[The posts which follow make extensive use of The Acts of the Apostles, by Madame Cecilia, Religious of St Andrew's Convent, Streatham with an Imprimi potest dated 16 October 1907 (Westminster); Burns, Oates & Washbourne Ltd. (London). With grateful prayers for the author and her team:
REQUIEM æternam dona eis, Domine, et lux perpetua luceat eis. Requiescant in pace. Amen.ETERNAL rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace. Amen.]
Acts II : 1-13
 |
| Pentecost. El Greco c1600. Museo del Prado. |
[2] And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a mighty wind coming, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.
[3] And there appeared to them parted tongues as it were of fire, and it sat upon every one of them:
[4] And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they began to speak with divers tongues, according as the Holy Ghost gave them to speak.
[5] Now there were dwelling at Jerusalem, Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.
[6] And when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded in mind, because that every man heard them speak in his own tongue.
[7] And they were all amazed, and wondered, saying: Behold, are not all these, that speak, Galileans?
[8] And how have we heard, every man our own tongue wherein we were born?
[9] Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and inhabitants of Mesopotamia, Judea, and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, [10] Phrygia, and Pamphylia, Egypt, and the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome,
[11] Jews also, and proselytes, Cretes, and Arabians: we have heard them speak in our own tongues the wonderful works of God.
[12] And they were all astonished, and wondered, saying one to another: What meaneth this?
[13] But others mocking, said: These men are full of new wine.
[1] Et cum complerentur dies Pentecostes, erant omnes pariter in eodem loco : [2] et factus est repente de cælo sonus, tamquam advenientis spiritus vehementis, et replevit totam domum ubi erant sedentes. [3] Et apparuerunt illis dispertitae linguae tamquam ignis, seditque supra singulos eorum : [4] et repleti sunt omnes Spiritu Sancto, et cœperunt loqui variis linguis, prout Spiritus Sanctus dabat eloqui illis. [5] Erant autem in Jerusalem habitantes Judæi, viri religiosi ex omni natione, quae sub cælo est. [6] Facta autem hac voce, convenit multitudo, et mente confusa est, quoniam audiebat unusquisque lingua sua illos loquentes. [7] Stupebant autem omnes, et mirabantur, dicentes : Nonne ecce omnes isti, qui loquuntur, Galilæi sunt, [8] et quomodo nos audivimus unusquisque linguam nostram, in qua nati sumus? [9] Parthi, et Medi, et Aelamitæ, et qui habitant Mespotamiam, Judæam, et Cappadociam, Pontum, et Asiam, [10] Phrygiam, et Pamphyliam, Aegyptum, et partes Libyae, quæ est circa Cyrenen, et advenæ Romani, [11] Judaei quoque, et Proselyti, Cretes, et Arabes : audivimus eos loquentes nostris linguis magnalia Dei. [12] Stupebant autem omnes, et mirabantur ad invicem, dicentes : Quidnam vult hoc esse? [13] Alii autem irridentes dicebant : Quia musto pleni sunt isti.
Notes
1. the days of the pentecost. The reading “day” is better supported by the MSS. The word “ Pentecost ” means “ fiftieth,” but it had come to be used as a noun. This name of “Pentecost” was given by the Hellenistic Jews to what the Jews of Judea called “the Feast of Weeks,” which was kept originally in thanksgiving for the harvest ; but since the Jews had ceased to be an agricultural people, by a later rabbinical tradition, unanimously “received in the time of Christ” (Edersheim), (though neither Josephus nor Philo mentions it), Pentecost was also kept as the anniversary of the law being given on Mount Sinai.
This feast of Pentecost was one of the three great annual feasts, when all the males were enjoined to repair to Jerusalem. It was kept on the fiftieth day after the Pasch, beginning with the day which followed that solemnity, i.e. the 16th of Nisan. On this day the first-fruits of the barley harvest were offered in the temple, and, on the Feast of Pentecost, two loaves made of the first-fruits of the wheat harvest were presented, hence Nisan 16 marked the beginning of the harvest, and Pentecost the close, though in reality the wheat was not all gathered in until about a month later. The feast of Pentecost was therefore a particularly appropriate time for the ingathering of the first-fruits of the preaching of the glad tidings of salvation. If the tradition that our Lord died on a Friday be accepted, then Pentecost, like the Resurrection, fell on the first day of the week, the Christian “ day of rest."
