1 "AND when the day of Pentecost was now come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound as of the rushing of a mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them tongues parting asunder, like as of fire; 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. 2 "Now there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, 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, 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, What meaneth this? But others mocking said, They are filled with new wine."
Golden Text: "They were all filled with the Holy Ghost." Acts 2:4.
(1) What noted feast of the Jews is mentioned in our lesson? Verse 1. Note 1. (2) Where were the disciples at this time? Verse 1. Note 2. (3) What occurred? Verse 2. (4) What appeared unto them? Verse 3. (5) How were the disciples affected? Verse 4. Note 3. (6) Who were in Jerusalem at this time? and from where? Verse 5. (7) When the disciples heard this sound, what occurred? Verse 6. Note 4. (8) How were the people affected, and what did they say? Verses 7, 8. (9) What languages were present? Verses 9, 10. (10) What did they all hear? Verse 11. (11) What question did they ask? Verse 12. (12) What did the unbelieving say? Verse 13. Note 5. (13) What was the solution of the problem? Golden text.
NOTES.
1. Pentecost, the "fiftieth," that is, the fiftieth day after the Passover, thought by some eminent scholars to have fallen the year of the crucifixion on the Sabbath, by others on Sunday. But it was not any day of the week which the outpouring of the Spirit was to honor. This is shown in the fact that the day of the week is not even referred to, and the further fact that more than one week had passed after our Lord's ascension. The day of Pentecost was God's time. It was one of the three great feasts of the Jews. It was called the day of first-fruits (Num. 28:26), or feast of harvest (Ex. 23:16), as the wheat fields were then ripe. It typified the gathering in of the first-fruits of the Gospel under the outpouring of the early rain of the Spirit. It was said by the Jews to commemorate the giving of the law from Sinai. It was the great gathering of the Jews. In Nero's day 2,700,000 Jews were in Jerusalem at the Passover and still more at Pentecost. It was at such a time that the type of first-fruits met its antitype of the harvest of souls.
2. Together.—This is held to be the better reading. It is said that during the preceding days the devout Jews spent the time in prayer and the study of the word of God. The disciples, numbering 120, were praying and waiting for the promise of the Spirit. See Luke 24:49; Acts 1:8. They were prepared for the promise.
3. Were filled.—Even as the sound filled all the house, the Spirit, the life, the power of God, filled the disciples. They were wholly yielded to God, and the Lord took complete possession. 2 Cor. 4:10, 11. It was to abide, even as its symbol, the tongue of flame, sat on each one. Among the gifts of the Spirit is that of tongues. 1 Cor. 12:10. Apart from the divine power and enlightenment, the gift of tongues, other than their mother tongue, was most needed. God enabled the various ones, as he willed (1 Cor. 12:11), to speak doubtless the languages of each and all present.
4. When, etc.—God never works by halves. When his servants were ready, the Spirit descended. When his servants received the Spirit, the people were prepared, yea, anxious to hear. When God's ministers have his message and his Spirit, he will furnish them auditors. If necessity require, God will give another tongue, or translate to the ear of the hearer in his own tongue, truth spoken in another language.
5. Others mocking.—Men can be so blind as to reject the mightiest evidences. The Jews would not believe Christ, even when the living Lazarus, who was dead, stood before them as the proof of Christ's power. They could not believe as long as self-honor was preferred to God's glory. John 5:44. It is not the amount of evidence which gives faith; it is the spirit of the hearer. The woman of Samaria desired a Saviour; she heard and believed. The proud Pharisee felt sufficient in himself, and rejected the mightiest evidence. "The meek will he teach his way."
