.-//+++oooooooooo++//-` {{Infobox_Contents | topic_name = Pentecost | subtopics = [[Acts 2]]* [[Pentecostalism]] |opinion_pieces = {{short_opinions}}* {{ebd}} |}} `://++:-:::::::::::::::::::/ooo+:` `/++/.`````.::::::::::::::::::::::::/oo+Pentecost refers both to an important Jewish feast day and the recognized beginning of the New Testament church. `-/+/.``````````-:::::::::::::::::::::::::::oo: `.://+/-````````````.The Jewish feast of Pentecost arose as the celebration of the closing of the spring grain harvest, which formally began 50 days earlier at [[Passover]].-//////:::::::::::::::::::::::+s+` `s+/:-``````-://///////:::::::::/+++oo/::::::::::::::::::/so- +//////////:.``` `On the Pentecost after the [[resurrection of Jesus]], the [[Holy Spirit]], as told [[Acts 2]], descended on the disciples in the form of tongues of fire accompanied by the sound of a rush of wind, and gave them the power of speaking in such a way that people of different languages could understand them./oo+::::::::::::::::::+sIn liturgical Christianity, Pentecost is an annual commemoration of this event, and it is observed as the birthday of the church and the feast of the Holy Spirit. `:so::::::::::::::::::s+ -os:::::::::::::::::+s` ===Etymology=== -s+::::::::::::::::/y` `+s::::::::::::::::/y` The word Pentecost is derived from the [[Greek]] word meaning "fiftieth". In [[Hebrew]] the word is [[Shavuot]]. /y::::::::::::::::+s +s::::::::::::::::s/ h:::::::::::::::::h`===[[Acts 2]] - The baptism of the three thousand=== oo::::::::::::::::y: +o[[Image::::::::::::::::+o s+::::::::::::::::/Icon 03005 Sobor 12-ti apostolov sKonstantinom Velikim.jpg |thumb|right|An icon of Pentecost]] `.--://+++++++++++/::-.` .h:::::::::::::::::/s According to the [[Acts|Book of Acts]], the experience of the Pentecost was shared by all in the large crowd, causing confusion and inspiring fear.-:+o++////::::It began with a sound of the rushing of a might wind ([[Acts 2:2]]) and tongues of fire appearing on the disciples ([[Acts 2::::::::///++o+/-3]]). `y/::::::::::::::::The disciples were filled with [[Holy Spirit]] and began to speak in languages foreign to them ([[Acts 2:+s 4]]) and preach to a crowd.When a crowd heard this they were bewildered ([[Acts 2:+o+//::::::::::::::::::::::::::::/+oo/-` `s+::::::::::::::::::+o 6]])./o+/:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::/+ooy/:::::::::::::::::::o+ `:o+/:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::/os+::::::::::::::::::h. `Then the [[Apostle Peter]], standing with the eleven other apostles, spoke to the crowd.He explained that these strange events had been predicted by the prophet [[Joel]], and that [[Jesus]]'s coming had been prophesied by [[King David|David]].Peter explained that these events confirmed David's prophesied exaltation of Jesus.--Peter then exorted his listeners to turn to [[Christ]].` `About three thousand responded to Peter's sermon.+yo///////::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::os+:::::::::::::::/y -+o++///+oo-:/+o++o+++++++++ooso+//::::///+//::::::::::::::::::::::::::/ss/:::::::::::::y- oo/::::::/oy+//::::::::::::::::::/+osooso+++++oso/::::::::::::::::::::::::/y+:::::::::::s+ +s::::::+s+/:::::::::::::::::::::::::/h+:::::::::/ss/::::::::::::::::::::::::ss:::::::::+s ====Theological Significance of Pentecost==== h:::::+s+::::::::::::::::::::::::::::h/:::/osooss/:/h/::::::::::::::::::::::::oy:::::::+s` oo::/yy+/::::::::::The events described in Acts 2 represent the fulfillment of the [[Old Testament]] prophecy of the outpouring of the Spirit, for example [[Ezekiel 36]]:25-29 and [[Joel 2]]:::::::::::::::::s:::oy/::::/y::os:::::::::::::::::::::::::oy:::::+o` `o+oo28-32.-hThe passage in Joel describes the Spirit coming to all people or nations, which links with [[Genesis 12:2]] and [[Acts 1::::::::::::::/+o++++o+/::::::-d:::::::/::os::::::::::::::::::::::::::ss:::o+ 8]]. /s`/``d::::::::::::::s/.