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At first sight, there appears to be little in common with the narrative of the
appointment of Matthias and the coming of the spirit on the day of Pentecost;
nevertheless a patient study reveals one or two connections. For example, in Acts 1: 16
we read: "The Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake", and in Acts 2: 4: "They were
all filled with the Holy Ghost and began to speak with tongues as the Spirit gave them
utterance." Here is an evident parallel, the inspiration of the Psalmist in the past being
comparable with the enduement of the apostles at Pentecost. Still closer to Acts 2: 4 is
the statement of David himself in II Sam. 23: 2: "The Spirit of the Lord spake by me,
and His Word was in my tongue." It is moreover important to notice the way in which
the Psalms are brought forward as proof, or warrant, or as bring fulfilled in the early
Acts. For instance:--
Psa. 41: is quoted as of Judas in Acts 1: 16.
Psas. lxix and 109: are quoted of Judas in Acts 1: 20.
Psa. 16: is quoted of the resurrection in Acts 2: 25-28.
Psa. 132: is quoted of the true King in Acts 2: 30.
In Acts 13:, where a new section commences, Paul is found following the same
plan:--
Psa. 89: is quoted of David himself in Acts 13: 22.
Psa. 132: is quoted of David's seed in Acts 13: 23.
Psa. 2: is quoted as of the resurrection in Acts 13: 33.
Psa. 16: is quoted as of the resurrection in Acts 13: 35.
We shall accordingly be wise if we add to the notes already made the two references
Acts 1: 6 and 2: 4. At first sight there appears to be no connection between the fate of
Judas, as recorded in Acts 1: 18, 19, and the record of the gathering at Jerusalem in
Acts 2: 5, 6. Yet in spite of the dissimilarity of subject, upon comparison two parallels
are discovered. The fate of Judas, we learn, was known to "all the dwellers at
Jerusalem", the Greek word used being katoikousin (Acts 1: 19). The same word is used
in Acts 2: 5, "There were dwelling at Jerusalem" (katoikountes). Moreover Peter says
that the field that Judas purchased was called Aceldama "in their proper tongue", which
in the Greek reads te idia dialekto. Exactly the same words are used by the dwellers at
Jerusalem in Acts 2: 6 when they said, "Every man heard them speak in his own
language" (te idia dialekto). Further, we note that where 1: 15 says that the gathering
was "together", and in 2: 1 "in one place", the identical Greek phrase (epi to auto) is
used "upon the same thing". We have therefore before us enough material fully to justify
the oneness of the section before us. Let us put the pieces together.