Acts Two
When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. 2 And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3 And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. 5 Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. 6 And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language. 7 And they were amazed and astonished, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? 9 Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, 11 both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians—we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.” 12 And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” 13 But others mocking said, “They are filled with new wine.” 14 But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them: “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words. 15 For these people are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day. 16 But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel: 17 “‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; 18 even on my male servants and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy. 19 And I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke; 20 the sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood, before the day of the Lord comes, the great and magnificent day. 21 And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.’ 22 “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know— 23 this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. 24 God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it. 25 For David says concerning him, “‘I saw the Lord always before me, for he is at my right hand that I may not be shaken; 26 therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced; my flesh also will dwell in hope. 27 For you will not abandon my soul to Hades, or let your Holy One see corruption. 28 You have made known to me the paths of life; you will make me full of gladness with your presence.’ 29 “Brothers, I may say to you with confidence about the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. 30 Being therefore a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would set one of his descendants on his throne, 31 he foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption. 32 This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses. 33 Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing. 34 For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he himself says, “‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand, 35 until I make your enemies your footstool.”’ 36 Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.” 37 Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” 38 And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.” 40 And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.” 41 So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls. 42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. 43 And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. 44 And all who believed were together and had all things in common. 45 And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46 And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved. (Acts 2, ESV Bible)
Making the Right Connections When Reading Acts
It is generally true that cultural background often plays a significant role in fair interpretation. But keys to understanding Acts are also buried in the Gospel of Luke. The promise of the Spirit is not new, baptism and even fire is not new. Where do we find these things in Luke?
It all began with the prophetic teachings of Yohanan ben Zakarya better known as John the Baptist. "And he came into all the district around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins." (Luke 3:3 NASB)
It is worth noting that the message preached by John the Baptist is the same message Peter delivers to his fellow Jews in his sermon. Interestingly, when reflecting on John the Baptist's message, the baptism for the forgiveness of sins is not directly linked to the death of Jesus, as Jesus was alive and active at that time. This demonstrates that the ritual of immersion, being connected to repentance and forgiveness of sins, was already established.
To better understand the feelings and emotions of the people in those days, we can turn to this passage from Ezekiel:
16 I had scattered them among the countries, yet I was a sanctuary for them a little while in the countries where they had gone...18 When they come there, they will remove all its detestable things and all its abominations from it. 19 And I will give them one heart, and put a new spirit within them. And I will take the heart of stone out of their flesh and give them a heart of flesh, 20 that they may walk in My statutes and keep My ordinances and do them... 21 But as for those whose hearts go after their detestable things... I will bring their conduct down on their heads... (Ezek 11:16-21)
We see that God is their sanctuary when they are scattered. Those who follow the commandments of God will be rewarded and those who do not will be punished. These are texts Jews knew very well. Coming back to Luke:
7 So he began saying to the crowds who were going out to be baptized by him, "You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 "Therefore bear fruits in keeping with repentance... 9 Indeed the axe is already laid at the root of the trees; so every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire." (Luke 3:7-9 NASB)
If you repent you need to live accordingly, bearing fruit in keeping with repentance. On Shavuot, people came from all over and they brought the following first fruits: wheat, barley, grapes, figs, pomegranates, olives, and dates (Deut. 8:8; seven fruits total). Those from far away did not bring fruit, because the fruit is to be from the land. After seven weeks of harvest, you bring the seven fruits of the land.
10 And the crowds were questioning him (John), saying, "Then what shall we do?" 11 And he would answer and say to them, "The man who has two tunics is to share with him who has none; and he who has food is to do likewise." (Luke 3:10-11)
John tells them what their fruit should look like. In the book of Acts, we see that the apostles shared their stuff with people who did not have any.
...all were wondering in their hearts about John, as to whether he was the Christ, 16 John answered and said to them all, "As for me, I baptize you with water; but One is coming who is mightier than I... He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire." (Luke 3:15-16)
When we wonder where ideas such as the spirit, baptism, and fire come from, Luke has already given us a preview in John the Baptist. This is what we read later in the book of Acts.
Another parallel already mentioned below in reference to Acts 2:2-4 titled “Shavuot: Connecting the Sinai Revelation and Acts 2,” also demonstrates how traditions such as connecting the giving of the Torah to the events in Acts would have been highly likely and in the minds of Jewish believers at those events.
References
This lesson was adapted from teachings in Stories of the Jewish Church: Acts 1-5, as presented on the Israel Bible Center website.
When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. (Acts 2:1, ESV Bible)
Shavu’ot in the Temple
Rabbi Yeshua of Nazareth, died on Nisan I4, the eve of Passover. His disciples discovered His tomb empty on Nisan 16, the second day of Passover. That same day, the priests offered the first fruits of the harvest, one omer of barley, before the LORD as a grain offering. A count-off to the next festival began. The Torah commands Israel to count off forty-nine days. The forty-nine days are called the "Counting of the Omer."
Ten days after the ascension of Yeshua, the forty-nine days of counting the Omer concluded. "The day of Pentecost was fully come." On that day, "they were all together in one place." Where was that one place?
Tradition places the receiving of the Spirit on Pentecost in the upper room of Acts 1. The disciples met in the upper room after the ascension, but ten days elapsed between the ascension and the events described in Acts 2. The story does not indicate that they were still in that upper room in Acts 2. More likely, the believers assembled in one of the courts of the Temple. "The whole house where they were sitting" might well refer to Solomon's Portico, a colonnade on the Temple Mount. Some scholars, to be fair, disagree that this event took place within the Temple. Given the narrative that follows, one might ask, “How large could this house have been?” Especially as many others from various locations hear the commotion and draw closer to listen. This suggests a more public setting rather than a private residence.
The fiftieth day is the appointed time of the Festival of Shavu'ot. The English name "Pentecost" derives from the Greek for "fiftieth day (pente-coste)." The Hebrew name "Shavu'ot" means "weeks," a name related to the seven weeks (forty-nine days) of the counting.
Shavuot is one of the three pilgrimage festivals. People in the land of Israel converged on the Temple with the first fruits of all their crops and offered them before the altar. The Mishnah describes a pilgrimage of Israelites bringing their first fruit offerings to the Temple. In their hands they carried baskets of the first fruits of their produce. The wealthy among them carried baskets overlaid with silver and gold, while the poor carried wicker baskets made from peeled willow branches. Those who lived near Jerusalem brought fresh figs and grapes; those from a distance brought dried figs and raisins instead. A sacrificial ox, its horns bedecked with gold and its head crowned with olive leaves, led the procession to the Temple. Walking in front of the ox, a flute player played the melodies of the psalms while the pilgrims sang along.
Early in the morning on the fiftieth day, the courts of the Temple were already thronged with people. Picture 120 disciples of the Nazarene congregated together under the cedar roof of Solomon's Colonnade to welcome the morning of the holy day with prayer. The colonnaded courtyard consisted of a portico of monolithic, white marble pillars covered with cedar beams.
The portico ran along the eastern wall of the Temple Mount, opposite the Mount of Olives. When the Hasmoneans and Herod the Great expanded the Temple Mount, the Kidron Valley prevented expansion to the east, so the colonnade that faced the Mount of Olives marked the line of the original Temple Mount from the time of King Solomon. Perhaps for that reason, the people called the portico on that side "Solomon's Colonnade." The apostolic community anticipated the returning Messiah would enter the Temple from the east, and they wanted to be the first to greet Him.
The great eastern gate and main entrance of the Temple opened into that colonnade. Today's eastern gate, popularly known as "the Golden Gate," may preserve the location of the Second Temple's eastern gate.
The Prophet Zechariah predicted that the Messiah will arrive on the Mount of Olives (Zechariah 14:4). His entrance into the Temple will be through the eastern gate (Ezekiel 43:I-2). Ezekiel saw a vision in which the Divine Presence of God returned to the Temple through that same gate.
