Topical Encyclopedia
The Feast of Pentecost, also known as the Feast of Weeks or Shavuot, is a significant biblical festival that occurs fifty days after the Passover. It is one of the three major pilgrimage feasts in the Jewish calendar, during which all Israelite males were required to appear before the Lord in Jerusalem (
Exodus 23:14-17;
Deuteronomy 16:16). The term "Pentecost" is derived from the Greek word "Pentēkostē," meaning "fiftieth," reflecting the fifty-day count from the Feast of Firstfruits.
Biblical Foundation and ObservanceThe instructions for observing the Feast of Pentecost are primarily found in
Leviticus 23:15-21 and
Deuteronomy 16:9-12. According to
Leviticus 23:15-16 , "From the day after the Sabbath, the day you brought the sheaf of the wave offering, you are to count seven full weeks. You shall count fifty days until the day after the seventh Sabbath, and then present an offering of new grain to the LORD."
The festival is marked by the presentation of two loaves of bread made from the firstfruits of the wheat harvest. These loaves are to be baked with leaven and offered as a wave offering before the Lord (
Leviticus 23:17). This offering signifies the completion of the grain harvest and acknowledges God's provision and blessing.
Spiritual SignificanceThe Feast of Pentecost holds deep spiritual significance as it symbolizes the giving of the Law at Mount Sinai. Jewish tradition maintains that the Law was given to Moses on this day, fifty days after the Exodus from Egypt. This connection underscores the covenant relationship between God and His people, as well as the importance of obedience to His commandments.
In the New Testament, Pentecost takes on additional significance with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles and other followers of Jesus.
Acts 2:1-4 records, "When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like a mighty rushing wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw tongues like flames of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them."
This event marks the birth of the Christian Church and the fulfillment of Jesus' promise to send the Holy Spirit as a Comforter and Guide (
John 14:16-17). The outpouring of the Spirit signifies the beginning of the new covenant and the empowerment of believers to spread the Gospel to all nations.
Cultural and Agricultural ContextThe Feast of Pentecost is deeply rooted in the agricultural cycle of ancient Israel. As a harvest festival, it celebrates the completion of the grain harvest and the provision of sustenance by God. The offering of the firstfruits acknowledges God's sovereignty over the land and His role as the ultimate provider.
The two loaves of bread presented during the feast are unique in that they are leavened, unlike the unleavened bread used during Passover. This inclusion of leaven may symbolize the growth and expansion of God's people, as well as the inclusion of both Jews and Gentiles in the new covenant community established through Christ.
Theological ImplicationsThe Feast of Pentecost serves as a powerful reminder of God's faithfulness and the continuity of His redemptive plan throughout history. It highlights the transition from the old covenant, centered on the Law, to the new covenant, characterized by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. The festival underscores the unity and diversity of the body of Christ, as believers from every nation are brought together through the work of the Spirit.
In summary, the Feast of Pentecost is a multifaceted celebration that encompasses themes of harvest, covenant, and spiritual empowerment. It stands as a testament to God's provision, the fulfillment of His promises, and the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit in the life of the Church.
Torrey's Topical Textbook
Leviticus 23:17You shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves of two tenth deals; they shall be of fine flour; they shall be baked with leaven; they are the first fruits to the LORD.
Torrey's Topical TextbookDeuteronomy 16:10
And you shall keep the feast of weeks to the LORD your God with a tribute of a freewill offering of your hand, which you shall give to the LORD your God, according as the LORD your God has blessed you:
Torrey's Topical Textbook
Library
Concerning the Festivals; and How Each Day of Such Festival is to ...
... also at this participation of the first-fruits of the ... by the Hebrews Asartha, which
signifies Pentecost, they bring ... slay sacrifices, in order to feast upon them ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 10 concerning the festivals.htm
The Passover visit
... There were three annual feasts, the Passover, the Pentecost, and the Feast of
Tabernacles, at which ... On the second day of the feast, the first fruits of the ...
/.../white/the desire of ages/chapter 8 the passover visit.htm
The Cavils of the Pharisees Concerning Purification, and the ...
... reach the city and Temple in time for the feast. ... the Christ enunciated also for the
first time the ... holds, that both the Passover and Pentecost had intervened ...
/.../the life and times of jesus the messiah/chapter xxxi the cavils of.htm
Letter Lv. Replies to Questions of Januarius.
... celebration of Easter, both that our feast might be ... 32. The celebration of Easter
and Pentecost is therefore most ... the eighth of these coincides with the first. ...
/.../augustine/the confessions and letters of st/letter lv replies to questions.htm
The Doctrine of the Last Things.
... 17 did not occur on the day of Pentecost, nor do ... Then came the first, saying, Lord,
thy pound hath gained ten ... would, as a reward, be allowed to feast on the ...
/.../evans/the great doctrines of the bible/the doctrine of the last.htm
Covenanting Provided for in the Everlasting Covenant.
... every seventh day: the periodic feast of unleavened ... First, atonement ([Hebrew:
kaper]"[Greek: chatallage].) "The idea ... on the day of Pentecost, was devoted by ...
/.../cunningham/the ordinance of covenanting/chapter vi covenanting provided for.htm
Appeal to the Christian Women of the South
... in every year in celebrating the Passover, the feast of Pentecost, and the feast
of Tabernacles ... What Human voice first proclaimed to Mary that she should be ...
/.../an appeal to the christian women of the south/appeal to the christian women.htm
Centenary Commemoration
... at Jerusalem, after the miracle of Pentecost, was the ... the clergy in Woodbury on the
Feast of the ... admitted to their ministry at the first Episcopal ordination ...
/.../centenary commemoration 2.htm
An Essay on the Scriptural Doctrine of Immortality.
... proper for food, but as consisting of "fruits of the ... among those who are saved in
the first resurrection, to ... of heaven as being called together to feast on the ...
/.../an essay on the scriptural.htm
Period iii. The Dissolution of the Imperial State Church and the ...
... of Constantinople, the first of Ephesus, and the synod of Chalcedon as most ... and this
oath Justinian produced later, when Vigilius had presented his Constitutum ...
/.../ayer/a source book for ancient church history/period iii the dissolution of.htm
Resources
What is the Feast of Tabernacles / Booths / Sukkot? | GotQuestions.orgWhat is the Feast of Weeks? | GotQuestions.orgWhat is the Feast of Dedication? | GotQuestions.orgFeast: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
Bible Dictionary •
Bible Encyclopedia •
Topical Bible •
Bible Thesuarus
