Acts (Written)

Wednesday, 27 October 2021

And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together, and were confused, because everyone heard them speak in his own language. Acts 2:6

Note: You can listen to today’s introduction courtesy of our friends at “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read this commentary, with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

The previous verses noted the sound of the rushing wind and the speaking in tongues. They also noted that there were Jews “from every nation under heaven.” The verse now begins with, “And when this sound occurred.” It is referring to the events just mentioned, probably beginning with the rushing wind followed by the speaking in tongues, and certainly with a stress on the tongues.

This is because the word translated as “sound” is different than that of verse 2:2. There, it was the word échos. That refers to a loud or confused sound (the mighty, rushing wind). Here, the word is phóné. This refers to a sound which is inclusive of a voice, language, or dialect (the utterances of the disciples).  With that occurring, it says, “the multitude.”

That is a direct reference to those of the previous verse just mentioned, “Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven.” It is the pilgrims of the pilgrim feast. The law mandated that they come, and these men (certainly with their families as the law directed), in obedience to the law, had presented themselves in the temple area. In this place, they were drawn to the spot, where the disciples had gathered, to find out what was going on. It is there and while listening to the sound – that it says they “were confused.”

The word in Greek is a compound verb coming from sun (together) and cheó (to pour). If one takes two liquids and pours them together, they intermingle, and their properties become confused. This is the thought of those who heard. They were unable to properly process what was going on “because everyone heard them speak.”

The verb is imperfect, saying, “because everyone was hearing.” They heard and they kept on hearing. It is an important part of what is being conveyed. To simply say, “they heard” is not as uncommon as we might initially think, as will be explained in a minute. However, these people heard, and what they heard continued on, as Luke says, “in his own language.”

It is the same word first used in Acts 1:19 –

“And it became known to all those dwelling in Jerusalem; so that field is called in their own language, Akel Dama, that is, Field of Blood.)”

Translating this as “language” is incorrect. In verses 2:8-11, it will mention some of the various tongues that are heard. Understanding their origin, Vincent’s Word Studies notes, “The Phrygians and Pamphylians, for instance, both spoke Greek, but in different idioms; the Parthians, Medes, and Elamites all spoke Persian, but in different provincial forms.”

Hence, these are not only unique languages, but dialects (tongues is acceptable) within various languages are noted. The point is that what is heard is completely understandable to those who heard. The next verse will explain the confusion, noting that those who are speaking are Galileans. As such, even if they spoke the language, they would certainly not be proficient in the pronunciation nor in the dialect.

What is happening may not have been confusing if they heard someone call out an expression in his own language, or even his own dialect. This happens all the time. Someone knows a word or two of Spanish, Malay, German, or Japanese, and they call it out to a person of that nation. This might be the case if someone visited a Japanese restaurant and he said to the owners as he walked in, 私は日本食が大好きです。最も良い！(Watashi wa nipponshoku ga daisukidesu. Mottomo yoi!).

This might be impressive to some extent, but such a simple phrase can be learned quickly enough. However, if the person said it in a perfect local dialect, and the owners happened to be from that area, they may be a bit surprised. If the person continued to speak in this dialect, a state of confusion would come upon the owners. “This guy has blond hair and round eyes (nice hazel round eyes!) and he not only speaks Japanese, but he speaks it perfectly in our own dialect” – 本当にすごいです(Hontōni sugoidesu!)

Remember, what is happening here is occurring at the same time of year that the law was received by the people at Mount Sinai. The difference is quite striking. The law was received from the Lord in a state of fear, quaking, trembling, and with a voice that brought terror upon the people. It was the Lord speaking to Israel in their own language. But more, it was only spoken to Israel.

At Pentecost, the sound is familiar, and it is at a time of rejoicing (Deuteronomy 12:12). In fact, no one who was in mourning could participate in this event (Deuteronomy 26:14). And further, it came not only in the language of the people, but in the language of all people “from every nation under heaven” (Acts 2:5). Though these are Jews, they are Jews who came from those other nations, implying that the word is not only intended for these Jews, but for all people.

But more, what is heard is from the Lord through His people. In this, the contrast to the law is complete. The law is of fear. The giving of the Spirit is of friendliness. The law calls for works. The Spirit comes through faith. The law brings condemnation. The work of Christ brings salvation. These, and innumerable other contrasts, are seen in the law versus the gospel of grace.