When Muslims walled up the two portals of the eastern gate in the ninth century, Christians took note of the prophecy in Ezekiel 44:I-2: "This gate shall be shut; it shall not be opened, and no one shall enter by it, for the LORD God of Israel has entered by it; therefore it shall be shut."
After the outpouring in Acts 2, the Jerusalem disciples used Solomon's Colonnade as their regular place of assembly.
References
This lesson is adapted from Daniel Lancaster's teachings in The Sent Ones, as presented by First Fruits of Zion for the Torah Club.
2 And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3 And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. (Acts 2:2-4, ESV Bible)
Tongues of Fire
The sound of a violent, rushing wind filled the portico, that is, "the house where they were sitting," but the disciples felt no wind. The sound seemed to descend from the sky, but not a breeze stirred the air. Hebrew uses the same word (ruach) for both "wind" and "spirit." Yeshua taught, "The ruach blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Ruach" (John 3:8). The sound lasted only a few moments, but the noise of the rushing wind drew attention throughout the Temple courts.
As the roar of a great tempest descended upon the disciples, a blaze of fire appeared above them, separating into individual flames that rained down on them like a shower of sparks dropping from a firework. Each flame momentarily came to rest on an individual disciple before vanishing from sight. The tongues of fire represented the endowment of the Holy Spirit-the same Spirit that rushed upon Yeshua as a dove when He emerged from His immersion in the Jordan. From the Greek it is best interpreted as “tongues as a fire.” In the Greek this is a comparative preposition, meaning that it wasn’t literal fire but it was as if it was made of fire.
The phrase "tongues as of fire" is a metaphor, a figurative language that compares the individual "smaller flames" to "tongues", a part of human anatomy associated with speaking and ability to use language. Tongue is a picture that represents the shape and movement of the flame. The word "tongue" is used in a passage both literally as a language and figuratively as a flame of fire. This same type of language has been used in other Jewish writings:
2 I saw in my sleep what I will now say with a tongue of flesh and with the breath of my mouth... 8 And the vision was shown to me thus... 9 And I went in till I drew nigh to a wall which is built of crystals and surrounded by tongues of fire: and it began to affright me. 10 And I went into the tongues of fire and drew nigh to a large house which was built of crystals.. 12 A flaming fire surrounded the walls, and its portals blazed with fire. 13 And I entered into that house, and it was hot as fire and cold as ice... (1En 14:2-13)
Enoch is not really doing what he describes here but is having a heavenly type of vision. He is describing what he sees as fire, but it may not be actual fire at all. He continues:
14 And as I quaked and trembled, I fell upon my face. 15 And I beheld a vision, And lo! there was a second house, greater than the former, and the entire portal stood open before me, and it was built of flames of fire...17 And its floor was of fire, and above it were lightnings and the path of the stars, and its ceiling also was flaming fire. 18 And I looked and saw «therein» a lofty throne: its appearance was as crystal, and the wheels thereof as the shining sun, and there was the vision of cherubim. 19 And from underneath the throne came streams of flaming fire so that I could not look thereon. (1En 14:14-19)
Again, Enoch continues describing his vision relating to thins he knows. The fire description could be due to its glistening effects of what he sees. The throne with wheels and the vision of cherubim is out of Ezekiel. Enoch describes these things as on fire and at one point mentions “tongues of fire,” which is the exact same idiom that the Book of Acts uses.
The disciples were all "filled with the Holy Spirit." The Galilean disciples began to immediately speak and prophesy in a multitude of languages that they did not know. The Hebrew word lashon (tongue) and safa (lip) means "Language." For example, Judaism refers to the Hebrew language as Leshon HaKodesh, i.e., the "Holy Tongue." When the book of Acts says that they "began to speak with other tongues" (Acts 2:4), it preserves the Semitic idiom It should be translated to say, "They began to speak with other languages, that is, foreign languages they did not know.
The miracle of Acts 2 is that the disciples spoke in languages they had not learned. This phenomenon has become central in parts of modern Christianity, particularly in Pentecostal traditions, named after Pentecost (Shavuot). The name “Pentecost” comes from the Greek word for “fifty,” as it occurs fifty days after Passover. In Hebrew, Shavuot means “weeks,” marking seven weeks after Passover and aligning with the wheat harvest in Israel.
In Jewish tradition, Shavuot is also the anniversary of the giving of the Torah. At Sinai, God’s voice spoke in all languages, symbolizing His offer of the Torah to all humanity. This idea helps explain the miracle of languages in Acts 2, signifying that the giving of the Spirit on Shavuot connects with the giving of the Torah.
Today, speaking in tongues often refers to ecstatic utterances in a “prayer language.” Some interpret this as the “tongue of angels,” but in Jewish idiom, the “tongue of angels” actually refers to Hebrew. When Paul says, “If anyone speaks in a tongue, it should be by two or at the most three, and each in turn; and one must interpret,” he alludes to a different type of expression than the known languages in Acts 2 (1 Corinthians 14:27).
Scholars refer to ecstatic speech as “glossolalia.” This altered state of spiritual expression was common in ancient religious practices, such as the oracles of Delphi. At that time, people seeking guidance might visit a priestess who would speak in ecstatic utterances, which another priest would interpret.
The Holy Spirit offered believers an alternative, fulfilling what occurred on Shavuot at Sinai. The tongues in Acts 2 were understandable languages, given to signify a “second Sinai” moment. This miracle wasn’t a power the disciples could control or activate; they relied on interpreters when speaking to Greek audiences.
The miracle of languages connects back to the Tower of Babel, where God scattered humanity by confusing their languages. In the gospel message, all languages come together to call humanity back under the kingdom of God. The mission entrusted to Israel at Sinai—to reconcile creation to the Creator—found fulfillment on Shavuot in Acts 2.
In the Messianic Era, Jerusalem will replace Babel, and all nations will speak the holy language of Hebrew. As Zephaniah prophesies, “Then I will give to the peoples purified lips, that all of them may call on the name of the LORD, to serve Him shoulder to shoulder” (Zephaniah 3:9).
References
This lesson is adapted from Daniel Lancaster's teachings in The Sent Ones, as presented by First Fruits of Zion for the Torah Club and from teachings in Stories of the Jewish Church: Acts 1-5, as presented on the Israel Bible Center website.
The Giving of the Torah
What did the day of Pentecost mean to the Israelite? What was the context and how would they have interpreted what was going on around them? The miracles of the mighty wind, the tongues of fire, and the speaking in other languages allude to the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai. Just as Passover memorializes the exodus from Egypt, Shavuot memorializes the giving of the Torah. Jewish tradition regards it as the anniversary of the day on which God descended onto Sinai and spoke the Ten Commandments.
For that reason, Shavu'ot is called the Festival of Mattan Torah, the "Giving of the Torah." On the Festival of Shavuot, synagogues read the story of the Ten Commandments in Exodus 19 and 20.
