Summary of Acts 2:1-13:
On the day of Pentecost the 120 were all in one place (presumably praying still and waiting for the gift). A sound like a blowing violent wind came from heaven and filled the house where they were sitting. They saw tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in tongues through the power of the Holy Spirit.
A lot of people in Jerusalem heard this sound and came together to see what was happening. They were bewildered because each was speaking in his own language. They asked, “Aren’t these all Galileans? How is it we hear them in our own language? What does this mean?”
Some made fun of them and said they were drunk.
BSF Study Questions Act 2 Lesson 2, Day 2: Acts 2:1-13:
3) The disciples heard a sound like the blowing of a violent wind come form heave and fill the house where they were sitting. The saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that spearated and came to rest on them. Then they all began to speak in tongues as the Holy Spirit filled them. Inward reality: God/Jesus was with them. Unseen reality same.
4) Personal Question. My answer: Unsure really. I don’t do a lot of church activities anymore since my kids are older so I’m rarely together with believers for such a unity to take place.
5) This emphasized the power of the Holy Spirit. It proved the power of God as well.
Conclusions BSF Study Questions Act 2 Lesson 2, Day 2: Acts 2:1-13:
This is where we see the speaking of tongues in the Bible, which we think of as weird today, but was normal back then.
End Notes BSF Study Questions Act 2 Lesson 2, Day 2: Acts 2:1-13:
Pentecost was celebrated 50 days after Passover that celebrated the firstfruits of the wheat harvest. Pentecost also marked the day the Law as given to the Jews. They sometimes call Pentecost the Joy of the Law.
- OT Pentecost: Jews received Law.
- NT Pentecost: Church received Holy Spirit
This was the 10th day that the disciples were waiting. The Holy Spirit is promised to us and worth waiting for.
God often comes in a wind:
- Genesis 1:1-2, it is the Spirit of God as the breath/wind of God, blowing over the waters of the newly created earth.
- Genesis 2:7, it is the Spirit of God as the breath/wind of God, blowing life into newly created man.
- In Ezekiel 37:9-10, it is the Spirit of God as the breath/wind of God, moving over the dry bones of Israel bringing them life and strength.
Jesus would baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire (Matthew 3:11).
The idea behind the picture of fire is usually purification, as a refiner uses fire to make pure gold; or fire can burn away what is temporary, leaving only what will last. The filling of the Holy Spirit is not just for abstract power, but for purity.
In certain places in the Old Testament, God showed His special pleasure with a sacrifice by lighting the fire for it Himself – that is, fire from heaven came down and consumed the sacrifice. Here, we see God sending fire from heaven to show His pleasure and power, but upon living sacrifices (Romans 12:1).
In the Old Testament, the Holy Spirit rested on Israel as a nation. Here, the Holy Spirit rests on individuals.
The Speaking of Tongues
Not many homes of that day could hold 120 people. It is far more likely that this upper room was part of the temple courts, which was a huge structure, with porches and colonnades and rooms. The crowd came from people milling about the temple courts.
People from Galilee (Galileans) were known to be uncultured and poor speakers. This was all the more reason to be impressed with their ability to speak eloquently in other languages.
Why speak in tongues?
- Some think that the gift of tongues was given primarily as a sign to unbelievers (1 Corinthians 14:21-22) and as a means to miraculously communicate the gospel in diverse languages. They believe there is no longer the need for this sign, so they regard tongues as a gift no longer present in the church today.
- Others argue that the gift of tongues, while a sign to unbelievers as stated by 1 Corinthians 14:21-22, are primarily a gift of communication between the believer and God (1 Corinthians 14:2, 13-15), and is a gift still given by God today.
- The idea that these disciples communicated to the diverse crowd in tongues is plainly wrong. The crowd had a common language (Greek), and Peter preached a sermon to them in that language! (Acts 2:14-40)
- When tongues is practiced in the corporate life of the church, it must be carefully controlled, and never without an interpretation given by the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 14:27-28).
- The ability to pray in an unknown tongue is not a gift given to every believer (1 Corinthians 12:30).
- We should regard the gift of Acts 2 and the gift of tongues in 1 Corinthians as the same, simply because the same term is used for both in the original language (heterais glossais). Also, the verb translated gave them utterance in Acts 2:4 is frequently used in Greek literature in connection with spiritually prompted (ecstatic) speech, not mere translation into other languages.