2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing and establishing the gospel, of which the Mosaic dispensation was so eminently a type. The great annual festivals were occasions of general resort to Jerusalem, on the part of the males among the Jews. Compare Ex. 34: 23. Josephus, the Jewish historian, who was contemporary with the apostles, informs us that in his day Jews in great abundance repaired to Jerusalem on the joyful occasion of the Pentecost. The festival, at the time of which the sacred writer is here giving an account, was to be remarkably signalized, in the providence of God, as the occasion of giving a striking manifestation of the Messiahship of Jesus. At the preceding festival- that of the passover when immense crowds thronged the city, he had been crucified, and had thus passed through the scene of his deepest humiliation and ignominy. But now, having arisen from the dead, and ascended to the right hand of the Father, he was to send forth the Holy Spirit, and, in presence of assembled multitudes of Jews from all quarters, was to manifest his power and glory. Many, who had witnessed the reproaches that had been heaped on him, were now to witness a different scene, and to be brought to acknowledge him as the great Saviour of men. How fitting a time for signally vindicating the Saviour's glory, was the first occasion for a general assembling of the Jews at Jerusalem after his deepest humiliation! The shortness of the interval between the two festivals-only fifty days-would present, in vivid contrast, the ignominy and the glory of Jesus. Was fully come. The full space of time between the passover and the Pentecost was completed, and the day of Pentecost was introduced. Whether the day of Pentecost, in the year here spoken of, was the Lord's day,-that is, the Christian sabbath,-cannot be satisfactorily decided. They were all with one accord, &c." The whole mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. company of one hundred and twenty, mentioned in 1: 15, is doubtless here meant. They were of one heart. The apostles were no longer inclined to dispute among themselves, Who shall be greatest? See Mark 9: 34. The rest of the company indulged in no heart-burning or envy toward one another. They possessed unity of spirit, and were joined together by the bond of peace. They thus had the best preparation for the special visitation of the Holy Spirit; for his influences "are most to be expected where there is the greatest unanimity and the greatest devotion." They would naturally seek one another's society on this day of a religious festival. They were in daily expectation, too, that their Lord's promise would be fulfilled; for he had spoken of only a few days intervening before the Spirit's influences would be imparted. Compare 1: 5. 2. A sound from heaven; from the upper regions of the air, whence winds and tempests proceed. || As of a rushing mighty wind; a noise like that of a violent wind rushing along. This was the external indication of the Spirit's descent. There seems a special appropriateness in employing the sound, or noise, of wind, to betoken the approach of the Spirit, as, in the ordinary language of the Jews, the word used for spirit is the same as also signifies wind. It is worthy of notice that, when our Lord wished to convey to Nicodemus instruction concerning the Spirit's operation on the soul of man in regeneration, he drew an illustration from the wind. See John 3: 8. Both in respect to the word rendered spirit, and in respect to the divine agent himself, and likewise to our judging of his agency by the effects produced, a resemblance could be most easily presented. So when our Lord said to his apostles, "Receive ye the Holy Ghost 20: 22), he breathed on them. That the sound on the day of Pentecost was actually that of a violent wind, Luke (John 3 And there appeared unto | fire, and it sat upon each of them. them cloven tongues like as of 4 And they were all filled with does not say, but that it resembled the sense of the word translated such a noise. He could, probably, find cloven; some considering it as meanno word that would properly express ing distributed. They understand what was really heard; it was more Luke as saying that there appeared like the noise of a wind than of any tongues, as of fire, distributing themthing else. It was altogether of a selves hither and thither throughout supernatural character. This sound, the company. Which of these views as of a wind, the apostles and their is the right one, it is not easy to say. company would readily understand, There is no need, however, that the in all probability, as a sign from above tongue-like appearances should have of the Spirit's coming; and they, a division into parts in order to condoubtless, held themselves ready for vey the idea of a diversity of tongues; some immediate manifestation of his for the mere fact of numerous objects presence and agency. It filled all appearing in the shape of a tongue, the house, &c. The noise was heard and settling on the followers of throughout the house where the com- Christ, would be, of itself, sufficient pany was assembled. Some have to convey this idea. Like as of supposed that the word house here fire. Small flames of fire have a signifies an apartment in the temple shape similar to that of a tongue. at Jerusalem. But it is wholly un- Among the Hebrews, accordingly, reasonable to suppose that the follow- the expression tongue of fire was ers of Christ would seek to be accom-employed to convey the idea of a modated, as a company, in the Jewish flame. An appearance, flame-like as temple, or that the Jewish authorities to shape and color, was seen. || It would favor them with accommodations in that edifice. The place was, doubtless, a private dwelling; perhaps-though we have no information on the point-in the vicinity of the temple. Early tradition regards it as the same of which mention is made in 1: 13, where the apostles and their associates were in the habit of assembling for devotional purposes. 