Atos 2:14-15

Peter, again representing the apostles (cf. Acts 1:15), addressed the assembled crowd. He probably gave this speech in the Temple outer courtyard (the court of the Gentiles). He probably spoke in the vernacular, in Aramaic or possibly in Koine (common) Greek, rather than in tongues. Peter had previously denied that he knew Jesus, but now he was publicly representing Him. The apostle distinguished two types of Jews in his audience: native Jews living within the province of Judea, and all who were living in Jerusalem. The Diaspora contingent was probably the group most curious about the tongues phenomenon. Peter began by refuting the charge of drunkenness. It was too early in the day for that since it was only 9:00 a.m. The Jews began each day at sundown. There were about 12 hours of darkness, and then there were 12 hours of daylight. So the third hour of the day would have been about 9:00 a.m.

"Unfortunately, this argument was more telling in antiquity than today." [Note: Longenecker, p. 275.]

"Scrupulous Jews drank wine only with flesh, and, on the authority of Exodus 16:8, ate bread in the morning and flesh only in the evening. Hence wine could be drunk only in the evening. This is the point of Peter’s remark." [Note: Blaiklock, p. 58]