On the first Shavuot, signs and wonders accompanied the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai. Exodus 19 describes the smoke, the fire, and the cloud on the mountain. The mountain trembled, and the fanfare of a shofar-trumpet heralded the arrival of the Almighty. The voice of God spoke audibly to the entire nation
The Hebrew of Exodus 20:18 literally says, "And all the people saw the voices and the torches." How does one see a sound? How does one see a voice? Where did the torches come from? Moses retells the story of hearing God's voice at Sinai in Deuteronomy. In ten different passages, he reminds Israel that they heard God's voice speak to them "from out of the fire." Repeatedly he says, "You all heard the voice speaking from out of the fire." The disciples of Rabbi Yishmael explained the fiery voice of God that appeared like torches at Sinai with a verse from Jeremiah: "Is not My word like fire?" declares the LORD, "and like a hammer which shatters a rock?" (Jeremiah 23:29):
The disciples of Rabbi Yishmael taught that the verse "and like a hammer which shatters a rock," means that just as a hammer is divided into many sparks, so too every single word that went forth from the Holy One, blessed be He, [at Sinai] split up into seventy tongues." (b.Shabbat 88b)
According to that reading, the voice of God at Mount Sinai divided into seventy voices speaking seventy different tongues, and those voices looked like hot sparks flying forth from a hammer's blows on stone. The voice of God appeared to Israel like hot, burning torches descending like sparks. A similar tradition depicted the voice of God going forth as flames of fire. Rabbi Yochanan transmitted the tradition about God's voice speaking in all languages as well. According to Genesis 10, the nations of the world descended from seventy original families. The "seventy tongues" is idiomatic for "all the languages of the nations":
The Torah says [in Exodus 20:18], "And all the people saw the voices." Note that it does not say "the voice," but "the voices"; wherefore Rabbi Yochanan said that God's voice, as it was uttered, split up into seventy voices, in seventy tongues, so that all the nations should understand. (Exodus Rabbah 5:9)
Rabbi Yochanan said: "What is meant by the verse [in Psalm 68:12(1)l. "The LORD announced the word, and great was the company of those who proclaimed it? Every single word that went forth from the Almighty divided up into seventy tongues." (b.Shabbat 88b)
God’s words at Sinai expressed His love and covenant with Israel, but they also revealed His desire for all humanity to know Him. This first Shavuot signified God’s intention for Israel to know Him and to bring other nations into that relationship.
The disciples and followers of Yeshua experienced the day of Pentecost as a second giving of the Torah. They knew the rabbinic legends about the words of fire dividing into seventy languages as they left the mouth of God. They knew the story of God's voice speaking to all mankind in every tongue. For them, the experience on Shavuot drew a line of connection between the giving of the Torah at Sinai and the giving of the Spirit in Jerusalem, thereby inseparably linking the two events. Of course, the prophets had already made that connection (Jeremiah 31:33; Ezekiel 36:27).
A similar story in the Torah helps to explain the endowment of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples of Yeshua. In Numbers 1, the LORD told Moses to assemble seventy elders in the Tabernacle. He told him, "I will take of the Spirit who is upon you, and will put Him upon them" (Numbers II:17).
The LORD distributed His Holy Spirit, imbuing each man with a portion of the Spirit of God upon Moses so that, collectively, the seventy elders operated in the power and authority of Moses. "When the Spirit rested upon them, they prophesied" (Numbers I:25). No one individual had the full anointing of the Spirit, but together, they formed the body of Moses, so to speak. The apportioning of the Spirit to the seventy did not diminish the measure of the Spirit on Moses. Just as the single flame of a lamp can ignite many other lamps without any diminishment to itself, the Spirit upon Moses quickened the seventy elders.
Those seventy elders comprised the first Sanhedrin. According to Rabbi Yochanan, "No one should be appointed as a member of the Sanhedrin unless ... he is fluent in all the seventy languages of mankind so that the court will have no need of an interpreter.”
References
This lesson is adapted from Daniel Lancaster's teachings in The Sent Ones, as presented by First Fruits of Zion for the Torah Club.
Shavuot: Connecting the Sinai Revelation and Acts 2
In modern Jewish practice the feast of Shavuot is associated with the giving of the Torah at Sinai. We are not sure how far back these traditions go. Rabbinic writings have many references to that (2nd -6th centuries CE). Some of those sayings were oral teachings for centuries.
Could Luke connect the giving of the Torah at Sinai with Shavuot? Some think the Jewish tradition is too late.
But others think it is possible because the Oumranites and the author of Jubilees made this connection long before him.
"In the first year of the Exodus of the children of Israel from Egypt, in the third month (Sivan) on the sixteenth day of that month, the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, "Come up to me on the mountain, and I shall give you two stone tablets of the Law..." (Jubilees 1:1 - 2nd century BCE)
There is a slight discrepancy as the author of Jubilees is basing their writing on the solar calendar and not the lunar calendar. However, Luke likely was aware of this tradition and connection between Shavuot and the giving of the Torah.
Philo who died in 40 CE clearly predates Luke. This is how he described the Sinai revelation:
"he filled the whole place with miraculous signs and works, with noises of thunder too great for the hearing to support, and with the most radiant brilliancy of flashes of lightning, and with the sound of an invisible trumpet extending to a great distance... by the impetuosity of a heavenly fire, which overshadowed everything around with a dense smoke. For it was fitting that, when the power of God came among them..." (Philo, The Decalogue 44)
..the people stood by, having kept themselves clean from all connection with women, and having abstained from all pleasures... having been purifying themselves with baths and ablutions for three days, and having washed their garments.. And a voice sounded forth from out of the midst of the fire which had flowed from heaven, a most marvelous and awful voice, the flame being endowed with articulate speech in a language familiar to the hearers, which expressed its words with such clearness and distinctness that the people seemed rather to be seeing than hearing it. (Philo, The Decalogue 46)
For three days the children of Israel had to immerse themselves in order to obtain purity worthy of standing and hearing from God.
..the voice is said to have come forth out of the fire; for the oracles of God are accurately understood and tested like gold by the fire. Since the property of fire is partly to give light, and partly to burn, those who think fit to show themselves obedient to the sacred commands shall live for ever and ever... but all those who are stubborn and disobedient are for ever inflamed, and burnt, and consumed by their internal appetites, which, like flame, will destroy all the life of those who possess them. (Philo, The Decalogue 47-48)
Philo mixes what we can read in the Torah with what was likely oral tradition during his time. We see the ideas of reward and punishment.
In the Talmud we can see a very common source for connecting Shavuot and the giving of the Torah. We can read the following:
"Rabbi Yochanan said ...each and every utterance that emerged from the mouth of the Almighty divided into seventy languages, a great host. And, similarly, the school of Rabbi Yishmael taught with regard to the verse: "Behold, is My word not like fire, declares the Lord, and like a hammer that shatters a rock?" (Jeremiah 23:29). Just as this hammer breaks a stone into several fragments, so too, each and every utterance that emerged from the mouth of the Holy One, Blessed be He, divided into seventy languages." (Babylonian Talmud, Shabbat 88b)
In rabbinic tradition, God spoke in 70 different languages at the giving of the Torah. This correlated to the 70 nations of the world we see within the Old Testament. When Salomon brought sacrifices of dedication of the Temple he built, he sacrifices 70 bulls for the 70 nations of the world, a house of prayer for all nations.
Both the Sinai Revelation and events of Acts 2 happen on the same day - Savuot. In both events God manifests himself through fire which simultaneously cleanses and destroys. At Sinai and in Acts 2 God manifests through loud sound, wind, voices and thunder.
In both events God speaks miraculously in multiple (70) languages to a mixed crowd. God's language is miraculously understood by each person in their own way. At Sinai and in Acts 2 the listeners are both amazed and scared by the experience. The receiving of both, the Spirit and Commandments requires repentance, purity and ritual cleansing. The same things that happened and were required at Mount Sinai are required in the book of Acts. It appears as if Luke is comparing the two events as he describes what is occurring within Acts 2.
References
This lesson was adapted from teachings in Stories of the Jewish Church: Acts 1-5, as presented on the Israel Bible Center website.
5 Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. 6 And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language. (Acts 2:5-6, ESV Bible)
Pilgrims from the Wide Diaspora
The roaring sound of the spiritual wind that filled Solomon's Portico did not go unnoticed. A crowd of pilgrims quickly converged in the courtyard near the colonnade to investigate the sound. They gathered around the place where the disciples had assembled. Each man heard the testimony about Yeshua of Nazareth explained in his own native language. Although the miracle of the languages extends the expansion of the message to the Gentile nations, that expansion did not occur until much later in Luke's story. The men gathered around the disciples that morning were all Jewish.
