Lecture 4 – The Coming of the Spirit at Pentecost

READING:
In addition to commentaries on Acts 2, see:

I.Howard Marshall, “The Significance of Pentecost,” Scottish Journal of Theology 30 (1977):

347-69

 We cannot get away from the fact that we are 21st century Christians, and that we
come at this text with all sorts of assumptions.

o Exegesis should drive our questions.

 According to Luke, what is Pentecost about?

o The distinction between event and significance.

 The event of Pentecost is all about the Holy Spirit. But the
significance of Pentecost is primarily about three things

1. Jesus

2. Eschatological Salvation

3. Renewal of the whole house of Israel

As I go through this passage systematically, if you get lost, use these as your compass points
to orienteer yourself around this section of Scripture.

Working Through Pentecost

The Coming of the Spirit on the Disciples (2:1-4)

Acts 2:1 When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place.
2 And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled
the entire house where they were sitting.
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3 And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them.
4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the
Spirit gave them utterance.

 Pentecost = a regular feature of the Jewish calendar, known also as the Feast of
Weeks (Lev 23:15-21), and it was a harvest festival.

 Always celebrated fifty days after the Passover, hence the name Pentecost (fiftieth).

 Wind as sign of theophany (2 Sam 22:16; Job 37:10 Ezek 13:13, cf. also 4 Ezra 13:10).
Fire as a sign of God’s presence – Exod 3:2; Deut 4:33; 5:24-26; 1 Kings 18:38.

 Is there any significance to the fact that the Spirit comes upon this particular Jewish
holy day? Perhaps.

o covenant renewal (see doing things in the “third month” - 2 Chron 15:10-
12; see in particular Jubilees 6:17-21).

o This likely also meant an association with the covenant at Sinai (similar time
periods for when things are happening – the third month - Exodus 19:1).

 Pentecost as the replacement of Sinai?

 Tongues of fire – separating onto each individual - unlike Numbers 11, where the
special gift of the Spirit to Moses is then shared with 70, but not all the people (see
Moses cry in Num 11:29).

 Spirit brings tongues (languages)

The Response of the Crowd (2:5-13)

 Jews from every nation under heaven (παντὸς ἔθνους τῶν ὑπὸ τὸν οὐρανόν).

 Diaspora Jews = faithful Jews who have lived, or are living, in foreign lands.
Lecture 4 – The Coming of the Spirit at Pentecost

 Enabled to speak to all Israel in different languages.

 “And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, "What does this
mean?" – miraculous is not self-authenticating. The necessity of the word which
explains.

Peter’s Sermon (2:14-41)

 First major speech in Acts – won’t be the last!

 The theology of Pentecost is found in Peter’s sermon. What does he focus on?

The Spirit signals the “last days” have begun (2:14-21)

 Verse 16 – This is what Joel said would happen.

Lecture 4 – The Coming of the Spirit at Pentecost

 The Spirit as an eschatological blessing. If the Spirit is here, then the last days have
begun. The End is already here – in that the Spirit has arrived, but the rest of the End
is also very near.

 Our non-eschatological, individualistic view of salvation.

 Verse 21 – the Spirit’s outpouring in Joel means everyone who calls upon the name
of the Lord shall be saved. But who is the Lord?

 The need to reverse the verdict on Jesus

Jesus’ status as Messiah is vindicated by resurrection (2:22-32)

 At every point in Jesus ministry, God attested to his status.

 The resurrection of Jesus as the vindication of Jesus – what you thought about him is
not what God thinks about him.

 Peter’s use of the OT to show that resurrection is the way God establishes the
throne of the Messiah

 The logical syllogism

On the basis of Psalm 16

The Messiah will rise from the dead

But God raised Jesus
Therefore Jesus is the Messiah

 Jesus is enthroned and exalted by resurrection/ascension.

 The Spirit is here –> that means the End is near –> so call on the Lord –> the Lord is
Jesus – >shown by resurrection and shown by….
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Jesus’ status as Messiah and Lord is confirmed by the Spirit (33-36)

 The Spirit which they can all see and hear (v.33)

 Why has the Spirit come now?

 The ascension as the cause of Pentecost

 “Therefore let the entire house of Israel know with certainty that God has made him
both Lord and Messiah, this Jesus whom you crucified” (Acts 2:36).

The Response Required (2:37-41)

 The Good News about Jesus is Bad News if you crucified him!

 The hope and blessing of the gospel.

o Repent

o Be Baptised in the Name of Jesus

 Peter’s sermon understands salvation in terms of the forgiveness of sins and the gift
of the Holy Spirit.

 Indeed, all four references to a gift in Acts are to the giving of the Holy Spirit
(8:20; 10:45; 11:17).

 The Spirit as part of the essential blessings of belonging to God’s new-covenant

people.

“…first century Christianity understood itself as quintessentially a movement of the

Spirit of God, as the fulfilment of the ancient prophetic hope of a people (God’s people
Israel) renewed by the Spirit, and on whom the Spirit had been outpoured, to inspire praise
and prophecy and witness and conduct.” (James Dunn).
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The Summary Ending - 2:42-47

 The first of three summaries in the early part of Acts (2:42-47; 4:32-37; 5:12-16),
which function to capture the quality of community experienced by the believers in
the early Jerusalem community.

 The Spirit creates a renewed community

o Plat.Rep.462c: “That city, then, is best ordered in which the greatest number
use the expression ‘mine’ and ‘not mine’ of the same things in the same
way.”

 See 1QS 6.19-22.

 Philo, Hypothetica 11.4 (speaking of a group of Essenes)

And a proof of this is to be found in their life of perfect freedom; no one among them
ventures at all to acquire any property whatever of his own, neither house, nor slave, nor
farm, nor flocks and herds, nor any thing of any sort which can be looked upon as the
fountain or provision of riches; but they bring them together into the middle as a common
stock, and enjoy one common general benefit from it all.

Final Theological Thoughts

Pentecost is about Jesus and his exalted identity

Pentecost is about eschatological salvation – Jesus has brought final salvation, and the Spirit
is essential.

Pentecost is about the renewal of Israel – God keeps his promises to his people by offering
them renewal and restoration through Jesus, which prepares them to witness to the
Gentiles.

So What?
Applying this event to our lives takes skill and discernment. There are parts of it which are
unique.
Lecture 4 – The Coming of the Spirit at Pentecost

Spirit and Mission

Spirit and Salvation

Spirit and Jesus

Spirit and Community.