Pentecost

Old Testament Texts

Pentecost Sunday provides a fitting conclusion to the Easter Season because it shifts our focus from Christ to the Holy Spirit, from the event of salvation to the breaking in of a new creation. The linking of Easter and Pentecost is a strong affirmation of how salvation and creation are inextricably related. The Old Testament texts provide important commentary on the central relationship of salvation and creation. Numbers 11:24-30 explores how the people of God structure community, while Psalm 104: la, 24-34, 35b is a celebration of this fact.

The Lesson: Numbers 11:24-30

Authority in the Christian Community

Setting. Numbers 11: 24-30 is a story about prophetic authority. As is frequently the case when the power of God’s spirit becomes the point of focus in scripture, there is ambiguity and tension concerning the recognition of the power of the Spirit with regard to (1) who can have it and (2) how we know that the power is genuine. The larger context of vv. 4-35 accentuates the ambiguity of this story.

Structure. Numbers 11:4-35 is a murmuring story, in which Israel (or perhaps better, “a rabble” within the group) complains about not having meat to eat in the wilderness. Never mind that they are presently being kept alive by the miraculous gift of manna. This is not the first murmuring story, so the reader is not overly surprised by the thematic development of murmuring. What is new to the story is that Moses becomes angry in vv. 10- 15 to the point that he contemplates death as a better alternative to leading Israel . . .

The complaint of Moses in vv. 10- 15 concerning the burden of leadership provides the link to the sub-theme of prophetic leadership in vv. 16-30, which divides between vv. 16-23 and 24-30 (the text for this Sunday). Verses 16-23 provide an important context for the lectionary reading. These verses divide between 16-20 and 21-23. Verses 16-20 constitute God’s response to Moses’ complaint. He is instructed to gather seventy elders and bring them to the Tent of Meeting where they will be given a portion of Moses’ spirit. Moses is not assured even by this distribution of power and questions in vv. 21-23 whether there is enough food anywhere to feed this group of 600,000. God’s response to Moses provides the immediate context to the lectionary text: “Is the Lord’s power limited?” (v. 23). The question is left hanging.

The lectionary text separates into three parts: vv. 24-25, 26-27, and 28-30. Verses 24-25 describe the empowerment of the seventy elders. They receive a portion of Moses’ spirit and prophecy momentarily to demonstrate their power before they (presumably) take up their leadership roles. Verses 26-27 is unexpected. It is as though the spirit of God splashes over the pre-established boundaries of the seventy elders and lands on two others, who begin to prophesy independently. Verses 28-30 provide two responses to the unexpected effects of God’s spirit. Joshua is against it and Moses is in support of it.

Significance. Numbers 11:24-30 is about power and authority within the community of the people of God. The emphasis on prophetic authority with its unpredictable charismatic aspect provides an excellent avenue for preaching on Pentecost. The story provides two central insights concerning how we view authority within the Christian community. These insights are represented negatively in Joshua and positively in Moses through their exchange at the close of the text. Furthermore, through their responses each character provides an answer to the divine question (“Is the Lord’s power limited?”) that was placed to Moses in v. 23 but never really answered.

Joshua: Joshua’s actions imply a yes answer to the question concerning limitation on divine power, and as such he meant to provide a foil to Moses. Note how the writer has gone to great lengths to spell out Joshua’s important credentials. He is the assistant to Moses and one of the seventy elders. He is part of the power structure that has been established with its clear and controllable boundaries. His reactions to the unexpected prophesying of Eldad and Medad are negative. “Stop them!” he commands Moses. Is the Lord’s power limited according to Joshua? Clearly yes, and thus the unexpected prophesying cannot be tolerated.

Moses: Moses is the ideal in this story. He is presented as affirming the orderly distribution of power through the seventy elders, and he is open to the surprises of the spirit as evidenced in Eldad and Medad. Thus he responds to Joshua with a question of his own, “Are you jealous for my sake?” Then he concludes the story by idealizing the unpredictable aspect of prophetic authority by wishing that all of Israel might have the power of Eldad and Medad.

