Disciples Speaking in Tongues at PentecostBible World
2:8Acts 2:8
And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?
On the day of Pentecost each listener heard the gospel in his own native language learned from birth, spoken by Galilean disciples who had never learned those foreign tongues. The disciples were united in prayer waiting for the promised Father when the rushing wind came and tongues of fire sat upon them and they were filled with the Holy Ghost, while devout Jews from every nation were gathered at Jerusalem for worship and heard in amazement the wonderful works of God. The Holy Spirit miraculously enabled the apostles to speak clearly and accurately in foreign languages beyond what could be learned in a lifetime, thus overcoming the barrier of many languages to carry the gospel to many nations. The gift was a miraculous sign confirming that their commission came from heaven, for the Spirit through them lifted up Jesus as Prince and Saviour and Lamb of God, convicting thousands in a day so that three thousand repented and visitors carried the truth to their homes. The hearing fulfilled Christ's promise of power to be witnesses unto the uttermost parts of the earth and opened the Christian dispensation with spiritual gifts belonging to the whole age until the second appearing of Jesus, calling believers now to claim the same Spirit and proclaim present truth to people of every country and speech.
Words and Setting
The question asks how each person hears in his own tongue wherein he was born, and the answer is that each hearer heard in his native language learned from birth and grown up speaking. Visitors to Jerusalem heard the apostles and disciples speaking accurately in the languages they had spoken and learned from birth. The different nationalities gathered each heard in his own native tongue so that conviction would come and the message would go broadcast everywhere.
The speakers were Galilean disciples and apostles who had not naturally learned those foreign languages. Their hearers were amazed that Galileans could speak those languages they had grown up speaking.
The setting is the day of Pentecost very soon after Christ's ascension to heaven and after He was taken up. The disciples were with one accord in one place in continued prayer, continuing with one accord in prayer, of one accord and one mind, waiting for the promise of the Father and the promised baptism with the Holy Ghost, having spent several days together confessing sins and praying for the Holy Spirit. Suddenly a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind filled the house, and cloven tongues like as of fire sat upon each of them, and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost and began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. The Spirit wrought mightily through those harmoniously united, all with one accord in one place.
Devout Jews out of every nation under heaven were gathered in Jerusalem for the religious festivals and annual worship and for a great religious festival. They included Parthians and Medes and Elamites and dwellers in Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus, Asia, Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, Libya, Rome, Crete and Arabia, Jews from many countries and language groups and from many lands speaking different tongues.
The hearing produced amazement, marveling, confusion and doubt, and the multitude was confounded. Some who did not recognize the Spirit's work mocked that the disciples were drunk, but Peter explained they were not drunk. Meanwhile the disciples were heard speaking the wonderful works of God, and God used them on that occasion to give the assembled multitudes the message of the risen Saviour. They accurately told the story of Jesus' life and ministry in languages they had not learned naturally, and hearers who knew those languages confirmed the speech was genuine and not drunken babbling.
Thousands were convicted and converted in a day, with three thousand souls brought to repentance in one day as the people took hold of the Word declared during Christ's ministry. Visitors from many parts of the world and many regions carried the truths they heard back to their homes and to their own people, where those truths won people to Christ among many nations, peoples and classes and many nations and classes of society.
Miracle and Confirmation
The Holy Spirit miraculously enabled Galilean speakers who had not naturally learned foreign tongues to speak them clearly and accurately, beyond what could have been learned in a lifetime. Each hearer recognized the speech as the language spoken from birth, and those who knew those languages confirmed the utterance was genuine and not drunken babbling. The disciples spoke with clearness and accuracy both in their own native speech and in foreign languages, telling accurately the story of Jesus' life and ministry. Visitors from many parts of the world carried the truths thus heard back to their homes, where those truths won people to Christ.
The many different languages among the gathered people had been an obstacle to spreading the gospel. The gift overcame that barrier of language difference, removing the hindrance to proclaiming the gospel. So equipped, the apostles were fitted to carry the gospel accurately to people of many nations. Jerusalem thereby became a powerful center for communicating the gospel across national differences and bearing witness to the Lord.
The gift was strong evidence that their commission came from God and from heaven. It stood as a miraculous sign accompanying the preaching of Christ, confirming the message to the vast multitude. It gave authority to their work and confirmed their testimony about Christ. Through that confirmed preaching they explained the Saviour's works and the plan of salvation, and thousands were convicted and converted.
