Notes

The first case example is found in Acts 2:1-4 and describes how the 120 in the upper room received the baptism in the Holy Spirit. The disciples had already expressed their faith and trust in Jesus. In John 15:3, Jesus told the disciples that they were already clean through the Word he had given them. In Luke 10:20, Jesus told the disciples that their names were written in heaven (See John 1:35-50, John 13:10-11, and Matt. 16:16). In Acts 2:4, the Bible clearly states that the 120 spoke in other tongues.

Next, let us look at the second case example recorded in Acts 8:14-19. This passage describes how the Samaritans received the baptism in the Holy Spirit. Philip would not have baptized the Samaritans in water if they had not believed in Jesus Christ. Acts only gives an abridged account of the Samaritans receiving the baptism in the Holy Spirit; and, therefore, does not actually say that they spoke in other tongues. However, Simon saw something happen to the Samaritans when Peter and John laid hands on them (Acts 8:18-19). Simon did not offer money to Philip, but he did offer money to Peter and John. The inference, which many non-Pentecostal evangelical scholars accept is that Simon saw the Samaritans speak in other tongues.

The third case example, found in Acts 9:17, describes Paul receiving the baptism in the Holy Spirit. Three days earlier, Paul had accepted Jesus when he called Jesus His Lord (Acts 9:5). Prior to the arrival of Ananias, Paul had been praying to Jesus (Acts 9:11). Again the Bible only gives an abridged account of Paul receiving the baptism in the Holy Spirit. The Bible in that specific incidence does not specifically say that Paul spoke in tongues when Ananias laid hands on him. However, in I Corinthians 14:18, Paul says that he speaks in tongues more than the Corinthian Christians. Later (Acts 19:6) Paul could only have been prepared for what happened to the Ephesians because he had received the baptism in the Holy Spirit in the same way.

The fourth case example, found in Acts 10:44-46; 11:15, describes the household of Cornelius. To better understand the situation with Cornelius here is some historical background. For several centuries prior to Peter and Paul, the Jews had been scattered all over the world. There were two classes of Jews: Hebraic and Hellenistic (Acts 6:1). The Hebraic Jews in Jerusalem were extremely biased against Gentiles; Peter and the rest of the 12 were Hebraic Jews. The Hellenistic Jews lived away from Jerusalem elsewhere in the Roman Empire.

The Hellenistic Jews were much more open to Gentiles, invited Gentiles to their synagogues, and in some cases even intermarried (Acts 16:1). The Gentiles were attracted to Judaism for several reasons: (1) it was the only monotheistic religion of that time, (2) the very high moral standards of Judaism in contrast with temple prostitution and low moral standards in all other religions, and (3) only Judaism promised a coming Messiah or Deliverer, which was good news to a world in which half the people were slaves.