Some of the travelers marveled at what they heard, and others were confused. Many in the crowd had come from distant corners of the Roman world and even from beyond Roman borders. All of them, however, heard the disciples of Jesus speak in their own dialects (Acts 2:7-8).
Some asked what this extraordinary moment meant. Others speculated that the disciples were all drunk (verses 12-13).
Peter then spoke, launching into his well-known sermon about the significance of Pentecost and these events as a fulfillment of prophecy.
What exactly did Peter’s sermon reveal about the significance of Pentecost and its fulfillment of prophecy?
Pentecost and the book of Joel
Peter’s sermon takes up much of Acts 2. In his message, he cites three passages of Scripture, the first being from the prophetic book of Joel. This passage hints at a significance of Pentecost not always understood.
The context of the prophecy in Joel that Peter quoted is “the great and awesome day of the LORD” (Joel 2:31). Other translations refer to it as “the great and terrible day” or “the great and dreadful day.”
That’s because this day is a time of both judgment and deliverance—judgment for those who oppose Christ at His return, and deliverance for those who look for “the coming of the day of God” (2 Peter 3:12).
The Day of the Lord is ushered in by dramatic and horrific events, including signs in the heavens (Joel 2:30; Revelation 8:12). This important time occurs when Christ returns to end the human misrule on this planet. (To learn more, see our article “What Is the Day of the Lord?”).
But how could the events of Pentecost, just weeks after the crucifixion of Christ, fulfill the prophecies of Joel? Why did Peter quote this prophecy? Did he get it wrong?
Filled with the Holy Spirit
No, Peter did not get it wrong. His message was inspired by the events of that morning. The disciples had all gathered “with one accord in one place” (Acts 2:1). They had remained in Jerusalem, obeying the command of Jesus to “tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high” (Luke 24:49; Acts 1:4-5).
And that is precisely what happened. After hearing the sound of a strong wind, and after seeing “tongues, as of fire” upon each of them, they were filled with God’s Holy Spirit (Acts 2:2-3).
It was this power from God that enabled the disciples to be heard in the different languages of the known world. Those visiting Jerusalem for Pentecost could understand the apostle’s words in their own languages.
God inspired Peter to make the connection to the wonderful passage in Joel that described when God would “pour out” His Spirit (Acts 2:17; Joel 2:28).
Peter, like many first-century Christians, may well have thought the latter days had come upon humans, but he was not wrong in citing Joel’s prophecy. What happened that Pentecost morning was clearly evidence of a fulfillment.
Joel wrote about the Day of the Lord, though. How do we reconcile the apparent disparity between his words and Peter’s interpretation?
Dual fulfillments of prophecy
Consider the fact that many biblical prophecies have dual fulfillments, and some have even more than two. This is particularly true with prophecies about Christ.
What happened on that Pentecost when 3,000 disciples were added to the Church—and what has happened since—points to an even greater harvest yet to come.
The Word became flesh (John 1:14) as Jesus 2,000 years ago, but Christ will also return at the end of the age (Matthew 24:3). Prophecies about Him often blend elements of both these events.
One such example is a prophecy Jesus quoted as He began His ministry. Jesus read all of Isaiah 61:1 and the first line of the next verse, but then stopped short.
The last line Jesus read is “to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord” (Luke 4:19). The next line in Isaiah’s prophecy, which Jesus did not read, is “and the day of vengeance of our God” (Isaiah 61:2).
The line Jesus did not read clearly refers to His return at the end of the age. Christ thus indicated that this prophecy has two fulfillments.
Understanding Joel’s prophecy
The first passage Peter quoted on that Pentecost morning twice uses the expression, “I will pour out My Spirit” (Acts 2:17-18; Joel 2:28-29).
In the first instance this statement refers to “all flesh,” or all people.
This is a significant change.
Prior to this time, God’s Holy Spirit was not available to most people—not even most of the nation of Israel. There were, however, exceptions. God did give His Spirit to some kings, a few prominent leaders, and the true prophets of God (1 Samuel 16:12-13; Numbers 11:24-25; Jeremiah 1:9).
It seems that few other people, even among the chosen nation of Israel, had received the Holy Spirit. It is this understanding that makes the words all flesh in Joel so stunning.
As explained in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, “Joel went on to point out that what the Lord intended is that his Holy Spirit would be poured out, not on selected individuals for a particular task, but on all believers” (Vol. 7, p. 255).
In the second instance, “I will pour out My Spirit” is applied to God’s “menservants” and “maidservants.” This emphasizes the idea that God will give His Spirit not only to kings, prophets and prominent leaders, but to all of those whom God will call to Himself (John 6:44; Acts 2:39).
The significance of Pentecost for the early Church
The other two prophecies Peter quoted in his Pentecost sermon were about Christ—His resurrection (Acts 2:25-28; Psalm 16:8-11) and His enthronement (Acts 2:34-35; Psalm 110:1).
It is because of His death and resurrection that believers can receive God’s Holy Spirit. The night before His crucifixion, Jesus told His disciples that they would not receive the Holy Spirit until He had gone away. He had to die and be raised first.
So Peter’s message moved from the explanation of the events of that morning, when the disciples had received the Holy Spirit, to the death and resurrection of Christ. Receiving the Holy Spirit was possible only because of Christ’s death and resurrection.
The climactic moment at the end of the sermon summed up the choice before them. They had to repent and “be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins” (Acts 2:38) before they could receive God’s Spirit. The same is true today.
As a result of this sermon, many who were in Jerusalem for the holy day did repent and receive God’s Spirit. In one day “about three thousand souls were added” (verse 41). It was an impressive beginning for the fledgling Church.
But, as significant as it was, that day did not fulfill the end-time aspect of Joel’s prophecy. What it did do was inaugurate the next stage in God’s plan.
Firstfruits and Pentecost
Pentecost is the Greek name for the holy day also known as the Feast of Weeks. (The Greek word pentēkostē means “fiftieth.”) Firstfruits are at the core of the meaning of this holy day, and this concept helps us understand the dual fulfillment of the passage in Joel.
The firstfruits of the barley harvest were offered 50 days, or seven weeks, before Pentecost (Leviticus 23:9-11, 15-16). And Pentecost itself was the day when the firstfruits of the wheat harvest were offered (The Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible, Vol. 4, p. 692).
Paul identified Christ as the “firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep” (1 Corinthians 15:20), corresponding to the offering made 50 days before Pentecost. In other passages, Paul identified a Christian named Epaenetus as “the firstfruits of Achaia to Christ” (Romans 16:5). Christians are a kind of firstfruits (James 1:18).
Paul also wrote of Christians as those “who have the firstfruits of the Spirit” (Romans 8:23). In this passage he connects firstfruits with having the Holy Spirit.
The implication of the term firstfruits is that the harvest is not yet complete. The fact that they are first means more will come later.
What happened on that Pentecost when 3,000 disciples were added to the Church—and what has happened since—points to an even greater harvest yet to come.
The future significance of Pentecost
That Pentecost of Acts 2 was a partial fulfillment of Joel’s prophecy. God did pour out His Spirit in a way that He had not done before. But the day when “all flesh” will have the chance to receive His Spirit has not yet occurred. That much larger harvest is foreshadowed by the festivals that come later in the year. (To learn more, read about the “Feast of Tabernacles” and “The Last Great Day.”)
Until then, Christians can take comfort in knowing that the same God who fulfilled Joel’s prophecy in the days of the early Church will fulfill that prophecy in an even grander way in the future.
May God speed that day!