The event showed the Spirit of God working mightily through disciples who were harmoniously united, all with one accord in one place. People from many nations who heard the disciples in the languages they had grown up speaking were amazed that Galileans could speak those tongues, demonstrating the Holy Spirit's power. The tremendous effect of the preaching with demonstration of the Spirit and with power came from the Spirit unfolding Jesus and glorifying Him before eyes that before had seen no beauty in Him to desire Him. Then Jesus was lifted up and exalted to be a Prince and a Saviour to give repentance and forgiveness of sins. The glorious inner beauties of His work and character, which natural eyes cannot discern because it is the Spirit that quickens, were revealed as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, and part of that wondrous sermon after the ascension brought three thousand souls to repentance in one day.
Prophecy and Spiritual Gifts
The hearing at Pentecost fulfilled Christ's promise that after the Holy Ghost came upon them they would receive power to be witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea, in Samaria, and unto the uttermost parts of the earth. The disciples had spent several days together with one accord in one place confessing their sins and praying while waiting in Jerusalem for the promise of the Father, until a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind filled the house and cloven tongues like as of fire sat upon each of them and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost and began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. Devout Jews out of every nation under heaven gathered for the religious festival heard these Galileans each in his own native tongue wherein he was born, hearing them speak the wonderful works of God and giving the assembled multitudes the message of the risen Saviour. The hearing produced amazement, marveling, confusion and doubt, with some mocking, and it carries special bearing as a call to solemn responsibility to witness to those nigh and afar off because salvation was purchased at infinite cost. Peter explained that the disciples were not drunk but that the Spirit's outpouring was connected to Joel's prophecy, for they spoke in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them and people heard them in the languages they had learned from birth.
The outpouring recorded in Acts 2:1-11 fully opened the Christian dispensation at the commencement of the Christian age with a remarkable manifestation of spiritual gifts. The hearing of the gospel in every hearer's own native language was a wonderful manifestation of the various spiritual gifts given with the Spirit, including the gift of prophecy and speaking with new tongues in fulfillment of Jesus' commission promise. It stands with later New Testament manifestations of prophecy as proof that the gifts belong to the whole Christian age, with no intimation that they should cease from the church until the day of glory is ushered in by the second appearing of Jesus Christ.
The different nationalities gathered at Pentecost each heard in his own native tongue so that conviction would come to them and the message would go broadcast everywhere, and the same kind of manifestation will be seen again by those who follow on to know the Lord. The verse stands within a prophecy of what will be manifested among God's people, showing that revelations from heaven must still be expected, given in warnings and reproofs and explanation of the Word so that all may understand they have come to the very period prophesied. Every soul is thereby called to be on the watchtower. It points to a future proclamation in which many voices empowered by God will speak God's truths to people in their own languages, and God will strengthen the timid and enable those who struggle to speak to testify courageously.
Missionary Charge Today
The account in Acts 2, and the first two chapters of Acts together, are a lesson to be read, received, and shared, giving light for carrying the work forward more broadly under the guidance of the Holy Spirit who directs those who bear the message. Pentecost teaches that the gospel is to be proclaimed where it can reach people most broadly. As Jerusalem, then a major center of influence, was to receive a powerful witness, so the nation's capital is to receive a special representation of present truth.
The first Christian missionaries were miraculously given knowledge of the languages in which they were called to preach, so that people of different nations could hear Christ proclaimed in their own tongues. That example supports training and sending missionaries who already know the languages of the people they are to serve. God may also help missionaries learn an unfamiliar new language quickly, and the very people they come to serve may help them learn it, so the gospel can be heard in the hearers' own tongue learned from birth. The same principle applies to making Scripture available in the people's own born language, as in providing it in English so that every person in England could read of the wonderful works of God in his own language.
The same blessings received at Pentecost may be claimed now by those who consecrate themselves to God, work in harmony with His Word, exalt the Word, and honor its precepts by a consistent course of action. The same Holy Spirit is to be seen now so that sinners are converted, and believers have a part in this by obtaining the self-denying life of Christ, making people hungry to hear the Word, and going from house to house to read the Bible to them, as was done in Oakland and San Francisco with many souls brought to a knowledge of the truth. God enlarges such small efforts to satisfy hunger for the Word. Believers must wake from stupor and indifference and not sleep in this judgment hour, but arouse and be converted to give the message to a world to be saved.
The hearing of every man in his own native tongue carries a solemn call to witness to those nigh and afar off, because salvation has been purchased at infinite cost. In the last days there is a large work to be done among people of all languages, with interest that all people in all languages shall receive a large measure of the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ. Every soul that believes present truth, whatever his country or speech, should gain an intelligent knowledge of the truths of the third angel's message in order to do an intelligent work for God. The Lord will open the understanding of all who come into right relation to Him, and those who search the Scriptures and walk humbly with God will receive understanding of the Word and power to do a work for God, while a mighty power is at work in the world and heaven will cooperate with those who do the work of the Lord. The same Spirit still enables a speaker to communicate in a language the speaker does not understand while listeners recognize their native tongue, and such speech can also allow several people to converse in a language foreign to them by taking turns in an orderly way.
