Outpouring of the Holy Spirit

Coming of the Holy Spirit

The Passage: Acts 2:1-13

Structure:

A. 2:1-4, Began to speak in different tongues  

  B. 2:5-6, People are astonished  

A’. 2:7-11, People listen to different tongues

  B’. 2:12-13, People are astonished

  

Historical and geographical context:

Note that 120 were not at the Temple during the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit came on the disciples in the house. The [large group of] people gathered by the house and engaged in a dialog with the disciples (2:2,6). Even though disciples spend much time at the Temple (ch. 3-4, 6-7, 21) – the Spirit’s presence designate the “Temple-like” or the New Temple gathering.

People gathered for the feast of Pentecost. More on Pentecost – read Lev. 23:15-22 and Num. 28:28-31. Three main things: delivering of the Covenant at Sinai, invite your neighbor (Ruth – both the Book [in connection with the feast] and the story [she comes to Judea during Pentecostal period]); common [sacramental] meal.       

Theology:

Pentecost is a reversal of the curse of the Tower of Babel. Gen. 11 tells us the story of separation of people according to their distinct “lips”. People who worship differently do not get along – even within our church-body we have fractions: confessionals, CoWo, pro-bishop, fully Congregationalists. The outpouring of the Spirit will unite people with a variety of backgrounds: Jews-Gentiles, men-women, slaves-free (Gal. 3:28).        

Picking up on different languages – representatives of different territories – Good News was preached to “all the world”, cp. Mark 16:15-16. On one hand, the sharing of the Good News in Jerusalem was an act of reaching out to the whole world, on the other the disciples had to be ready to follow up going out of Jerusalem to Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the Earth (1:8) – as Jesus commanded them and showed in the non-verbal signs (Jn. 21:11). The disciples did not go out even after the [first] martyrdom of Steven (Acts 7).   

Rushing wind. God exhibited His power during the covenant at Sinia (Ex. 19) and the covenant of the Kingdoms (1 King 19). Therefore, we can see His involvement in the life of the whole creation (not only humans) – cp. Mk. 16:15; 2 Cor. 5:19.

Other themes:

Tongues of fire – tongues of language, cp. James 3. The tongues/languages can be used for the fire that worms up, cooks, or provides esthetical comfort. Or it can burn down, destroy, and kill.

The fire that rested on the heads of the Apostles turned them – visually – into the living sacrifices, cp. Lev. 1:1-9; Rom 12:1-2. We don’t burn people but are presenting ourselves as the ones fully consumed by the Fire of God and bringing His presence to the world.

The effect of the Spiritual intervention might look like being drunk (v. 13) – cp. Eph. 5:18. The outside people do not understand what the person is saying, not only because he/she says unclearly, but for the difference of the “influence”. As a result, we need to remember that the Divine Service first of all is a family gathering of the faithful children with God the Father for the sake of our “Brother” Jesus Christ, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.