Acts 2:1

Was fully come (συμπληροῦσθαι) Used by Luke only. See on Luke 9:51. Lit., as Rev., margin, was being fulfilled. The day, according to the Hebrew mode, is conceived as a measure to be filled up. So long as the day had not yet arrived, the measure was not full. The words denote in process of fulfilment. Pentecost Meaning fiftieth; because occurring on the fiftieth day, calculated from the second day of unleavened bread. In the Old Testament it is called the feast of weeks, and the feast of harvest. Its primary object was to thank God for the blessings of harvest. See Deuteronomy 16:10, Deuteronomy 16:11. With one accord (ὁμοθυμαδὸν) The best texts substitute ὁμοῦ, together. So Rev.

Acts 2:1 . When the day of pentecost was fully come — Of this feast, which had its name from πεντηκοστη , pentecostee, (which signifies the fiftieth day,) because it was celebrated fifty days after the passover, see notes on Leviticus 23:15-16 . As our Lord was crucified at one of the great Jewish feasts, it was fit that he should be glorified at another. And this of pentecost was chosen with peculiar propriety, as next succeeding that of the passover, at which he suffered; and also as it was celebrated in commemoration of the giving of the law from mount Sinai, and as the first- fruits were then offered and anointed, Exodus 19:1 ; Exodus 19:11 ; Leviticus 23:17 . To these answered the fuller discovery of the gospel on this occasion, and the anointing of the first-fruits of the Christian Church by the effusion of the Spirit. At the pentecost of Sinai, in the Old Testament, and the pentecost of Jerusalem, in the New, were the two grand manifestations of God, the legal and the evangelical; the one from the mountain, and the other from heaven; the terrible, and the merciful one. And as the Jewish Church was constituted at the former of these periods, it was fit that the incorporation of the Christian Church should be dated from the latter.

As further reasons why it was peculiarly proper that this time should be chosen for effecting this wonderful miracle, it may be observed, 1st, That as great multitudes of people were wont to assemble at Jerusalem at all the Jewish feasts, so it is probable that the peculiar solemnity of this feast, the general expectation of the Messiah that now prevailed among them, and the length of the days, as it was about the middle of summer, would bring greater numbers thither on this occasion than usually attended at the festivals. This would make the miracle the more public, and cause the fame of it to be spread the sooner and farther, which would contribute much to the propagation of the gospel among all nations, and make way for greater regard to the apostles, when they came to the countries where the people lived who had been spectators of this great event, and upon returning home, reported it to their friends and neighbours. 2d, As this feast of pentecost happened on the first day of the week, by the effusion of the Holy Spirit on this day, added to the resurrection of Christ taking place on it, still greater honour was put on the day, and it was more manifestly confirmed to be the Christian sabbath, the day which the Lord had appointed to be a standing memorial in his church of those two wonderful events.

Acts 2:1 . Ἐν τῷ συμπληροῦσθαι , whilst the day of Pentecost was being completed [“When the day of Pentecost was fully come”]) Many fulfilments of predictions met together at one and the same time.— τῆς Πεντηκοστῆς , of Pentecost ) This term is not found in the LXX. transl., but it does occur in Tob 2:1 ; 2Ma 12:32 . The Sinaitic Pentecost in the Old Testament, and the Jerusalem Pentecost of the New Testament, have connected with them the two clearest manifestations of God, exceeding all others by far, and raised above every objection of atheists, viz. that of the law and that of the Gospel, Psalm 68:8 ; Psalm 68:10 ; that from the mount and that from heaven ( Hebrews 12:18-25 ); that one which was accompanied with terrors, and that which is full of mercy.— ἅπαντες ὁμοθύμαδον ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτὸ , all with one accord in the same place ) There was a oneness (a conjunction) in respect of fellowship (association), minds, and place. As to who were the persons, and what they did (were engaged about), see ch. Acts 1:14-15 . Not only were there the apostles, but also the others.

And {1} when the day of Pentecost was {a} fully come, they were {b} all with one accord in one place. (1) The Apostles being gathered together on a most solemn feast day in one place, that it might evidently appear to all the world that they all had one office, one Spirit, and one faith, are by a double sign from heaven authorised, and anointed with all the most excellent gifts of the Holy Spirit, and especially with an extraordinary and necessary gift of tongues. (a) Literally, was fulfilled: that is, was begun, as in Lu 2:21. For the Hebrews say that a day or a year is fulfilled or ended when the former days or years are ended, and the other has begun; Jer 25:12: And it will come to pass that when seventy years are fulfilled, I will visit, etc. For the Lord did not bring his people home after the seventieth year was ended, but in the seventieth year: Now the day of Pentecost was the fiftieth day after the feast of the Passover. (b) The twelve apostles, who were to be the patriarchs as it were of the Church.

