PENTECOST

And they were all filled with the holy Spirit and began to speak in different tongues, as the Spirit enabled them to proclaim.

Acts 2:1-11

v. 1. When the time for Pentecost was fulfilled, they were all in one place together.

The Jewish feast of Pentecost was celebrated 50 days after Passover. It com-memorates the covenant of Sinai between God and Israel. Crowds of Jews from many countries congregated in Jerusalem. This was the scene for the first outpouring of the Spirit from Jesus (2:33). This gift manifested itself with a kind of outburst of many languages.

In Luke the preaching of Jesus began at Nazareth (Lk 4:16-30). Here the apostolic preaching began in Jerusalem (1:8).

v. 2. And suddenly there came from the sky a noise like a strong driving wind, and it filled the entire house in which they were.

This is probably the same place as 1:13-14. There the apostolic group gathered and prayed.

v. 3. Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire, which parted and came to rest on each one of them.

The tongues of fire evokes the same source of power which grants the gift of speaking in languages and of expressing oneself with a new language.

v. 4. And they were all filled with the holy Spirit and began to speak in different tongues, as the Spirit enabled them to proclaim.

The phenomenon which is produced certainly evokes “glossolalia” o “speaking in tongues”. The apostles express themselves in the manner of the ancient prophets (Nm 11:25-29; 1 Sam 10:5-6; and 1 Kgs 22:10).

In any case Christians seized by the Spirit in the early Church (10:46; 19:6; and 1Cor 12-14) spoke in a state of frenzy (2:13). But speaking in other languages is meant to make themselves understood in the language of other peoples. This point is very important to the author of Acts. The gift of the Spirit re-establishes here the unity of language which was lost at the tower of Babel (Gn 11:1-9) and prefigures the universal dimension of the mission of the apostles (1:8).

v. 5. Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven staying in Jerusalem.

These are not only the pilgrims going to Jerusalem for the Pentecost but also Jews coming from all parts of the world who had come to stay permanently in Jerusalem.

v. 10. Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the districts of Libya near Cyrene, as well as travelers from Rome….

These nations enumerated more or less from east to west with Judea as center probably represents the whole of the inhabited world.

v. 11. “…both Jews and converts to Judaism, Cretans and Arabs, yet we hear them speaking in our own tongues of the mighty acts of God."

Converts. Here and in 6:5 this term designates those men who, wirhtout being Hebrew by birth, were joined to the chosen people not only through the observance of the Law but have also accepted circumcision.