Life application: There is a Jewish teaching that the Law of Moses, given at Mount Sinai, went out to all the world in the seventy known languages of the people recorded in Genesis 10. This is certainly a false teaching that began after the events at Pentecost.

This is found in a midrash, or Jewish commentary on Scripture, that was supposedly recorded by Rabbi Yohannan (30BC to AD90). If Yohannan actually said this, he certainly realized the significance of what occurred at Pentecost. He possibly made that story up in order to demonstrate that what occurred at Pentecost was not without precedent and was not something special or unique to faith in Christ Jesus. There is nothing in Scripture to justify this false teaching, and if it were so, the Bible would have recorded it.

It is just as possible that this is credited to Yohannan because he lived during the time that the events occurred, and it is a way of robbing the truth of the Pentecost experience recorded in Scripture away from its actual source.

One must be exceedingly careful when referring to Jewish commentaries. If what they state or claim is not in accord with Scripture, it is best to disregard it. There has been an agenda in Judaism to obscure the truth of Christ for two thousand years.

Likewise, it is unsound to take Jewish cultural events, such as how their wedding marriages are conducted, and to insert that into one’s New Testament theology. This is a giant problem that often confuses the truth of what is being conveyed by Jesus and the apostles, and it leads to many incorrect doctrines concerning events that have, or that will, occur.

This is especially true with modern Messianic and Hebrew Roots evaluations of things like the Leviticus 23 Feasts of the Lord, the Shemitah, the Sabbath and Jubilee cycles, and so on. These extra-biblical insertions do not help us evaluate those things. Rather, they misdirect our eyes away from what God intends for us to see, meaning Jesus Christ.

The Bible stands alone as the testament to what God is doing in Christ. If any extra-biblical teaching does not sync with what is stated in Scripture, toss it. Just because someone is Jewish and appears well-versed in the language and culture of the Jews, it does not mean he is a specialist on the Bible. It is a huge problem within the modern church, and it should not become a part of our personal theology. Stick with the Bible!

Lord God, Your word is sufficient for our knowledge, doctrine, and practice concerning our faith. May we be careful to not trust people with fine sounding arguments that do not align with Your word, even if they claim it is something that reveals secrets about You. That is what Your word is for. May we let this sink into our minds. Amen.

Tuesday, 26 October 2021

And there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven. Acts 2:5

Note: You can listen to today’s introduction courtesy of our friends at “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read this commentary, with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

In the previous verses, the Holy Spirit came upon the believers and they “began to speak with other tongues.” With that noted, Luke now turns to the broader audience who witnessed these things, saying, “And there were dwelling.”

The word katoikeó, is used. It signifies to settle down as a permanent resident. Scholars generally argue against this notion though because in the coming verses Jews from many locations will be noted, and in verse 9, it uses the same word in the same present tense to indicate those dwelling in Mesopotamia and elsewhere.

There is no difficulty with this. Some of these foreign-born Jews now dwelt permanently in Jerusalem. Some were pilgrims visiting Jerusalem. In Deuteronomy, Moses says what the Lord will do to the people if they disobey Him –

“Then the Lord will scatter you among all peoples, from one end of the earth to the other, and there you shall serve other gods, which neither you nor your fathers have known—wood and stone.” Deuteronomy 28:64

However, the Lord also promised restoration –

“Now it shall come to pass, when all these things come upon you, the blessing and the curse which I have set before you, and you call them to mind among all the nations where the Lord your God drives you, ² and you return to the Lord your God and obey His voice, according to all that I command you today, you and your children, with all your heart and with all your soul, ³ that the Lord your God will bring you back from captivity, and have compassion on you, and gather you again from all the nations where the Lord your God has scattered you. ⁴ If any of you are driven out to the farthest parts under heaven, from there the Lord your God will gather you, and from there He will bring you. ⁵ Then the Lord your God will bring you to the land which your fathers possessed, and you shall possess it. He will prosper you and multiply you more than your fathers. ⁶ And the Lord your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants, to love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live.” Deuteronomy 30:1-6

The people who were exiled were brought back. Many came back permanently, some would come back at appointed times, such as the pilgrim feasts, of which the time of Pentecost was one. Paul specifically returned to Jerusalem, as is indicated in Acts 18, to keep a feast –

“So Paul still remained a good while. Then he took leave of the brethren and sailed for Syria, and Priscilla and Aquila were with him. He had his hair cut off at Cenchrea, for he had taken a vow. ¹⁹ And he came to Ephesus, and left them there; but he himself entered the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews. ²⁰ When they asked him to stay a longer time with them, he did not consent, ²¹ but took leave of them, saying, ‘I must by all means keep this coming feast in Jerusalem; but I will return again to you, God willing.’ And he sailed from Ephesus.” Acts 18:18-21

Even today in Israel, this is true. One can go to a large dancehall and see people who have returned to the land from dozens of countries gathered together. They will have learned the Hebrew language, but they will most commonly speak to family in their own native language, such as Russian, Arabic, English, or etc.

