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The Advent of the saviour to Roman oppression

Before Roman Judean rule

Rome, Ara Pacis museum: cast of a portrait of ...

Tiberius Caesar Divi Augusti filius Augustus – Rome, Ara Pacis museum

The Trojan refugee Aeneas had escaped to Italy and founded the line of Romans through his son Iulus, the namesake of the Julio-Claudian dynasty. The Year of the Consulship of Balbus and Vetus was gone by and the Rome considered to have become a real Roman Empire bastion (on 21 April 753 bCE) had sent their conquerors also to the East. One of the most prominent patrician houses at Rome which were known for their pride and arrogance and intense hatred of the commonalty, brought Tiberius Caesar Divi Augusti filius Augustus better known simply as Tiberius Claudius Nero. After he had divorced Vipsania Agrippina, he had married Augustus’ daughter Julia the Elder (from his marriage to Scribonia) and was adopted by Augustus, by which act he officially became a Julian, bearing the name Tiberius Julius Caesar. {Tiberius was the stepson of Augustus, grand-uncle of Caligula, paternal uncle of Claudius, and great-grand uncle of Nero.}

On the verge of accepting command in the East and becoming the second most powerful man in Rome, Tiberius suddenly announced his withdrawal from politics and retired to Rhodes, possibly as an interim solution: he would hold power only until his stepsons would come of age, and then be swept aside.

Instalment of Roman client king of Judea

Rome, Ara Pacis museum: collection of casts of...

Rome, Ara Pacis museum: collection of casts of busts showing the members of the Julio-Claudian dynasty. Picture by Giovanni Dall’Orto, March 28 2008. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

In in 63 BCE the Romans had taken over control of Syria, and then intervened in the Hasmonean civil war. A Roman client king of Judea was installed. But he seemed for many “the evil genius of the Judean nation” {Tierney, John. “Herod: Herod the Great”, Catholic Encyclopedia (1910): “Herod, surnamed the Great, called by Grätz “the evil genius of the Judean nation” (Hist., v. II, p. 77)} Though the Jews were granted exemptions from the official Roman state religion, they were not happy with this ambitious man and saw their tribe threatened very hard by this ruthless savage. For others he was Herod the Great (not to be confused with Herod Antipas who came later) and became known as Herod I. He has been described as “a madman who murdered his own family and a great many rabbis“.

Worshippers of One God

By the Greek experience they had learned that others could not be forced to worship their idols and they saw for themselves that the Jews, who only wanted to worship One God, were not like other pagan people who had already several gods and perhaps could have advantage in some extra ones. By the years the Jews had prove that they were not going to conform to a worship which would not have been according to their Laws of worship. So the Romans granted the Jews an official status of being exempt from Roman state religion when they were willing to pay their punitive tax called fiscus Judaicus.

At the time Judea was a very important place for several major trade routes. It was sort of like the great way-station for the incense trade coming from Yemen up the Arabian Peninsula and going out to the Mediterranean. It was also one of the most agriculturally productive pieces of land in the Middle East famous for its olive oil (which was used as a main source of light, and not just for cooking), for its dates (the chief sweetener in the times before sugar), and for its wine.

Thorn in the flesh for the Jews

Roman Theatre

Roman Theatre

A thorn in the flesh was the centre of trade and the Roman administrative capitol of Judea, the artificial port city of Caesarea (one of the two largest in the Empire). Like in the most important Roman cities there was a beautiful amphitheatre, a hippodrome for chariot races and people could gamble and enjoy life or give one’s desires in their pleasure gardens. There was also a huge temple dedicated to the Roman god-emperor, Augustus Caesar.

Temples were sacred places and for the People of God the mount in Jerusalem was most sacred and they did not like the pagan ideas of their oppressor who had found an ambitious project in the re-building of ‘the Temple’, which was almost certainly an attempt to gain popularity among his subjects who, he knew, held him in contempt and also to make amends for his cruelty toward the rabbis.

Build walls around the Temple Mount

It took 10,000 men ten years just to build the retaining walls around the Temple Mount (on top of which the Muslim shrine, the Dome of the Rock, stands today). The Western Wall (formerly known as the Wailing Wall or “Kotel Ma’arabi”) is merely part of that 500-meter-long retaining wall that was designed to hold a huge man-made platform that could accommodate twenty four football fields. When it was completed, it was the world’s largest functioning religious site and until today it remains the largest man-made platform in the world.

‘Foresight is the essence of government’, he must have thought and forward looking to a growing Jewish community of which there were already about 6-7 million Jews living in the Roman Empire (plus another 1 million in Persia), they should have felt welcome in the town they had to visit in their lifetime. Because it was considered to go for pilgrimage to  Jerusalem for the three pilgrimage festivals: Passover, Shavuot and Sukkot.  (Exodus 23: 17; Deuteronomy 16:16). The Mishnah says,

“All are under obligation, to appear, except minors, women, the blind, the lame, the aged, and one who is ill physically or mentally.”

Also knowing that according to the Mosaic law every one should take an offering, though the value thereof is not fixed (comp. Exodus 23: 14; Deuteronomium 16:17) this would mean they had to buy goods in the city and could bring in money for the Roman Empire by the taxes. They were sure of collecting at least the tax for a fixed minimum of three silver pieces, each of thirty-two grains of fine silver (Ḥagai 1:1-2). While the appearance of women and infant males was not obligatory, they usually accompanied their husbands and fathers, as in all public gatherings (Deuteronomy 31:12), which would mean lodging and food for them to be provided. The Talmud plainly infers that both daughters and sons joined the pilgrims at the Passover festival in Jerusalem (Pes. 89a; Giṭ. 25a).

Herod understood that in case the Jews could find a nice place where they could come together to celebrate their festivals, they also would spend a lot of money over there, which would be good for the tax-income. To accommodate such a huge number of people there was a need for a huge space. Hence the size of the platform.

Several Jews where also astonished what the emperor could establish and in the Talmud it was notated:

“He who has not seen Herod’s building, has never in his life seen a truly grand building.” (Talmud-Bava Basra 4a)

In Judea the pilgrimages to Jerusalem were kept up regularly, but the principal gathering of the people was on the Sukkot festival, called “Ḥag ha-Asif” = “Festival of Gathering” (1 Kings 8:65; 2 Chronicles 7:8, 9). The people went undisturbed to Jerusalem for the festivals (Yer. Ta’an. iv. 7; Giṭ. 88a). From beyond Palestine, especially from the River Euphrates, they journeyed to Jerusalem for the festivals. Some even endangered their lives passing the guards posted to stop the pilgrimages (Ta’an. 28a; Grätz, “Gesch.” 3d ed., iii. 157, 668). The number of Jewish pilgrims to the Temple was computed by the governor Gesius Florus (64-66), who counted 256,500 paschal lambs at one Passover festival; allowing ten persons to one lamb, this would make 2,565,000 pilgrims (Josephus, “B. J.” vi. 9). The Tosefta records the census of Agrippa, who ordered the priests to take one hind leg of every paschal lamb, and counted 1,200,000 legs, which would make the total 12,000,000, (Tosef., Pes. iv. 64b). {These figures are evidently exaggerated, and are based on the desire to double the 600,000 of the Exodus, a tendency frequently noticed in the Haggadah.}  It is calculated that ancient Jerusalem comprised an area of 2,400,000 square yards, and, allowing 10 yards for each person, would contain 240,000 persons {see Luncz, “Jerusalem,” i, English part, pp. 83-102}. {Jewish Encyclopedia}

Temple servants also servants of the emperor

Having built the Temple, Herod took pains to make sure it would be run without future problems of this kind. He appointed his own High Priest, having by then put to death forty-six leading members of the Sanhedrin, the rabbinical court.

In that Holy of Holies which was covered in gold there was such a priest assigned service in the regiment of Abijah. His name was Z’kharyah or Zachariah who had a wife who descended from the daughters of Aaron. Her name was Elizabeth. Together they lived honourably before God, careful in keeping to the ways of the commandments and enjoying a clear conscience before God Who is One. He was a respected priest who could use his words to enlighten many people.
In the other buildings were the walls and columns were of white marble; the floors were of carrara marble, its blue tinge giving the impression of a moving sea of water, the congregation gathered and waited for Zachariah who did not seem to come at his regular time. They waited and waited  and became restless. what they did not know was what happened in the house, where the curtains were tapestries of blue, white, scarlet and purple thread, depicting, according to Josephus, “the whole vista of the heavens.” those heavens seemed to have opened for the priest who was astonished and did not believe his eyes and ears.

A special messenger to a priest

Unannounced, an angel of God had appeared just to the right of the altar of incense and got the priest Zachariah paralyzed in fear. But the angel reassured him not to fear because this messenger of God came to tell that their prayer to receive a child was been heard and would be answered positively.  Elisheva (Elizabeth), his wife, who also observed all the mitzvot and ordinances, but did not seemed to be blessed to have children, would bear a son by him. Both where were quite old and had passed the age of having children so Zachariah did not believe the angel Gabriel, the sentinel of God, sent especially to bring him this glad news.
As priest before God, now not believing the messenger of God, he was punished and became unable to say a word until the day of his son’s birth. He would not be able to say any word until he would be filled with the Ruach haKodesh (the Holy Spirit) when the baby would leave his mother’s womb and would get people to  rejoice when he was born, having to face the one who  was going to turn many sons and daughters of Israel back to their God Adonai Elohim Hashem Jehovah. That son of those old people would herald and go before his face in the spirit and power of Eliyahu (Elijah), to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to walk in the wisdom of the just; to make ready for the Most High a people prepared for him.

Dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things were performed, because he did not believe the words, which were fulfilled in their season, he went out the  sanctuary, to the waiting people, who marvelled while he tarried in the temple and saw at his face and how he behaved that something special had happened. They knew he had seen a vision. He continued speechless and had to use sign language with the people. When the course of his priestly assignment was completed, he went back home. It wasn’t long before his wife, Elizabeth, conceived. She went off by herself for five months, relishing her pregnancy.

Luke’s story of the temple priest

The physician Luke (Colossians 4:14) has generally been credited with the writership of the following account:

“5  In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron. 6 Both of them were upright in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commandments and regulations blamelessly. 7 But they had no children, because Elizabeth was barren; and they were both well on in years. 8 Once when Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God, 9 he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. 10 And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshippers were praying outside. 11 Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. 12 When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. 13 But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John. 14 He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, 15 for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth. 16 Many of the people of Israel will he bring back to the Lord their God. 17 And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” 18 Zechariah asked the angel, “How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well on in years.” 19 The angel answered, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news. 20 And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their proper time.” 21 Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering why he stayed so long in the temple. 22 When he came out, he could not speak to them. They realised he had seen a vision in the temple, for he kept making signs to them but remained unable to speak. 23 When his time of service was completed, he returned home. 24 After this his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion. 25 “The Lord has done this for me,” she said. “In these days he has shown his favour and taken away my disgrace among the people.”  (Luke 1:5-25 NIV)

Elisabeth’s other family member also receiving honour of being with child

Eastern Christianity fresco of the Visitation in St. George Church in Kurbinovo, Macedonia

In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy by which God had taken away away her reproach among men or her  public disgrace, God sent the angel Gabriel to the Galilean village of  Natzeret/Nazareth to an Essene young girl, a virgin engaged to be married to a man descended from David. His name was Joseph, and the virgin’s name, Miryam/Miriam (the same name as the granddaughter of Hyrcanus, the Hasmonean princess). Miriam is today better known as Mary (Maria), the mother of Christ (and by many also called the mother of God, though God did not have a mother and has been for ever, so did not have a beginning as eternal Spirit).  Mary or Miryam/Miriam became pregnant with the Messiah and lost her virginity at the exact same time (her first time), thus confirming the Messiah’s physical birth (a physical to Spiritual parallel) as a First Born Son (physical for Mary and Joseph, but Spiritual for Jehovah), and legal heir to the throne of King David. This was a serious situation for the young girl, because in the East, the betrothal or engagement was entered into with much ceremony, and usually took place a year before the marriage and was so sacred that the parties entering into it could not be separated save by a bill of divorcement, which could be called in when somebody seemed to have been unfaithful. Unfaithfulness to each other was deemed adultery and could result in stoning to death.

