Who was mocked for being drunk?

What happened on Pentecost in AD31?

What have we traditionally understood about this event?

This study is a focus on how to get value out of the scriptures and really go to the crux of God’s word. Effectively standing back and seeing the overview, looking at all those involved and the circumstances surround an event, the event’s timeline too. In this instance we’ll look more closely at an event that occurred on Pentecost in AD 31. What have we traditionally understood about this event? Do we need to revise our thinking?

2 Timothy 2V15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

It takes work and effort to get the most out of God’s word. Paul is here telling Timothy that he should not be ashamed for putting the effort in. It seems that Timothy was being criticised for putting effort into gleaning understanding. Let’s go back one verse;

2 Timothy 2V14 Of these things put them in remembrance, charging them before the Lord that they strive not about words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers.

And on to verse 16;

2 Timothy 2V16 But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.

Perhaps people wanted Timothy to agree with them or make a judgement about who was right or wrong when it came to teachings, and perhaps they wanted Timothy to give an instant answer, while he preferred to go and look at the scriptures with prayer for understanding.

Paul seems to be encouraging Timothy that he was doing the right thing. Taking time, working at knowledge and understanding, asking God for guidance, and that he should not be ashamed for doing that so that when he came back to the people he could give them accurate understanding, to counter that subversion from those who wanted to push their own beliefs.

With that in mind let’s go to Acts and read about what happened on the day of Pentecost in 31AD.

Acts 2V1 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.

V2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.

V3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.

V4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

V5 And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.

V6 Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language.

V7 And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans?

V8 And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?

V9 Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia,

V10 Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes,

V11 Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God.

V12 And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another, What meaneth this?

V13 Others mocking said, These men are full of new wine.

Peter’s Response

V14 But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words:

V15 For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day.

Firstly, let’s look at who the people are here.

Verse 5 And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.

In the New Testament the term “Jew” typically refers to the ruling class, members of the Judean aristocracy, the Pharisees and Sadducees, usually educated people of lineage and wealth. While everyone in and around Jerusalem were ethnically Jewish, of the tribe of Judah, Levi and Simeon, that is not what is being referred to here.

The Jews that are mentioned here are different, they are “devout men, out of every nation under heaven”. These are educated people of lineage and wealth who have come to Jerusalem to observe the holy day season. They are not members of the local aristocracy, but are educated foreign men.

Contrast this with what is said about the disciples.

Verse 7 And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans?

The disciples were ethnically Jewish, but they were referred to as Galileans. They were from an area of uneducated fishermen, they were not of the Jew class, they were not people of wealth, influence and lineage, and certainly not typically educated in the scriptures.

So here at this gathering are essentially three groups, local Jews who largely conspired to assassinate Jesus, the devout Jews from other nations who had come to worship God according to His holy seasons, and the uneducated disciples.

Of course there were also thousands of ordinary people from Judea there too. They are referred to as the “multitude” in verse 6, and we can confirm that there were a lot of people because in Acts 2 verse 41 it states that about 3,000 people were baptised that day.

Let’s take a moment to consider the time frame.

God specified that a day begins and ends at sunset, night comes before day, and this is how the people of Judea observed each day (Genesis 1:5,8,13,19,23,31). In Acts verse 1 it states; “And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.” This would have been in the evening in the first few hours of the day. It is likely that the disciples would have shared a meal together, discussed the events leading up to Christ telling them to wait until this holy day of Pentecost, and at some point in the evening God empowered these 120 faithful with His Holy Spirit.

In addition, God typically used a pillar of cloud to represent His presence during the day and a pillar of fire at night, see Exodus chapters 13 & 14, Numbers 14 and Nehemiah 9. It is therefore likely that the “cloven tongues like as of fire” would have appeared on the heads of the disciples at night, most dramatic in the dim evening light.

In Acts verse 6 it states: “Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together …”. It would have taken time for these events to be talked about; the multitude would have taken time to assemble, not just the ordinary Judeans, but also the Jews, the priesthood, the elite of society, and the visiting people from other countries. This ties in perfectly with Peter’s statement in verse 15; “… seeing it is but the third hour of the day.”, which would have been about 9am, the 3^rd hour of the daylight part of the holy day.

Now let’s read these verses again and look at the detail of what happened.