The Holy Spirit has come with a loud sound and visible indication of believers. He has filled the disciples gathered and given them the ability to speak in different languages. There are at least fifteen different territories or countries represented by the crowd that gathers around them.
Many of these people were pilgrims who came to Jerusalem for the Festival of Weeks or Pentecost. They were celebrating both the giving of the law to Moses and thanking God for the grain harvest. Some of them may have traveled to Jerusalem for Passover seven weeks earlier.
The visitors heard the sound and wondered what it might be. They came to where the disciples were and heard them speaking in their own language. They identify the disciples as being Galileans, which was not a compliment. Galilee was a somewhat isolated place. There was no major trade route running through it. We might consider them rural, country folk today. At that time, it also meant they were not highly educated.
The crowd is amazed. They were hearing the Galileans speak in their own language, meaning they understood the proclamation being made by them. There were at least fifteen different languages being spoken to proclaim the good news of the Messiah. They were praising God and witnessing to his mighty acts. Most of the crowd was amazed and wondering what it meant. However, there were some who accused the disciples of being drunk. This is an example of those who are seeking God versus those who deny God.
Tomorrow, we will review the first part of Peter’s sermon and his quote of the prophet Joel.
Acts 2:5-7 Now there were devout Jews from every people under heaven living in Jerusalem. And at this sound the crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in the native language of each. Amazed and astonished, they asked, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans?”
Marty Pressey 