26  In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favoured! The Lord is with you.” 29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30 But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favour with God.” (Luke 1:26-30 NIV)

Shame over the family

Joseph or Yosef, her husband, being a righteous man,chagrined but noble, determined to take care of things quietly so Mary would not be disgraced, not willing to make her a public example, intended to put her away secretly. But when he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Most High appeared to him in a dream, saying,

“Joseph, son of David, don’t be afraid to take to yourself Mary, your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. She shall bring forth a son. You shall call his name Jesus, for it is he who shall save his people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:20-21)

Not interested in Judean politics

At the time that Jewish nationalistic feelings were rising to the surface and Hellenism dominated Judea, the devote Miriam (Mary) was not interested in politics and the significant number of Greeks as well as other gentiles who adopted the Greek lifestyle who came to settle the land. As a result of Herod’s interference and the ever-spreading Hellenistic influences among the Jewish upper classes, the Temple hierarchy had become very corrupt, but her family always stayed truthful to her God, who was the God of Abraham and which she considered the Only One God, the Divine Creator. But perhaps she also might have looked forward to a solution and to their promised land and have sang:

“Maran de-bashamaya,” “Our Master in heaven, to Thee we beg, even like a captive to his master. All captives are ransomed with money; but Thy people Israel, with mercy and supplication. O grant us our request and prayer, and let us not return from Thy presence in vain.”

The Sadducees, a religious group of the wealthy, who collaborated with the Romans in order to keep their power base, now had come in control of the Temple, much to the chagrin of the mainstream Jewish majority, the Pharisees, and of the extreme religious minority, the Zealots.

Dating “Before and after Christ”

HerodtheGreat2.jpg

Basileus or King, emperor Herod the Great

Evidence for the 4 BCE date as the death of Herod in Jericho, is provided by the fact that Herod’s sons, between whom his kingdom was divided, dated their rule from 4 BCE, and Josephus tells us that Herod died after a lunar eclipse.  {Josephus, Antiquities, 17.6.4} Elisabeth and Mary having become pregnant before his death, should then also have been delivered their child before the so called Anno Domini (AD or A.D.) used to label or number years used with the Julian and Gregorian calendars.That Medieval Latin term specified more fully as Anno Domini Nostri Iesu (Jesu) Christi (“In the Year of Our Lord Jesus Christ”) was long wrongly taken as the year of birth of Christ Jesus. This Gregorian calendar dating system was devised in 525, but was not widely used until after 800, when the Trinitarians got in the majority of those who still kept to the teachings in which Miriam (Mary) strongly believed. Because BC is the English abbreviation for Before Christ, it is sometimes incorrectly concluded that AD means After Death, i.e., after the death of Jesus. However this would mean that the ~33 years commonly associated with the life of Jesus would not be present in either BC or AD time scales. {Donald P. Ryan, (2000), 15.} Others use it as “Anno Domine” “Year of the Lord” meaning Year of God an having the years BC ‘before Christ’ as the years ‘Before God’ of the “years before God his birth”, which would naturally be impossible, having God being the creator when he would not yet have been born or been in existence.

From told before

Palestine after Herod's deathIsrael had not yet seen realized the long-awaited fulfilment of the promise regarding the Seed through whom blessings would flow. (Ge 22:15-18) Israel had tried to create their won country and to liberate themselves many times from several oppressors. But their own efforts at salvation had produced nothing, unreality. They did not yet form a political nation where there could be found freedom “from enslavement to corruption” and peace for which all creation “keeps on groaning together and being in pain together.” (Romans 8:19-22; compare 10:3; 11:7.) Jehovah, their God had made Jerusalem like a woman who had been made pregnant by her husband and who brought forth numerous children. (Isaiah 54:1-8). After several prophets telling about a saviour to come the time seemed to be ripe.

Later the devout Jew and convert to the new faith, the apostle Paul quoted this prophecy of Isaiah chapter 54 and applied it to “the Jerusalem above [which] is free, and she is our mother.” (Galatians 4:26, 27)

At the end of the current time indication the stars and the moon came to stand in a situation which was predicted by the earlier prophets. Some wise men knew those predictions of a great king and noticed the signs which were predicted in many books. some started traveling and following the stars to find the right place where that king would come to earth.

They did not know that out of that simple devout woman from Nazareth would arise such a great prophet. The apostle John his vision recorded at Revelation 12:1-5 brings the pregnant heavenly “woman” to the forefront. In his revelation we can see that there is given birth to “a son, a male, who is to shepherd all the nations with an iron rod.” The shepherding of the nations with an iron rod is directly connected with the Messianic Kingdom of God, and hence the vision must relate to the producing of that Kingdom, so that, following the defeat of Satan’s attack on the newborn “child,” the ensuing cry goes forth:

“Now have come to pass the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ.” (Revelation of the apostle John 12:10)

The anguish of the pregnant heavenly “woman” preceding the birth calls to mind Paul’s expression at Galatians 4:19, “childbirth pains” there apparently representing stirring interest and fervent desire to see full development of matters reached (in Paul’s case, the full development of the Galatian believers as Christians).

  • Lectionary sermon for 15 December 2013 (Advent 3 A) on Matthew 11:2-11 (billpeddie.wordpress.com)
    John’s undoing in this instance was that he believed Herod Antipas the Tetrarch had done something quite immoral, and despite knowing Herod Antipas’ unpleasant reputation, told him so. Herod Antipas had been named as king by Caesar Augustus on the death of his father King Herod the Great, but the Romans had decided his power should be limited and only gave him a quarter share of his father’s territory. He set about trying to win back more power by building the city of Tiberius in honour of his current patron the Emperor Tiberius. The immoral action which had offended John was that Antipas also fancied his brother’s wife, Herodias, so he divorced his own wife and married Herodias. Well it is one thing to believe the king had done wrong, but telling him so was quite another. It is understatement to say upsetting a ruthless king from a ruthless family by calling him immoral was not a wise career move and it was probably no surprise to anyone that John was now imprisoned, and, according to the historian Josephus, in the forbidding fortress Machaerus.
  • Tiberius (14-37) (mkukahiwaharuno.wordpress.com)
    During this time, Augustus’ death in 14 had then caused Tiberius to become ruler.  However, at the time of Augustus’ death, he had hesitated to take over as ruler because he felt as if he was inadequate for the position.  He had even gone as far as telling the senate that he was reluctant and inadequate to fill this role.  He was then appointed control of the Praetorian Guard.  The authority in which Tiberius had during this time since he was Augustus’ heir was also greatly and positively impacted because of his tribunician power, the fact Augustus adopted him and Augustus’ bequest to him of his estate along with one of the most important components, his name… Augustus.  However, Rome’s armies had saw the death of Augustus in a different aspect which was it simply being their way to possibly obtain munity.
  • Sorting out the Agrippinas (timesonline.typepad.com)
    One of the problems of the first century AD is that there are simply too many Agrippinas. Not only the “Elder Agrippina” (the wife of the glamorous prince Germanicus, who kept his memory alive after his suspicious death and was morally upright to the point of being a bit of a pain in the neck) and the “Younger Agrippina” (daughter of the Elder A, wife of Claudius and mother — and lover it was said — of Nero). There’s also the virtuous lady that we tend to know as Vipsania, who was the first wife of the emperor Tiberius….the one he really loved but was made to divorce in order to marry the dreadful Julia. Vipsania was actually “Vipsania Agrippina”, the daughter of Augustus’ aide, Agrippa.This last Agrippina is often missed. In fact the traditional title of the picture, below right (by Rubens, now in the National Gallery in Washington) was “Tiberius and Agrippina”… but has been changed to A0000e45“Germanicus and Agrippina”, partly because the traditional pairing seemed so odd (the Elder Agrippina hated Tiberius, whom she believed was heavily implicated in the death of Germanicus). But actually it’s a pairing that makes perfect sense if you remember it could be what we would call “Tiberius and Vipsania”. This is the sad loving couple who were forced to divorce by the imperial dynastic machine.
  • The Story of Mary and the Birth of the King (womenfromthebook.com)
    or over 500 years the nation of Israel chafed under the thumb of first one Gentile kingdom and then another—Babylon, Persia, the Greco Macedonians, and now Rome, with its absolute ruler Caesar Augustus, and Herod the Great, one of his ruthless client kings. It wasn’t unusual, particularly during Passover season, for passions to ignite as the tribes of Israel revisited the story of God’s intervention and the stunning liberation of their ancestors.  When the white-hot flames of resistance and rebellion flared, they were summarily stamped out under the cruel boot of Herod’s soldiers.Exorbitant taxation compounded the misery of oppression in pre- and first-century Palestine: the mandatory tribute to Rome; locally imposed taxes; several layers of temple tax; impromptu levies to fund military expeditions and building projects. Privation and hardship enveloped the land like a dank, smothering blanket, and peasants found themselves forced to sell their land holdings—inheritances from generations past—in order to survive. The swelling ranks of day laborers told the tale.
    +
    On a cool autumn morning sometime before Herod’s death, in the frontier town of Nazareth in Lower Galilee, a young woman prepared for a long trip to Bethlehem. Caesar Augustus called for a census, declaring “all the world should be taxed” (Luke 2:1-5) and ordered that everyone[1] must register in their ancestral home. And so, Mary, nearly full-term in her pregnancy, helped Joseph load the cart with the necessities they would need to see them through their journey to the ancient city of David.
  • Signs and Wonders (mnorth52.wordpress.com)
    Astrology boomed under the Caesars: here we had a severely autocratic regime which considered it worthwhile to be seen as “one with the gods”, and so it greatly benefited the emperors to have the legitimacy of their sovereignty literally “written in the stars.”Tiberius was no exception: having become self proficient in divination, after a dream which told him to give a large sum of money to a certain person, he decided he was the victim of enchantment, and had the man put to death. So even if you have no connection with someone (even an emperor), you could find your life terminated simply on the arbitrary say-so of interpretation of dreams. Freud no doubt would have been in his heaven among the Romans.
  • Rome’s Religion (ecpsocialstudies6.wordpress.com)
    Honoring gods was a big part of Roman life. There were thousands of Roman gods. The ancient Romans believed gods lived everywhere—in trees, by the side of the road, in a flower, under the bed, and maybe even in the oven in your house.  In ancient Rome, everything had a spirit in charge of it.
  • Tiberius Used Quantitative Easing To Solve The Financial Crisis Of 33 AD (businessinsider.com)
    Tiberius ruled the Roman Empire from 14 AD to 37 AD.  He was frugal in his expenditures, and consequently, he never raised taxes during his reign. When Cappadocia became a province, Tiberius was even able to lower Roman taxes. His frugality also allowed him to be liberal in helping the provinces when, for example, a massive earthquake destroyed many of the famous cities of Asia, or when a financial panic struck the Roman Empire in 33 AD.As with many financial panics, this one began when unexpected events in one part of the Roman world spread to the rest of the Empire. To quote Otto Lightner from his History of Business Depressions, “The important firm of Seuthes and Son, of Alexandria, was facing difficulties because of the loss of three richly laden ships in a Red Sea storm, followed by a fall in the value of ostrich feather and ivory. About the same time the great house of Malchus and Co. of Tyre with branches at Antioch and Ephesus, suddenly became bankrupt as a result of a strike among their Phoenician workmen and the embezzlements of a freedman manager. These failures affected the Roman banking house, Quintus Maximus and Lucious Vibo. A run commenced on their bank and spread to other banking houses that were said to be involved, particularly Brothers Pittius.
  • Bishop MacEvilly’s Commentary on Matthew 22:15-21 (thedivinelamp.wordpress.com)
    Pharisees are in a special manner said to be the instigators or concocters of this scheme, to insnare our Redeemer, both, because they were most hostile to Him, and among them, especially the following captious question was agitated. Instead of being struck with feelings of dread at the punishment menaced by our Redeemer, and conceiving feelings of true sorrow, they become more hardened in their iniquity, and endeavour to insnare Him.
  • The man behind the emperor: major Augustus exhibit opens in Rome (rawstory.com)
    A political genius, a great reformer, a patron of the arts — but ancient Rome’s first emperor Augustus was also a family man, as highlighted in a new exhibition that opened in Rome this week.The show marks 2,000 years since the death of the founder of the Roman Empire and the man most associated with the “Pax Romana”, a period of immense architectural and artistic achievement.“We wanted to look at the personality of Augustus beyond the official persona,” said Daniel Roger, chief conservator at the Louvre museum in Paris, which is co-organising the exhibition in Rome.

