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GOD’S FESTIVALS IN SCRIPTURE AND HISTORY Chapter 8 THE OBSERVANCE OF PENTECOST TODAY Samuele Bacchiocchi, Ph. D., Andrews University "Pentecost" is a popular term of the Christian vocabulary.
Not only Christian preachers but ordinary members often speak of the need for
a new Pentecost for the church today. Christians often pray for the power of
Pentecost, the unity of Pentecost, the courage of Pentecost, the revival of
Pentecost. There is much talk about the experience of Pentecost, especially
among evangelical Christians, but little, if any, discussion about the need
to observe the Feast of Pentecost. Most Christians today think of Pentecost more as a spiritual
experience than an annual event on which to commemorate the redemptive
accomplishment of Christ’s first Advent. The situation was much different in
early Christianity, where, as we noted in chapter 7, Pentecost ranked with
Passover among the great feasts of the Church. Is the Feast of Pentecost a relic from ancient times no longer
suitable for modern Christians, or is its meaning and function still relevant
for us Christians today? The survey conducted in chapters 5, 6, and 7 of
Pentecost from Old Testament times to the early Church was designed to
provide a basis for answering this important question. A Biblical and historical perspective is essential for any attempt to
define the relevance of Pentecost, or of any other feast, for us today. While
our ultimate authority for defining our beliefs and practices is the teaching
of Scripture, we need to be sensitive to the witness of the early Christians.
The witness of those who sought to follow Biblical and apostolic teachings
can serve as a guide for defining our own faith and practices. We do not live
our Christian faith in a vacuum. We are indebted to our spiritual ancestors
who have transmitted to us much of what we believe and practice. Objectives of the Chapter. This chapter addresses four major questions. First, should the Feast
of Pentecost still be observed by Christians today? In other words, is this
feast still valid and relevant for Christians today? Second, when should
Pentecost be observed? Should the fifty days of Pentecost be counted from the
first day after Passover, according to the traditional Jewish custom, or from
the first Sunday after Passover, according to the general early Christian
practice? Third, what is the meaning of Pentecost? Which significant events
should be commemorated during the fifty days of Pentecost? Fourth, how should
Pentecost be observed? Should Pentecost be more a season of rejoicing
or a one-day celebration? In this chapter, I attempt to answer these questions on the basis of
the Biblical and historical survey of Pentecost conducted above. The
suggestions offered are only tentative, designed to stimulate thinking and
further research rather than to lay down hard and fast rules. PART I THE CONTINUITY OF PENTECOST IN THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH A Prophetic Festival. A first indication of the continuity of Pentecost in the Christian
church is the prophetic nature of the festival. Like Passover, Pentecost is a
remarkable typological feast which celebrates not only the blessings of the
agricultural harvest of wheat in Old Testament times, but also the blessing
of the spiritual harvest of souls reaped in New Testament times through
Christ’s redemptive ministry. The prophetic nature of Pentecost is evident in the New Testament, first
of all, in the timing of the first Christian Pentecost given by Luke. We
noted in chapter 6 that Luke introduces the events that occurred on the day
of Pentecost by saying: "And when the day of Pentecost was fully
come" (Acts 2:1, KJV). The Greek verb sumpleroustai, which
literally means "was being fulfilled," seems to be intentionally
chosen by Luke to make the point that the momentous events of the day of
Pentecost occurred not before, not after, but at the very time of the
celebration of the Jewish Pentecost. The sense of prophetic fulfillment is expressed also by Peter on the
day of Pentecost when he declares that the outpouring of the Holy Spirit was
a clear fulfillment of Joel’s prophecy (Joel 2:28-32). The Spring harvest
celebrated at Pentecost foreshadowed the outpouring of God’s Spirit which
would bring about a spiritual harvest of souls: "And it shall be that
whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved" (Acts 2:21; cf.
Joel 2:32). The prophetic nature of Pentecost also can be seen in the frequent use
of the typology of the "first fruits." We have seen that Christ
Himself is presented as the first fruits of Pentecost because He rose as the
first fruits of redeemed humanity on the very day when the first sheaf of
barley was presented at the Temple: "Christ has been raised from the
dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep" (1 Cor 15:20). As the first fruits offered on the first day of Pentecost pointed to
the harvest to come, so Christ’s resurrection represents the first fruits of
redeemed humanity. As Paul puts it, "Each in his own order: Christ the
first fruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ" (1Cor
15:23). Since Pentecost, God has been picking out those who respond to the
Gospel invitation and has called them to be the "first fruits of his
creatures" (James 1:18). The ultimate fulfillment of the Feast of
Pentecost will be at Christ’s Return when the redeemed gathered from mankind
will be "as first fruits for God and the Lamb" (Rev 14:4). The various prophetic applications of the first fruits typology of
Pentecost show the importance of the feast in Christian thought and practice.
