There are two words in the first verse of Acts 2 that are telling us that there was a unity at that feast that was almost unheard of. First we find in this verse a rather unusual way of saying that the day of the feast “arrived” (Afr “die dag het aangebreek”). The Greek word that is used, (“sumplero’o”) literally means: “the day was found to be complete, together”. The reason why such an unusual word has been used here, is probably because BEFORE the actual day of Shavuot, the potential feast-goers were NOT together. They were coming from a great number of locations because verse 5 is telling us that they were from “every nation” known in those days. But they were all counting towards the day of Shavuot, as we counted towards this day for the past 50 days. And when they came together for the feast, the COUNTING towards the feast that took place at different locations, also came together and those who were present at the feast, agreed that the counting has now come to a complete end. And for this reason it is said in verse 1 that the day was found to be complete, together. Counting together – even when some of those who are counting are at far off locations, like Franskraal and Namibia and the Netherlands and South Korea – is a way of expressing our unity in the Word and our unity in Messiah!
The second word that is also a bit unusual, is the word that is translated with the words, “(they were all) with one mind”. Literally the Greek word means: “(they were all) of the same passion”. They came there with one purpose: to celebrate the feast of Yahweh. But most likely, during their stay in Jerusalem in the time before the feast, they would have heard of Y’shua of Nazareth – about his death and resurrection and ascension to heaven. So they came to the feast with the same passion and eagerness to find out more about this man who was killed and then rose again from the dead, after three days. Against the background of this unity on various levels – a unity in counting, a unity in desire to keep the feast, a unity in Messianic expectation and eagerness to learn about Y’shua, the table was set for them to be filled with the Spirit of Yahweh and to become part of a process that would turn out to be the fulfilment of many of the prophesies recorded in the Pre-Messianic Scriptures.
Seven times in the New Testament it is stated very clearly that the believers in Y’shua were filled with ONE SPIRIT (1 Cor 6:17; 1 Cor 12:9; 1 Cor 12:11; 1 Cor 12:13; Eph 2:18; Eph 4:4 and Phil 1:27). There is no other single factor that is so unifying in its nature, than the reality of being filled with the SPIRIT of Yahweh. When Yahweh pours out his Spirit upon any number of people, it is His way of binding them together, putting their minds on the same track, knitting their hearts together and giving them all a similar focus point and a shared goal to pursue. The word that we mentioned earlier, “sumplero’o”, starts with “sum” which simply means “together”. We have been brought together, in the very first place, by the Spirit of the one and only Elohim, who revealed his Name as Yahweh, and who used the apostle Kefa (Peter) on the day of Shavuot to highlight the 500 year old prophesy of Joel stating that every person who calls on the Name of Yahweh, will be saved. Today, together, we understand that this calling on the Name of Yahweh, is not a mere acknowledgement of the Name. It is also not a chanting of the Name, thinking that the mere use of the Name is like a magic wand that may be used to perform all kinds of miracles. No, calling on the Name of Yahweh together, is approaching Yahweh together, as frequently as possible, not afraid of taking his Name on our lips, trusting Him together to direct our lives and support us day by day with his strong right hand and through his Son, who, at this present time, is sitting at his right hand.
This day of Shavuot is, among other things, a day to celebrate our unity in Messiah – a unity that should never be affected by our own agendas, ou own selfishness or own petty grievances. A unity that we should never give up, never put into danger and always cherish as the most precious thing that we possess. The use of the Greek prefix, “sum” (“together”) in the New Testament confirms this, time and again. We are “co-heirs” together with (“sum”) the Messiah (Rom 8:17); as wild olive branches we have been grafted in together with (“sum”) the original olive branches (Rom 11:17); we have become fellow-partakers, together with (“sum”) many others, of the Good News that Yahweh had sent us the Messiah (1 Cor 9:23); if one member suffers, the other members suffer together with (“sum”) that member (1 Cor 12:26); we have been included together (“sum”) in the belief that is yet to be revealed as the belief that Yahweh had intended for this world from the very beginning (Gal 3:23); we have been brought together in one body and, together with (“sum”) fellow believers in Y’shua, have become partakers of a variety of promises made by Yahweh, the Almighty (Eph 3:6). Today is truly a special day – a day for us to once again express and proclaim our unity in Messiah – a unity based upon the fact that Yahweh has poured a measure of his Spirit into our hearts and encourages us to make our influence felt in this world – together!
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