Pastor Rick’s Study Notes:
(PRT)
v. 1 And when the Day of Pentecost arrived, everyone was together in the same place.
v. 2 Then suddenly the roar of a rushing, forceful wind came from heaven and it filled the whole house where they were staying.
v. 3 And tongues of fire appeared and spread among them and stayed on every person there.
v. 4 Then everyone was filled with the Holy Spirit and they began to speak with different tongues as the Spirit empowered them to speak.
v. 5 Now there were godly Jews from every nation under heaven staying in Jerusalem.
v. 6 And with this noisy happening, the throngs merged together and they were bewildered because each person heard them speaking in their own language.
vv. 7-8 They were beside themselves and stood in awe and said: “Look at this! All these who are speaking are Galileans! And we hear what they say in our own native language!”
vv. 9-10 Parthians, Medes, Elamites and those living in Mesopotamia; Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus, Asia, both Phrygia and Pamphylia; Egypt and areas of Libya around Cyrene; also those visiting from Rome;
v. 11 These were both Jews and newcomers to the Jewish faith, along with Cretans and Arabians, and they said: “We hear them declaring the mighty works God has done, but in our own language!”
v. 12 They were beside themselves totally at a loss for explanation, saying to each other: “What does it mean?”
v. 13 Others, though, mocked in derision: “They are drunk on new, sweet wine!”
Study Notes:
v. 1 And when the Day of Pentecost arrived, everyone was together in the same place.
This is fifty days after the Passover Sabbath. This is the First Fruits harvest feast and one of the three Great Feasts. One celebration element is two loaves baked from the first wheat harvested (perhaps thanks for the Law and the Mercy?) and was a thanks for provision in the past and expectation for the future. This was the party feast and attracted a wide range of international Jews and God-fearers. If they were in the upper story of Mark’s home beside the Temple mount, their street would have already been busy with pilgrims.
v. 2 Then suddenly the roar of a rushing, forceful wind came from heaven and it filled the whole house where they were staying.
It’s the sound that drowns out all others for those who have been in a hurricane. This “sound” or roar is used in other places when the Father speaks from heaven. It was the sound coming from heaven’s wind. The sound of the Spirit moving in power. No one could escape this sound inside this home. And that was the main sound that those in the streets were drawn to – a ready-made congregation for the first Spirit-filled message to the church.
The word for wind here is not the usual one that could be either wind or spirit. This is the wind that comes forcefully like a hurricane.
v. 3 And tongues of fire appeared and spread among them and stayed on every person there.
If the tongues of fire separated (spread), then a fire came and then separated. The Holy Spirit physically appeared and spread through the room to everyone. Not just apostles. Not just those “voted in.” Not just leaders. Not just men. Everyone. This is one of the big declarations at the first that God has not discarded or limited anyone from His gift and His calling because of race, gender, class, or heritage. All of these were the grid by which relationships happened. No more. The Spirit has come and all were filled. And He stayed or rested on each person.
The tongues of fire distributed itself (just like the Holy Spirit is given and distributed.) John the Baptist reminded us of this – that Jesus would baptize us with the Holy Spirit and with fire.
These are the proofs of the giving of the promise of the Father. The wind, the fire, the words of the Good News in every language.
v. 4 Then everyone was filled with the Holy Spirit and they began to speak with different tongues as the Spirit empowered them to speak.
Mark calls this “new tongues.” The word can mean different or other. Note that the Spirit enabled them or empowered them to speak in different tongues or languages; he did not “disable” their intellect like what happened to Saul and the prophets in their wild ecstatic experience in the OT. He did not “disable” their awareness around them or their ability to reason. He enabled them spiritually to speak in other tongues.
v. 5 Now there were godly Jews from every nation under heaven staying in Jerusalem.
The word can mean both staying and living. It would be common that many Jews from all over would want to live in this city. But additionally, there were many here and staying for the festival. These who live and these who were staying would be out in the streets for this festival. And they heard the noise (demonstration) and then the message (proclamation). That they were devout and godly meant they were looking for the Kingdom expression that the prophecies declared.
v. 6 And with this noisy happening, the throngs merged together and they were bewildered because each person heard them speaking in their own language.