Understanding this, Luke continues with, “in Jerusalem.” As this is Pentecost, and as there are people gathered from many different areas, it makes the thought of this gathering being at the temple complex all the more certain. The disciples are gathered in one place (1:1), also called a “house” (1:2), and there are many others gathered there. This would be as directed by Moses –

“But when you cross over the Jordan and dwell in the land which the Lord your God is giving you to inherit, and He gives you rest from all your enemies round about, so that you dwell in safety, ¹¹ then there will be the place where the Lord your God chooses to make His name abide. There you shall bring all that I command you: your burnt offerings, your sacrifices, your tithes, the heave offerings of your hand, and all your choice offerings which you vow to the Lord.” Deuteronomy 12:10, 11

As this is certain, Luke continues, saying, “Jews.” The term speaks of any person, regardless as to which tribe the person was actually from. It is an all-encompassing term that became acceptable to speak of anyone of the stock of Israel. This is how Paul uses the term, even when referring to himself –

“For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win the more; ²⁰ and to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews.” 1 Corinthians 9:19, 20

Despite using this term, Paul is actually from the tribe of Benjamin (see Philippians 3:5). As such, the term “Jews” as used by Luke is referring to any and all of Israel. The tribe of Judah became the predominant tribe. The designation “Jew” is the umbrella by which those of all tribes were labeled, and that has remained true to this day. Of these Jews, Luke says they are “devout men.”

The Greek word is only used by Luke. Once in his gospel (Luke 2:25) and three times in Acts. It is a compound word that literally means “‘taking hold of what is good.’ It focuses on the outward response someone gives to what they feel is truly worthwhile (worthy of respect)” HELPS Word Studies. At times, translators say, “God-fearing” which is more of a paraphrase, but it implies that a godly fear is instilled in the person.

This would be obvious as the people had followed the Law of Moses, as stated above, and had come to the temple to observe the feast as the law instructed. This description is made more pronounced by the final words of the verse, “from every nation under heaven.”

These were men who had been returned from exile and had returned to the land as the Lord promised, or they were men of the diaspora that believed the words of Scripture to some degree, and they wanted to participate in the customs of the Jews as the law stated. Thus, they were “taking hold of what is good,” at least in this respect of the law.

Of this verse, Ruckman ridiculously says, “There are no ‘Christians’ present in the chapter; no ‘Christians’ show up until Acts 11:26. Peter is addressing Jews (here; vss 10, 14, 22). The only Gentiles present are ‘proselytes’ to Judaism (vs. 10).” As such, Ruckman is trying to divide the church into two separate entities with two separate gospels.

Acts 11:26, that he cites, simply says, “And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.” It is an acknowledgement that the movement that began on Pentecost in Jerusalem developed into what would become its only separately identified group of people known as “Christians.” This is evidenced by Peter’s words of 1 Peter 4:16 –

“Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter.”

The designation “Christian” means “follower of Christ.” In Acts 2, Peter will use the term “Christ” four times, clearly indicating in two of them that he (Peter) is a “Christian” as are those with him, even if the term had not come into common use at the time –

“Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.” Acts 2:36

“Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” Acts 2:38

In the middle of his analysis, Ruckman switches from the subject to the object – from Peter to Peter’s audience, thus pulling a fast one in his flawed theology. Of course, Peter was only speaking to Jews. This is in the temple in Jerusalem, and only Jews and proselytes were allowed into this area. The message itself was designated to go to the Jew first and then to the Gentile (see Acts 26:23). But it is the same group of believers that spread the message, meaning Christians (aka “followers of Christ).

The doctrine of hyperdispensationalism which Ruckman teaches is heretical and insidiously divides the church established by Jesus Christ for truly malignant purposes.

Life application: For such a seemingly simple verse, much is tied up in what it says. It is important to know the rest of Scripture to understand the context of what is being conveyed. For those who spend most of their time trying to separate the testaments, covenants, and promises by dividing them into wholly separate ideas, there will be a failure in grasping the overall message being conveyed.

