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Tag: pentecost

πεντηκοστή

Pentecost = “the fiftieth day”

the second of the three great Jewish feasts, celebrated at Jerusalem yearly, the seventh week after the Passover, in grateful recognition of the completed harvest

source

Deuteronomy 16:

9 Shivah shavu’ot (seven weeks) shalt thou number unto thee; begin to number the shivah shavu’ot from such time as thou begin to put the sickle to the standing crop.

10 And thou shalt observe Chag Shavuos unto Hashem Eloheicha by giving a terumah (freewill offering) of thine hand, which thou shalt give unto Hashem Eloheicha, according as Hashem Eloheicha hath blessed thee:

Acts 1:

When the day of Pentecost had arrived, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like that of a violent rushing wind came from heaven, and it filled the whole house where they were staying.

  • The Paraclete of Pentecost – Christ our Advocate

    The Paraclete of Pentecost – Christ our Advocate

    I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper [paraclete], so that He may be with you forever..

    John 14:16 NASB20

    Pentecost

    WE, as Christians, tend to compartmentalize the tenants of our faith. FATHER, that is GOD of the Old Testament. And then the SON, Jesus born, crucified buried, resurrected in body and Spirit — walking around the earth for fifty days in the flesh — then rising into the clouds on Pentecost. Then finally the HOLY SPIRIT sent to the Apostles of Jesus Christ to help them take the GOSPEL into all the world.

    • Is that about it?
    • Does this come close to your concept of the doctrine of TRINITY and timeline of Scripture?

    If so, today I want to challenge and expand your compartmentalized view of Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. For this deeper dive into Scripture we turn to the original Greek of the New Testament and the role of the Paraclete.

    .. but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you..

    And after He had said these things, He was lifted up while they were watching, and a cloud took Him up, out of their sight.

    Acts of the Apostles 1:8a,9 NASB20

    Note that Jesus’ ascension and the Apostles receiving the Holy Spirit are two separate events at two different times.

    Coming of the Holy Spirit

    When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.

    And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.

    Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit…

    παράκλητος – paraklētos – Paraclete

    The Paraclete is not the Holy Spirit of the New Testament.

    R. C. Sproul – The Triune God; Ch. 15 Holy Spirit, Counselor
    Source: This post quotes the teaching of R. C. Sproul extensively. Not enough can be said to credit this mentor to many for R.C.'s concise scriptural approach to logical conclusions concerning Christ Jesus. I will provide additional information and a link to R.C.'s lifelong ministry near the conclusion of this post.
With Glory to God and gratitude to R.C. Sproul.
Roger Harned

    So what is the Paraclete?

    FIRST: What the Paraclete is NOT.

    As R.C. Sproul states, he is not the Holy Spirit. Since I have just taught on the Holy Spirit and Pentecost we will not spend much time here.

    What’s the occasion? Festival of Weeks + Pentecost
    “We sometimes miss Pentecost by idolatry of its imagery.
    (The Holy Spirit is NOT a dove — it descended on men and women receiving it ‘like a dove.’) – Roger@talkofJesus.com

    παράκλητος – Paraclete:

    • The KJV translates Strong’s G3875 in the following manner:
    • comforter (4x), advocate (1x).
    • summoned, called to one’s side, esp. called to one’s aid
    • par-ak’-lay-tos; an intercessor, consoler:—advocate, comforter.

    You’ve probably heard all of these used for the Holy Spirit.

    Thayer’s Greek Lexicon adds some additional insight:

    παράκλητος, παρακλητου, ὁ (παρακαλέω), properly, summoned, called to one’s side, especially called to one’s aid; hence,

    “one who pleads another’s cause before a judge, a pleader, counsel for defense, legal assistant; an advocate”

    https://www.blueletterbible.org/study/misc/thayers.cfm

    Consider all of these definitions of the Paraclete.

    Perhaps the Holy Spirit is a Paraclete, but not our only comforter, counselor, helper or advocate.