On the day of Pentecost each listener heard the gospel in his own native language learned from birth, spoken by Galilean disciples who had never learned those foreign tongues. The disciples were united in prayer waiting for the promised Father when the rushing wind came and tongues of fire sat upon them and they were filled with the Holy Ghost, while devout Jews from every nation were gathered at Jerusalem for worship and heard in amazement the wonderful works of God. The Holy Spirit miraculously enabled the apostles to speak clearly and accurately in foreign languages beyond what could be learned in a lifetime, thus overcoming the barrier of many languages to carry the gospel to many nations. The gift was a miraculous sign confirming that their commission came from heaven, for the Spirit through them lifted up Jesus as Prince and Saviour and Lamb of God, convicting thousands in a day so that three thousand repented and visitors carried the truth to their homes. The hearing fulfilled Christ's promise of power to be witnesses unto the uttermost parts of the earth and opened the Christian dispensation with spiritual gifts belonging to the whole age until the second appearing of Jesus, calling believers now to claim the same Spirit and proclaim present truth to people of every country and speech.
Words and Setting
The question asks how each person hears in his own tongue wherein he was born, and the answer is that each hearer heard in his native language learned from birth and grown up speaking. Visitors to Jerusalem heard the apostles and disciples speaking accurately in the languages they had spoken and learned from birth. The different nationalities gathered each heard in his own native tongue so that conviction would come and the message would go broadcast everywhere.
The speakers were Galilean disciples and apostles who had not naturally learned those foreign languages. Their hearers were amazed that Galileans could speak those languages they had grown up speaking.
The setting is the day of Pentecost very soon after Christ's ascension to heaven and after He was taken up. The disciples were with one accord in one place in continued prayer, continuing with one accord in prayer, of one accord and one mind, waiting for the promise of the Father and the promised baptism with the Holy Ghost, having spent several days together confessing sins and praying for the Holy Spirit. Suddenly a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind filled the house, and cloven tongues like as of fire sat upon each of them, and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost and began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. The Spirit wrought mightily through those harmoniously united, all with one accord in one place.
Devout Jews out of every nation under heaven were gathered in Jerusalem for the religious festivals and annual worship and for a great religious festival. They included Parthians and Medes and Elamites and dwellers in Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus, Asia, Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, Libya, Rome, Crete and Arabia, Jews from many countries and language groups and from many lands speaking different tongues.
The hearing produced amazement, marveling, confusion and doubt, and the multitude was confounded. Some who did not recognize the Spirit's work mocked that the disciples were drunk, but Peter explained they were not drunk. Meanwhile the disciples were heard speaking the wonderful works of God, and God used them on that occasion to give the assembled multitudes the message of the risen Saviour. They accurately told the story of Jesus' life and ministry in languages they had not learned naturally, and hearers who knew those languages confirmed the speech was genuine and not drunken babbling.
Thousands were convicted and converted in a day, with three thousand souls brought to repentance in one day as the people took hold of the Word declared during Christ's ministry. Visitors from many parts of the world and many regions carried the truths they heard back to their homes and to their own people, where those truths won people to Christ among many nations, peoples and classes and many nations and classes of society.
Miracle and Confirmation
The Holy Spirit miraculously enabled Galilean speakers who had not naturally learned foreign tongues to speak them clearly and accurately, beyond what could have been learned in a lifetime. Each hearer recognized the speech as the language spoken from birth, and those who knew those languages confirmed the utterance was genuine and not drunken babbling. The disciples spoke with clearness and accuracy both in their own native speech and in foreign languages, telling accurately the story of Jesus' life and ministry. Visitors from many parts of the world carried the truths thus heard back to their homes, where those truths won people to Christ.
The many different languages among the gathered people had been an obstacle to spreading the gospel. The gift overcame that barrier of language difference, removing the hindrance to proclaiming the gospel. So equipped, the apostles were fitted to carry the gospel accurately to people of many nations. Jerusalem thereby became a powerful center for communicating the gospel across national differences and bearing witness to the Lord.
The gift was strong evidence that their commission came from God and from heaven. It stood as a miraculous sign accompanying the preaching of Christ, confirming the message to the vast multitude. It gave authority to their work and confirmed their testimony about Christ. Through that confirmed preaching they explained the Saviour's works and the plan of salvation, and thousands were convicted and converted.
The event showed the Spirit of God working mightily through disciples who were harmoniously united, all with one accord in one place. People from many nations who heard the disciples in the languages they had grown up speaking were amazed that Galileans could speak those tongues, demonstrating the Holy Spirit's power. The tremendous effect of the preaching with demonstration of the Spirit and with power came from the Spirit unfolding Jesus and glorifying Him before eyes that before had seen no beauty in Him to desire Him. Then Jesus was lifted up and exalted to be a Prince and a Saviour to give repentance and forgiveness of sins. The glorious inner beauties of His work and character, which natural eyes cannot discern because it is the Spirit that quickens, were revealed as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, and part of that wondrous sermon after the ascension brought three thousand souls to repentance in one day.
