Pentecost  – Year B

Sermon Notes from the Church’s Ministry Among Jewish People

RCL Readings – Acts 2:1-21 or Ezekiel 37:1-14; Psalm 104:24-34, 35b; Romans 8:22-27 or Acts 2:1-21; John 15:26-27; 16:4b-15.

ACNA Readings – Genesis 11:1-9 or Acts 2:1-11(12-21); Psalm 104:24-35; Acts 2:1-11(12-21) or I Corinthians 12:4-13; John 14:8-17.


Seasonal Introduction. Pentecost Sunday occurs 50 days (inclusive counting) from Resurrection Sunday.[1] It closes the season of Easter and begins the long season of Ordinary time in the Christian calendar. Pentecost Sunday celebrates the descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles and is sometimes considered the birth of the Church. Pentecost, known as Shavuot in Hebrew, initially appears in the Torah as an agrarian holiday centered around the wheat harvest in Israel but was soon associated with the giving of the Torah on Mount Sinai. Pentecost, Πεντηκοστή, means “fiftieth” in Greek and is the word used by the Septuagint, Apocrypha and the New Testament to refer to Shavuot, which means “Weeks,” acknowledging the Jewish tradition of Shavuot falling 7 weeks after Passover. 


Common Theme. Theological themes of the Jewish agrarian calendar developed predominantly during the Second Temple period. By the time of the New Testament, Pentecost became the festival to celebrate not only a grain harvest but also divine revelation and the giving of the Torah at Sinai. In the giving of the Law, Jewish tradition holds, God revealed himself to the world. In the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, we see that God continues to reveal himself and speak afresh to his people.


Hebraic Context. Passover is all about God’s redemption of Israel. But the season of passover ends and we are left with the question of, “why?” What was the point of the Exodus? If your first reaction is to say to get the Israelites to the Promised land then you'd be mistaken. If the purpose of the redemption from Egypt was to get a bunch of Hebrews into Canaan then God would have given better directions. He would have said, 'Get over the river, turn left, when you come to the Mediterranean turn right and you can't miss it.' Pretty simple, turn left then right. In reality the point of the Exodus was to bring the people to Mt Sinai. But again, we can ask, “why?” What happened at Sinai? Shavuot happened, traditionally the giving of the Torah, God revealed Himself to Israel for the first time.[2] [3]

 

What did the Hebrew people know about God while in Egypt? To be honest not very much. They had no Temple, they had no priests of prophets, they had no Bible. What they had were a few campfire stories about some nomad called Abraham and some guy with a big boat and a rainbow. They knew there was a Creator to all things but they didn't know Him. Then with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm He redeemed His people from darkness and brought them to Himself and revealed Himself. We note that the first commandment isn't actually a commandment, rather a calling card. God says, “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out the land of Egypt ...”[4] Redemption always leads to Revelation. 


So if the purpose of the Exodus is revelation and an encounter with God, why does it take 50 days before He actually shows up and reveals Himself? Exodus 19:1-2 says that during the 3rd month after they had left Egypt, the Israelites came to Sinai and made camp. What is interesting about verse 2 is that it says Israel made camp twice. Jewish sages read the Biblical text with a fine tooth comb, so the question is raised, why does the text mention they made camp twice? A closer look reveals that the first time they made camp the verb was in the plural יַּחֲנוּ. The second time they made camp the verb switched to singular, יִּחַן. They camped as one. And only then does God show up. What we learn from this is that unity is something that attracts the Almighty. The Sages say that Israel finally stopped fighting amongst itself, they stopped squabbling over who had which tent and who got which portion of food, they stopped arguing with each other and gathered as one. They were united for the first time since they left Egypt, they were one, and unity is something that attracts God. This occurred at Shavuot (Pentecost in the Greek).[5]


Acts 2:1-21. On the day of Pentecost, the book of Acts records the disciples meeting together in Jerusalem as they had been instructed to wait there from Jesus, one of His last commands before His ascension.[6] At this stage the number of disciples was approximately 120 people and they were most likely meeting in the area of the Temple Mount.[7] During the Feast of Shavuot in Acts 2, the Jewish people gathered from “every nation under heaven” to worship the Lord.[8] The atmosphere was electric. There was the expectation of revelation, messianic anticipation, and the prophetic promise of God’s Spirit on all flesh. 


