Acts 2:1–13: The Firstfruits of a Global Harvest
Introduction
In the Old Testament, the Holy Spirit was alive and active; however, his ministry was selective and limited. Although the Holy Spirit was instrumental in the Old Testament (as in the New Testament) in opening hearts to believe in the true God for salvation, he did not bring his power to bear on a wide range of people. Mostly, the Holy Spirit’s role was limited to the anointed offices of the Old Testament: prophets, priests, and kings. To say that Jesus is the “Christ” is to use the Greek term that means “Anointed One,” the equivalent of “Messiah” in Hebrew. Jesus Christ, then, is the ultimate prophet, priest, and king, as the one who was filled with the Holy Spirit beyond measure (John 3:34). In Acts 2, we read of the great work on the Day of Pentecost, when Jesus Christ poured out his Holy Spirit upon his church as a permanent endowment, in order to sanctify his church and to equip his church for ministry to reach the nations. In the first installment of this story, we see that the nations are ripe for the Holy Spirit’s harvest.
Discussion Questions
1. What significance does Luke suggest by speaking about how the day of Pentecost “arrived” (v. 1)? What was the feast of Pentecost/Weeks (Lev. 23:15–22)? When did Pentecost fall in relation to the Passover and the Feast of Firstfruits (Lev. 23:4–14)? How did Christ’s death and resurrection fulfill Passover and Firstfruits? How did the Holy Spirit’s outpouring fulfill Pentecost, at the time of the firstfruits of wheat (Ex. 34:22)? What kind of harvest is the Holy Spirit bringing in today?
2. What were the visible manifestations of the presence of the Holy Spirit (v. 2–4)? Why were these visible manifestations important to correct any misunderstanding of what was happening? If it is true that Pentecost is the anniversary of the giving of the law on Mount Sinai, how were the events of Sinai similar to what happens here at Pentecost (Ex. 19)? How are they different? What conclusions might we draw from this connection?
3. Where does Luke tell us that the Jews at Pentecost had come from (vv. 5, 9–11a)? Why is there such an emphasis on the great range of countries and languages who were present at this time? How does the ability of each of these men to hear “in his own language/tongues” the “mighty works of God” help us to understand the nature and purpose of speaking in tongues? What is similar and different about the modern work of translating the gospel and the Bible into new languages?
4. How does Jesus and the rest of the New Testament compare God’s global mission to work in a field to collect a harvest? How do the 3,000 souls who believe in Jesus on the day of Pentecost signify the firstfruits of that mission into the world (Acts 2:41)? What role has God called you to serve in his global mission? How has he called you to bear witness to Jesus where you live? Is God calling you to bear witness to Jesus somewhere else, to the end of the earth?