    Through some 200 items including statues, jewelry and platters, the exhibition at the Scuderie del Quirinale delves into the emperor’s family life and tries to depict the ebullient mood of the time.

    The show brings together for the first time statues of Augustus in his attire as a divine leader and as a star general, as well as an equestrian one found in the Aegean Sea in Greece and displayed in Italy for the first time.

  • Augustus (aaam4e.wordpress.com)
    Augustus got very sick in 23 BC he died visiting his fathers grave on August 19 14 AD

Tongues a sign of authenticity or divine backing

English: The Pentecost Mosaic, in the center i...

The Pentecost Mosaic, in the center is the dove of the Holy Spirit with the twelve apostles below. This is one of the oldest mosaics in the church dating from 1125 AD. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

In the previous articles “The day of the festival of Pentecost” and “Speaking in tongeus” we have cited that speaking in tongues or Glossolalia, was by the grace of God‘s Holy Power, the Holy Spirit, the holy Pneuma, which had been poured out on the disciples of Jesus gathered in the upper room in Jerusalem in the late Spring of CE 33.  They were surprised by a sound from the shamayim as of a groaning Ruach or a rushing stiff breeze, filled with the Ruach Hakodesh, the Holy Spirit or counsellor,  presented by tongues as if of fire, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Ruach Hakodesh or Pneuma gave them the utterance. It was bringing the followers of Christ outdoors to meet the foreigners, who were not pagans but returning returning Israelites in varying stages of return, who were there in Jerusalem for the annual festival of Pentecost, the Shavuot feast or moed of Shavuot . No pagans would go and worship יהוה YHWH {Jehovah} on Shavuot/Feast of Weeks.

It was not until the festival of Pentecost CE 33 that the gift of speaking in tongues was first received, and on that occasion it served as an effective evidence that Christians had God’s spirit upon them.

You can imagine the effect it had on the people in town when the Jews heard Jesus’ followers speaking in perhaps over a dozen different languages. But their talking at that time had nothing to do with what certain Christians today believe is ‘speaking in tongues’. The people at the beginning of the Chrisitian church heard the followers of Christ speaking in their tongues about the magnificent things of God and not in a sort gibberish or in ‘loud and fervent shouts’ of the Pentecostals. — (Acts 2:5-11) (Please do find our next article about the meaning of “filled with the Holy Spirit” and “speaking in tongues” : Meaning of “speaking in tongues”)
In “Is Speaking in Tongues an Evidence of True Worship?” a sister also goes deeper into the subject.
Knowing the beliefs of other religions always helps to understand why they think so or where certain religions go wrong. Therefore it is worth looking into the matter if speaking in tongues is really a necessary requirement of true worship. In the article the sister discusses the three chapters in which the apostle Paul discusses the gift of tongues.

This special gift of tongues received in Jerusalem through God’s holy spirit assisted the disciples there in preaching the good news for a sign to those Jewish worshippers from distant parts of the earth. But the real fulfilment of the prophecy of Joel 2:28-32 on that day of Pentecost was the fact that those who were filled with the spirit prophesied. Speaking with tongues was incidental, for a sign of authenticity or divine backing. — Acts 2:16-22. {Is Speaking in Tongues an Evidence of True Worship?}

To emphasize the importance and permanence of love as compared to the miraculous gifts of the spirit, the Apostle Paul wrote: “Love never fails. But whether there are gifts of prophesying, they will be done away with; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will be done away with.” — (1 Corinthians 13:8).
On the basis of Paul’s words here, there should be no question that the miraculous gifts of the spirit were to pass away. Find out in the above mentioned articles how Paul is comparing the temporariness of the gifts of the spirit with the permanence of love; and how he links the transitoriness of these gifts, not with unbelievers, but with the infancy of Christianity and how these miraculous gifts passed away when the community or congregation reached maturity by becoming a recognized, established organization. (1 Corinthians 13:9-13; Acts 8:18)

Our readers who speak Dutch can find a similar discussion in Dutch in our previous posting: “In Talen sprekend” & “Teken van authenticiteit of goddelijke backing” & in the coming publication “Betekenis van ‘Spreken in Tongen’ en ‘Uitstorting van de Geest’”

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14 But Peter stood up with the eleven {1} and raised his voice and made this utterance to them: “Men of Ju·de′a and all YOU inhabitants of Jerusalem,{2} let this be known to YOU and give ear to my sayings. 15 These [people] are, in fact, not drunk,{3} as YOU suppose, for it is the third hour {*4} of the day. 16 On the contrary, this is what was said through the prophet Joel, 17 ‘“And in the last days,” God says, “I shall pour out some of my spirit {*5} upon every sort of flesh,{*6} and YOUR sons and YOUR daughters will prophesy and YOUR young men will see visions and YOUR old men {*7} will dream dreams;{8} 18 and even upon my men slaves and upon my women slaves I will pour out some of my spirit in those days, and they will prophesy.{9} 19 And I will give portents in heaven above and signs on earth below, blood and fire and smoke mist;{9} 20 the sun {10} will be turned into darkness and the moon into blood before the great and illustrious day of Jehovah {*11} arrives.{12} 21 And everyone who calls on the name of Jehovah {*13} will be saved.”’{14}

*

(NWT)

 

Pentecostés. Óleo sobre lienzo, 275 × 127 cm. ...

Pentecostés. Óleo sobre lienzo, 275 × 127 cm. Madrid, Museo del Prado. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

{1} the eleven: (Matthew 28:16): 16 However, the eleven disciples went into Gal′i·lee+ to the mountain where Jesus had arranged for them,

{2} Jerusalem: (Acts 7:2): 2 He said: “Men, brothers and fathers, hear. The God of glory+ appeared to our forefather Abraham while he was in Mes·o·po·ta′mi·a, before he took up residence in Ha′ran,+

(Acts 22:1): 22.1 “Men, brothers+ and fathers, hear my defense+ to YOU now.”

{3} not drunk: (Acts 26:25): 25 But Paul said: “I am not going mad, Your Excellency Festus, but I am uttering sayings of truth and of soundness of mind.

(1 Thessalonians 5:7): 7 For those who sleep+ are accustomed to sleep at night,+ and those who get drunk are usually drunk at night.

{*4} the third hour of the day: That is, about 9 a.m., counting from sunrise:

{*5} pour out some of my spirit: Or, “active force.” Gr., pneu′ma·tos; Lat., Spi′ri·tu; J17,18,22(Heb.), ru·chi′, “my spirit.” See Ge 1:2 ftn, “Force.”: (Isaiah 44:3): 3 For I shall pour out water upon the thirsty one,+ and trickling streams upon the dry place.+ I shall pour out my spirit upon your seed,*+ and my blessing upon your descendants.

(Ezekiel 36:27): 27 And my spirit I shall put inside YOU,+ and I will act so that in my regulations YOU will walk,+ and my judicial decisions YOU will keep and actually carry out.+

(Zechariah 12:10): 10 “And I will pour out upon the house of David and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem the spirit* of favor+ and entreaties,+ and they will certainly look to the One whom* they pierced+ through, and they will certainly wail over Him as in the wailing over an only [son]; and there will be a bitter lamentation over him as when there is bitter lamentation over the firstborn [son].+

{*6} every sort of flesh: Or, “upon all flesh.” Gr., e·pi′ pa′san sar′ka; Lat., car′nem; J17,18,22(Heb.), ba·sar′.

{*7} old men: Or, “elders.” Gr., pre·sby′te·roi.

{8} dream dreams: (Joel 2:28): 28 “And after that it must occur that I shall pour out my spirit*+ on every sort of flesh,+ and YOUR sons and YOUR daughters+ will certainly prophesy. As for YOUR old men, dreams they will dream. As for YOUR young men, visions they will see.

{9} prophesy: (Numbers 11:29): 29 However, Moses said to him: “Are you feeling jealous for me? No, I wish* that all of Jehovah’s people were prophets, because Jehovah would put his spirit* upon them!”+

(Joel 2:29): 29 And even on the menservants and on the maidservants in those days I shall pour out my spirit.+

(Acts 21:4): 4 By a search we found the disciples and remained here seven days. But through the spirit+ they repeatedly told Paul not to set foot in Jerusalem.

(1 Corinthians 12:10): 10 to yet another operations of powerful works,*+ to another prophesying,+ to another discernment+ of inspired utterances,*+ to another different tongues,+ and to another interpretation+ of tongues.