Its meaning and function did not terminate with the coming of Christ because
its ultimate fulfillment still lies in the future. Observance of Pentecost in the New Testament. A second indication of the continuity of
Pentecost in the Christian church is the few but revealing references to the
feast in the New Testament. In chapter 6 we learned that Paul’s casual
mention of Pentecost in his letter to the Corinthians (1 Cor 16:8-9), a
predominantly Gentile church, suggests that the feast was well-known to the
Corinthians. Similarly, Paul’s eagerness "to be at Jerusalem, if possible, on
the day of Pentecost" (Acts 20:16) suggests that the feast was important
to him. Ellen White acknowledges the importance of Pentecost for Paul when
she writes that he shortened his stay at Ephesus because "he was on his
way to Jerusalem to celebrate the Feast of Pentecost."1 The same
view is expressed by The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary:
"Even Paul, least interested in observances as such (Rom 14:5), was eager
to celebrate Pentecost at Jerusalem in spite of his missionary journeys
in Asia and Greece (Acts 18:21; 20:16)."2 Whether Paul wanted to be in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost to show
to his Jewish brethren his respect for Jewish festivals, or because he viewed
the feast as an appropriate occasion to present the gifts contributed by the
Gentiles, or because he expected to meet a large number of brethren that
would be attending the feast, the fact remains that all these reasons
presuppose the significance of Pentecost for Paul. If the feast was
significant for Paul, known for his indifference to observances as such (Rom
14:5), we have reason to believe that it also must have been important for
Christians at large. The Observance of Pentecost in the Early Church. A third indication of the continuity of
Pentecost in the Christian church is its widespread observance in the early
Church. Numerous early Christian writers attest, as pointed out in chapter 7,
that Pentecost was observed as a fifty days period of joy and triumph. What made Pentecost a most joyous season were the events commemorated
during that period, namely, the resurrection, the ascension, the promise of
Christ’s Return, the inauguration of Christ’s interccessory ministry, the
descent of the Holy Spirit, and the birth of the Christian mission. To
express their joy and gladness, Christians refrained from kneeling, fasting,
and mourning during the fifty days of Pentecost. By standing for prayer and
singing, Christians were honoring the resurrection of Christ as well as the
future resurrection of all believers. We found that Christians, like Jews, had few distinctive ceremonies associated
with Pentecost. One of them was the administration of baptism to those
candidates who for months or years had been instructed in the Christian
faith. Since Pentecost was the celebration of the outpouring of the Holy
Spirit, it could remind baptismal candidates of the baptism of the Spirit
that was to accompany their baptism by water. The Scripture readings for the last day of Pentecost were mostly Old
Testament passages dealing with the new covenant and the giving of the Law at
Sinai. This suggests that Christians viewed the covenant that God established
with the Israelites through the giving of the Law at Sinai as foreshadowing
the new covenant that God established with the spiritual Israel through the
giving of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. PART II THE DATE OF PENTECOST TODAY Ambiguity in the Dating Method. The question of the date on which to observe Pentecost today is more
complex than it might at first appear. There are two major problems. The
first problem is the ambiguity of the method for dating the feast in the Old
Testament. We noted in chapter 5 that the Feast of Weeks in Old Testament
times was reckoned by counting seven weeks from the first putting of the
sickle to the barley: "You shall count seven weeks: begin to count the
seven weeks from the time you first put the sickle to the standing grain
[barley]" (Deut 16:9). This was a rather ambiguous method for determining the date of the
Feast of Weeks, because the counting of the fifty days (counting of the omer–barley
sheaf) could not begin until at least some of the barley was ready for
harvest and a sheaf of it could be presented as a wave-offering before the
Lord. If, because of weather conditions or failure to synchronize the lunar
calendar with the solar year, none of barley was ready for harvest, then both
Passover and the offering of the wave sheaf would be delayed by a few weeks.
This means that the determination of the dates of Passover and Pentecost was
conditioned by the state of the calendar and of the barley harvest. Once the barley harvest was ripe, the second problem was to determine
on which day the first sheaf of barley, known as omer, was to be cut
and presented as a wave-offering before the Lord. According to Leviticus
23:15, this ceremony was to take place "the morrow after the sabbath."
Since the compound expression "a sabbath of solemn rest–shabbath
shabbathon" is used to designate both the weekly Sabbath and the Day
of Atonment (Ex 31:15; Lev 23:3, 32; 16:31), the question is, Which Sabbath
is meant, the weekly Sabbath or the annual Passover Sabbath? This question became one of the outstanding points of contention
between the Pharisees and the Sadducees. The Pharisees interpreted the
"Sabbath" as the festival day of Passover, Nisan 15, and thus they
waved the first sheaf of barley on the following day, Nisan 16. From that
day, they counted the fifty days to Pentecost. This has been the prevailing
Jewish tradition that has continued to our day.49 The Sadducees, however, supported by the Boethusians, the Karaites,
and the Samaritans, took the word "Sabbath" to mean literally the
first Sabbath that fell during the week of Unleavened Bread. This means that
they counted the fifty days from the first Sunday after Passover.
Consequently, Pentecost for them would always fall on the same day of the
week, namely, Sunday. This method of reckoning Pentecost was widely accepted
in early Christianity, apparently even by (Quartodeciman) Christians, who
observed Passover not on Easter-Sunday, but by the fixed date of Nisan 14. No Controversy over the Date of Pentecost. Surprisingly, contrary to the date of Passover
which stirred up a bitter controversy, we find no trace of any controversy
regarding the date of Pentecost in early Christian literature. We noted in
chapter 3 that the adoption and promotion of Easter-Sunday was strongly
rejected by those Christians (mostly Jewish-Christians) who wanted to remain
faithful to the apostolic tradition by observing Passover according to the
Biblical date of Nisan 14. One would imagine that the same Christians who adamantly refused to
adopt the Easter-Sunday date promoted by the Church of Rome also would also
have refused to adopt the counting of the fifty days of Pentecost from the
first Sunday after Passover. We would expect them to follow the traditional
Jewish method of counting the fifty days of Pentecost from the day after
Passover (Nisan 16), irrespective of the day of the week. Apparently that was
not the case. How can we explain the absence of any opposition to the dating of Pentecost
from the Sunday after Passover to the Sunday occurring fifty days later?
Presumably, two factors contributed to the general acceptance of this dating.
The first factor could have been the fact that Pentecost was viewed more as a
joyful season lasting fifty days than a feast observed on a single
day. During the first three centuries, Pentecost was observed primarily by
refraining from fasting, kneeling, and mourning during the fifty days of the
feast. Since the observance of Pentecost consisted more of a mood of
rejoicing over a period of fifty days than a manner of observing a
specific day, Christians must have felt that observing the season of
Pentecost was more important than arguing about the precise date. It is noteworthy that even among the Jews the Feast of Weeks, as the
name indicates, was viewed as a harvest season extending over seven weeks.
