Page 16 - Acts Student Textbook

Concerning the Pentecost celebration, Uttly gives us further background saying, “The Feast of
Pentecost had developed in Judaism as a celebration of the giving of the Law to Moses on Mt. Sinai.
Therefore, the loud wind and fire may be a reminder of the awesomeness of YHWH descending on
Horeb (cf. Exod. 19:16). In the OT fire symbolizes (1) the presence of deity; (2) judgement (cf. Isa.
66:15-18); or (3) purification (cf. Exod. 3:2; Deut. 5:4 and Matt. 3:11). Luke is using an analogy to try
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to express a unique occurrence of a physical manifestation of the Spirit.”
The Spirit came on "each one of them." The simple implication is that there was no distinction made
between Apostles or disciples; men or women (cf. Joel 2:28-32; Acts 2:16-21).

2:4 "they were all filled with the Holy Spirit" This event is mentioned in Luke 24:49 and called "the
promise of My Father." The term "Filling" is repeatable (cf. 2:4; 4:8,31; 6:3,5; 7:55; 9:17; 11:24; 13:9).
It implies daily Christlikeness (cf. Eph. 5:18 compared with Col. 3:16). This is different from baptism of
the Spirit, which denotes the initial Christian experience or incorporation into Christ (cf. 1 Cor. 12:13;
Eph. 4:4-5). Filling is the spiritual empowering for effective ministry (cf. Eph. 5:18-20), here
evangelism!

What is the nature of the Tongues as we see them here? (2:6, 8)

Literally it is "other tongues" (heterais glōssais). This does not mean nonhuman tongues. It refers to
languages “other” than what the apostles natively spoke. Despite the fact that the people
congregated were from many different native lands, they all heard the apostles speak in their own
language in which they were born (vv 6,8). It is uncertain how many different languages were being
spoken, but it was many. If you try to add up all the countries and regions in vv. 9-11 it must have
been well over twenty. Several of the 120 believers must have spoken the same language.

The mechanics of the miracle of tongues are not spelled out. Did different apostles speak different
languages, and the people separated into different groups in order to hear the apostle who was
speaking their language? Did they all address the whole group, but only one language was spoken at
a time? Some claim the apostles only spoke one language, but the people heard in various other
languages. This does not fit because the passage says they (apostles) spoke the different languages
(2:4, 6, 11); the people did not just hear different languages.

God did something unique and powerful to inspire this small group of frightened men and women
waiting in a locked upper room to become bold proclaimers of the gospel (both men and women).
Whatever this initial sign of the coming of the promised Holy Spirit was, God also used it to confirm
His acceptance of other groups (e."Tongues" in Acts was mostly a sign to believers that the gospel
had overcome another ethnic, or geographical barrier. There is a distinctive difference between the
tongues of Acts and Paul's later ministry in Corinth (cf. 1 Corinthians 12-14).

Summary of the characteristics of tongues in Chapter 2:

Firstly, men spoke in languages which had previously existed and which were even known to some of
the people present (vv 6, 8, 11). Secondly, the people present were able, not only to recognize what
language was spoken, but to even understand the content of the message (v11). Thirdly, the things
spoken consisted of lessons regarding spiritual things which informed and instructed the people who
heard, because they were able to understand the message (v11). Fourthly, the miracle which amazed
the people, was that these things were accomplished through men who had never studied nor
learned the languages they were speaking (vv 7,8,11,12).

11 Ibid, (Acts 2:3).
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