Acts 2:7

"When this sound was heard, the multitude came together and were bewildered, because everyone heard them speaking in his own language."

Key Reflection

In Acts 2:7, when the disciples began to speak in various languages after Pentecost, the crowd was amazed because each person could hear the message in their native tongue. This event was profoundly significant as it demonstrated the fulfillment of the prophecy that Jesus gave just before His ascension (Acts 1:5), where He promised the outpouring of the Holy Spirit to enable believers to witness effectively across different cultures and languages. The cultural context here highlights the extraordinary nature of this miracle, as in the first-century world, such linguistic phenomena were rare and often regarded with skepticism or even suspicion, making the event all the more remarkable and convincing for those present.

From the Scholars: Barnes' Notes

Verse 7. Galilaeans. Inhabitants of Galilee. It was remarkable that they should speak in this manner, because (1) they were proverbially ignorant, rude, and uncivilized, Joh 1:46. Hence the term Galilaeans was used as an expression of the deepest reproach and contempt, Mr 14:70; Joh 7:52. (2.) Their dialect was proverbially barbarous and corrupt, Mr 14:70; Mt 26:73. They were regarded as an outlandish people, unacquainted with other nations and languages, and hence the amazement that they could address them in the refined language of other people. Their native ignorance was the occasion of making the miracle more striking.

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