PENTECOST (Greek Ilevrnicoarh, Pen-tay-kos-tay', fiftieth, i.e., day), the name given in the New Testament to the Feast of Weeks, or of Ingathering, which was celebrated on the fiftieth day from the festival of unleavened bread, or the Passover; or seven weeks from the t6th day of Nisan.
It was a festival of thanks for the harvest, and commenced immediately after the Passover. (See FESTIVALS.) It was one of the three great yearly festivals, in which all the males were re quired to appear before God at the place of his sanctuary. Josephus states that in his time great numbers of Jews resorted from every quarter to Jerusalem to keep this festival (Antiq. xiv. 13, 4; xvii. to, 2; De Bell. Jud. ii. 3, ). This testi mony affords interesting corroboration of Acts ii 9-11; xx ; Cor. xvi :8, in which the same fact appears. The commencement of the Christian church on the day of Pentecost, pre ceded as it was by our Lord's ascension, attached a peculiar interest to this season, and eventually led to its being set apart for the commemora tion of these great events. It was not, however,
established as one of the great festivals until the fourth century. The combination of two events (the Ascension and the descent of the Holy Ghost) in one festival has a parallel in the original Jewish feast, which is held to have included the feast of first-fruits, and of the de livering of the law (Exod. xxiii :16 ; Lev. xxiii 14-21; Num. xxviii :26). Indeed, this festival in some respects bears a close analogy to the Jewish one; and is evidently little more than a modifica tion of it. The converts of that day, on which the Holy Ghost descended, were the first fruits of the Spirit. This festival becatne one of the three baptismal seasons (Tertull. De Baptis. c. 19 ; Hieron.,itt Zach.xiv :8) : and it derives its name of Whitsunday, or white-Sunday, from so many be ing clad in white on this day of their baptism.