Commentaries:
Those in the house were filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke with other languages. These were not unknown languages, but languages familiar to people in the area, as Acts 2:6 shows.
John W. Ritenbaugh
Pentecost and the Holy Spirit
The day of Pentecost is typically associated with stupendous signs and miracles. Acts 2 records that when the Holy Spirit was given, the display of ability and power astounded everyone present. There was a sound like a mighty rushing wind (verse 2). It appeared that fire rested on the apostles (verse 3), and when they spoke, every person present could hear what was being said in his own language, even his own dialect (verses 4-11).
Because of the brief description given in Acts 2, various religious denominations have sprung up which practice speaking in gibberish—which the disciples definitely were not doing—and being "slain in the Spirit," which is clearly not a biblical concept. These sincere but misled people focus on miracles and manifestations as "proof" that they have received the Holy Spirit. Every week they gather to "pray down" the Spirit—or at least a spirit—for their own use and gratification. The focus of their meetings is on the experience rather than on instruction, admonition, rebuke, or encouragement (see II Timothy 3:16).
Before this event in Acts, Jesus Himself explained to His disciples the importance of their receiving the Holy Spirit, as well as what signs would be shown as a result (Acts 1:4-9). The very last thing the resurrected Christ said before He ascended to the Father was, to paraphrase, "You will receive power when you receive the Holy Spirit, and this will enable you to be witnesses of Me." Through the giving of the Holy Spirit, Christ's disciples would have the necessary means to be lights to the world and to demonstrate a way to live that glorified God.
David C. Grabbe
The Pentecost Witness
God's Holy Spirit imparts to us His love, giving us the power to obey His laws in their full spiritual intent. The repentant sinner is then a changed person—his whole outlook and purpose is changed as he is led by the Spirit.
Earl L. Henn (1934-1997)
Basic Doctrines: Salvation
On the day of Pentecost, AD 31, God sent His Spirit to begin His church—to beget and strengthen the firstfruits He was beginning to call into His church, symbolically represented by one of the "wave loaves." The New Testament festival of Pentecost is now a memorial commemorating the founding of the New Testament church of God through the receiving of the Holy Spirit.
God's church observes the Feast of Firstfruits as an annual reminder of this step in God's Master Plan: God's people today are merely the firstfruits—the small first group to be offered salvation through Christ. The world, except for the few called, is cut off from God—not yet called to salvation—neither saved nor lost—not yet judged. But the members of God's church are being judged (I Peter 4:17)—judged in how well they are preparing for God's Kingdom!
The day of Pentecost pictures the church being called and trained for the special mission of preparing for the time when God will open salvation to the world, when they will be kings and teachers, co-rulers and co-saviors with and under Christ, their Husband!
Pentecost: Only 'Firstfruits' Now Called!
The promise was made only to those God had predestined to call (Acts 2:39). It was God, not the apostles, who added new converts to the church (Acts 2:47).
The Holy Spirit, which every human needs, unites with the human spirit that is in us. It is the impregnation of God-life, which makes us the begotten but not yet born children of God's Family—heirs, but not yet inheritors.
It is the spirit of understanding, imparting to the physical brain spiritual comprehension—the ability to really understand spiritual knowledge. It is the divine love of God placed within us. It is the faith of Christ—the same faith Jesus had—now given to us. It is also the spiritual power we need to help us turn from, resist, and overcome Satan's "get" way and turn to God's "give" way.
It is the power by which the few firstfruits now called may develop God's holy, righteous, and perfect character, which is God's purpose for having put humanity on the earth—that God may thus reproduce Himself.
When Adam chose to disobey God, he was cast out of the Garden of Eden and denied further access to the Holy Spirit and eternal life. He was spiritually kidnapped by Satan! Although the world would then be ruled by Satan for 6,000 years, God knew that this was the best way for humans to learn their lesson.
Those who are called prior to Christ's return must, with the power of God's Spirit, overcome Satan while he is still ruling. That is not easy, but it helps them to qualify for greater positions of responsibility in the Kingdom of God. Greater character is built when one has obstacles, such as the Devil's influence, to overcome.
Living in a world filled with sin also helps us learn to thoroughly hate sin (Psalm 97:10; 119:104). The results of selfishness and competition are painfully obvious to those God calls out of Satan's world.
After Christ returns and restrains Satan, a utopia will finally result that will reflect the benefits of God's way. The comparison with Satan's 6,000 years of rule will be spectacular!
Staff
Is This the Only Day of Salvation?
The New Testament church was founded on the day of Pentecost in AD 31, when about 120 were begotten by God's Holy Spirit. And it is by God's Spirit which resided in all the prophets, apostles and other church brethren that they shall be resurrected (or changed, if still alive) to immortality at Christ's second coming in power and glory!
Thus the church—the Kingdom of God in "embryo"—is composed of the very first of all humans who shall be born into the Kingdom of God as God Beings!
What and Why the Church?
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