{10} sun: (Matthew 24:29): 29 “Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened,+ and the moon+ will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.+

{*11} illustrious day: “Jehovah.” Heb., יהוה (YHWH or JHVH)

{12} illustrious day of Jehovah arrives: (Joel 2:31): 31 The sun itself will be turned into darkness,+ and the moon into blood,+ before the coming of the great and fear-inspiring day of Jehovah.+

(Mark 13:24): 24 “But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light,

{*13} the name of Jehovah: Heb., יהוה (YHWH or JHVH)

{14} be saved: (Joel 2:32): 32 And it must occur that everyone who calls on the name of Jehovah will get away safe;+ for in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will prove to be the escaped ones,+ just as Jehovah has said, and in among the survivors,* whom Jehovah is calling.”*+

(Romans 10:13): 13 For “everyone who calls on the name of Jehovah* will be saved.”+

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Preceding articles:

The day of the festival of Pentecost

Speaking in tongues

Compare also with:

Hebraic Roots Bible Book of The Acts of the Apostles Chapter 2

The Acts Of The Sent Ones Chapter 2

Nazarene Acts of the Apostles Chapter 1

Nazarene Acts of the Apostles Chapter 2 v1-13 Working Spirit

and later to: Nazarene Acts of the Apostles Chapter 2 v14-21

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Additional reading:

  1. Did the Inspirator exist
  2. The manager and Word of God
  3. The Soul not a ghost
  4. Christ begotten through the power of the Holy Spirit
  5. The radiance of God’s glory and the counsellor
  6. He has given us the Pneuma, the force, from Him
  7. Speaking in tongues (article on Christadelphian World)
  8. Trusting, Faith, calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #3 Voice of God #6 Words to feed and communicate
  9. The Great Trinity Debate
  10. How do trinitarians equate divine nature
  11. True riches
  12. The Spirit of God imparts love,inspires hope, and gives liberty
  13. Followers with deepening
  14. Not enlightened by God’s Spirit
  15. Pope Francis I on the Holy Spirit
  16. Know Who goes with us and don’t try to control life
  17. Why hasn’t anything been inspired recently? Revelation was the last inspired book and it was a long time ago. Why aren’t there any more?

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  • What does it mean to speak in tongues? by Todd Clippard (braggschurchofchrist.com)
    There is a general misunderstanding, especially among modern pentecostals and charismatics as to the nature of tongues. Those who claim to speak in tongues today are referring to ecstatic utterances made after a so-called personal manifestation of the Holy Spirit. Ecstatic coming form the word “ecstasy” meaning to be beside oneself, beyond reason or self control, given over to extreme and engrossing emotions. Utterances are simply vocalized expressions. Participants in such babbling believe the Holy Spirit has taken over their verbalization and caused them to speak some heavenly language or tongues of angels.
    What does it really mean to speak in tongues?
    +
  • The Baptism In The Holy Spirit for All is the Biblical Norm. (keithlannon.wordpress.com)
    To minister as New Testament preachers did without the baptism in the Holy Spirit would not be consistent with what Jesus commanded the 120 to do.  In the very mouth of Christ, before He returned to heaven, was the command for the disciples to stay in Jerusalem – ie: no preaching, no healing, no casting out demons, until they were baptised in the Holy Spirit. That was the priority that Jesus Christ placed on the Holy Ghost baptism.
    +
    The outward sign of the inward work of grace that John the Baptist referred to as, the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, was unwelcome in many churches of the world when the Pentecostal move began. Zealous evangelical movements, as well as the lukewarm nominal denominations, ejected many “tongue talking” believers who had sought after and received what they believed to be the Baptism in the Holy Spirit. The ejected regrouped into newly formed churches. These “new” churches referred to themselves as “Full Gospel”, or “Pentecostal Churches.” The first few decades of the outpouring saw an incredible growth of zealous, biblically based, supernaturally inclined Christianity. However, the growth of those early days was stultified somewhat as mid century approached.
  • William Dwight McKissic Gives a Biblical Basis for Speaking in Tongues In Private (blackchristiannews.com)
    If the Bible does not back the practice of speaking in tongues, then no believer–period–should speak in tongues at any place or at any time.
    +
    It is not my purpose, desire, or place to attempt to persuade all Baptists or all believers to speak in tongues. I do not believe that it is God’s will based on His Word for all believers to speak in tongues (1 Cor. 12:30). Although it is debated among those of us who speak in tongues, neither do I believe that every believer is capable of speaking in tongues–even if they desire to. God sovereignly determines which believer gets which gifts (1 Cor. 12:7-12).
    +
    Those of us who speak in tongues often during times of intense worship, devotion, prayer, and praise spontaneously often speak in tongues as the Sprit gives utterance (Acts 2:4). It is my opinion, but, I don’t believe their tongues speaking was limited to Pentecost only. I believe it carried over to their private devotions.

  • The Gift of Tongues (thetruesacrifice.wordpress.com)
    Does the bible state that speaking in tongues is proof of receiving the Holy Spirit? In this article i will show you biblical proof that what the majority of Christians are taught about tongues is indeed false and the tongues most christians think they are speaking may indeed be satanic.
    +
    When Jesus was alive with his disciples, he instructed them not to preach to anyone who was not a Jew. You can read this in (Matthew 10). However, after Jesus died and resurrected, the command changed drastically. Jesus told his disciples almost the exact opposite in (ACTS 1:8). The time had come for the Apostles to preach to everyone whether or not they were Jew. Since Jesus went to his own people and they ended up killing him, Jesus made it then possible for anyone to be saved just by believing in him. This is the new covenant(testament). But how could the Apostles preach to everyone without being able to communicate with them? Good question! This is why Jesus gave them the gift of tongues so that they could preach to the Greek, Parthians, Medes, Elamites, Mesopotamians, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontos and Asia, Phrygia, and Pamphylia, In Egypt, Libya about Cyrene and so on… you can read the full list in (Acts 2:9-10) The apostles needed to preach to everyone and the only way to do so was to be able to speak those people’s language or tongue.
    +
    The proof that you are saved and have the Holy Spirit is if you are Holy!! It is as simple as that. You will know if you are reborn or born again because you will be different.
  • Is Speaking in Tongues an Evidence of True Worship? (illustrationstoencourage.wordpress.com)
    someone may argue that there is a difference between the “gift of tongues” and the speaking in tongues as “evidence” of the outpouring of the holy spirit. All spoke in tongues upon receiving the spirit, they might say, but not all were later endowed with the “gift of tongues.” But where is the Scriptural support for such a supposition? It is lacking.
  • Wisdom: Evidence of God’s Breathe (mfmdelaware.wordpress.com)
    The spiritual gifts in the New Testament were also found in the Old Testament except for the gift of tongues. That marks the evidence of God’s nature in us. Demons speak in tongues as experienced on deliverance ground. The difference is that it is to confuse and deceive while that which is from the Holy Spirit caries power and fire. The one by demon entertains but that from God shakes the kingdom of darkness to the root and turns the believer to unquenchable flames of fire
  • Mark Driscoll Preaches About the Gift of Tongues (blackchristiannews.com)
    Cessationists, such as influential pastor and traditional Calvinist John MacArthur, believe that 1 Corinthians 13:8 and other Biblical passages indicate that the divine ability to speak in other languages or an unknown tongue (glossolalia) ended with the apostles’ deaths, as did prophetic revelations and faith-healings through individuals. Some Christians, however, believe that these Holy Spirit-inspired gifts will continue until Christ’s return.
  • Rose and Linda’s Journal Speaking in Tongues (momsfirstscreenn.wordpress.com)
    Jesus said that the Spirit would testify, and that the disciples would be the ones to witness.
    +
    Ten years after Pentecost, the Gentiles received the gift of the Holy Ghost; the Holy Ghost also testified through them when He came in.
    +
    Twenty-five years later we find some people receiving the same Holy Ghost in the same way. He took over their vocal organs and spoke in another tongue. And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues (Acts 19:6).
  • Speaking in tongues (belgianbiblestudents.wordpress.com)

Nazarene Acts of the Apostles Chapter 2 v1-13 Working Spirit

CHAPTER TWO:
THE RESULT OF THE SPIRIT-OUTPOURING

[“Baptized in the Name of Jesus”]
Key word: Believers

Acts 2:1-4 – Apostles Filled with Spirit

AC2:1 Now when the day of Pentecost was fulfilled,[1] all of the [apostles] were gathered together at the same upper room.[2] AC2:2 Suddenly there was a sound from above like the noise of a violent wind,[3] and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. AC2:3 Split tongues of fire appeared[4] and these rested upon each one [of the apostles]. AC2:4 All of them were filled with the holy Pneuma[5] and foreign languages were given to them.[6]

English: Apostles receive the gift of tongues ...

Apostles receive the gift of tongues (Acts 2) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Acts 2:5-13 – An International Crowd Responds

AC2:5 Now there were pious[7] Jewish men dwelling in Jerusalem from all nations under heaven.[8] AC2:6 And when they happened to hear the sound[9] the gathered crowd was confused because they were each hearing the apostles speak in their own language.[10] AC2:7 They were amazed and astonished and began to say: “Look! are not all these speaking Galileans?[11] AC2:8 So how are we all hearing in our own native languages?[12] AC2:9 Parthians, Medes and Elamites, Mesopotamians, Judeans, Cappadocians, those from Pontus and Asia, AC2:10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egyptians, and those from Cyrene in Libya, visitors from Rome (both Hebrews and Jewish converts), AC2:11 Cretans and Arabs – all of us in our own languages hear them in other languages the mighty acts of The God.”[13] AC2:12 And all were amazed and perplexed among themselves, saying: “What can this mean?” AC2:13 However, others continued to mock and say: “They are all full of sweet wine!”

* 

 


[1] The day of Pentecost was fulfilled: Or, fully come, in the course of, running its course. For details on Pentecost and the various names that describe it see Exodus 23:16; 34:22; Numbers 28:26-31; Leviticus 23:15-21; Deuteronomy 16:9, 10. This would be 50 days from Nisan 16, 33 AD.

[2] All of the [apostles] were gathered together at the same upper room: Or, one place, met together. The context will show that only the twelve apostles were present on this occasion.

[3] A sound from above like the noise of a violent wind: Or, TCN: that of a strong wind coming nearer and nearer; MOF: like a violent blast of wind; AMP: the rushing of a violent tempest blast. The Greek word PNEUMA, as well as the Hebrew RUACH, mean literally a wind or breath. Anyone who has experience severe winds understands what this must have sounded like. Here the Greek for “wind” is PNOES [blowing].

[4] Split tongues of fire appeared: Or, KJV: cloven tongues; ASV: tongues parting asunder; TCN: tongues of what appeared to be flame, separating; WEY: tongues of what looked like fire, distributing themselves over the assembly. Many hold the view that this occurred upon 120 of the disciples. However, a close look at the context and the exact wording, points more to the fact that this happened only to the Twelve – the group originally promised such an outpouring of holy Pneuma by Jesus.

[5] All of them were filled with the holy Pneuma: The use of the word “filled” means the Pneuma became fully operative on the apostles, each in an individual way – each with a different language. This divine Pressure accomplished the will of God according to His purpose.