Jesus had instructed his disciples to wait in Jerusalem, and they were not disappointed. The event began with a “sound from heaven” and a rushing wind filled the house, which we suggest is the Temple precinct and thus witnessed by a multitude of people. There is a play on words here as in both Hebrew and Greek the word for wind is also the same word for breath or Spirit. The sound of the wind leads to the next visible event which is the tongues of fire resting over the believers. Even though the sound of the wind and tongues of fire would surely be a powerful message to the world, they are not permanent among the believers–the presence of the Holy Spirit is.[9]


The response to the presence of the Spirit was the ability among all the disciples to communicate in multiple languages.[10] We see from the recorded response by the crowd varied reactions to both miracles and preaching of the truth. All see and hear the same thing, yet some had honest inquiry, some were amazed, perplexed, and confused while others accused and ridiculed. Peter took the opportunity to defend the disciples against the charge of drunkenness with the obvious truth that was before all the people.[11] The visible signs of wind and fire attracted the Temple crowd, who were all faithful Jews and Gentiles, to come and hear the good news. Miracles are important but they are no replacement for a believer's proclamation.


Peter quoted from the prophet Joel to describe what was occurring as a fulfilment of prophecy. The focus of the prophecy from Joel is the outpouring the Spirit on all flesh–all flesh, both Jews and Gentiles. In context of Acts 2 it only occurs on Jewish people (and possibly proselytes) at this stage. However, the miracles of Shavuot and Pentecost,[12] the great and loud wind, fire, tongues, and proclamation was to share the good news that God wants to dwell among His people. “Whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” While it would still be several years before Gentiles were included, the gospel invitation to everyone was announced here on Pentecost–Jew and Gentile, male and female, slave and free, rich and poor.


Ezekiel 37:1-14. The prophecy shown to Ezekiel in chapter 37 is known as the ‘vision of the valley of dry bones’; although the text itself does not say specifically that it was a vision. In the text, the hand and Spirit of the Lord took Ezekiel to an unknown large valley to see a glimpse of the prophetic future.[13] 


Ezekiel is addressed by the Lord as ‘son of man’ (ben adam), which in this context carries the meaning of mortal or human being.[14] But he was also a priest. The visible bones in the valley are not only quite dead but having never been buried there is also a sense of public disgrace as they had not been given a proper burial. As a priest, Ezekiel was not allowed to touch or bury deceased bodies unless they were his direct relatives.[15]


God asked Ezekiel to speak life to the dead bones.[16] Ezekiel spoke to the bones as commanded, resulting in a valley full of revived, activated bodies with no breath in them. Ezekiel then spoke to the four winds to breathe into the bodies. Breath in Hebrew is also the same word for spirit, which leads many commentators to reflect on the need for the work of the Holy Spirit in any act of physical or spiritual regeneration. 


The literal text of Ezekiel describes these now living beings as representing the Jewish people, whom God says are the whole House of Israel, and not just the southern kingdom of Judah.[17] To insure that His people would live, not only would God give Israel a heart of flesh (Ezekiel 36:26) but also His own Spirit. What an amazing hope for a people exiled and seemingly so far from the promises of God.


Psalm 104:24-34, 35b. Psalm 103 and 104 both begin and end with the imperative to “Bless the Lord, O my soul.” Many psalms call on us to worship the Lord, whether through music and song or in holiness. Here the Psalmist commanded himself (by his own desire) to bless God. How can man bless God? Psalms 103 and 104 make it clear how God blesses us every day. God’s blessings are real and tangible–not simply words or a prayer over dinner.[18] 


The Father pours out His spirit on His creation, and our spirits should respond in blessing the Lord for His goodness, faithfulness and generosity. The psalmist uses creation and its dependence on God, who sustains the world, giving food “in its season” as an example of God’s blessing. Should God withdraw His presence and care, the result would be misfortune and death. However, the outpouring of the Spirit renews the earth with life and blessing. God has indeed poured His spirit on His creation. This is part of our sacred history that we confirm at Pentecost. May our own spirits respond to this truth in the appropriate fashion and bless the Lord. For it pleases God and blesses Him when we, like Him, give food to those who need it in due season. “Bless the Lord, O my soul”–give God reason to rejoice in His creation even as we rejoice in Him.


Romans 8:22-27. When Adam ate the fruit in the garden, the world was cursed. It was not the fault of creation that Adam fell, yet the world bore the result of the fall along with humanity. Like humanity, creation also longs for redemption and not destruction. Paul says creation groans, not in death pangs but in labour pains. The struggle that the world is going through will not end in death but in life. Paul understands that just as the world suffered the effects of the fall of Adam, so too creation will benefit alongside the redemption of mankind. 


