Heiser revives the correct understanding of the marvel of Pentecost

[EarlyActs]

I had a Biblical overview series several decades ago about the Messianic focus of the Bible. One segment related Bab-El to Pentecost, because the language-dividing curse was overcome in the Acts 2 event. This has always struck me as a fabulous sign from God for all the ages. But oddly, there is very little connection made. People know the languages were confused at Bab-El, but this seems to have no connection or resolution later. Another group of believers knows all about Pentecost and how to have it happen all over again at your church, by appointment, but knows nothing of the historical roots that supply the significance of the real event.

M Heiser recently recorded a treatment of this connection and seems to have covered all the bases. 2 times a key Greek term is used in Acts 2 about the event that draws on the Greek translation of the OT, the LXX. It is called "You Don't Understand What Really Happened At Pentecost." Enjoy some real research and thought!

One objection: Heiser think the miracle happened at the speaker's end (or at least he describes it that way several times), but the text needs to be read closely. The believers were heard in other languages at the hearer's end of things; it happened at their end. (Yes, it would take an outside observer to know the difference). If 20 languages were in the air at the same time, it would be a cacophony, but if the miracles was in the receiver's ear, there is no confusion.

 

[makesends]

I had a Biblical overview series several decades ago about the Messianic focus of the Bible. One segment related Bab-El to Pentecost, because the language-dividing curse was overcome in the Acts 2 event. This has always struck me as a fabulous sign from God for all the ages. But oddly, there is very little connection made. People know the languages were confused at Bab-El, but this seems to have no connection or resolution later. Another group of believers knows all about Pentecost and how to have it happen all over again at your church, by appointment, but knows nothing of the historical roots that supply the significance of the real event.

M Heiser recently recorded a treatment of this connection and seems to have covered all the bases. 2 times a key Greek term is used in Acts 2 about the event that draws on the Greek translation of the OT, the LXX. It is called "You Don't Understand What Really Happened At Pentecost." Enjoy some real research and thought!

One objection: Heiser think the miracle happened at the speaker's end (or at least he describes it that way several times), but the text needs to be read closely. The believers were heard in other languages at the hearer's end of things; it happened at their end. (Yes, it would take an outside observer to know the difference). If 20 languages were in the air at the same time, it would be a cacophony, but if the miracles was in the receiver's ear, there is no confusion.

You do realize you have a mental picture of the situation, that may not be quite what was going on, no? The speakers were not likely to be all in one group speaking at the same time. No cacophony implied by them speaking in the different languages. I'm not saying you're wrong, but I wouldn't be so sure.

 

[EarlyActs]

Actually that ‘all being in one group’ is part of the miracle. That’s when the text clarifies that the miracle was at the hearing, twice, vs 6, 8. The visitors knew they were from Galilee, but what they heard were their own languages, no matter where the visitor came from.

It was meant to be the opposite of Bab-El.

Luke is quite precise most of the time, but this time it was difficult to express how 2 different things were true at the same time.