[6] Foreign languages were given to them: Or, KJV: speak with other tongues; MOF: foreign tongues; BAS: different tongues; PME: different languages. The exact languages spoken are listed in the next paragraph. The Greek is GLOSSAIS from which comes the English glossary. The gift of tongues was given as a sign to unbelieving Jews that God’s PNEUMA was now on the New Israel of God, the Christian Church. [For notes on “tongues” see 1 Corinthians chapter 14.] Actually, the word, outside of 1 Corinthians 13, 14, occurs seldom. [Acts 19:6] Jesus Christ did not speak in tongues. For details on the gifts of the spirit see Biblical Articles in Nazarene Commentary 2000© on gifts of the spirit.

[7] Pious: Or, reverent, devout, religious. The Greek is EULABEIS [Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance #2126, taking hold well].

[8] There were pious Jewish men dwelling in Jerusalem from all nations under heaven: The word for “men” is ANDRES and means “males.” It is likely many of the distant travelers remained from Passover 50 days before. Jerusalem could swell to upwards of one million persons during Jewish festivals. Here is the original seed of the Gospel that would now spread into much of the known world.

[9] When they happened to hear the sound: The sound was, therefore, considerable as it could be heard outside the home where the apostles met.

[10] They were each hearing the apostles speak in their own language: The languages are then listed and it is possible to combine these into a dozen, meaning each apostle spoke one language understandable by these Jewish men.

[11] Are not all these speaking Galileans: The angel of the ascension addressed the eleven as “men of Galilee.” It would appear that Matthias was also a Galilean. It would seem unlikely that the 120 disciples were all Galilean confirming that only the apostles are meant.

[12] Hearing in our own native languages: By examining each of the language groups it can be seen the great distances these men traveled. Thus, later after their baptism and their return home, we can see thousands of paths leading to every part of the Roman world. Parthians came from south east of the Caspian Sea including as far as India. Christianity would develop in the world of the Persia religion. Medes and Elamites from the Iran Plateau were also from a Persian background. Elam was southeast of Mesopotamia, also called Khuzestan in southwest Iran. Mesopotamia is something of another name for Babylon, including present day Iraq. Thus, these peoples, though likely also speaking Hebrew and Greek, generally spoke a related Persia language. [Aramaic] Judea would indicate that one of the apostles was speaking Hebrew. Cappadocians were from what is today Turkey and Armenia. Pontus was the area around the Black Sea. Asia in the Christian Bible does not mean China, but Asia Minor which included such places as Galatia. Phrygia was also part of Asia Minor. Pamphylia was also part of Asia Minor. All these above places were north of Israel reaching as far as Turkey and India. Most spoke either Persian, Greek, or Latin. Now the list goes south to North Africa where there were large populations of Jews in Egypt and Libya. Then northwest to Rome, the island of Crete; and back to the southwest in Arabia.

[13] The mighty acts of The God: Or, wonderful works, majesty of God, triumphs, excellencies, magnificence. The content of this universal message in a dozen languages is unknown, but it may have been a general praise of God and His creative works and mighty deeds. These Jews would have been familiar with such praises. It does not seem that any mention was made of Jesus Christ, for that came later in Peter’s sermon.

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Compare:

The Acts Of The Sent Ones Chapter 2

Hebraic Roots Bible Book of The Acts of the Apostles Chapter 2

 

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Also of interest:

Pope Francis I on the Holy Spirit

Is it wise to annul the Pentecostweekend

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  • Hebraic Roots Bible Book of The Acts of the Apostles Chapter 2 (belgianbiblestudents.wordpress.com)
  • Pentecost, the Harvest of the Holy Spirit (insightscoop.typepad.com)
    First, there is the feast of Pentecost, which the Israelites called “the feast of weeks”, a reference to the seven weeks from the Passover to the celebration of Pentecost (cf., Lev 23:9-21; Deut 16:9-12). The number seven signified completion and fullness. Originally, the feast focused on giving thanks for the harvest; it later was associated with the giving of the Law on Mount Sinai, traditionally believed to have occurred fifty days after the first Passover in Egypt. The description of the coming of the Holy Spirit upon those in the Upper Room is concise, but is clearly meant to invoke a connection to the great theophanies, or appearances by God, that took place on Mount Sinai (also known as Mount Herob), which were accompanied by noises from heaven, strong winds, and fire (Ex 19:16-19; 1 Kngs 19:11-12; cf., CCC 696).
  • The Day Of Pentecost (iamnotashamedofthegospelofchrist.com)
    As Israel celebrates Shavuot,(which we believe in also) the day they received the law from Moses, we Christians are in remembrance of the birth of Christ’s Church, in the day of Pentecost.  When God sent the Holy Spirit to the Apostles.  This is a little celebrated Holiday or day of importance with Christians and it needs to be given more attention.  This is not only the day the Christian church was born, it is the day the God sent power and His Holy Spirit to all believers.  He is risen!  He is Alive!  And He comes to us in the Holy Spirit!
    +
    Pentecost (Ancient Greek: Πεντηκοστή [ἡμέρα], Pentēkostē [hēmera], “the Fiftieth [day]“) is the Greek name for the Feast of Weeks, a prominent feast in the calendar of ancient Israel celebrating the giving of the Law on Sinai. This feast is still celebrated as Shavuot. Later, in the Christian liturgical year, it is also a feast commemorating the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the twelve Apostles of Christ.
  • Did Chris and the Apostles Speak in Hebrew or Greek? (romecorruptedchristianity.wordpress.com)
    Undoubtedly Jesus was given a good Jewish education as a boy, even though he was born in a modest household.
    His family was devoutly Jewish, as indicated by their adherence to The Torah (Luke2:39-40)  He learned to read the Hebrew texts of the Bible and was adept at reasoning with the Torah sages of his day.
    +
    “Until recently, it was believed by numerous scholars that the language spoken by Jesus’ disciples was Aramaic.  But during that period, Hebrew was both the daily language and the language of study.”
    – Source (Jewish Sources in Early Christianity,      Adama Boooks).   by The Late Dr. David Flusser Professor of Early Christianity and Judaism of the Second Temple Period The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
    +
    “The Gospel of Mark contains a few aramaic words, and this was what misled scholars.  Today, after  the discovery of the Hebrew BenSir (Ecclesiasticus),  of the Dead Sea Scrolls, and of the Bar Kochba Letters, and in light of more profound studies of the language of the Jewish Sages, it is accepted that most people  were fluent in Hebrew.”
    – Source (Jewish Sources in Early Christianity,       Adama Boooks).   by The Late Dr. David Flusser Professor of Early Christianity and Judaism of the Second Temple Period The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
  • Feast of Holy Pentecost (orthodoxlogos5.wordpress.com)
    This miraculous event occurred on the Jewish Feast of Pentecost, celebrated by the Jews on the fiftieth day after the Passover as the culmination of the Feast of Weeks (Exodus 34:22; Deuteronomy 16:10). The Feast of Weeks began on the third day after the Passover with the presentation of the first harvest sheaves to God, and it concluded on Pentecost with the offering of two loaves of unleavened bread, representing the first products of the harvest (Leviticus 23:17-20; Deuteronomy 16:9-10).
    +
    The Bible records that on that day about three thousand were baptized. Following, the book of Acts states that the newly baptized continued daily to hear the teaching of the Apostles, as the early Christians met together for fellowship, the breaking of bread, and for prayer. Many wonderful signs and miracles were done through the Apostles, and the Lord added to the Church daily those who were being saved (Acts 2:42-47).

    The Apostles in the upper room being filled with the Holy Spirit.

  • Forbidden Territory – Asia (Ephesus) (keithlannon.wordpress.com)
    The book of Acts is explicit, Paul was “forbidden of the Holy Spirit to preach the word in Asia”, and as they reconnoitred Bithynia for evangelistic purposes, it was not because of the lack of prayer support or finances that they, yet again, were turned away. It wasn’t because people were not of a demographic that suggested they were not open to the gospel.
    +
    We all need to see that often the secret to accomplishment is in doing the right thing at the right time. “Timing is  everything,”
  • Why I’m Catholic: Acts of the Apostles (newevangelizers.com)
    There are plenty of occasions of Hellenists (Greek converts to Christianity) complaining about the Hebrews and visa-versa. There is of course, the awkward situation where new followers completely miss the point, and Paul and Barnabas get mistaken for the Greek gods Hermes and Zeus. Eventually, serious debates over food laws and circumcision result in Council of Jerusalem, the forerunner of all future councils.And even though miracles and healings abound, not even the Apostles understand at the beginning that God’s will is for a robust mission to the Gentiles. No, they have to discover all this through an Ethiopian eunuch’s surprising request for baptism and the testimony of Cornelius, a Gentile.
  • Believers Baptism this Sunday! (riverrockchurch.com)
    When the apostles took the gospel across the Roman Empire from Jerusalem, new churches were established, and believers were baptized soon after they turned away from sin and put their trust in Christ for salvation. Acts 18:18 says, … many of the Corinithians who heard [Paul] believed and were baptized.
  • Memorial of Saint Barnabas, Apostle (smscj.wordpress.com)
    One to be filled with the Holy Spirit. Barnabas filled with Holy Spirit, so that he could be an instrument in the proclamation of the Gospel. He beca me a missionary. Often we are not filled with Holy Spirit, and our proclamation is not effective. He was filled with Holy Spirit to the point of dying for Jesus.

The Acts Of The Sent Ones Chapter 2

Maaseh Shlichim – Chapter 2

English: Apostles receive the gift of tongues ...

Apostles receive the gift of tongues (Acts 2) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)


*

2.1 And when the moed of Shavuot was fully counted by the omer, they were all with one accord in one place.

2 And suddenly there came a sound from the shamayim as of a groaning Ruach, and it filled all the Bayit {7} where where they were sitting.

3 And there appeared to them divided tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. {8}

4 And they were all filled with the Ruach Hakodesh, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Ruach Hakodesh gave them the utterance.

5 And there were dwelling at Yahrushalayim, Yahudim, {9} devout men, out of every nation {1} under the shamayim.

6 Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, {2} and were confused, because every man heard them speak in his own language. {3}

7 And they were all amazed and marveled, saying one to another, See, are not all these who speak Galilaeans?

8 How then do we hear them speaking in our own native language?

9 Parthians, and Medes, and Eylamites, and those Yisraelites dwelling in Aram, among whom were Yahudim, and those from Kappadokia, those from Pontos, and also Asia Minor, {4 }{5 }

10 Phrygia, and Pamphulia, in Mitzrayim, and in the parts of Libya near Cyrene, and Yahudim and gerim from Romiyah, along with the Yireh-vuvh, {6 }{7 } {both Yehuḏim and converts/both Jews and proselytes }

11 Cretes and Arabians, {8 } we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of יהוה {speaking the great wonders of Elohim Jehovah}. 12 And they were all amazed and stunned, and were in doubt, saying one to another, What does this mean? {9 }13 Others mocking said, These men are full of new wine.