In the days of the apostles, most Jewish people lived in the Diaspora, that is, dispersed in lands outside of Israel. Jews living outside the land of Israel still regarded Jerusalem as their spiritual capital city, and many endeavored to make pilgrimage to the holy city at least once in their lifetimes. During the three annual pilgrimage festivals of Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles, Jews from all over the world arrived in Jerusalem. Josephus says:
"As the Festival of Pentecost approached-that is a festival of ours, so called from the days of our forefathers-a great multitude, tens of thousands of men gathered together" (Josephus, Antiquities 17:254/X.2).
Luke describes them as "devout men from every nation under heaven" (Acts 2:5), but he makes it clear that they were all Jews. Later in the account, Luke explains that the crowd consisted only of "Jews and proselytes" (Acts 2:10). There are no outsiders, or non-Jews present. Greek-speaking Judaism used the word proselyte (proselutos) to mean a legal convert into Judaism. Proselytes were legally Jewish. They were shocked to hear the Galileans speaking in the languages of the lands from which they came, but this does not indicate that they were Gentiles.
In the days of the apostles, the Jewish Diaspora included most of the known, inhabited world. Josephus, citing the ancient writer Strabo, states:
"The Jews were already in all the cities; and it is hard to find a place in the habitable earth that has not admitted this tribe of men and is not possessed by them" (Josephus, Antiquities 14:I15/vii.2).
Luke lists fifteen different place names and nations from which the crowd had come, representing a variety of locations spread over three continents. Each location contained a Jewish community. Jews from all over the wide Diaspora considered Jerusalem their spiritual capital. The three pilgrimage festivals drew visitors to Jerusalem from the vast, far-flung Jewish communities. The crowd in the Temple that gathered around the apostles represented the wide array of languages spoken in the various lands from which they had come.
The list of nations loosely reflects the table of seventy nations in Genesis: "From these the coastlands of the nations were separated into their lands, every one according to his tongue, according to their families, into their nations" (Genesis 10:5). The miracle of the seventy tongues began the fulfillment of the Master's prediction, "that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem" (Luke 24:47).
Each person present heard the gospel proclaimed in his own native tongue. In addition to the visitors to Jerusalem, many Judeans and Galileans were also present. They exclaimed, "Why, are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we each hear them in our own language to which we were born?" (Acts 2:7-8). They said, "We hear them in our own tongues speaking of the mighty deeds of God" (Acts 2:11). Ordinarily, common Galileans spoke only Aramaic with a little Hebrew and Greek.
If the outpouring of the Spirit occurred in the upper room, the scene becomes unintelligible. Why are Jews (more than three thousand) from all over the world assembled around the house with the upper room, and how are they able to hear the disciples speaking to them in the various languages? If the outpouring of the Spirit occurred in the Temple, the scene makes perfect sense.
As noted above, the miracle of the languages alludes to the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai. It also alludes to the story of the tower of Babel in which the LORD confused the languages of humanity and scattered the families of men across the earth. The gospel in all languages reverses the curse and summons humanity to return to unity under the kingdom of heaven. The holy city, Messianic Jerusalem, takes the place of the unholy tower of Babel. In the Messianic Era, all nations will speak the holy tongue:
"For then I will give to the peoples purified lip, that all of them may call on the name of the LORD, to serve Him shoulder to shoulder" (Zephaniah 3:9).
References
This lesson is adapted from Daniel Lancaster's teachings in The Sent Ones, as presented by First Fruits of Zion for the Torah Club.
12 And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” 13 But others mocking said, “They are filled with new wine.” (Acts 2:12-13, ESV Bible)
Drunk at the Third Hour
Most of the crowd sensed that something supernatural was happening. They had heard the strange sound of a rushing wind and now listened as the disciples passionately testified. Yet some viewed the scene with skepticism, mocking the disciples and saying, “They are full of sweet wine.”
To the outside observer, intoxication and ecstatic spiritual expression might appear similar. For instance, Eli the priest mistakenly thought Hannah was drunk because of her fervent prayer (1 Samuel 1:15). Two accounts of King Saul overtaken by the Spirit show him acting as if he were spiritually "inebriated" by prophetic ecstasy (1 Samuel 10:10-12; 19:19-24). The Apostle Paul later contrasts drunkenness with the filling of the Spirit, saying, “Do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit” (Ephesians 5:18).
Peter spoke to the gathered crowd, addressing them as “Men of Judea and all who live in Jerusalem,” while emphasizing that his message applied to “all Israel” (Acts 2:36). His words were meant not only for those present but for all Jews. Luke makes clear that Peter’s audience was exclusively Jewish at this point; Gentiles do not come into the picture until later in Acts, setting the stage for the central conflict of the book: the inclusion of Gentiles, which emerges fully in Acts 10 with the conversion of Cornelius.
Before beginning his message, Peter dispelled the accusation of drunkenness, pointing out, “It is only the third hour (9 am) of the day” (Acts 2:15). Observant Jews complete their morning prayers before breaking their fast, so Peter appealed to the morning prayer time as evidence of sobriety, reassuring his audience that the disciples were not intoxicated.
References
This lesson is adapted from Daniel Lancaster's teachings in The Sent Ones, as presented by First Fruits of Zion for the Torah Club.
16 But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel: 17 “‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on 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 2:16-17, ESV Bible)
Prophecy from Yo’el
Simon Peter began his address by citing the prophet Joel, starting with the declaration, "I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh" (Joel 3:1-5 [2:28-32]).
It will come about after this that I will pour out my spirit on all mankind (all flesh) and your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions (Joel 3:1/2:28)
This passage describes how God will pour out His Spirit on people in the Messianic Era. Peter interpreted this outpouring of the Holy Spirit as a sign of the Messiah’s coming and the nearness of the Day of the LORD and the Messianic Kingdom. By referencing Joel, he refuted the charge of intoxication, presenting the believers' ecstatic state as evidence that the Day of the LORD was drawing near.
Though the full Day of the LORD has not yet come, those who join themselves to the Messiah already experience the blessings of the Messianic Age. They receive a foretaste of the new covenant and a portion of the Holy Spirit as a "pledge of our inheritance," a deposit on the future promises (Ephesians 1:13-14).
Joel's prophecy (Joel 3:3 [2:30]) also foretells that signs will appear in the heavens and on earth before the Messiah’s arrival: blood, fire, and columns of smoke on earth, along with darkened sunlight and a blood-red moon in the sky. Rabbinic tradition interprets these signs as accompanying the cataclysmic wars leading to final redemption. Jesus, too, referenced Joel’s prophecy, explaining that these signs would precede His coming amid great wars and upheaval, causing even the powers in heaven to tremble. In those days, people will be overcome with fear, recognizing the arrival of the hour of judgment (Matthew 24:30; Luke 21:10-11, 25-26; cf. Revelation 6:16).
Prophecy is often understood as predicting future events, but this was not its primary function in ancient Israel. The main purpose of prophecy was to communicate God’s words. While prophecy can sometimes involve foretelling the future, it isn’t limited to that. A person can be a prophet without making predictions; their role is simply to proclaim whatever God wants to communicate. In this instance, Peter explains that these men are prophesying by declaring what God wants them to say. He connects this moment to the passage from Joel, which doesn’t end there but continues:
I will display wonders in the sky and on the earth, blood, fire and columns of smoke. The sun will be turned into darkness and the moon into blood before the great and awesome day of the LORD comes. And it will come about that whoever calls on the name of the LORD will be delivered; (Joel 3:3-5/2:30-32)
Peter connected what was happening right there with the promises of the coming "Day of the LORD." All of the signs and wonders that Joel mentioned occurred during the Exodus. Perhaps Joel is trying to say that before the Day of the Lord similar signs and wonders will happen like they did at Sinai. What follows next in Joel is the judgement of the nations…
References
This lesson is adapted from Daniel Lancaster's teachings in The Sent Ones, as presented by First Fruits of Zion for the Torah Club.