Moreover, in the dispersion where getting the calendar right was difficult, a
second day was added to the first "in order that on one day at least the
festival might be observed in common by the Jewish world both in the land of
Israel and also in the dispersion."3 This suggests that even among Jews
there was a certain freedom in determining the date of Pentecost. A second factor could have been that both the resurrection of Jesus
and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit occurred on a Sunday. By reckoning the
fifty days of Pentecost from the first Sunday after Passover, it was possible
to commemorate these two important events of the Pentecost season on the actual
day of the week on which they occurred. The early Christians may have found
support for their method of dating Pentecost from Jewish sectarian traditions
(Sadducees, Boethusians, Karaites, Samaritans) that counted the fifty days of
Pentecost from the first Sunday after Passover. A Word of Caution. The problems
outlined above regarding the date of Pentecost should caution anyone about
the risk of being dogmatic on the date for observing the feast today. From a
historical perspective, two methods could be legitimately used today to
establish the date of Pentecost. The first is to reckon the fifty days of
Pentecost from the day after Passover (Nisan 16), which means that Pentecost
could fall on any day of the week. This dating is supported by the traditional
Jewish interpretation of Leviticus 23:15, which understood the phrase
"the morrow after the sabbath–Shabbat" as referring to the
annual Passover Sabbath. This method is still used by Jews today to date
their Pentecost. The second dating method that could be used today is to reckon the
fifty days of Pentecost from the first Sunday after Passover, which means
that Pentecost always would fall on a Sunday. This dating is supported by the
sectarian Jewish interpretation (Sadducees, Boethusians, Karaites, Samaritans)
of Leviticus 23:15, which took the word "Sabbath" to mean literally
the first Sabbath after Passover. Consequently, they counted the fifty days
from the first Sunday after Passover. This method of dating Pentecost was
widely accepted in the early Church, apparently even by those who observed
Passover by the fixed date of Nisan 14. A Tentative Proposal. Since a good case can be made for using either method for determining
the date of Pentecost today, it behooves us to respect those who choose to
observe Pentecost at a date different from ours. At this point in my research
I tend to support the reckoning of the fifty days of Pentecost from the first
Sunday after Passover. My reasons are essentially three. First, the phrase "the morrow after the sabbath–Shabbat,"
which is used in Leviticus 23:11, 15 to designate the starting point of the
countdown to Pentecost, could well refer to Sunday, because the term
"Sabbath" was ordinarily used for the seventh day of the week. In
fact, this is the way the Greek version (Origen’s Hexapla) understands
the two passages. Two marginal notes to the two verses read, "the day
which is after the Sabbath" and "the first day after the
Sabbath."4 The term "Sabbath–Shabbath" by itself is not used in
the Old Testament to designate annual feasts. Only the compound expression shabbath
shabbathon, usually translated as "a sabbath of solemn rest,"
is used to refer to the Day of Atonement (Lev 16:31; 23:32), but not to the
feasts in general. The absence of any instance where the term
"Sabbath" is used by itself to designate an annual feast supports
the view that the "sabbath" of Leviticus 23:11, 15 is most likely
the weekly Sabbath. In such a case, the "morrow after the Sabbath"
would be Sunday–the day from which the seven weeks were to be counted. My second reason for supporting the Sunday to Sunday reckoning of
Pentecost is the instruction give in Leviticus 23:15 to count "seven full
weeks." The phrase "seven full weeks" suggests seven
complete weeks running from the first to the last day of the week, or as we
would say today, from Sunday to Saturday. Even the name "Feast of
Weeks" suggests that the feast consisted of complete weeks. In this case
the seven weeks would be counted from Sunday to Sunday. My third reason is the consistent witness of the early Church that
observed Pentecost from the Sunday after Passover to the Sunday occurring
fifty days later. The fact that this dating of Pentecost was widely accepted
without signs of opposition suggests that the early Christians viewed it as
Biblically sound. The method we use today to determine the date of Pentecost may not be
as critical as for other feasts. First, because Pentecost began in the Old
Testament as a harvest festival whose date was determined by the ripeness of
the wheat crop. Second, because it was observed in the early church more as a
season of rejoicing than a specific holy day. Whether we count
the fifty days of Pentecost from the first day after Passover or from
the first Sunday after Passover, the difference is relative, because
we would still be observing most of the season of Pentecost at the same time. PART III THE MEANING OF PENTECOST TODAY Our study of the meaning of Pentecost in Scripture and history shows
that the meaning of the feast is largely determined by the five major events
that occurred during the fifty days of waiting by the disciples in the Upper
Room, namely, (1) the resurrection of Christ, (2) His ascension, (3) the
inauguration of Christ’s heavenly ministry, (4) the bestowal of spiritual
gifts, and (5) the birthday of the Christian church. These events are part of
the unitive celebration of Pentecost. Let us reflect on their meaning and
relevance for today in the light of the preceding Biblical and historical
survey of Pentecost. The Resurrection of Christ. The first Christian Pentecost began on the day Christ arose as "
the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep" (1 Cor 15:20).
