Chapter 4
Pentecost
[This chapter is based on Acts 2:1-39.]
As the disciples returned from Olivet to Jerusalem, the people looked
on them, expecting to see on their faces expressions of sorrow,
confusion, and defeat; but they saw there gladness and triumph. The
disciples did not now mourn over disappointed hopes. They had seen the
risen Saviour, and the words of His parting promise echoed constantly in
their ears.
In obedience to Christ's command, they waited in Jerusalem for the
promise of the Father--the outpouring of the Spirit. They did not wait
in idleness. The record says that they were "continually in the
temple, praising and blessing God." Luke 24:53. They also met
together to present their requests to the Father in the name of Jesus.
They knew that they had a Representative in heaven, an Advocate at the
throne of God. In solemn awe they bowed in prayer, repeating the
assurance, "Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in My name, He will
give it you. Hitherto have ye asked nothing in My name: ask, and ye
shall receive, that your joy may be full." John 16:23, 24. Higher
and still higher they extended the hand of faith, with the mighty
argument, "It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again,
who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for
us." Romans 8:34.
As the disciples waited for the fulfilment of the promise, they
humbled their hearts in true repentance and confessed their unbelief. As
they called to remembrance the words that Christ had spoken to them
before His death they understood more fully their meaning. Truths which
had passed from their memory were again brought to their minds, and
these they repeated to one another. They reproached themselves for their
misapprehension of the Saviour. Like a procession, scene after scene of
His wonderful life passed before them. As they meditated upon His pure,
holy life they felt that no toil would be too hard, no sacrifice too
great, if only they could bear witness in their lives to the loveliness
of Christ's character. Oh, if they could but have the past three years
to live over, they thought, how differently they would act! If they
could only see the Master again, how earnestly they would strive to show
Him how deeply they loved Him, and how sincerely they sorrowed for
having ever grieved Him by a word or an act of unbelief! But they were
comforted by the thought that they were forgiven. And they determined
that, so far as possible, they would atone for their unbelief by bravely
confessing Him before the world.
The disciples prayed with intense earnestness for a fitness to meet
men and in their daily intercourse to speak words that would lead
sinners to Christ. Putting away all differences, all desire for the
supremacy, they came close together in Christian fellowship. They drew
nearer and nearer to God, and as they did this they realised what a
privilege had been theirs in being permitted to associate so closely
with Christ. Sadness filled their hearts as they thought of how many
times they had grieved Him by their slowness of comprehension, their
failure to understand the lessons that, for their good, He was trying to
teach them.
These days of preparation were days of deep heart searching. The
disciples felt their spiritual need and cried to the Lord for the holy
unction that was to fit them for the work of soul saving. They did not
ask for a blessing for themselves merely. They were weighted with the
burden of the salvation of souls. They realised that the gospel was to
be carried to the world, and they claimed the power that Christ had
promised.
During the patriarchal age the influence of the Holy Spirit had often
been revealed in a marked manner, but never in its fullness. Now, in
obedience to the word of the Saviour, the disciples offered their
supplications for this gift, and in heaven Christ added His
intercession. He claimed the gift of the Spirit, that He might pour it
upon His people.
"And when the Day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all
with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from
heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where
they were sitting."
The Spirit came upon the waiting, praying disciples with a fullness
that reached every heart. The Infinite One revealed Himself in power to
His church. It was as if for ages this influence had been held in
restraint, and now Heaven rejoiced in being able to pour out upon the
church the riches of the Spirit's grace. And under the influence of the
Spirit, words of penitence and confession mingled with songs of praise
for sins forgiven. Words of thanksgiving and of prophecy were heard. All
heaven bent low to behold and to adore the wisdom of matchless,
incomprehensible love. Lost in wonder, the apostles exclaimed,
"Herein is love." They grasped the imparted gift. And what
followed? The sword of the Spirit, newly edged with power and bathed in
the lightnings of heaven, cut its way through unbelief. Thousands were
converted in a day.
"It is expedient for you that I go away," Christ had said
to His disciples; "for If I go not away, the Comforter will not
come unto you; but if I depart, I will send Him unto you."
"When He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He will guide you into all
truth: for He shall not speak of Himself; but whatsoever He shall hear,
that shall He speak: and He will show you things to come." John
16:7, 13.
Christ's ascension to heaven was the signal that His followers were
to receive the promised blessing. For this they were to wait before they
entered upon their work. When Christ passed within the heavenly gates,
He was enthroned amidst the adoration of the angels. As soon as this
ceremony was completed, the Holy Spirit descended upon the disciples in
rich currents, and Christ was indeed glorified, even with the glory
which He had with the Father from all eternity. The Pentecostal
outpouring was Heaven's communication that the Redeemer's inauguration
was accomplished. According to His promise He had sent the Holy Spirit
from heaven to His followers as a token that He had, as priest and king,
received all authority in heaven and on earth, and was the Anointed One
over His people.
