PENTECOST -- A REVEALING BEGINNING THEY WERE ALL -- Tomorrow:
"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." (Acts 2:1-4)
Devotion 10 of 28
" . . . they were all with one accord in one place."
" . . . they were all . . . "
It may seem to be bordering on in sanity to ask "Who are the ALL?" Who is it that was "gathered together?" A number of people affirm it was "the twelve," and that these first few verses are all about them. This conjecture assumes that the final words of the first chapter shift the emphasis to the twelve apostles: "and he (Matthias) was numbered with the eleven apostles" (1:26) – as though after everyone cast their lots, they all went to their own abodes following the outcome of the casting of lots.
This would mean that only the twelve continued tarrying in Jerusalem, obeying the word of the Lord: "tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high" (Lk 24:49). That word was spoken to "the eleven . . . AND them that were with them," included the women, Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and Cleopas and his companion (Lk 24:33). Those people, and several others, including the mother of Jesus and His four half-brothers, had assembled in an upper room, waiting in prayer and supplication for "the promise of the Father" (Acts 1:14). Whether it was the original number or not, those who continued "waiting" numbered one hundred and twenty at the time Peter stood up and delivered an inspired word about filling the "bishopric" vacated by Judas (Acts 1:15).
Precisely what kind of reasoning leads one to believe that when the day of Pentecost fully came, only the twelve remained? Are we to believe, for example, that "the seventy" who were empowered and sent out by Jesus were excluded from this number, as well as from the promise? Why would not the glorious unity of mind and soul that they were enjoying extend into the day of Pentecost? When did the "one accord" cease? Although they are not the final word on the matter, conservative commentators generally agree among themselves that the "all" of our text refers to the hundred and twenty. These include Albert Barnes, Adam Clarke, Pulpit Commentary, Matthew Henry, John Wesley, Biblical Illustrator, John Gill, John Calvin, Joseph Benson, Matthew Poole, and others. In fact, you will be hard pressed to find a reputable commentator who affirms this passage to be limited to the twelve apostles, or to present a sound case for such a notion – although some can, indeed, be found.
I present the following reasons for concluding that "they all" include the hundred and twenty of 1:14.
1. It is in harmony with the Gospel record, which records the promise being made to the eleven and those who were with them (Luke 24).
2. It reflects a better flow of the record from the first chapter.
3. It serves to accent the magnificent unity that characterized the disciples following Christ's ascension.
4. There is no record of "the twelve" isolating themselves from the other disciples after Jesus ascended into heaven.
5. There is no record of a cessation of the waiting of the other disciples between the ascension of Christ and the day of Pentecost – unless it be the occasion when seven disciples went fishing, and Jesus appeared to them (John 21:1-25). The disciples are identified as Peter, Thomas, Nathaniel (probably not an apostle, although some think him to be Bartholomew), James, John, and two unnamed disciples (John 21:2)
6. There is no record of"the twelve" tarrying in Jerusalem while the others ceased doing so.
7. It violates no promise of Jesus, no Scriptural account, or any apostolic exposition of Scripture to see the "all" as applying to the previously mentioned one hundred and twenty.
It is difficult to believe that the day of Pentecost was not honored by all of the waiting disciples, or that "the twelve" honored it in isolation from the others. That would require that in some way the "accord" that brought them together in the first place be broken. When they came together "the eleven" are said to be with "with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren" (Acts 1:14). All apparently continued together in prayer, fulfilling the word of Jesus: "wait for the promise of the Father" (Acts 1:4). All participated in the selection of Matthias, at which time the number of disciples present is specifically said to be one hundred and twenty (Acts 1:15-23). All prayed for Divine direction (Acts 1:24-25). All gave forth their lots, and God caused the casting to be in favor Matthias (Acts 1:26).
Precisely what form of thinking would lead one to believe that at this point – the day of Pentecost – "the eleven" went off by themselves, separating from the company with whom they had spent the last ten days, and possibly even the forty days during which the risen Christ spoke to them about "things pertaining to the Kingdom of God" (Acts 1:3). We know Christ's post-resurrection appearances were not confined to "the eleven."
In his Gospel, Luke says of the disciples' activity after Christ's ascension and before Pentecost, "And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy: and were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God. Amen" (Luke 24:52-53). If that is a reference to "the eleven alone," then it contradicts what is said of the disciples in the first chapter of Acts – and such a contradiction is not possible. This is, after all, the record God Himself is giving of His Son (1 John 5:10-11). Further, a holy angel told the women who came to the empty tomb that they would see Jesus in Galilee, together with the eleven and Jesus' brethren (Matt 28:7; Mk 16:7). Jesus personally confirmed that word to them (Matt 28:10). Although Matthew says "the eleven" went away into a high mountain" to meet the resurrected Christ, there is no reason to suppose that this meant the eleven alone. Mark says Jesus "appeared unto the eleven while they say at meat" (Mk 16:14), while Luke says there were also others with them (Lk 24:33).
Paul declared that Jesus, in addition to the eleven, appeared to "James," "Matthias" (included in "the twelve," although not yet formerly an apostle when Jesus appeared to them), and "above five hundred brethren" (1 Cor 15:5-7).
Oh, there is something that would lead a person to conclude only the twelve were together with one accord on the day of Pentecost – a distorted theology and a sectarian spirit. Apart from these, I see nothing in Scripture that would compel a person to think in this manner.
PRAYER POINT: Father, in the name of Jesus, grant me grace to see the magnitude of Your promises.