"Christ arose from the dead as the first fruits of those that slept. He
was the antitype of the wave sheaf, and His resurrection took place on the
very day when the wave sheaf was to be presented before the Lord. . . . The
sheaf dedicated to God represented the harvest. So Christ the first fruits
represented the great spiritual harvest to be gathered for the kingdom of
God. His resurrection is the type and pledge of the resurrection of all the
righteous dead. ‘For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so
them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with Him.’ 1 Thess 4:14."5 As the offering of the first sheaf marked the beginning of the fifty
days of the Jewish Pentecost, so the resurrection of Christ as the first
fruits of redeemed humanity marked the beginning of the fifty days of the
first Christian Pentecost. Christ’s resurrection, however, not only marks the
beginning of Pentecost but also gives the joyous mood to the whole period of
the feast. The early Christians honored Christ’s resurrection during the fifty
days of Pentecost by standing for prayer and by refraining from fasting and
mourning. While at Passover they commemorated Christ’s suffering and death by
fasting and mourning, at Pentecost they celebrated His resurrection by
refraining from fasting, mourning, or kneeling. "One might say," as
Thomas J. Talley points out, "it is the Pentecost that celebrates the
resurrection."6 The Pentecostal experience brought home to the disciples the reality
of Christ’s resurrection. On several occasions, Christ announced to His
disciples that the Son of Man must die and rise on the third day (Mark 8:31;
9:31; 10:34; Matt 12:40; John 2:19), but they could not understand "what
rising from the dead meant" (Mark 9:10). But as the risen Savior
appeared on numerous occasions to the disciples during the first "forty
days" (Acts 1:3) of Pentecost, they finally grasped the reality of His
resurrection. On the day of Pentecost, Peter boldly proclaimed: "This Jesus God
raised up, and of that we are all witnesses" (Acts 2:32). Pentecost was
the proclamation and celebration of Christ’s resurrection. From that day on,
the resurrection became the center of the apostolic preaching, because it
revealed the fundamental basis of the Christian faith (Acts 3:14; 4:10; 8:35;
13:33; 17:3, 31; 23:6). Pentecost affords us an opportunity to reflect on the significance and
import of Christ’s resurrection for our lives today. Christ’s resurrection is
not merely the restoration to life of a dead body, but it is the emergence of
a new order of life. It is the embodiment of eternal life and the beginning
of the future resurrection. The nature of Christ’s resurrected body is a
mystery to us. The empty tomb testifies to this fact. The women "did not
find the body" of Jesus in the tomb (Luke 24:1-3, KJV). Jesus’ resurrection
was a bodily resurrection, yet His body had new and surprising powers
transcending physical limitations. He appeared and disappeared to His
disciples in a room with locked doors (Luke 24:31, 36; John 20:19, 26). Our
Lord’s body had been transformed into the kind of "spiritual body"
Paul describes by saying: "It is sown a physical body, it is raised a
spiritual body" (1 Cor 15:44). There is power in Christ’s resurrection. That is why Paul wished to
"know him and the power of his resurrection" (Phil 3:10). It is a
power that can be experienced in the present and in the future. In the
present, we experience the power of Christ’s resurrection by leading a new
life by the power of God who raised Christ from the dead (Col 2:12; Rom 6:4).
"If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are
above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on
things that are above, not on things that are on earth" (Col 3:1-2). In the future, we will experience the power of Christ’s resurrection
when we all will rise because He has risen: "He who raised Christ Jesus
from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also through his Spirit
which dwells in you" (Rom 8:11). Pentecost affords us an opportunity not
only to commemorate the resurrection of Christ, but also to seek the power of
the risen Christ to walk in newness of life while awaiting for the final
transformation of our mortal bodies to a glorified state (Rom 8:22-23; Phil
3:10, 20). The Ascension of Christ. Pentecost celebrates not only Christ’s resurrection but also His
ascent to heaven. The book of Acts informs us that at the end of forty days
of apparitions and discourses, Jesus left His disciples to ascend to heaven
(Acts 1:3-11). Apparently that was not His first ascent to heaven, because,
according to John, Jesus told Mary Magdalene on the day of His resurrection,
"Do not hold me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my
brethren and say to them, I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my
God and your God" (John 20:17). Later that day, when Jesus appeared to
His disciples, He must have already ascended and returned, because He told
His disciples: "See my hands and my feet, that it is myself; handle me,
and see; for a spirit has no flesh and bones as I have" (Luke 24:40). He
also gave the opportunity to the doubting Thomas to touch Him (John 20:27).
The purpose of these appearances was to authenticate the reality of Christ’s
resurrection. Luke suggests that an ascension occurred in the evening of the
resurrection after the various discourses of Jesus with His disciples (Luke
24:50-51). The delay of a few hours between the resurrection and the ascension
was designed to impress on Mary Magdalene that He was now entering into a new
glorified state. During the forty days when Jesus appeared to the disciples,
most likely He came down to them from His heavenly abode; otherwise, it is
hard to explain where He was during the interval of these manifestations. The ascension described in Acts (1:3-11) represents Christ’s last departure,
which put an end to His temporal apparitions and discourses. The ascension
was a formal leave-taking. In a dramatic way, it indicated that the
transitional period was over and now Christ was entering a new phase of His
redemptive activity. He departed after forty days of manifestations, most
likely in view of the fifty days of Pentecost. This would give the disciples
ten days to prepare for the reception of the Holy Spirit that He would send
them on the final day of Pentecost. The sacred texts point to two aspects of Christ’s ascension: on the
one hand, His celestial glorification, which occurred on the day of
His resurrection; on the other hand, His final departure, which took
place after a period of apparitions and discourses. Pentecost affords an
opportunity to commemorate both of these events. The manner of the ascension is described in a few simple words:
"As they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of
their sight" (Acts 1:11). The purpose of this plain description is not
to magnify the triumph of the resurrection, but simply to point out that
after a period of companionship with His disciples, the risen Savior withdrew
His visible presence from the earth, not to manifest it again until His
return. The ascension is a prelude to Christ’s descent at the end of time.
"While they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by
them in white robes, and said, ‘Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into
heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the
same way as you saw him go into heaven" (Acts 1:11). This angelic
discourse establishes a clear connection between the ascent of Christ to
heaven and His return to earth at the end of time. Pentecost affords us an opportunity to reflect not only on Christ’s
departure from this earth, but also upon His return to this earth. It reminds
us that the present stay of Christ in heaven is a transitory stage in His
redemptive plan. He will reside in heaven "until the time for
establishing all that God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of
old" (Acts 3:21). The ascension teaches us that Christ will come as He departed (Acts
1:11), descending from heaven upon the clouds (1 Thess 4:14-16, Rev 1:7)
while the redeemed ascend to meet Him in the clouds (1 Thess 4:17). While we
are awaiting that glorious day, we must "seek the things that are above,
where Christ is seated at the right hand of God" (Col 3:2), so that
"when Christ who is our life appears, then . . . [we] also will appear
with him in glory" (Col 3:4). Commemorating the ascension during the Pentecost season can give
"a lift" to our spiritual life by inspiring us to look up to
heaven, where Christ "always lives to make intercession" for us
(Heb 7:25). We may call this our spiritual ascension. We look to heaven to
thank Jesus for working hard to bring to consummation His redemptive mission.
