Pentecost is considered the birth
of the Church. It is right, therefore, for us to examine it as a birth. But
we may also look at it in a different light: it is the beginning of the age of
the Holy Spirit. Before the Advent, God spoke to man via prophets; in our
Lord's ministry by Jesus, and now, after Pentecost, through the Holy Spirit.
(Acts 2:1-13 NIV) When
the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. {2} Suddenly a
sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole
house where they were sitting. {3} They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire
that separated and came to rest on each of them. {4} All of them were filled
with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled
them. {5} Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every
nation under heaven. {6} When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in
bewilderment, because each one heard them speaking in his own language. {7}
Utterly amazed, they asked: "Are not all these men who are speaking
Galileans? {8} Then how is it that each of us hears them in his own native
language? {9} Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea
and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, {10} Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the
parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome {11} (both Jews and converts to
Judaism); Cretans and Arabs--we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our
own tongues!" {12} Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another,
"What does this mean?" {13} Some, however, made fun of them and said,
"They have had too much wine."
Symbols
One of the most common errors of
the "fundamentalist" Christian is to assume that God would never use
anything but the plainest of speech. It is not so; God is the great creative
artist, and he speaks to us in symbolic language as well. We can learn many
things from this; one thing is that he planned the existence of the church -
and the meaning of its "birthday" - long in advance.
Pentecost
From the Old Testament itself, we
can learn much about Pentecost, and see in it a forerunner of the events in
this passage:
·
It is a harvest feast - it celebrates the start of the harvest.
What could be more appropriate a festival to announce the coming of the church,
the harvest of God?
·
It takes place 50 days after Passover - the defining event of
God's people, the Jews. This transitions the day of celebration for God from
the Sabbath (last day) to first place - Sunday, the Lord's day.
·
The Jew was to celebrate Pentecost at one place - the place where
the Lord was to place his name.
That is Jerusalem, of course; but it was described before Jerusalem was taken
by the Jews. It happens where God's name dwells.
·
Interestingly, the Jews were to do no work on this day. That
means that it is just as holy as the Sabbath. In addition, it also means that
they were to let God work on this day - and work he did. No wonder we now
celebrate the Lord's Day and not the Sabbath.
Fifty - the number of
redemption
Fifty is a number with a
particular meaning in the Old Testament: it means redemption or restoration:
·
It is composed of seven times seven, plus one. Seven is the
number of perfection or completeness. We therefore have a completed perfection
- and more!
·
If you wanted to redeem the firstborn - man or animal - the price
was 50 shekels.
·
If you wanted to redeem your land, the price was based upon the
area you would sow with a homer of barley seed - and redeemed at 50 shekels to
the homer.
·
If you took the spoil of battle, one part in fifty went to the
priests.
·
Most important of all was the fiftieth year - the year of
Jubilee, when all things were restored to their hereditary owners.
Fifty - the number of the
Temple of God
Not only is fifty the number of redemption,
it is also the number uniquely associated with the temple of God - particularly
the temple not yet built but described in Ezekiel.
·
The curtains of the tabernacle were hung by fifty loops on each
pole.
·
All the entrances to Ezekiel's temple were 50 cubits long.
·
Perhaps most important of all: the price of the temple mount.
David bought it from Auranah for 50 shekels. David's words, "I will not
offer a sacrifice to my God which costs me nothing" ring in the ears.
The temple of God - the Holy
Spirit - is now "us." Does it cost us nothing?
Fire
Fire is universally the symbol of
purification. You will recall Isaiah's lament that he is a man of
"unclean lips" - which the angel purified with a fiery coal.
The refiner's fire so frequently referenced in the Psalms would be a familiar
metaphor to the disciples.
Wind
Interestingly enough, wind is
also a symbol of the Spirit - perhaps because it is a play on words in the
Greek. (This drives translators crazy when trying to translate John 3:8; the
word for Spirit and the word for wind are the same). The Jew of this time
would think instantly of Ezekiel 37; Ezekiel is told to "prophesy to the
breath" (some translations would have "wind") so that life may
come into the dry bones. We shall see that this connection with the
resurrection of the dead is no idle thing.
