To our readers: Here is a small study out of one of my unfinished commentaries. I do admit to the Acts Commentary being one of my many “irons in the fire” but hopefully, The Acts of the Apostles will soon be completed.

Acts 2:1 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.

Acts 2:2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.

Acts 2:3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.

Acts 2:4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

Acts 2:5 And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.

We have a figure of speech in 2:1-5. It is called a “polysyndeton” and indicates a related series of thoughts or terms connected by conjunctions. The King James Bible utilizes this little known figure in many places. What many uninformed readers think useless and repetitious, the figure is deliberately inspired, a special study help God has placed in His word. (See Genesis 1:2-26 for the first one).  The first five verses of Chapter Two are linked by the Holy Spirit; this means the day of Pentecost is not to be separated from Jerusalem and Israel, nor is the baptism with the Holy Ghost and the event of tongues to be assigned to anyone other than Israel. There are a series of “Ands” that constitute the major figure and there are several minor “and(s)” throughout the five verses. All of them are related to the central theme of the passage: the feast of Pentecost, and all relate to Israel.

“And when the day of Pentecost”…”And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews…”. Five (5) major “Ands” connect the thoughts of 2:1, 2, 3, 4, 5, along with three (3) others within the verses: “And when the day of Pentecost” “And suddenly there came a sound…and it” (v2) “And there appeared…and it” (v3) “And they were all filled…and began” “And there were dwelling” (v.4).

Israel came together for the Feast of Pentecost at Jerusalem. All of the phrases are related and are to be seen as a united whole. To make Pentecost a New Testament Church Feast day or to force it into a private religious experience is to completely miss the message of Pentecost. Pentecost is a unique Feast that the LORD gave to the nation of Israel, and the events and people are all interrelated with the other six (6) major Feasts of the LORD. (Leviticus 23).

In other words, although the baptism with the Holy Ghost that occurs in Acts 2 is a new event, it is not separated from Israel and the Feast of Pentecost, along with the prophetic importance. The baptism with the Spirit, the scriptural OT connection with Pentecost, and the fact that it is the nation of Israel’s feast cannot be removed from the historic OT base, future prophecy, and reassigned to a church celebration or some individual experience. There is not one Bible reference in the Old Testament or the New Testament that states Pentecost is a day to be continually observed during this present Church Age. There is no reasonable exegesis of Acts 2 that would justify Pentecost being a private, personal experience of the child of God. All that happened on this Pentecost was prophesied and even promised in clear and plain language that fits perfectly with all types and shadows that preceded that Jewish Feast Day. The seven Feasts of the LORD were not given as mere ritualistic exercises or limited to the Law of Moses; the Feasts form a prophetic forecast and vital part of the nation of Israel’s future blessings after this present Church Age.

The “baptism with the Holy Ghost” in Acts 2 is not to be confused with the “baptism by the Spirit” in 1 Corinthians 12:13. The Lord Jesus Christ is the One who baptizes in Acts 2; the Holy Spirit is the One who baptizes in 1 Corinthians 12:13. These baptisms are dealt with in detail in this commentary in Acts 10.

“Pentecost” is a Greek term meaning “50th”. This usage of the Greek language with passages and terms associated with Israel should not be alarming. Israel’s history is combined with her own Hebrew tongue, as well as Arabic, Greek, English and other Gentile languages. Although Hebrew is the nation’s native tongue, Israel’s disobedience and the LORD’s judgments upon the nation brought them into direct contact with various cultures and the languages of the Gentiles. (continued in the Acts Commentary.)