    And in the Doctrine of Trinity we must allow for some ambiguity due to the One God being Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

    Christ the Paraclete

    Rather than looking to the Acts of the Apostles at Pentecost as we often do, R.C. Sproul suggests that we look to the Gospels.

    Consider the context of the words of Jesus Himself before His crucifixion, resurrection, the glory of Jesus rising into the clouds AND the Power given to the Apostles on Pentecost.

    The Gospel of John 14:

    And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever..

    John 14:16 KJV (with translations of other versions)

    NOT a ‘counselor‘ or mentor

    Our soft views of contemporary ‘Christianity’ diminish the role of the Hole Spirit, which is NOT a dove nor is it TONGUES of fire or the speaker of tongues. In like manner we also misunderstand the Paraclete.

    Click on the link above to John 14:16 and find the source of our misunderstanding. Translations of the Greek [ἄλλον παράκλητον] allos paraklētos vary widely. For example: another Comforter, another Helper, another Counselor or another Advocate.

    We cling to very different imagery of each of these descriptions of the same Greek word spoken by Jesus Christ.

    “What kind of Paraclete?” Sproul addresses this in his teaching.

    “I don’t like the term counselor here.. because it smacks too much of a mentor who gives us guidance, such as the guidance counselor in school.”

    more than a ‘comforter‘

    We all need comfort, don’t we? Certainly Jesus’ Disciples and the five hundred first century witnesses of the risen Lord all needed the power of some comforter in view of their persecution to come. Again, to quote Sproul:

    “It’s certainly true that one of the things the Holy Spirit does in the life of people of God is to bring comfort. Jesus, in fulfilling the role of the original Paraclete, was also given the title.”

    “.. another Paraclete..”

    R.C. points out that ‘if we’re paying attention to what Jesus says here, he promises.. “another Paraclete.” An he asks, “Who was the Paraclete?”

    Christ is the Paraclete, states Dr. Sproul; and allowing for the complete unity of Trinity, so is the Holy Spirit (as ‘another’ Paraclete).

    Again quoting Sproul:

    “.. but when Jesus said, ‘I’m going to sent another Paraclete,’ he was not saying, ‘I’m going to send somebody whose primary purpose will be to comfort you.’”

    Christians would sure like that, wouldn’t we? Yet Jesus does promise us a Paraclete even better than this.

    Advocate – Someone called along side

    When I hear the word ‘advocate,’ I picture the T.V. courtroom scenes of Perry Mason.

    He is the advocate every innocent defendant will want to stand with them to defend against charges brought before the court. (Perry Mason always wins.)

    So I like the idea that Jesus will send us a powerful advocate.

    Sproul breaks down the literal Greek to Latin translation:

    Para – Along side & kletos, from the verb, kaleo, which means “to call.”

    Literally, a paraclete or a parakletos was somebody who was called alongside.

    R.C. Sproul in Holy Spirit, Counselor

    Sproul points out the Greek word was used for an attorney. Furthermore, a family attorney. He will always be there to defend you.

    Again, my Perry Mason imagery, “Counsel, approach the bench.”

    Jesus sends this one called alongside believers to defend us. Christ comes beside every saint to defend every time. Sproul then takes us to a scene of Stephen in Acts 7, defending him before the court of Heaven.

    JUDGMENT!

    Do you understand that God has appointed Christ to judge the earth?

    from the teaching of R.C. Sproul

    Now allow me to ask you this:

    Who may stand in the Presence of God?

    Only Christ Jesus!

    He IS holy in a way equal to God the Father, Jesus Christ the Son is perfectly holy as no other man has ever been.

    A courtroom scene of Judgment now gets even better than Perry Mason.

    Picture this:

    Look up to heaven. The courtroom door is opened by an official who summons you to come in. At the bench as Judge sits Jesus.