Numbers 11:24-30 is an excellent story for probing the charismatic power of God’s spirit on Pentecost, because it affirms both the power of structure (seventy elders) and the surprises of God (Eldad and Medad). Too often the charismatic power of God is set over against institutional structures of the Church. This dichotomy is not an accident, since an essential aspect of the Spirit is its unpredictability. Such a quality means that established structures can be undermined. Or, as the writer of John tells us, the Spirit blows where it will, thus it cannot be contained within set boundaries. The manner in which Moses is idealized in Numbers 11:24-30 is helpful on Pentecost Sunday, because it encourages us to expand our understanding of the spirit as power set loose both in established structures and in other unexpected places.

The Response: Psalm 104:24-34, 35b

Celebrating God’s Creative Power

Setting. Psalm 104 is a hymn celebrating the creative power of God. It shows a connection to Genesis 1 in vv. 6 and 25 as well as to creation motifs from other cultures in the ancient Near East. Verses 19-24 have a marked resemblance to the Egyptian hymn of Akhenaton (Amenophis IV 1200 B.C.E.?), especially with the encyclopaedic listing of aspects of creation. In addition references to primeval waters, vv. 6 and 26 also suggest the influence of flood mythology from Syro-Canaanite primeval flood mythology.

Structure. Scholars debate the structure of Psalm 104 and the reader is encouraged to consult some commentaries for discussion of the full range of problems. The lectionary text includes the opening half verse of the psalm, which is a statement of praise and most probably three concluding sections: vv. 24-26, 27-30, and 31-35. The text can be outlined in the following manner:

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Significance. Psalm 104 is a celebration of God’s power as creator. The three concluding sections of the psalm shift the focus somewhat by describing different aspects of God’s creative power. Verses 24-27 describe the power of God over sea creatures and even the mythological sea monster Leviathan. Verses 28-30 move from sea to land to underscore how God’s creative power is also evident in the continuation of life cycles on earth. Finally, vv. 31-35 provide summary in three ways: first the poet requests the continuing care of God for creation; second, there is a vow to praise God the Creator; and finally, there is a concluding invective. The function of this invective is to pull the psalmist’s meditation on creation back into the moral sphere. Contemplation of God’s work in creation has moral implications for humans.

New Testament Texts

How many times were the disciples anointed with the Holy Spirit? Was Jesus present among them, ascended into heaven, or both? The lectionary makes a bold move in bringing these texts together, for they are not easily harmonized or reconciled. The Roman Catholic Church has struggled with the relationship of these passages at least since the Second Council of Constantinople in 553 C.E., recognizing two real gifts of the Spirit, one private and related to the forgiveness of sins, the other public and related to the directing of the Church’s mission of evangelism. Unless one insists upon driving a sceptical wedge between these texts, Protestants may well learn from Roman Catholic tradition at this point.

The Text: Acts 2:1-21

Knowing God’s Presence and Having the Courage to Name It

Setting. The setting of this text was treated at length in the material for the Second Sunday of Easter, and readers should turn again to that material. Here we comment on the setting of the entire Pentecost story in the overall structure of Acts. In Acts 1 we moved from Easter up to Pentecost, seeing the risen Lord present among the disciples, instructing them, and promising the coming of the Holy Spirit. Acts 2 narrates the fulfilment of Jesus’ promise, and it shows us quite dramatically what the disciples do as a result of being anointed with the Spirit – they are transformed from being mere eyewitnesses to being genuine ministers of the word. The remainder of Acts, beginning in Acts 3, tells how certain faithful disciples continue the Christ-ordained and Spirit-empowered mission.

Structure. General remarks about the structure of this passage are in the material for the Second Sunday of Easter. There are three distinct sections in this lesson: 11-13, 14-16, 17-21. Verses 1-13 have three subsections that provide a narrative introduction to Peter’s speech in vv. 14-40. First, we learn of the time and place (v. 1) and, second, vv. 2-4 tell dramatically of the coming of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples. Third, vv. 5-13 introduce and describe the assembly of -devout Jews from every nation- and tell of the mixed reaction of the crowd to the disciples. Verses 14-16 fix the speech in relation to Jerusalem, Pentecost, the cosmopolitan crowd, and then we receive statements about the divine anointing of believers, the ensuing miracle(s), and the misunderstanding of the masses. Verses 17-21 correlate the events of Pentecost with scriptural texts that provide a biblical interpretation of the incidents that are recounted in the Acts of the Apostles.