` `-/o+:::::so::::::::/y/:::::::::::::::::::::::::::h+/s: The coming of the Spirit also further confirmed the authoity of Jesus.y` :`:hFor example, the words of [[John the Baptist]] who had prophesied that [[Jesus]] would baptize with the [[Holy Spirit]] were fulfilled (see [[Mark 1:8]] and [[Luke 3]]:////:::::::y16- `. `+s:::::os+/::/+os/::::::::::::::::::::::::::::/d+17). s/-:/+so+/////++oo+//h /+ h:::::::+ooooys:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::h- `The wind of Pentecost can be seen as a physical representation of the presence of God and the fire can be seen to represent purification./s/:The fact that other languages were spoken shows the universality of Pentecost and the break-down of communication barriers.`````````````-:+y+:In this sense, Pentecost can be seen to be the reverse of [[Babel]] were communication barriers were set up.` y/:::::::::::/h:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::o+ Pentecost had an electrifying effect on the disciples and it marked the start bold evangelism.++/The [[apostle Peter]] was especially instrumental in this.``````````````````````Whereas before Pentecost the disciples were fearful and hiding, afterwards they were able to courageously speak the gospel.-/++/ The day of Pentecost also saw the formation of the church because many Jews who heard the message of the gospel responded, although others turned away ([[Acts 2:41]]).` This church was a clearly defined community which was devoted to the teaching of the apostles and to prayer.h:::::::::::::d:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::+ The events that occurred on Pentecost also acted as a future sign of God's `/+acceptance of the Samaritans and the Gentiles into the church.``````````````````````````````-/++Because Cornelius and other Gentiles had a similar experience to the experiences of Acts 2, the apostles (at the [[Jerusalem Council]] in [[Acts 15:8]]) could see that God was calling them to be in the church as well.In this way, [[Acts 8]] and [[Acts 10]] can be seen of part of the fulfilment of [[Acts 1:s/::::::::::::8]] <blockquote>{{Bible verse|Acts|1|8|lang=WEB}}'''-d::::::::::::::::::::::::::::[[Bible:Acts 1:8|Acts 1:8]]'''</y blockquote>`s:````````````````````````````````````-/yo/:::::::::::::h::::::::::::::::::::::so:::::::/s /+`````-o.``````.-/```````````````````````.+s/:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::/h::::::::o+ ==Quotes==/+``````-:``````-/.`````````````````````````:h::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::/h/::::::::y- o/....--:/:::.``````````````````````````````d::::::::::::::::::::o/:::::::::oy/:::::::::h` [[Samuel Chadwick]] -/os/sssd:dNmho/-''Pentecost gave me the key to the Scriptures.It has kept my feet in all the slippery places of all sorts of criticism.``````````````The things that are stumbling blocks to so many are stepping stones to me.The inexplicable becomes plain when we recognize the presence and law of the Spirit.-::It balances scholarship, and gives discernment beyond all human learning.```-h::::::::::::::::::::/h:::::::/ys::::::::::oo /++m+sNNmmm//ooo+++/:::::/++ooosd:-/Indeed, learning without the Holy Spirit blinds men to the realities of divine truth.`The man who thinks he can know the Word of God by mere intellectual study is greatly deceived.s+:::::::::::::::::::::d:::::/ss/:::::::::::h` `y+:hmmmNo::::::://++d:oy//::+ySpiritual truth is spiritually discerned.````-s/::::::::::::::::::::::so::+yy/::::::::::::s/ '' +s:/y+mmNy:::::::::::/oo/:/+s+````-oo::::::/:::::::::::::::::/do+:.h/:::::::::::+o .h:::y::sdNy/////:::::///+ss+.```-oo::::::::+so:::::::::::::::-d .y/::/+ooo+:oo ==Links== y+::::y+.`-* [http:/++ooosssooo+/www.```theopedia.:shooooooooooo+o+ocom/::::::::::::-d `osso-```Pentecost Theopedia -yo Pentecost] -y::::::+so-````````````````.* [http:++-````````` `/s/:::::::::::h en.wikipedia.+++++++:` -ys+oo+::::org/oyy+wiki/::Pentecost Wikipedia -------/++/- /s/+s//++oo+y Pentecost] :s````-yo+++/:-` `..----::-. :yo.````.h: {{returnto}} [[Liturgical year]] -////-` ./+++++[[Category:Christian Calendar]]