Southern Stairs Today with Excavated Mikvehs
When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place.
– Acts 2:1
The events that took place in Acts Chapter 2, where God poured out His spirit and empowered His small band of followers is the pivotal event in New Testament Christianity. Where did this amazing event take place? Most Christians assume that it took place in the upper room where the disciples had been staying. However, a closer look at the Text and some research into the historical setting of the Feast of Pentecost provides strong proof that the events of Pentecost actually took place in an entirely different location. Let’s see what the evidence shows.
- Luke 24:53 says that the disciples stayed continually at the Temple praising God. The Feast of Pentecost, or Shavuot in Hebrew, was just starting in Jerusalem as the book of Acts begins. It was one of the three great pilgrim feasts that every Jewish male was required to attend (see Deuteronomy 16:16). Where would these Jewish believers, who were continually in the Temple Courts anyway, have been on the first day of the feast of Pentecost? They would have been at the Temple!
- Acts 2:6-12 states that huge crowds of people from every nation gathered to hear Peter speak. Where would there have been room for great crowds of people, who were in Jerusalem for the Feast of Pentecost, during the time of day that the Temple services would have been held? It would have had to have been somewhere in the Temple area, the only place where there would have been that much space!
- In Acts 2:15, Peter told the crowd gathered that it was 9:00 in the morning. This would have been the exact time for the morning Pentecost service in the Temple. Certainly the disciples and the crowd would have wanted to be present for the Pentecost services.
- In Acts 2:2, it says that the sound of a violent wind filled the whole house where they were sitting. The Temple is frequently called, “The House” in the Old Testament (see e.g. 2 Samuel 7:5). Even in Acts 7:47, the Temple is called, “The House”. The House where they were sitting was the Temple!
- Peter spoke of the Tomb of David as being there (Acts 2:29). David was buried in the “City of David” (I Kings 2:10), which is the part of Jerusalem that is the closest to the Temple Mount.
In Acts 2:41, it says that three thousand people were baptized in response to the apostles preaching. One of the only places in Jerusalem with that much water to baptize three thousand people would have been at the southern entrance to the Temple, where there were located numerous “mikvoth”. These were ritual baths used by the worshipers to ceremonially cleanse themselves before entering the grounds of the Temple. These pools, which already symbolized the removal of the uncleanness of sin, and their proximity to where the crowds would have been gathered, gives further evidence to Pentecost happening in or around the southern stair entrance to the Temple grounds.
All this evidence overwhelmingly points to the events of Acts 2 taking place on or near the southern stair entrance to the Temple. Hundreds of thousands of God fearing Jews from all over the known world (Acst2:5) were gathered to celebrate the Jewish Feast of Shavuot (Leviticus 23:15-22). At this ancient Jewish feast, God came in the form of tongues of fire and settled on the new believers. God moved out of his old “House”, the Temple, and moved into a new “House”, the hearts of the believers. All of this took place in the framework of Old Testament prophecies that were fulfilled at this miraculous event and it all happened at the place God had his people build a place for Him to dwell!
About the author:
Bob is the creator of this site and a disciple of Ray Vander Laan. Along with his wife of 50 years, he teaches a Bible study at Christ’s Church in Roswell, NM. He is also an avid hunter and fisher.
Thank you for this article. I do not think that folks realise the import of this, as so many think that this took place anywhere else but the Temple. You have provided ample proof to show otherwise.
Helpful verses. Know i have the true knowledge, wisdom, and understanding about when and where Pentecost took place?
Thank you for all your hard work and effort in researching this very important work. It has helped me with my studies for Small group.
Thank you for all your hard work and effort in researching this very important work. It has helped me with my studies for Small group.
I appreciated this detailed work so much as it throws great light to Acts 2.
This is the wisdom from above. Indeed insightful
God bless you for this detailed research. This will help those in search of the truth of God’s word to know and understand better.
Thank you for this research. It’s really helpful.
As a new arrival at the HOUSE OF GOD AND HIS SON JESUS, whom I now accept as my savior – I have taken years looking at WHAT in the Bible and enjoyed the journey –
I thank you for your research and I believe that your findings are well supported – I therefore accept your study results as to where the HOLY SPIRIT came down to EARTH….. Denise
Fantastic eye opener more anointing sir
This is really interesting.
Thank you for your Research.
Blessings.
Thankyou -so many of us as Christians are searching for the simple truth – this makes so much sense-modern Christianity is marked by opinions, mistruths and interpretations – thankyou for opening our eyes
Thank you so much for your diligence and fervency for Truth. This study has truly helped me get a better understanding . May your heart continue to burn for God in Jesus’ name.
This is a great eye openner
Don’t confuse archaeology with faith. Just as the feeding of the 5000 was not limited by the number of loaves and fishes, this baptism of 3000 is not constrained by the size of the room or area: that’s the whole point, it’s a mystery.