    You’re more than a little afraid! The Apostle John probably describes the heavenly court best in Revelation saying,

    “When I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man. And He placed His right hand on me, saying, “Do not be afraid; I am the first and the last..”

    Revelation of Jesus Christ to John 1:17 NASB20

    As Dr. Sproul describes:

    ‘the Judge is going to stand up from behind the bench, come around to the front, an be our defense attorney, our advocate. Isn’t it incredible that Christ will be our defender?

    Christ who comes along side us

    What every Christian knows is true differs from the T.V. courtroom scene. Yes, Perry Mason also wins the case; but his client is innocent. What we know for certain is that we are guilty!

    for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus..

    Romans 3:23-24 NASB20

    Therefore, every creature in the image of God must have an Advocate to come alongside and Christ Jesus, who died for sinners, is the only One who can represent us, each mortal sinner made from dust into which God has breathed spirit.

    ‘and they worshipped Him.’

    We’ve glanced at the scene of the Apostles looking up at Jesus as the Lord leaves them once more as Luke records in Acts 1. Yet as Sproul points out, back in Luke’s Gospel he adds an important detail.

    Luke 24:

    The Ascension

    50 And He led them out as far as Bethany, and He lifted up His hands and blessed them. Now it came to pass, while He blessed them, that He was parted from them and carried up into heaven.

    And they worshiped Him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and were continually in the temple praising and blessing God. Amen.

    Previously, back in Jerusalem He had said:

    “These things I have spoken to you so that you will not be led into sin.. “But because I have said these things to you, grief has filled your heart. But I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I am leaving; for if I do not leave, the [paraklētos] will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you. – John 16:1,6-7

    the Paraclete will convict the world

    I would be remiss to close this case scheduled for the Highest Court with the Paraclete called to your side without presenting R.C.’s plea to the church concerning Judgment.

    Sproul makes a case for the Holy Spirit you need to hear.

    The Spirit will convince or convict the world of sin, of righteousness, and of Judgment.

    The Triune God, p.331

    ‘One of the things Jesus did was expose false theories of righteousness..’ ‘Perhaps what Jesus is saying is, “What I did in my earthly ministry, now the Spirit will do as my replacement –“

    We have a choice, my fellow beloved sinner. Who will be your Paraclete at the last Judgment? Hear what the Spirit says to the churches. — Or not.

    Are you completely convinced? OR

    Will you be convicted along with the world (without Christ Jesus to represent you)?

    Why are you a Christian?

    In the year of our Lord 2021, the world continues to grow population currently about seven billion, nine hundred million people and increasingly continues in its sin. Yet in these last days Jesus Christ is mocked as He was on the Cross by a world embroiled in sin. Did you sign up for that?

    Sproul asks: What brought you to repentance? He continues:

    “In addition to the objective evidence of your sin, the Holy Spirit cut through all your deceitful barriers that kept you from coming to the cross of Christ..

    And here R.C. adds a judicial foreshadowing of the heavenly court.

    “.. throwing yourself at his mercy, and saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner.’ God had to melt your heart.. and it was God the Holy Spirit who brought that inner conviction.”

    the Courtroom of Heaven!

    And He, when He comes, will convict the world regarding sin, and righteousness, and judgment: regarding sin, because they do not believe in Me..

    John 16:8-9 NASB20 – Jesus Christ, concerning the Paraclete

    Jesus Christ IS in heaven, seated at the right hand of the Father. A call will go out from the courtroom of heaven to all mortal flesh.

    We cannot see this Highest Court.. And we will not get in until, like any other defendant, we are called.

    the Paraclete of Pentecost

    Christ Jesus is our Advocate! (Or He may be IF you will make Him your Lord.) Sproul concludes:

    The Holy Spirit will not allow the world’s view of sin, righteousness, and judgment to prevail, because he’s the Spirit of truth, sent to the world by the Father and by the Son.

    R.C. Sproul – Holy Spirit, Counselor

    Heaven’s courtroom door is not the gate of Eden. And we are NOT called up to see heaven until our case comes up on the JUDGE’s docket.