21 And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.’ (Acts 2:21, ESV Bible)
All Who Call on the LORD
Simon Peter paused from the Joel passage to begin his message, using Joel 3:5 (2:32) as his starting point: "It shall be that everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved." In Joel’s context, this prophecy speaks of those who, in the last days of apocalyptic upheaval before the Day of the LORD, will be saved by repenting and calling on God. It describes a time when nations clash, calamities strike the earth, and the LORD displays signs, wonders, and judgments. Those who sincerely repent and seek the LORD will be spared from divine wrath.
Peter applied this message to the present moment, using it to introduce the Master’s urgent gospel call to repentance. The kingdom was near, but the nation stood on the brink of disaster. Jesus had foretold the impending destruction of the Temple, the city, and the generation of His time. In response, Peter offered a path to salvation from the coming calamity, urging the people, "Be saved from this perverse generation!" (Acts 2:40).
In his discourse, Peter explained what it means to call on the name of the LORD. He endeavored to demonstrate that calling on the LORD included repentance in the name of Yeshua of Nazareth-the risen Messiah.
References
This lesson is adapted from Daniel Lancaster's teachings in The Sent Ones, as presented by First Fruits of Zion for the Torah Club.
22 “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know—23 this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. 24 God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it. (Acts 2:22-24, ESV Bible)
Confirmed By God
The people of Galilee, Judea, and Jerusalem were familiar with the story of Yeshua of Nazareth. Even if they hadn’t witnessed His miracles firsthand, they had certainly heard of them. His fame had spread widely, as His healings touched hundreds, leaving an undeniable mark. Simon Peter called upon these well-known signs and wonders as proof of God’s endorsement of Yeshua.
Many in the Temple that day had hoped that Yeshua might indeed be the promised Messiah, but His crucifixion had crushed those hopes. Anticipating objections about Yeshua’s execution as a criminal, Peter declared that He was "delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God" (Acts 2:23). Peter then confronted the crowd with their indirect culpability, saying, "You nailed [Him] to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death." While they were not the direct agents of His death, they had also not defended Him and they did not stop it from happening.
In the Greek it says: They did not intervene as he was executed διὰ χειρὸς ἀνόμων (dia cheiros anomōn)—"by the hands of lawless men" (Acts 2:23). This refers to people who are without law. In most likely hood it refers to pagans.
Stepping into his role as a witness to the resurrection, Peter proclaimed that God had raised Yeshua from the dead, affirming, "It was impossible for Him to be held in [death's] power." For the apostles, the resurrection was the ultimate validation of Yeshua’s identity, His righteousness, and His claims as the Messiah. Though rumors of His resurrection had already spread, with the chief priests suggesting the body had been stolen, the apostles now stood in the Temple, publicly declaring the truth of His resurrection.
References
This lesson is adapted from Daniel Lancaster's teachings in The Sent Ones, as presented by First Fruits of Zion for the Torah Club.
29 “Brothers, I may say to you with confidence about the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. (Acts 2:29, ESV Bible)
The Path of Life (Psalm 16)
Simon Peter presented the people with a proof text from the Psalms, demonstrating that Yeshua’s death and resurrection were part of God’s messianic plan from the beginning. He quoted a passage from a psalm of King David: "My flesh also will dwell securely. For You will not abandon my soul to Sheol; nor will You allow Your Holy One to undergo decay. You will make known to me the path of life" (Psalm 16:9-11).
According to Jewish tradition David died on Shavuot. And Jewish custom is to keep the memory of those who died alive by visiting their tombs on the anniversary of their death. Some in the crowd might have done this already. Today people light candles and recite the Kaddish prayer.
Peter highlighted a contradiction within the psalm: David himself had died, descended to Sheol, and his body had decayed. He pointed out, "Brethren, I may confidently say to you regarding the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day" (Acts 2:29). The Jewish community still knew David’s burial site in Jerusalem, and his tomb was a known landmark south of the Temple Mount.
In Psalm 16, David literally claims that his flesh would not decay and ends with, "You will make known to me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; in Your right hand there are pleasures forever" (Psalm 16:11). Peter argued that this claim to immortality couldn’t refer to David himself. Instead, he explained, David wrote prophetically about the promised Son of David—the Messiah.
Peter noted that David was a prophet, speaking under divine inspiration, and referred to God’s promise to him: "When your days are complete and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your descendant after you… and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever" (2 Samuel 7:12-13). David thus foresaw the resurrection of the Messiah, who would not undergo decay or be abandoned to death (Acts 2:31).
Peter proclaimed that Yeshua is the Messiah David foresaw: God raised Yeshua from the dead, fulfilling both Psalm 16 and David’s prophecy. His reasoning was simple: (1) David predicted the Messiah would not suffer decay or remain in Sheol; (2) God raised Yeshua from the dead; (3) Yeshua thus fulfills David’s prophecy; (4) therefore, Yeshua is the Messiah.
Yeshua’s resurrection confirmed His messianic identity, fulfilling the ancient prophecies about the Messiah’s victory over death. Peter and the other apostles presented themselves as witnesses to this resurrection, calling the people to believe that God had indeed raised Yeshua from the dead.
References
This lesson is adapted from Daniel Lancaster's teachings in The Sent Ones, as presented by First Fruits of Zion for the Torah Club.
33 Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing. 34 For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he himself says, “‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand, 35 until I make your enemies your footstool.”’ 36 Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.” (Acts 2:33-36, ESV Bible)
Exaltation of Messiah (Psalm 110)
The argument faced a critical question: If God had raised Yeshua of Nazareth from the dead, where was He now? Why had He not appeared before all the people? Simon Peter explained that the Messiah had ascended to “the right hand of God.” Using the same interpretive method he applied to Psalm 16, Peter directed their attention to Psalm 110:1, where King David writes, “The LORD says to my Master: ‘Sit at My right hand until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet.’” Peter pointed out that David could not have been speaking about himself, as “it was not David who ascended into heaven” (Acts 2:34). David had certainly not ascended to sit at the right hand of the LORD.
The sages had long understood Psalm 110 as a messianic prophecy, and both the Master and the apostles shared this interpretation. Psalm 110 is, in fact, the most frequently quoted psalm in the New Testament. Peter interwove Psalm 16 and Psalm 110 into a midrash on the Messiah, noting that both psalms reference the right hand of the LORD:
“You will not abandon my soul to Sheol; nor will You allow Your Holy One to undergo decay. You will make known to me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; in Your right hand there are pleasures forever” (Psalm 16:10-11).
“The LORD says to my Master: ‘Sit at My right hand until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet’” (Psalm 110:1).
Peter concluded his message with a bold declaration to all Israel, proclaiming Yeshua as both Master and Messiah. He added solemnly, “This Yeshua whom you crucified.” As Peter spoke, God poured out a spirit of grace and supplication on the crowd. Peter insisted that though this was all predetermined the bystanders were responsible for what happened to Yeshua. And Luke tells us that the hearts of people were pierced by these words as they stood there in awe...(Acts 2:37). The people perceived that the one they had pierced was indeed the promised Messiah, and their hearts were deeply moved—they were “pierced to the heart.” In their conviction, they cried out to Peter and the other apostles, “Brethren, what shall we do?” So the people asked what they should do now and he gave them a very clear direction…
References
This lesson is adapted from Daniel Lancaster's teachings in The Sent Ones, as presented by First Fruits of Zion for the Torah Club.
38 And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. (Acts 2:38, ESV Bible)
The Good News
Without hesitation, Simon Peter replied, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Yeshua the Messiah for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38). The message of the gospel remained the same. Peter delivered the same call to repentance that John the Immerser had proclaimed, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 3:1-2). After John's arrest, Yeshua continued this message, preaching, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 4:17). When Yeshua sent out His disciples, He instructed them to proclaim, “The kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 10:7). Now, Peter and the apostles carried forward this same gospel, calling people to repent, turn from their sins, and return to the LORD.
