miracle of speaking with tongues, 2:14-36, was also spoken in tongues, or at least heard in all the
SERMON 2291 303
3. This attempts to render a strange peculiarity of the Latin, which closely follows the Greek: "beginning," incipientes being the nominative plural of the participle, not a gerund.
4. Sponsus et sponsa, normally translated bridegroom and bride. But it is my guess that already in the Latin of Augustine's time the words could mean husband and wife, as their derivatives do in modem Romance languages, and as "spouse" does (when used) in English.
5. A free summary of Acts 1:4.8.
6. See Acts 2:1-13. Augustine seems to be assuming that Peter's speech, which followed the miracle of speaking with tongues, 2:14-36, was also spoken in tongues, or at least heard in all the languages of the nations.
7. See Acts 2:37.
8. See Mk 15:29. 9. While the next sentence shows that there is a reference here to their joining in the eucharist, he primarily means that their believing in Christ was a kind of drinking of his blood; see Jn 6:35.
10. These are the catechumens and the hearers; some of them, perhaps, being discreetly urged to give in their names for baptism at Pentecost.
11. See Acts 6:1-8. Augustine is alluding to the apostles saying that the seven were to be ordained to "serve tables" (6:2). Stephen, however, was so full of the Holy Spirit that he could not limit himself to that function, but joined in the ministry of the word. His dwelling like this on Stephen here, which is not really required of him by his text, may indicate an even later date for the sermon, after Stephen's relics had been discovered, and distributed all over North Africa; so, a date about 420. 12. The apostles.
13. See Sermon 116, 6.