Pentecost
“Fiftieth (day)”
Summary
Pentecost, meaning 'fiftieth,' was the second of Israel's three great pilgrimage festivals, celebrated fifty days after the Passover sheaf offering to mark the completion of the grain harvest, and later became the birthday of the Christian Church through the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
☩Names and Significance
This festival bears several names in Scripture. It is called the 'Feast of Weeks' (chag hashavuot) because it was celebrated seven complete weeks after Passover. The name 'Pentecost' (pentekoste, 'fiftieth') derives from being observed on the fiftieth day after the wave-sheaf offering. It is also termed the 'Feast of Harvest' (Exodus 23:16) because it concluded the grain harvest, and the 'Day of Firstfruits' (Numbers 28:26) because the first loaves from the new wheat crop were then offered. In post-biblical Jewish writings it was called the 'festival of conclusion' (atzeret), completing what Passover commenced.
☩Time of Observance
Pentecost was calculated by counting fifty days from 'the morrow after the sabbath' of Passover (Leviticus 23:15-16), beginning from the day the wave-sheaf of barley was offered. The precise meaning of 'sabbath' in this context was disputed: the Boethusians, Sadducees, and later Karaites understood it as the weekly Sabbath, while traditional Judaism interpreted it as the first day of Passover, a festival day of rest. According to the latter view, which the Septuagint, Josephus, and Philo support, Pentecost fell on the sixth of Sivan (late May or early June). The day was marked by Sabbath rest and holy convocation.
☩Ritual Observance
The distinctive offering of Pentecost was two wave-loaves made from fine wheat flour of the new harvest, baked with leaven—unlike the unleavened bread of Passover. These loaves, representing firstfruits to the Lord, were waved before Him with two lambs as a peace offering, then given to the priests. Additional sacrifices included a burnt offering of seven lambs, one young bullock, and two rams, with appropriate meal and drink offerings, and a kid for a sin offering. Until the Pentecostal loaves were offered, neither the new grain nor any other firstfruits could be consumed. Each worshiper brought free-will offerings according to how God had blessed him.
☩Character of the Celebration
Pentecost was a joyful harvest festival, a day of universal rejoicing before the Lord. Unlike Passover, which was primarily a family gathering, Pentecost was a social feast where the household, servants, Levites, strangers, orphans, and widows all participated together. The people were reminded of their former bondage in Egypt and their obligation to observe God's statutes. Although lasting only one day in biblical prescription, Jews in the diaspora later added a second day to ensure common observance despite calendar uncertainties. The synagogue was decorated with trees, plants, and flowers as reminders of the harvest.
☩Historical and Typological Significance
Originally a purely agricultural festival, Pentecost later acquired historical meaning as Jews came to commemorate the giving of the Law at Sinai, which by calculation occurred fifty days after the Exodus. A legend developed that the Law was delivered in seventy languages for all nations. In the Christian era, Pentecost gained supreme significance as the birthday of the Church when the Holy Spirit descended upon the apostles with tongues of fire (Acts 2). As the Passover typified Christ our sacrifice, Pentecost typifies the presentation of saints in the power and sanctification of the Holy Spirit. The two leavened loaves may represent Jews and Gentiles united in one body.
Related Verses10 mentions
See Also
References
- 1.John McClintock and James Strong, "Pentecost," in Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature, vol. VII (Harper & Brothers, 1867–1887).
- 2.James Orr (ed.), "Pentecost," in International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, vol. IV (Howard-Severance Company, 1915).
- 3.James Hastings (ed.), "Pentecost," in Dictionary of the Apostolic Church, vol. II (T. & T. Clark, 1915–1918).
- 4.Philip Schaff and Johann Herzog (ed.), "PENTECOST," in The New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge, vol. VIII (Funk and Wagnalls, 1908–1914).
- 5.F. N. Peloubet & M. A. Peloubet (ed.), "Pentecost," in Smith's Bible Dictionary (Porter & Coates, 1884).
- 6.Andrew Robert Fausset, "Pentecost," in The Englishman's Critical and Expository Bible Cyclopædia (Hodder & Stoughton, 1878).
- 7.George Morrish, "Pentecost," in Morrish's Concise Bible Dictionary (George Morrish, 1898).