It is this reassurance that motivates us to live "waiting for and
hastening" the glorious day of His coming (2 Pet 3:12). The Inauguration of Christ’s Heavenly Ministry. The ascension constitutes the transition from
Christ’s redemptive work on earth to His intercessory work in heaven. Thus,
Pentecost affords us the opportunity to celebrate also the inauguration of
Christ’s heavenly ministry. We noted in chapter 6 that upon His ascension
Christ was exalted to a position of honor and dignity by being seated at the
right hand of God (Acts 2:33; 5:31; 7:55). The "right hand" is a
symbol of the supreme honor, power, and authority with which Jesus was
invested. By being invited to sit at the right hand of God (Acts 2:34; Eph 1:
20; Col 3:1; Heb 1:3, 13), Christ was installed to His heavenly ministry. The
outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost is seen as the evidence of the
official enthronement of Christ to His heavenly ministry (Acts 2:33). According to Ellen White, "The Pentecostal outpouring was
heaven’s communication that the Redeemer’s inauguration was accomplished.
According to His promise He had sent the Holy Spirit from heaven to His
followers as a token that He had, as priest and king, received all authority
in heaven and on earth, and was the Anointed One over His people."7 Christ’s intercession in the heavenly sanctuary is perhaps the most
ignored chapter of His redemptive ministry. Systematic theology books devote
hundreds of pages to the study of Christ’s atoning sacrifice, but few, if
any, to the study of Christ’s intercessory ministry in the heavenly
sanctuary. The impression is that Christ is on a leave of absence between His
ascension and return, presumably recovering from His exhausting earthly
mission. It is not surprising that many Christians have no idea about what
Jesus is doing in heaven. Pentecost affords us an opportunity to remember that Jesus is not on
vacation; rather, that He has been ministering on our behalf since His
ascension as "Priest" (Heb 7:15; 8:4), "High Priest" (Heb
2:17; 3:1), "Mediator" (1 Tim 2:5; Heb 8:6), and
"Intercessor" (Rom 8:34; Heb 7:25). We have seen that through His
intercessory ministry, Christ sustains the Church (Rev 1:13, 20), mediates
repentance and forgiveness to believers (Acts 5:31; 1 John 2:1-2; 1:9), makes
our prayers acceptable to God (John 16:23-24; Rev 8:3), provides us with the
invisible and yet real assistance of His angels (Heb 1:14; Rev 5:6; 1:16,
20), and bestows upon us the essential gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:33).
The fact that Jesus is actively ministering in heaven on our behalf gives us
reasons to believe that He will soon return to bring to consummation His
redemptive mission. The Bestowal of Spiritual Gifts. Pentecost celebrates not only the inauguration of Christ’s ministry in
heaven, but also the beginning of the bestowal of the gifts of the Spirit on
the Church. The two are interrelated because it is Christ’s ministry in the
heavenly sanctuary that makes the ministry of the Holy Spirit possible on
earth. Before His ascension, Christ promised to send to His disciples the
Holy Spirit: "You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon
you" (Acts 1:8). Christ’s promise was fulfilled on the day of Pentecost
when His disciples "were all filled with the Holy Spirit" (Acts
2:4) and "great grace was upon them all" (Acts 4:33). The
manifestation of the Holy Spirit continued after Pentecost through the gifts
bestowed for the work of the church. The gifts of the Spirit are as diverse as the ministries in the
Church, but share a profound unity because they come from one Spirit and,
like the members of the human body, share the same goal (1 Cor 12:4-31). Some
spiritual gifts, such as those of apostles, prophets, teachers, evangelists,
and pastors, relate to the ministerial functions of the Church (Eph 4:11; 1
Cor 12:28). Others gifts, such as service, teaching, liberality, works of
mercy, (Rom 12:7-8), words of wisdom, faith, the gift of healing, and working
miracles (1 Cor 12:8-11), concern the ministry of the church at large. The
practice of charity is itself a gift of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 14:1). The
success of the Christian life, as well as the functioning of the Church,
depends entirely on the presence of the gifts of the Spirit. The bestowal of the gifts of the Spirit at Pentecost is likened to the
"former rain" that ripened the Spring wheat harvest that in a
spiritual sense was gathered in at the beginning of Christianity. Near the
close of earth’s history, another bestowal of spiritual gifts is promised to
equip the Church for the final harvest of the earth. This final outpouring of
the Holy Spirit is likened to the falling of the latter rain that in
Palestine ripened the fall fruit harvest. The celebration of Pentecost today affords us the opportunity not only
to commemorate the outpouring of the early rain on the day of Pentecost, but
also to pray for the unprecedented outpouring of the latter rain of spiritual
power to make us fit to be laborers together with God in the final harvest of
the earth. The disciples prepared themselves for the reception of the Holy Spirit
on the day of Pentecost by earnest prayer, confession and forsaking of their
sins, and consecration of themselves to God. "Under the influence of the
Spirit," writes Ellen White, "words of penitence and confession
mingled with songs of praise for sins forgiven. Words of thanksgiving and
prophecy were heard. All heaven bent low to behold and to adore the wisdom of
matchless, incomprehensible love. Lost in wonder, the apostles exclaimed,
‘Herein is Love.’ They grasped the imparted gift. And what followed? The
sword of the Spirit, newly edged with power and bathed in the lightning of
heaven, cut its way through unbelief. Thousands were converted in a
day."8 The celebration of Pentecost challenges us to do the same preparatory
work to receive the final outpouring of the Holy Spirit. We often lament the
Laodicean lukewarmness that seems to prevail in the church. The solution to
the problem is to be found, not in the introduction of new styles of worships
or special seminars on church growth, but in the Upper-Room-type of
preparation for the reception of the Holy Spirit. When "with one
accord" (Acts 1:14) we come together to seek the outpouring of the Holy
Spirit to cleanse our lives and to energize us for service, then we will be
empowered by the Holy Spirit to finish the mission of the Church. The Birthday of the Christian Church. Pentecost affords us the opportunity to
commemorate also the birthday of the Christian church. Perhaps the most
popular national holiday in most countries is the one that celebrates the
birthday of the nation, often as a result of bloody wars to gain freedom from
dominating powers. Americans celebrate their national birthday on July 4,
known as "Independence Day." As the Americans commemorate the
birthday of their nation on Independence Day, so Christians celebrate the
birth of their Church on Pentecost. We noted in chapter 6 that Christ instituted the Church when He
called the twelve disciples and trained them to become His witnesses. But He constituted
the Church on the day of Pentecost when He qualified them for their
calling by the power of the Holy Spirit. On that day, Christ’s followers were
consolidated into a new body with the conviction and courage to preach the
Gospel to the ends of the world. Pentecost commemorates also the birthday of the mission of the Church.
