Acts 2:3

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Acts 2:1-4

We have here an account of the descent of the Holy Ghost upon the disciples of Christ. Observe, I. When, and where, this was done, which are particularly noted, for the greater certainty of the thing. 1. It was when the day of pentecost was fully come, in which there seems to be a reference to the manner of the expression in the institution of this feast, where it is said (Lev. 23:15), You shall count unto you seven sabbaths complete, from the day of the offering of the first-fruits, which was... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Acts 2:1-13

We may never know precisely what happened on the Day of Pentecost but we do know that it was one of the supremely great days of the Christian Church. for on that day the Holy Spirit came to the Christian Church in a very special way. Acts has been called the Gospel of the Holy Spirit; so before we turn to detailed consideration of its second chapter let us take a general view of what Acts has to say about the Holy Spirit. The Coming Of The Spirit It is perhaps unfortunate that we so... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Acts 2:1-13

2:1-13 So when the day of Pentecost came round, they were all together in one place; and all of a sudden there came from heaven a sound like that of a violent, rushing wind and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. And tongues, like tongues of fire, appeared to them, which distributed themselves among them and settled on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and they began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them the power of utterance. ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 2:3

And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire ,.... An emblem of the various tongues and languages, in which they were to preach the Gospel; these appearances were like flames of fire parted, and these parted flames looked like tongues; so, a flame of fire is with, the Jews called, לשון אש , "a tongue of fire", Isaiah 5:24 hence the Apostle James compares a tongue to fire, James 3:6 this was the baptism with fire, John the Baptist speaks of; see Gill on Matthew 3:11 ;... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Acts 2:3

Cloven tongues like as of fire - The tongues were the emblem of the languages they were to speak. The cloven tongues pointed out the diversity of those languages; and the fire seemed to intimate that the whole would be a spiritual gift, and be the means of bringing light and life to the souls who should hear them preach the everlasting Gospel in those languages. Sat upon each of them - Scintillations, coruscations, or flashes of fire, were probably at first frequent through every part of... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Acts 2:1-4

The epoch of the spiritual dispensation. I. THE DAY . The fiftieth after the Passover; the beginning of the great festival of harvest. What associations of joy! It was a focus of national life. It was a convenient season for the designs of Providence. Jerusalem was thronged, and the multitude was alive with thought. A sound now heard from the depths of the world of spirit must vibrate through the conscience of mankind for ages. II. THE SOUND . As of a mighty blast from... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Acts 2:1-4

The day of Pentecost: the manifestation of the Spirit. I. THE TIME AND PLACE . Correspondence with the facts of the natural world and of the Jewish Church. Harvest festival. Connection with the Passover, from which it was reckoned—seven weeks. The gifts of God poured out at Jerusalem, where yet he was about to pour out his judgments. The new must be grafted on the old, according to the promises in the prophets, that there should still be a remnant according to the election of... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Acts 2:1-4

The symbols of the Spirit's presence. It is important that we mark with some precision what actually occurred on this memorable day. On the day of Pentecost the company of disciples met together as usual at the customary hour of morning prayer, but whether in one of the thirty rooms which Josephus tells us were connected with the courts of Herod's temple, or in the private house where they lodged, is uncertain. As we know that they attended morning prayer in the temple (see Acts 3:1 ),... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Acts 2:1-13

The unity of the Spirit. If, with the idea of unity in our minds, we read this description of the first outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the Church, we cannot but be struck with the manner in which that great idea is exhibited and illustrated. I. There is first THE LOCAL UNITY OF THE CHURCH . They were all together in one place. Many in number, but all of that many come together; drawn by one common impulse to merge their separate existences, their various pursuits, their... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Acts 2:1-13

The coming of God in power. The ascended Savior was about to come in mighty power to the disciples. They were in Jerusalem, "waiting for the promise of the Father;" doubtless they had no anticipation of the way in which that promise would be fulfilled, and must have been struck with the utmost awe and wonder when they found themselves wrought upon with such Divine energies. Our thought is directed to— I. THE MANIFESTED PRESENCE OF GOD . God revealed his presence through the... read more

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