Chapter 19
Tongues – Galileans
Jewish people from throughout the Roman and
Parthian worlds gathered for the three main feasts of Israel (Tabernacles,
Passover and Pentecost). Because Pentecost was only fifty days after Passover,
some who had spent much to make a rare pilgrimage to Jerusalem stayed between
the two feasts. Pentecost was probably the least popular of the three
pilgrimage festivals, but Josephus attests that it was nevertheless crowded.
(From IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament by Craig S. Keener
Copyright © 1993 by Craig S. Keener. Published by InterVarsity Press.)
Coming of the
Holy Spirit
1. When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they
were all with one accord in one place.
2. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.
3. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them.
4. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
2. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.
3. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them.
4. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
The Crowd's
Response
5. And there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews,
devout men, from every nation under heaven.
6. And when this sound occurred, the multitude came
together, and were confused, because everyone heard them speak in his own
language.
7. Then they were all amazed and marveled, saying
to one another, “Look, are not all these who speak Galileans?
8. And how is it that we hear, each in our own
language in which we were born?
9. Parthians and Medes and Elamites, those dwelling
in Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia,
10. Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of
Libya adjoining Cyrene, visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes,
11. Cretans and Arabs—we hear them speaking in our
own tongues the wonderful works of God.”
12. So they were all amazed and perplexed, saying
to one another, “Whatever could this mean?”
13 Others mocking said, “They are full of new
wine.”
(Joel 2:28-32)
14. But Peter, standing up with the eleven, raised
his voice and said to them, “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let
this be known to you, and heed my words.
15. For these are not drunk, as you suppose, since
it is only the third hour of the day (9:00 am).
16. But this is what was spoken by the prophet
Joel:
17. ‘And it shall come to pass in the last days,
says God,
That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh;
Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
Your young men shall see visions,
Your old men shall dream dreams.
18. And on My menservants and on My maidservants
I will pour out My Spirit in those days;
And they shall prophesy.’”
The fact that these were Galileans who were
speaking in other tongues is very significant.
The Adam Clarke’s Commentary says that the
Galileans were persons who knew no other dialect, except of their own country.
The Galileans were wholly uneducated, and consequently, naturally ignorant of
those languages which they now began to speak so fluently.
The Barnes’ Notes Commentary says that it was
remarkable that the Galileans should speak in other languages so eloquently and
fluently because “they were ignorant, rude and uncivilized.” The term
“Galilean” referred to in John 1:46 (“Can anything good come out of Nazareth?”)
was used as an expression of the deepest reproach and contempt.
Their dialect was proverbially barbarous, crude and
corrupt, Mark 14:70; Matthew 26:73.
They were regarded as an outlandish people,
unacquainted with other nations and languages, and hence, there was amazement
that they could address them in the refined language of other people.
Their native ignorance was the occasion of making
the miracle more striking. The native weakness of Christian ministers makes the
grace and glory of God more remarkable in the success of the gospel. “We have
this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of
God, and not of us,” 2 Corinthians 4:7. God has “chosen the foolish things of
the world to confound the wise,” 1 Corinthians 1:27.
Joel prophesied that God was pouring His Spirit out
upon all flesh (not just the
educated, elite, kings, elders, religious leaders, or the men only—but on all
flesh).
Most of Jesus’ disciples and followers were from
Galilee, and Jesus grew up in the Galilee region and His ministry headquarters
was in Capernaum. Even though most of His disciples were not formally educated,
and were rough around the edges in their mannerisms, after they were filled
with the Holy Spirit God used them to turn the world upside down. It is
remarkable that three of Jesus’ twelve disciples wrote books of the New
Testament, including Matthew, John and Peter.
Acts 2:11 says that the Galileans spoke the
wonderful works of God in earthly languages they had never learned before.
Tongues can be in the languages of men (earthly
languages) or angels (languages spoken in Heaven), according to 1 Corinthians
13:1.
In the case of Acts 2, the Galileans spoke earthly
languages they did not know. It served as a sign and a wonder among all the
Jews in Jerusalem. After Peter preached to the crowd, 3,000 were saved in one
day (Acts 2:41), and the early church had its beginning.
