The Christian Feast of Pentecost: A Brief Reflection

The Christian feast of Pentecost—meaning “fiftieth”—is upon us, so here’s a brief explanation. First, the word feast doesn’t refer to eating, but to celebration. Just as we celebrate important moments in our personal lives, religious feasts commemorate significant events of spiritual traditions.

The Christian feast of Pentecost has its roots in the Jewish feast of Shavuot, which comes 50 days after Passover. Shavuot celebrates the first ingathering of the barley harvest and the giving of the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai.

At Shavuot, Jerusalem would have been filled with Jewish pilgrims celebrating while about 120 of Jesus’ disciples gathered in a room, unsure of what to do next. The risen Christ had been with them for about 40 days after his resurrection, but 10 days had passed since his ascension into heaven.

Artwork often depicts Jesus floating into the sky on a cloud—as though heaven were some faraway place “up there.” It isn’t. Jesus simply returned to the fullness of his oneness with God, who is not distant but present everywhere, in every place. Still, it wasn’t reassuring to the disciples. What were they to do without his presence and leadership? True, he had promised that the Holy Spirit—the Advocate—would come to be with them, but what could that possibly mean? They had only the vaguest sense that the Holy Spirit was God with them and for them—unseen but present.

Frankly, they were in hiding, fearful of the crowds, of anti-Roman violence that might break out at any moment, and deeply suspicious of the religious authorities who had orchestrated Jesus’ crucifixion.

Suddenly, according to the record, something like a strong wind rushed through their midst tongues of flame descending on each of them. What exactly the wind and fire were remains unknown. What we do know is that in the blink of an eye, they were transformed—no longer fearful and confused, but courageous proclaimers of the good news of God in Christ and the nearness of God’s kingdom.

From cowering in a room, afraid of just about everything, they poured into the public square and began speaking the good news to everyone. Even more astonishing, people from many nations could each hear and understand them in their own languages. Finally, Peter stepped forward into leadership, took his place before the crowd, and delivered a stirring message of promise and hope.

Can the story be trusted? Does it matter? What we know for certain is that something extraordinary happened. Within thirty years, Christianity had spread to every major city in the Roman Empire. In a few more decades, it extended across the empire and beyond. What began as a minor Jewish sect had been transformed into the Way of Love pioneered by Jesus Christ—who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life for all people: Greeks, Romans, and so-called barbarians alike.

The Christian feast of Pentecost is celebrated 50 days after Easter. The Jewish feast of Shavuot always lingers nearby, though because our calendars differ, they seldom occur on the exact same day. Still, it would be wise for Christians to remember that the Way of Love—the Way of the Cross—can only be lived within the moral framework established by the Ten Commandments. Not just in their plain meaning, but in the deeper sense that plumbs the depths of every thought, word, and deed.

A popular hymn for this season speaks of “telling the old, old story of Jesus and his love,” and that it will be our theme in glory. But if we wait until then, it will be too late. It must be our theme here and now, in the places where we are, among the people we live with. That is the heritage of Pentecost.