Bible Commentaries

Was now come (εν τω συνπληρουσθα). Luke's favourite idiom of εν with the articular present infinitive passive and the accusative of general reference, "in the being fulfilled completely (perfective use of συν-) as to the day of Pentecost." Common verb, but only in Luke in N.T. In literal sense of filling a boat in Luke 8:23, about days in Luke 9:51 as here. Whether the disciples expected the coming of the Holy Spirit on this day we do not know. Blass holds that the present tense shows that the day had not yet come. It is a Hebrew idiom (Exodus 7:25) and Luke may mean that the day of Pentecost was not yet over, was still going on, though Hackett takes it for the interval (fifty days) between Passover and Pentecost. Apparently this day of Pentecost fell on the Jewish Sabbath (our Saturday). It was the feast of first fruits. All together in one place (παντες ομου επ το αυτο). All together in the same place. Note ομου here (correct text), not ομοθυμαδον as in Acts 1:14, and so a bit of tautology.

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Suddenly (αφνω). Old adverb, but in the N.T. only in Acts (Acts 2:2; Acts 16:26; Acts 28:6). Kin to εξαιφνης (Acts 22:61). A sound (ηχος). Our εχο. Old word, already in Luke 4:37 for rumour and Luke 21:25 for the roar of the sea. It was not wind, but a roar or reverberation "as of the rushing of a mighty wind" (ωσπερ φερομενης πνοης βιαιας). This is not a strict translation nor is it the genitive absolute. It was "an echoing sound as of a mighty wind borne violently" (or rushing along like the whirr of a tornado). Πνοη (wind) is used here (in the N.T. only here and Acts 17:25 though old word) probably because of the use of πνευμα in verse Acts 2:4 of the Holy Spirit. In John 3:5-8 πνευμα occurs for both wind and Spirit. Filled (επληρωσεν). "As a bath is filled with water, that they might be baptized with the Holy Ghost, in fulfilment of Acts 1:5" (Canon Cook). They were sitting (ησαν καθημενο). Periphrastic imperfect middle of καθημα.

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Parting asunder (διαμεριζομενα). Present middle (or passive) participle of διαμεριζω, old verb, to cleave asunder, to cut in pieces as a butcher does meat (aorist passive in Luke 11:17). So middle here would mean, parting themselves asunder or distributing themselves. The passive voice would be "being distributed." The middle is probably correct and means that "the fire-like appearance presented itself at first, as it were, in a single body, and then suddenly parted in this direction and that; so that a portion of it rested on each of those present" (Hackett). The idea is not that each tongue was cloven, but each separate tongue looked like fire, not real fire, but looking like (ωσε, as if) fire. The audible sign is followed by a visible one (Knowling). "Fire had always been, with the Jews, the symbol of the Divine presence (cf. Exodus 3:2; Deuteronomy 5:4). No symbol could be more fitting to express the Spirit's purifying energy and refining energy" (Furneaux). The Baptist had predicted a baptizing by the Messiah in the Holy Spirit and in fire (Matthew 3:11). It sat (εκαθισεν). Singular verb here, though plural ωπθησαν with tongues (γλωσσα). A tongue that looked like fire sat upon each one.

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With other tongues (ετεραις γλωσσαις). Other than their native tongues. Each one began to speak in a language that he had not acquired and yet it was a real language and understood by those from various lands familiar with them. It was not jargon, but intelligible language. Jesus had said that the gospel was to go to all the nations and here the various tongues of earth were spoken. One might conclude that this was the way in which the message was to be carried to the nations, but future developments disprove it. This is a third miracle (the sound, the tongues like fire, the untaught languages). There is no blinking the fact that Luke so pictures them. One need not be surprised if this occasion marks the fulfilment of the Promise of the Father. But one is not to confound these miraculous signs with the Holy Spirit. They are merely proof that he has come to carry on the work of his dispensation. The gift of tongues came also on the house of Cornelius at Caesarea (Acts 10:44-47; Acts 11:15-17), the disciples of John at Ephesus (Acts 19:6), the disciples at Corinth (1 Corinthians 14:1-33). It is possible that the gift appeared also at Samaria (Acts 8:18). But it was not a general or a permanent gift. Paul explains in 1 Corinthians 14:22 that "tongues" were a sign to unbelievers and were not to be exercised unless one was present who understood them and could translate them. This restriction disposes at once of the modern so-called tongues which are nothing but jargon and hysteria. It so happened that here on this occasion at Pentecost there were Jews from all parts of the world, so that some one would understand one tongue and some another without an interpreter such as was needed at Corinth. The experience is identical in all four instances and they are not for edification or instruction, but for adoration and wonder and worship. As the Spirit gave them utterance (καθως το πνευμα εδιδου αποφθεγγεσθα αυτοις). This is precisely what Paul claims in 1 Corinthians 12:10; 1 Corinthians 12:28, but all the same without an interpreter the gift was not to be exercised (1 Corinthians 14:6-19). Paul had the gift of tongues, but refused to exercise it except as it would be understood. Note the imperfect tense here (εδιδου). Perhaps they did not all speak at once, but one after another. Αποφθεγγεσθα is a late verb (LXX of prophesying, papyri). Lucian uses it of the ring of a vessel when it strikes a reef. It is used of eager, elevated, impassioned utterance. In the N.T. only here, verse Acts 2:14; Acts 26:25. Αποφθεγμ is from this verb.

