Digging Deeper Days
Finding the original intent of Scripture and making good application to our everyday lives as we become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!
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The Questions
1) Who were all together in one place (verse 1)?
2) What did those present hear and see?
3) What did those present receive and do?
Acts 2:1-4
When the day of Pentecost had arrived, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like that of a violent rushing wind came from heaven, and it filled the whole house where they were staying. 3 They saw tongues like flames of fire that separated and rested on each one of them. 4 Then they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different tongues, as the Spirit enabled them.
Original Intent
1) Who were all together in one place (verse 1)?
The day had arrived for the Jewish feast of Pentecost. In studying the Old Testament, we discover the significance of this day for the Jews. “Pentecost” is the Greek name for the festival known as the Feast of Weeks. It was a traditional day in their annual spring feast when the Jews offered their first-fruits of the wheat harvest to God. (Exodus 34:21-22) Ten days before Pentecost, Jesus had reiterated His prediction of the coming Holy Spirit. (Acts 1:5) John the Baptist had also foretold of this day. (Matthew 3:5) The only biblical reference to the actual events of Pentecost is here in Acts 2. On this day, much like they were on the evening of the Last Supper, the disciples were gathered in one place. It’s likely these are the believers Luke (the author of Acts) mentioned earlier in 1:15. Although scholars aren’t certain of the location, many believe it was the upper room of the house already mentioned in the book. (Acts 1:12-15)
2) What did those present hear and see?
In verses 2-3 we read how these believers heard a sound and saw a vision. The passage doesn’t specifically say it was actual wind, nor does it say they saw actual fire. We know that because of the use of the word “like.” What we do know for sure is Luke wanted to communicate that the “violent” noise could be heard by everyone there, because he says it “filled the whole house”. Amid this house-shattering noise, these believers also received a visual. The text indicates the apparent fire came in one piece and then separated into individual flames. The Greek word diamerizomenai indicates the fire was seen dividing itself. (net.bible.org) These flames of fire were obviously not normal fire because no one was burned or scorched as it “rested” on them. Commentator Bob Utley says, “Luke is using an analogy to try to express a unique occurrence of a physical manifestation of the Spirit.” The amazing thing is there “was no distinction made between Apostles or disciples; men or women.” (bible.org) It rested on them ALL.
3) What did those present receive and do?
Verse 4 says all those in that place were “filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different tongues as the Spirit enabled them.” Being “filled with the Spirit” was a wonder that had been experienced by people of faith at various times in the Old Testament. (Exodus 35:30-34, Numbers 11:26-29, 1 Samuel 10:6-10) Here, Luke uses “filling” to express that the believers received the Holy Spirit’s presence and enablement. (“A Theology of Luke-Acts,” Darrell L. Bock). On this day, the believers assembled in this place were unified and expectant. The previous chapter tells us “they all were continually united in prayer.” (Acts 1:14) As the Spirit of God filled their hearts, speaking in tongues was the outward evidence that God had done something inwardly. It is clear from the context of this passage, that these “tongues” were an indication of their ability to speak in another language which was previously unknown to the one speaking. (verses 6, 8). Utley offers great insight: “Theologically, it is possible that Pentecost is the direct opposite of the tower of Babel in Genesis 10-11. As prideful, rebellious humans asserted their independence, God implemented His will by the insertion of multiple languages. Now, the nationalism which impedes humans from uniting believers has been reversed. Christian fellowship across every human boundary is the reversal of the consequences of Genesis 3.” (bible.org)
Everyday Application
1) Who were all together in one place (verse 1)?
The believers, many of whom had seen Jesus suffer and die and then be raised from the dead, were gathered in these days for prayer and encouragement. What a beautiful picture of the Church together in fellowship and worship and ultimately evangelism. (Acts 2:37-42) “It’s a shame that the term ‘Pentecostal power’ has, for many people, become more associated with “speaking in tongues” than with the harvest of world evangelization. Be sure at this point you see the main focus: it is a feast of harvest in Jerusalem, and on this very day, Jesus pours out the Spirit in extraordinary power and 3,000 people are harvested from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of God.” Peter had emphasized the importance of continuing the witness of Christ & His resurrection. Chapter 1 ends with the believers praying for a replacement for Judas in the apostolic ministry. They met together, united around the truth of the message of the resurrection. This message is the very same reason we unite and gather as believers today. (1 Corinthians 15:12-22 )
2) What did those present hear and see?
Piper says that “at times the Holy Spirit makes Himself known with visible, audible, touchable manifestations. In the Old Testament, there was the pillar of cloud and the pillar of fire. At Jesus’ baptism, there was the dove. In Acts 4, the building shakes. In chapter 6, Stephen’s face was like the face of an angel. In chapter 16, there is an earthquake. At times, the Spirit stoops to give us visible, audible, touchable demonstrations of His magnificent presence and power.” Jesus told Nicodemus the Spirit moves as He pleases, working in the hearts of people. (John 3:8) We don’t know why God moves as He does in certain circumstances. Clearly, the believers in that room recognized the power of God. Signs and wonders from God will be evidenced by the worship of God, not the wonders themselves. God allowed His Spirit to be heard and seen in a unique way so those present would know it was HIM!
3) What did those present receive and do?
What a miracle! God’s Spirit had been seen and heard in such a spectacular way. When the believers began speaking in the tongues of different languages, enabled by the Spirit, a significant event was occurring. Everyone present were witnesses to a dramatic demonstration of God’s sovereign power. Maybe the apostles remembered what Jesus had spoken to them, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” This power was given to the disciples for them to be equipped and enabled to be witnesses to the world of the death and resurrection of Christ. It is not inconsequential that people from all the nations were there. They needed to understand the amazing things the disciples were declaring in their own language! (Acts 2:6) It was a day that marked what God meant for the future of the people of the world, for all to understand His power and His willingness to save miraculously all who will believe the witness of the gospel message. “Missions is our way of saying: the joy of knowing Christ is not a private, or tribal, or national or ethnic privilege. It is for all. And … we go because we have tasted the joy of worshiping Jesus, and we want all … included.” (Let the Nations be Glad, John Piper)
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Digging Deeper is for Everyone!
1) Take this passage (or any other passage).
2) Read it, and the verses around it,
several times
3) Write down your questions
as you think of them.
4) Ask specific culture related questions and be ready to dig around for your answers. Google them, use www.studylight.org, or look them up in a study Bible and read the footnotes (click on the little letters next to a word and it will show you
other related verses!). (www.esvbible.org)
5) Check your applications with other trusted Christians that you are in community with and embrace the fullness of God
in your everyday!
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Why Dig Deeper?
Finding the original meaning is a huge deal when we study Scripture and can make all the difference in our understanding as we apply God’s truths to our everyday lives.
In our modern-day relationships, we want people to understand our original intention as we communicate; how much more so between God and humanity?!
Here’s a little bit more on why we take Digging Deeper so seriously.
Study Tools
We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources, providing the original Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament) with an English translation.
Want to know more about a specific word in a verse? Click on “Strong’s Interlinear Bible” then click the word you’d like to study. Discover “origin”, “definition” and hear the original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!
Want more background? Click “Study Tools”, then pick a few commentaries to read their scholarly approach, keeping in mind that just because a commentary says it, doesn’t mean it’s true. (just like the internet :-))
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I had never heard the analogy that Pentecost was the opposite of the Tower of Nabel event. Pentecost reversed the curse. Praise his name!
Me neither, Mandy! This was so good, Marietta!