We would be fooling ourselves by saying that waiting for the final redemption is easy. Endless wars, failing economies, and broken families all attest to the pain of a fallen world. One of the gifts of the Holy Spirit is hope. This hope exists outside of ourselves. Scripture has revealed a God that is faithful to His covenants, delivers on His promises of redemption and salvation through Israel and the Messiah, and upholds His word again in sending the Spirit. While we may struggle with waiting, and in our weakness even fall into sin, it is the Spirit that, since Pentecost, reminds us of the hope we have and even assists in our prayers. What a great gift Pentecost has been to the world.


John 15:26-27; 16:4b-15. This is not the first time that Jesus had spoken about the “Helper” that will come from the Father.[19] In the previous chapter Jesus confirmed (John 14:26) that the Helper is actually the Holy Spirit. Nonetheless, it was not easy for the disciples to understand at the time that “it was to their advantage” that Jesus was going away. Jesus, the miracle-worker and creator of the world, would leave His disciples. But the presence of the Holy Spirit in and among His people was a greater help than the physical presence of Jesus on earth. That’s an interesting thought!


Jesus, in His incarnation, could only be in one place and any one time while the Spirit would be in every believer and thus have a markedly greater effect on the world. Not to mention Jesus would be given all authority and make intercession for us in heaven. Today we can look back, unlike the disciples, and see the truth of Jesus’ claim. After 2,000 years of guidance and empowerment of the Holy Spirit and intercession of Jesus, despite our many faults, the Kingdom of Heaven has expanded around the globe with billions of people calling Jesus their Lord. What a gift Pentecost has been to the household of faith.


Jesus spent several years living with, guiding, and teaching His disciples. And yet, Jesus made a confession that His instructions were incomplete. He had not taught them everything! “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now”. We can only speculate as to what that might have been.[20] God knows and understands our weaknesses. Jesus saw and understood how often His disciples simply could not understand all His teachings–even when He spoke plainly. But in our weakness, God sent the Holy Spirit who not only helped the disciples and apostles understand Jesus’ teaching but also continues to help us.[21]


Hebraic Perspective. The concept of fire and languages is not new to the New Testament. Shavuot is the feast that honours the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai. Following the giving of the 10 Commandments there is an interesting verse that says that while God was speaking His commandments, Israel saw several things. The verse in question is Exodus 20:18 כָל-הָעָם רֹאִים אֶת-הַקּוֹלֹת וְאֶת-הַלַּפִּידִם, וְאֵת קוֹל הַשֹּׁפָר and it is usually translated that Israel saw thunders and lightnings and heard a trumpet or shofar. However that’s not what the Hebrew text actually says, it reads that Israel saw the voices כָל-הָעָם רֹאִים אֶת-הַקּוֹלֹת and the fires וְאֶת-הַלַּפִּידִם and saw the voice of the shofar וְאֵת קוֹל הַשֹּׁפָר, all with definite articles and in the plural except the voice of the shofar which is singular. They didn’t just hear the sounds, they saw the sounds.


Several questions are raised by this verse such as: how do you see voices and why the inclusion of the element of fire? In Jewish tradition when God speaks, fire comes out of His mouth. This is not a tradition based on silence, just the opposite actually as there are many Bible verses in Scripture that note the connection between God's voice and fire, such as Psalm 18:8, 13. Jewish exegetical tradition suggests that when God spoke at Mount Sinai all the world heard His voice not just the people of Israel at the base of the mountain.[22] According to Genesis 10 there are 70 nations of the world, so when God spoke at Sinai fire departed from His mouth and split into 70 tongues of fire, each fire being the voice of a nation. In summation then, the Torah was given by God at Shavuot with multiple voices and multiple fires being something visual and possible to see. In the New Testament these images reappear in Acts 2, also at Pentecost, with tongues of fire and a plurality of languages. 


ACNA Readings


Genesis 11:1-9. The story of the Tower of Babel describes a gathering of humanity in direct rebellion of God’s command to Noah’s descendants to spread out all over the earth (Gen 9:1). According to Genesis 10, the city of Babel was founded by Nimrod, whose name in Hebrew literally means “we rebelled.” The previous rebellion against God had resulted in the flood. So the solution, they decided, was to build a tall tower for self-aggrandizement and for protection against a return of the flood waters. The tower would serve both as a focal point to keep the people together to forestall the “scattering over the earth” and was tall enough to escape the potential divine wrath of floodwaters.[23] 


Once more man’s rebellion resulted in divine wrath but not in the form of water, which might have been expected, but rather in the form of mixed languages. Multiple languages brought confusion and dispersion among the people, but different languages are not an impediment to the Lord! The multiple tongues at Pentecost show how the Spirit can overcome our confusion and that unity of spirit can exist amidst the diversity of culture and tongue.