Side Note: speaking in
tongues
The passage is noteworthy in the
20th century as the root of Pentecostalism - the idea that speaking
in tongues is a mark of the Christian. There are four views; take your
choice:
·
Some, the Pentecostals, hold that a Christian must speak
in tongues. This seems contrary to Scripture which tells us that the Spirit
gives some to speak in tongues.
·
Others hold that the church must have those who speak in tongues -
but that not all will. Unfortunately, the view is most commonly held by those
who feel that speaking in tongues is a sign of being a better Christian.
·
Some hold that speaking in tongues - given its rarity in the past
- is a phenomenon which does recur. It is a little tough to tell the Spirit
that, by a two thirds vote of the elders, speaking in tongues is prohibited.
·
Others hold that all such gifts perished with the Apostles, there
being no record of any continuance. Certainly the gift of tongues seems to
have so perished until our day; healing, on the other hand, is reported almost
continuously.
That this is a gift of the Spirit
is clearly stated.
Most commonly, however, the Spirit's association with "tongues" is in
inspiration, not something readily translated.
There is, unfortunately, a
tendency to abuse. As best I understand it, the tongues in question were
clearly known tongues - but not to the Apostles. Their hearers
understood them. Regrettably, however, the tendency now is to explain that
speaking is done in unknown tongues - which requires an interpreter
(which is also a gift). This has a great tendency to be abused.
The Spirit and the Church
As the soul is to the body, so
the Spirit is to the church. This brings us to a number of useful conclusions.
The Spirit and the Church
Universal
Each of us has one soul; the
Spirit is like the soul to the church - therefore, there is one church. Not
many; one. We are One in the Spirit, for the Spirit recognizes no name on the
door but the children of God within. Indeed, the word used for
"church" in the New Testament, Greek ekklesia, means simply
"assembly." This is the cause of some confusion, for the word can
mean the church in its entirety or the local assembly of believers.
The Spirit has a set of specific
functions in the church. One is authentication. How do you know you are
dealing with God? The Spirit, by use of tongues, convinces the crowd that God
is moving and working among them. More commonly this will be shown in
healing. Tongues have largely faded, but healing continues.
Beyond that, the Spirit is
responsible for the guidance of the church. This includes the inspiration of
the Scriptures, for which Christ assured us that the Spirit would "guide
you in all truth." This also implies a doctrine titled
"indefectability" - the idea that the Spirit will not allow the
church, the body of Christ, to remain in error indefinitely. We see that
frequently. Cults come and go; the true church remains.
The Spirit and the individual
Christian
The Spirit is described to us as
the counselor, and the comforter. From the Spirit we therefore take counsel
and receive comfort. There are other gifts given to every Christian as well:
·
There is discernment of things spiritual.
·
There is unity with other Christians.
·
The Spirit is also a "deposit" - God's guarantee of
resurrection.
Beyond these, however, the Spirit
also gives us individual gifts. (Mine is teaching, I believe). These are not
to be taken lightly:
·
We are given gifts in power, and given the corresponding
responsibility with them. But the authority remains with Christ.
·
When given a gift, you are expected to use it for his purposes.
·
These gifts, when combined, are designed to build up the church
in unity.
Ultimately, however, the Spirit
is our deposit guaranteeing the resurrection of the dead - our ultimate union
with the Father. This has been so since the beginning, when the Spirit hovered
over the waters
(some translations have "brooded") to give life. It was to the
breath that Ezekiel was to prophesy to bring life to the dry bones. It is to
that "breath," the Spirit, that we are to look for the promise of our
resurrection.
Exhortation
This is all well and interesting
- but what should the Christian do about it?
·
Encourage fellowship with the Spirit - by obeying the commands of
Christ.
·
Be one people - live in unity with your fellow Christians, and so
fulfill the purposes of the Spirit.
·
Live in hope - for by the power of the Spirit Christ was raised
from the dead. So it will be with his church as well. Even so, come, Lord
Jesus!