"And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire,
and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy
Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them
utterance." The Holy Spirit, assuming the form of tongues of fire,
rested upon those assembled. This was an emblem of the gift then
bestowed on the disciples, which enabled them to speak with fluency
languages with which they had heretofore been unacquainted. The
appearance of fire signified the fervent zeal with which the apostles
would labour and the power that would attend their work.
"There were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every
nation under heaven." During the dispersion the Jews had been
scattered to almost every part of the inhabited world, and in their
exile they had learned to speak various languages. Many of these Jews
were on this occasion in Jerusalem, attending the religious festivals
then in progress. Every known tongue was represented by those assembled.
This diversity of languages would have been a great hindrance to the
proclamation of the gospel; God therefore in a miraculous manner
supplied the deficiency of the apostles. The Holy Spirit did for them
that which they could not have accomplished for themselves in a
lifetime. They could now proclaim the truths of the gospel abroad,
speaking with accuracy the languages of those for whom they were
labouring. This miraculous gift was a strong evidence to the world that
their commission bore the signet of Heaven. From this time forth the
language of the disciples was pure, simple, and accurate, whether they
spoke in their native tongue or in a foreign language.
"Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together,
and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own
language. And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another,
Behold, are not all these which speak Galileans? and how hear we every
man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?"
The priests and rulers were greatly enraged at this wonderful
manifestation, but they dared not give way to their malice, for fear of
exposing themselves to the violence of the people. They had put the
Nazarene to death; but here were His servants, unlettered men of
Galilee, telling in all the languages then spoken, the story of His life
and ministry. The priests, determined to account for the miraculous
power of the disciples in some natural way, declared that they were
drunken from partaking largely of the new wine prepared for the feast.
Some of the most ignorant of the people present seized upon this
suggestion as the truth, but the more intelligent knew it to be false;
and those who understood the different languages testified to the
accuracy with which these languages were used by the disciples.
In answer to the accusation of the priests Peter showed that this
demonstration was in direct fulfilment of the prophecy of Joel, wherein
he foretold that such power would come upon men to fit them for a
special work. "Ye men of Judea, and all ye that dwell at
Jerusalem," he said, "be this known unto you, and hearken to
my words: for these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the
third hour of the day. But this is that which was spoken by the prophet
Joel: And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour
out of My Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall
prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall
dream dreams: and on My servants and on My handmaidens I will pour out
in those days of My Spirit; and they shall prophesy."
With clearness and power Peter bore witness of the death and
resurrection of Christ: "Ye men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus
of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and
signs, which God did by Him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also
know: Him . . . ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and
slain: whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death:
because it was not possible that He should be holden of it."
Peter did not refer to the teachings of Christ to prove his position,
because he knew that the prejudice of his hearers was so great that his
words on this subject would be of no effect. Instead, he spoke to them
of David, who was regarded by the Jews as one of the patriarchs of their
nation. "David speaketh concerning Him," he declared: "I
foresaw the Lord always before My face, for He is on My right hand, that
I should not be moved: therefore did My heart rejoice, and My tongue was
glad; moreover also My flesh shall rest in hope: because Thou wilt not
leave My soul in hell, neither wilt Thou suffer Thine Holy One to see
corruption. . . .
"Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch
David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us
unto this day." "He . . . spake of the resurrection of Christ,
that His soul was not left in hell, neither His flesh did see
corruption. This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are
witnesses."
The scene is one full of interest. Behold the people coming from all
directions to hear the disciples witness to the truth as it is in Jesus.
They press in, crowding the temple. Priests and rulers are there, the
dark scowl of malignity still on their faces, their hearts still filled
with abiding hatred against Christ, their hands uncleansed from the
blood shed when they crucified the world's Redeemer. They had thought to
find the apostles cowed with fear under the strong hand of oppression
and murder, but they find them lifted above all fear and filled with the
Spirit, proclaiming with power the divinity of Jesus of Nazareth. They
hear them declaring with boldness that the One so recently humiliated,
derided, smitten by cruel hands, and crucified, is the Prince of life,
now exalted to the right hand of God.