I Corinthians 12:4-13. Much has been written and argued over the many gifts of the Spirit. But Paul’s focus isn’t about the gifts, it’s about the Holy Spirit. The actual blessing of God’s many gifts display the reality of God (unlike the mute idols we previously followed). The Holy Spirit was poured out ever since Pentecost and he has been working in different ways amongst his people. Paul reminds the Corinthians that the many and varied gifts, ministries and activities of the believers all stem from the same source, which is God. It is not that one gift is superior to another, rather the Spirit operates in a variety of ways for the “common good.” The gifts of the Spirit are dispersed, which implies that no one gets everything. Instead, it is only through unity in the body of believers that we actually have access to all the gifts. This should motivate us for more fellowship together so that, in humility, you will have access to the gifts the Spirit has imbued in me, and I will have access to the gifts given to you.


John 14:8-17. One of the mysteries of the faith we share is that to know Jesus is to know the Father. The Trinity is not something we fully understand but Jesus showed us the same love, compassion, justice, mercy and goodness that is in the Father. Jesus assured us that as His disciples we will do greater works than He did. We might ask ourselves; how is this possible? As a servant is not greater than his master, so how is it possible that Jesus says we will do greater works than Him? 


Jesus taught a handful of disciples. His disciples have turned around and taught the whole world. The Church has established schools and Bible colleges across the face of the planet. During His ministry on earth Jesus healed many people. In HIs footsteps, His disciples have brought healing to the nations and established hospitals, clinics, and doctors in much of the world. Jesus, as the creator, provided food for the hungry. We, as His disciples should provide food for the hungry wherever the Church is found–which, today, is in every nation. 


We haven’t done it alone or in our own strength. We had and still have the Helper. These great works, done in the name of Jesus and empowered by the Spirit, have given glory to the Father and the Son. Jesus says the Spirit will abide with us forever. The Spirit came at Pentecost, not to stay temporarily until the rapture or the return of the Messiah or until the new heavens and new earth, but far longer than that. Forever! The gift of the Holy Spirit is a permanent addition to our lives. Just as eternal life begins now, our relationship with the Holy Spirit begins now and continues into the world to come.