It is true that the Mosaic Covenant is obsolete in Christ, but one cannot have a New Covenant without there first being an Old Covenant. God is slowly and progressively revealing Himself in the stream of human existence, logically building a case for man’s need for Christ in every dispensation that arises.

In the end, the final point of everything that God is doing is to reveal Himself through Christ and to reveal our need for Christ. He used Israel, the Jewish people, to reveal a very large part of that program. Without understanding their history, as well as the promises yet to be fulfilled in them, a huge void in our understanding of God’s message will result. Hence, you are admonished to READ YOUR BIBLE.

It is in Scripture that the glory of what God has done for you is revealed. Again, READ YOUR BIBLE.

Lord God, thank You for Your precious word – the Holy Bible. Amen.

Monday, 25 October 2021

And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. Acts 2:4

Note: You can listen to today’s introduction courtesy of our friends at “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read this commentary, with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

The previous verse saw divided tongues, as of fire, rest upon each of the disciples who were sitting in the house. With that noted, Luke next records, “And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit.” It is what Jesus earlier spoke to the people about as is described in John –

“On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, ‘If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. ³⁸ He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’ ³⁹ But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.” John 7:37-39

This is what Jesus later refers to in John 14 and John 15 –

“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.” John 14:26

“But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me. ²⁷ And you also will bear witness, because you have been with Me from the beginning.” John 15:26, 27

It is also what Jesus was referring to when He spoke to the apostles after the resurrection in John 20 –

“So Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.’ ²² And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. ²³ If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.” John 20:21-23

In these verses from John 20, the word translated as “He breathed on them” is emphusaó. It is a word found only there in the New Testament. However, it is the same word used in the Greek translation of the Old Testament in Genesis 2:7 –

“And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.”

Jesus was making a point in John 20 that He is the Lord God who originally formed man. His breathing on them was a token that they would be born again from above with the coming of the Spirit. This is not, then, a “second-birthing” of the Spirit here in Acts as claimed by charismatics. It is an attestation that Jesus is God.

In John 14, Jesus said the Father would send the Holy Spirit in Jesus’ name. In John 15, Jesus said that He would send the Holy Spirit from the Father. And in John 20, Jesus’ breath upon the apostles is a token of that occurrence. It is the work of the Godhead that is being revealed, and it reveals the truth of Jesus’ words of John 14 –

“Jesus said to him, ‘Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, “Show us the Father”? ¹⁰ Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works. ¹¹ Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves.’” John 14:9-11

The three members of the Godhead are working together in the redemptive process. The coming of the Holy Spirit in Acts is an outward, visible, audible demonstration of this. It is a confirmation that Jesus is, in fact, the Lord God. The new birth has come and the church that bears Jesus’ name is founded at this moment. This is based on the New Covenant that was established in Jesus’ blood only a short time before.

This is clearly evidenced in the fact that the New Covenant extends beyond the Jewish believers to include the Gentiles, as witnessed by Paul in both1 Corinthians 11:25 and 2 Corinthians 3:4-6 and then again by the author of Hebrews in Hebrews 8 and 9.

This “filling of the Holy Spirit” is that new birth. It is being born again from above because of the completed work of Christ. It is the spiritual reconnection to God that was lost when Adam transgressed the command. The outward display in Acts 2 is not normative for the church age. Rather, it was an outward display to confirm that the Spirit is now given to those who believe the gospel.

The outward display of tongues is first occurring in Jerusalem as a sign that the Feast of Shavuot (Weeks), which is Pentecost, is fulfilled. But this does not mean it is only fulfilled for those in Jerusalem. Just as Christ’s Passover sacrifice was observed as fulfilled by those in Jerusalem, it still extends to all believers (see 1 Corinthians 5:7).

Each thing must start somewhere, but that is only the beginning of the thing. The church started in Jerusalem, and it has continued to expand, as Jesus stated in Acts 1, to the ends of the earth –

“And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, ‘which,’ He said, ‘you have heard from Me; ⁵ for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.’ ⁶ Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, ‘Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?’ ⁷ And He said to them, ‘It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. ⁸ But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.’” Acts 1:4-8

In understanding these things, it next says of those who were filled with the Holy Spirit that they “began to speak with other tongues.” The word “tongues” means “languages.” In the case of what occurs in Acts 2, it does not mean gibberish, nor is it something acquired over time or improved through use. It is an immediate infusion of a new language into the person who is so filled. This is evidenced in the coming verses.

