Where Were the Apostles When The Holy Spirit Came Upon Them? Many assume they were in an upper room, but that could not have held one hundred twenty people, nor could thousands of witnesses have been close enough to witness the miracle. The streets were to narrow and houses too small for that. The one place where thousands could have gathered in Jerusalem was Solomon’s Colonnade, on the steps leading to the South entrance to the Temple.
Acts 2:1. And when the day of Shavuot had come they were all in one place together. 2. And a sound came suddenly out of heaven as bringing a violent wind and it filled the whole House where they were sitting 3. and dividing tongues like fire were seen by them and the flames sat upon each one of them, 4. and all were filled by the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages just as the Spirit was giving them to speak out boldly. 5. And there were Jewish people staying in Jerusalem, devout people from all the nations under heaven. 6. And when this sound was made a multitude gathered and was amazed, because while they were speaking, they all were hearing in their own languages. 7. And they were astounded and amazed saying, “Look, are not all those who are speaking from Galilee? 8. Then how do we each hear in our own language with which we were born? 9. Parthians and Medes and Elamites and those who dwell in Mesopotamia, Judea, and even Cappadocia, Pontus, and Asia, 10. Phrygia, and also Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya around Cyrene, and the visiting Romans, 11. Cretes and Arabs, both Jewish people and proselytes. We hear them speaking the greatness of God in our languages.” 12. And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” 13. But others, mocking, were saying, “They are drunk because they have been filled with sweet new wine.”
The House is the Temple, which is frequently referred to in the Hebrew Scriptures as the House. Luke also refers to the Temple as the House in his Gospel:
Luke 11:49. Because of this the wisdom of God also said, ‘I am sending prophets and apostles among them, and they will kill some of them, and they will persecute others,’ 50. so that the blood of all the prophets, that which has been shed from the foundation of the world, would be required from this generation, 51. from the blood of Abel until the blood of Zechariah, who was killed between the altar and the House:
Solomon’s Colonnade was open to groups to meet, to teach, and to preach, so it would have a natural place for one hundred twenty disciples to gather, waiting for the Holy Spirit. Under the steps archeologists have found hundreds of immersion pools where several thousand could immerse in less than a half hour.
Acts 2:37. And when they heard this they were pierced in their hearts. They said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “What could we do, men, brothers?” 38. And Peter said to them, “You must immediately repent, and each of you must immediately be immersed in the name of Y’shua Messiah, for forgiveness of your sins and you will take the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39. For the promise is for you and for your children and for all those in faraway places, whomever the Lord our God will call to Himself.” 40. And he charged them in many other words and was urging them saying, “You must right now be rescued from this crooked generation.” 41. Then indeed, those who accepted his message were immersed and there were added on that day about three thousand lives. 42. And they were continuing steadfastly in the teaching by the apostles and in fellowship, in the breaking of bread and in prayers.
The Center for Judaic Christian Studies estimated that because there were so many immersion pools, that those three thousand could have immersed in twenty minutes.