Albert Barnes Commentary Acts 2

Acts CHAPTER 2

And when the day of Pentecost. The word Pentecost is a Greek word, signifying the fiftieth part of a thing, or the fiftieth in order.

Among the Jews, it was applied to one of their three great feasts, which began on the fiftieth day after the Passover. This feast was calculated from the sixteenth day of the month ABIB, or April—the second day of the Passover.

The paschal lamb was slain on the fourteenth of the month in the evening (Leviticus 23:5). On the fifteenth of the month was a holy convocation—the proper beginning of the feast. On the sixteenth was the offering of the first-fruits of the harvest, and from that day they were to count seven weeks (i.e., forty-nine days) to the feast called the feast of Pentecost, so that it occurred fifty days after the first day of the Passover. This feast was also called the feast of weeks because it followed a succession of weeks (Exodus 34:22; Numbers 28:26; Deuteronomy 16:10).

It was also a harvest festival and was accordingly called the feast of harvest. For this reason, two loaves made of new meal were offered on this occasion as first-fruits (Leviticus 23:17, 20; Numbers 28:27–31).

Was fully come. This means when the day had arrived. The word here simply means had come (Luke 1:57).

This detail—that the time of Pentecost had come, or fully arrived—is mentioned to explain the subsequent report of so many strangers and foreigners being present.

The promised influences of the Spirit were withheld until the greatest possible number of Jews could be present in Jerusalem at the same time. This provided an opportunity to preach the gospel to vast multitudes in the very place where the Lord Jesus was crucified. It also afforded an opportunity to send the gospel by them into distant parts of the earth.

They were all. This probably refers not only to the apostles but also to the one hundred and twenty mentioned in Acts 1:15.

With one accord . It is probable they had continued together until this time and had given themselves entirely to the practice of devotion.

In one place. Where this was cannot be known; commentators have been much divided in their conjectures about it.

Some have supposed it was in the upper room mentioned (Acts 1:13); others that it was a room in the temple; others that it was in a synagogue; and others that it was among the mixed multitude that assembled for devotion in the courts of the temple.

. Many have supposed that this took place on the first day of the week, that is, on the Christian Sabbath. However, there is a difficulty in establishing this.

There was probably a difference among the Jews themselves on this subject. The law said that they should count seven Sabbaths, that is, seven weeks, from the morrow after the Sabbath (Leviticus 23:15).

By this Sabbath, the Pharisees understood the second day of the Passover, on whatever day of the week it occurred, which was kept as a holy assembly and might be called a Sabbath. But the Karaite Jews (or those who insisted on a literal interpretation of the Scriptures) maintained that by the Sabbath here was meant the usual Sabbath, the seventh day of the week.

Consequently, with them, the day of Pentecost always occurred on the first day of the week. If the apostles adopted their views, the day had fully come on what is now the Christian Sabbath.

But if the views of the Pharisees were followed, and the Lord Jesus had, with them, kept the Passover on Thursday (as many have supposed), then the day of Pentecost would have occurred on the Jewish Sabbath, that is, on Saturday (Kuinoel; Lightfoot).

It is impossible to determine the truth on this subject, nor is it of much importance.

The day of Pentecost was also kept by the Jews as a festival to commemorate the giving of the law on Mount Sinai.

And suddenly. It burst upon them at once. Though they were waiting for the descent of the Spirit, it is not probable that they expected it in this manner. As this was an important event, and one on which the welfare of the church depended, it was proper that the gift of the Holy Spirit should take place in some striking and sensible manner, so as to convince their own minds that the promise was fulfilled, and so as deeply to impress others with the greatness and importance of the event.

There came a sound. ēchos. This word is applied to any noise or report. Hebrews 12:19, The sound of a trumpet.Luke 4:37, The fame of him, etc. .

From heaven. Appearing to rush down from the sky. It was fitted, therefore, to attract their attention no less from the direction from which it came, than on account of its suddenness and violence. Tempests commonly blow horizontally. This appeared to come from above; and this is all that is meant by the expression, "from heaven."