Later Paul will speak of tongues in a different way, acknowledging them as languages he already knew –

“I thank my God I speak with tongues more than you all; ¹⁹ yet in the church I would rather speak five words with my understanding, that I may teach others also, than ten thousand words in a tongue.” 1 Corinthians 14:18, 19

These languages, given to the believers as a sign to the people, came “as the Spirit gave them utterance.” Here Luke uses a word, apophtheggomai, found for the first of three times. It is seen only in Acts. It refers to a clear and plain enunciation, a declaration, and a speaking forth. The words spoken by these people were clearly conveyed, perfectly understood, and had precise meaning. Paul uses the word in Acts 26:25 and then explains it for his hearer –

“But he said, ‘I am not mad, most noble Festus, but speak the words of truth and reason.’”

The word “reason” literally means “sobriety.” In Acts 2:13, the people will claim the believers are “full of new wine.” Peter will correct this saying that they are not drunk. The enraptured voices of the believers were filled with reason, eloquence, power, and they were heightened with joy. What has come upon these believers in Jerusalem is solely of God, and it is an undoing of what occurred in Genesis 11 –

“And the Lord said, ‘Indeed the people are one and they all have one language, and this is what they begin to do; now nothing that they propose to do will be withheld from them. ⁷ Come, let Us go down and there confuse their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech.” ⁸ So the Lord scattered them abroad from there over the face of all the earth, and they ceased building the city. ⁹ Therefore its name is called Babel, because there the Lord confused the language of all the earth; and from there the Lord scattered them abroad over the face of all the earth.’” Genesis 11:6-9

Where the Lord confused the language of all the earth, He has now brought understanding. Where there was misunderstanding, there is now clarity. Though the tongues would cease in a supernatural way, languages continue to be learned in order to convey the gospel to all people on earth. In other words, the display of tongues in Acts 2, though not normative for the church age, is a token that the gospel is intended to speak to all people in any tongue, at any place, and at any time. Thus, it is the reuniting of all people on the planet into one body when the message of the gospel is accepted.

Life application: Acts 2 is a descriptive account of what occurred at the establishment of the church. It prescribes nothing. Further, it is not normative for the church age as is testified to throughout Acts and the epistles. Nothing is said that these same believers retained the tongues they spoke. Further, the epistles do not hint that what is described in Acts would reoccur later.

In this, the Pentecostal/Charismatic movement fails. They have taken descriptive accounts that refer to known languages that were given, along with temporary workings of the Spirit, and they have twisted them into something wholly unintended. Further, their supposed displays of tongues fail to adhere to the prescriptive directives for tongues given by Paul under the inspiration of the Spirit.

Secondly, the Feast of Pentecost is fulfilled because of Christ’s work, as is evidenced in Acts, just as were all of the other feasts of the Lord. The Hebrew Roots movement fails because they reintroduce these feasts, prescribing their observance when they were, in fact, fulfilled by Him. It is a heretical doctrine because it negates the work of Christ who fulfilled them. It is one thing to observe Pentecost as a memorial, and it is another thing to prescribe observance of the feasts as given in the Law of Moses, ignoring the fulfillment in Christ.

Thirdly, the church is clearly presented as being established in Acts 2. It is based on the one and only New Covenant that came through Christ’s shed blood. It is based on the one and only gospel that is to be conveyed to Jew and Gentile, and it is confirmed by the giving of the Holy Spirit of God to believers, based on the completed work of Christ. This will continue to be seen as Acts continues. Hyperdispensationalism fails because it teaches a heretical theology that separates both the gospel and the church into two separate entities.

Fourthly, Calvinism fails because it teaches that believers must be regenerated in order to believe (being born again), that people then believe, and they are then saved. This is contrary to both the descriptive and prescriptive passages of Scripture. Rather, a person hears the word, believes the gospel, and is sealed with the Holy Spirit unto salvation. This is more expressly seen in the epistles, but following the book of Acts is helpful in understanding this.

Be sure to reject such false doctrines. Just because something is described does not mean that it is normative. That which is fulfilled by Christ is to be acknowledged as such. And there is one church that began with the giving of the Spirit and continues with the giving of that Spirit to any who believe the gospel. When a person believes, he is then born again through the sealing of the Holy Spirit as the guarantee of the inheritance.

