though the language of them in Judea was the same with that which the disciples spake, yet, before, they spake it with the north-country tone and dialect, (Thou art a Galilean, and thy speech bewrays thee,) but now they spake it as fine as the inhabitants of Judea themselves did.* [1] Next come the inhabitants of Cappadocia, Pontus, and that country about Propontis, which was particularly called Asia, and these were the countries in which those strangers were scattered, to whom St. Peter writes, 1 Pet. 1. 1. Next come the dwellers in Phrygia and Pamphylia, which lay westward, the posterity of Japhet, as were also the strangers of Rome; there were some also that dwelt in the southern parts of Egypt, in the parts of Libya about Cyrene; there were also some from the island of Crete, and some from the deserts of Arabia; but they were all either Jews originally, dispersed into those countries; or proselytes to the Jewish religion, but natives of those countries. Dr. Whitby observes, that the Jewish writers about this time, as Philo and Josephus, speak of the Jews as dwelling every where through the whole earth; and that there is not a people upon earth among whom some Jews do not inhabit.
2. We may inquire, what brought all those Jews and proselytes together to Jerusalem at this time? not to make a transient visit thither to the feast of pentecost, for they are said to dwell there; they took lodgings there, because there was at this time a general expectation of the appearing of the Messiah; for Daniel's weeks were just now expired, the sceptre was departed from Judah, it was then generally thought that the kingdom of God should immediately appear, Luke 19. 11. This brought those who were most zealous and devout to Jerusalem, to sojourn there, that they might have an early share in the kingdom of the Messiah, and the blessings of that kingdom.
II. The amazement which these strangers were seized with, when they heard the disciples speak in their own tongues. It should seem, the disciples spake in various languages, before the people of those languages came to them; for it is intimated, (v. 6.) that the spreading of the report of this abroad was it that brought the multitude together, especially those of different countries, who seem to have been more affected with this work of wonder than the inhabitants of Jerusalem themselves.
1. They observe that the speakers are all Galileans, that know no other than their mother tongue; (v. 7.) they are despicable men, from whom nothing learned or polite is to be expected. God chose the weak and foolish things of the world to confound the wise and mighty. Christ was thought to be a Galilean, and his disciples really were so; unlearned and ignorant men.
2. They acknowledged that they spake intelligibly and readily their own language, (which they were the most competent judges of,) so right and exact, that none of their own countrymen could speak it better; We hear every man in our own tongue wherein we were born; (v. 8.) that is, we hear one or other of them speak our native language. The Parthians hear one of them speak their language, the Medes hear another of them speak theirs; and so of the rest, v. 11. We do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God. Their respective languages were not only unknown at Jerusalem, but, probably, despised and undervalued, and therefore it, was not only a surprise, but a pleasing surprise, to them to hear the language of their own country spoken, as it naturally is to those that are strangers in a strange land.
(1.) The things they heard the apostles discourse of, were the wonderful works of God, μεγαλεῖα τȣ̃ Θeȣ̃—the great things of God. It is probable that the apostles spake of Christ, and redemption by him, and the grace of the gospel; these are indeed the great things of God, which will be for ever marvellous in our eyes.
(2.) They heard them both praise God for these great things and instruct the people concerning these things, in their own tongue, according as they perceived the language of their hearers or those that inquired of them, to be. Now though, perhaps, by dwelling some time at Jerusalem, they were got to be so much masters of the Jewish language, that they could have understood the meaning of the disciples, if they had spoken that language, yet, [1.] This was more strange, and helped to convince their judgment, that this doctrine was of God; for tongues were for a sign to them that believed not, 1 Cor. 14. 22. [2.] It was more kind, and helped to engage their affections, as it was a plain indication of the favour intended to the Gentiles, and that the knowledge and worship of God should no longer be confined to the Jews, but the partition-wall should be broken down: and this is to us a plain intimation of the mind and will of God, that the sacred records of God's wonderful works should be preserved by all nations in their own tongue; that the scriptures should be read, and public worship performed, in the vulgar languages of the nations.
3. They wonder at it, and look upon it as an astonishing thing; (v. 12.) They were all amazed, they were in an ecstasy, so the word is; and they were in doubt what the meaning of it was, and whether it was to introduce the kingdom of the Messiah, which they were big with the expectation of; they asked themselves and one another τὶ ἄν θέλοι τȣ̃το εἶναι—Quid hoc sibi vult?—What is the tendency of this? Surely it is to dignify, and so to distinguish, these men as messengers from heaven; and therefore, like Moses at the bush, they will turn aside, and see this great sight.
III. The scorn which some made of it, who were natives of Judea and Jerusalem, probably the Scribes and Pharisees, and chief priests, who always resisted the Holy Ghost; they said, These men are full of new wine, or sweet wine; they have drunk too much this festival-time, v. 13. Not that they were so absurd as to think that wine in the head would enable men to speak languages which they never learned; but these, being native Jews, knew not, as the others did, that these were really the languages of other nations, and therefore took what they said to be gibberish and nonsense, such as drunkards, those fools in Israel, sometimes talk. As.when they resolved not to believe the finger of the Spirit in Christ's miracles, they turned off with this, "He casteth out devils by compact with the prince of the devils ;" so when they resolved not to believe the voice of the Spirit in the apostles' preaching, they turned it off with this, These men are full of new wine. And if they called the Master of the house a wine-bibber, no marvel if they so call them of his household.
14. But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words: 15. For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day. 16. But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; 17. And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your
- ↑ * This is far more ingenious than probable. Ed.