To repent means to change direction or turn. But what specifically are they repenting of? Most likely, they are repenting for standing by and doing nothing during Jesus' death. Their sins are not vague or undefined; they are specific and directly tied to the current moment. Their sin was remaining passive, doing nothing as Jesus was executed.
The only addition Peter introduced was baptism specifically “in the name of Yeshua the Messiah,” meaning under Yeshua’s authority. Today, being baptized into the name of Jesus has, in many traditions, become a formulaic phrase, a declaration often spoken during a believer's baptism—a religious mantra of sorts. But did it carry the same meaning in the time of Jesus? The mikvahs surrounding the Temple served a purpose of purification before entering God’s presence within the Temple. This ritual was rich with symbolism: it conveyed an acknowledgment of one’s unworthiness to stand before God, expressing a need for His cleansing. The immersion demonstrated a desire for God’s mercy, grace, and forgiveness. Those who performed it were, in essence, declaring, “This is how I wish to come before You, LORD.” By doing so, they sought to be accepted as pure in God’s sight, prepared to worship Him with a sincere and humble heart.
This ritual of immersion is exactly what Peter is instructing them to do—only this time, in the name of Jesus. The phrase “in the name of” can be confusing for many, as it’s actually a figure of speech rather than a prescribed formula for baptism. In this context, it means “for the sake of,” “on behalf of,” “because of,” or “in honor of” or “with regard to.” To illustrate this, we can look at a passage in Matthew:
41" He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward; and he who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward. 42 "And whoever in the name of a disciple gives to one of these little ones even a cup of cold water to drink, truly I say to you, he shall not lose his reward." (Matt 10:41-42 NASB)
In Matthew, Yeshua speaks about rewards, and it’s noteworthy that He uses the phrase “in the name of.” Another way to interpret His teaching is: “If someone honors a man as a prophet, recognizing him as such, they will receive a prophet’s reward,” and similarly, “if someone honors a person as righteous, acknowledging their righteousness, they will receive a righteous person’s reward.”
To be baptized in the name of Jesus, then, is to be baptized for His sake. Peter’s audience had seen Jesus, witnessed His crucifixion, and now they were being urged not to let this change in their lives be meaningless. Purify yourselves because of Him, and let it carry the weight of true transformation. Today, we have learned about Jesus, who he is and what he has done, and we want to purify ourselves because of His sacrifice, and let that reality carry the weight of true transformation.
Peter assured the gathered crowd that they too would receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, just as the disciples had. All they needed to do was repent, turn from their sins, and submit to Yeshua as Master and Messiah through the sign of baptism. The gift of the Holy Spirit is freely given by the Master to all His followers. While some, like the Twelve, may receive a greater portion, everyone who comes to Yeshua receives the Spirit.
References
This lesson is adapted from Daniel Lancaster's teachings in The Sent Ones, as presented by First Fruits of Zion for the Torah Club.
39 For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.” (Acts 2:39, ESV Bible)
The Promise of Salvation
At the beginning of his message, Simon Peter quoted Joel 3:1-5 [2:28-32], stopping at the phrase, "It shall be that everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved" (Acts 2:21). Here, he paused to elaborate, offering several scriptural proofs that Yeshua of Nazareth is the Messiah and that He has risen from the dead.
Peter explained that calling on the LORD includes repentance and baptism in the Messiah's name for the forgiveness of sins. After guiding his listeners to recognize Yeshua as both Messiah and Master, Peter returned to Joel’s prophecy to conclude his message. The closing words of Acts 2:39 echo the final lines of the Joel passage:
“It will come about that whoever calls on the name of the LORD will be delivered; for on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be those who escape, as the LORD has said, ‘Even among the survivors whom the LORD calls’” (Joel 3:1 [2:32]).
“The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call to Himself”(Acts 2:39).
The Septuagint version of Joel 3:1 [2:32] further intensifies its messianic focus:
“It shall come about that whoever calls on the name of the LORD will be saved: for in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall the saved one be, as the LORD has said, and they that have good news preached to them, whom the LORD has called.” (Joel 3:1(2:32] LXX)
This text likely resonated with the apostles’ understanding of messianic salvation. By returning to Joel's prophecy at the end of his discourse, Peter reinforced that his entire message was an explanation of the promise that “all who call on the name of the LORD will be saved.” This promise is for the Jewish people, their children, and “all who are far off” whom the LORD will call. The terms "far" and "near" draw on another prophetic passage:
“Peace, peace to him who is far and to him who is near,” says the LORD, “and I will heal him” (Isaiah 57:19).
In the years that followed, the apostles used these prophecies to show that Gentiles who call on the name of the LORD would also be saved (e.g., Romans 10:13; Ephesians 2:13-14). However, when Peter addressed the men of Israel at the Temple during Shavuot, he was speaking exclusively to a Jewish audience. The inclusion of Gentiles in the kingdom, apart from conversion to Judaism, had not yet entered the apostles’ minds. For Peter, “those who are far off” referred to the Jews in the Diaspora or to those in need of repentance.
References
This lesson is adapted from Daniel Lancaster's teachings in The Sent Ones, as presented by First Fruits of Zion for the Torah Club.
40 And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.” (Acts 2:40, ESV Bible)
Generation Doomed
Simon Peter continued to teach, providing further scriptural proofs and urging the people to repent and be baptized in the name of Yeshua. He warned that the kingdom was near and that Yeshua of Nazareth was the King. He spoke urgently about the looming judgment on that generation, repeatedly pleading with them to “Be saved from this perverse generation!” (Acts 2:40).
The Master had often grieved over His generation’s stubbornness and refusal to repent, warning that the calamities He foretold would fall upon them:
“Truly I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation. Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling” (Matthew 23:36-37).
From a modern perspective, we often think of the gospel solely in terms of eternal salvation. But when Simon Peter and the apostles called the Jewish people to repentance, they were acutely aware of the immediate national disaster that Yeshua had predicted. The looming condemnation of that generation weighed as heavily on their minds as individual judgment. The apostles saw themselves as rescuers, urgently striving to gather as many of the lost sheep of Israel as possible before it was too late.
References
This lesson is adapted from Daniel Lancaster's teachings in The Sent Ones, as presented by First Fruits of Zion for the Torah Club.
41 So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls. 42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. 43 And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. 44 And all who believed were together and had all things in common. 45 And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46 And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved. (Acts 2:41-47, ESV Bible)
The Three Thousand
That day, three thousand people responded to the message of Simon Peter and the apostles. These three thousand at Shavuot echo the three thousand who perished at Sinai. On the first Shavuot, when God gave the Torah, Israel collectively accepted the command against idolatry. Yet, forty days later, three thousand died in the wilderness for worshiping the golden calf. Sin had brought death, but Yeshua brought life.
Everyone in the Temple courts that morning had already undergone ritual immersion to enter the Temple, yet three thousand chose to immerse a second time. Many of them likely knew Yeshua of Nazareth, had heard Him teach, or witnessed His healings. Some may even have been healed by Him. Now, these three thousand returned to the immersion pools to be baptized again—this time confessing their sins and in the name of Yeshua.
References
This lesson is adapted from Daniel Lancaster's teachings in The Sent Ones, as presented by First Fruits of Zion for the Torah Club.
The Four Devotions
In the days that followed the spitual outpouring of Shavu’ot, the disciples found themselves shepherding a large community of new disciples in Jerusalem. Three thousand men and women received the message about Yeshua and immersed themselves in His name. Many of these joined themselves to the community of His disciples in the holy city.
For their part, the Twelve did not return to the Galilee. Most of them seem to have become permanent residents of Jerusalem. Perhaps they found lodging in the homes of Jerusalem disciples and friends in Bethany. They continued to use the upper room for private gatherings and used Solomon's Colonnade as their place of public assembly. They did not build a synagogue or church. Members of the growing community came from a variety of synagogues, which they continued to attend.