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Were dwelling (ησαν κατοικουντες). Periphrastic imperfect active indicative. Usually κατοικεω means residence in a place (Acts 4:16; Acts 7:24; Acts 9:22; Acts 9:32) as in verse Acts 2:14 (Luke 13:4). Perhaps some had come to Jerusalem to live while others were here only temporarily, for the same word occurs in verse Acts 2:9 of those who dwell in Mesopotamia, etc. Devout (ευλαβεις). Reverent (ευ, well, λαμβανω, to take). See on Luke 2:25 like Simeon waiting for the consolation of Israel or hoping to die and be buried in the Holy City and also Acts 8:2.

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When this sound was heard (γενομενης της φωνης ταυτης). Genitive absolute with aorist middle participle. Note φωνη this time, not ηχο as in verse Acts 2:1. Φωνη originally meant sound as of the wind (John 3:8) or an instrument (1 Corinthians 14:7; 1 Corinthians 14:8; 1 Corinthians 14:10), then voice of men. The meaning seems to be that the excited "other tongues" of verse Acts 2:4 were so loud that the noise drew the crowd together. The house where the 120 were may have been (Hackett) on one of the avenues leading to the temple. Were confounded (συνεχυθη). First aorist passive indicative of συνχεω or συνχυνω, to pour together precisely like the Latin confundo, to confound. The Vulgate has it mente confusa est. It is an old verb, but in the N.T. only in Acts five times (Acts 2:6; Acts 9:22; Acts 19:32; Acts 21:27; Acts 21:31). In his own language (τη ιδια διαλεκτω). Locative case. Each one could understand his own language when he heard that. Every one that came heard somebody speaking in his native tongue.

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Were amazed (εξισταντο). Imperfect middle of εξιστημ, to stand out of themselves, wide-open astonishment. Marvelled (εθαυμαζον). Imperfect active. The wonder grew and grew. Galileans (Γαλιλαιο). There were few followers of Jesus as yet from Jerusalem. The Galileans spoke a rude Aramaic (Mark 14:70) and probably crude Greek vernacular also. They were not strong on language and yet these are the very people who now show such remarkable linguistic powers. These people who have come together are all Jews and therefore know Aramaic and the vernacular Koine, but there were various local tongues "wherein we were born" (εν η εγεννηθημεν). An example is the Lycaonian (Acts 14:11). These Galilean Christians are now heard speaking these various local tongues. The lists in verses Acts 2:9-11 are not linguistic, but geographical and merely illustrate how widespread the Dispersion (Διασπορα) of the Jews was as represented on this occasion. Jews were everywhere, these "Jews among the nations" (Acts 21:21). Page notes four main divisions here: (I) The Eastern or Babylonian, like the Parthians, Medes, Elamites, Mesopotamians. (2) The Syrian like Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus, Asia, Phrygia, Pamphylia. (3) The Egyptian like Egypt, Libya, Cyrene. (4) The Roman. Jews and proselytes (προσηλυτο). These last from προσερχομα, to come to, to join, Gentile converts to Judaism (circumcision, baptism, sacrifice). This proselyte baptism was immersion as is shown by I. Abrahams (Studies in Pharisaism and the Gospels, p. 38). Many remained uncircumcised and were called proselytes of the gate.

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Cretes and Arabians . These two groups "seem to have been added to the list as an afterthought" (Knowling). Crete is an island to itself and Arabia was separate also though near Judea and full of Jews. The point is not that each one of these groups of Jews spoke a different language, but that wherever there was a local tongue they heard men speaking in it. We do hear them speaking (ακουομεν λαλουντων αυτων). Genitive case αυτων with ακουω the participle λαλουντων agreeing with αυτων, a sort of participial idiom of indirect discourse (Robertson, Grammar, pp. 1040ff.). The mighty works (τα μεγαλεια). Old adjective for magnificent. In LXX, but only here (not genuine in Luke 1:49) in the N.T. Cf. 2 Peter 1:16 for μεγαλειοτης (majesty).

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