Acts 2:5-13
5 Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. 6 When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. 7 Utterly amazed, they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language? 9 Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome 11 (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!” 12 Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?” 13 Some, however, made fun of them and said, “They have had too much wine.”
*Commentary* Early Pentecost was a celebration of early harvest. It was the beginning of the first Spring wheat harvests, that usually fell in May and June. The day was set by counting 7 weeks and 1 day (50 days) from the Feast of Firstfruits. Firstfruits is celebrated the day after the sabbath in the week of Passover. There were a great many Jews gathered and were witness to this Pentecost. Here, we see the power of tongues. It allows the Holy Spirit to use a person to convey a message to another person in that person’s native tongue. We also read in verse 13, that some made fun of them and accused them of being drunk.
- Why were there so many people in Jerusalem to witness this event?
- Discuss how verse 13 is also similar to condemnation we see today, from people who don’t understand the Holy Spirit and Christianity in general.