Anyone who has visited ancient cities know that the streets are often narrow and crowded but typically spill out into a plaza or square that serves as a sort of “round-about” for all the traffic, foot and otherwise. These different streets were jammed. And they spilled out to the place the noise happened. And when they got there, the Jesus-followers (remember, it was 120 just a week and a half ago) were out in the square speaking in new languages. Each drew a crowd who understood the language they spoke. I can imagine that Philip attracted a crowd of Arabs because he was speaking Arabic. Or perhaps Mary was speaking Latin and the Romans were surrounding her.
vv. 7-8 They were beside themselves and stood in awe and said: “Look at this! All these who are speaking are Galileans! And we hear what they say in our own native language!”
Two words that mean perplexed, astounded, awe-struck are used here. They heard their own native languages in a redneck Galilean backwater accent. They understood that they “weren’t from around here.”
This passage would affirm that the miracle was in the speaking and not the hearing. The pouring out of the Spirit was on those who spoke, not yet on those who were in the audience.
vv. 9-10 Parthians, Medes, Elamites and those living in Mesopotamia; Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus, Asia, both Phrygia and Pamphylia; Egypt and areas of Libya around Cyrene; also those visiting from Rome;
Each of these cities and regions had larger populations of Jews and God-fearers. In addition, many of these areas had people who for the past three-plus years visited Judea and Galilee and heard Jesus and experienced His miracles. Some perhaps (like the Cyrenean who helped Jesus carry his cross) even saw the crucifixion and heard the stories of the resurrection.
v. 11 These were both Jews and newcomers to the Jewish faith, along with Cretans and Arabians, and they said: “We hear them declaring the mighty works God has done, but in our own language!”
This list is not exhaustive but an indication of the wide sweep of people and languages God had called together this day through the Feast of Pentecost. It was virtually the full Mediterranean and beyond. The Parthians, for instance, stretched all the way to India. Many were hungry for the things of God and were eagerly awaiting news of the Messiah’s coming. And the powerful works of Jesus pointed them to faith in Him.
v. 12 They were beside themselves totally at a loss for explanation, saying to each other: “What could this possibly be? And what does it mean?”
Yes, they saw and heard what was happening but couldn’t connect the dots until Peter declared the Good News of the Kingdom. It’s like that today. Our lives, our peace, our generosity, our kindness, and the miracles of answered prayers all need the words of the Gospel to connect people to eternity. That’s the answer to “What could this possibly be?”
v. 13 Others, though, mocked in derision: “They are drunk on new, sweet wine!”
New wine was sweet and powerfully intoxicating, like the Holy Spirit. The scoffers didn’t miss it by much.
Small Group Questions – Acts 2:1-4
- How are you at waiting? What is something that you had to wait a long time (or at least it seemed like a long time?
- What do you think it would be like to be one of the Acts Jesus-followers in v. 1 after waiting ten days for the Promise of the Father?
- How does “wind” represent God?
- How does “fire” represent God?
- Read vv. 4-5. When the Spirit filled everyone and not just the leaders, what do you think God was indicating?
- Is different tongues in this passage different from what you expected? How does this point to God’s plan in Acts 1:8
- How can we pray for you tonight?
Small Group Questions – Acts 2:5-13
- What is the noisiest party or celebration you’ve ever been in? Was it inside or outside? Was it scary or did it draw you in?
- The noisy of the wind and the noise of the worship in different tongues at Pentecost drew people in and they asked questions. What do you think the Father says when so many different nations were involved in this “street party?”
- When you became a Christ-follower how did your identity change? What became different? (If you are still searching, what about your identity do you value that God is involved in?)
- If you were there in the streets of Jerusalem, in the shadows of the Temple Mount, would you be one of the 120 or one of the throng? How would you answer the question in v. 12? How would you answer the comment in v. 13?
- What would you like to ask the Father for today?
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