David Bahn – Reflections

Acts 2:12-13

And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” ¹³ But others mocking said, “They are filled with new wine.”

I have a new appreciation for the accusation of the detractors on the occasion of Pentecost. When they say, “They are filled with new wine,” there is a barb here beyond the obvious. The obvious accusation is that the apostles are drunk. Their tongue-speaking is just a drunkard’s babble. But there may well be a subtext here; a razor-sharp cutting remark more against Jesus than meets the eye.

Luke records Jesus’ parable about putting new wine into old wineskins (Lk 5:36-39). The meaning: Jesus’ teachings are not meant simply to offer a new flavor, but a radically different approach to religion and faith. Rather than centering faith in the rituals of the temple, Jesus said, “Repent, for the Kingdom of God is at hand” (Mark 1:15). This is new wine, and it won’t fit with a temple-centric understanding of faith. Jesus’ ways were about real life and a God-centric faith. While he did not abandon the temple rites, he did say that one day the temple would be torn down.

But even when the curtain in the temple was torn in two at Jesus’ death, God still reigned over all the earth. Even when Jesus was laid in the tomb, God was on his throne. God’s reign over all is no more or no less at one time or another: Jesus feeding the 5000, or Jesus death on the cross.

Now, when the kingdom is being manifest by people hearing the Good News, the new wine of the Kingdom is being poured out among those many people who had come expecting to celebrate an Old Testament festival (one of the big three!) and who end up at the birthday party for the Christian Church! New wine indeed! The apostles are filled with the new wine of the Holy Spirit, and he makes all things new.

Let the detractors say what they will. God is breaking through and doing a new thing. Repent and believe the Good News: the Kingdom of God is at hand. Is there a place in your life where you need the new wine of the Holy Spirit, and Jesus’ presence?

Acts 2:1-13

When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. ² And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. ³ And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested^[a]on each one of them. ⁴ And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.

⁵ Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. ⁶ And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language. ⁷ And they were amazed and astonished, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? ⁸ And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? ⁹ Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, ¹⁰ Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome,¹¹ both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians—we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.” ¹² And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” ¹³ But others mocking said, “They are filled with new wine.”