As of a rushing mighty wind. Literally, "as of a violent wind or gale," borne along—pheromenēs—, sweeping along like a tempest. Such a wind is sometimes borne along so violently, and with such a noise, as to make it difficult even to hear the thunder in the gale. Such appears to have been the sound of this remarkable phenomenon.

It does not appear that there was any wind; all might have been still; but the sudden sound was like such a sweeping tempest. It may be remarked, however, that the wind in the sacred Scriptures is often put as an emblem of a Divine influence. It is invisible, yet mighty, and thus represents the agency of the Holy Spirit.

The same word is used in Hebrew, and pneuma in Greek, to denote both. The mighty power of God may also be denoted by the violence of a mighty tempest (1 Kings 19:11; Psalms 29; Psalms 104:3; Psalms 18:10).

And thus Jesus by his breath indicated to the apostles the conferring of the Holy Ghost (John 20:22). In this place the sound as of a gale was emblematic of the mighty power of the Spirit, and of the great effects which his coming would accomplish among men.

And it filled. Not the wind filled, but the sound. This is evident:

1. because there is no affirmation that there was any wind.
2. The grammatical structure of the sentence will admit no other construction. The word "filled" has no nominative case but "the sound." And suddenly there was a sound as of a wind, and (the sound) filled the house. In Greek, the word "wind" is in the genitive or possessive case.

It may be remarked here that this miracle was really far more striking than the common supposition makes it to have been. A tempest might have been terrifying. A mighty wind might have alarmed them. But there would have been nothing unusual or remarkable in it.

Such things often occurred, and thoughts would naturally have been directed to the storm as an ordinary, though perhaps alarming, occurrence. But when all was still—when there was no storm, no wind, no rain, no thunder—such a rushing sound must have arrested their attention and directed all minds to so unusual and unaccountable an event.

All the house. Some have supposed that this was a room in or near the temple. But as the temple is not expressly mentioned, this is improbable. It was probably the private dwelling mentioned in Acts 1:12.

If it is said that such a dwelling could not contain so large a multitude as soon assembled, it may be replied that their houses had large central courts (see Barnes on Matthew 9:2), and that it is not affirmed that the transaction recorded in this chapter occurred in the room which they occupied. It is probable that it took place in the court and around the house.

And there appeared to them. They were seen by them, or they saw. They were first seen by them in the room before they rested on the heads of the disciples. Perhaps the fire appeared at first as scintillations or coruscations, until it became fixed on their heads.

Tongues. glwssai. The word tongue occurs often in the Scriptures to denote the member that is the instrument of taste and speech, and also to denote language or speech itself. It is also used, as with us, to denote that which in shape resembles the tongue. Thus Joshua 7:21, 24 (in Hebrew), "a tongue of gold," i.e., a wedge of gold; Joshua 10:5; Joshua 18:19; Isaiah 11:15, "The tongue of the sea," i.e., a bay or gulf. Thus also we say a tongue of land. The phrase "tongue of fire" occurs once, and once only, in the Old Testament: Isaiah 5:24, "Therefore as the fire devoureth the stubble (Hebrew, tongue of fire,) and the flame consumeth," etc. In this place the name tongue is given from the resemblance of a pointed flame to the human tongue. Anything long, narrow, and tending to a point, is thus in the Hebrew called a tongue. The word here means, therefore, slender and pointed appearances of flame, perhaps at first moving irregularly around the room.

Cloven. Divided, separated. diamerizomenai, from the verb to divide, or distribute into parts. Matthew 27:35, "They parted his garments."Luke 22:17, "Take this (the cup), and divide it among yourselves." Probably the common opinion is that these tongues or flames were, each one of them, split, or forked, or cloven. But this is not the sense of the expression. It means that they were separated or divided one from another; not one great flame, but broken up, or cloven into many parts, and probably moving without order in the room. In the Syriac it is, "And there appeared to them tongues which divided themselves, like fire, and sat upon each of them." The old Ethiopic version reads it, "And fire, as it were, appeared to them, and sat on them."