Lord God, thank You for the gift of Your Spirit. The record of Your word shows that it came among the early believers confirming the words of Jesus, and the record of the epistles assures us that we receive the Spirit the moment we believe the gospel. He seals us for the day of redemption. We have faith that it is true, even without any external confirmation of this. Believing that Christ died for us, was buried, and rose again is all we need to assure us that we are Yours. Thank you for Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.

Sunday, 24 October 2021

Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. Acts 2:3

Note: You can listen to today’s introduction courtesy of our friends at “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read this commentary, with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

In the previous verse, it was noted that the sound of the rushing mighty wind filled the house where the people were sitting. It is at this time that Luke next records, “Then there appeared.”

The idea seems to be that within the house, and without any known, visible source, something new came forth. The thought is not unlike what happened as is recorded in Daniel 5 –

“In the same hour the fingers of a man’s hand appeared and wrote opposite the lampstand on the plaster of the wall of the king’s palace; and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote.” Daniel 5:5

Seemingly, and out of nowhere, the fingers of a man’s hand appeared. Likewise, Luke records that to these disciples there appeared “to them divided tongues.” The verb is actually a present participle. The thought is something like “dividing tongues,” or “parting tongues.”

The word “tongues” is glossa. It signifies a tongue, a language, or even a nation which is distinguished by its language. Even before getting to the next verse, the idea is clear. A language is being presented “as of fire.”

Here the Greek is specific. It is not necessarily fire (although it could be), but that the tongues appeared and acted as if they were tongues of fire. Their appearance brought to mind how a tongue of fire would look and act as it divided from the main source. In the Old Testament, the term “tongue of fire” is found only once, in Isaiah 5:24 –

“Therefore, as a tongue of fire consumes the straw, and as dry grass shrivels in the flame, so their roots will decay and their blossoms will blow away like dust; for they have rejected the instruction of the LORD of Hosts and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel.” Isaiah 5:24

There, it signified the disapproval of the Lord towards the people of Israel and the judgment to be rendered upon them. The exact opposite is seen here in Acts. The display is one of favor upon the Lord’s people as is clearly seen in the next words, which say, “and one sat upon each of them.”

The tongues of fire came to rest individually upon those who had accepted the “Lord of Hosts,” meaning Jesus (see James 5:4 where he uses the same title and ascribes it to Jesus). Instead of judgment, as in Isaiah, it is a sign of divine favor.

Life application: It should be noted that the Day of Pentecost is held to be the exact same day of the calendar year that the Law of Moses was received at Mount Sinai. This can be affirmed by looking at the account found in Exodus. As such, there is now a contrast being made between the law which brings judgment and condemnation (as in Isaiah above) and the New Covenant which brings divine favor and a baptism (of fire – see Matthew 3:11, etc.) by the Spirit of God.

Having noted that, it must be remembered that this account in Acts is a descriptive passage. It prescribes nothing, and it cannot even be inferred that such a demonstration is normative. Rather, it is simply a confirmation that the Spirit approved of the faith of these believers and has given a manifested display of that approval. There are both similarities, and also differences, with two other accounts in Acts –

“While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word. ⁴⁵ And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. ⁴⁶ For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God.” Acts 10:44-46

“Then Paul said, ‘John indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on Him who would come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.’
⁵ When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. ⁶ And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied. ⁷ Now the men were about twelve in all.” Acts 19:4-7

These two descriptive passages are given to complement the account in Acts, and for very specific purposes. The first was to confirm that the same gospel message that brought the Spirit upon the Jews of Acts 2 also brought the Spirit upon Gentiles in Acts 10 (Peter was the apostle who was present in both instances). The tongues confirmed the acceptance of those who were saved in Acts 10.

In Acts 19, it was Jews that received the message of Christ, but this time it was Paul who presented it. In like manner to the gospel presented by Peter, the message was received, and it was confirmed by the speaking of tongues. These are the only times that such tongues are noted as coming upon believers in the book of Acts, and the giving of the accounts is purposeful.

What is being clearly revealed is that the exact same gospel is being conveyed by Peter and by Paul, and that the gospel presented by Peter is intended for both Jew and for Gentile. Likewise, the gospel presented by Paul is both for Jew and for Gentile. The demonstration of the speaking of tongues is the surety of this fact.

