The Acts of the Apostles describes the significant events marking the beginning of the Church, starting with the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. In Acts 2:1-4, the apostles experienced the fulfillment of Jesus' promise that the Father would send the Holy Spirit. This occurred on the Day of Pentecost, 50 days after Passover (Leviticus 23:15), which coincided with 50 days after Christ's resurrection and 10 days after His final ascension (Acts 1:3). Suddenly (ἄφνω), the house where the disciples were gathered was filled with a sound like a mighty rushing wind, though there was no actual wind (Acts 2:2). The sound enveloped the entire house, and the disciples saw what appeared to be divided tongues resembling fire resting on each of them (Acts 2:3). This extraordinary moment marked the disciples being mentally controlled by the Holy Spirit, enabling them to speak in different languages (Acts 2:4).
The concept of being “filled” is described using two Greek terms: πληρόω and πίμπλημι. The term πληρόω refers to being filled to completion, addressing what is lacking. For example, it is used in contexts such as fulfilling Scripture (Matthew 1:22), Christ fulfilling all righteousness through His baptism (Matthew 3:15), and fulfilling the law (Matthew 5:17). This type of filling signifies the ongoing filling of believers by the Holy Spirit today, as referenced in Ephesians 5:18. In contrast, πίμπλημι refers to a filling that implies control or influence, such as a sponge absorbing vinegar (Matthew 22:10) or rage overwhelming the mind (Luke 6:11). This term often describes how the Holy Spirit temporarily empowered Old Testament believers, such as Elizabeth being filled with the Holy Spirit in Luke 1:41.
