a joke. They knew that what they said was not true, but they wanted to turn the minds of the people into thinking that the great commotion was nothing of any consequence. But the Spirit led Peter to repel the charge of drunkenness by reminding them of the well-known custom not to drink wine in the early part of the day. Then he told them plainly what it was that was so arousing the people. It was the fulfilment of the prophecy spoken by Joel hundreds of years before, and which these skeptics themselves professed to believe.