The new disciples devoted themselves to four primary pursuits, which can be regarded as the model and standard for all believing communities.
THE FOUR DEVOTIONS
The Apostles' Teaching
The Fellowship
The Breaking of Bread
The Prayers
Notice that each of the four devotions is a hallmark of Jewish practice. The new community that formed around the disciples of Yeshua did not adopt new customs or innovations that could be considered particularly Christian and distinct from Judaism. Instead, they devoted themselves to the same pursuits that might characterize any Jewish faith community.
Today's churches and communities of faith would look more like Messianic synagogues if we committed ourselves to the four devotions of study, community, hospitality, and liturgy.
The Apostles’ Teaching
The community of disciples devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching (didache). New believers were called "disciples," i.e., "students." The apostles received them as students into the school of Yeshua. The new students devoted themselves to learning the Scriptures and the words of Yeshua under the instruction of the apostles.
The teachings of the apostles consisted primarily of Yeshua's teachings. The twelve disciples stepped into their role as links in the chain of oral transmission, and they immediately began to pass the teaching of Yeshua on to the new generation of believers. Furthermore, the apostles delved deeply into the Scriptures in daily study and teaching. They continued to find new messianic insights that helped them interpret the life of Yeshua and their own circumstances.
By devoting themselves to the apostles' teaching, the community of early believers continued in the Jewish mode of faith and practice, which prioritizes study above other pursuits.
The Fellowship
The community of disciples devoted themselves to the fellowship (koinonia, κοινωνία). "The fellowship" refers to the community itself, not mere congenial camaraderie. The Greek word implies common sharing or participation in a common cause. It speaks of the interdependency of people living and working together in a close-knit social unit. By devoting themselves to the fellowship, the early disciples devoted themselves to the day-to-day needs and concerns of the apostolic community in Jerusalem. The fellowship is the collective identity of the local believers.
First-century Judaism contained other holy societies resembling the koinonia in Jerusalem. The Pharisees organized themselves into fellowships (chavurim) that studied, ate, and prayed together. The sect of the Essenes lived collectively in holy fraternities resembling monastic orders.
The disciples of the Jerusalem community seemed to arrange their priorities on the model of a Pharisaic Chavurah, the Essene brotherhood of the Qumran community, and other holy brotherhoods among the Jewish people.
Breaking Bread
The disciples devoted themselves to the breaking of bread. That means that they regularly hosted one another in each other's homes and shared common meals together. "Breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart" (Acts 2:46).
The breaking of bread does not imply any unusual, sacramental function such as the Lord's Supper or Eucharist. In Judaism, "breaking bread" is a common idiom for hospitality and a shared meal. It specifically refers to the beginning of the meal, where the participants offer God a blessing of thanks for bread before dividing a common loaf. Blessing God together over shared meals is a standard of Jewish observance.
The Prayers
The disciples devoted themselves to "the prayers." Luke does not say they devoted themselves "to prayer" in general; instead, the Greek text says that they devoted themselves to "the prayers (tais proseuchais, ταῖς προσευχαῖς)." Most English versions obscure the meaning by not translating the definite article (“the”). "The prayers" should be understood in keeping with the common liturgical daily prayers of Judaism, the synagogue, and the Temple. Six verses later, Luke depicts Simon Peter and John "going up to the temple at the ninth hour, the hour of prayer" (Acts 3:1).
This does not mean that the early believers prayed out of a printed prayer book. Prayer books did not yet exist. It implies only that they prayed in concert with other Jewish people, following the same forms, conventions, modes, and times of prayer as the rest of the Jewish world. Their faith in Yeshua did not change their mode of worship. Their faith made their worship more intense and ardent.
References
This lesson is adapted from Daniel Lancaster's teachings in The Sent Ones, as presented by First Fruits of Zion for the Torah Club.
Great Fear
The outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles signaled the moment of transition at which they were to take up the mantle of Messiah. Similarly, the Prophet Elisha began to operate in the miracles of his master, Elijah, immediately after Elijah's ascension. Filled with the power of the Holy Spirit that had rested upon their Master, the apostles performed signs and wonders in keeping with the work of Yeshua. They healed the sick and the disabled, and miracles surrounded them as tokens of the kingdom:
Then the eyes of the blind will be opened and the ears of the deaf will be unstopped. Then the lame will leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute will shout for joy. (Isaiah 35:5-6)
People do not perform miracles; God performs miracles. The apostles performed their miracles only in the name of Messiah and by the power of the Holy Spirit. The miracles, signs, and wonders that accompanied the apostles inspired the community with the fear of the LORD. God seemed real and present. "Everyone kept feeling a sense of awe." The community of the disciples revered the Twelve as the Master's representatives.
References
This lesson is adapted from Daniel Lancaster's teachings in The Sent Ones, as presented by First Fruits of Zion for the Torah Club.
Importance of the Faith Community
As believers and followers of Yeshua, we are part of a new and transformative community. We need companions to study, learn, and grow alongside us. It is essential to form relationships where we can pray, laugh, share meals, and, God willing, engage in acts of service and community projects together. There are countless opportunities to strengthen these bonds. Such connections are what truly forge deep relationships between individuals.
Studying God’s word—engaging deeply with the Bible, exploring its truths, and uncovering its inspiration—is crucial for understanding who God is, the miracle of our relationship with Him, and our loving responsibilities as His sons and daughters. However, we must also recognize the immense value of the relationships we build with our brothers and sisters as we study together. This sense of community and connection is at the heart of what Yeshua emphasized when He instructed us to love God and love one another—everything else hinges on these two commandments. Community is foundational to our faith and central to the path we walk.
The early community remained steadfast in the teachings of the shlichim—the apostles—in fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayer. It is no surprise that the disciples established and nurtured a community model for this emerging group of believers. When we reflect on the gospels and the stories of Yeshua and His disciples, we see that they themselves formed a close-knit community. Yeshua, as their rabbi and teacher, guided them directly. They followed Him, learning from Him as He shared the truths of the kingdom. Together, they traveled, served people in the various communities they visited, prayed, ate, and worshiped in the synagogue. They were a band of brothers united under their teacher and leader.
There is an extraordinary power in the bonds formed among people united by a shared purpose and dedication, and the disciples exemplified this truth. The Greek word koinonia (κοινωνία) is often translated as "fellowship," but its meaning is much deeper and more nuanced than casual social interaction. It signifies a profound sharing, partnership, communion, and mutual participation. Koinonia encompasses the idea of a close-knit community where members are deeply connected through shared beliefs, goals, and life experiences. It implies a bond of commitment and unity, where individuals support one another and are devoted to a common purpose.
While modern fellowship may bring to mind gatherings characterized by friendly exchanges and brief moments of camaraderie, koinonia carries a far deeper meaning. It speaks of a profound union of hearts and lives, characterized by mutual commitment, shared purpose, and dedicated partnership. The disciples' community was defined by this deep, unwavering connection. As the apostles began to build the early community of believers, they recognized that such a foundation of true koinonia—deeply rooted unity and commitment—was essential for their collective mission and growth.
It's important to recognize that the model of community the early disciples established was already familiar to those they were teaching. As new followers of Yeshua, they were Jews with deep-rooted ties to communal life, particularly through the synagogue, which they likely continued to attend. When we hear the word "synagogue" today, we often think of a Jewish house of worship where people gather for prayer services. While this is true, it is crucial to understand that synagogues in ancient times did not replace the centrality of the Temple in Jerusalem, which remained the focal point of Jewish religious life, sacrifices, and major festivals. Instead, synagogues served as local centers for regular prayer, study, and community life.
In many ways, synagogues functioned like community centers, offering far more than worship services. They were hubs for Torah reading and study, places of prayer, and venues for social gatherings, educational events, and community meetings. Synagogue leaders, often elders or knowledgeable members of the community, sometimes handled minor legal matters or local governance. While synagogues certainly prioritized prayer and Torah study, their community-oriented nature fostered a holistic environment for Jewish life.
