Study 4. Acts 2:1-13

Pentecost is the name Greek-speaking Jews used for the Feast of Weeks (see Leviticus 23:15-21; Deuteronomy 16:9-12), the Feast of Harvest (see Exodus 23:16), or the Day of First-fruits (see Numbers 28:26-31). (LifeChange)

 Read through all of Acts 2:1-47.

 
1. Why was it appropriate that the events of Acts 2 occurred on Pentecost, the day when Jews celebrated the giving of the covenant under the Law of Moses? (Optional: See Jeremiah 31:31-34; Romans 7:6; 2 Corinthians 3:6.)

 The giving of the Spirit in power corresponds to the birth of Jesus in Luke's gospel and to the birth of the Church.

As the Jewish nation was defined by the Law of Moses, so the Church is defined by the presence of the Spirit's power.

This is the new covenant promise. 

 Pentecost is the fulfillment of Jesus' promise in 1:4 as well as of OT promises in Joel 2:28-32 and Is 32:15.

The list of countries there begins with three countries to the east of the Roman Empire in the area known as Persia or Iran, and then (with a change of construction) moves westward to Mesopotamia, modern Iraq, and Judea. Next come various provinces and areas in Asia Minor, (modern Turkey), and then Egypt and the area immediately westwards, followed by Rome.(Marshall)

 

 

For Thought and Discussion: Pentecost was the only time in Acts when the Spirit came with wind-like sound and fire-like appearance. What might have been the point of these outward signs?

Powerful confirmation of the fulfillment of Jesus' promise, signifying the presence of God's presence and cleansing. John the Baptist had associated the Spirit with fire as a means of cleansing and judgment (Luke 3:16). The subsequent speech and actions of the disciples came with power and purity. Wind is a picture of the Spirit's sovereign action (Jn 3:8) and power(e.g. the Psalms)

 

Only the experience of Pentecost was described as a 'baptism' (1:5), indicating that the use of the word in a theological way in Eph 4:5, Gal 3:27, Ro 6:4 Col 2:12, 1 Pe 3:21 refers to sacramental water baptism as a symbol of identification with Christ, not generally to the experience of the Spirit's coming.

Luke uses the word filled “when people are given an initial endowment of the Spirit to fit them for God’s service” (Luke 1:15; Acts 9:17) “and also when they are inspired to make important utterances” (Acts 4:8,31; 13:9). “Related words are used to describe the continuous process of being filled with the Spirit” (Acts 13:52; Ephesians 5:18) “or the corresponding state of being full” (Luke 4:1; Acts 6:3,5; 7:55; 11:24). “These references indicate that a person already filled with the Spirit can receive a fresh filling for a specific task, or a continuous filling.” (LifeChange)

So 'baptism of the Spirit' is properly used to describe a one-time experience of the Spirit's filling and is distinct from the experience of being baptised in water into Christ, which should be every Christian's experience.

2. What were the “other tongues” (2:4) that the Holy Spirit enabled the disciples to speak (see 2:6,11)?

Human languages - praises of God

In 1 Cor 13-14 Paul speaks of tongues as being of 'men and angels' and says that not everyone will understand tongues without interpretation.

Tongues were also present in the 'Gentile Pentecost' in Cornelius' house (10:45-46)

For Thought and Discussion: a. How do you know if you are filled with the Spirit (see Romans 8:9-10; Ephesians 1:13-14)? b. How should being Spirit-filled affect what you do? (See, for example, Acts 1:8; Romans 8:5-8; 1 Corinthians 12:12-26; 2 Corinthians 3:17-4:12; Galatians 5:16-26.) 

⁹ You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. ¹⁰ But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. (Ro 8:9-10)

¹³ In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, ¹⁴ who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory. (Eph 1:13-14)

 All Christians have the Spirit. We are identified with Christ and sealed for salvation by the Spirit

The Spirit-filled life is characterised by:

Power to witness But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (Ac 1:8)

A change of life focus/desires ⁵ For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. ⁶ For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. ⁷ For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot. ⁸ Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.(Rom 8:5-8)

 Care for others in the Body of Christ  ...that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. ²⁶ If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.(1 Cor 12:12-26)

Life transformation. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.  (2 Cor 3:17-4:12)

Power to resist temptation and  character seen in the Spirit's fruit  But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. ..But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.(Gal 5:16-26)

 

We are filled with the Spirit

by asking (Lk 11:13)

knowing in faith that God hears us (1 Jn 5:14-15)

with desire (Jer 29:13)

withoout conscious sin (Ps 66:18)

with good intent (Js 4:3)

- to be filled with God's presence, we need to be empty ourselves of all else.

 

 

Should you do everything the apostles did? Why or why not?

We are not apostles: they have their role, and we have ours

 

The gift of tongues

NT references to the gift of tongues are found in:

• Mark 16:17  "And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues"
• Acts 2:1-13 Pentecost
• Acts 10:45-46 Cornelius' house (The Gentile Pentecost")
• Acts 19:1-7 The Ephesian disciples of John the Baptist
• 1 Corinthians 12-14

 In my view, it is reasonable to conclude the following:

1. The gift of tongues can be of both human and angelic languages (1 Cor 13:1)
   
2. The gift of tongues is for believers today and should not be forbidden (1 Cor 14:39)
   
3. Tongues is a desirable gift (cf. Paul " I thank God that I speak in tongues more than any of you" 1 Cor 14:18 and "I want you all to speak in tongues" 1 Cor 14:5) 
4. But it is not for all believers ("Do all speak in tongues? 1 Cor 12:10, 30)
   
5. But tongues, like other spiritual gifts, is imperfect and temporary (1 Cor 13:8)
   
6. Tongues is inferior to prophecy because it primarily only edifies the speaker and not the church at large. (1 Cor 14:4)
7. Furthermore, uninterpreted tongues can stumble unbelievers and cause them to experience God's judgment (1 Cor 14:23)
   
8.  Tongues is one manifestation of the Spirit's infilling
   
9. It is only at Pentecost that tongues follows conversion: in Cornelius' house and in the case of the Ephesian believers tongues come together with conversion.
10. All in all, the gift of tongues has perhaps been given undue prominence in the charismatic movement.