A Note From Rob ...
Week of May 11, 2008
The season of Pentecost (50 days after Passover) begins for Christians this Sunday. The following from Jewish Heritage Online is some historical background about its significance to first-century Jews.
Beginning on the sixth of the month of Sivan, Shavuot is the third of the three pilgrimage festivals when the Israelites were enjoined to offer as a sacrifice a tithe of their produce. Shavuot is celebrated at the conclusion of the counting of the Omer, seven weeks (hence its name, which is Hebrew for "weeks") after. This festibal would have brought the faithful Jews to Jerusalem. therefore many different languages would have been spoken by those various persons.
Passover and Pentecost
"And you shall count for yourselves from the morrow after the Sabbath, from the day that you brought the Omer of the wave offering; seven complete Sabbaths shall there be, to the morrow after the seventh Sabbath shall you number fifty days ... " (Leviticus 23:15-16).
In english, Shavuot is called Pentecost, meaning fiftieth (i.e., the fiftieth day after Passover). The interpretation of the words "on the morrow of the Sabbath" was a subject of controvery between the Pharisees and the Sadducees (sects during the second Temple period); the interpretation of the former has been accepted, i.e., the Sabbath refers to the first day of Passover.
the festival would have brought many from around the region. Therefore, different languages would have been spoken. It was at the gift of the Holy Spirit they began to hear each in their native language. While it may have sounded like chaos and pandemonimum to the casual observer, to those hearing the good news in their own tongue it would have been extraordinary and personal.
Such is the gift of Pentecost. God made accommodations for the hearer so the message coud be heard and understood. How does that happen today? How does that happen for you?
I look forward to worshipping with you Sunday.
To read past Notes from Rob, click HERE
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