Significance. Peter claims that prophecy clarifies the Pentecost happenings; he identifies divine activity and the presence of the Holy Spirit with the effects on the believers. This allows him to name the time as “the Last Days.” In turn, this naming of the time indicates the crucial nature of the Pentecost as a moment of cosmic crisis and divine judgment. The outcome of the eschatological outbreaking of the Spirit at Pentecost is the driving of humanity to call on the name of the Lord in order to be saved.

Notice the boldness of Peter’s speech at Pentecost. He made several points clear in this speech, and at least two prominent points are inherent in this week’s lesson: (1) Only those in a positive relationship to Jesus Christ – as the one in whom God’s plan was/is fulfilled – are in a position to understand properly the present work of God. The masses could not comprehend the effects of the Holy Spirit on the believers, because they had no knowledge of the promise of the risen Jesus that the Spirit would come upon the disciples. The superior knowledge of the disciples is not a source of privilege, but a call to service in behalf of Christ to the masses. Christianity is not gnosticism. Whatever we know by the grace of God is given to us to direct us to ministry. (2) Christians have a peculiar and particular perspective on time: it is the Last Days – a penultimate time of fulfilment, judgment, and salvation. An important dimension of the ministry to which we are called is the naming of the times. Time from the Christian point of view is not a spiral, or a circle, or even a mere line. Time belongs to God, who changed the time in the life, death, Resurrection, and Ascension of Jesus Christ and the subsequent outpouring of the Holy Spirit. The time of God’s promise has been brought to fulfilment. In the current moment, described in the lesson as “the last days,” we live under the plain claim of God. The declaration of Peter means that God’s work which humanity hoped had, in fact, already broken into history so that things were no longer the same.

Furthermore, as there is a difference between the time of God’s present and the time of the past, brought about by the activity of God, there will be a difference between the present and God’s future. We do not simply wait on God, for God in Christ and the Spirit has come in a real, significant way; but God’s coming is not fully present and will not be until “the last day.” In the present, we are called to name God’s presence, to change our lives through the power of the Spirit so that they are given in obedience to God’s active will, and to look forward confidently and courageously to God’s future even amidst less than perfect circumstances.

The Gospel: John 20:19-23

Jesus Changes, Empowers, and Redirects Lives

Setting. The author of the Fourth Gospel carefully crafts the post-Resurrection appearances of Jesus. After the discovery of the empty tomb by Mary Magdalene (20: 1), she informs the disciples that the body is missing (v. 2). Peter and the beloved disciple run to the tomb, and after entering they (or the beloved disciple) believed, but Mary was not present (vv. 3- 10). In turn, Jesus appears to Mary and she believes (vv. 11- 18). At evening, Jesus appears to the disciples, who are overjoyed (vv. 19-23); but Thomas was not present (vv. 24-25). In turn, Jesus appears to the disciples and Thomas, and Thomas believes (vv. 26-29). Verses 30-31 of John were likely the original ending of the Gospel.

Structure. This lesson is a subtle combination of story and pronouncement. Verses 19-20 narrate the appearance of Jesus to the disciples by telling of the location, the fear of the disciples, the miraculous manner of his appearance, his issuing of “peace” to them, his showing the signs of his crucifixion, and the disciples’ joy. Verses 21-23 form a second portion of the story, marked off by Jesus repeating the words, “Peace be with you.” In turn, Jesus commissions the disciples, breathes the Holy Spirit on them, and empowers them for the ministry of the forgiveness of sins.