CHAPTER 2 Ac 2:1-13. Descent of the Spirit—The Disciples Speak with Tongues—Amazement of the Multitude. 1-4. when the day of Pentecost was fully come—The fiftieth from the morrow after the first Passover sabbath (Le 23:15, 16). with one accord—the solemnity of the day, perhaps, unconsciously raising their expectations.Acts 2:1-13 The descent of the Holy Ghost upon the apostles on theday of Pentecost: they speak divers languages, to thegeneral amazement, but some deride them.Acts 2:14-36 Peter shows that the inspiration spoken of by Joel wasnow fulfilled; that Jesus, whom they had crucified,was now risen from the dead, and ascended into heaven,according to David’s predictions, and had shed forththe promise of the Holy Spirit in full proof of hisbeing the Messias.Acts 2:37-40 A great number are converted by Peter’s preaching,Acts 2:41-47 who, being baptized, converse devoutly and charitablytogether, the apostles working many miracles, and Goddaily increasing the church.Pentecost; this feast was fifty days after the feast of unleavened bread, or passover, as Leviticus 23:16, whence it had its name, and was called the feast of weeks, Exodus 34:22, because it was to be observed seven weeks after the feast of unleavened bread, Deu 16:9.

It was the feast of the first fruit of wheat harvest, Exodus 34:22; and on this day (to answer the type) the Spirit was poured out in such a plentiful manner, as the first fruits of Christ’s ascending into heaven: besides, the law was given on this day, Exodus 19:1,11, and it was expedient that the gospel (Christ’s law) should be published on the same day: and it being on the first day of the week, it did recommend and honour the Lord’s day, as our Saviour had before by his resurrection on that day. With one accord; as if they had but one mind, as sent in so many bodies. In one place; probably that mentioned Acts 1:13.

Verse 1. - Was now come for was fully come , A.V.; all together for with one accord , A.V. and T.R. When the day of Pentecost was now come ; literally, when the day of Pentecost - i.e. , of the fiftieth day - was in the course of being completed. The fiftieth day (reckoned from the end of the 16th of Nisan, on which Jesus was crucified) was actually come, but was not ended (comp. Luke 9:11 ). All together; ὁμοῦ for ὁμοθυμαδόν : but ὁμοθυμαδόν - a favorite word in the Acts ( Acts 4:24 , note) - seems preferable to ὁμοῦ , which occurs only in St. John. In one place (see Acts 1:15 , note). The purpose, doubtless, of their coming together was for prayer, as in Acts 1:14 ; and the third hour (9 a.m., ver. 15), the hour of offering the morning sacrifice, was close at hand (comp. Acts 3:1 and Luke 1:10 ). Acts 2:1

Acts 2:1 .[109] When the day of Pentecost became full, i.e. when the day of Pentecost had come, on the day of Pentecost . The day is, according to the Hebrew mode (see Gesen. Thes. s.v. מלא ), conceived as a measure to be filled up (comp. also Acts 9:23 ; Luke 2:6 ; Luke 22:9 ; Luke 22:51 , and many similar passages in the N. T. and in the Apocrypha); so long as the day had not yet arrived, but still belonged to the future, the measure was not yet filled, but empty . But as soon as it appeared, the fulfilment, the making the day full, the ΣΥΜΠΛΉΡΩΣΙς (comp. 3 Esdr. 1:58; Daniel 9:2 ) therewith occurred; by which, without figure, is meant the realization of the day which had not hitherto become a reality. The expression itself, which concerns the definite individual day, is at variance with the view of Olshausen and Baumgarten, who would have the time from Easter to be regarded as becoming full. Quite without warrant, Hitzig (Ostern und Pfingst, p. 39 f.) would place the occurrence not at Pentecost at all. See, in opposition to this, Schneckenb. p. 198 f. ἡ πεντηκοστή ] is indeed originally to be referred to the ἡμέρα understood; but this supplementary noun had entirely fallen into disuse, and the word had become quite an independent substantive (comp. 2Ma 12:32 ). πεντηκοστή also occurs in Tob 2:1 , quite apart from its numeral signification, and ἐν τῇ πεντηκοστῇ ἑορτῇ is there: on the Pentecost-feast . See Fritzsche in loc.

The feast of Pentecost, חַג שָּׁבֻעוֹת , Deuteronomy 16:9-10 ( ἁγία ἑπτὰ ἑβδομάδων , Tob. I.c. ), was one of the three great festivals, appointed as the feast of the grain-harvest ( Exodus 23:16 ; Numbers 28:26 ), and subsequently, although we find no mention of this in Philo and Josephus (comp. Bauer in the Stud. u. Krit. 1843, p. 680), regarded also as the celebration of the giving of the law from Sinai, falling ( Exodus 19:1 ) in the third month (Danz in Meuschen, N. T. ex Talm. ill. p. 741; Buxt. Synag. p. 438). It was restricted to one day, and celebrated on the fiftieth day after the first day of the Passover ( Leviticus 23:15-16 ); so that the second paschal day, i.e. the 16th of Nisan, the day of the sheaf offering, is to be reckoned as the first of these fifty days. See Lightfoot and Wetstein in loc. ; Ewald, Alterth. p. 476 f.; Keil, Archäol. § 83.