14 But Kepha, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said to them, You men of Yahudah, and all you that are staying at Yahrushalayim, {10} be this known to you, and listen to my words:

15 For these men are not drunk, as you suppose, seeing it is but nine o’clock in the morning.

16 But this is that which was spoken by the navi Yo-El; {11}17 And it shall come to pass in the yamim acharonim, said יראו {Elohim Jehovah }, I will pour out from My Ruach upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:

18 And on My avadim and on My female avadim I will pour out in those days from My Ruach; and they shall prophesy:

19 And I will show wonders in the shamayim above, and signs in the olam beneath; dahm, and fire, and vapor of smoke:

20 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into dahm, before that great and terrible Yom יהוה {splendid day of יהוהJehovah} comes: {12}21 And it shall come to pass, that whoever shall call on the Name of the Master יהוה shall be saved. {13}22 You men of Yisrael, {14} listen to these words; יהושע {Jeshua} of Natzeret, a man approved of יהוה {Jehovah} among you by nisim and wonders and signs, which יהוה {Jehovah} did through Him in the midst of you, as you yourselves also know:

23 Him, being delivered by the determined counsel and foreknowledge of יהוה {Jehovah}, you have taken, and by the hands of Torah-less men, you have impaled and killed: {1}

24 Whom יהוה {Jehovah} has raised up, having demolished the cords {2} of death: because it was not possible for Sheol to hold Him.25 For Dawid spoke concerning Him, I saw my יהוה {Jehovah} always before my face, for He is on my right hand, that I should not be moved:

26 Therefore did my lev have gilah, and my tongue had simcha; moreover also my body shall rest in tikvah:

27 Because You will not leave my being in Sheol, neither will You allow the Kadosh-One of Yisrael to see corruption.28 You have made known to me the ways of chayim; You shall make me full of simcha with Your presence.29 Men and Yisraelite brothers, let me freely speak to you of the patriarch Dawid, that he is both dead and buried, and his tomb is with us to this day.

30 Being a navi, and knowing that יהוה {Jehovah} had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up the Moshiach to sit on his kesay;

31 He seeing this before spoke of the resurrection of the Moshiach, that His being was not left in the Sheol, neither did His flesh see corruption.32 This יהושע {Jeshua} has יהוה {Jehovah} raised up, of which we all are witnesses.

33 Therefore being by the Right Hand of יהוה {Jehovah} exalted, and having received from Abba the promise of the Ruach Hakodesh, He has sent out all this, which you now see and hear.34 For Dawid is not ascended into the shamayim: {3} but he he said himself, the Master יהוה {Jehovah} said to My Master, Sit at My right hand,

35 Until I make Your enemies Your footstool.36 Therefore let kol Beit Yisrael know {4} assuredly, that the Master יהוה {Jehovah} has made known that same יהושע {Jeshua}, whom you have impaled, as both Melech and Moshiach.

37 Now when they heard this, they were pierced in their levim, and said to Kepha and to the rest of the shlichim, Men and Yisraelite brothers, what shall we do?

38 Then Kepha said to them, Shuv, and be immersed every one of you in the Name of the Master-Yah {5} יהושע {Jeshua} ha Moshiach for the forgiveness of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Ruach Hakodesh.39 For the promise is to you, and to your children, and to all that are far off, {6} even as many as יהוה {Jehovah} our אלהינו {Elohim} shall call. {7}

40 And with many other words did he testify and exhort them, saying, Save yourselves from this sinful generation.

41 Then they that gladly received his word were immersed: and the same day there were added to them about three thousand beings. {8}

42 And they continued steadfastly in the shlichim’s Torah and chavurah, and in breaking of lechem, and in the tefillot. {9}43 And fear came upon every being: and many wonders and signs were done by the shlichim.

44 And all that believed were echad, and had all things be-yachad;

45 And sold their possessions and goods, and divided them to all men, as every man had need.46 And they, continuing daily as echad in the Beit HaMikdash, {10} breaking lechem from bayit to bayit, {11} did eat their food with simcha and a pure lev,

47 Offering tehilla to יהוה {Jehovah}, and having favor with all the people. And יהוה {Jehovah} added to the congregation of Yisrael daily all those being saved.

*

English: text of the Acts of the Apostles 2:17...

Notes from the Bible translators of the Restoration Scriptures True Name Edition Study Bible:

{7} The House is not a room. And is not an upper room. It is merely a Hebraic way of identifying the place as the House of  YHWH on Mt. Moriah. Even in the land of Yisrael today, the Temple Mount is known as Har HaBayit, or the Mountain of the House. The Spirit fell in The Temple, or the “House” of YHWH, since that was the only place Yisraelites would be gathered by commandment according to Deut. 16 and Lev. 23. Had these Yisraelites been in an upper room, the Set-Apart-
Spirit could not have been given, since they would be in disobedience to the Torah, as would YHWH, if He gave it to those who were not in His House, but rather in a prayer room of their own choosing. The so-called church as a separate entity from Yisrael, was never born on that day, since the events were promised and prophesied and fulfilled to Yisraelites in the Temple in YHWH’s House.

{8} Another indication that Yisrael was being renewed, as as opposed to a gentile church being birthed, as the Torah was also given in voices of thunderings, or (as the sages teach) in the 70 known tongues of the nations. The Torah was now being placed in their hearts, and this sign of divided tongues indicated that very implanting within the disciples.

{9} Note that these people were not pagans but returning returning Yisraelites in varying stages of return. No pagans would go and worship YHWH on Shavuot/Feast of Weeks. Later in verses 8-11 we see that these men were Yisraelites but not Jews, even though the term Jew is used here to include other Yisraelites both natural and by conversion.

{1} The term “every nation” is indicative of non-Jewish Yisraelites, since this was before the exile of 70CE and the Jews at that time had not yet been exiled to every nation under heaven like they are today, which had in fact occurred to Efrayim at that time.

{2} The “multitudes of the nations.” We see both the devout Jews and the multitudes from the nations coming together around the feasts as the restoration work begins.

{3} Native tongue of the many Yisraelite nations that were visiting.

{4} The Parthians and Medes in Acts 2:9, are identified as an area where Efrayim (ten tribes) was scattered, according to I Chronicles 5:26. The Gozan River was in the area of Medo-Persia. They later formed a large part of the Scythian peoples, who later would settle Northwest Europe as the invading Anglo-Saxon and barbarian nations. The Eylamites in Acts 2:9, were most likely descendents of Ullam, son of Sheresh, son of Maachah, son of Manasseh, son of Joseph.
“Eylamites descended from Ullan, son of Maachah, son of Manasseh, son of Yoseph…” Kol Shofar Monthly Newsletter, Vol.2 No.6 p.2.
{5} The exiles from Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia and Asia, were all to be considered the dispersed exiled chosen people according to Peter in 1 Peter 1.1.
{6} Known in Hebrew as Yireh-YHWH, or YHWH fearers who were not natives.
{7} Clearly many non-Yisraelites by birth were also in YHWH’s House joining Yisrael and thus being Yisrael as seen by the term gerim/strangers and Yireh-YHWH converts. Notice that Libyans and Egyptians also become Yisrael and received the seal of the Spirit.
{8} Arabs can and have always been welcome to become Yisrael based on Torah terms.
{9} Most believers still don’t clearly see the significance of this event, seeing it as the birth of a new religion, or non-Yisraelite entity, rather than as the fulfillment of Jeremiah 31:31.

{10} A clear two-house reference. The Jews, and those non-Jews staying for the feast.
{11} Joel’s prophesy in Joel 2:28-32 was given exclusively to Yisraelites and not to pagans, or gentiles. Peter states that this Yisraelite prophecy is fulfilled in the men and women standing there that day.
This prophecy states that the “all flesh” under consideration in the context of Joel 2:27, is the flesh of Yisrael and Yisrael alone. In Joel 2:27, YHWH states that this promise is to Yisrael, since it is He who dwells in the midst of Yisrael. YHWH further elaborates about this last days outpouring of the Spirit upon all Yisraelite flesh in Joel chapter 2:28, 29. The promised outpouring of the Spirit would take place upon your sons, your daughters, your old men, your young men, your men servants, and your female servants.
Obviously the key word here is “your,” or Joel’s people. If we are honest with Scripture and we let
Scripture interpret Scripture, the “all flesh” that received the Spirit had to be Yisrael’s sons, daughters, young men, old men and all sojourners among them.
Yisrael was being renewed without any new church being born.

{12} At the second coming.
{13} MarYah in the Peshitta, literally meaning that to call on YHWH through Yahshua is salvation itself.
{13} BS note: And it shall be that everyone who calls on the Name of יהוה {Jehovah} shall be saved. (Joel 2:28-32, Rom. 10:13. )

{14} The multitudes from all the nations despite not being Jewish, or speaking Hebrew, are called “Yisrael” by Peter.
{1} v.23: Yahshua’s death was arranged by the will of the Father, in order to redeem man individually and Yisrael collectively, as seen in John 10:16-17. This was and remains the Father’s plan to cleanse all His children from both houses. The Jews did not kill Messiah. The Father’s predetermined plan did.
{2} Peshitta term khabelyeh in context means ropes not pain.

{3} Dawid’s spirit ascended only after the resurrection of Messiah, and his body remains in the grave for the return of Messiah.
{4} In the setting, an obvious reference to kol, or all Yisrael, or those returning from both houses.
{5} Aramaic Mar-Yah Yahshua, a clear reference to His deity.

{6} A Hebraic idiom as outlined in Ephesians 2:13 and Daniel 9:7 and elsewhere, that speak of the 10 tribes of Efrayim-Yisrael.
{7} The perpetual promise to all of Joel’s regenerated children, even as many as are generations away.
{8} Further proof that this event could not have taken place in the so called “upper room” since that tiny upper room of the last supper can’t hold 3,000 people, or even 120, and certainly did not have a baptismal pool.
{9} Three times daily.

{10} The final proof that these events did not birth an upper room church, as by definition they could not continue in the temple, unless they were there in the first place.
11 This is a remez (scriptural hint) on the unity of Yisrael being restored from house to house, between Judah and Efrayim.

*

Acts of the Apostles in the version of the Restoration Scriptures True Name Edition Study Bible, Updated Third Edition, with Scriptural Supervision and Doctrinal Oversight by Rabbi Moshe Yoseph Koniuchowsky, Your Arms To Yisrael Publishing, 2007, 2008 CE

Preceding: The Acts Of The Sent Ones Chapter 1

Compare with: Hebraic Roots Bible Book of The Acts of the Apostles Chapter 2

English: Group of Kohanim studying the Halacho...

