TEAM UNITY - C: Pentecost Sunday

First Reading: Acts 2:1-11 (5 June 2022)

“Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven” (Acts 2:5).

This is the New International Version of Acts 2:5, which renders the Greek “eulabēs” as “God-fearing” (see also Bible in Basic English). Another popular translation of this adjective is “devout” as seen in the New King James Version, New Revised Standard Version, and New American Bible, among many. The Good News Translation uses the word “religious” instead.

The term “eulabēs” occurs four times in the New Testament, viz., Lk 2:25; Acts 2:5; 8:2; 22:12. In all of these verses, “eulabēs” is used to describe people who are renowned for their holiness and piety. Particularly, there was Simeon, a main stay in the temple who “was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him” (Lk 2:25). Another was the group of courageous men who buried Stephen, the first martyr of the Jesus-movement (Acts 8:2). These believers were steadfast in their faith amid the escalation of the persecution of all followers of Jesus. Finally, there was Ananias, who was the one whom God commissioned to return Saul’s sight and give him the Holy Spirit as God’s new messenger (cf. Acts 9:10-19; 22:12-13).

Hence, the term “eulabēs”—translated into English as “God-fearing,” “devout,” and “religious”—hints at the deep religiosity of the attendees at the Pentecost in Jerusalem. Like Simeon, Stephen’s company, and Ananias, they were seeking the best way of pleasing, adoring, and obeying God. Thus, they were no mere tourists nor plain admirers of the Jewish customs and practices.

Rather, they were pilgrims who wanted to communicate with God, people who truly value their relationship with the divine even if they were not yet fully committed to it.

This scenario recalls the visit of some Greeks (Hellēnes) in Jn 12:20: “Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the Feast.” This is a surprising occurrence since the Jews were the only ones required to worship in Jerusalem by virtue of their strict adherence to the Mosaic law. Yet, in this episode the Greeks took the burden of traveling from a far away land (cf. Jn 7:35). Their intention to connect with God and the truth is validated later when they sought an audience with Jesus, saying to Philip, “We would like to see Jesus” (Jn 12:21b).

What transpired next at the Pentecost is that the Spirit descended upon the apostles as they were gathered in the Upper Room (cf. Acts 2:1). Soon, they bravely stepped out of their hiding and proclaimed about Jesus. The pilgrims there were amazed upon hearing them, wondering, “Then how is it that each of us hears them in his own native language? Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the part of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!” (vv. 8-11). Later, this wonderful event led to the immediate baptism of three thousand new believers of Jesus (v. 41),

who united with each other by devoting “themselves to the apostle’s teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer” (v. 42).

If unity is indeed dreamt to be realized in the Philippine society, it should be within the context of a communal and participative “eulabēs,” wherein all stakeholders (i.e., the elected leaders and constituents) team up in living out God-values, the truth, and the welfare of every member.

- Rex Fortes, CM