Pentecost

Pentecost is the Greek name, “fiftieth”, for the Jewish feast of Weeks: Josephus, writing in Greek, says that it falls on the fiftieth day and calls it Pentecost (Josephus, Antiquities 3.252). It was the harvest festival kept seven weeks after the sheaf offering of Passover week (Leviticus 23:5–16) (Deuteronomy 16:9–10). According to Acts the followers of Jesus, about a hundred and twenty people, had stayed in Jerusalem after his ascension, as he had told them to (Acts 1:4–5, 12–15).

Acts says that on the day of Pentecost they were all together when a sound like a rushing wind filled the house. Tongues “like fire” appeared and rested on each of them, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages (Acts 2:1–4). Jews from many lands were living in the city. A crowd gathered, and each heard the disciples speaking in his own language. Acts lists them, from Parthians and Medes to visitors from Rome. They were amazed and perplexed, and some mocked and said that the speakers were full of new wine (Acts 2:5–13).

Peter stood up with the other eleven apostles and addressed the crowd. What they saw, he said, was what the prophet Joel had foretold: God would pour out his Spirit on all flesh (Acts 2:14–21) (Joel 2:28–32). He went on to speak of Jesus of Nazareth, whom they had crucified and whom God had raised up, and he ended: “God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified” (Acts 2:22–36). When the hearers asked what they should do, Peter told them to repent and be baptised in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins. Those who accepted his word were baptised, and Acts counts about three thousand added that day (Acts 2:37–41).

Acts then describes the life of the group. They held to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. They shared their possessions, selling property to provide for anyone in need, and met daily in the temple and in their homes (Acts 2:42–47).

In Acts this day is the start of the public preaching about Jesus, and Peter later refers back to it as “the beginning” (Acts 11:15). It also carries out the promise at the opening of the book that the disciples would receive power and be witnesses from Jerusalem to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8). Paul later reckons his travels by the feast: he writes that he will stay at Ephesus until Pentecost, and Acts has him hurrying to be in Jerusalem by that day (1 Corinthians 16:8) (Acts 20:16).