In other words, the word clearly and unambiguously reveals that hyperdispensationalism – which says that the gospel presented by Peter is not the same as the gospel presented by Paul – is a heretical teaching. As there is only one gospel, the teaching is anathema –

“I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, ⁷ which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. ⁸ But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed.” Galatians 1:6-8

And again –

^“For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. ¹³ For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. ¹⁴ For in fact the body is not one member but many.” 1 Corinthians 12:12-14

Be sure to avoid getting caught up in this heresy and be sure to let those know, who are caught up in it, that what they teach is anathema. There is one, and only one gospel message. That same message was proclaimed by all of the apostles, and it was confirmed by the giving of the Holy Spirit in an outward display of approval. We now have the record of that in the Bible, and such a display is no longer necessary.

Heavenly Father, thank You for the gift of the Spirit that You have graciously given to us because of the finished work of Jesus Christ. Now, through the gospel, we have peace and reconciliation with You. You have given us the Promise, and we await the day when we are brought into Your presence forever. May that Day be soon! Amen.

Saturday, 23 October 2021

And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Acts 2:2

Note: You can listen to today’s introduction courtesy of our friends at “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read this commentary, with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

Note: It is a good time to remind the reader of the five basic rules for interpreting the Bible –

1. Is this prescriptive (does it prescribe something)?
2. Is this descriptive (does it only describe what occurred)?
3. Context (Who is being addressed, what does the surrounding passage speak of, what is the dispensation, etc.).
4. Context (see 3).
5. Context (see 4).

Chapter 2 of Acts is a descriptive passage. It prescribes absolutely nothing for the church at this time. Instead, it is a historical account of what occurred. The fact that events occur in Acts 2 in a certain manner in no way means that they will occur in this manner ever again. An example of such an unusual event is found in Exodus 40, Leviticus 9, and again in 2 Chronicles 7 –

“Then the cloud covered the tabernacle of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. ³⁵ And Moses was not able to enter the tabernacle of meeting, because the cloud rested above it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.” Exodus 40:34, 35

“And Moses and Aaron went into the tabernacle of meeting, and came out and blessed the people. Then the glory of the Lord appeared to all the people, ²⁴ and fire came out from before the Lord and consumed the burnt offering and the fat on the altar. When all the people saw it, they shouted and fell on their faces.” Leviticus 9:23, 24

“When Solomon had finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the Lord filled the temple. ² And the priests could not enter the house of the Lord, because the glory of the Lord had filled the Lord’s house.” 2 Chronicles 7:1, 2

Such an event is not recorded elsewhere for either the tabernacle or the temple. Each was a one-time occurrence to demonstrate that the Lord had approved of the edifice that had been consecrated to Him. The events surrounding the coming of the Holy Spirit in Acts 2, the words of Peter to the people of Israel in this chapter, the growth of the church noted here, and so on are all simply a historical record of what occurred. They prescribe nothing for the conversion or doctrine of any believer – Jew or Gentile – into the future. This is especially so with the words of Peter to Israel concerning their conversion as is recorded in verse 2:38, and which will be evaluated at that time.

For now, the context is an event that occurs in Jerusalem, probably at the temple, and as a demonstration of the fulfillment of the symbolism of the Feast of Weeks (Shavuot/Pentecost) for the Jewish people to see and to understand that the Christian faith, which stems directly from the word of the Lord to and through the nation of Israel, conveys the fulfillment of those things that Israel had been promised concerning the coming of their Messiah.

With these things stated, the verse begins with, “And suddenly.” It is a new word found only three times in Acts, aphnó. It is an adverb signifying “suddenly,” or “unexpectedly.” What is occurring was unknown to the apostles as to its coming. They were told to wait in Jerusalem until they received the Promise from the Father (Acts 1:4), and now that is to be fulfilled.

In this sudden manner, “there came a sound from heaven.” It is reminiscent of the events of the past. Fire came from heaven at the consecration of the tabernacle (see above). Likewise, fire from the Lord fell upon the burnt sacrifice presented by Elijah on Mount Carmel. Events like this are given as a sign to the people that the Lord has accepted what is presented to Him. Now, a sound is heard coming from heaven “as of a rushing mighty wind.”

The word translated as “wind,” pnoé, is found only here and in Acts 17:25. It signifies “wind,” “breath,” or “gust.” It is the root of the word pneuma, or spirit, which is also a word that signifies breath, and wind. This is the same as the word ruakh in Hebrew. It likewise can be translated as wind, breath, or spirit depending on the context. The idea here is that this rushing wind is heard coming from heaven.

