The Life and Times of Pentecost

Pentecost: “This word is derived from the Greek word Pentecoste, fiftieth, because the feast of Pentecost was celebrated the fiftieth day after the sixteenth day of Nisan, which was the second day of the feast of the Passover. The Hebrews called it the Feast of Weeks, Ex. 34:22, because it was kept seven weeks after the Passover.” Alexander Cruden

“You shall count seven weeks for yourselves; you shall begin to count seven weeks from the time you begin to put the sickle to the standing grain. Then you shall begin to celebrate the Feast of Weeks to the Lord your God with a tribute of a free will offering of your hand, which you shall give just as the Lord your God blesses you; and you shall rejoice before the Lord your God, you and your sons and your daughters and your male and female servants and the Levite who is in your town, and the stranger and the orphan and the widow who are in your midst, in the place where the Lord your God chooses to establish His name” (Deut. 16:9-12).

Historical timeline: Moses’ deliverance, Judges’ rule, King David’s wars, King Solomon’s peace, the Prophets preaching and prophesies, Israel divides into Israel and Judah, Israel taken captive by Assyria, Judah by Babylon, Many return to Judea , some remain in Babylon, others are scattered throughout the 120 provinces of Persia
World powers: Assyria, Babylon, Persia
Assyria and Babylon became strong in the East, Greece and Alexander strong in the West
Babylon and Alexandria become centers of culture
Western Jews are influence by Greek culture; eastern Jews by Babylonian culture
Babylonian languages: Aramaic, Chaldee, Syriac
Greek language becomes universal

ALEXANDRIA
Greek language
Great library
Philo, the great Hebrew scholar
Septuagint translation, Old Testament Hebrew into Greek
Egyptian mysticism, pagan gods, mystical interpretation of Scripture
Scriptures stripped of Jewish nationalism, everything Jewish became symbolic
Biblical truth replaced by intellectual “truth” (reason)
Beauty and reason prevail
Hebrew compiled Apocryphal (mythical) writings (As does the church after she fells away)

ASSYRIA
A world power, destroys Israel and takes many captives
Troubles Juda but unable to destroy her
Is overthron by Babylon

BABYLON
Overthrows Assyria and other nations
Destroys Jerusalem and takes many Jews captive
Is overthrown by Persia, who releases the Jews from captivity

ROME
Unites Alexander’s fragmented empire
Makes Judea a Roman province
Appoints Herod king, an Idumean (Edomite), a descendant of Esau), whose family has been forcibly converted to Judaism)
Appoints high priest in Jerusalem

JUDEA AND JERUSALEM
Hebrew literature:
Mishna—Interpretation of Law
Midrah---Commentaries and preaching
Targum---Paraphrase of Scripture
Kabala----Mystical writings (Babylonian)
These writings, rather than the Scriptures, were read in the synagogues
Pagan culture permeates Hebrew nation
Simon, a Maccabean leader, opposed Greek culture, founds the party of the Pharisees
Onias II encouraged Greek culture, founds the party of the Sadducees
Jerusalem became oppressed and poor and finally a slum city
Jews make treaty with Rome
Gamaliel is the most prominent conservative teacher of the Law – a Pharisee, Paul’s teacher
Hilleal is the most prominent liberal teacher – a Sadducee
Pharisees become the ruling party (strict and troublesome) Legalists
Sadducees are priests (political and less religious) Liberals
Publicans are Jews who collect taxes from the Jews for Rome
This is a time of freedom, peace and travel with synagogues everywhere
God fearing Gentiles becoming converts (proselytes) to Judaism
Passover was established through Moses and practiced until Jesus died
Jesus is born, lives, dies, is raised from death and ascends to heaven
Fifty days later, Pentecost! The Holy Spirit comes! The church is born! The rest is in the Book.