Acts 2:15Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

"They are not drunk, as you suppose." Do you see how modest his defense is?

Although he had the greater part of the people on his side, he speaks to them very gently. First he refutes their wicked supposition, and only then proceeds to his defense.

For this reason he did not say, "as you say, mocking and laughing at us," but, "as you suppose." He wished to show that they said this unintentionally.

He attributed it rather to their ignorance than to evil intent.

"They are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is the third hour of the day." Why does he say this? Is it impossible to be drunk at the third hour?

Of course it is possible. But he did not wish to dwell on this at length, since the apostles were not at all in the state described by these people in mockery.

From this, then, we learn that one must not speak at length without need. On the other hand, his following words also confirm this.

He did not say, "These are not drunk, as you slanderously say," but, "as you suppose." He speaks more gently and does not wish to insistently prove that they said this from malice.

Instead, he attributes it to ignorance and does not convict them of impiety, thereby preparing for them a path to conversion.

And what does the objection mean, that it is not customary to become drunk at the third hour? Peter did not dwell on it.

They themselves did not really think this about the apostles, but said it only in slander.

But why does this happen at the third hour? To show the miraculous character of the event: the brightness of fire is visible in broad daylight, when everyone is in the square.

They were drunk, but not with what you suppose. They were drunk with that of which it is written: "They shall be filled with the fatness of Your house, and You shall give them drink from the torrent of Your delight" (Ps 35:9).

They were drunk with a sober drunkenness, which puts sin to death and gives life to the heart. This drunkenness is the opposite of bodily drunkenness.

The latter produces forgetfulness of what was known, but the former imparts knowledge of things unknown.

They were drunk after drinking wine from the spiritual Vine, which says of itself: "I am the vine, you are the branches" (Jn 15:5).

But if you do not believe me, understand the truth of my words from the time itself: "for it is the third hour of the day."

The third hour blossomed with divine words. This number belongs to God alone. The simple nature is allotted to three Persons. Many testimonies reveal this to us, and the times persuade us of it.

Then the twelve apostles came forward to the people, and Peter, no longer the former Peter, timid and fearful, but courageous and fearless, spoke to them.

He said that the extraordinary event now accomplished among them was the action of the Holy Spirit, whom God had once promised to send upon His servants.

He also said that Jesus Himself had sent this Spirit upon them, the disciples of Jesus. This was the same Jesus whom the Jews had recently crucified there.

God raised Him from the dead, glorified Him, and seated Him at His right hand. Therefore Jesus is the Christ.

The recent teachings of the Risen One Himself had shown that Christ had to suffer, and only by this path enter into His glory.

Beginning his speech, the Apostle Peter places himself in the position of an outside witness to what his hearers see and wonder at.

Therefore, while excluding neither himself nor the other apostles of Christ from the defense, he nevertheless speaks in the third person: "They are not drunk."

Thus the apostle first denies this false opinion of some concerning the wondrous gift of tongues. This opinion cast a black shadow upon the participants in the gift.

In confirmation of this testimony on behalf of the believers, he points to the time of day: "They are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is the third hour of the day."

This means the ninth hour according to our reckoning: the first hour of prayer and the time of the morning sacrifice.

Before this hour, especially on a feast day, an Israelite did not permit himself to take any food.

The word is directed first of all against the prejudice which, through the frivolity of some, was turning the whole present matter into shame.

The teacher speaks of people to whom he himself belongs as though speaking of others, since he speaks not from himself but from the Spirit of God. In a similar way the Evangelist John also spoke about himself.

Besides, everyone saw the present preacher. It would have been unnecessary for him to speak about himself.

In removing the accusation, he does not set forth either himself personally or his fellow apostles. He presents the refutation in another form.

It is simple, brief, and natural, yet also respectful toward the hearers: he appeals to the time common to all.

But an extraordinary phenomenon does not always evoke wonder alone. In a large crowd there will always be people for whose frivolity nothing is extraordinary or miraculous.

Whether to justify their deep ignorance, or to achieve base selfish aims, they will strive to reduce even the most extraordinary thing to the level of the vulgarity that alone is intelligible to them.

Such people were also found among the mass of the people surrounding the God-inspired Apostles. These senseless men were alien to holy wonder at the extraordinary phenomenon.

Mocking and nodding toward the Apostles, they said, “They are filled with sweet wine,” which in antiquity was a favorite morning drink. Thus blasphemous frivolity always laughs at holy inspiration.

"They are not drunk, as you suppose": remarkable is the softness and meekness with which this crude suspicion is removed.

It recalls the words of the Lord Himself, by which He once removed the reproach voiced by His enemies, that He had a demon: "I do not have a demon, but I honor My Father" (Jn 8:48-49).

"They" means all the disciples of Christ who were speaking in different languages. Peter and the Eleven, having been filled with the Holy Spirit, also undoubtedly spoke in different languages.

But now, beginning the first preaching to the people in explanation of the event, they stopped. The others probably continued speaking.

Refuting the slander by one natural argument, the apostle says that the third hour, counted from sunrise, is an utterly unsuitable time for drunkenness on the morning of a great feast.

He immediately gives the true explanation of the apostles' condition. He shows that what happened to them was what the prophet of God Joel had foretold.

The book of Joel's prophecies was written almost eight hundred years before that time, and the Jews honored it as inspired by God.

Blessed Theophylact greatly approves this appeal of the Apostle Peter to prophetic prediction.

"He does not appeal specifically to Christ, saying that after He had been crucified and risen, He promised the apostles this gift.