Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven . . . Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians . . .
Acts 2:5, 9-11a (ESV)
Pentecost was one of the three annual pilgrimage festivals that brought Jews from all over the world into Jerusalem. Luke’s listing of the Jews in Jerusalem at Pentecost reflects the widespread presence of Jewish communities in that day. And it demonstrates their interest in being part of the larger Jewish community.
Part of Luke’s reason for listing the places these Jews were from was to demonstrate the remarkable nature of the Holy Spirit’s coming. The language barriers had come down, at least for a short time. All of these people heard the gospel proclaimed in their own language. But could there have been another reason for this itemized list?
Gathering a Scattered People
The Old Testament prophets spoke of a time, in the last days, when Jewish tribes scattered around the world would be gathered back together in their land. When their kingdom would be restored with a descendant of David sitting on the throne. And that the nations would come and worship God with them.
In Acts 1:6, the disciples asked Jesus if he was now going to restore the kingdom to Israel. If what the prophets had spoken of was to be fulfilled now. Jesus’ response to them was that the timing of that was not for them to know. Instead, they were instructed to wait in Jerusalem until they had received power from the Holy Spirit. And then they would be Jesus’ witnesses to the world.
And now, about a week later, with scattered Jews from the nations gathered in Jerusalem, the promised Holy Spirit came. In the sermon that followed, Peter clearly expressed that they were in the last days foretold by the prophets (Acts 2:16-17). And he identified Jesus as the exalted Christ at the right hand of God (Acts 2:33, 36) and as the descendant of David who would sit on David’s throne (Acts 2:30-31).
So why did Luke give us this long list of regions that the Jews had come from? Is it possible that Luke, and the early church, saw in the events of this Pentecost the fulfillment of the prophets who spoke of the regathering of the House of Israel from around the world and the establishment of the long-awaited kingdom?