Some of those who listened to the apostles had taken an active part
in the condemnation and death of Christ. Their voices had mingled with
the rabble in calling for His crucifixion. When Jesus and Barabbas stood
before them in the judgement hall and Pilate asked, "Whom will ye
that I release unto you?" they had shouted, "Not this Man, but
Barabbas!" Matthew 27:17; John 18:40. When Pilate delivered Christ
to them, saying, "Take ye Him, and crucify Him: for I find no fault
in Him;" "I am innocent of the blood of this just
Person," they had cried, "His blood be on us, and on our
children." John 19:6; Matthew 27:24, 25.
Now they heard the disciples declaring that it was the Son of God who
had been crucified. Priests and rulers trembled. Conviction and anguish
seized the people. "They were pricked in their heart, and said unto
Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we
do?" Among those who listened to the disciples were devout Jews,
who were sincere in their belief. The power that accompanied the words
of the speaker convinced them that Jesus was indeed the Messiah.
"Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptised every one of
you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall
receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to
your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord
our God shall call."
Peter urged home upon the convicted people the fact that they had
rejected Christ because they had been deceived by priests and rulers;
and that if they continued to look to these men for counsel, and waited
for them to acknowledge Christ before they dared to do so, they would
never accept Him. These powerful men, though making a profession =of
godliness, were ambitious for earthly riches and glory. They were not
willing to come to Christ to receive light.
Under the influence of this heavenly illumination the scriptures that
Christ had explained to the disciples stood out before them with the
lustre of perfect truth. The veil that had prevented them from seeing to
the end of that which had been abolished, was now removed, and they
comprehended with perfect clearness the object of Christ's mission and
the nature of His kingdom. They could speak with power of the Saviour;
and as they unfolded to their hearers the plan of salvation, many were
convicted and convinced. The traditions and superstitions inculcated by
the priests were swept away from their minds, and the teachings of the
Saviour were accepted.
"Then they that gladly received his word were baptised: and the
same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls."
The Jewish leaders had supposed that the work of Christ would end
with His death; but, instead of this, they witnessed the marvellous
scenes of the Day of Pentecost. They heard the disciples, endowed with a
power and energy hitherto unknown, preaching Christ, their words
confirmed by signs and wonders. In Jerusalem, the stronghold of Judaism,
thousands openly declared their faith in Jesus of Nazareth as the
Messiah.
The disciples were astonished and overjoyed at the greatness of the
harvest of souls. They did not regard this wonderful ingathering as the
result of their own efforts; they realised that they were entering into
other men's labours.
Ever since the fall of Adam, Christ had been committing to chosen
servants the seed of His word, to be sown in human hearts. During His
life on this earth He had sown the seed of truth and had watered it with
His blood. The conversions that took place on the Day of Pentecost were
the result of this sowing, the harvest of Christ's work, revealing the
power of His teaching.
The arguments of the apostles alone, though clear and convincing,
would not have removed the prejudice that had withstood so much
evidence. But the Holy Spirit sent the arguments home to hearts with
divine power. The words of the apostles were as sharp arrows of the
Almighty, convicting men of their terrible guilt in rejecting and
crucifying the Lord of glory.
Under the training of Christ the disciples had been led to feel their
need of the Spirit. Under the Spirit's teaching they received the final
qualification, and went forth to their lifework. No longer were they
ignorant and uncultured. No longer were they a collection of independent
units or discordant, conflicting elements. No longer were their hopes
set on worldly greatness. They were of "one accord," "of
one heart and of one soul." Acts. 2:46; 4:32. Christ filled their
thoughts; the advancement of His kingdom was their aim. In mind and
character they had become like their Master, and men "took
knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus." Acts 4:13.
Pentecost brought them the heavenly illumination. The truths they
could not understand while Christ was with them were now unfolded. With
a faith and assurance that =they had never before known, they accepted
the teachings of the Sacred Word. No longer was it a matter of faith
with them that Christ was the Son of God. They knew that, although
clothed with humanity, He was indeed the Messiah, and they told their
experience to the world with a confidence which carried with it the
conviction that God was with them.
They could speak the name of Jesus with assurance; for was He not
their Friend and Elder Brother? Brought into close communion with
Christ, they sat with Him in heavenly places. With what burning language
they clothed their ideas as they bore witness for Him! Their hearts were
surcharged with a benevolence so full, so deep, so far-reaching, that it
impelled them to go to the ends of the earth, testifying to the power of
Christ. They were filled with an intense longing to carry forward the
work He had begun. They realised the greatness of their debt to heaven
and the responsibility of their work. Strengthened by the endowment of
the Holy Spirit, they went forth filled with zeal to extend the triumphs
of the cross. The Spirit animated them and spoke through them. The peace
of Christ shone from their faces. They had consecrated their lives to
Him for service, and their very features bore evidence to the surrender
they had made. |