Prophecy and Spiritual Gifts
The hearing at Pentecost fulfilled Christ's promise that after the Holy Ghost came upon them they would receive power to be witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea, in Samaria, and unto the uttermost parts of the earth. The disciples had spent several days together with one accord in one place confessing their sins and praying while waiting in Jerusalem for the promise of the Father, until a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind filled the house and cloven tongues like as of fire sat upon each of them and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost and began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. Devout Jews out of every nation under heaven gathered for the religious festival heard these Galileans each in his own native tongue wherein he was born, hearing them speak the wonderful works of God and giving the assembled multitudes the message of the risen Saviour. The hearing produced amazement, marveling, confusion and doubt, with some mocking, and it carries special bearing as a call to solemn responsibility to witness to those nigh and afar off because salvation was purchased at infinite cost. Peter explained that the disciples were not drunk but that the Spirit's outpouring was connected to Joel's prophecy, for they spoke in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them and people heard them in the languages they had learned from birth.
The outpouring recorded in Acts 2:1-11 fully opened the Christian dispensation at the commencement of the Christian age with a remarkable manifestation of spiritual gifts. The hearing of the gospel in every hearer's own native language was a wonderful manifestation of the various spiritual gifts given with the Spirit, including the gift of prophecy and speaking with new tongues in fulfillment of Jesus' commission promise. It stands with later New Testament manifestations of prophecy as proof that the gifts belong to the whole Christian age, with no intimation that they should cease from the church until the day of glory is ushered in by the second appearing of Jesus Christ.
The different nationalities gathered at Pentecost each heard in his own native tongue so that conviction would come to them and the message would go broadcast everywhere, and the same kind of manifestation will be seen again by those who follow on to know the Lord. The verse stands within a prophecy of what will be manifested among God's people, showing that revelations from heaven must still be expected, given in warnings and reproofs and explanation of the Word so that all may understand they have come to the very period prophesied. Every soul is thereby called to be on the watchtower. It points to a future proclamation in which many voices empowered by God will speak God's truths to people in their own languages, and God will strengthen the timid and enable those who struggle to speak to testify courageously.
Missionary Charge Today
The account in Acts 2, and the first two chapters of Acts together, are a lesson to be read, received, and shared, giving light for carrying the work forward more broadly under the guidance of the Holy Spirit who directs those who bear the message. Pentecost teaches that the gospel is to be proclaimed where it can reach people most broadly. As Jerusalem, then a major center of influence, was to receive a powerful witness, so the nation's capital is to receive a special representation of present truth.
The first Christian missionaries were miraculously given knowledge of the languages in which they were called to preach, so that people of different nations could hear Christ proclaimed in their own tongues. That example supports training and sending missionaries who already know the languages of the people they are to serve. God may also help missionaries learn an unfamiliar new language quickly, and the very people they come to serve may help them learn it, so the gospel can be heard in the hearers' own tongue learned from birth. The same principle applies to making Scripture available in the people's own born language, as in providing it in English so that every person in England could read of the wonderful works of God in his own language.
The same blessings received at Pentecost may be claimed now by those who consecrate themselves to God, work in harmony with His Word, exalt the Word, and honor its precepts by a consistent course of action. The same Holy Spirit is to be seen now so that sinners are converted, and believers have a part in this by obtaining the self-denying life of Christ, making people hungry to hear the Word, and going from house to house to read the Bible to them, as was done in Oakland and San Francisco with many souls brought to a knowledge of the truth. God enlarges such small efforts to satisfy hunger for the Word. Believers must wake from stupor and indifference and not sleep in this judgment hour, but arouse and be converted to give the message to a world to be saved.
The hearing of every man in his own native tongue carries a solemn call to witness to those nigh and afar off, because salvation has been purchased at infinite cost. In the last days there is a large work to be done among people of all languages, with interest that all people in all languages shall receive a large measure of the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ. Every soul that believes present truth, whatever his country or speech, should gain an intelligent knowledge of the truths of the third angel's message in order to do an intelligent work for God. The Lord will open the understanding of all who come into right relation to Him, and those who search the Scriptures and walk humbly with God will receive understanding of the Word and power to do a work for God, while a mighty power is at work in the world and heaven will cooperate with those who do the work of the Lord. The same Spirit still enables a speaker to communicate in a language the speaker does not understand while listeners recognize their native tongue, and such speech can also allow several people to converse in a language foreign to them by taking turns in an orderly way.