3. In addition to the sound which the company heard, the sense of sight was also addressed; and an appropriate sign was employed as expressive of the duty and the ability to make known among men of every language the glad tidings of salvation through the Lord Jesus. There appeared unto them cloven tongues. The objects which appeared were, in shape, like tongues. The common opinion is, that the tongues which appeared were cloven, that is, divided into two or more parts, terminating in two or more points, and thus emblematic of the diversity of languages in which the disciples were now enabled to speak. Critical writers, however, are not agreed in regard to sat upon each of them. The fire, or the flame-like object, which appeared, rested on each of the company. Not only the apostles, but all the followers of Christ, then present, were thus distinguished. If the coincidence mentioned in the note on the first verse, between the space of time from the first passover to the giving of the law, and the space between what may well be called the last passover, and the effusion of the Spirit, really existed, it is also worthy of notice that the presence of God was manifested in a somewhat similar manner on the two occasions. At Sinai, the Lord descended in a tempest and in fire (Ex. 19: 16-18); at Jerusalem, a noise like that of a violent rushing wind, and the appearance of flame-like objects, betokened his approach. 4. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost. The tokens of the Spirit's descent were connected with the immediate enjoyment of his influence, and the outward manifestation of it. The Spirit was imparted so copiously, that the disciples are the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. said to have been filled with it. New and unusual mental power was possessed by them. Their religious views became clearer, and their religious fervor was greatly increased. Began to speak with other tongues; in other languages besides that to which they had been accustomed. As the Spirit gave them utterance; as the Spirit enabled them to express themselves. Originally, says Lightfoot, "the confusion of tongues was a sad and fatal curse upon the world. Gen. 11:1-9. But now the Lord, in the fulness of time, is providing, by the gifts of tongues at Zion, to repair the knowledge of himself among the nations which had lost that jewel by the confusion of tongues at Babel." Various conjectures have been formed in regard to the gift of tongues, particularly by those writers who are not willing to acknowledge it as a miraculous endowment by the Holy Spirit. Some have contended that 'speaking with other tongues' was only an uttering of indistinct, or inarticulate sounds; of course, that no intelligible human language was employed. Others have supposed that the lively use of obsolete, foreign, or unusual words was intended by the expression other tongues; others, again, that the speakers, in an excited state of mind, united Hebrew modes of expression with Greek or Latin words; or, that they spoke under the influence of an extraordinary enthusiasm, in a highly oratorical or poetic style, with uncommon warmth and eloquence. If, however, we lay aside all conjecture, and examine the subject just as it is presented in the Scripture, we cannot doubt that, however unable we are to enter into particular explanations, the sacred writers regarded this matter as a miraculous one, and placed it among the extraordinary miraculous gifts of the Spirit. This appears evident both from the book of Acts (2: 4. 5 And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven. 10: 44-46. 19: 6), and from 1 Cor. chapter 14th. Nor can we reasonably doubt that the persons spoke a real language; and that by means of this gift of tongues they were able to communicate knowledge of religious subjects to unbelievers, and with much emotion to pour forth prayers and praises to God. Compare verses 8-11. 1 Cor. 14: 2-4. The common view agrees best with the scriptural notices of the subject, and with the usual meaning of the words here employed in the original; namely, that the Holy Spirit miraculously bestowed on the apostles, and on many of the first disciples, the power to use foreign languages which they had never learned. This endowment may remind us of the promise recorded in the Gospel of Mark (16: 17), of which it seems to be a fulfilment, "They shall speak with new tongues." See further on this subject in the note on the 11th verse of this chapter. 5. There were dwelling at Jerusalem Jerbs, devout men. These Jews were such as had been resident in foreign countries, and had now either taken up a fixed abode in Jerusalem, or were sojourning for a considerable time in the city. Many, doubtless, who went to Jerusalem to celebrate the passover, made it convenient to remain till the Pentecost. The Jews here spoken of were in Jerusalem on religious considerations. They were devout, religious men, paying a sacred regard to the Mosaic law, and wishing the advantages which Jerusalem presented for observing the rites of their religion. To Jews living abroad, who were religiously disposed, this city furnished many attractions for residence. It was the seat of the temple, and the priests were constantly in attendance to perform the duties of their office. The Jews regarded Palestine, and especially Judea and the immediate vicinity of the temple, as holy ground. Jerusalem was "the 6 Now when this was noised | because that every man heard abroad, the multitude came to- them speak in his own language. gether, and were confounded, city of the great King" (Ps. 48: 2. Matt. 5:35), and the temple was the house of God. They partook, too, of the belief which generally pervaded the nation, that the Messiah would soon make his appearance. A residence in the metropolis of the nation appeared to them, therefore, highly desirable. Some of these men were, in all probability, devout in the best sense of the word, truly fearing God, and seeking to know and do his will. They were only waiting for clearer light, for a more full manifestation of the evidences that Jesus was the Messiah, and for influences that would deepen their religious feelings, and bring them to a deciding point, to rank themselves among his disciples. Others were devout as Jews, reverently and devotedly attached to the Mosaic law, as explained and practised by the Jewish teachers. Out of every nation under heaven. The calamities which had repeatedly befallen the Jewish nation, since their great overthrow and captivity by Nebuchadnezzar, and various other causes, had induced immense multitudes of Jews to settle in foreign countries; so that, popularly speaking, they might be found every where. But however distant they were from Jerusalem, and whatever were their employments, they cherished the warmest affection for the Holy City, and turned their eyes toward it with longing desire. The times of the great festivals were particularly embraced as favorable opportunities for repairing to the city; and at such times, representatives of Jews, dispersed, so to speak, throughout the world, might be found there. See on v. 1. Of course, the expression out of every nation under heaven, is not to be strictly interpreted, but to be understood generally, like our common expression, from all quarters. 