Pentecost
(Ancient Greek: πεντηκοστή [ἡμέρα], pentekostē [hēmera], "the fiftieth day") is one of the prominent feasts in the Christian liturgical year. The feast is also called Whitsun, Whitsunday, Whit Sunday, and Whitsuntide, especially in the United Kingdom. Pentecost is celebrated seven weeks (49 days) after Easter Sunday, hence its name. Pentecost falls on the tenth day after Ascension Thursday.
Historically and symbolically related to the Jewish harvest festival of Shavuot, which commemorates God giving the Ten Commandments at Mount Sinai fifty days after the Exodus, Pentecost now also commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles and other followers of Jesus as described in the Book of Acts, Chapter 2 in the New Testament. For this reason, Pentecost is sometimes described as "the Church's birthday".
The Pentecostal movement of Christianity derives its name from this biblical event.
In biblical times Shavuot also
marked the beginning of the new agricultural season. “The Harvest Holiday.”
Other names Shavuot is known by are “The Feast of Weeks”
and Hag HaBikurim, meaning “The Holiday of First Fruits.” This last
name comes from the practice of bringing fruits to the Temple on Shavuot.
Many religious Jews commemorate Shavuot by
spending the entire night studying Torah at their synagogue or at home. They
chanted the Ten Commandments. They also
study other biblical books and portions of the Talmud, such as reading the Book
of Ruth. The Book of Ruth is read during Shavuot because it
takes place during the harvest season and because Ruth’s conversion is thought
to reflect our acceptance of the Torah on Shavuot. Also, Jewish
tradition teaches that King David (Ruth’s great-great-grandson) was born and
died on Shavuot.
This all-night gathering
is known as Tikun Leyl Shavuot and at dawn participants stop
studying and recite shacharit, the morning prayer..
The Foods of Shavuot Jewish
holidays often have some food-related component and Shavuot is
no different. According to tradition we should eat dairy foods such as cheese,
cheesecake, and milk on Shavuot.
The Revelation at Sinai (when the Torah was
given to the Jews) occurs directly after their Exodus from slavery in Egypt.
This journey is described as one "from the misery of Egypt to a country
flowing with milk and honey..." (Exodus 3:8-17). Thus, eating dairy on
Shavuot commemorates the sweetness of freedom and the new life that lay before
the Jewish people.
When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in
one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a noise like a violent rushing
wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. And there appeared
to them tongues as of fire distributing themselves, and they rested on each one
of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with
other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance.
Take note of each of these points in Acts
2:1-4: they were ALL (men and women) together... And they ALL heard a noise and
saw "tongues of fire" distributed to each one of them. They were ALL
filled with The Holy Spirit and began to speak as the Spirit gave utterance.
Next post: Pentecost and Prophecy
