I've gotten a raft of comments on
my comparison of John 20:22 with Acts 2:1-4
in a recent question.
Some were more diplomatic than others in suggesting my
understanding of these verses leaves something to be desired.
So let's take another look and see how these two passages
are alike and how they're different.
We'll take John 20:22 first, in the context of the
passage.
On the
evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were
together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came
and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you!"
After he said this, he showed them
his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw
the Lord.
Again Jesus
said, "Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am
sending you." And with that he
breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit.
If you forgive anyone his sins, they
are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not
forgiven." (John 20:19-23)
Some have suggested that Jesus was only
pretending here, his breath meant to imitate the sound the Holy
Spirit would make when He really came 50 days later, and not
investing the disciples with the Holy Spirit.
But Acts 2:2 says the sound of the Holy Spirit was
much different.
Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from
heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting.
It's like comparing the sound of blowing out birthday candles to
the sound of a hurricane.
And the Greek word for receive in John
20:22 is lambano and means to take or lay hold of something
in order to use it, or carry it away.
It denotes permanence and possession.
The same word is used in Acts 8:17 referring to
the believers in Samaria when they finally realized they
had received the Holy Spirit after Peter and John
arrived. I don't
believe Jesus was pretending, any more than Peter and John were.
I think the
disciples who were present were receiving the Holy Spirit just
like it says.
Jesus met with the disciples several times
after that night, speaking with them about the Kingdom of God. (Acts
1:3)
On one occasion, while he was eating
with them, he gave them this command: "Do not leave Jerusalem,
but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard
me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days
you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit." (Acts 1:4-5)
The Greek word for baptize literally means to
be temporarily immersed, usually in water.
Jesus explained that while that was the case with John's
baptism, soon the disciples would be temporarily immersed in the
Holy Spirit, giving them miraculous power.
So when they met together, they asked him,
"Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to
Israel?"
He said to them: "It is not for you to know
the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority.
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on
you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea
and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." (Acts 1:6-8)
This gift was not the receipt of the Holy
Spirit, which had already happened, but the power to do
miraculous works.
Remember, He had previously told them the Holy Spirit had been
with them and would be in them (John 14:17).
This had been accomplished.
Now He was saying the Holy spirit
would come upon them.
This is seen in the use of the Greek word
“eperchomai” which is translated to come upon or come on. It
means to over power someone, or take them over.
The same Greek word described the 2 instances recorded in
Acts of Gentiles speaking in tongues.
In Acts 10:44 the Holy spirit came upon the
Gentiles listening to Peter at Cornelius' house.
In Acts 19:6 the Holy Spirit came upon a group of
Gentiles when Paul baptized them in the name of Jesus.
I believe both of these events were temporary situations
intended to show the Jewish leadership that the Holy Spirit
could come upon Gentiles as well as Jews.
The Holy Spirit had also come upon men in
Old Testament times, as with Balaam (Numbers 24:2), Saul
(1 Sam. 11:6), Amasai (1 Chron. 12:18), Azariah (2
Chron. 15:1) and Zechariah (2 Chron 24:20).
Understanding the difference between receiving
the Holy Spirit (lambano) and having Him come upon you (eperchomai)
helps clear up some of the confusion surrounding these verses.
And Now For Acts 2
When the day of Pentecost came, they
were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the
blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole
house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be
tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them.
All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak
in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. (Acts 2:1-4)
The word for filled also means to be
temporarily taken over.
And men had been filled with the Holy Spirit in the Old
Testament as well. Examples are Joseph (Genesis 41:38)
when he interpreted Pharaoh's dream, and Bezalel of the tribe of
Judah who was given supernatural skill in designing and working
the gold, silver, and bronze ornamentation for the tabernacle (Exodus
31:2-4).
Both Zechariah and Elizabeth, the parents
of John the Baptist, were filled with the Holy Spirit (Luke
1:41, 1:67) over 30 years before Pentecost.
In addition people are also said to be filled with wrath
(Luke 4:28), fear (Luke 5:26), wonder (Acts
3:28), etc. In
every case the same Greek word is used.
And in every case it describes a temporary condition.
So being filled with the Holy Spirit did
not originate with Pentecost, nor did having Him come upon us.
But don't get the idea that temporary means it only
happens once for a little while and then it's gone for good.
Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit in Acts 2.
But then he was filled again in Acts 4:8 and once
more in Acts 4:31.
Paul was filled with the Holy Spirit in Acts 9:37
and again Acts 13:9. It can happen every time there's a
need.
Here's the point I made in my answer.
When we first come to faith the Holy Spirit is sealed
within us as a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance (Ephes.
1:13-14) and
will remain there as long as we live on this Earth.
The disciples experienced this on the evening of the
Lord's resurrection and ever since then every believer has had
the same experience.
But from time to time the Holy Spirit will come upon us
and we will be temporarily filled with His power to perform a
miracle on His behalf.
Every believer can also experience this. It doesn't
require a special ceremony, and it doesn't only happen in some
churches. It can happen at any time to any believer who makes
himself or herself available in faith.
It has happened to me and it can happen to you. Selah
03-27-10
