Commentaires bibliques

And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.

And when the day of Pentecost — This feast was instituted in remembrance of the law delivered to Moses in the mount, fifty days after their departure out of Egypt. Answerably whereunto the Holy Ghost (and God’s love thereby, Romans 5:5 ) is sent out and shed abroad the 50th day after that Christ our Passover was sacrificed for us,1 Corinthians 5:7; 1 Corinthians 5:7 .

return to '

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

As of a rushing mighty wind — Nescit tarda molimina gratia Spirltus Sancti, saith Ambrose. "The Spirit of God is a spirit of power,"2 Timothy 1:7; 2 Timothy 1:7 .

return to '

And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.

Cloven tongues — Teaching them both ορθοτομειν , to divide the word aright, and also ορθοποδειν , as some will have it; their tongues being cloven, as their feet were into toes, teaching them too to foot it aright. Diodorus Siculus tells us of a certain island beyond Arabia, the inhabitants whereof have cloven tongues, so that therewith they can alter their speech at their pleasure, imitate the tunes of various birds, and (which is more strange) they can perfectly speak to two persons and to two purposes at once; to one with one part of their tongue and to another with the other part; Sed fides sit penes Authorem, believe it who will.

return to '

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

As the Spirit gave them utterance — αποφθεγγεσθαι , to utter divine apothegms, grave and gracious sentences, or rather oracles; those Magnalia Dei, great things of God, Acts 2:11 ; Mirabilia legis, Great things of the law, Psalms 119:18 . 2 Peter 1:21 Cedro digna et Cerite cera. Horat.

And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost — And so gifted for their offices and employments in the Church. The heathens tell us that Hesiod, being filled with a sudden inspiration by the Muses, became of a sordid neatherd a most skilful poet. And Cicero saith, no man ever grew famous sine aliquo afflatu divino, without some inbreathing from on high.

return to '

And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.

And there were dwelling, … — Even in Jerusalem (for their ancient idolatries and latter unthankfulness) there be not to be found at this time a hundred households of the Jews. (Breerwood’s Inquiries.)

return to '

Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language.

Were confounded — Or troubled, transported, amazed, and amused, συνεχυθη , as Acts 2:7 .

return to '

And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans?

Galileans — - crassoque sub aere nati. (Martial.)

return to '

And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?

Every man in our our tongue — Cleopatra was so skilful in the Eastern tongues that she could readily answer the Ethiopian, Hebrew, Arabian, Syrian, Median, Parthian ambassadors that came unto her; turning and tuning her tongue with ease (as an instrument of many strings, ωσπερ οργανον τι πολυχορδον saith Plutarch) to what dialect soever she listed.

return to '