I was recently preparing for a sermon based on the Pentecost text from Acts 2:1-41. After I had done my initial planning for the sermon, I was perusing some commentaries for possible additional insights. In one commentary (which shall remain nameless), I instead found some things that were simply false.

The one example that stands out most prominently is when he talks about the onlookers thinking the disciples are “filled with new wine.” The commentator says something to the effect of “The astute reader will notice that Jesus used these very same words back in Luke 5:33-39.” That’s the passage about “new wine” needing to go into “new wineskins.” The commentator says that it is a deliberate allusion by Luke to say that they are filled with the “new wine” of the gospel. I thought: “Wow, that’s cool. That’d be a great point.” But upon closer inspection, I noticed that they are not the same words in Greek! The word in Acts 2:13 is γλεῦκος while in Luke 5, two words are used: ὁ οἶνος ὁ νέος. Both are translated as “new wine” in many English translations. Neat symbolism, but it’s not truly in the text.

The commentator had a number of other shaky points on the passage, mostly when he appealed to some kind of deeper symbolic allusion like this “new wine” proposal. So, this is a testimonial for preachers (or seminary students writing papers) to make sure you double-check what you use from commentaries and a plea for scholars who publish commentaries to check the original language! (though, that should go without saying… )