2:1 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.Originally posted by Multimom:
DHK or anyone else believing in the cessationist doctrine. Question, if the miracle was the "languages," When Peter stood and made his infamous speech "These men are not drunk as you suppose," The 2Chapter of Acts indicates that there were Jews from every region with every dialect. Did Peter simultaneiously speak in all 30 or 40 dilects or did he repeat his message 30 or 40 times in all unlearned languages. Or did he speak in a heavenly tongue which was discerend by those present as their own dilect. If indeed he spoke it only once, how then did the people with 30 to 40 dialects heard in their own language??
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.
3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.
4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
There were 120 gathered in the upper room praying (1:15). When the day of Pentecost came these 120 individuals spoke in other tongues or languages. That is what verse four says. The Holy Spirit gave them utterance (the power of speech) to speak in other languages.
5 And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.
6 Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language.
7 And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans?
8 And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?
Now the multitude comes together when they hear this amazing thing (vs.6). They were "confounded," that is, perplexed and amazed that this miracle was taking place. What was the miracle?
Verse 7: Behold are not all these which speak Galileans? Yes, these were local people from the Jerusalem people. Pentecost was a Jewish feast where Jews, and proselytes to the Jewish faith came from all over to attend. Thus you have about 15 different nations and languages represented here (not 30-40). But they knew that these ones that were speaking were local people from Jerusalem, or the Galilean region. Greek was a universal language. They were not speaking that. Every one understood Greek. They were not speaking Hebrew or Aramaic, the language of the Jews. Look what they say in verse 8:
"How hear we every man in our tongue, wherein we were born?"
They heard their own language being spoken from someone in the 120 that didn't normally speak it. That was the miracle. Remember that there were 120 speaking to a maximum of 15 different languages. The miracle was speaking in tongues. There were 120 people, not that they all could speak all the languages, but rather some would speak one, and some would speak another, and thus each man heard his own language.
This event was predicted in the Old Testament in Isaiah 28:11, in the New Testament in Mark 16:17, and is referred to again in 1Cor.14:21.
DHK