I believe the disciples were in Jerusalem yes, but in the upper room. Why am I saying this? Acts 1:4 says” Gathering them together he commanded them not to leave Jerusalem. So this already tells us the place. And in Acts 1:12 it says” Then they returned to Jeruselem from mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a sabbath days journey away. And Acts 1:13 says” when they had entered the city, they went up to the upper room where they were STAYING, and it continues to say all the disciples 11 of them were in the upper room BUT same Acts 1, in verse 15 it says” At this time Peter stood up in the midst of the Brethren a gathering of about 120 persons. Wo! Wait a minute. Where were they all these? In the upper room according to the scriptures. And they chose one to replace Judas. And guess what, that’s where the disciples were sitting, because Acts 2 says, when the day of Pentecost had fully come THEY WERE ALL TOGETHER IN ONE PLACE( where was that? In jerusalem at the temple, I dont think so, why? Because the scriptures are clear that the the noise which came from heaven like the rushing mighty wind filled the house which they were sitting, and the house in this case was not the temple, it was the upper room because that’s where the disciples were sitting, there wer not sitting in the temple in Jerusalem, no, but upper room. Remember 120 men were in there at first. And bible let’s us know that ( Acts 1:5) Now there were jews living in jerusalem, devout men from every nation under heaven, and when this sound occurred, THE CROWD CAME TOGETHER,( came together were? Were the apostles were sitting, in that upper room they heard the sound of those apostles speaking in tongues and you can imagine all speaking loud at once, and they came to see what was happening) AND WERE BEWILDERED . BECAUSE BECAUSE EACH HEARD THEM SPEAKING IN THEIR LANGUAGE. and I believe when people came and surrounded the place they had to come out and spoke to the people . So, I believe all happened in the upper room not the temple. And you better remember these were disciples of Jesus who were not welcome in Jewish temples be ause when they captured jesus they all went away ,but thanks be to God they met again and STAYED in the upper room. Amen…
How many houses in Jerusalem at the time would have held 120 men? Furthermore, Peter addresses the crowd “men of Jerusalem” implying that there were no women and children in the crowd. This is because the upper room is the same one described by Josephus as being on the top of the wall of the inner court of the temple with a single roof but intermittent walls to divide the rooms. Where were devout Jewish men from all over the world on Pentacost? In the inner court of the temple where there were no women and children. Peter told the crowd that they were not drunk as it was morning. It was customary to drink during Pentecost as described in Torah. Also in Torah is a description of the sacrifices that must be made in order to be made pure to enter the inner court so If Yeshua (Jesus) ended the sacrifices when he died and rose again then how did his disciples gain entry to the inner court 50 days later?
Thanks be to the Holy spirit for your effort in enlightenment and clearing our minds and hearts of this great event now and more than 2000 years in our time
Blessings to You.
Just think it took place at the UPPER ROOM from what the book of Acts records.
Thanks for illuminating what seems difficult to know , God bless in Jesus name
Oh that Blessed assurance !
One day ,soon, we will all be re united !
Mysteries will be unfolded.
Oh what a day, Glorious day that will be!
What a saviour !
” Our God Reigns” Supreme !
Jesus is mine.
You know when it comes to a question about biblical things or particular events of said book ( Bible ) still it is the best resource for All things in this Universe and beyound. God is God of All things far and wide. Faith in it is the most vital ingrediant for All of mankind. Heb. 11:1. And the evidence of things not seen.
Keep up the good work! Thanks be to God for brother Bob for this detailed study.
The myth of Acts 2:2 occurred in a room is prevalent in the Church, in all the teaching and preaching I am aware of, and in all the English, Chinese, and Vietnamese Bibles that I have.
I read an article from the internet long time ago when the web was text only, and I did not keep a record nor recall the author’s name. It was the only one I knew that explicating Acts 2:2 as happened on the Temple ground.
After years of meditating on that historical event, my conviction gets firmer with my personal understanding:
a). Strong’s Concordance on G3624 oikos includes “temple” in addition to dwelling/house etc.
b). If the rushing wind and cloven tongues of fire were observable from a narrow Jerusalem street then the Upper Room was on street level or should be livestreamed with jumbotrons and loudspeakers transmitting dozens of foreign dialects simultaneously.
c). I can’t imagine the hill city of Jerusalem had a public square capable to hold thousands of visitors in addition to the Temple and the Palace. My personal experience in the military required an orderly formation of 3,000 soldiers an area not lesser than a football field.
d). How and where did the apostle Peter answer the converted crowd, from the balcony, if there was one, of the Upper Room? Did Peter sprinkle them from the pitcher of the Upper Room owner (Luke 22:10)? (Forgive me if you disagree with Westminster Standard!) The Temple is the only facility in Jerusalem to wash ceremonially thousands in a day, there was no suitable stream in and around Jerusalem for immersion! Hence John the baptizer had to go to river Aenon.
God’s Word is inspired and clear and never cause confusion. God’s truth stands forever!