Significance. This brief text is heavy-laden with significant theological themes that are best held together both for deeper comprehension and to avoid misunderstanding. John begins by noting the fear of the disciples. We should start thinking about this passage by recognizing that emotion. Yet, this is not just any fear; this is fear related to religious persecution. Analogies should be to historical examples of persecution for religious reasons. In the midst of that fear, the Lord appears. His real presence brings peace and joy to the disciples. The peace comes as the risen Jesus bears and pronounces the peace of God into the lives of the disciples. This peace is brought or created. It is not conjured up from some faded part of the disciples’ lives. Jesus does not say, “Cheer up.” Moreover, the joy is also a result of the presence of Christ, but more specifically it is the result of the disciples’ identifying the risen and present Lord with the crucified Jesus. Seeing the nail scars moves the disciples from fear to joy.

Having brought and pronounced peace, the risen Christ commissions the disciples. There is no careful definition of the “sending” of which Jesus speaks, but we should notice that the disciples are sent by Christ and like Christ. As God sent Jesus, so Jesus sends the disciples. God’s purposes in sending Jesus are now extended as Jesus sends the disciples. In other words, the concerns of Jesus’ own ministry, as it is known through the Gospel according to John, are to be the concerns of the work of the disciples. This line of thought continues as Jesus breathes the Holy Spirit upon the disciples. He had worked in the power of the Spirit, and now the same Spirit is given to the disciples after Jesus commissions them. And the words of the risen Lord continue to provide clarity about the sending of the disciples when, in v. 23, we hear the enigmatic pronouncement about the forgiveness of sins. What exactly is Jesus empowering the disciples to do? Are they now to play God? No. In Greek, the precise construction of these lines tells that it is ultimately God who does the forgiving, through the power of the Holy Spirit, which has come upon the disciples to empower and direct them. The passive forms of the verbs, “are forgiven” and “are retained,” assume the hand of God. The authority operative in this ministry of forgiveness is a continuation of the ministry of Jesus through the work of the Holy Spirit. Thus the forgiving of sins by the Holy Spirit working through the disciples is the bestowing of the very salvation provided by Jesus himself through his life, death, Resurrection, and gift of the Spirit.

Pentecost: The Celebration

The move from white paraments to red and the use of an Old Testament lesson again can give this day the feel of a new season rather than that of a triumphal conclusion to the Great Fifty Days. This is not altogether inappropriate, however, and one can easily understand how for centuries in the Church’s practice the Day of Pentecost was thought of as the beginning of a new season. It is understandable because the theme of Pentecost is the new creation, the new thing that God is doing in the world. Yet this new creation is inextricably tied to the Easter event, as today’s Gospel makes clear. The work of the Holy Spirit that we are celebrating is the continuation of the ministry of Christ. Without that connection we are apt to lose our Trinitarian balance and overemphasize a vague worship of the Holy Spirit. This connection with the work of Christ is also a corrective against statements like, “Pentecost is the coming of the Spirit into the world,” as though the Holy Spirit had not been here from the beginning. Pentecost is the celebration of a specific work of the Spirit, which is the empowerment of the Church for Christ’s service in the world.

It is for this reason that the Holy Spirit is called upon by the Church when we intend to perform some serious work. At ordinations we sing the “Veni, Creator Spiritus”. The Great Thanksgiving at the Eucharist, the Thanksgiving over the Water at baptism, and the ordination prayers all have sections known as the epiclesis, a portion of the prayer where God is asked to grant the work of the Holy Spirit in effecting our requests.

If the Eucharist is celebrated today, the following epiclesis might be sung by the congregation immediately following the minister’s said epiclesis in the Great Thanksgiving. The text is by Charles Wesley and should be sung to an appropriately vigorous tune such as Azmon.

Come, Holy Ghost, thine influence shed,
And real make the sign;
Thy life infuse into the bread,
Thy power into the wine.

Effectual let the tokens prove
And made, by heavenly art,
Fit channels to convey thy love
To every faithful heart.

Today’s Gospel can also provide an opportunity for the worship committee to discuss the meaning of passing the peace and to see it not as an exercise in group dynamics or community building, but as a liturgical participation in the peace that comes from the risen Christ and not out of our own good humour. This means that it needs to be located with care within the service, so that it is seen to be the work of Christ in our midst. Usually this would be after the words of forgiveness following the prayer of confession or after the dismissal and blessing at the conclusion of the service.