What is the meaning of Acts 2:6? And when this sound rang out The “sound” refers to what Acts 2:2 describes as “a sound like a mighty rushing wind” filling the house where the disciples were sitting. Scripture presents this as a real, audible event, not a mere impression. • The Spirit’s arrival is frequently marked by audible or visible signs—consider the voice from heaven at Jesus’ baptism (Luke 3:22) and the thunder-like voice before the cross (John 12:28-29). • As at Sinai when “there were thunder and lightning, and a thick cloud…and a very loud trumpet blast” (Exodus 19:16), God again signals His presence in unmistakable ways. • By recording the detail of the sound, Luke underscores the literal, historical reality of Pentecost, assuring us that the promised Spirit truly came (John 14:16-17; Acts 1:4-5). a crowd came together in bewilderment The noise did not leave the Spirit’s work hidden in a private corner; it drew people in. • “Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven” (Acts 2:5). Pilgrims already gathered for the Feast of Weeks were now providentially assembled to witness God’s new work. • Their “bewilderment” mirrors earlier responses to divine intervention—e.g., the women at the empty tomb were “perplexed” (Luke 24:4). This honest reaction confirms that no natural explanation sufficed. • God often gathers an audience before He unveils truth, as when the multitude pressed upon Jesus before He fed the five thousand (Mark 6:34-44). because each one heard them speaking his own language The miracle moves from a public sign (the sound) to a personal sign (understood speech). • The Spirit reverses Babel’s confusion (Genesis 11:7-9) by enabling clear proclamation across linguistic boundaries. • This is not ecstatic babble but recognizable dialects—so convincing that later some accuse the speakers of drunkenness only because they cannot account for the phenomenon (Acts 2:13). • Jesus had foretold that “these signs will accompany those who believe…they will speak in new tongues” (Mark 16:17). Paul lists tongues among Spirit-given gifts meant for edification (1 Corinthians 12:10; 14:21-22). • Revelation anticipates the same multilingual praise: “a great multitude…from every nation and tribe and people and tongue” worshiping the Lamb (Revelation 7:9). Pentecost provides a foretaste. summary Acts 2:6 shows the Holy Spirit’s arrival as a tangible, historical event that attracted a diverse crowd and immediately bridged linguistic barriers. God used an unmistakable sound to assemble witnesses, astonished them with understandable speech in their native tongues, and thus launched the gospel outward to all peoples. The verse assures believers that Scripture’s record is exact and literal, inviting confidence that the same Spirit still empowers clear proclamation of Christ today. |
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