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This IMPERFECT PARALLEL SYMMETRY introduces the first manifestation by the Holy Spirit upon the people. Some might include verse 13 in this literary unit, suggesting that not all in the crowd were amazed at this event, and some might not because that contrast between drunkenness and Peter′s explanation of this event belongs to the next literary unit. I chose to include verse 13 in both literary units.
1) The sudden and violent noise in the FIRST/FIRST elements, A and A′, brought the crowd together but possibly in fear. That noise was accompanied by a very strong rushing wind. Just as the sound and wind brought the crowd, it engaged me as the reader.
2) The EXTRA B element, verses 3 and 4A, presents the tongues as a fire which were distributed onto the disciples — they were filled with the Holy Spirit. To me, this is very emphatic. In their shoes, I picture myself overwhelmed with both fear and wonder at the same time.
3) The LAST/LAST elements, C and C′, introduce their speaking in tongues. And the crowd was bewildered as they spoke the mighty works of God. The skeptic within me would ask, What is this?, while the lover within me would proclaim Wow, wow, wow in a loud voice.
4) I have read this story about the impartation of tongues many times, a powerful move of the Holy Spirit. As I prepared this analysis, what particularly struck me came through the CLOSING SUMMARY. There are two groups of people: those from many nations that spoke tongues, identified in the x CENTER POINT in verses 9-11A, and devout Jewish people from Jerusalem in verse 5 that were potentially some of the same ones that called for the crucifixion of Jesus. The FIRST/LAST elements, a and a′, state that the Jewish people were amazed, astonished, and perplexed. As I pondered this, I understood there was an equally powerful move of the Holy Spirit to open their hearts and minds. That revelation, especially seen in the SUBSTRUCTURE SUMMARY in verse 13, is the CONTRAST between those who were amazed and the skeptics.
5) Within the closing summary, there are three QUESTIONS as Why is this?, How is this possible?, and What does this mean?. I suggest that questions such as these are part of the narrative but are also intended for readers to answer for themselves. That is, the Holy Spirit seems to have placed these queries so that the reader must struggle with the meaning of all this. These questions are highly emphatic to me.
PARALLEL SYMMETRY (IMPERFECT):
... the day of Pentecost ...
a change of time
BEGINNING MARKER: When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. (v1)
a violent noise as they were sitting
A
And suddenly there came from heaven a noise like a violent rushing wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. (v2)
EXTRA: tongues of fire rested on the disciples; they were filled with the Holy Spirit
B
And there appeared to them tongues as of fire distributing themselves, and they rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit (v3,4A)
the disciples began to speak in tongues
C
and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance. (v4B)
a change of characters
SUB-UNIT MARKER: Now there were Jews living in Jerusalem, devout men from every nation under heaven. (v5)
the violent sound brought the crowd
A′
And when this sound occurred, the crowd came together, (v6A)
no text
B′
the crowd heard them speaking in their own language
C′
and were bewildered because each one of them was hearing them speak in his own language. (v6B)
QUESTION: asked why in amazement
a
They were amazed and astonished, saying, “Why, are not all these who are speaking Galileans? (v7)
QUESTION: heard in our own language
b
And how is it that we each hear them in our own language to which we were born? (v8)
the locations of the many visitors
x
“Parthians and Medes and Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the districts of Libya around Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabs— (v9-11A)
heard in our own tongues
b′
we hear them in our own tongues speaking of the mighty deeds of God.” (v11B)
QUESTION: asked for explanation in amazement
a′
And they all continued in amazement and great perplexity, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” (v12)
SUBSTRUCTURE SUMMARY: some thought they were drunk
sum
But others were mocking and saying, “They are full of sweet wine.” (v13)