When the time for Pentecost was fulfilled, they were all in one place together. 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. 3 Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire, which parted and came to rest on each one of them. 4 And they were all filled with the holy Spirit and began to speak in different tongues, as the Spirit enabled them to proclaim. 5 Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven staying in Jerusalem. 6 At this sound, they gathered in a large crowd, but they were confused because each one heard them speaking in his own language. 7 They were astounded, and in amazement they asked, “Are not all these people who are speaking Galileans? 8 Then how does each of us hear them in his own native language? 9 We are Parthians, Medes, and Elamites, inhabitants of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the districts of Libya near Cyrene, as well as travelers from Rome, 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.” 12 'They were all astounded and bewildered, and said to one another, “What does this mean?” 13 But others said, scoffing, “They have had too much new wine.”
The time for Pentecost was a fulfillment of what was forecasted in the Law, the Prophets and the Writings of the OT, as well as a fulfillment of God’s promise to pour out the Holy Spirit on the people (Lk. 3:16). What Jesus told them, “You will receive power when the holy Spirit comes upon you (Acts 1:8)," had come to pass. A strong driving wind and tongues of fire caught the attention of the crowd in Jerusalem for the feast and were unmistakable signs of a miracle.
The Holy Spirit fell upon the first community of 120 disciples (Acts 1:15) following the Way (Acts 18:25) who were gathered in Jerusalem after Jesus had ascended. There were Jews and Gentiles from Jerusalem, as well as the Jews from the diaspora, that is Jews that left Israel and settled in many other nations. So they were in fact, “Jews from every nation under heaven staying in Jerusalem (v. 5)". The miracle bewildered the crowd when they heard the disciples from Galilee speaking in so many different languages about the mighty acts of God and some assumed they were drunk. Pentecost was the cornerstone event that created a distinction between the Jews who believed in Jesus and the Jews who did not. It was the beginning of the Christian Church.
The Feast of Pentecost was celebrated by the Jews as a thanksgiving for the firstfruits of the wheat harvest. The Christian Pentecost celebrated the gift of the Holy Spirit to the disciples who were the firstfruits of the New Covenant, the promise God made with mankind to forgive sins and open the gates of heaven to all who believe in hos son.
Almighty God, we thank you for the gift of the Holy Spirit poured out upon your disciples at Pentecost. The Spirit that inaugurated the Christian Church continues to guide the Church and shower true followers of Christ with the gifts God has ordained for them. In your mercy help us to be always in your care and to continue to spread the Gospel to the ends of the Earth. This we pray through Christ our Lord. Amen!
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References
Chiu, José Enrique Aguilar, et al. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. Paulist Press, 2018.
Brown, Raymond Edward, et al. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Upper Saddle River, NJ, United States, Prentice Hall, 1990.
Chiu, José Enrique Aguilar, et al. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. Paulist Press, 2018.
Brown, Raymond Edward, et al. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Upper Saddle River, NJ, United States, Prentice Hall, 1990.
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