It contradicts what the multitude affirmed, namely, 'How hear we, every man in our own language, wherein we were born?' (2:8). They 'began to speak with other tongues,' i.e. But this view contradicts the distinct statement in Acts 2:4: Others imagine that the miracle was wrought upon the ears of the hearers, each of whom supposed what he heard to be uttered in his mother-tongue. Some try to account for the gift of tongues by saying that it was a new style of speaking, or new forms of expression, or new and elevated thoughts, but this is both unnatural and wholly inconsistent with the narrative where a real difference of language is implied. Many attempts have been made by writers on the Ac to explain the phenomenon of Pentecost so as to exclude in whole or in part the supernatural element which Luke unquestionably recognizes. Not only did the Spirit enable them thus to speak, but even the utterance of words depended on His divine influence-they spake 'as the Spirit gave them utterance.' It was because they were filled with the Holy Spirit that this extraordinary gift was exhibited by them. 'Like as of fire,' or, more exactly, 'as if of fire,' indicates the appearance of the tongues, not that they were actually aflame, but that they prefigured the marvelous gift with which the disciples were now endowed.įinally, there was the impartation to them of a new strange power to speak in languages they had never learned. But this is not at all the meaning of Luke's expression rather, tongues parting asunder, tongues distributed among them, each disciple sharing in the gift equally with the others. Our the King James Version 'cloven tongues' is somewhat misleading, for it is likely to suggest that each fire-like tongue was cloven or forked, as one sometimes sees in the pictures representing the scene. Next, the eye was arrested by the appearance of tongues of fire which rested on each of the gathered company. It was an invisible cause producing audible effects. It was the sound that filled the house, not a wind.

The disciples heard a 'sound from heaven,' which rushed with mighty force into the house and filled it even as the storm rushes, but there was no wind. The gift of the Spirit was accompanied by extraordinary manifestations or phenomena. On that day, the 50th after the Passover, and so the first day of the week, the Lord's day, the Spirit of God descended upon them in marvelous copiousness and power.

When the Day of Pentecost was fully come and the disciples, no doubt by previous arrangement and with one accord, were gathered together in one place, the promise was gloriously fulfilled. Acts 1:8 repeats the same gracious promise with additional particulars: 'But ye shall receive power, when the Holy Spirit is come upon you: and ye shall be my witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.' These were probably the last words our Lord spoke on earth before He ascended to the right hand of God. After His resurrection the Lord bade His disciples to tarry in Jerusalem until He should fulfill to them the promise of the Father, and until they should be clothed with power from on high ( Luke 24:49). The reference in this topic is to the marvelous gift of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost ( Acts 2:1-13).

Clover tongue