Endnotes

  1. It is also known as Whitsun, or Whit Sunday, in England. Possibly because of a tradition of catechumens wearing white robes in preparation for Baptism during Pentecost–a tradition likely derived from Revelation 3 and 7, where the faithful remain clean (figuratively) and will be clothed (figuratively and also possibly literally) in white robes.
  2. God had revealed His power in Egypt and throughout history. God had declared that He didn’t like certain things. But at Mount Sinai God not only revealed His power, which He still did there, He also revealed His desires: His care and mercy, His justice and judgment.
  3. The purpose of the Exodus, traditionally, is found in Exodus 29:45-46, “I will dwell among the people of Israel and will be their God. And they shall know that I am the LORD their God, who brought them out of the land of Egypt that I might dwell among them. I am the LORD their God.” God wanted to dwell among His people, but He needed a people who were Holy and so gave them the Torah that they might live and be the people of God.
  4. Most traditions state that the first commandment is “You shall have no other gods before me” and believe Exodus 20:2 was a prologue. However, the Talmudic tradition states that  “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out the land of Egypt ...” was the first of the 10 words (דברים), often translated as commandments.
  5. Acts 2 and Pentecost reflect this theology. The disciples were “all together in one place.” Just as in Exodus 19:1-2, Luke recognized the importance of unity. Unity is not a theological or ideological ideal where everything thinks, acts, and lives in the same way. Unity is behavioural. Paul tells us to be “eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” How? Colossians 3:12-14 instructs us to clothe ourselves with “compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you must also forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.” It isn’t agreement in all things that unites us, it is the love of God. And Jesus, in His prayer to the Father, interceded on our behalf that we would be one, united. (John 17:20-23)
  6. Acts 1:4
  7. Many commentaries will say the disciples were in the Upper Room, the traditional name of the location for the Last Supper. However, the Greek text does not say that the disciples were in the Upper Room (nor does it actually say they are in the Temple). In Acts 2:2 the Greek word that described where they were is οἶκος (oikos), the “house”. In Hebrew the term, “the House,” would imply the Temple, known as the House of God. The Temple mountain is called הַר הַבַּיִת Har HaBeit in Hebrew and means the “mountain of the House.” The events that followed also all make sense to have occurred on the Temple Mount and we know that the disciples commonly met there.
  8. Acts 2:10 records that the Jewish community of Rome sent a delegation to Jerusalem for the Festivals, thus the Church in Rome did indeed get started by Peter (as is the tradition)–just not in Rome but here in Jerusalem. Persians, Egyptians, and Arabs–both Jews and proselytes were also attracted to the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
  9. The love of believers one for another and the bond of peace, these are the signs of disciples of God. And God sent the Holy Spirit to us that we might be one as He is one.
  10. The tongues that are mentioned here are human languages and not the tongues of angels that Paul referred to in 1 Corinthians 14:14-15. Here in Acts the varied nations could understand the message of the disciples each in their own language.
  11. It is Peter who admonishes all of us in 1 Peter 3:15 to always be “prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect”.
  12. See Footnotes 5 and Hebraic Perspective. Exodus 19 and Acts 2 have many similarities. Not only unity but also the great sound of rushing wind and tongues of fire (Jewish tradition, in 4Q376 and 1Q29, Shabbat 88b.3, and Pirkei Avot 6.2, states that God sent out tongues of fire to the 70 nations, each in their own language, from Mount Sinai so that they too could hear and listen if they had ears to hear).
  13. Ezekiel and Daniel were exilic prophets. It states in Daniel 1:2 that the booty of Jerusalem was taken to the plains of Shinar, which Genesis 11 states was the place of the tower of Babel. It is common in Jewish thought for a place to see redemption come in the same place as the fall of something. Because the valley remained unnamed in Ezekiel, traditions and allegory could be created to proclaim the great power of God (as long as the allegory didn’t refute what was obviously true in Scripture). One example is that Ezekiel, from his place of exile, was able to see life come out of even a place of total rebellion such as the tower of Babel. Later, the bones are related to the nation of Israel, who God would raise up as there is always hope.
  14. This is in contrast to the term ‘son of man’ (bar enosh) as referenced in Daniel, which there (and in the Gospels, and Mark in particular, along with Revelation) carries a supernatural meaning of an eschatological nature. When Jesus refers to Himself as the son of man it is in reference to Daniel and not simply as a mortal human man in Ezekiel.
  15. Leviticus 21 allows priests to bury their close relatives, although the High Priest was not even allowed to do that. The majority of Jewish scholars note that God led Ezekiel around (סביב סביב) the dead bones so that Ezekiel would not profane his priestly position before God.
  16. It was God who breathed life into all living beings–He is Life and Resurrection. But instead of doing the work Himself, God chose to partner with a human prophet who would speak on His behalf. God always desired to partner with man. God created the universe and holds dominion over all things, yet also tasked Adam with sharing in that dominion. By God’s choice, heaven and earth so often work together.
  17. The resurrection of the valley of dry bones occurs at the national level and speaks of the restoration to life of the Jewish people. This restoration cannot be divorced from the Land of Israel as a physical restoration of the descendants of Abraham to the land God promised, neither in Genesis, nor in the prophets.
  18. Hebraic thought states that we should bless God after we have eaten and are satisfied (Deuteronomy 8:10). The food does not need to be blessed, God has already blessed us with it. But this blessing after the meal shouldn’t simply be words, it should be a blessing of how we live the life God gives us every day (Deuteronomy 6-11).
  19. In verse 26 the phrase “proceeds from the Father” has been a source of historic debate and disagreement between Latin (Western) and Orthodox (Eastern) churches for centuries. The argument is around the question; does the Spirit come from the Father alone or, because of the Triune Godhead, does the Spirit not also proceed from the Son? In the Nicene Creed the addition of “and the Son” (called the filioque clause) occurred in several Western Latin churches in the 6th Century. It is a sad reflection that even the gift of the Helper has resulted in controversy.
  20. We have mentioned previously how many times in Scripture, the writer states something like “Jesus prayed” or “And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, He interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.” Even today, there are things that God has not taught us for “now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.”
  21. This doesn’t mean we fully understand all things. All God’s children have the Holy Spirit and yet, even when we have love and humility and the Holy Spirit within us, we can still disagree about theology–and that’s ok (as long as we do so in love and humility and unity).
  22. For instance, Exodus 15:14 says that, “The nations will hear and tremble; anguish will grip the people of Philistia.” Rabbi Yishmael in Shabbat 88b.3 states, “so too, each and every utterance that emerged from the mouth of the Holy One, Blessed by He, divided into seventy languages.”
  23. Greek historians Strabo and Herodotus record a large tower structure still in existence at Babel during their lifetimes.