were accomplished. The feast of Pentecost lasted only one day ; on this particular occasion it began on a Jewish Sabbath (the seventh after the Pasch) at sunset, hence at nine o’clock the following morning, the first of the week, the feast was still “ being accomplished,” as the expression signifies in the original (ἐν τῷ συμπληρουσθαι). It probably points to the fact that Pentecost was regarded as the completion of the harvest. In England, the feast of Pentecost is generally known as “ Whit Sunday ” (i.e. Spirit Sunday).
they were all together. Codices A, B, C, read “together” (ὁμου instead of ὁμοθυμαδον as in ch. i. 14, on which see note), “ They were prepared to receive the Spirit of unity, by unity of heart, unity of time, unity of place” (Wordsworth, in h. 1). St Augustine and St John Chrysostom take this phrase as referring to the hundred and twenty mentioned in ch. i. 15.
in one place. In the Cenacle, according to St Cyril of Jerusalem (fourth century) who, in a sermon preached in the holy city, says : “the Holy Ghost, on the day of Pentecost, descended on the apostles in the form of fiery tongues here in Jerusalem, in the upper church of the apostles,” i.e. “in the upper room” in which Christ instituted the Holy Eucharist, and which had been transformed into a church.
The disciples were still “ persevering In prayer," and they had doubtless attended the services in the Temple, where, at sunrise, the two wave loaves had been presented to the Lord and the prescribed sacrifices offered.
2 . suddenly. Although the disciples expected the promise of the Father, they did not know how He would come, hence the event took them by surprise.
a sound from heaven. The sound came from heaven, the abode of the Spirit. The Mosaic Law had also been given with exterior signs of God’s power in the realm of Nature, with a burning fire and a whirlwind and darkness and storm (Heb. xii. 18). And, now the third day was come and the morning appeared and behold thunders began to be heard, and lightning to flash, and a very thick cloud to cover the mount (Ex. xix. 16).
as of. So in verse 3, as it were (ὡσπερ, ὡσει ), There was neither wind nor fire, but the appearances of both, by which the Holy Spirit manifested His presence.
a mighty wind coming. Lit. ‘‘a rushing mighty wind ” (φερομενης πνους βιαιας). The word here translated wind is derived from πνεω (to blow), and might be translated “ breeze” or “ breath.” The giving of the Spirit is connected with “ breathing” in St John’s gospel.
Cf. When he had said this he breathed on them, and he said to them: Receive ye the Holy Ghost (xx. 22). The Spirit breatheth where, he will, and thou hearcst his voice (St John iii. 8). A violent wind was considered a symbol of the presence of the Divinity. Cf. He blew upon the wings of the winds (Ps. xvii. H). Who makest the clouds thy chariot: who walkest upon the wings of the winds (Ps. ciil. 3),
“ It is to be remembered that there was no violent storm, in all probability perfect stillness of the air, and yet an awful sound, as of a spirit passing, — the violence of the sound representing the energy, the irresistible force of the Spirit, as the hurricane carries all before it ” (Sadler).
where they were sitting. A Hebraism for “abiding” or “ dwelling.” They waited in the attitude of expectation, praying for the coming of the Holy Ghost. Contrast their sentiments with those of tlie Israeilites, who awaited the promulgation of the Law on Mount Sinai, when the people that was in the camp feared (Ex. xix. 16).
3. parted tongues. Lit. “tongues distributing themselves” (διαμεριζονεμαι γλοσσαι). The word is always used in the sense of dividing. Cf. divided them to all (verse 45). See also St Luke xxii. 17, St John xix. 24. St John Chrysostom explains that from one centre or source, which all saw, separate tongues of fire branched off “ as from one root ” (ἐκ μιας ῥιζης ). The popular idea of a cloven or parted tongue is not justified by the Greek,
The promise which St Luke had recorded in his gospel is now fulfilled : He shall baptize you with the. Holy Ghost, and with fire (iii. 1(5). See also St Matt. iii. 11, St John i. Fire is the most powerful earthly symbol of the presence of God, as the wind is the strongest aerial symbol ,
Note that they heard the sound, they saw the appearance of fire, and they experienced the effects of the descent of the Spirit, i.e. the reality, signified by these exterior signs. “ A fiery sword barred Paradise ; a fiery tongue re-opened it ” (St Cyril). The tongues, as it were of fire, signified that the Holy Spirit endowed the apostles and disciples with the power of promulgating the Gospel. Heaven crowned its own with a diadem of flame in order to reveal exteriorly the miraculous phenomenon which was effected interiorly " (Mgr. Le Camus, L'œvre des Apôtres, p. 14).
it sat upon every one. The “ sitting upon ” is significant of continuance (St John Chrys.), and he goes on to explain that by every one we must understand the hundred and twenty disciples, otherwise St Peter’s reference to the prophecy of Joel would be meaningless (Hom., iv. 1).
