Lesson Four: The Day of Pentecost

Acts 2:1-21

Key Verse

"And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams."

— Acts 2:17

Lesson Questions

Read Acts 2:1-21 carefully before answering these questions.

1. What happened? On what day? 2:1-4

2. What amazed the people? 2:5-8

3. Jews had come to Jerusalem from how many places? 2:9-11

4. What were they hearing? 2:11

5. What question did they ask? 2:12

6. How did some react? 2:13

7. Who answered? What was said? 2:14-15

8. What was it? 2:16

9. The first part of Joel's prophecy was about what? 2:17-18

10. What did Joel say next? 2:19-20

11. Whom did Joel say would be saved? 2:21

Thought Questions

A. Why were so many Jews in Jerusalem at this time?

B. Who was filled with the Holy Spirit? How can we know?

C. What was being preached? Who was doing the speaking?

D. Define: Tongues. What other words in this section indicate the same thing that "tongues" indicate?

E. What prophecies were being fulfilled by the coming of the Holy Spirit?

F. How many different things did Joel say would come to pass?

G. What is involved in "calling on the name of the Lord"?

Supplementary Materials

The Feast of Pentecost Pentecost was one of three annual feasts that required all Jewish males to appear before the Lord in Jerusalem (Deut. 16:16). This explains the multitude of Jews "from every nation under heaven" (2:5). Aspect Details Name "Pentecost" (Greek) = "fiftieth"; Also called "Feast of Weeks" (Deut. 16:10) and "Feast of Harvest" (Ex. 23:16) Timing 50 days after Passover sabbath (Lev. 23:15-16); Late May or early June Old Testament Celebration of wheat harvest; offering of firstfruits (Lev. Purpose 23:17) New Testament The Holy Spirit came; the church was established; the Fulfillment first converts were the "firstfruits" of the gospel harvest

Significance of Date	Christ rose on the day after Passover sabbath; 50 days later = first Pentecost after the resurrection (AD 30)

The Nations Present at Pentecost Acts 2:9-11 lists fifteen distinct regions from which Jews had traveled to Jerusalem. These can be grouped geographically: Region Nations Listed Modern Location East Parthians, Medes, Elamites, Iran, Iraq Mesopotamia North Cappadocia, Pontus, Asia, Turkey (Asia Minor) Phrygia, Pamphylia South Egypt, Libya (Cyrene) Egypt, Libya West Rome (Jews and proselytes) Italy Local Judaea Israel/Palestine Island Cretes (Cretans) Crete (Greek island) Arabian Arabians Saudi Arabia, Yemen Peninsula

Mark these locations on your map of the Mediterranean world. Note how the Jewish diaspora had spread throughout the Roman Empire and beyond.

Understanding "Tongues" The word "tongues" (Greek: glossa) simply means "languages." Acts 2 makes clear what "speaking in tongues" actually was:

Verse	What the Text Says	Key Word
2:4	"began to speak with other tongues"	tongues
2:6	"every man heard them speak in his own	language language"
2:8	"hear we every man in our own tongue,	tongue wherein we were born"
Verse	What the Text Says	Key Word
2:11	"we do hear them speak in our tongues	tongues the wonderful works of God"

The biblical evidence is clear: "tongues" were real, understandable human languages — not ecstatic utterances. The apostles spoke in languages they had never learned, and visitors from many nations each heard the gospel in their own native tongue.

Joel's Prophecy Fulfilled Peter quoted Joel 2:28-32 to explain what was happening. This prophecy, given approximately 800 years earlier, foretold:

The Spirit poured out on "all flesh" — not just prophets or priests, but sons, daughters, servants (2:17-18)
Prophesying, visions, and dreams — miraculous revelation from God (2:17-18)
Wonders in heaven and signs on earth — blood, fire, vapor of smoke (2:19)
The sun darkened and moon turned to blood — apocalyptic language for judgment (2:20)
Salvation for all who call on the Lord — the universal offer of the gospel (2:21)

Peter declared: "This is that" (2:16). The outpouring of the Spirit on Pentecost was the beginning of the fulfillment of Joel's prophecy, marking the arrival of "the last days" — the Christian age.

Key Cross-References

Reference	Acts Verse	Connection
Lev. 23:15-21	Acts 2:1	The Feast of Pentecost (Weeks)
Deut. 16:16	Acts 2:5	Requirement for Jews to appear in Jerusalem
Joel 2:28-32	Acts 2:17-21	Prophecy of Spirit outpouring — "This is that"
Matt. 3:11	Acts 2:1-4	John's prophecy of Holy Spirit baptism
Acts 1:4-5	Acts 2:1-4	Jesus' promise fulfilled — "not many days hence"
Rom. 10:13	Acts 2:21	"Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord"

Timeline: From Passover to Pentecost

Passover (Nisan 14): Jesus crucified
Day after Sabbath (Nisan 16): Jesus rose from the dead — "firstfruits" (1 Cor. 15:20)
40 days later: Jesus ascended (Acts 1:3, 9)
50 days after resurrection (Pentecost): The Holy Spirit came; the church began

Note: The approximately 10 days between the ascension and Pentecost were spent by the apostles and disciples in the upper room, continuing in prayer (Acts 1:13-14).