And it sat upon each of them. Or rested, in the form of a lambent or gentle flame, upon the head of each one. This showed that the prodigy was directed to them, and was a very significant emblem of the promised descent of the Holy Spirit. After the rushing sound and the appearance of the flames, they could not doubt that here was some remarkable interposition of God. The appearance of fire, or flame, has always been regarded as a most striking emblem of the Divinity. Thus (Exodus 3:2–3) God is said to have manifested himself to Moses in a bush that was burning, yet not consumed. Thus (Exodus 19:16–20), God descended on Mount Sinai in the midst of thunders, and lightnings, and smoke, and fire—striking emblems of his presence and power. See also Genesis 15:17. Thus (Deuteronomy 4:24), God is said to be "a consuming fire." (Ezekiel 1:4; Psalms 18:12–14).

The classical reader will also instantly recall the beautiful description in Virgil, Aeneid, Book 2, lines 680-691. Other instances of a similar prodigy are also recorded in secular writers, such as Pliny, Natural History, Book 2, Chapter 37, and Livy, Book 1, Chapter 39. These appearances to the apostles were emblematic, doubtless:

1. Of the promised Holy Spirit, as a Spirit of purity and of power. The prediction of John the Baptist, "He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire," (Matthew 3:11) would probably be recalled at once to their memory.

2. The peculiar appearance, that of tongues, was an emblem of the diversity of languages which they were about to be able to utter. Any form of fire would have denoted the presence and power of God; but a form was adopted expressive of the case. Thus, any appearance at the baptism of Jesus might have denoted the presence and approbation of God; but the form chosen was that of a dove descending, expressive of the mild and gentle virtues with which he was to be imbued. So in Ezekiel 1:4, any form of flame might have expressed the presence of God; but the appearance actually was emblematical of his Providence. In the same way, the appearance here expressed their peculiar endowments for entering on their great work—the ability to speak powerfully with new tongues.

* "cloven" or, "divided"

Were all filled with the Holy Ghost. They were entirely under His sacred influence and power (Luke 1:41, 67).

To be filled with anything is a phrase denoting that all the faculties are pervaded by it, engaged in it, or under its influence: (Acts 3:10) Were filled with wonder and amazement; (Acts 5:17) Filled with indignation; (Acts 13:45) Filled with envy; (Acts 13:52) Filled with joy, and with the Holy Ghost.

Began to speak with other tongues. In other languages than their native tongue. The languages which they spoke are specified in Acts 2:9-11.

As the Spirit gave them utterance. This means as the Spirit gave them power to speak. This language plainly implies that they were now endowed with a faculty of speaking languages they had not learned before. Their native tongue was that of Galilee, a somewhat barbarous dialect of the common language used in Judea, the Syro-Chaldaic.

It is possible that some of them might have been partially acquainted with Greek and Latin, as both languages were spoken among the Jews to some extent. However, there is not the slightest evidence that they were acquainted with the languages of the different nations specified later. Various attempts have been made to account for this remarkable phenomenon without supposing it to be a miracle.

But the natural and obvious meaning of the passage is that they were endowed by the miraculous power of the Holy Ghost with the ability to speak foreign languages—languages previously unknown to them. It does not appear that each one had the power of speaking all the languages specified (Acts 2:9–11). Instead, this ability was among them, and together they could speak these languages, probably some speaking one language and some another. The following remarks may perhaps throw some light on this remarkable occurrence:

1. This ability was predicted in the Old Testament (Isaiah 28:11): With another tongue will he speak to this people. Compare to 1 Corinthians 14:21, where this passage is expressly applied to the power of speaking foreign languages under the gospel.
2. It was predicted by the Lord Jesus that they should have this power (Mark 16:17): These signs shall follow them that believe—they shall speak with new tongues.
3. The ability to do it existed extensively and long in the church: (1 Corinthians 12:10–11) To another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: but all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit; (1 Corinthians 12:28) God hath set in the church— diversities of tongues; (1 Corinthians 12:30; 1 Corinthians 14:2, 4, 5, 6, 9, 13, 14, 18, 19, 22, 23; 1 Corinthians 14:27, 39). From this it appears that the power was well known in the church and was not confined to the apostles. This also may show that, in the case in Acts, the power was conferred on other members of the church as well as the apostles.
4. It was very important that they should be endowed with this power in their great work. They were going out to preach to all nations; and though the Greek and Roman tongues were extensively spoken, yet their use was not universal, nor is it known that the apostles were skilled in those languages. To preach to all nations, it was indispensable that they should be able to understand their language. And it was necessary that they should be endowed with the ability to speak them without the slow process of being compelled to learn them.
5. One design was to establish the gospel by means of miracles. Yet no miracle could be more striking than the power of conveying their sentiments at once into all the languages of the earth. When it is remembered what a slow and toilsome process it is to learn a foreign tongue, this would be regarded by unbelievers as one of the most striking miracles ever wrought in the establishment of the Christian faith (1 Corinthians 14:22, 24, 25).
6. The reality and certainty of this miracle are strongly attested by the early triumphs of the gospel. That the gospel was early spread over all the world—and that, too, by the apostles of Jesus Christ, by men from Galilee—is the clear testimony of all history. They preached it in Arabia, Greece, Syria, Asia, Persia, Africa, and Rome. Yet how could this have been accomplished without a miraculous power of speaking the languages used in all those places? Now, it requires the toil of many years to speak foreign languages, and the recorded success of the gospel is one of the most striking attestations to the fact of the miracle that could be conceived.
7. The corruption of language was one of the most decided effects of sin, pride, and ambition, and the source of endless embarrassments and difficulties (Genesis 11). It is not to be regarded as wonderful if one of the effects of the plan for redeeming humankind should be to show the power of God over all evil, and thus to furnish striking evidence that the gospel could meet all the crimes and calamities of humanity. And we may add,
8. that from this we see the necessity now of training men who are to be missionaries to other lands. The gift of miracles is withdrawn. The apostles, by that miracle, were simply empowered to speak other languages. That power must still be possessed if the gospel is to be preached. But it is now to be obtained, not by miracle, but by slow and careful study and toil. If this power is to be possessed, they must be taught it; they must labor for it. And as the church is bound (Matthew 28:19) to send the gospel to all nations, so it is bound to provide that the teachers who shall be sent forth are qualified for their work. Hence, this is one of the reasons for the importance of training men for the holy ministry.

There were dwelling at Jerusalem. The word rendered katoikountes properly means to have a fixed and permanent habitation, in distinction from another word, paroikountes, which means to have a temporary and transient residence in a place. But it is not always confined to this signification; and it is not improbable that many wealthy foreign Jews had a permanent residence in Jerusalem for the convenience of being near the temple. This was the more probable, as about that time the Messiah was expected to appear (Matthew 2).

Jews. Jews by birth; of Jewish descent and religion.

Devout men. Andres eulabeis. Literally, men of cautious and circumspect lives, who lived in a prudent manner. The term is applied to men who were cautious about offending God and who were careful to observe His commandments. Thus, it is a general expression to denote pious or religious men. Acts 8:2 says, And devout men carried Stephen to his burial.Luke 2:25 states, And the same man (Simeon) was just and devout. The word devout means "yielding a solemn and reverential attention to God in religious exercises, particularly in prayer; pious, sincere, solemn" (Webster), and very well expresses the force of the original.

Out of every nation under heaven. This is a general expression, meaning from all parts of the earth. The countries from which they came are more particularly specified in Acts 2:9-11. The Jews at that time were scattered into almost all nations, and in all places had synagogues. (See Barnes on John 7:35).

Still, they would naturally desire to be present as often as possible at the great feasts of the nation in Jerusalem. Many would seek a residence there for the convenience of being present at the religious solemnities. Many who came up to the Feast of Passover would remain for the Feast of Pentecost. Consequently, on such occasions, the city would be full of strangers.

We are told that when Titus besieged Jerusalem around the time of the Feast of Passover, there were no fewer than three million people in the city, and this great multitude greatly deepened the calamities arising from the siege. Josephus also mentions an instance where great multitudes of Jews from other nations were present at the Feast of Pentecost (Jewish Wars, Book 2, Chapter 3, Section 1).