Group of Kohanim studying the Halachot of Tumah and Taharah in anticipation of the coming of Moshiach. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

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  • Water from the Rock (faithgracetorah.net)
    As believers in Messiah Y’shua we understand there there are no idle words in scripture, which is why it is so fundamentally important to grasp the deeper levels of understanding that we can see utilizing the PaRDeS method of study.
    +
    knowing that Joshua (Yehoshua, Y’shua) is the Messiah’s name it may be logical to conclude that the events surrounding Joshua’s ascending to leadership and his relationship to Moses are Shadows of Messiah.
    +
    It was Moses who changed his name from Salvation to YHWH is salvation. Moses represents the Law/Torah and we can see here a beautiful hint that the Torah/Law points to salvation from YHWH.
  • Mitzvot 487 – 489 (tqnbytdvd.wordpress.com)
    Attitude is every bit as important as the physical act itself. We are commanded to rejoice in these festivals. To look forward to them with enthusiasm, to absolutely enjoy meeting with our brothers an sisters, and above all to give total praise to God. And when we understand WHY we keep these festivals, we should rejoice even more!
  • The Dumb Spirit (kumi07.wordpress.com)
    Inability to speak about YHVH, to praise His Name, to glorify Him may
    indicate a dumb spirit. Once this dumb spirit is gone by the Ru-ach
    HaKodesh [the Holy Spirit] in the Name of Yeshua, we can speak to anyone, we can shout
    from the rooftops, we can glorify & praise His Name wherever we are.
    We are no longer bound.  When we are no longer bound, the Ru-ach has
    freedom , & in freedom the Ru-ach reigns, & miracles happen.
  • Do You Speak in Tongues? (eternalchrist.wordpress.com)
    it is important to recognize that (while our Gentile brothers and sisters enjoy the favors of Christian liberty) Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of the feasts of Israel. He is our Passover Lamb slain from the foundation of the world; and the outpouring of the Spirit on Pentecost.
    +
    we do know that the Holy Spirit imparts spiritual gifts to all believers, but not the same gifts. In his first letter to the assembly at Corinth (chapter 12), the apostle Paul (the 12th apostle since he was appointed by Christ whereas Matthias was chosen by lottery) noted the various gifts of the Spirit including wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, miracles, prophecy, and tongues. In the Bible tongues means language and not gibberish which is so often heard by the false teachers of the word of faith gospel.
  • Rastafari Shavuot – Feast of Weeks – Pentecost Pt.1 (melekmediahouse.wordpress.com)
    Shavuot commemorates the giving of the Torah on Mt Sinai before Israel entered the Land of Promise. More specifically, it is the giving on the One Law of Jah and it’s Ten Articles (otherwise known as ’10 Commandments’). This is the true and living charter of “Human Rights” – this is the Hebrew Rights Charter. This document is the contract between Israel and YHWH, agreed to before Israel could enter into Jah’s appointed Holy territory and receive the inheritance of Canaan and all the blessings from YHWH.
  • Acts 1-3 By Jack AKA Brutus (obterns2013.wordpress.com)
    People from many nations were amazed the disciples were speaking in their native language. Acts 2:8 “Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language?” Then in verse 11 “We hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!”Right away they’re persecuted for what they did, in verse 13 “They have had too much wine.” Here we see that the followers of Christ are persecuted when they are seriously being moved by the Holy Spirit. I know most of us can attest to similar things happening in our own lives. I personally can think of many times where I’ve been shot down after doing what I was convinced God was leading me to do.
  • Did the Avot Keep all the Mitzvot? (bassous.wordpress.com)
    The Avot were commanded to keep the seven noachide laws and indeed kept them, but they were not commanded to keep the other mitzvot – did the Avot keep the Torah before it had been given?

    There are several examples of the Avot (and others) going against Torah commands;
    +
    The Avot did not keep the mitzvot, but rather got to their lofty spiritual level by ‘having understood everything there is to understand in true wisdom and corrected themselves in every way.’ What the Rambam means is each mitzvah achieves a certain spiritual effect/tikun, the Avot had the ability to be able to tap into creating these effects and tikkunim without necessarily performing the technical details of the mitzvah.

  • Happy (Greek) Easter (sojourningwithjews.com)
    Shavuot begins on Sivan 6 on the Hebrew and is the anniversary of the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai, and guess what? It is also the day that the Holy Spirit fell upon the believers as recorded in Acts 2:1-6. I’ll use a quote from the CJB in order to capture a better flavor:
  • {Peace} Be at Peace by Felecia… (thenarrowpassage.wordpress.com)
    The gift of peace comes when we let YHWH’s Spirit, His Ruach dwell. To do that we have to constantly trust in Him, for “The one steadfast of mind YHWH guards in perfect peace, for he trusts in YHWH. Trust in YHWH forever, for in YHWH, Elohim, is a rock of age” (Isaiah 26:3-4). He wants us to be at peace, “the peace of Elohim, which surpasses all understanding” (Philippians 4:7).
  • Engrafted Into The Story: Romans 11 And Reconciliation (politicaljesus.com)
    The problem with supersessionism is that it is first and foremost, a rejection of God’s plan that includes the strategy of engraftment. Understanding our Gentile place is crucial part of understanding the mission of YHWH, the Word that YHWH sent went to Israel and Judah first, and then the Gentiles.

Hebraic Roots Bible Book of The Acts of the Apostles Chapter 2

This weekend we remember the day that the apostles were together, for celebrating Shavu’ot (weeks), or Feast of Weeks in commemoration of the Spring harvest and the giving of the Law unto Moses at Mt. Sinai. They were hiding afraid all together in one place because they were afraid for what the people might do against the followers of Christ Jesus now he was not there any more.

English: The Pentecost Mosaic, in the center i...

The Pentecost Mosaic, in the center is the dove of the Holy Spirit with the twelve apostles below. This is one of the oldest mosaics in the church dating from 1125 AD. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

They knew how much Jeshua (Jesus) did find the Torah so important that it should be taken as the most important book to follow. And now at the Feast of Weeks they were there together to commemorate the giving of the Law to Moses and to read together those Holy Writings.

Pentecost recognizes the writing of the Law upon our hearts as it is written:

But this shall be thecovenant that I will cut with the houseof Israel: After those days, declares Yahweh, I will put My Law in their inward parts, and I will write it on their hearts; and I will be their Elohim, and they shall be My people. (HBRV Jer 31:33)

Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. they new that those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires and are victims of those desires but also of those ideas and connections with the world (Romans 8:5-6). As such the disciples were still too connected with the world and not yet liberated by the Power of God, the Holy Spirit.

This was soon to be changed by the promise of the prophet Jeshua becoming reality. In his name the grace of God’s Power came over them and gave them incredible forces to reach people and to bring them to the only One God Jehovah in the name of Christ. Gods Law was totally placed in the hearts of the disciples and them was given the power to come out for it.


*

1 And in the fulfilling of the day of Shavuot, they were all with one mind
in the same place.
2 And suddenly a sound came out of the heaven, as a groaning spirit along by a violent wind!
And it filled the entire house where they were sitting.
3 And tongues as of fire appeared to them, being distributed, and it sat on each one of them.
4 And they were all filled of the Holy Spirit, and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave ability to them to speak.

5 And Jews were living in Jerusalem, devout men from every nation of those under the heaven.
6 And when that sound occurred, all the people gathered and were perplexed because they were hearing each man among them who were speaking in their own language.
7 And all were amazed and marveled, saying to one another,
Behold, we can’t grasp this, are not all these, those speaking, Galileans?
8 And how do we hear each in our own language in which we were born,
9 Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and those living in Mesopotamia, both Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia,
10 both Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt, and the regions of Libya over against Cyrene, and the temporarily residing Romans, both Jews and proselytes,
11 Cretans and Arabians; in our own languages we hear them speaking the great wonders of Yahweh?

12 And all were amazed and puzzled, saying to one another, What could this be?
13 But ridiculing, others said, They are full of sweet wine.
14 But standing up with the Eleven, Peter lifted up his voice and spoke out to them, Men, Jews, and all those living in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to my words:
15 For these are not drunk, as you imagine, for it is the third hour of the day.
16 But this is that which has been spoken by the prophet Joel, 17 “And it shall be” in the last days, Yahweh says, “I will pour from My Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy;” “and your young men shall see visions,” “and your old men shall dream dreams;” 18 “and also I will pour out My Spirit on My servants and hand maids in those days,” and they shall prophesy.
19 “And I will give wonders in the heaven above,” and miraculous signs “on the earth below, blood and fire and vapor of smoke.
20 The sun will be changed into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the “coming of the great and glorious day of Yahweh.”
21 “And it shall be that everyone who shall call on the name of Yahweh will be saved.” (Joel 2:28-32)

22 Men, Sons of Israel, hear these words: Yahshua the Nazarene, a Man from Elohim, having been approved among you by works of power and wonders and miraculous signs, which Yahweh did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know, 23 This man, who was set apart was for this, by the foreknowledge and will of Elohim, you delivered into the
hands of the wicked and you crucified and killed.
24 But Yahweh loosed the cords of Sheol and raised Him because it was not possible that He be held in Sheol.
25 For David said as to Him, “I always foresaw my Adonai before Me, because He is at My right hand, that I not be moved.
26 For this reason My heart rejoiced, and My tongue was glad; and My flesh also will dwell on hope, 27 because You will not leave My soul in Sheol, nor will You give Your pious one  to see corruption. 28 You have revealed the road of life to me. You will fill me with gladness with your presence. (Psalm 16:8-11)

29 Men, brothers, let me speak boldly with you to say to you as to the patriarch David, that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is among us until this day.
30 For he was a prophet, and he had known that oaths that Elohim had sworn to him, that Of the fruit of your loins I shall establish a king upon your throne (Psalm 132:11)
31 foreseeing, he spoke about the resurrection of the Messiah, “that His soul was not left in sheol, nor did His corpse see corruption.” (Psalm 16:10)
32 This Yahshua, Yahweh raised up, of which we all are witnesses. 33 Then being exalted to the right of Yahweh, and receiving the promise of the Holy Spirit from the Father, He
poured out this which you now see and hear.

34 For David did not ascend into Heaven, but he says, “Yahweh said to my Adonai, Sit at My right hand 35 until I place those who are enemies to You as a footstool for Your feet.” (Psalm 110:1)
36 Then assuredly, let all the house of Israel acknowledge that Yahweh made known this same Yahshua whom you crucified, He is both Yahweh and Messiah.
37 And hearing, they were touched in the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, Men, our brothers, What shall we do?
38 And Peter said to them, Repent and be baptized, each of you in the name of the Yahshua Yahweh for the forgiveness of sins, that you may receive the gift of the Spirit of Holiness.
39 For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all those afar off, as many as the Master our Elohim shall call.
40 And with many other words he earnestly testified and exhorted, saying, Be saved from this perverse generation.

41 And some of them readily received his words and believed and were baptized. And there were added in that day about three thousand souls.
42 And they were continuing steadfastly in the doctrine of the apostles, and in fellowship, and in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.
43 And fear came to every soul, and signs and many mighty deeds occurred by the hands of the Apostles in Jerusalem.

44 And all the believers were echad and had all things common.
45 And they sold possessions and goods and distributed them to all, according as anyone had need.
46 And continuing steadfastly with one mind day by day in the sanctuary, and breaking bread from house to house, they shared food in gladness and simplicity of heart, 47 they were praising Yahweh while finding favor before all the people. And everyday our Master would add to those who lived among the congregation.

