Acts – Tongues and the Holy Spirit

Acts – Tongues and the Holy Spirit

Kyle Anderson

“Acts 1:8?”

Acts 1:8 is a promise and a command from Jesus. The assembled Apostles were Jews and the Jewish perspective was that they were God’s people and the message was to the Jews. Jesus here lays out a promise of the coming Holy Spirit and the command to preach the Gospel to the world, starting in Jerusalem and spreading to the World. This was surely not the first time the Apostles had heard this message. They were witnesses to Jesus’ work with the Samaritans, (John 4), and other teachings of Jesus to reach the world with the Gospel. The point was brought home again here and shortly after the events at Pentecost the Gospel will spread to the Gentiles. “This text contains the promise of Pentecost and the mandate to witness for Jesus in the following geographical areas: Jerusalem, Samaria and the World (Kistemaker 1990, 53). The Apostles will receive power and will carry the Gospel to the World; ^” But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. (Holy Bible (NKJV) 1982)”

“Brothers and Sisters”         

            From the context of verse 1:16 Peter is addressing the other 10 Apostles present, there are certainly other believers present, and they are witnesses to the event, but Peter is addressing the remaining 10 regarding Judas, who is no longer with them. The majority of Bible translations translate the first two Greek words in Acts 1:16 “Ἄνδρες ἀδελφοί (Marshall 1998, 464)” as “Men, brethren” or simply as “Brothers”. The minority translate the verse as “Friends” or something else. While it is certain that there were women present in the group of believers, Luck mentions Mary and women, I do not agree with a gender neutral or inclusive translation. Luke writing in the social norms of his time and the Apostles speaking to the group of believers with an emphasis on the primacy of the male role used the term, “Men, brothers” I believe that in Acts 1:16, a straight forward interpretation is proper and right and conveys the original meaning of the text better the “Brothers and sisters.” While societies norms have changed and women are certainly not of lesser importance. The Greek used addresses men and should be translated as such. See also the following verses with the literal English translation of the Greek: 2:14 “Men, Jews”; 2:22 “Men, Israelites”; 3:12 ”Men, Israelites”; 5:35 ”Men, Israelites”; 17:22 ”Men, Athenians”; 17:34 “men”; 19:35 ”Men, Ephesians”; 21:28 ”Men, Israelites” in most of these verses it is certain that women are present, Peter or Paul address the crowd using the masculine “Men.” I disagree with Dr. Bock that translation of the word “Ἄνδρες” in verse 17:34 includes a woman. Reading the verse it says, “ But some “men” (Ἄνδρες) joined him and believed, among whom also were Dionysius the Areopagite and “a woman” (γυνὴ (Marshall 1998, 548)) named Damaris and others with them. (Holy Bible (NASB) 1995)” Some men, and a women.

 “Tongues”

            What are the “Tongues” spoken of in Acts 2:4? At the Pentecost celebration the believers were filled with the Holy Spirit. They received the power and the gifts of the Spirit. One of the gifts was the gift of tongues. The Apostles, mostly uneducated or simple men from Galilee, started to speak, or were perceived to speak in languages that there was no reasonable expectation for them to know.  The “tongues” mentioned are spoken languages of the assembled believers and not some “unknown, or heavenly” language that men do not know. Simon Kistemaker said, “The word tongue is the equivalent of the concept spoken language (Kistemaker 1990, 77). The literal translation of the Greek word “διαλέκτῳ (Marshall 1998, 466)” is “language” and is the root word for our English word “dialect”. Verse 6 clearly states that each believer present was hearing their “heart” language, not some unknown language. Each was hearing the message in as clear a language as they could so the that full intent and import could be conveyed, there could be not possibility of a poor translation or misunderstanding in the word. Thus the Glory of God was shown through the power of the Holy Spirit. Assuming that all 12 Apostles were present and that they were all preaching to the gathered, there were at least 15 different language groups represented. Verses 9-11 detail 15 nations represented in the gathering with the possibility of more. Later in the Bible Paul admonishes believers that the gift of tongues is useless unless there are some present that can interpret. If nobody understands what is being said who gets the Glory? God or man?

Bibliography

Bock, Darrell, L. Acts. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2007.

Halley, Henry H. Halley's Bible Handbook. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1965.

Holy Bible (NASB). The Lockman Foundation, 1995.

Holy Bible (NKJV). Thomas Nelson, 1982.

Kistemaker, Simon J. Acts. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1990.

Marshall, Alfred. Interlinear NIV. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1998.