6. When this was noised abroad. The idea which appears to be conveyed by these words is, that a report of the 7 And they were all amazed, and wonderful events which had taken place, namely, the appearing of the tongues and the speaking in foreign languages, was spread abroad. This would naturally be the case, and was doubtless done. The original words, however, of the sacred historian, are believed by the best authorities to convey a different meaning. They may be literally translated thus: "Now this sound, or noise, having been made." Reference may be had to the sound like that of a violent wind, mentioned in the second verse, or to some commotion which might have been connected with so many persons speaking in foreign tongues. v. 4. The sound, which seemed like that of wind, was not, probably, confined to the house where the disciples were, but was heard, and was regarded as an unusual occurrence, elsewhere in the city, though it was, doubtless, more sensibly perceived and particularly observed in the house where the Christians were assembled. The attention of the people was thus aroused; and, without supposing that there was any unseemly confusion in the house where the Christian company was assembled, the voice of prayer and praise, unusually animated and fervent, would direct the people to that spot. In almost any part of the city, and particularly in the vicinity of the temple, where it is quite likely the house was, a very short time, during the day of Pentecost, would suffice for any unusual occurrence to draw together a crowd. It is evident that the disciples were engaged in using the foreign languages before the multitude came together; and in the great freedom of utterance, both in prayer and praise, which accompanied this wonderful gift, there would naturally be some commotion. The multitude; a mixed company, in which were numbers of the foreign Jews mentioned in the preceding verse. Were confounded; were marvelled, saying one to another, in our own tongue, wherein we Behold, are not all these which were born? speak, Galileans? 8 And how hear we every man excited and thrown into perplexity. Such unthought-of events would, at first, produce a tumultuous and perplexed state of mind. || Every man heard them speak in his own language. The foreign Jews, from so many different parts of the world, and accustomed to so many dialects, heard the disciples speak in all those dialects. 7. Are not all these which speak Galileans? The word Galileans is here used, not as a reproachful, sectarian name of the Christians, nor as a term designed to mark the Christian company as an inferior and uncultivated multitude (compare John 7: 41, 52), but simply to denote the region of country to which the persons belonged, as it is also used in 1:11. It stands contrasted with the numerous names of provinces and countries mentioned in the following verses. The wonder was, that persons known to be Galileans by birth and education should yet express themselves in foreign tongues, so that people from so many different parts of the world could understand what they were saying. 9-11. It is uncertain whether the list of geographical terms contained in these verses is to be considered as the language of the sacred historian, thus giving his readers, in a parenthetic way, a somewhat definite and lively view of the various and widely-distant quarters from which these foreign Jews had come to reside at Jerusalem; or whether it should be taken as the language of the persons who were speaking to one another. It is, by some writers, considered more probable that the historian should introduce this list for the benefit of his readers, than that the persons themselves, in conversation, should make so minute a statement of countries and provinces. They think it well, therefore, to include this list of names in a paren some 9 Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in thesis, so as to separate it from the language of the speakers themselves; and they remark that the writer, having introduced so long a catalogue of names, would naturally, as he does in the eleventh verse, on resuming the inquiry, or remark, of those wondering hearers, repeat, with additions, the idea he had expressed in the eighth verse. The whole passage would then stand thus: "And how hear we, every man, in our own tongue wherein we were born? (Parthians, Elamites, &c.) we do hear (or, as the original Greek may be represented, How do we hear) them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God.' These terms may, however, be considered as having been introduced in the conversation at the very time; and so far as the grammatical construction is concerned, no special difficulty attends this view, which is the ordinary one. The list of names is so constructed as to lead a reader from east to west, and from north to south; or, rather, from a north-easterly point to the west and south. Beginning at Parthia, on the east, we are led to Pamphylia, one of the southern provinces of Asia Minor; thence in a southern direction to Egypt. From Egypt, the eye is turned in a western and north-western_direction to Cyrene and Rome. The list concludes by bringing into one view two regions widely distant, and in a direction from west to east; namely, the island of Crete and the country of Arabia. In all these widely-distant countries and provinces, Jews were found in great numbers. 9. Parthians; Jews, who were natives of Parthia, the country which lay east of Media and Persia. || Medes; Jews of Media. Media lay southwest of the Caspian sea, between this sea on the north, and Persia on the south. Elamites; Jews of Elam, or Elymais. This country lay north |