The classical poets and the Jewish Rabbis considered a lambent flame playing upon the head of a person as a sign of Divine favour and election,
Ecce, levis summo de vertice visus IuliFundere lumen apex (Virg,, Aen., ii. (583).
(Behold, a light point on the head of Julius is seen to give forth light.)
4. filled with the Holy Ghost. The apostles had previously received the gifts of the Spirit in a certain degree, for He had come upon them at their baptism, and also when Christ breathed upon them and said : receive ye the Holy Ghost (St John xx. 22), but now they received the gifts of the Spirit in their fulness.
Of all these privileged souls, only our Blessed Lady had had any previous experience of such ecstatic bliss, for that chosen one, already “ full of grace ’’ before God, had been overshadowed by the Holy Spirit when the Word was made flesh.
divers tongues. This phrase is further explained and confirmed in verses 6, 8, and 1 1 . They spoke the mother-tongue of all the different nations enumerated in verses 9-11. This is the plain meaning of the words of the Evangelist, and it is only by doing violence to the sense of the words, that anti -Christian writers can explain them as referring to unintelligible, ecstatic utterances, vehement excitement, unknown tongues or metaphorical interpretations of prophecies, since the hearers clearly heard their respective languages and understood the drift of what the disciples were saying ; they spoke in these tongues, hitherto unknown to them, the wonderful works of God.
By this gift of tongues bestowed on the disciples the prophecy was fulfilled : There are no speeches nor languages where their voices are not heard (Ps. xviii. 4), and also the promise of our Lord : — They shall speak with new tongues (St Mark xvi. 17). This gift of tongues signified also that the Church of Christ was to embrace all nations.
gave them to speak. Lit. “was giving (them) to speak” (ἐδιδου ἀποφθεγγεσθαι). The Verb here rendered “ to utter ” is used of any solemn, impassioned discourse. It occurs in two other passages in the Acts. Cf. Peter .... spoke to them (verse 14) ; St Paul replied to Felix, I speak words of truth arid soberness (infra xxvi. 25).
5. dwelling at Jerusalem. The word “dwelling’’ (κατοικουντες) must be taken in a wide sense, to include visitors as well as residents, as we see from the context. Evidently, it was the habitual residents who recognized the apostles as Galileans.
Jews, devout men. Men like holy Simeon, who was just and devout (δικαιος και εὐλαβης ). These were probably who had settled in Jerusalem, in the hope of seeing the Messias (whom they expected would shortly appear), or who were desirous of ending their days in the holy city.
“Their dwelling there was a sign of piety, that, being of so many nations, they should have left country, home, and relations to abide there ”(Bt John Chrys., Hom., iv. 1). The “ devout men ” were worthy that the gospel should first be preached to them, and it was to “ devout men,” the shepherds, kings, holy Simeon, etc., that the infant Saviour was made known.
out of every nation. Hence among the “ devout men ” we must include those who were proselytes to the Jewish faith. Many such came to Jerusalem to worship, e.g. Nicolas, a proselyte of Antioch (infra, vi. 5). We must limit the statement to the civilized nations known to the Jews, and the Jews of the Dispersion themselves.
6. was noised abroad. Better, as in R.V., “when this noise was heard ” (γενομενης δε τῆς φωνῆς ταυτῆς ). Some take the word “ sound ” as referring to the noise produced by the disciples praising God, but it is more generally thought to refer to the noise as of a rushing wind. The word here rendered “ noise ” (φωνῆς) is never used in the sense of rumour or report. The sound being heard attracted great numbers to the Cenacle.
confounded in mind. The crowd was agitated and perplexed, since there was no storm to account for the sound of a rushing wind, and because they heard the disciples speaking different languages.
every man heard them speak, etc. Some were speaking one language, some another ; and each of the audience would be naturally drawn to listen to the disciple who was speaking his own dialect. St Augustine says that each one who received the Holy Spirit could speak all tongues (Serm. in die Pentecostes).
heard. Better, “ was hearing” (ἡκουον).
his own tongue. Lit. “his own dialect.” A language may have several dialects, e.g. Attic, Ionic, and Doric are three dialects of the Greek language. Hence “dialect is more expressive here than language and the original expression is very emphatic (τῇ ἰδια διαλεκτῳ).