In the Gospels, we see Yeshua reading from the scroll of Isaiah in the synagogue, as recounted in Luke. Although He was not a rabbi in the later, institutionalized sense, He was recognized as a voice of authority and knowledge. This example offers insight into the communal and participatory nature of synagogue life.
Understanding this context helps us better picture what the early Acts community looked like. The synagogue served as a model and foundation for the practices of Yeshua's followers. They did not abandon their Jewish heritage but continued in the rhythms they knew—study, prayer, fellowship, and shared meals—while building on their newfound faith in Yeshua. These early communities mirrored the function and form of synagogues, maintaining a deep connection with the Jewish world around them while embodying their faith in a new way.
In the emerging community of Yeshua's disciples, the teachings of the Apostles, or Shlichim, became one of the most crucial elements for new disciples entering this new sect within Judaism. The Apostles' teachings were of supreme importance, and the early believers devoted themselves wholeheartedly to learning from them. The Apostles, having firsthand experience from their time with Yeshua, were uniquely equipped to pass on His teachings. Through their travels, fellowship (koinonia), and time spent with Yeshua, they laid the foundation for this new community. They had taken up the mantle given to them by the Master through the Great Commission, assuming roles akin to elders or community leaders in synagogues who were well-versed in the Torah. Now, they were passing on Yeshua’s teachings to these communities.
Prayer, an integral part of the early disciples' Jewish heritage, carried over into their new life in Yeshua. When Acts 2:42 mentions "the prayers," it refers to established patterns of Jewish daily prayers practiced in the synagogue. This is an important distinction; the text does not simply say "prayer" but "the prayers," emphasizing the continuity of Jewish liturgical traditions. For the early disciples, prayer remained rooted in the Jewish tradition, practiced both in synagogues and the Temple. Although the Amidah, or standing prayer, had not been fully codified into its modern form, key elements and themes were well established and widely recited by Jews, including Pharisees and synagogue-goers. The early disciples, even as they believed in Yeshua as the Messiah, continued directing their prayers to the God of Israel, participating in the liturgical life of the Jewish community.
Fellowship was another cornerstone of the early Yeshua community. The disciples did not see themselves as separate from the Jewish world. They remained fully Jewish in their practice, attending synagogue, praying prayers like the Amidah, observing festivals, and following the commandments. Yet, their fellowship had a distinctive quality—a unique bond formed by their shared faith in Yeshua as the Messiah and their commitment to His mission and message. This koinonia went far beyond simply meeting for study or meals; it was characterized by a deep sense of unity and mutual support. The early disciples relied on each other for encouragement, protection, and strength in a challenging environment. Following Yeshua in the first century was not easy; they faced opposition, misunderstanding, and sometimes persecution from fellow Jews and the surrounding Roman world. In this context, fellowship was not merely a bonus—it was essential for their survival and growth. Their connection through Yeshua demanded extraordinary devotion and connection to one another.
Finally, the act of breaking bread together was a powerful symbol of their community. In Jewish tradition, sharing a meal was a sacred act, beginning with a blessing to acknowledge God as the provider of all sustenance. But beyond nourishment, it fostered connection, hospitality, and relationship-building. The early followers of Yeshua carried this tradition forward, but with a special sense of purpose. Their regular meals became moments of unity and celebration, strengthening their bonds as a community and reminding one another of their mission. Even today, sharing meals remains a cornerstone of building relationships. For the early disciples, these meals reflected the intimacy, care, and solidarity they shared as a family in Yeshua.
As we journey through the Book of Acts, keep this framework in mind. They were united in study, prayer, breaking bread, and devotion to Yeshua and each other. Acts 2:42 shows us that community is the foundation of "the Way." This koinonia—fellowship and unity—strengthens and sustains us as we pursue our faith. Just as it did for the early believers, these practices remain vital today. Together, we will experience the richness of God's word and the power of true koinonia.
References
This lesson is adapted from Daniel Lancaster's teachings in The Sent Ones, as presented by First Fruits of Zion for the Torah Club.
All Things in Common
All the believers were in unity, and all they owned became common property. They sold their possessions and properties and they divided [the proceeds] among them all, to each man sufficient to meet his need. (Ma'asei HaShlichim 2:44-45)
The Jerusalem community of disciples adopted a communal mode of life from its inception. Along the model of the Essenes, they sold their property and possessions and contributed them to a common fund. Their motivation for communal life might have been related to their reverence for the Temple. The Jerusalem community considered the Temple as their place of worship. It remained the geographical center of the growing Messianic faith.
The Temple rooted their community in the holy city. They assembled for the prayers daily and attended at the hours of sacrifice. Such daily prayer assemblies are still practiced in the synagogue today at the times of prayer.
The communal mode of life allowed the Galileans and other disciples from outside of Judea and Jerusalem to settle in the holy city and join the community. They could sell their property at home and donate the proceeds to the common fund. Simon Peter and his family did not want to settle back in Capernaum. James and John, the sons of Zebedee, did not want to return to live in Bethsaida. James, the brother of Yeshua, did not want to go back to Nazareth. Nathaniel did not want to go back to Cana. The new disciples from the Diaspora wanted to remain in Jerusalem, too, near the apostles and near to the Father's house.
References
This lesson is adapted from Daniel Lancaster's teachings in The Sent Ones, as presented by First Fruits of Zion for the Torah Club.
Favor in the Eyes of the People
Luke describes the community of disciples as "having favor with all the people." Their simple mode of life, sincere faith, and contagious enthusiasm won the approval of the Pharisees and the common people alike. If the early believers were apostates from Judaism who had begun a new religion (as is commonly supposed), they could not have enjoyed favor with the people. The disciples did not consider their mode of faith as a departure from Judaism, nor was it the origin of a new religious venture. Only their allegiance to Yeshua and conviction that He was the Messiah marked them apart from other religious Jews.
Their fellow Jerusalem Jews regarded them as one sect of Judaism among many-not unlike the Essenes described above. The disciples distinguished themselves from the rest of the Jewish people in their exceeding zeal for Torah, their devoted participation in the Temple services, and their witness that Yeshua of Nazareth was the Messiah. In so doing they fulfilled the words of the Master, "Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in Heaven" (Matthew 5:16). As a result, "the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved" (Acts 2:47).
References
This lesson is adapted from Daniel Lancaster's teachings in The Sent Ones, as presented by First Fruits of Zion for the Torah Club.
Rediscovering the Apocalyptic Urgency of Pentecost: A Call to Live as the Early Followers of Yeshua
Many read these Pentecost passages as the birth of the Christian church. But if you notice there are clear references to men of Judah, Jews and proselytes, the house of Israel. The miraculous speech by the apostles is a sign not to the nations of the world, but to other Israelites scattered among the nations. There are no nations yet in the congregation of those who embraced the Messiah.
The early followers of Yeshua lived communally, worshiping at the Temple, selling their possessions, and living as though they were in the last days. They believed earnestly that the end of the age was near. If we read further into the prophecy of Joel, which Peter references, the Day of the LORD seems to be the next logical step, rapidly approaching.
More and more people were being added to those who were “saved.” But what were they being saved from, or for? In context, they were being saved from the great and terrible Day of the LORD.
If we, as modern-day believers and followers of Yeshua, lived with an apocalyptic perspective, truly believing that the Day of the LORD was near, how would our lives look? How would we live in light of this possibility? One could argue that as the apocalyptic outlook has become less common, modern Christians have lost this vital connection to the early followers of Jesus. Our focus has shifted to other doctrines and ways of thinking that may not inspire the same urgency, commitment, or action in a disciple's life. Should we still have the same outlook as the early apostles? Some would argue that how you see the end, motivates how you live in the present.
References
This lesson was adapted from teachings in Stories of the Jewish Church: Acts 1-5, as presented on the Israel Bible Center website.