Just as the Feast of the Passover was a holy day for the Jews
long before Christians began commemorating the resurrection of their Paschal
Lamb, Jesus Christ, so the Feast of Pentecost was a Jewish festival before
it was kept by Christians. The “Feast of Weeks”, as it was officially
called, fell on the fiftieth day after Passover, hence the name “Pentecost”,
from the Greek word for fifty. On this day Jews presented the first-fruits
of the harvest (Deut. 16.9), and commemorated the giving of the Law by
Moses.
On the first Christian Pentecost, the disciples waited, according to
their Master’s instructions, for him to complete his Father’s scheme of
Redemption, to perfect the work appointed him. Having died for the
sins of the whole world, and risen again for their justification, and ascended
into heaven as their intercessor, he sent down the Spirit of Sanctification,
to be with his Church. “A new commandment I give unto you,” Jesus
had said, “that you love one another” (John 13.34). Now was given
Love itself, to be the Law written on their hearts, the first-fruits of
Jesus’ Ascension, for “God is Love, and he that abides in love abides in
God and God in him” (I John 4.16).
Come down, O Love divine,
Seek thou this soul of mine,
And visit it with thine own ardour glowing;
O Comforter, draw near,
Within my heart appear,
And kindle it, thy holy flame bestowing.
(Hymn 487, The Book of Common Praise, Canada, 1938)
“Suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind,
and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared
unto them cloven tongues, like as of fire, and it rested upon each of them,
and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other
tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” (Acts 2.2-4) Jesus’
promise had been fulfilled; every fear was dispelled, every doubt removed,
Jesus was declared the divine Son of God: “Let all the house of Israel
know assuredly, that God has made this same Jesus, whom ye have crucified,
both Lord and Christ”. (Acts 2.36)
The circumstances surrounding this miraculous outpouring of the Spirit
had a certain likeness to those which in former days accompanied the giving
of the Law on Mount Sinai (Exod. 19.18). When the Law was given, the gift
was accompanied with thunder, lightning, and the sound of a trumpet.
The gift of the Holy Ghost was accompanied by light, a rushing noise, and
the utterance of every language. But this time the light and the
noise were not terrifying, but comforting, “with healing in its wing”.
Whitsunday is sometimes called the “birthday of the Church”, for it
was from that upper room where the disciples were assembled that the Good
News went forth into all the world. They had been equipped with wisdom
beyond their natural ability to fulfil our Lord’s last instruction to “go
into all the world and make disciples”. This gift of wisdom is one
that we should also earnestly desire “for as many as are led by the Spirit
of God, they are the sons of God” (Rom. 8.14).
The love we have for God and man, the wisdom to make it known, these
are the gifts of Pentecost. May they be ours today and always,
“Come Holy Ghost, our souls inspire; And lighten with celestial
fire.”
