The Strand Study Bible

ACTS

ACTS

1782

manner. Yes, he saw the great value of this gift for communicating the gospel but never looked upon it as a sign of spiritual immaturity. In fact, in I Corinthians those who possessed this gift were considered spiritual babes… 4

7. According to Acts 2:17-18, Numbers 11:26, I Samuel 10:6,10 & 19:20-23, Luke 1:41,67 and Revelation 11:3, the visible evidence of the Spirit’s filling is “prophesying ” (the boldness to witness - Acts 1:8 & 4:29-31 & 4:8,13), not speaking in tongues ( Acts 19:6 ). 2:3 b The term “ fire ” here symbolizes the judgment of God (Mt 3:11 and Psa 133:2 ). 2:3c The resting of a flame of fire upon the heads of these disciples ( and it sat upon each of them ) can be understood as a token of divine favor from Heaven. The thought here is not so much of fire as a token purely of divine favor, but the tongue as of fire, which confers a divine power to utter in speech divine things. 5 2:4 There are only three places in the Bible where people spoke in “ tongues :” Acts 2:1-11 ; Acts 10:44-46 ; and Acts 19:1-6 . Curtis Hutson in Bread for Believers notes:

The central and most important Bible passage on the subject of tongues is Acts 2:1-11. First, it is important because it is the first time tongues are discussed in the New Testament. Second, it is important because speaking in tongues was on a larger scale in Acts 2 than in either of the other cases mentioned. Third, it is the most important passage because this is the only instance where we can be absolutely sure that speaking in tongues was a miraculous gift. 6

Hutson goes on to note:

The important thing on the day of Pentecost was not the speaking in tongues but the conversion of 3,000 sinners. And that places importance on soul winning, not on speaking in tongues. Tongues were secondary and incidental, only a means to an end, the end being soul winning. To put the emphasis on speaking in tongues would be like having someone bring you a million dollars in a brown paper bag, and you’re dumping the money into the trash and getting excited over the paper bag. The paper bag was the instrument in which the money was delivered. The money is the important thing, not the bag. 6 NOTE - The tongues which were spoken on the day of Pentecost were the means through which the message was delivered (and the Word confirmed – Mk 16:20) that resulted in 3,000 souls being saved (Acts 2:41). 2:6 This word ( language ) is the Greek word GLDOHNτZ ( dialekto ), from which we derive our English word “dialect” (or, language). It is the same Greek word translated “ tongue ” in verse 8. According to the context, these languages (tongues) were discernable languages, that is, these men understood in their own languages what the disciples were saying. The tongues that were spoken on the day of Pentecost were not unintelligible. J. Vernon McGee in Thru The Bible (I Cor. - Rev.) notes: Simply put, the disciples (in fulfillment of Mark 16:15-20) were given the ability to speak in the native languages of the unsaved Jews that were assembled in Jerusalem on the Day of Pentecost ( Mk 16:17a ). Louis A. Barbieri in First & Second Peter notes: When the Holy Spirit came upon the disciples on the day of Pentecost, the disciples began to speak in the languages of those present. 8 2:7 The reason these Jews from all over the world “marveled in amazement” is because they observed these disciples to be from Galilee and thought them to be ignorant and unlearned men (Acts 4:13). They thought, “How is it that these disciples from Galilee can speak our native languages so fluently, having never learned them?” Whereas some Christians use “ tongues” to speak to God, these Christians used tongues to speak to men. 2:8 The sign gift “ tongues” was performed 1 time in all of Scripture –here in Acts 2. It was the God-given ability to speak in the language of the people listening to you ( how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born ?). You will notice that Christian Jews performed it for the sole purpose of witnessing to non-Christian Jews, in fulfillment of Mark 16:15-20. 2:13 a It is interesting to note here that only the men were accused of being drunk and speaking in tongues. Which means that only the men were speaking in tongues on the day of Pentecost. No woman spoke in tongues on that day. 2:13 b This word ( new ) is the Greek word JOHXNοXσ ( gleukous ) from which we derive our word “ glucose, sugar. ” “ New wine ” was simply grape juice, known as “ sweet wine ” (that which is fresh off the vine - Isa 49:26 & 65:8, Joel 1:5 & 3:18 and Amos 9:13). NOTE - Before refrigeration, new wine would quickly spoil (ferment). Therefore, the people would take water and mix it with the new wine in order to slow down the fermenting process. Still, if not enough water was used to dilute the process of fermentation, and a person drank too much of the new wine, he could become intoxicated. Tongues are not a rapturous, ecstatic, mysterious language. They are not a mixed-up medly of rhapsody. Tongues were foreign languages. On the Day of Pentecost the apostles spoke in foreign languages so that every man there heard the gospel in his own language. 7

1 Buksbazen, Victor. The Gospel in The Feasts of Israel . Collingswood, NJ: 1954. Print. 2 Thomas, W.H. Griffith. How We Got Our Bible , Dallas, TX, Dallas Seminary Press, 1984. Print. 3 Burdick, Donald W. Tongues: To Speak or Not to Speak , Chicago, Ill., Moody, 1969. Print. 4 Gustafson, Robert R. Authors of Confusion , Tampa, FLA, Grace Pub., 1971. Print. 5 Nicoll, W. Robertson. The Expositor’s Greek Testament . Vol. II. Michigan: Eerdmans., 1967. Print. 6 Hutson, Curtis. Bread for Believers , Murfreesboro, TN: Sword of the LORD Pub. 1982. Print. 7 McGee, J. Vernon. Thru the Bible (I Cor. –Rev.), Nashville, TN, Thomas Nelson, 1983. Print. 8 Barbieri, Louis A. First & Second Peter , Chicago, ILL, Moody Press, 1975, 1977. Print.