Before Pentecost, the disciples were all fearfully shut up in the Upper Room.
After the Pentecostal outpouring of the Holy Spirit, they boldly went out to
witness for their risen Savior. Throughout the book of Acts we are reminded
that Christians became witnesses as a result of the outpouring of the Holy
Spirit. "We all are witnesses" (Acts 2:32). "We are witnesses
to all that he did both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem"
(Acts 10:39; cf. 3:15; 5:32; 10:41; 13:31). The gift of tongues that were
intelligible to "devout men from every nation under heaven" (Acts 2:5)
underscores the universal scope of the Christian mission. The Feast of Pentecost reminds us every year that the Christian church
was founded by Christ, not to perpetrate itself as a self-serving
organization but to extend the divine provision of salvation to men and women
everywhere. Pentecost challenges us to work, not only to improve the
facilities and programs of the local church, but also to save those who are
perishing outside the church. Pentecost invites us yearly to come together
with one accord to seek the enabling power of the Holy Spirit, so we can
become fit to labor together with God in the final harvest of the earth. PART IV THE OBSERVANCE OF PENTECOST TODAY Our study of Pentecost in both Jewish and Christian history has shown
that, unlike other festivals, Pentecost developed few ceremonies. The
religious services differed but little from that of other holy days. In view
of this fact, I will make no attempt to propose a special order of service
for the day of Pentecost, especially since the feast was observed by the
early Christians more as a season of rejoicing than a single
liturgical day. Instead, I will submit a few suggestions on how we can
make the season of Pentecost an occasion to express our thankfulness to God
and seek for a fresh provision of the enabling power of the Holy Spirit. A Season to Be Thankful. Pentecost is a season to be thankful for material and spiritual
blessings. Jews expressed their thankfulness for their Spring wheat harvest
by bringing their first fruits to the Temple on the first and last day of the
feast. The early Christians manifested their joy for the resurrection,
exaltation, and heavenly intercession of Christ by standing for prayer and
refraining from fasting and mourning during the fifty days of Pentecost. As
we stand today to honor dignitaries and give a standing ovation to those who
perform brilliantly, so the early Christians stood up for Christ when
praying, to honor their risen Savior and the future resurrection of the
redeemed. Pentecost today is still a season to be thankful. Our study of the
meaning of Pentecost shows that we have many reasons to be thankful. We can
be thankful Christ arose as the first fruits of redeemed humanity (1 Cor
15:20). His resurrection is the guarantee of our resurrection. We can be
thankful Christ ascended to heaven to begin a special intercessory ministry
in our behalf. As we live our Christian life from day to day, it is
reassuring to know we are not alone. We can count on the active assistance of
our Savior, who offers us forgiveness (Acts 5:31; 1 John 2:1-2; 1:9), makes
our prayers acceptable to God (John 16:23-24; Rev 8:3), provides us with the
invisible and yet real assistance of His angels (Heb 1:14; Rev 5:6; 1:16,
20), and bestows upon us the essential gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:33). We can be thankful for the gifts of the Holy Spirit, which are
available to us through the ministry of Jesus in the heavenly sanctuary. It
is reassuring to know that as Christ fulfilled His promise on the day of Pentecost
by sending the Holy Spirit to empower His disciples to begin the spiritual
harvest, so He will fulfill His promise to us by sending us His Spirit to
empower us to complete the harvest. How can we express our thankfulness to God during the season of
Pentecost? No hard and fast rules can be laid down, because spiritual
realities are experienced in different ways by different people. Some may
wish to follow the custom of the early Christians by standing rather than
kneeling for prayer, at home and in the church, to honor the risen, exulted,
and interceding Savior. Some may wish to express their thankfulness to God during the fifty
days of Pentecost by singing songs of thanksgiving during their private and
public worship. The new Seventh-day Adventist Hymal has a good
selection of hymns suitable for the Pentecost season. Hymns such as 562,
"Come, Sing a Song of Harvest," reminds of Pentecost as the harvest
season when we bring in gratitude our first fruits to God. Come, sing a song of harvest, Other hymns, such as "Fire of God, Thou Sacred Flame,"
remind us of the manifestation of the Holy Spirit as fire and wind on the day
of Pentecost. Fire of God, Thou sacred flame, The manifestation of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost is
beautifully developed in "O Holy Dove of God Descending," a hymn in
which the four stanzas invite the Holy Spirit to descend as "Holy Dove,
Holy Wind, Holy Rain, Holy Flame." Hymns such as these can help us
recapture the spirit of Pentecost. Floral Decorations. Some may wish to express the joy and gratitude of the Pentecost season
by decorating their homes and churches with flowers. Pentecost is connected
with the Spring harvest season when nature blooms, trees and flowers blossom.
