Dictionary Article

Word derived from the Greek word pentekoste (“fiftieth”), which stood for the festival celebrated on the 50th day after Passover. In the OT this festival, called Shavu‘oth (Weeks) in Judaism, is referred to as the Feast of Weeks (Ex 34:22; Dt 16:10) because it occurs seven weeks after Passover. Other names include the Feast of Harvest (Ex 23:16), because of its relationship with harvest season, and the Day of Firstfruits (Nm 28:26), because two loaves of newly ground grain were presented before the Lord. (This latter name should be distinguished from the offering of firstfruits at the beginning of the harvest season, as mentioned in Lv 23:9-14.)

The Feast of Weeks was one of three OT pilgrimage festivals when individuals were to appear before the Lord with gifts and offerings (Ex 23:14-17). The festival was primarily a harvest festival and celebrated the end of the barley harvest and the beginning of the wheat harvest. Traditionally, grain harvest extended from Passover, when the first grain was cut (Dt 16:9) around mid-April, to Pentecost, which marked its conclusion in mid-June. Josephus’s statement that Pentecost was called “closing” illustrates this understanding (Antiquities 3.10.6).

Each year the priest waved a sheaf of newly harvested grain before the Lord on the day after the Sabbath during the Festival of Unleavened Bread (the period of seven days following Passover). The people then counted 50 days from the offering of that first sheaf of grain until the day after the seventh Sabbath to observe the Feast of Weeks (Lv 23:11). On this day two loaves, made of two-tenths of an ephah of flour and baked with yeast, were waved before the Lord (v 17) and freewill offerings were encouraged (Dt 16:10). This harvest festival was a time of great rejoicing and a holy assembly when no work was to be done (Lv 23:21; Dt 16:11). Observance of the Feast of Weeks during Solomon’s time (2 Chr 8:13) is the only OT reference outside of the Pentateuch, for Ezekiel makes no mention of it in his calendar for future festivals (Ez 45–46).

Pentecost is first mentioned in the NT as the occasion for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples of Christ, an event that many theologians understand as marking the beginning of the church (Acts 2:1). Since this was a required festival, Jews gathered from great distances to observe Pentecost in Jerusalem, making it an appropriate time for God’s work. On two occasions Paul takes into consideration the Festival of Pentecost when anticipating his travels. In the first instance he writes to the Corinthians about delaying his visit to them until after Pentecost (1 Cor 16:8), while later he was desirous of traveling to Jerusalem to get there in time for Pentecost (Acts 20:16).

Pentecost Celebrations for Jews and Christians

Jews today celebrate the giving of the law at Sinai on Shavu‘oth, in addition to observing aspects of the Harvest Festival. After the destruction of the temple in AD 70, this association became stronger and is now a central part of the festival. In addition to readings from the Pentateuch, the book of Ruth is read because of its harvest background. Much later in Judaism, this festival came to commemorate the anniversary of David’s death, so the Psalms are also read.

Christians annually celebrate Pentecost on a designated Sunday on the assumption that 50 days from Passover to the Feast of Weeks were counted until the day after the seventh Sabbath (our Sunday) as prescribed by Leviticus 23:15-16. While the early church celebrated God’s gift of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost, in time it became a popular occasion for baptisms. The white dress of the candidates gave rise to the name Whitsunday (White Sunday) in Christian tradition.

Tyndale Open Bible Dictionary