Pentecost

PENTECOST. This Word is derived from the Greek Word Pentecoste, which signifies the fiftieth, because the Feast of Pentecost was celebrated the fiftieth Day after the sixteenth of Nisan, which was the second Levit. xxiii. 15, 16.Day of the Feast of the Passover. The Hebrews call it¹ the Feast of Weeks, because it was kept seven Weeks after the Passover. Deut. xvi. 9, 10. Levit. xxiii. 15, 16.They then offer’d the first Fruits of this Wheat-harvest, which at that Time was compleated. These first Fruits consisted in two Loaves of leaven’d Bread, of two Assarons of Meal, or of three Pints of Meal each². Besides which they presented at the Temple seven Lambs of that Year, one Calf, and two Rams, to be offer’d for a Burnt-offering, two Lambs for a Peace-offering, and a Goat for a Sin-offering. We do not find in the Text of Scripture, or in Josephus, that the Pentecost had an Octave, tho’ it was one of the three great Solemnities, in which all the Males were to appear before the Lord. Besides the Victims appointed in Leviticus, Chap. xxiii. 18, 19. to be offer’d on the Day of Pentecost, they offer’d also two Calves and a Ram for a Burnt-offering, seven Lambs for a Peace-offering, and a Goat for a Sinoffering. See Numb. xxviii. 27. Josephus puts all these Sacrifices together. Antiq. l. 3. c. 10.

The Feast of Pentecost was instituted among the Jews, first to oblige the Israelites to repair to the Temple of the Lord, there to acknowledge his absolute Dominion over the whole Country, and on their Labours, by offering to him the First Fruits of all their Harvests. Secondly to call to their Memory, and to render Thanks to God for the Law which he had given them from Mount Sinai on the like Day, which was the fiftieth Day after their coming out of Egypt³.

The modern Jews⁴ celebrate the Pentecost for two Days, and these two Days are kept by them as Festivals of the Passover, that is to say, they abstain from all Labour, and meddle with no Business, no more than on the Sabbath-day, excepting that they may make Fires, dress Victuals, and carry what they want from one Place to another. They hold by Tradition, that this Day the Law was deliver’d from Mount Sinai; for which Reason they are used to dress the Synagogue and the Places appointed for the Reading of the Law, and even their Houses, with Roses and Flowers knit together in Crowns and Garlands, and that in great Quantities.

The Prayers are accommodated to the Festival, and they read from the Pentateuch the Sacrifice that was offer’d on that Day, with a Lesson out of the Prophets, which has some Relation to the Feast of Pentecost. Afterwards they pronounce a Blessing for the Sovereign, and make a Sermon in Commendation of the Law.

When the second Day of the Festival is over, in the Evening they perform the Ceremony of the Abdala, that is, Distinction, to distinguish the Day of the Feast from a working Day, and to shew that they pass from the Feast to a Day in which it is allowed to work. This Ceremony consists in repeating certain Prayers, and certain Blessings, and in wishing one another good Health, and all kind of Prosperity. After which every one employs himself as he sees proper, the Feast being at an End.

This Abdala, or Distinction, is also performed at the Passover and the Sabbath; but on the Day of the Sabbath there is more Ceremony. When every one is come home to his House, they light a Torch, or a Lamp with two Cottons, the Master of the House takes Wine in a Cup, and sweet-scented Spices: And when he has said some Passages out of the Psalms, and what is read at the End of the eighth Chapter of the Book of Esther; The Jews had Light, and Gladness, and Joy, and Honour, &c. Then he blesses the Wine and the Spices, and enjoys the Flavour of them as it were to begin the Week with Pleasure; he blesses the Brightness of the Fire, of which no Use has yet been made, looks upon his Hands and Nails, because he is then beginning to work, and throws the Wine upon the Ground, as a Token of Joy and Gladness. Then wishing each other a happy Week, they begin to go about their Business. But at the End of the Feast of the Passover, and of the Pentecost, they make the Abdala with Words only.

