The Gospel Spread
“Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language. And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans? And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?” Acts 2.6-8
Each time I open my Bible, I am newly amazed at the intricacy of how God put together His recorded revelation to humanity – how He related His intentions in manners that could be understood by the various people groups.
Have you ever paid close attention to Peter’s sermon in Acts 2? During the infancy of the Body of Christ, the preaching of the Word – along with the understanding of what was being preached – was paramount. Having been filled with the Holy Ghost, the devout who were in attendance began to speak with a completely different vocabulary (glossa – “a language not naturally acquired” – Acts 2.4). The result of this filling was that those who came later, those from every nation (Acts 2.5) heard the message in their own language. The Greek word which translates “language” in Acts 2.6 is “dialektos” (a word from which we get our English word “dialect”).
From place-to-place, even in the United States, a statement or adage may have varying meanings. For these devout Jews to hear in their own dialect would have included local inflections and insinuations along with accents. Acts 2.7 specifically addresses the different accent the speakers would have had because they were Galileans – a reference to the difference between the hearers’ dialect (dialektos – translated “tongue” in Acts 2.8) and that of the speakers.
It seems that those who were filled with the Holy Spirit spoke with words they had not previously understood to a group of seekers, who were desiring to understand, in dialects that sent forth the Gospel of salvation in an easily understood (not needing further interpretation) language – that those willing hearers could take back to their communities and share for the furtherance of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. There were those, however, who were not sincere seekers to whom the Word of Salvation simply sounded like gibberish. (Acts 2.12, 13)
How well God had planned for and effected this wonderful spread of the Good News may be seen in the introductory remarks Peter made some time later in his first epistle. “Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia…” (I Peter 1.1)
The Good News was preached. The Good News was heard. The Good News was accepted. And, the Good News was spread.
Remember the exhortation of the Apostle Paul: “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!” (Romans 10.13-15) Copyright © 2025 Dr. John H. Hill, All rights reserved.
http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/
FaceBook page: facebook.com/groups/
Website: firstemmanuelbaptistchurch.comYouTube: https://youtube.com/@firstemmanuelbaptistchurch?si=bqoLMLz6UMC_-9no