Note.— St Cyprian, St Gregory of Nyasa, St Bede, and a few other Fathers are of opinion that what the apostles uttered in Aramaic the hearers were enabled to understand, but this view is not generally received, since it involves a miracle worked in favour of the audience, rather than in favour of the apostles— in their ears rather than on the apostles’ tongues ; moreover, St Luke distinctly states that they spoke with divers tongues, but only as the Spirit gave them utterance, and thus the promise of speaking with new tongues was realised.
7. Galileans, All the apostles and many of the disciples were Galileans, whose ordinary language was Aramaic. There is no contempt intended here by the use of the word. Later, Julian the Apostate applied the name contemptuously to the Christians, yet he was forced, when conquered by the Persians, to admit that “ the Galilean had conquered.”
Verses 9-11. St Luke here names the Jews of the Dispersion.
 |
| From Grollenberg's Bible Atlas (1957). |
(1) The Babylonian Dispersion which includes two migrations, that of the ten tribes under Salmanasar, B.C. 722, and of the two remaining tribes under Nabuchodonosor, B.C. 606. These exiles settled chiefly in Parthia, Media, Elam, and Mesopotamia.
(2) The Syrian Dispersion. Antiochus the Great deported two thousand Jewish families to colonise his western provinces (B.C. 312), and these Jews were settled in Cappadocia, Pontus, Asia (pro-consular, a strip of land lying to the extreme west of Asia Minor), Phrygia, and Pamphylia.
(3) The African or Egyptian Dispersion. These migrations were enforced by the Egyptian kings, notably Ptolemy Soter (B.C. 320). Thus Jewish colonies were founded in Libya and Cyrene.
In addition to these compulsory migrations, many Jews had settled in Rome, and St Luke also mentions “ Cretes and Arabians.” He names the colonies of the dispersed Jews, in the order in which the successive migrations took place.
In the nationalities mentioned in verses 9-11 inclusive, we are to understand the Jews and Jewish proselytes dwelling in the countries enumerated.
9. Parthians. Colonists dwelling in Parthia, south of the Caspian Sea, extending from India to the Tigris.
Parthia had been a formidable rival to Rome, for Crassus, one of the first triumvirate, had been defeated and slain by the Parthians, The seat of the “Princes of the Captivity ” was at Babylon, where there was a famous rabbinical school.
Medes. Media lay to the east of Assyria, and south and south-west of the Caspian Sea. The Medes are often referred to in the book of Daniel.
Elamites. Elam was the ancient name for Persia. Cf., I Daniel .... saw in my vision when I was in the castle of Susa which is in the province of Elam, etc. (Daniel viii. 1-2).
The country was named after Elam the son of Sem (see Gon. x. 22). Susa (or Shushan) was the capital of Persia and the dwelling-place of the Persian kings.
Mesopotamia. A country lying between the Euphrates and the Tigris, in which were the capitals of the Assyrian and the Babylonian empires respectively, — Nineveh on the Tigris, and Babylon on the Euphrates.
Mesopotamia is mentioned in the Old Testament as the home both of Rebecca and of Rachel. (See Gen. xxv. 20, xxviii. 2).
Judea, — i.e. all Palestine. St Jerome has “ Syria ” here instead of Judea, and many commentators object to “ Judea, ” and consider it spurious, on the ground that Judea should not be included when naming the Jews of the Dispersion, but there is nothing strange in the reference, which has excellent MSS. authority, as St Luke, writing at Rome, might naturally speak of the inhabitants of Judea, the more so that, as Alford remarks, “ the catalogue does not proceed by languages, but by territorial division. ... It is not the Jews by birth and domicile, but the inhabitants of Judea .... who are spoken of ; the devout men settled in Judea. And even if born Jews were meant, doubtless they also would find a place among those who heard in their mother- tongue the wonderful works of God” (Greek Testament, p. 16).
Ellicott remarks here, “ the list that follows is characteristic of the trained historian .... who had carefully enquired what nations were represented at that great Pentecost, who had himself been present, at least, at one later Pentecost (ch. xxi. 15), and knew the kind of crowd that gathered to it.” Moreover, it is perfectly reasonable that St Luke should include Aramaic among the languages spoken in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost.
Cappadocia. A district extending from Mount Taurus northward to Pontus. It was bounded on the east by the Euphrates and on the west bv the river Halys. When St Luke wrote, it was a Roman province which included Armenia Minor.
Pontus. This region lay between Cappadocia and the Euxine (Black Sea).
It became a Roman province in the time of Nero ; until then, it had been governed by tributary princes under the protection of the empire.