    But our time is near — Death! OR even The End of all earthly things…

    • What will you see when death’s door opens?
    • Who will you see when your NAME is called?
    • Will the Judge, seated behind the bench, STAND in your defense?

    Roger, [or your Name] – ‘APPROACH THE BENCH’

    R.C. Sproul (1939-2017)

    With gratitude for his teaching of Scripture, I thank God for the source of most of the previous material, one of the Lord’s most faithful teaching mentors of many scriptural pastors, R. C. Sproul.

    For more information and many doctrinally sound sermons and teaching please visit Dr. Sproul’s lifelong library at LIGONIER MINISTRIES.

  • What’s the occasion? Festival of Weeks + Pentecost

    What’s the occasion? Festival of Weeks + Pentecost

    When the day of Pentecost [was being fulfilled] had come, they were all together in one place.

    “Observe the Festival of Weeks with the firstfruits of the wheat harvest..

    Exodus 34:18a

    From a Festival of Weeks to Pentecost

    How is Pentecost the firstfruits of these last days?

    Have you ever thought about it?

    Followers of Jesus Christ often miss the significance of the very festivals our Lord observed.

    people receiving the Holy Spirit descending like a dove

    We sometimes miss Pentecost by idolatry of its imagery.

    (The Holy Spirit is NOT a dove — it descended on men and women receiving it ‘like a dove.’)

    Signs of Pentecost

    John MacArthur - 2 min.

    And when He had said this, He breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.”

    John 20:22 NASB20

    Jews debate the times and significance of these festivals to this very day. Christians and Messianic Jews recognize the miraculous moving of the Holy Spirit promised by the Lord.

    From the Law of Moses:

    34:23 שָׁלֹשׁ פְּעָמִים בַּשָּׁנָה יֵרָאֶה כָּל־זְכוּרְךָ אֶת־פְּנֵי הָֽאָדֹן יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

    23 Three times a year all your males are to appear before the Lord God, the God of Israel.

    1. Passover – pecach
    2. Feast of Weeks – Chag Shavu’os
    3. Festival of Ingathering – Chag HaAsif

    In the year of our Lord 2021

    https://www.messianicspokane.com/sukkot-chaghaasif

    5/17/2021 (Read Festival parshot) {source linked above}

    Shavuot

    NOTE these Scriptures from celebration by Messianic Jews of these last days

    Ex 19:1-20:22; Num 28:26-31; Ezek 1:1-28; 3:12; Acts 2:1-47

    shavuot 2021

    50 Days

    The connection of Pentecost is the counting of fifty days.

    Shavuot connects this counting back to the Passover, recounting the Law of Moses.

    Pentecost counts back to the Resurrection of the Messiah Jesus in Body sacrificed for us and Spirit satisfying sanctity of the Lord’s holiness.

    Fifty days after Jesus resurrection and instruction of the New Covenant with all who believe, the LORD gave the Holy Spirit to those chosen by grace.

    Pentecost – First Fruits of the Church

    IF the Holy Spirit reveals Scripture to the spirit of your heart, then read Luke’s account from his two-part message to the church: his Gospel and the history of the first century church in Acts of the Apostles.

    The Resurrection & Pentecost

    Please read the above secure link to the Scripture of the Good News of Pentecost.

    May those with ears to hear and hearts to receive accept the Word of God through Scripture and the grace of the New Covenant through Christ our Lord who was and IS and will be forever, our Good News of eternal life.

    Between Receiving the Holy Spirit and death of this body

    I have written of these last days previously. Perhaps now the Spirit will move you to talk of Jesus and the certain hope of the resurrection for those Christ has given the Holy Spirit of God.

