Ten days after Jesus’ ascension into Heaven, the disciples were together to celebrate the Jewish Festival of Weeks. Because the festival was held fifty days after Passover, it was also called Pentecost. This festival was one of the three “Pilgrim Feast” when all Jewish men were encouraged to travel to Jerusalem (Exodus 23:14-17), so the city was teeming with Jewish worshippers.
Some pilgrims who had come from distant corners of the Roman Empire had remained in Jerusalem from Passover. These worshippers included “Parthians, Medes, Elamites; those who live in Mesopotamia, in Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome (both Jews and converts), Cretans and Arabs” (Acts 2:9–11). “There were … devout people from every nation under heaven” (Acts 2:5).
The Apostles, disciples, and faithful followers, a group that numbered about one-hundred-twenty (Acts 1:15), were packed in a meeting room, maybe the same room where they had celebrated the final Passover fifty days earlier.
“Suddenly a sound like that of a violent rushing wind came from heaven, and it filled the whole house where they were staying” (Acts 2:2). That the promised Holy Spirit had come was undeniable!
“Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice, and proclaimed to them, ‘Fellow Jews and all you residents of Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and pay attention to my words…’ ” (Acts 2:14). Peter, speaking for the rest of the Apostles, explained the powerful presence of the Holy Spirit and declared the Good News that Jesus, rejected by the religious establishment, was indeed the Messiah and Savior.
Peter, the Galilean fisherman, the man who had denied his Master and Maker, was now the Holy Spirit empowered preacher at Pentecost.
“ ‘Repent and be baptized, each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit…’ With many other words he testified and strongly urged them, saying, ‘Be saved from this corrupt generation!’ ” (Acts 2:38–40).
“Those who accepted his message were baptized, and that day about three thousand people were added to them” (Acts 2:41).
“… think on these things” (Philippians 4:8, KJV).
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