Asia. Here, as elsewhere in the New Testament, we must understand pro-consular Asia, a strip of land in the west of Asia Minor, including Mysia on the north, Caria on the south, and Lydia between these two.
The chief cities were Pergamos, Smyrna, and Ephesus, which latter was the capital.
Asia was an extremely rich province. The seven churches of Asia mentioned in the Apocalypse were in this district.
10. Phrygia. An inland region of Asia, lying due east of pro-consular Asia, and partly belonging to it.
Pamphilia. This district lay along the southern coast of Asia Minor between Cilicia and Lycia,
According to Josephus ii. 10. 4), it was a tributary province under the ruler of Galatia (Tac., Hist., ii. 9).
Egypt. The cities on the north, particularly Alexandria, were crowded with Jews. This city was renowned for its magnificent synagogue.
It was in the capital of Egypt that the Septuagint version of the Scriptures was made, and the Jews of Alexandria comprised two-fifths of the population, were governed by their own ethnarch.
parts of Libya. Libya was the old name for Africa, and it included all the districts of that continent then known except Egypt. The “ parts ” here mentioned must refer to Pentapolis Cyrenaica, corresponding to our modern Tripoli, and sometimes called Cyrenica, from Cyrene its chief city, in which Jews constituted one-fourth of the population.
Other references to Cyrene are: —
1 Simon of Cyrene helped to carry the cross of Jesus (St Matt, xxvii. 32).2. The Jews of Cyrene (and Alexandria) had a great share in the martyrdom of St Stephen (infra, vi. 9).3. Lucius of Cyrene was a prominent member of the church of Antioch (xiii. 1)
Note. — St Peter, as Head of the Church, evangelized the Jews of the Dispersion in Rome, of which he was the first bishop ; he wrote bis two epistles to the strangers (i.e. Jews) dispersed through Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia (1 St Peter i. 1), and St Jerome states that he sent “ Marcus his son ” to preach the Gospel in Egypt. According to the Roman martyrology, the apostle St Thomas evangelized in Parthia, Media, and Hyrcania, and he was martyred in India, where he had made many converts. Thus the Gospel was preached in the principal colonies of the Jews of the Dispersion.
strangers of Rome. Better, with the R.V., “sojourners from Rome” (ὁι ἐπιδημουντες Ρωμαιοι) i.e. Roman Jews who dwelt in Jerusalem, some as pilgrims, others permanently. They probably spoke Greek, judging from the inscriptions on the tombs of these Jews in the cemetery in Rome, but they would also have known Latin.
11. Jews also and proselytes. These words summarize the various categories of persons present ; they were all Jews or proselytes (i.e. converts to Judaism). There were different degrees, some of these converts being circumcised and accepting the law in all its fulness, others conforming only to certain precepts given to Noe, or the ten commandments of God. They were respectively known as (a) proselytes of righteousness, (b) proselytes of the gate. “ The testimony comes from all quarters, from citizens, from foreigners, from proselytes” (St John Chrys.).
Crete. An island in the Mediterranean, now known as Candia.
Arabians. Inhabitants of the peninsula of Arabia, in which, as it bordered on Judea, there were many Jews residing.
wonderful works of God. The disciples were evidently praising God in an ecstasy of joy. There is no question of their teaching the multitude ; they were engaged in prayer.
12. they — i.e. the “ devout men ” enumerated above.
wondered. Better, “ were sorely perplexed ” (διηπορουν),
They were unable to account for what they heard and saw.
The same word is used with reference to the holy women at the sepulchre. Cf. They were astonished in their mind at this (St Luke xxiv. 4).
13. others. These constituted another class of men : they were either natives of Palestine, who knew no other tongue than the Aramaic, or they were enemies of the disciples, as they had been of their Master.
mocking. The verb in the original shews great contempt from (διαχλευαξοντες, from χλευαζω, to deride).
new wine. Better, “ sweet wine ” (γλευκους). There was no new wine to be had until August, the earliest vintage season, whereas Pentecost was celebrated in June.
“ Suidas understood the juice which oozes and trickles from the grapes without any pressure. Wine artificially prepared to retain its sweetness was of extra strength. A cognate word is rendered new wine (Joel lii. 18) and sweet wine (Amos ix. 13),” (Speaker's Commentary, p. 864).
Or “new wine” may refer to wine made from very small sweet grapes, such as are still used in Syria and in Arabia.
Totus tuus ego sum
Et omnia mea tua sunt;
Tecum semper tutus sum:
Ad Jesum per Mariam.
No comments:
Post a Comment