To these Practices Buxtorf⁵ adds some other Ceremonies, peculiar perhaps to the Jews of Germany. To call to Mind in a more sensible Manner the Mount of Sinai, upon which the Law was given, they make a very thick Cake, made of seven Layers of Past; they call it Sinai, and inculcate, that these seven Thicknesses of Past represent the seven Heavens, which God was obliged to re-ascend, from the Top of this Mountain to the Heaven of Heavens, where he makes his Abode. They reckon up exactly all the Days that pass after the Passover, that they may not be mistaken in the Moment upon which the Pentecost is to begin. The King, they say, has promised Liberty to a Prisoner, and his Daughter in Marriage, at the End of seven Weeks. Is it not fit that this Prisoner should count the Days, the Hours, the Moments, at the End of which his Happiness is to begin? This King is God, who has promised Liberty to the Jewish Nation, and also his Law.

And that they may not be mistaken in their Calculation, they celebrate two Festival Days for the greater Security. They did the same Thing formerly at other Festivals, as may be seen from Judith⁶. And Buxtorf affirms they did the same Thing at the Passover; and it is from hence that he removes the Difficulty arising from our Saviour’s eating the Paschal Lamb a Day before the Jews.

To return to the Pentecost. Twice they bring the Book of the Law, five Persons read it one after another. The Synagogue and the Windows of the Houses are adorned with Flowers, to insinuate, that every Thing was dressed in Verdure about Mount Sinai, when the Israelites received the Law.

The Christian Church also celebrates the Feast of Pentecost fifty Days, or seven Weeks after the Passover, or the Resurrection of our Saviour. We are convinced that the true Day of the Passover, in the Year that our Saviour died, fell upon the Saturday, and that the Pentecost fell on Sunday the 24th of May, fifty Days after our Saviour’s Resurrection. The Church has always kept the Pentecost on the Sunday, at least it is a Tradition very express⁷ among the Fathers⁸, and the Ecclesiastical Writers⁹. After the Ascension of Christ, the Apostles having withdrawn together into a House at Jerusalem, which ‘tis said was that of Mary the Mother of John¹⁰, which was upon the Mount of Sion¹¹, they there waited for the Holy Ghost, which our Saviour had promised to send them. And on the Day of Pentecost, about the third Hour of the Day, that is, about Nine a-Clock in the Morning, on a sudden they heard a great Noise, as it were the rushing of a mighty Wind, which came from Heaven, and which filled the Acts ii. 1, 2, 3.whole House where the Apostles were assembled together. At the same Time they saw appear among them as it were Tongues of Fire, which were parted or cloven, and rested upon each of them, who were then immediately filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak different Tongues or Languages, according as the Spirit gave them Utterance.

There were then at Jerusalem Jews of all Nations, pious Men and fearing God; and at the Noise that was made in the House where the Apostles were assembled, a great Number of Persons came together, who were very much surprized to hear all those in the House, to speak such a Variety of Languages. Some of ‘em were very much astonished at the Event, while others made a Mock of them saying, that these People were full of new Wine. Then St. Peter took up their Defence, and said, The People that you see here are by no Means drunk, for it is yet but the third Hour of the Day. On Festival Days they did not eat before Noon¹², especially they tasted nothing before Nine in the Morning, which was an Hour of Prayer. But added he, you see Acts iii. 1.here the Accomplishment of what was spoke by the Prophet Joel. I will pour out my Spirit upon all Flesh; your Sons and your Daughters Joel ii. 28.shall prophesie, your young Men shall have Visions, and your old Men shall dream Dreams. I will cause Prodigies to appear in the Heavens above, and extraordinary Wonders on the Earth below. And then, whoever shall call upon the Name of the Lord shall be saved. After this he spake to ‘em of Jesus Christ, of his Death and Resurrection, and of the Descent of the Holy Ghost, the Effects of which were so evident to them.

At these Words, those that heard St. Peter were moved with Compunction, and said to him, and the rest of the Apostles, Brethren, what must we therefore do? St. Peter answered them, Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the Name of Jesus Christ, to obtain the Remission of his Sins, and you also shall receive the Holy Ghost. He continued to instruct them by several other Discourses, and that Day were baptized about three Thousand Men. This is what passed on the Day of Pentecost, in the 33d Year of the Vulgar Æra

Read this article in its place on the printed pages