In Temple times, pilgrims from all over Palestine brought their first fruits
to the altar. The baskets of fruit that were carried in procession from the
remotest corners of the land were decorated with leaves and flowers. From
this ceremony developed the custom of decorating homes and synagogues with
small bundles of wheat, plants, and flowers for Pentecost. In many countries, Adventist churches celebrate in the autumn what is
known as the "Harvest Festival." In many ways, this festival is
similar to the American Thanksgiving Day. A major difference is that while
the American Thanksgiving Day is celebrated with big dinners and reunions in
the home, the Harvest Festival is celebrated as a special thanksgiving
Sabbath in the church. On such Sabbath, churches, especially the platforms,
are decorated with the fruits and vegetables of the Fall harvest, and the
sermon focuses on giving thanks to God for the bounties of the harvest
season. In keeping with the Biblical tradition of the celebration of Spring
harvest at the Feast of Pentecost and of the Fall harvest at the Feast of
Tabernacles, it may be well for our churches to celebrate both a "Spring
Harvest Festival" and a "Fall Harvest Festival." On both
occasions, our churches could be decorated with some of the produce of the
season. Seeing the fruits of the season in the church (not merely at the
supermarket) as an object lesson for our worship experience during the Feasts
of Pentecost and Tabernacles can serve as forceful incentives to thank God
for His bountiful blessings. The human heart is naturally greedy. Learning to be grateful is part
of our Christian growth in grace which enables us to have peace and joy in
our hearts. The reason is that a grateful heart is the abiding place of the
peace of Christ. The Feast of Pentecost affords us the opportunity to express
our gratitude to God for the material bounties of the Spring harvest and for
the spiritual gifts of the Holy Spirit. First Fruits Thanksgiving Offering. A practical way to express our gratitude to God for His material and
spiritual blessings is by bringing a special offering, perhaps, during the
final Sabbath of Pentecost. We have seen that God’s people in Bible times
brought their first fruits to the Temple both on the first and last days of
Pentecost. On the first day, they brought a sheaf of barley to consecrate to
God the harvest that was going to be reaped; on the last day, they brought
their first fruits to express their gratitude for the harvest that had been
gathered in. Like the Israelites of old, we too can bring to God at Pentecost a
special thanksgiving offering for the material and spiritual blessings
received. Traditionally, Adventists used to bring a special sacrificial
offering at the conclusion of the "Spring Week of Prayer." In some
parts of the world the practice still persists. The celebration of Pentecost
provides a Biblical basis both for the Spring "Spiritual Emphasis
Week" and the ensuing special offering. By celebrating at Pentecost the blessings of the agricultural Spring
harvest and the spiritual gifts God has bestowed upon us, we can find in the
feast the theological incentive to express our gratitude to God for His
material and spiritual blessings through a special thanksgiving offering. Pentecost, as we have seen, concludes the Spring cycle of festivals
which celebrate the accomplishments of Christ’s first Advent. The celebration
of Christ’s first Advent begins at Passover, with the commemoration of His
vicarious suffering and sacrifice, and ends at Pentecost with the
commemoration of His resurrection, ascension, heavenly intercession, and
bestowal of spiritual gifts. The commemoration at Pentecost of what Christ
has done for us on earth through His atoning sacrifice, and of what He is
doing for us in heaven through His intercessory ministry, offers us
overwhelming reasons to show our gratitude to God by bringing a special
thanksgiving offering. "Pentecost Renewal Week." The disciples spent the ten days before Pentecost engaged in spiritual
exercises to prepare their hearts for the reception of the Holy Spirit.
Adventist churches conduct in the Spring a "Spiritual Emphasis
Week." This week is observed in schools with special chapel programs in
the morning and evening. Guest speakers are often invited to address the
spiritual needs of faculty and students and lead them into seasons of prayer
and praise. A similar practice is followed in many churches, though only
evening meetings are conducted. Small churches without a pastor usually
utilize the devotional readings prepared for this special week of spiritual
renewal. The Spring "Spiritual Emphasis Week," though observed at
about the time of Pentecost, is not directly connected with the feast. With
minor changes in the scheduling, it could be made to coincide with Pentecost,
and the Fall "Spiritual Emphasis Week" with the Feast of
Tabernacles. By doing so, both events would coincide with the observance of
two important Biblical festivals. Today we sing, pray, preach, and talk about the need for a new
Pentecostal outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Why not follow the example of the
disciples, who spent ten days preparing themselves for the outpouring of the
Holy Spirit (Acts 1:14), by spending at least the week before Pentecost
seeking for a fresh infilling of the Holy Spirit? Perhaps this week could be
called "Pentecost Renewal Week." Connecting the Spring "Spiritual
Emphasis Week" with the celebration of Pentecost would add to the week
Biblical timing, authority, and meaning. The disciples’ preparation for Pentecost can serve as a model for the
Pentecost Renewal Week by reminding us of the need to prepare our hearts as
did the disciples of old. "The heart must be emptied of every
defilement, and cleansed for the indwelling of the Spirit. It was by the
confession and forsaking of sin, by earnest prayer and consecration of
themselves to God, that the early disciples prepared for the outpouring of
the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. The same work, only in greater
degree, must be done now."9 Pentecostal Sermons. The
proclamation of God’s Word plays a key role in the Christian worship
experience. Pastors gain inspiration for their sermons from a variety of
sources such as the reading of Scripture, a major event, or a perceived
spiritual need of the congregation. Sometimes the topic of the sermon is
dictated by the church calendar which designates certain Sabbaths to promote,
for example, stewardship, temperance, Christian education, religious liberty,
Pathfinders, family life, women’s ministries, evangelism, etc. Some of the
causes promoted during the sermon can detract from the worship experience. The seven Sabbaths from Passover to Pentecost offer to the pastor a
unique opportunity to ignore temporarily the promotion of significant aspects
of the church life and to focus instead on the redemptive accomplishments of
Christ’s first Advent. The series of seven sermons can start with the
suffering and sacrifice of Christ and continue with Christ’s resurrection,
ascension, inauguration of His heavenly ministry, the bestowal of spiritual
gifts, and the birth of the Christian church. Some topics such as the heavenly ministry of Jesus or the bestowal of
spiritual gifts, are so rich in meaning and experience that they could well
be presented as a series of Pentecost sermons. This means that in a given
year the seven Sabbaths of Pentecost could be devoted to reflecting upon
various aspects of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Some of the questions that
could be considered are: How do we receive the gifts of the Spirit? How do we
know which spiritual gifts we have received? How do we cultivate or use our