    While we wait… DEATH and Resurrection
    Acts of the Church – Love like Christ Jesus
  • Christ IS risen, IS with us and will return

    Christ IS risen, IS with us and will return

    Luke-Acts, a Gentile Witness of the Christ

    What witness of the ascension of the risen Christ shall we share? Our witness of Christ two-thousand and some years after the resurrection and ascension is different than first century believers. Some, but not all, had had encounters with the risen Christ! Many were Jews and some Gentiles, just the inverse of 21st century witness. When the Apostles had stood in awe observing Jesus’ ascension into the clouds it brought them to worship for days.

    Christ IS risen and He will return! And thousands upon thousands first century followers believed from hearing first-hand witness of Jesus by others. Good News of Jesus was proclaimed by men and women from every walk of life. 

    Jews, Gentiles, Samaritans; rich and poor, soldiers, merchants, lepers, the working class and religious leaders; Greeks, travelers, tax collectors; Romans, shepherds and foreigners… yes, even women and children.

    And all had heard first-hand witness of Christ! They heard from those who knew Lazarus or from witnesses to other miracles; diverse followers the Way of Christ Jesus. 

    Luke the physician is one of these witnesses and a Gentile who records witness and proof of Christ Jesus. This current series has focused on Luke’s two-part history from first-hand interviews and written testimony. His introductions to the Gospel and Acts point to the motivation of Luke’s writing.

    Luke 1 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

    Many have undertaken to compile a narrative about the events that have been fulfilled among us, 2 just as the original eyewitnesses and servants of the word handed them down to us. 3 It also seemed good to me, since I have carefully investigated everything from the very first, to write to you in an orderly sequence, most honorable Theophilus, 4 so that you may know the certainty of the things about which you have been instructed.

    Events of the first century recorded by a Gentile physician. Why?

    Think of it as a chronicle of witnessed history recorded for the certainty of the nations and generations to come. We have certainty that Christ was born a man, Immanuel, God with us. The Cross becomes realization that Christ died for sinners; sinners Jew and Gentile; sinners then and sinners now.

    Luke chronicles an eye witness of the Good News. Christ Jesus IS Risen!

    Jesus IS risen from death on a Cross and then forty days later He ascends into the clouds.  For forty days the risen Christ Jesus continued to instruct the Disciples in His fulfillment of Scripture and a new covenant with believers.

    Luke 24:

    26 Didn’t the Messiah have to suffer these things and enter into His glory?” 27 Then beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, He interpreted for them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures.

    Then forty days after His bodily resurrection, Jesus departs once more, this time not by uncertain death on a cross, but ascending in certain victory.

    The Ascension of Jesus

    50 Then He led them out as far as Bethany, and lifting up His hands He blessed them. 51 And while He was blessing them, He left them and was carried up into heaven. 52 After worshiping Him, they returned to Jerusalem with great joy. 53 And they were continually in the temple complex praising God.

    END – Luke’s Book I, Continued in Book II – The Acts of the Apostles

    ACTS 1 (HCSB) 

    I wrote the first narrative, Theophilus, about all that Jesus began to do and teach 2 until the day He was taken up, after He had given orders through the Holy Spirit to the apostles He had chosen. 3 After He had suffered, He also presented Himself alive to them by many convincing proofs, appearing to them during 40 days and speaking about the kingdom of God.

    The Holy Spirit Promised

    4 While He was together with them, He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for the Father’s promise…

    7 He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or periods that the Father has set by His own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

    The Ascension

    9 After He had said this, He was taken up as they were watching, and a cloud took Him out of their sight.

    Luke then proceeds to record the miraculous events of Pentecost caused by their receiving the Holy Spirit.

    Acts 2:

    4 Then they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different languages, as the Spirit gave them ability for speech.

    5 There were Jews living in Jerusalem, devout men from every nation under heaven. 6 When this sound occurred, a crowd came together and was confused because each one heard them speaking in his own language.

    Peter then preaches a Spirit-filled sermon convicting the hearers of the word.

    37 When they heard this, they came under deep conviction[m] and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles: “Brothers, what must we do?”

