Two types of responses

Upon hearing the apostles speaking in foreign languages, the pilgrims responded two in two ways: positive and negative. “And they all continued in amazement and great perplexity, saying to one another, ‘What does this mean?’” This is the positive response. They recognized that a miracle was happening and sought to understand its meaning. “But others were jeering and saying, ‘They are full of sweet wine!’” This is the negative response. These mockers laughed at the apostles, claiming they were drunk on “sweet wine,” which is a young wine in the process of fermenting and particularly intoxicating. In the Jewish culture of the time, drunkenness was condemned. Especially at 9 a.m., which was the time for the morning sacrifice, being intoxicated at that hour was a major issue. Furthermore, being intoxicated in the Temple was entirely unacceptable.

The grand view of God

Before moving on, let’s take a moment to review who are the dispersed Jews (the Diaspora). (1) In Hebrew, they are called “Galut” (exile), and in Greek, “Diaspora” (scattered ones). Their origins lie in the Assyrian captivity (722 BC) and the Babylonian captivity (586 BC). Only a small number of Jews returned from captivity. During the Roman era, some Jews also migrated voluntarily in search of business opportunities. (2) The largest Jewish community in ancient times was in Alexandria. In the first century BC, about 40% of Alexandria’s population was Jewish. In the first century AD, the Diaspora population was around 5 million, and four-fifths of them lived within the Roman Empire. (3) After 70 AD, the situation changed. The Jews, having lost the Temple, began to settle in the major cities of the Orient and the Roman world, but they did not assimilate into the Gentile cultures. This, however, contributed to the rise of anti-Semitism. (4) The presence of the Diaspora served as an effective means for spreading the Gospel. The event of the descent of the Holy Spirit in Jerusalem was conveyed to the Roman world in a short time. Furthermore, Paul’s evangelism had a deep connection to the synagogues in the Diaspora regions. The history of how the Diaspora has immerged is tragic, but God has used even that for the fulfillment of His plan. God guides history with a grand view, which our perspective must also align with. For this, Bible study is essential. Our motto, “spiritual awakening through Bible study,” is indeed fitting.