What does Acts 2:13 mean?

Jews have come from the Middle East and the Roman Empire to Jerusalem to celebrate Pentecost, but one crowd is getting more than they expected—a group of Galileans speaking in the crowd's individual native dialects (Acts 2:5–11). The members of the crowd seem to have one of two reactions.

Some are "amazed and perplexed" (Acts 2:12). Naturally, they're curious as to how Galileans could speak languages native to places as varied as Alexandria, Rome, and Mesopotamia. Like the many crowds Jesus encountered in His ministry, they want to hear more.

Others immediately dismiss the phenomenon. They mock the Jesus-followers, saying they are drunk. "New wine" isn't the same as the new wine mentioned in Mark 2:22. The term is from the Greek root word gleukos which literally means "sweet drink" or grape juice. At the time of Pentecost, there is no "new wine." The grape and olive harvests haven't started, yet, and the newest wine is almost ten months old. This is a derogatory dismissal with no real basis.

The disciples who have traveled with Jesus are used to this. After performing miracles around the Sea of Galilee, scribes from Jerusalem declared Jesus' power came from Satan. Jesus pointed out that since He was working against Satan, this wouldn't be a very good strategy (Mark 3:22–27). Jesus has prepared His disciples for this reaction. He explained that His message is hard to hear (Matthew 10:34–39). They will be persecuted (Matthew 10:16–23). But if they are preaching His message and the people reject it, they are rejecting Him, not His servants (Luke 10:16; John 15:18–20).

Jesus also told His disciples that those who belong to Him will follow Him when they hear His voice (John 10:3–4). This proved to be true the week before the crucifixion when God called down and some only heard thunder (John 12:28–29). And it will be the standard experience Paul finds when he travels throughout modern-day Turkey and Greece, preaching. Some will accept his words, but many won't. Our job is to make disciples (Matthew 28:19): to teach and grow others in the knowledge of God. It's the Holy Spirit's job to make people born-again Christians in the first place (John 16:8; Titus 3:5).