    38 “Repent,” Peter said to them, “and be baptized, each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is for you and for your children, and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call.”

    Three-thousand converts that day! But it gets even better.

    Luke’s witness continues with the conversion of the church’s most zealous Jewish persecutor, Saul.  And later Luke recounts conversations with the Apostles, more miracles and he details Paul’s journeys as Apostle to the Gentiles.

    It is written

    Beloved remnant of scriptural faith, perhaps you had not anticipated our journey’s end. For we began with Resurrection, moving to Ascension then Pentecost.

    The Revelation of Jesus Christ to John is certain! Yet this series we close with forgotten prophesy, confirmed by New Testament witness.

    Could Christ have also instructed the Apostles in these fulfilled prophesies before His Ascension?

    Micah 5:

    … They are striking the judge of Israel
    on the cheek with a rod.

    2 Bethlehem Ephrathah,
    you are small among the clans of Judah;
    One will come from you
    to be ruler over Israel for Me.
    His origin is from antiquity,
    from eternity.

    Luke records: 4 And Joseph also went … to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family line of David.. 6 While they were there, the time came for her to give birth. 7 Then she gave birth to her firstborn Son..

    Luke’s Gospel also witnesses: 63 The men who were holding Jesus started mocking and beating Him. 64 After blindfolding Him, they kept asking, “Prophesy! Who hit You?” 

    And the Apostle John records an incident in the Temple and Jesus’ witness to Jewish authorities. Consider the words of Micah 5:2 with which these Temple officials should have been familiar.

    John 8:

    12 Then Jesus spoke to them again: “I am the light of the world. Anyone who follows Me will never walk in the darkness but will have the light of life.”

    13 So the Pharisees said to Him, “You are testifying about Yourself. Your testimony is not valid.” …

    21 Then He said to them again, “I’m going away; you will look for Me, and you will die in your sin. Where I’m going, you cannot come.” …

    He told them, “I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. 24 Therefore I told you that you will die in your sins. For if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.”

    25 “Who are You?” they questioned.

    “Precisely what I’ve been telling you from the very beginning,” Jesus told them… 

    28 So Jesus said to them, “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and that I do nothing on My own…

    42 Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love Me, because I came from God and I am here. For I didn’t come on My own, but He sent Me.43 Why don’t you understand what I say?

    54 “If I glorify Myself,” Jesus answered, “My glory is nothing. My Father—you say about Him, ‘He is our God’—He is the One who glorifies Me…

    56 Your father Abraham was overjoyed that he would see My day; he saw it and rejoiced.” …

    58 Jesus said to them,

    “I assure you: Before Abraham was, I am.”

    Christ’s Ascension Confirms His Origin

    5:2  וְאַתָּה בֵּֽית־לֶחֶם אֶפְרָתָה צָעִיר לִֽהְיֹות בְּאַלְפֵי יְהוּדָה מִמְּךָ לִי יֵצֵא לִֽהְיֹות מֹושֵׁל בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל וּמֹוצָאֹתָיו מִקֶּדֶם מִימֵי עֹולָֽם׃

    One will come from you
    to be ruler over Israel for Me.
    His origin is from antiquity,
    from eternity.

    Micah 5:2

    Christ died. Jesus IS risen and His ascension confirms what the He told officials of the Temple. These same words of the LORD confirmed to Israel through Moses His very eternity. 

    Exodus 3:14 וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים אֶל־מֹשֶׁה אֶֽהְיֶה אֲשֶׁר אֶֽהְיֶה וַיֹּאמֶר כֹּה תֹאמַר לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶֽהְיֶה שְׁלָחַנִי אֲלֵיכֶֽם׃

    ‘I AM THAT I AM.”

    Jesus’ ascension confirms the ONE who sent Him. Surely our Lord will return as is His promise. And we can know with certainty that Christ’s eternal reign draws near in these last days.

    Amen,