Pentecost
With the Day of Pentecost quickly approaching, let’s examine the Jewish roots of Pentecost and discover the rich message it has to offer us as Christians.
Pentecost falls on the day of one of the three springtime Jewish Festivals: Passover (Pesach), First Fruits, and Weeks (Shavuot). Passover remembers Israel’s release from Egypt and the passing over of the final plague. First Fruits remembers a new beginning in a land of promise. Weeks remembers the giving of the Law at Mount Sinai and the birth of Israel as God’s covenant community. It also marks the end of the harvest season. The Christian day of Pentecost falls on the same day as the Festival of Weeks.
The word “Pentecost” comes from the Greek translation of the Hebrew Old Testament Scripture. This translation is called The Septuagint. It was the Greek translation that was used in Jesus’ day. Think of it as the ESV or NIV of the first century. The Septuagint refers to the fifty days between Passover and Shavuot as pentekonta hemeras, from which we get the term Pentecost. Over time, since many of the Jewish people in Jesus’ day spoke Greek, the word Pentecost took the place of the Hebrew word Shavuot. It’s kind of like how we say “Easter” instead of “The Feast of the Resurrection” or “Pasha.”
Therefore, when we read at the beginning of Acts, “When the day of Pentecost arrived… there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven,” we understand that they were there for Shavuot—the Festival of Pentecost. Pentecost became a Christian holiday only after the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in Acts 2; before that, it was a Jewish festival, as it continues to be today.
When we examine the parallels between Shavuot and Pentecost, we learn some intriguing things about our Christian holiday:
For Jewish people, Shavuot marks the birth of Israel as a covenant community under Law. For Christians, it marks the birth of the Church as a covenant community under Grace.
A pillar of fire led the Israelites to Mt. Sinai and would continue to guide them. On the day of Pentecost, what appeared to be “fire” came down upon the disciples at Mt. Zion and guided them from that time onward.
On the first Festival of Shavuot, because the Israelites rebelled, worshipped an idol, and had broken the law, 3000 were put to death (Ex. 32.28). However, on the first Pentecost, 3000 came to receive eternal life through faith in Jesus (Acts 2.41).
Shavuot marked the end of the physical harvest. Pentecost marked the beginning of the spiritual harvest.
What can we learn from this? Three things stand out to me. First, God is consistent. Though we commonly differentiate between the Old and New Testaments, we find that the Bible is one coherent message given by a steadfast God. Second, the Law can never provide us with life. It can only expose our sin and help us avoid further sin; only grace can give us life. Third, God continues to lead us just as He did in the wilderness. We all have the “fire” within us. That is the Holy Spirit in our lives.
We often celebrate Pentecost as the strange day the disciples could suddenly speak in an unknown, foreign language. However, it is much more than that. It is a day that reminds us that we are a covenant community, that our gospel message brings life to all who receive it, and that the Holy Spirit continues to guide us – just as He guided Israel through the wilderness.
Fr. Chase