The word translated as “rushing,” pheró, signifies “to bear along.” One should get the notion of what will later be said by Peter concerning the word of the Lord. He uses the word three times in a row to describe what occurred while on the Mount of Transfiguration and also as it came through the prophets –

“And we heard this voice which came from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain.
¹⁹ And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts; ²⁰ knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, ²¹ for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.”

The adjective used to describe the wind is biaios, meaning “strong,” or “violent.” The sound of the wind was probably like that of a massive whirlwind, like what Job experienced when the presence of the Lord was near (see Job 40:6). That same wind Job experienced was noted when Elijah was translated to heaven as he went up “by a whirlwind.” The word is used elsewhere in the Old Testament to describe the tempest which surrounds the Lord as He accomplishes His work –

“Then the Lord will be seen over them,
And His arrow will go forth like lightning.
The Lord God will blow the trumpet,
And go with whirlwinds from the south.” Zechariah 9:14

The idea being conveyed is that something heavenly is occurring, and it is on the day of Pentecost, confirming again that the Lord is at work, fulfilling the symbolism of what the Leviticus feast day only typologically anticipated. With this understanding, Luke next records, “and it filled the whole house.”

The word translated as “house” is oikos. It means a house, but it is used frequently to describe the “house of the Lord,” meaning the temple and its surrounding area. For example –

“Then Jesus went into the temple of God and drove out all those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. ¹³ And He said to them, ‘It is written, “My house shall be called a house of prayer,” but you have made it a “den of thieves.”’” Matthew 21:12, 13

There is no reason to assume that the events occurring here are anywhere else but this “house.” The temple is where the events of Exodus, Leviticus, and 2 Chronicles (noted above) occurred, and it is where the pilgrims on such feast days would have gathered. It is in this place that they would be feasting, talking about the events of the past year, and so on – just as Israelites had been doing for many generations. It is in this house “where they were sitting.”

At the pilgrim feasts, the people would gather and sit together, eating and rejoicing. It was a time of celebration and joy. It was a time to relax and to take a break during the harvest cycle. Everything about Luke’s description points to a gathering of Israel, in the presence of the Lord, just as it is described in Deuteronomy –

“But you shall seek the place where the Lord your God chooses, out of all your tribes, to put His name for His dwelling place; and there you shall go. ⁶ There you shall take your burnt offerings, your sacrifices, your tithes, the heave offerings of your hand, your vowed offerings, your freewill offerings, and the firstborn of your herds and flocks. ⁷ And there you shall eat before the Lord your God, and you shall rejoice in all to which you have put your hand, you and your households, in which the Lord your God has blessed you.” Deuteronomy 12:5-7

Life application: As noted above, in this and the surrounding verses, it is seen that the Lord is at work, fulfilling the symbolism of what the Leviticus feast day only typologically anticipated. As such, there is no need for it to ever occur again.

There was one cross of Christ to fulfill the Passover sacrifice (1 Corinthians 5:7). There is one church that is united on one gospel in which believers are to conduct their lives in a sinless manner (1 Corinthians 5:8). There was one resurrection of the Lord that fulfilled the typology of the Feast of Firstfruits (1 Corinthians 15:20). The giving of the Spirit in a demonstrable way was only needed to establish the church. As such, it is only found in this way in the book of Acts (see Acts 2, Acts 8, Acts 10, etc.).

These demonstrations do not prescribe anything. They are simply given as confirmation of the works of the apostles of Jesus Christ. Resultingly, they confirm that Jesus is, in fact, the Messiah. They further confirm that the Spirit is available to Jew, Samaritan, and Gentile. Such demonstrations confirmed the apostleship of Peter (such as in Acts 8), and they confirmed the apostleship of Paul (such as in Acts 19:6).

As this is the purpose of the book of Acts, and as the book has been compiled and added to the canon of Scripture, there is no longer any need for an external demonstration of the coming of the Spirit. In fact, that would be contrary to the prescriptive writings of Paul which say that believers now live by faith and not by sight. If we require a demonstrable working of the Spirit, we are not living by faith, and we have a contradiction in the theology which governs our spiritual lives. No sign for our faith should be expected. It is presumptuous, and it excludes faith. Paul is clear –

“For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; ²³ but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, ²⁴ but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. ²⁵ Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.” 1 Corinthians 1:22-25

Lord God, help us to be people of faith. May we never presumptuously demand a sign from You for us to accept that You are there and that Your word is true. Rather, help us to align our faith with the word You have given to us. With that, we will surely be satisfied. Your word is sufficient for our life, doctrine, and practice at this time. Thank You for this precious word. Amen.