Why did the twelve Jews in Acts 19 speak in tongues?
The twelve Jews in Acts 19 spoke in tongues because the Holy Spirit manifested for a divine purpose: to show that God's program was changing. They had been saved under John's baptism but knew nothing of Paul's Gospel, so the sign proved that the new basis was Christ's death, burial, and resurrection, not John's baptism or Christ's earthly ministry.
Les explains that the Holy Spirit’s manifestation in Acts was not for emotional upheaval or private display; it was for a divine purpose, to prove something. In Acts 19 these twelve Jews were in the transition: they had been saved under John’s baptism but had known nothing of Paul’s Gospel, the Body of Christ, and further revelations. Their speaking in languages other than their own showed that God was now moving in a new program. It was no longer based on John’s baptism and Christ’s earthly ministry, but on that which followed the work of the cross—His death, burial, and resurrection. Along with chapter 2 with Israel and chapter 10 with Gentiles, they were one of the three categories that came under this manifestation of the Holy Spirit’s power.
And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples,
See the restWho were the people involved in the third tongue-speaking event in Acts 19?
The third tongue-speaking event in Acts 19 involved a unique little group, small in number, who were representative of a larger group. The supplied context does not name them further, only distinguishing them from the Jews in Acts 2 and the whole house of Gentiles in the second occurrence.
Who were the twelve men in Acts 19 that Paul met?
The twelve men Paul met were Jews in transition who had been saved under John’s baptism but knew nothing of Paul’s Gospel, the Body of Christ, or the further revelations. They were the third category in Acts, following Israel in chapter 2 and Gentiles in chapter 10.
More Questions
Which groups in Acts spoke in languages other than their own?
Those three categories are the only ones that came under the manifestation of the power of the Holy Spirit to speak in languages other than the ones in which they normally practiced.