Pentecost an introduction

Pentecost is an important festival for both Jews and Christians. 'Pentecost' comes from the Greek word for fiftieth. For Jews Pentecost comes 50 days after the second day of Passover (Pesach). It is the festival of 'Shavuot' (Feast of Weeks). This celebration comes at the end of the grain harvest. Jews also remember the time when they were given the Law (Torah) or Ten Commandments. You can read about these events by looking at: The Passover in Exodus 12. 1 - 13; Thanksgiving for the grain harvest in Exodus 34. 22 and Deuteronomy 16. 10; Giving the Law on Mount Sinai in Exodus 19. 16 - 20. 19. You can find out more by looking at the background information. For Christians Pentecost is the time to remember when the Holy Spirit came to the followers of Jesus. 50 days after Jesus' resurrection - Easter - his frightened followers were meeting in a room in Jerusalem. The Holy Spirit changed them as much as you can imagine! Not in how they looked but in the sort of people they became. Instead of being frightened and in hiding, they became bold and spoke out about the effect Jesus had had on their lives with dramatic results. Pentecost is often referred to as 'the birth of the Christian Church'. Some Christians also call this time 'Whitsunday' because traditionally it was the occasion when followers were baptised and they wore white clothes. 'White Sunday' became 'Whitsun'. You can read about the Holy Spirit coming to the followers of Jesus in Acts of the Apostles chapter 2. You can find out more by looking at the background information.

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