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Related articles from like mined people:

  1. Pope Francis I on the Holy Spirit
  2. Montanus considered himself to be the Paraclete: Sancta Claus is not God
  3. Every Christian should take care to die to the Torah, so that he can live for YHVH/JHWH the Elohim Jehovah God. Sin in us should be crucified with the Messiah. > Breathing to teach
  4. A Great Gift commemorated
    That night he stressed that they had to be in union with him and his Father like he was with his Father, so that the world could be convinced that Jehovah God had sent him who was taking the bread of life.
  5. Manifests for believers #5 Christian Union
    Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptised into {Or in; also in verse 15} the name of Paul?” (1 Corinthians 1:13 NIV) asked Paul already at the torn municipality of Corinth.
    +
    Jesus also warned us to be careful not to follow the will of men but the Will of God. And that is what we should carry in our hearts and should try to do. God did not give any dogma‘s. Those were given by human institutions. We should be aware that we should not be members of a Church of men, but of a Church of Christ as some want to call it, or better of a Church of God.
  6. Our hope– The anchor of the soul
    The hope of the Gospel is absolutely certain for two reasons: the first is that God always keeps His promises. The second is that God swore with an oath to fulfil the promises – he swore by Himself because there is none greater than Him.
    +
    When we consider God’s promises, we think of His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. The apostle says (2 Corinthians 1: 20) “All the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.” The letter to the Hebrews we are reading says much about Jesus, who is the heir of all things, spoken of in the Prophets, the express image of God, exalted now at God’s right hand, to be a faithful high priest, a Mediator. Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever (Not from everlasting to everlasting, like God, as many who claim to be his followers say: that is one of the false doctrines which we are warned against in this letter).
  7. Timely Growth
    We all have ways we can grow; matzah is there to flatten us out and remind us that this growth might not fit neatly into our schedule.  Which is why I am excited, because after spring comes summer and with summer comes … camp a time for growth for so many of our children!
  8. Is it wise to annul the Pentecostweekend
    There are the Christians with Pentecost, the first and second communions and the sacrament of conformation by the Roman Catholics, special Biblestudy weekends by Biblestudents and protestant groups as well as by many Jewish groups who also celebrate the anniversary of the day God gave the Torah to the entire Israelite nation assembled at Mount Sinai. For several protestants and Jews the weekend is used to commemorate the first harvested fruits. Shavuot, Shavuos  or Shabhuʿoth as the Festival of Weeks or Pentecost is also called, was in the old times the commemoration of the first day on which individuals could bring the Bikkurim (first fruits) to the Temple in Jerusalem (Mishnah Bikkurim 1:3).

From groups with other ideas than us and like-minded brethren:

Related readings on Ascension:

  1. “Made Subject to Futility”
  2. Mountaintop Experiences
  3. Mourning for the Ascension of Christ
  4. On Christ’s Ascension
  5. The Spirit of God and the Word of God #3

Related readings on Pentecost:

  1. EnCampMent on Shavuot
    Shavuot, the holiday commemorating our national memory of the Revelation of the Torah at Sinai. In the words of Rashi, it was there at Sinai that we encamped at the foot of the mountain as “one nation with one heart.”
  2. Revealing Jewish Camp
    In the Midrash we learn, “There are three ways to acquire Torah, with fire, with water, and with wilderness” (Midrash Numbers Rabbah 1:1). This Midrash could be understood to mean that we acquire Torah through passion (fire), immersion (water), and through a long trek in unknown land (the wilderness). Shavuot coming means that the end of school is close at hand. And with the end of school, the camp season is around the corner. This Midrash seems to be lived out at Jewish camp.
  3. Revelation and Sustaining Our Community
    ” Why are we talking about the matter of Shmita at Sinai?” Which is to say that the entire Torah is given at Sinai, why is this Torah portion outlining an ancient technique of creating a sustainable agriculture introduced as the laws that God “spoke to Moses in Mount Sinai”? It seems strange to single this law out. And maybe even more strange in that the Torah was given in Diaspora and this law was only going to be applicable in the Land of Israel.
  4. Return To Eden
    In many ways Shmini Atzeret is a completion of the Sukkot holiday. But what is Simchat Torah? When I was young I understood it simply to be the day that we celebrate the completion of the liturgical reading of the Torah. Would it not make more sense to celebrate the reading about the creation of the world on Rosh HaShanah? Of even on Shavuot the time we received the Torah? Why do we start reading the Torah on Simchat Torah?
  5. Wheeled Conveyances
    Today is a national holiday in France in honor of Pentecost. I’d heard of Whit Sunday, the English version, but had somehow missed out on Pentecost.
  6. Following Jesus: An Amazing Adventure!
    Yesterday was Pentecost Sunday, the day Christians traditionally celebrate the birthday of the Church. It was on this day nearly 2000 years ago that Jesus completed his mission on Harvest timeearth with the coming of the Holy Spirit.
  7. Binitarians
    “Often our heads become stumbling blocks to our hearts. We cognitively admit that the Holy Spirit is a Person in the triune Godhead, but we live as functional binitarians. Comfortable with Father and Son, we are not quite sure how to interact with the Spirit….” —Dick Brogden
  8. Tuning-in to the Holy Spirit
    Today’s readings show us that this event radically transformed the scared disciples into courageous witnesses to the murderous Jews. St. John places emphasis on the Holy Spirit’s gift of peace to the disciples in Jesus’ words: “Peace be with you.” How can we as Christians become so powerfully transformed that we become transforming witnesses to others and abide in Christ’s own peace? How can we have this powerful transforming experience?
    +
    God’s Spirit is with us from the moment of baptism with the same power that we see in the Pentecost event. But why aren’t we transformed like the disciples on Pentecost? Why aren’t we on fire with the Holy Spirit? The Holy Spirit is with us but we cannot experience His power until we learn how to dispose ourselves properly and tune-in to His frequency. Today’s readings show us ways of tuning-in to the Holy Spirit.
  9. Pentecost: So What? Now What?
    After preaching about Pentecost and the Holy Spirit yesterday morning a woman came to speak to me. She told me that she was a missionary to part of Outer Mongolia! Well that got my attention and respect and so I asked her to tell me about the Church where she serves. She told me a lot of things but to be honest I didn’t pay much attention after she told me one statistic because I was so blown away by it. She said that in 1990 there were three known Christians where she served, now there are an estimated 50,000. Even if there has been a miscalculation or overestimate that is still an incredible figure.
    +
    On Ascension Day Jesus didn’t just send his disciples out to join Him in mission, instead he told them to return to Jerusalem and await the promised Holy Spirit. I wonder if Jesus was teaching them this lesson? That they couldn’t do what He had called them to do in their strength and with their own resources, they needed to be filled with and then learn to rely on, the Holy Sprit.
    Well Pentecost has come and gone but its implications face us everyday and never more so than we face something we are called to do that seems so daunting as to be all but impossible. Whenever we feel like that, whenever we feel inadequate or incapable of doing what God has called us to do, we need to hear afresh the choice and invitation the Angel gave Zerubbabel
  10. Pope Francis’ Pentecost Homily.
    Newness always makes us a bit fearful, because we feel more secure if we have everything under control, if we are the ones who build, programme and plan our lives in accordance with our own ideas, our own comfort, our own preferences. This is also the case when it comes to God. Often we follow him, we accept him, but only up to a certain point. It is hard to abandon ourselves to him with complete trust, allowing the Holy Spirit to be the soul and guide of our lives in our every decision. We fear that God may force us to strike out on new paths and leave behind our all too narrow, closed and selfish horizons in order to become open to his own. Yet throughout the history of salvation, whenever God reveals himself, he brings newness and change, and demands our complete trust
  11. He Still Speaks…
    I was reminded in different ways how this Earth is not our forever home, and that we are all stewards and wanderers here…stopping for just a brief moment next to eternity. (Even though, as another friend pointed out, we will return with Jesus some day, this planet in its current state is not our ultimate home…)
    +
    God still speaks through His Holy Spirit, just as He did on that first Pentecost… He loves us all so much… I hope all my family in Christ had a beautifully blessed Pentecost Sunday. And may this new week include many opportunities for us to hear His voice in the way we’ve been created.
  12. Monday in Whitsun-Week.
    Consider that light came into the world through the operation of the Holy Spirit.
  • Pentecost (learningwithlittlesaints.wordpress.com)
    God chooses and prepares leaders to accomplish His plan.
    +
    Pentecost took place 10 days after Jesus’ Ascension and 50 days after Jesus’ resurrection. Pentecost means the fiftieth. Pentecost was a Jewish festival, at that time it was called the Feast of Weeks. Many Jews had come to Jerusalem to celebrate. Now, Pentecost would be known in the Christian faith as the day that the Holy Spirit descended upon the Apostles. Once they were filled with the Holy Spirit, they were able to preach the Gospel to people and many Christians were baptized. For that reason, Pentecost is also called the birthday of the Church.
  • Today’s Bible Reading (acts 2:1-11) (prayers4reparation.wordpress.com)
    All were filled with Holy Spirit and began to speak other languages, as the Spirit enabled them to speak.
    Staying in Jerusalem were religious Jews from every nation under heaven. When they heard this sound, a crowd gathered, all excited because each heard them speaking in his own language.
  • Pentecost (frstephensmuts.wordpress.com)
    Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?”
  • Speak My Language (thoughtfulbeliever.wordpress.com)
    One of the pitfalls that many organizations and leaders encounter is that they forget they have to speak the language of the people.  It is very easy when you are part of organization to fall into using your own lingo and endless number of acronyms.  If another person is part of the organization then they understand completely what you are communicating but if the person is an outsider than the communication falls apart.  The connection is then lost outside the organization so if you are in business, you lose a sell; if you are a nonprofit organization, you lose a potential new member.  There is nothing that is more frustrating than people talking and you cannot understand a word that is being said.
    +
    If we are not speaking in the language of the people, then our message will not be received.  If people do not understand us, then they will become frustrated and ignore us.  After all, don’t we all want others to speak our language?
  • Father Callan’s Commentary on Acts 2:1-11 (stjoeofoblog.wordpress.com)
    The days of the Pentecost. The word days is singular in the Greek. Taken in the plural, as in the Vulgate, it means the period of fifty days from the Pasch to Pentecost; in the singular it signifies the fiftieth day after the Pasch, or the day of Pentecost itself. Pentecost means fiftieth (day ) . It was one of the three great feasts which all males among the Jews were obliged to celebrate in Jerusalem. It lasted but one day, on which they offered to God bread made from the grain of the new harvest and some sacrifices. Cf. Ex 23:16; Lev 23:15; Num33:26; Deut 16:9.
  • A Rushing Mighty Wind (my-faith-and-fitness.com)
    And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.  And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.  And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.  And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
  • Pentecost Preaching (brentkuhlman.wordpress.com)
    This event is the fulfillment of Bible prophecy too.  Joel 2 to be precise.  “In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people.”  And now it’s happening.  So when the last days begin?
    +
    The Holy Spirit is miraculously bestowed – manifested in the power of the wind and fire so that His church and His pastors are equipped and prepared to be a witness to Jesus, the Savior of the world, in word (Acts 2:14-36, 38-40) and deed (Acts 2:42-47).  So that in the preached Gospel, Holy Baptism, and the Lord’s Supper the forgiveness or salvation that Jesus won for the world is bestowed to died-for sinners like you and me!  That you believe that not only did Jesus die for the world but that He died For You!
  • Acts for today! (livingmoreabundantly4christ.com)
    The Spirit of God was promised to God’s sons and daughters and that promise was first fulfilled on the day of Pentecost! He has not reneged or removed that promise. The Holy Spirit is necessary and available to every follower of Christ today! It is through God’s Spirit that we are wooed to Christ and it is by that same Spirit we will move and operate in our giftings as we serve Him. The same giftings and blessing that those men and women received on the day of Pentecost are the same giftings and blessing that we can receive today!

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