College Press Bible Study Textbook Series
Acts 2:1-4
3. IN AN APARTMENT IN THE TEMPLE.
a.
The baptism in the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:1-4.
And when the day of Pentecost was now come, they were all together in one place.
And suddenly there came from heaven a sound as of the rushing of a mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
And there appeared unto them tongues parting asunder, like as of fire; and it sat upon each one of them.
And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
Acts 2:1 The great day had arrived. The day toward which the whole plan and program of Jesus had pointed. His death and resurrection would mean nothing unless spread abroad; and here was the day upon which these great facts were to be declared for the first time. When Jesus stood in Caesarea Philippi and made that glorious promise: I will build my church (Matthew 16:18), He was looking forward to this day. The word church means called out. On this day of Pentecost certain persons were called out of the world by the preaching of the gospel to become the possession of Christ; thus to form His called out body, His church. Jesus had not been explicit as to the number of days the apostles were to tarry in the city, He simply said it would be not many days (Acts 1:5), but it is interesting to note the divine hand in the selection of this particular day: The proper people were on this day present: devout men (Acts 2:5), thus they were more receptive to the divine truth. The proper preachers were there: those whom Jesus Himself had designated, His twelve apostles. These were the men Jesus had selected and taught; all the while preparing them for this momentous occasion. The proper power was present, that promised power of the baptism in the Holy Spirit. The subject of the baptism in the Holy Spirit is to be taken up in our special study (Cf. pp. 351). Suffice it to say here that:
36.
Why can we consider the day of Pentecost the day toward which the whole plan and program of Jesus pointed?
37.
Explain how the church was established on the day of Pentecost.
1.
Jesus had promised the apostles that they were to receive this power. (Acts 1:5)
2.
That the grammatical construction of Acts 1:26 and Acts 2:1 points only to the apostles as the recipients of this experience.
3.
When we remember that the original manuscripts did not contain the chapter and paragraph divisions that our English translations do, and then we read from the close of the first chapter ignoring the break of the chapter and paragraph, it becomes very clear who Luke wanted us to understand were immersed in the Holy Spirit. Note how it reads this way:
And they gave lots for them; and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles. And when the day of Pentecost was now come, they were all together in one place.
The fact that the antecedent of any pronoun is found by referring back to the nearest noun with which it agrees in person, number and case clinches the argument of the baptism of only the apostles in the Holy Spirit.
It might be well to say just a word as to where the apostles were gathered. The scriptures say they were all together in one place but where was that place? It is important to notice that it must have been in some other place than the upper room referred to in Acts 1:13, for had it been a continuation of action in the same room there would have been no need to mention that they were gathered together, since that would have already been known.
We are disposed to the opinion that the place spoken of was an apartment in the temple. We hold this opinion for the following reasons:
1.
The circumstances of preaching to thousands would not lend itself to this taking place in a private residence. Whereas, all the twelve needed to do in the temple apartment, which faced the temple area, was to turn to the patio side of the apartment, and there were the many acres of the temple area to accommodate the crowd.
2.
Since this was a great feast day for the Jews, the temple was the headquarters for the celebration (Luke 24:53), it would not seem logical that the apostles would be in their homes upon such an occasion.
3.
Luke states they were continually in the temple blessing God. What more appropriate time to be in the temple worshiping God than upon this great day of the feast of the first fruits?
38.
Give three evidences of the divine hand in the selection of the day of Pentecost as the day for the establishment of the church.
39.
How can we say that the grammatical construction of Acts 1:26 and Acts 2:1 points only to the twelve as the ones baptized in the Holy Spirit?
40.
How can we know that the gathering of the apostles was in some other place than the upper room?
Acts 2:2-4 Notice that there was a sound as of the rushing of a mighty wind. It does not say there was mighty wind, but only the sound as of the rushing of a mighty wind. This sound was confined to the place wherein they were sitting. Immediately preceding the sound, or appearing simultaneously with the sound, were the tongues like as of fire, or what appeared to be tongues of fire, which upon appearing, immediately distributed themselves over the various parts of the room and came to rest upon the apostles. These tongues of fire were like the sound of the wind, they were not literal flames of fire but only like as of fire. The reason for these manifestations was, no doubt, to lend splendor to the occasion which would attract attention and interest, and would at the same time manifest to all that saw and heard that the hand of God was in the whole experience. We can know as a dogmatic certainty that Acts 2:4 of the second chapter is the literal fulfillment of Acts 2:5 of the first chapter. Jesus had promised the baptism of the Holy Spirit and here is the fulfillment of His promise.
Consider a point of import: What is meant by the word baptism as it is here used? The objects of the baptism were the apostles. the element of the baptism was the Holy Spirit. What part of the apostles was immersed in the Holy Spirit? A moment's thought will cause us to say that their minds were the portions of their beings to be immersed in the Holy Spirit. Thus the personality of the Holy Spirit literally immersed the personalities of the twelve and they spake not from their own spirits, but only as their immersed spirits were controlled by the Spirit of God. Indeed Jesus-' words in Matthew 10:20 found an actual fulfillment here: For it is not ye that speak but the Spirit of your Father that speaketh in you.
41.
What reasons are given for saying that the baptism in the Holy Spirit occurred in a temple apartment?
42.
Was the sound of the rushing of a mighty wind general or local?
43.
Why were these miraculous manifestations given at this time?
44.
What statement of Jesus finds its fulfillment on this day?
45.
Explain the meaning and use of the word baptism as used in the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
46.
What kind of Jews were present at Pentecost, and what called them together to listen to the words of Peter?