spiritual gifts? Another possibility is to have a series of sermons reflecting on the
meaning, need, and results of Pentecost as a corporate experience for the
Church. Some of the topics could be: the secret of a Pentecostal revival, the
need today for Pentecostal zeal, the characteristic of a Pentecostal church,
conditions for the outpouring of the Latter Rain. Another subject that would be most appropriate for a series of sermons
during Pentecost is Christ’s ministry in the heavenly sanctuary. Many Christians
do not have the faintest idea about what Jesus is doing in heaven. Yet it is
through Christ’s heavenly ministry that we experience the benefits of His
redemptive accomplishments. It is not surprising that we are admonished in
Hebrews to "consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our
confession" (Heb 3:1). Consider (katanoeo) means "to
look at with reflection," "to contemplate."10 Pentecost gives the pastor an opportunity to help his congregation
appreciate more fully the relationship between Christ’s atoning sacrifice on
earth and His intercessory work in heaven. What is Jesus doing when He makes
intercession for us? Is He making God more willing to forgive us and to help
us? A study of the relevant texts suggests that Christ’s intercession consists
not so much in words as in mighty and significant acts. He presents Himself
before the Father as our representative (Heb 7:25). He appears by virtue of
His righteousness and sacrificial death. "His intercession is that of a
pierced and broken body, of a spotless life."11 Equally important to consider during Pentecost are the benefits we
derive from Christ’s intercessory work. These are great truths that not only
appeal to the intellect but also have a direct impact upon our daily
Christian living. It is reassuring to know that Christ’s work in heaven gives
us constant access to God (Eph 2:18), mediates repentance and forgiveness to
believers (Acts 5:31; 1 John 2:1-2; 1:9), makes our prayers acceptable to God
(John 16:23-24; Rev 8:3), provides us with the invisible yet real assistance
of His angels (Heb 1:14; Rev 5:6; 1:16, 20), and bestows upon us the
essential gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:33). Taking time every year during the Pentecost season to deepen the
understanding of vital aspects of Christ’s redemptive mission can enhance our
appreciation of what our Savior has done and is doing for us. Most Christians
receive much of their religious education at church during the worship
service. The purpose of the annual feasts, such as Pentecost, is to provide
an opportunity during the course of the year to lead Christians into a fuller
understanding and experience of the great truths of the plan of salvation. Conclusion. Like Passover,
Pentecost is a remarkable typological feast which began in the Old Testament
as the celebration of the blessings of the Spring harvest and continues in
the New Testament as a celebration of the spiritual harvest of souls reaped
by Christ’s redemptive ministry. The continuity of Pentecost in the Christian
church is attested to not only by the references to the feast in the New
Testament, but also by its widespread observance in the early Church. Pentecost was observed by the early Christians as a season of
rejoicing from the Sunday after Passover to the Sunday occurring fifty days
later. The rejoicing was largely determined by the five major events
commemorated during the fifty days of Pentecost, namely: (1) the resurrection
of Christ, (2) His ascension, (3) the inauguration of Christ’s heavenly
ministry, (4) the bestowal of spiritual gifts, (5) the birthday of the
Christian Church. These events are part of the unitive celebration of
Pentecost. Our study of Pentecost in both Jewish and Christian history shows that
unlike other festivals, Pentecost developed few ceremonies. The feast was
observed more as a season of rejoicing than a single liturgical
day. In view of this fact, we have concluded that Pentecost still
should be observed today as a season to be thankful for material and
spiritual blessings. Our study of the meaning of Pentecost has shown that we
have many reasons to be thankful. We can be thankful Christ arose as the
first fruits of redeemed humanity (1 Cor 15:20). His resurrection is the
guarantee of our resurrection. We can be thankful Christ ascended to heaven to
begin a special intercessory ministry on our behalf. We can be thankful for
the gifts of the Holy Spirit, which are made available to us through the
ministry of Jesus in the heavenly sanctuary. We can express our thankfulness to God during the season of Pentecost
in a variety of ways. Some may wish to follow the custom of the early
Christians by standing rather than kneeling for prayer both at home and in
church to honor the risen, exalted, and interceding Savior. Others may wish
to express their thankfulness to God during the fifty days of Pentecost by
singing songs of thanksgiving during their private and public worship. Others
may wish to express the joy and gratitude of the Pentecost season by
decorating their homes and churches with flowers. A practical way to express our gratitude to God at Pentecost is to
bring a special thanksgiving offering. As the Israelites brought their first
fruits to express their gratitude for the harvest that had been gathered in,
so we, too, can bring to God at Pentecost a special thanksgiving offering for
the material and spiritual blessings received. The Feast of Pentecost provides an ideal setting for spending at least
the last week of the feast to seek for a fresh infilling of the Holy Spirit.
This week could be called "Pentecost Renewal Week" and could be
made to coincide in Adventist churches with the traditional Spring
"Spiritual Emphasis Week." The disciples’ preparation for Pentecost
can serve as a model for the Pentecost Renewal Week by reminding us of the
need to prepare our hearts as did the disciples of old. During the seven Sabbaths from Passover to Pentecost, pastors could
deliver a series of sermons focusing on the redemptive accomplishments of
Christ’s First Advent. Some topics, like the heavenly ministry of Jesus or
the bestowal of spiritual gifts, are so rich in meaning and experience that
they could be presented as a series of Pentecost sermons. By taking time every year during the Pentecost season to deepen the
understanding of vital aspects of Christ’s redemptive mission, we shall
discover that the Feast offers an appropriate opportunity to lead Christians
into a fuller understanding and experience of the great truths of the plan of
salvation. NOTES ON CHAPTER VIII 1. Ellen G. White, Redemption: Or the Teaching of Paul, and His
Mission to the Gentiles (Battle Creek, 1878), p. 65. 2. The Seventh-day Adventist Commentary (Washington, D. D.,
1957), vol. 6, p. 134. Emphasis supplied. 3. Eduard Lohse "Pentecoste," Theological
Dictionary of the New Testament, ed. Gerhard Friedrich (Grand Rapids,
1973), vol 6, p.47. 4. Origen, Hexapla, ed. Fridericus Field (Hildesheim, Germany,
1964), Leviticus 23:11. 15. 5. Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages (Mountain View,
California, 1940), p. 785. 6. Thomas J. Talley, The Origins of the Liturgical Year (New
York, 1986), p. 62). 7. Ellen G. White, The Acts of the Apostles Mountain View,
California, 1940), p. 39. 8. Ibid., p. 38. 9. Ellen G. White, "Pray for the Latter Rain," Advent
Review and Sabbath Herald (March 2, 1897), p. 4. 10. "Katanoeo," A Greek-English Lexicon of the New
Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, ed. William F. Arnt and
F. Wilbur Gingrich (Chicago, 1979), p. 415. 11. Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy (Mountain View,
California, 1948), p. 416. |